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08Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Significant Transnational Criminal Organizations: Message From the President of the United States (H. Doc. No. 119-172)
1 member spoke
10Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Hostage-Taking and the Wrongful Detention of United States Nationals Abroad: Message From the President of the United States (H. Doc. No. 119...
11Adjournment
1 member spoke
12Memorials
13Deletions of Sponsors From Public Bills and Resolutions
Daily Digest
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced
32 public bills, H.R. 9661- 9692; and 1 resolution, H. Res. 1429, were introduced.
Pages H4465-66
Reports Filed
There were no reports filed today. Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Guest to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H4411
Recess
The House recessed at 11:39 a.m. and reconvened at 12 p.m.
Page H4423
Recess
The House recessed at 1:11 p.m. and reconvened at 1:30 p.m.
Page H4431
Suspensions
The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures: Common Cents Act: H.R. 3074, amended, to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to stop minting the penny, to require cash transactions to be rounded up or down to the nearest five cents;
Pages H4432-38
Agreed to amend the title so as to read
``To direct the Secretary of the Treasury to stop minting the penny, to permit cash transactions to be rounded up or down to the nearest five cents, and for other purposes''; and
Page H4438
Failing Bank Acquisition Fairness Act
H.R. 6556, amended, to prohibit the use of certain concentration limit exceptions with respect to mergers involving a failed bank unless the applicable agency determines such use is necessary to prevent significant economic disruption or significant adverse effects on financial stability.
Pages H4438-41
Sunshine Protection Act
The House passed H.R. 139, to make daylight savings time permanent, by a yea-and-nay vote of 308 yeas to 117 nays, Roll No. 238.
Pages H4445-52
H. Res. 1423, the rule providing for consideration was agreed to by a recorded vote of 215 ayes to 211 noes, Roll No. 237, after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote of 217 yeas to 210 nays, Roll No. 236.
Pages H4431-32
Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act
The House passed H.R. 1181, to prohibit payment card networks and covered entities from requiring the use of or assigning merchant category codes that distinguish a firearms retailer from general-merchandise retailer or sporting-goods retailer, by a yea-and-nay vote of 221 yeas to 201 nays, Roll No. 240.
Pages H4441-45, H4451-52
Rejected the Frost motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Financial Services by a yea-and-nay vote of 208 yeas to 217 nays, Roll No. 239.
Page H4451
Pursuant to the Rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Financial Services now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted.
Page H4441
H. Res. 1423, the rule providing for consideration was agreed to by a recorded vote of 215 ayes to 211 noes, Roll No. 237, after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote of 217 yeas to 210 nays, Roll No. 236.
Pages H4431-32
Meeting Hour
Agreed by unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 11 a.m. tomorrow, July 15th.
Page H4453
Commission on International Religious Freedom: Appointment
The Chair announces 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: Dr. David A. Anderson of Bowie, Maryland, to succeed Mrs. Vicky Hartzler.
Page H4453
Congressional Award Board: Appointment
Read a letter from Representative Jeffries, Minority Leader, in which he appointed the following individual to the Congressional Award Board: Ms. Cheryl Johnson of Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Page H4453
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Communication
Read a letter from Chairman Graves wherein he transmitted copies of two resolutions included in the General Services Administration's Capital Investment and Leasing Programs. The resolutions were adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on July 14, 2026.
Pages H4453-62
Presidential Messages
Read a message from the President transmitting a notification stating that the national emergency with respect to significant transnational criminal organizations declared in Executive Order 13581 of July 24, 2011, under which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13863 of March 15, 2019, is to continue in effect beyond July 24, 2026--referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 119-172).
Page H4441
Read a message from the President transmitting a notification stating that the national emergency with respect to hostage-taking and the wrongful detention of United States nationals abroad declared in Executive Order 14078 of July 19, 2022, is to continue in effect beyond July 19, 2026--referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 119-173).
Page H4453
Quorum Calls: Votes
Four yea-and-nay votes and one recorded vote developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H4431-32, H4432, H4450-51, H4451, and H4452. Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 6 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: 172 of 234 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, on the eve of our Nation's 250th birthday, Zohran Mamdani sat at George Washington's desk and painted a dystopian picture of America: an oligarchy based on exploitation, discrimination, nativism, and bondage.
Stripping away the anti-American rhetoric, he seemed to make three general points: First, that America is so racist and xenophobic that many insist it ``belongs only to those with the right accent or the right shade of skin.'' Yet, even as he spoke these words, foreign soccer fans with every accent and skin shade flooded social media to tell of their delight at the openness, hospitality, prosperity, happiness, abundance, and big-heartedness of middle America.
Indeed, America welcomes more foreign immigrants than any other country in the world, but we insist that those who come to America do so with a sincere desire to become loyal Americans, to adopt a common language, a common culture, and a common appreciation of American constitutional principles and traditions, and to raise their children to revere and appreciate this country. It is called assimilation. It is why we have immigration laws. That is the only way to build one great Nation and one great people from all the nations and people of the world.
Illegal immigration destroys that process. Mamdani, like so many on the left, obstruct our immigration laws and vilify those who enforce them. Yet, if we don't enforce our immigration laws, then we have no immigration laws. Without immigration laws, we have no border. Without a border, we have no country. Is it possible Mamdani does not understand this or is this his ultimate aim?
His second point is that American exceptionalism derives not from the principles of liberty proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence, but, rather, that these principles can be exchanged for others, and Mr. Mamdani has one in mind--socialism.
However, freedom and socialism are two antithetical and incompatible things. Our fundamental natural rights as human beings come to us either from God or from government. If from God--the right to chart our own course through life, develop our own talents, supply our own industry, and enjoy the fruit of our own labors--they are a birthright and are inalienable.
If these rights come from government, then they can be extended or withdrawn at the whim of those in power. Mr. Mamdani and his friends will decide how much you may earn, where and how you can live, which groups will receive the favors of government and which will be denied them, who must live under the law and who can live above it, even the temperature that you must set your thermostat.
Wherever the socialists take control, we see this fundamental change, and there is nothing exceptional about it. It is the consistent product of socialist regimes: confiscatory taxes, chronic shortages of basic necessities, rampant homelessness, rising crime, bitter racial strife, failing schools, shuttered businesses, and ultimately, fleeing families.
His third point is that our founding principles create inequalities so vast that in America ``children go to sleep hungry, while the world's first trillionaire hungers for more.''
Well, no one starves in America. Indeed, the poorest Americans today are wealthier than the vast majority of mankind. Yes, in America extraordinary individuals, including legal immigrants, can achieve extraordinary success. The left loves to dehumanize them as oligarchs. Their vast fortunes were made because consumers found value in their products and freely bought them. They have provided mankind with quantum leaps in technological progress that in turn produced the jobs and goods and services that provide Americans with a prosperity and standard of living unparalleled throughout the world. As John F. Kennedy reminded us: ``A rising tide lifts all boats.''
The true oligarchs are the socialists who use the power of government to plunder the earnings of productive Americans in order to enrich themselves and their acolytes. As Winston
Mr. Speaker, if America follows Mr. Mamdani, it will not be the first civilization to succumb to the siren song of a benevolent, all-powerful government, but every civilization that has done so has awakened one morning to discover that the benevolence is gone and that the all- powerful government remains.
The American Founders feared that one day a generation might emerge that has lost the memory of freedom. Let that not be the legacy of our generation.
Lorenzo Salgado, como cualquier papa, debio haber llegado a su casa, recibido por su esposa y sus hijos en la tarde del 7 de Julio.
Debio haberse sentado en su patio, como lo hacia cada tarde, escuchando su musica, y jugando con su perro.
Pero Lorenzo no regreso ese dia. Fallecio a manos de ICE.
Lorenzo tenia 52 anos. Paso 35 de esos anos construyendo casas en Houston--casas que para muchas familias, fueron su sueno Americano.
Lorenzo abrio su propio negocio. Y cuando alguien tocaba a su puerta buscando trabajo, Lorenzo le daba trabajo. Su hijo lo describe como un creador de empleos para mucha gente, trabajadores, igual que el.
Tenia tres hijos: un maestro, un ingeniero, y un joven que estudia ingenieria.
El siete de julio, Lorenzo se levanto antes del amanecer--como cada dia de su vida. A las siete de la manana, ya estaba trabajando: manejando su van llevando a su equipo a un sitio de construccion.
Lorenzo Salgado, like any father, should have arrived home, greeted by his wife and children on the afternoon of July 7th.
He should have sat in his backyard, as he did every afternoon, listening to his music and playing with his dog.
But Lorenzo didn't return that day. He died at the hands of ICE.
Lorenzo was 52 years old. He spent 35 of those years building houses in Houston--houses that, for many families, represented their American dream.
Lorenzo owned his own business. And when someone knocked on his door looking for work, Lorenzo gave them a job. His son describes him as a job creator for many people, workers, just like him.
He had three children: a teacher, an engineer, and a young man studying engineering.
On July 7th, Lorenzo got up before dawn--as he did every day of his life. By seven in the morning, he was already working: driving his van, taking his crew to a construction site.
And then, an ICE officer shot him. He wasn't even the man that they were looking for. And 7 days later we have no body camera footage, no dash camera footage, and zero accountability. We don't even know the identity of the officers who were involved, but we do know that he was a father of three who worked overtime to provide for his family. He was killed on his way to work, and this administration expects us to take their word that this was a justifiable killing.
Desafortunadamente, no podemos hacer nada para curar el dolor la familia de Lorenzo.
Ni el dolor de la familia de Renee Good--madre, ciudadana estadounidense, asesinada en su carro en Minneapolis.
Ni por la familia de Alex Pretti--enfermero que cuidaba a nuestros veteranos, ciudadano Americano, matado mientras defendia a una mujer en la calle.
Ni por la familia del joven que ICE mato ayer en Biddeford, Maine--un joven cuyo nombre todavia ni siquiera conocemos. Pero alguien, en este momento, lo esta esperando en casa. Y no va a llegar.
Unfortunately, we can do nothing to heal the pain of Lorenzo's family.
Nor the pain of Renee Good's family--a mother, an American citizen, killed in her car in Minneapolis.
Nor for the family of Alex Pretti--a nurse who cared for our veterans, an American citizen, killed while defending a woman in the street.
Nor for the family of the young man ICE killed yesterday in Biddeford, Maine--a young man whose name we still don't even know. But someone, right now, is waiting for him at home. And he's not coming.
We were told that this was about dangerous, violent criminals, that Trump's immigration enforcement was going to target the worst in this Nation, but instead it has made everyone unsafe: Latinos, for the way that we look, and any American who dares to stand in between them.
``Nobody,'' ``nadie'' is safe when armed agents answer to no one. This administration says Lorenzo was shot because he looked like someone they were searching for. Well, in America, there is no death penalty for looking like someone else and driving to work, and yet here we are.
Yo vengo de la frontera y de una familia de inmigrantes, y conozco a los Lorenzos de este pais--en Texas, en Nuevo Mexico, aqui en Washington, y a traves del pais. Se levantan antes del amanecer. Pizcan el chile en Hatch. Cuidan el ganado en nuestros campos. Construyen casas en Las Cruces, Albuquerque y Houston.
Y a esa comunidad, no le voy a decir solamente ``los veo.'' Las palabras no detienen las balas. Les digo: vamos a pelear por ustedes. En esta camara. En las cortes. Y marchando a su lado.
Lorenzo Salgado debio haber llegado a casa a su familia.
I come from the border and from a family of immigrants, and I know the Lorenzos of this country--in Texas, in New Mexico, here in Washington, and across the nation. They get up before dawn. They pick chili peppers in Hatch. They tend cattle in our fields. They build homes in Las Cruces, Albuquerque, and Houston.
And to that community, I'm not just going to say, ``I see you.'' Words don't stop bullets. I'm saying: We're going to fight for you. In this chamber. In the courts. And marching alongside you.
Lorenzo Salgado should have been home to his family.
Lorenzo cried out, ``Me estan matando,'' ``They are killing me.'' The ``they'' were ICE agents. The ``they'' was paid by your tax dollars. The ``they'' answers only to this administration. It does not answer to the people.
Later today, many in this Chamber will have the privilege of going home to dinner with their loved ones. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo should have had it, too.
En su honor--y en honor de Renee, de Alex, y del joven que perdimos ayer en Maine--no vamos a descansar hasa que cada familia en este pais pueda esperar a los suyos en la mesa, sin miedo.
Y hoy doy este discurso en Espanol e Ingles, sin miedo, para reforzar que somos una nacion de inmigrantes, y vamos a seguir siendo una nacion de inmigrantes.
In his honor--and in honor of Renee, Alex, and the young man we lost yesterday in Maine--we will not rest until every family in this country can wait for their loved ones at the table, without fear.
And today I give this speech in Spanish and English, without fear, to reinforce that we are a nation of immigrants, and we will continue to be a nation of immigrants.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will provide a translation of his remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 70th anniversary of President Dwight D. Eisenhower signing the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956.
President Eisenhower, a proud son of Abilene, Kansas, understood that a strong transportation network was essential to America's future. His vision for the Interstate Highway System helped fuel generations of America's growth.
In Kansas, we see that legacy every day. Interstate 70 runs through the heart of our State, connecting communities like Goodland, Colby, Quinter, Hays, Russell, Salina, Abilene, Manhattan, Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City. It helps farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and first responders move through the center of America while serving as a lifeline for Kansas.
Seventy years later, President Eisenhower's legacy still reminds us that
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Martha Mendoza for 25 years of dedicated service to the people of Kansas.
In July 2001, Martha began working for Senator Pat Roberts in his Dodge City office. Over the next two decades, she earned the trust of Kansans across the region and ultimately served as Senator Roberts' district director for 8 years.
When I was elected to Congress in 2021, Senator Roberts personally recommended I hire Martha because he knew her character, her work ethic, and the genuine care she brings to every Kansan who asks for help. I am grateful that she agreed to continue her service as my constituent services director.
Today, Martha still works in the same Dodge City office where she began her public service career 25 years ago. During that time, she has helped countless Kansans navigate Federal agencies, resolve difficult casework, and find answers during some of the most stressful moments of their lives.
Martha works long hours, follows through, and treats every person who calls her or walks through the door with dignity and compassion. She understands that public service is about helping people, and she has spent her career putting others' lives in front of her own.
Martha is a trusted colleague, a devoted mother of Joe, Gio, and Alexyss, and a tireless advocate for the people of the Big First District.
I thank Martha for her 25 years of faithful service to Kansans. Our State is better because of her work and I am honored to have her on our team.
Mr. Speaker, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy established July 15 as Statehood Day for Ukraine, but we spend another year on this day wondering when the Ukrainian people will be able to celebrate without threats from Russia.
The length of the war in Ukraine has recently surpassed World War I, and it is an outrage that Ukraine has been forced to incur staggering casualties and defend its territory against a relentless dictator. Families are being torn apart, and fear is a part of everyday life for Ukrainians.
We have a duty to support nations that are aiming to support life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for their citizens. That is why I firmly reassert the need to continue funding Ukraine's defense.
From the floor of the House of Representatives, I extend my regards to our Ukrainian friends and allies. May they soon honor their statehood during a time of peace.
Mr. Speaker, in New York and across the country, we are in an affordable housing crisis.
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, a household in the New York City region making the median income would need to spend 65 percent of their income to afford the average home.
No family should have to spend over one-half of their income on housing. That is why, this week, I introduced the Home Mortgage Interest Credit Act and the Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit Act. These bills will create new tax credits on mortgage interest and home modifications to help families better afford homeownership and allow seniors to age in place.
As a county executive, I worked to construct affordable housing units and deliver options for families looking to move to my home county of Westchester, but more action is needed. We must work toward a sustained, all-of-government approach through funding, tax policy, and regulatory reform to fully tackle this affordability problem.
The bills I introduced today will deliver relief to young families taking on a mortgage to purchase their first home and to seniors who need to update the bathroom or install a ramp to allow them to age in place.
While the President claims that no one cares about housing, I look forward to moving these commonsense proposals forward with my colleagues to make affordable housing available again.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize New York Blood Center and all community blood centers across the United States that ensure a stable blood supply for patients in our hospitals.
Blood can only come from generous donors, and patients in need are relying on volunteers to roll up their sleeves and give them the gift of life. But right now, the New York Blood Center is in its second blood emergency of the summer, signaling critically low levels of blood supply that exists for the State.
In the United States, someone needs blood every 2 seconds, and while more than 60 percent are eligible to donate blood, only about 3 percent of Americans do. If just 1 percent more volunteers donated blood, we could alleviate the blood shortages that endanger the blood supply each season.
I thank the millions of Americans who already regularly donate blood and encourage others to join them. Moreover, I commend the work being done at the New York Blood Center, which has been serving the tristate area for more than 60 years and today serves more than 200 hospitals and EMS partners with more than half a million lifesaving blood products.
Together, we can work to ensure that no matter when a person needs it, there will be blood available to them.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Pella High School Marching Dutch on their trip to our Nation's Capital for the 250th National Independence Day celebration.
Led by 21-year band director Dameon Place, the Pella Marching Dutch includes 225 talented high school students. Participation in the band gives students the opportunity to develop leadership, discipline, teamwork, and a commitment to excellence that will serve them well after graduation. I know this firsthand because my children participated in band and orchestra.
While the Independence Day Parade was, unfortunately, canceled because of the extreme heat, the students made the most of their once- in-a-lifetime trip. They adapted and played a special popup performance at the Upper Senate Park, allowing visitors to experience this talented Iowa band. They also attended the National Symphony Orchestra's Fourth of July concert and fireworks, visited our Nation's iconic monuments, and explored the Smithsonian museums.
Our community in Pella is extremely supportive of its band program. These students work hard, represent Iowa with pride, and demonstrate the positive impact school music programs have on our youth.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my constituent, Sheriff Robert Rotter, who was recently confirmed by the Senate to serve as U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Iowa.
Sheriff Rotter joined the Iowa County Sheriff's Office in 1990 and has dedicated more than three decades to public service. Before his nomination, Sheriff Rotter was serving his fifth term as the Iowa County Sheriff, earning a reputation for leadership, service, and commitment to the people of Iowa County and Iowa.
Throughout his career, Sheriff Rotter has remained dedicated to keeping our communities safe. As Iowa County Sheriff, he spearheaded a program to properly dispose of expired and unused prescription and over-the-counter medications, preventing drugs from falling into the wrong hands. He also initiated a countywide active shooter program that helped train over 1,500
Sheriff Rotter's hard work, leadership, and commitment to protecting others have earned him this amazing opportunity to continue serving our State and Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Sheriff Rotter and thank him for his dedicated service to Iowa County and Iowa.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today for the Iowa families who have been priced out of the American Dream.
Across this country, the average first-time home buyer is now 40 years old, an all-time high. In contrast, I purchased my first home as a young captain in the Army at age 22.
Our Nation is short as many as 5.5 million homes. The share of first- time home buyers has fallen by one-half since 2007.
Iowa families feel this every single day. Young couples work hard, save diligently, and still cannot afford a home in the communities they grew up in. Rental prices have increased, as well.
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act changes that. It cuts the red tape strangling home construction, so we build more homes and lower costs for buyers and renters alike. It stops big Wall Street firms from buying up single-family homes because Iowa homes belong to Iowa families, not hedge funds. This is the most significant housing reform in a generation, and it is now law.
To every Iowan chasing their first home, help is on the way. The American Dream is worth fighting for, and I will never stop fighting for my constituents.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend a birthday greeting to the oldest of seven siblings, Richard Miller.
Happy birthday, Richard.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend birthday greetings to the youngest of my seven siblings, MariEleanor Martino.
Mr. Speaker, 13 months ago, when Trump's immigration raids began in my district, I warned exactly where this was headed. I warned that if ICE agents were allowed to operate without accountability, the violence would escalate. I warned that people would die.
I didn't want to be right, but here we are. This isn't normal. This isn't law enforcement. This is lawlessness: no due process and no Miranda rights.
Instead, some in Trump's ICE are acting as judge, jury, and executioner.
This is what happens when people who wear the badge are told that rules don't apply to them. Over the last year, we witnessed ICE become more violent, more reckless, and more deadly. We witnessed masked agents jump out of unmarked vehicles. We witnessed people tackled, beaten, and shot. We have even seen children used as bait to detain their parents.
What has this administration done? What have congressional Republicans done? Not a darn thing: no accountability, no transparency, and no consequences.
Last week, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo left work and never came home. His son, Ronaldo, said something every Member of this Chamber should hear: ``He did not deserve to die. He did not deserve to be reduced to a headline of `Mexican man shot and killed by ICE.' He deserved to live a quiet life as Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a husband, a father, and a job creator.''
Then, yesterday, a little girl in Maine watched her father's lifeless body being carried away by ICE.
Think about that, Mr. Speaker: two fathers and two families are shattered.
In both cases, ICE wasn't even targeting the men who died. ICE claims these men used their vehicles as weapons, but local news video tells a different story. It shows unmarked vehicles following them. It shows what happens before the shootings. It shows that ICE wasn't wearing body cameras, despite its own policies.
This administration is asking Americans not to believe our own eyes over and over again. That is not acceptable.
What is even more unacceptable is that my Republican colleagues have watched this happen and responded by giving ICE billions more dollars.
How many more families have to bury a loved one before Republicans admit that something is deeply wrong? The truth is they know it is wrong. They are just too afraid to say it. They are too afraid of Donald Trump and too afraid of political consequences.
I know, and they know, where this leads. When these raids began in Los Angeles, I flew immediately back from Washington to conduct oversight and protect my communities. When the Trump administration tried to block me from inspecting ICE detention centers, I sued them and won.
I have trained legal observers to document ICE abuses, organized townhalls, and introduced legislation to reclaim Trump's $175 billion ICE slush fund and put it into housing.
Every Representative here has a choice. They can keep writing blank checks for fear and abuse, or they can join us in saying enough--enough lawlessness, enough brutality, and enough deaths. We warned this country what would happen. We warned that, without accountability, violence would escalate. We warned that people would die.
Now, hear this warning: If you committed a crime, if you violated the Constitution, if you thought your badge put you above the law, you are wrong. We are watching. The American people are watching. History is watching. No matter who you are or the title you hold, you will be prosecuted.
Accountability is coming.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their comments to the Chair.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of a very special and very amazing person, a Bucks County resident, Pearline Compton, whose 94 years were defined by faith, family, hard work, and a remarkable commitment to serving others.
Born in Kelly, Louisiana, Pearline grew up with the values of humility, perseverance, and deep devotion to those whom she loved. As a young woman, she moved to Pennsylvania, carrying those values with her and planting new roots in her own community.
Though she began her life in the South, she became a proud Pennsylvanian, building strong and unbreakable ties to her new adopted home.
Pearline worked for more than 33 years as a skilled press operator for Falls Manufacturing in Fairless Hills in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, never missing a day of work. However, Pearline's greatest legacy was not only in what she did at work. It was how she loved and cared for her family.
In 1986, after the passing of her beloved niece, Eula Mae Hamilton, Pearline opened her heart and her home to Eula's daughters, Chrissandra and Valerie. She raised them as her own, believing that family is not defined solely by blood, but rather by love, compassion, and commitment. Through her quiet strength and steady presence, she gave those girls the foundation they needed to learn, to grow, and to thrive. That is what they did.
Even in her retirement, Pearline did not stop serving others. She continued to pour into her community through Children of God Educational Services in historic Bristol Borough in Bucks County. There, she shared her wisdom and her kindness with children and with families, offering support and a powerful example of what it means to live a life rooted in service. Whether through a kind word, a listening ear, or a simple act of generosity, Pearline made sure that people felt seen, valued, and cared for.
Pearline inspired so many people and supported countless organizations throughout her life, without fanfare and without recognition. She did not seek the spotlight. She simply did what needed to be done day after day, year after year. That quiet, consistent faithfulness is one of the highest forms of public service, and it speaks to her character.
Mr. Speaker, while Pearline began her journey in Louisiana, she became an irreplaceable part of the fabric of Lower Bucks County. Her story is the story of so many who came to Pennsylvania seeking opportunities and helped build stronger, more caring communities for all of us.
Today, we honor Pearline Compton's life and legacy, her legacy of love, her resilience, and her service. She reminds us that one person's kindness, lived out over a lifetime, can transform not only a family, but can transform generations, especially that of our young people.
On behalf of Pennsylvania's First Congressional District, Mr. Speaker, we extend our deepest gratitude for her example and our heartfelt sympathies to all whom she loved and all who loved her so dearly.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the remarkable life and work of Beatrice ``Bea'' Lumpkin, a union organizer, workers' rights activist, academic, and writer who passed away on June 14 at the age of 107 years.
Bea was a fierce defender of working-class people and an active fighter for civil rights. She was called by some the rock of the labor movement, because she grounded us and taught us how to stay committed to the search for justice and equity for those without power.
Bea marched along with Dr. Martin Luther King in Chicago and was an ally of the Black Panther Party. She was present at every key moment of our labor and civil rights movement for nearly 90 years, up to the recent No Kings marches.
Her engagement with the movement began with a factory job when she was 14 years old. She helped organize the Metal and Machinery Workers Industrial Union, a part of the newly formed Congress of Industrial Organizations.
Her persistence and determination were best exemplified when Wisconsin Steel, the plant her husband, Frank, worked at, abruptly closed and 3,400 workers lost their jobs. For 17 years, the Lumpkins led a successful fight for those workers to receive back pay.
As recently as 2024, Bea was focused on intergenerational work with youth activists and joined the Starbucks workers as they began organizing.
As a retiree, she expanded her activism on issues such as climate justice, the rights of retired workers, and consumer protection against overcharges from utility companies.
Mr. Speaker, Bea believed our job is to make the world a better place. She found joy in the work she did and inspired others, including me, to continue fighting. The labor movement has lost a giant.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Antonio ``Tony'' Ortiz, who recently concluded 26 years of dedicated service at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, including 16 years as president.
For 30 years, Cristo Rey has transformed lives by providing a Catholic college preparatory education, integrated with professional work experience.
Today, the school serves students who are 100 percent bilingual, 90 percent first generation, with a median family income of $43,000. Cristo Rey has nearly 3,000 alumni, 15 of whom now work at the school. Tony's greatest accomplishment is the culture he built that proudly reflects the strength of my district. The vast majority of students, alumni, faculty, and staff live and maintain deep ties to the Fourth District of Illinois, making the school a strong pillar of the surrounding community.
Under Tony Ortiz's leadership, Cristo Rey Jesuit has become a model of educational excellence nationwide, and his vision has helped the school grow into a national network of more than 40 schools, serving over 13,000 students across the country each day.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Tony Ortiz for his remarkable service and wish him all the best in the years ahead. He has left a lasting legacy in our community.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the HotHouse Center for International Performance and Exhibition, popularly known in Chicago as the HotHouse.
The HotHouse is known for its programming of jazz and world music concerts, multi-disciplinary events, and focus on creating opportunities for artistic practices and performances.
HotHouse has taken the arts into underserved communities, fostering the international exchange of ideas, and serving as a central meeting place for a variety of community groups.
While their physical location at Balbo Avenue closed in July of 2007, the current board continues organizing and programming around Chicagoland.
Over the years, HotHouse has been awarded with many of the top honors in the arts and culture industry, including Best of Chicago, Chicagoan of the Year, and The Abbey, all reflecting its lasting impact in our region.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the HotHouse on this incredible milestone, and I wish the organization many more years of success.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Clara Martin, a beloved educator, broadcaster, and community leader who passed away June 21 at the age of 94.
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Ms. Martin spent 14 years on the faculty at Brenau University, where she launched the school's journalism program and its first radio station.
She went on to own and operate two radio stations in Clarkesville, lead adult education programs at Piedmont College, and later returned to Brenau to direct its journalism and broadcasting programs until her retirement in 2006.
Clara also served as the U.S. Census Bureau administrator and correspondent for several Georgia newspapers. Her decades of work shaped generations of Georgia journalists and broadcasters.
She is survived by three daughters, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Mr. Speaker, Georgia is grateful for Clara's remarkable legacy of service and education.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Fred Gretsch, a resident of Pooler, Georgia, and to wish him a happy 80th birthday.
Fred is the fourth generation of his family to lead Gretsch, the storied musical instrument manufacturer founded in Brooklyn in 1883 by his great-grandfather, Friedrich Gretsch, a German immigrant.
In 1984, Fred and his wife, Dinah, bought the company back into family hands and built it into the world-renowned name it is today, known for that great Gretsch sound.
Gretsch instruments have shaped American music played by George Harrison, Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, and Charlie Watts, among many others.
Since bringing the company home to Georgia's First District, Fred and Dinah have generously supported music education, including establishing the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music at Georgia Southern University.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Georgia's First District, I congratulate Fred Gretsch on 80 remarkable years and thank him for his contributions to American music, craftsmanship, and philanthropy.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a true hometown treasure in Georgia's First Congressional District, Market on the Square in historic downtown St. Marys, as it celebrates 25 years of serving our community.
Since opening its doors in 2002, after the restoration of the historic Hernandez grocery store building, this family-owned business has become much more than a general store.
For 25 years, they have watched downtown St. Marys grow, persevered through challenges and storms, and remained a cornerstone of one of Georgia's most charming waterfront communities. Businesses like Market on the Square are the heart of Main Street America, strengthening our local economy, while preserving the character and hospitality that make St. Marys so very special.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish my good friend a very happy 82nd birthday, Sheriff John Wilcher, retired sheriff of Chatham County, Georgia.
A lifelong Savannah County resident, George dedicated 49 years of his life to serving the people of Chatham County, earning a reputation as a straight-talking tough guy.
He served in both the United States Navy and the Army Reserve before joining the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, where he rose to the rank of colonel over 40 years of service.
In 2016, Wilcher became the oldest person elected to the sheriff's office in Chatham County history and served with distinction until his retirement in 2024.
Throughout his career, John earned the Georgia Sheriffs' Association Excellence Award and was recognized for his work improving mental health services in jails and raising over $300,000 for the Georgia Sheriffs' Youth Homes.
Mr. Speaker, I wish a happy birthday to Sheriff Wilcher. The First District of Georgia is grateful for his lifetime of service. Happy birthday to my friend.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an incredible Delawarean whose impact has long shaped the work of racial justice in Sussex County and across Delaware.
Charlotte King, who founded the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice in 2015, has committed decades of her life to fighting inequities across health, education, and public policy.
As we celebrate a decade of work by the Alliance, we honor and celebrate Ms. King's continued impact, her tireless commitment to neighbors, and ceaseless devotion to the betterment of Delaware.
Charlotte King has long been a barrier-breaker. During her time at St. John's University in the 1950s, she was one of the Magnificent Seven, a cohort of seven Black students who enrolled at the university amid the civil rights movement.
In 2000, she moved to the greatest State in the Union, settling in Lewes, where she began volunteering with the League of Women Voters and was struck by the lack of Black representation in Sussex County.
The weight of the untold stories and unheard voices of our Black neighbors is what drove Charlotte to found the Alliance.
The organization's primary purpose has been to showcase Delaware's history, identify how to support Black Delawareans, and how to empower all Delawareans to be stronger, better advocates for racial justice, and equality.
During her 8 years leading the alliance, Charlotte developed an organization that offered townhalls with civic servants, from local leaders and police chiefs, hosted educational seminars, and supported the development of both the Black Voices Magazine and the African American Film Festival.
I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Charlotte in her living room to hear the stories of her trailblazing life and discuss the ongoing need for progress in Delaware and nationally.
She is a bold leader, a bridge builder, and she continues to serve as a conscience for our State of neighbors.
In the last year alone, her work and impact has been honored. She was inducted into the Delaware Women's Hall of Fame, honored by the Delaware Times with the Mitchell Award, and recently named one of the most influential people in Delaware.
At a moment when a coordinated attack on Black political power is unfolding before our eyes across the country, it is citizen leaders like Charlotte who embody that charge from the late Congressman John Lewis to get into good and necessary trouble in order to redeem the legacy and reclaim the story of this country.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize her in this Chamber today and applaud her years of service to Delaware and the powerful work she has done to move the First State toward justice for all.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark both the anniversary of a profound loss and the reminder it serves at this moment in our Nation's story.
Six years ago, Congressman John Lewis passed away. He was a titan of the civil rights movement, who worked tirelessly to deliver justice, expand equality, and secure the right to vote for every American, including Black Americans.
Today, however, we are navigating a moment where the work he devoted his life to is increasingly under threat. We have seen executive actions that would make it harder for Americans to vote. We have witnessed renewed attempts to undermine confidence in our elections and intimidate those who administer them.
Right now in this very Congress, we are facing a renewed push to establish what amounts to a modern day poll tax on Americans.
Most recently, the Supreme Court has facilitated the dismantling of Black political representation in this Chamber and green-lit racial discrimination in voting so long as the proponents simply say it is for partisan purposes.
Congressman Lewis often spoke of his hopefulness for the future because he was adamant that tomorrow could be better and more just than today.
It is our job to pick up that mantle and continue that work.
In 2020, while commemorating the anniversary of Bloody Sunday on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Congressman Lewis reminded us of his important rallying call, to get into what he called good trouble, to help redeem the soul of America.
Throughout his miraculous life, he never lost faith in the central ingredient of change, the necessary foundation of democracy, his belief in the capacity for other people to change, and, therefore, for our country to change.
He reminds us that hope is not reserved for moments when progress feels inevitable or easily attainable. We must harness it, most especially in moments like this one. When the reasons for hopelessness seem greatest, that is when the legacy of good trouble, necessary trouble, is most essential.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Tanque Verde High School softball team on winning the 2026 3A State championship title.
The Hawks earned the title by defeating Yuma Catholic by a 10-0 score.
This victory marks the team's first-ever championship, an accomplishment that is exciting and worth celebrating.
During the championship game, Tanque Verde added their first run on the board in the third inning, before adding six runs in the fourth, one in the fifth, and two more in the sixth.
Junior pitcher Claire Achilles was named the Class 3A MVP after pitching six innings, allowing a hit and recording 13 strikeouts.
Additionally, sophomores Mikaela Jackson and Ella Haggard each had three hits during the game.
The Hawks gave all they had and came out on top. I am so proud of them.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Coach Mark Stevens, the whole team, and everyone who made this win possible. Their hard work has made their school and our community proud. I know the Hawks will enjoy their victory. They have earned it, and here is to another
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Salpointe Catholic High School softball team on winning the 2026 4A State championship title.
This victory marks the team's seventh title in the last nine years.
Confident in the team's ability to win this year's title, Salpointe Coach Tricia Sztan and her staff ordered shirts with the slogan ``#TakeItBack2026'' written on the back.
At the beginning of the fifth inning, senior second baseman Alyssa Montano led with a single and advanced to second with the help of senior pitcher-outfielder Soli Ramos.
Then Catherine ``Peaches'' Sztan hit an RBI single to center field that scored Montano and tied up the game at 2.
The Lancers finished the fifth inning with three runs after an RBI single by senior catcher Sarah Camp and RBI double by senior first baseman CC Moraga with two outs which put the Lancers ahead 4-2.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Coach Sztan, the whole team, and everyone who made this win possible. Their hard work has made their school and our community very proud. I know the Lancers will enjoy their victory. They have earned it, and here is to another successful season and many, many more.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Canyon del Oro High School softball team on winning the 2026 5A State championship title.
After three runner-up finishes in the past five seasons, the Dorados came out on top this year with a score of 4-3 in the championship game, finishing the season 29-6.
This victory marks the team's first State title since 2017. It is also Coach Kelly Fowler's third title since starting at CDO.
During the game, junior first baseman Emma Shaffer scored a three-run home run at the top of the first inning, putting the Dorados up 3-0 early in the game.
The game was tied up 3-3 for a short time, but the tie was broken after Shaffer forced a walk to load the bases and freshman second baseman Brooklyn Benavides moved the score to 4-3.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Coach Kelly Fowler, the whole team, and everyone who made this win possible. Their hard work has made their school and our community very proud. I know the Dorados will enjoy their victory. They have earned it, and here is to another successful season and many, many more.
Madam Speaker, today, I rise against the Trump administration's reckless, costly, and illegal war in Iran.
In just the last 24 hours, President Trump's deal has collapsed yet again. Tensions have escalated, blockades have been reinstated, and strikes have resumed.
President Trump has informed the Nation that we are, once again, at war with Iran, an illegal war that no one asked for, no one wanted, and yet every American is paying the price for.
Donald Trump is backing the United States into a corner, and the worst part about it is that he has no plan to get us out. His strategy is to bomb first, think later. He is sacrificing our economy, our security, and our standing in the world, and for what?
One in two Americans can't afford health insurance. Food, housing, and childcare costs are astronomical. Inflation is at a 3-year high and the cost of gas, groceries, and everything in between is going up.
President Trump was elected to office on the promise of lowering costs and ending unwinnable wars overseas, and yet here we are.
Now, he is demanding that taxpayers pay hundreds of billions of dollars to fund his new endless, costly, illegal war in Iran.
The American people deserve so much better from their President. When Donald Trump first got us into this war, he said it would last about 4 to 6 weeks. Well, now it has been 20.
Over the last 5 months, the Trump administration has spent more than $100 billion on their illegal war on the other side of the world.
Do you know what $100 billion could fund here at home? Childcare for 7 million children, healthcare for 10 million people, food assistance for 45 million Americans. These aren't just arbitrary numbers. Trump's actions have real impacts and real costs on real people's lives.
Let's not forget that this comes as Trump made the single largest cut to healthcare and food assistance in our Nation's history last year.
After millions of Americans have lost their health insurance and families are struggling to feed their children, President Trump is now demanding that taxpayers send hundreds of billions of dollars to fight a foreign war overseas.
Of course, now President Trump has literally told us time and time again that he does not care about the American people. Well, he may not care, but the elected officials in this Chamber should. It is literally our job to do what is best for our constituents. We cannot stand by and watch President Trump drag us into yet another mess, especially when it is at the expense of Americans every single time.
Let's just step back for a moment here and ask the question: Why are we even in this war?
This administration still can't give us a good answer. No explanation. No reason. No strategy. No endgame. As an American, as a patriot, as the wife of an Army combat veteran, I am outraged. When you make the decision to send American soldiers into harm's way, you better have a damn good reason for it and you better know what you are doing. We have neither, and this administration continues to recklessly put our troops' lives on the line without care or cause.
It is shameful. That is why I am joining my colleague and combat veteran Representative Pat Ryan in fighting to end this reckless war and reassert our congressional authority over war-making powers.
Madam Speaker, we need to pass the No Funds for Iran War Act and stop any more taxpayer dollars from being used for military action against Iran.
Both Chambers of Congress, which are Republican controlled I might add, have passed War Powers Resolutions to end the Iran war but there needs to be more.
President Trump thinks he is above the law, but he is not. It is up to the Republican majorities in Congress to stop him. It is their constitutional duty to put the American people, our national security, our economy above a single President's self-serving war of choice.
Madam Speaker, I plead to my Republican colleagues, what is your line? When will you put the American people first and stop this war?
We are not powerless. We can end this war. I implore my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to listen to the American people, find their courage, and end this war.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a legend and the life of a legend, Washington State University Coach Jim Walden, who passed away recently.
Coach Walden served as the Cougars head football coach from 1978- 1986.
From the time he took over between the 1977 and 1978 seasons, he was not one to hold back as a coach, and neither was his Cougar football team. The Cougs displayed many of the same characteristics Jim exhibited, including a passion for the sport and an outspoken and charismatic personality.
Taking the reins after WSU had three coaches in 3 years, Jim Walden assured the Cougar faithful he would not only stay around, but he would stay around and build a winning team. Four years
Jim delivered on his promises while defeating nearly every team in the PAC-10 conference. He finished his 9-year stint with 44 wins, at that time the second most among Washington State's all-time list, while also being named PAC-10 Coach of the Year twice, once in 1981 and again in 1983.
After retiring from coaching in 1994, Jim showed his Crimson pride by returning to the Palouse, where he served as Bob Robertson's broadcast sidekick for 11 seasons.
Jim Walden was inducted into the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009 and the University of Wyoming Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011 for his play as a quarterback when he was a student there.
Madam Speaker, I commend Coach Jim Walden for his unwavering passion for Cougar athletics and his lasting commitment to the game of football. His leadership helped shape the proud tradition and identity of Cougar football that generations, including myself, have known and cherished.
Jim Walden will be deeply missed and his legacy will continue to inspire Cougs.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a Gonzaga men's basketball legend, Domantas Sabonis, and his significant contribution to Gonzaga University.
Sabonis starred at Gonzaga in 2014 to 2015, before embarking on an outstanding NBA career. Recently, Sabonis provided the school with a transformative gift and had the program's basketball strength and conditioning center named after him in a dedication ceremony last week.
The Sabonis Family Strength and Conditioning Center will serve as a training foundation for Bulldog basketball student-athletes, supporting year-round strength development, injury prevention, and recovery and performance optimization.
The ceremony was held on Thursday afternoon in front of an invited audience of donors, alumni, student-athletes, and university leadership, where Sabonis and Coach Mark Few both spoke. ``This is a significant gift from a remarkable family, and we are deeply grateful to their generosity,'' said Coach Few. ``Their investment will have a lasting impact on student-athletes and help ensure future generations of Bulldogs have every opportunity to grow and succeed.''
The three-time all-star and two-time all-NBA Third Team selection led the NBA in rebounds over previous seasons. He has made a significant contribution to the NBA and now has a lasting legacy at Gonzaga, one that will benefit future generations of Bulldogs. Well done, Mr. Sabonis.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a former Washington State University athletic director, Bill Moos, and highlight his outstanding new book, ``Crab Creek Chronicles: From the Wheat Fields to the Ball Fields and Beyond.''
Bill Moos was a star football player for WSU in the early 1970s and later took a job as the student assistant football coach in 1973. After holding various jobs, he returned to WSU as the assistant athletic director. His career skyrocketed after that as he became the athletic director and oversaw the rise of two major universities, Montana and Oregon.
Bill was a storyteller shaped by the land of eastern Washington and a family that has deep roots in both agriculture and politics. His new book is a memoir of faith, family, and wonderful moments of the sport, including the time that he brought my good friend and WSU legend Mike Leach to the Palouse.
Madam Speaker, I congratulate Bill on his many years of service to Cougar athletics and in this exciting new chapter of his life--even in retirement.
Madam Speaker, I will also note that Bill Moos is a Cougar legend that should be in the WSU Hall of Fame, and I look forward to seeing him receive that distinct honor very soon.
Madam Speaker, as our Nation continues to commemorate our 250th anniversary, we are reminded that the ideals on which America was founded are as critical today as they were then: a nation built on a promise that every person has dignity and that no one should be left behind--the land of opportunity.
Last month, the House passed the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, funding for the USDA and other ancillary purposes.
The bill cuts, unfortunately, the United States Department of Agriculture's budget by more than $1 billion while farm bankruptcies are increasing and rising costs to farmers as it relates to energy costs, fertilizer costs, et cetera, are having a dramatic impact. Certainly, in California, bankruptcies are up from last year by 44 percent. That is devastating.
In the San Joaquin Valley, growers are already fighting rising costs, volatile markets, and pest and disease threats. That is a normal part of farming, but this doesn't meet the moment. It makes it harder. It makes it harder because the USDA is part of a safety net for American agriculture. For hungry families, it is even crueler. It takes food off the table.
I ask what it says about us, in this 250th anniversary that is intended to commemorate the greatness of our country, that we are stripping food from the most vulnerable Americans and calling it a positive trend. Give me a break.
Madam Speaker, 46 percent of Americans being cut from SNAP are children--children, not criminals, not fraudsters. They are children. Over 700,000 kids have already lost their food benefits, and that is only in the 12 States currently reporting the child-level data. The real number, I think, is far worse.
We are talking about mothers stretching bags of groceries to the last of the week and oftentimes making difficult choices between food or medicine for their children.
We are also talking about veterans who have served this country and now have difficulty putting food on the table.
We are talking about people with disabilities who have nowhere else to turn.
We are talking about our neighbors. They are Americans living during the celebration of this 250th year of this Republic.
A drop in enrollment has nothing to do with fraud or a stronger economy. It has to do with people losing their benefits that they are entitled to. Yet, many of my Republican colleagues cut SNAP and nutrition assistance twice. They have done it twice, once in the big, not so beautiful bill, in my view, and they have done it a second time in this ag appropriations that was passed last month.
Again, the Agriculture appropriations bill made this cut, as I said, 5.6 percent, or another $6 billion below last year's enacted measure. On top of that, they are cutting fruit and vegetable benefits from the Women, Infants, and Children's program--fruits and vegetables, healthy aspects of our diet.
It makes no sense why we are making it harder for families in underserved communities to put fresh, healthy food on the table. I voted ``no'' on that bill.
My district in the San Joaquin Valley in California has some of the most vital, richest agricultural production anywhere in the country or the world, yet we have a significant amount of people who are food insecure. Almost 30 percent of households in my congressional district rely at some time or another on SNAP. It is one of the highest ratios in the State.
Most of these households include a child, a senior, or a person on disability. These families are not living large, believe me. They are barely surviving.
Madam Speaker, in this 250th year of America, I think we should be lifting people up and not taking food off their dinner tables because food in America is a national security issue, as I like to say. It is an international security issue when we look at food hunger around the globe and cuts that have
Our Founders did not build this Nation so that two and a half centuries later we would be debating whether or not hungry children deserve to eat.
The farm bill on the Senate side gives us another chance, and I ask that we reconsider the SNAP payments on that farm bill in September.
Fraud is a crime, but hunger is not. Let us honor the values of this anniversary.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember the life and legacy of John Lyle Keenan of Jasper County, Mississippi.
Mr. Keenan was a respected law enforcement officer and a devoted husband, father, grandfather, friend, and neighbor whose service and character left a lasting mark on his community.
Born in Rose Hill, Mississippi, Mr. Keenan graduated from Heidelberg High School in 1964. He began his career at La-Z-Boy in Newton before entering public service as a deputy with the Jasper County Sheriff's Department.
In 1977, he joined the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks as a conservation officer, where he served with distinction for more than three decades. While serving at the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, he rose to the rank of captain for District IV before retiring in 2010.
Two years later, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors appointed him as interim sheriff, and he concluded his law enforcement career as a bailiff for the circuit court.
Mr. Keenan's dedication to public service extended well beyond his official duties. He was deeply committed to the stewardship of Mississippi's natural resources, and he served as Jasper County director of the Pat Harrison Waterway District. He also held leadership roles as president of the Jasper County Farm Bureau, the Jasper County Soil and Water Commission, the Meridian Stockyard board of directors, and the Mississippi Pork Producers Association. He remained active in numerous civic and agricultural organizations, including the Jasper County Forestry Association, the Jasper County Livestock Association, and the Bay Springs Lions Club.
Mr. Keenan was widely regarded as a man of honor and integrity, and many sought his counsel on both personal and professional matters, a testament to the trust he earned throughout his life. He was a faithful member of Wesley Independent Methodist Church, where he lived out the values that guided his service.
Mr. Keenan will be deeply missed, not only by his family, but by the entire Jasper County community.
It is a privilege to recognize his life, his service, and his enduring commitment to the people of Mississippi.
Madam Speaker, ICE, the President's paramilitary secret police force, continues to roam American streets and murder people in broad daylight and in cold blood.
First, it was Ruben Ray Martinez in March 2025, but ICE covered it up and kept it from the public.
Then, it was Alex Pretti and Renee Good. ICE shot and killed these two innocent people in Minnesota who had done nothing more than exercise their constitutional right to protest and free speech.
Then, the administration's rightwing propaganda machine got to work, smearing these two heroes as ``domestic terrorists,'' without an ounce of evidence. This was coordinated and directed by leadership of the Department of Homeland Security, by then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and by the White House itself through heinous, racist voices like Stephen Miller.
It is not a mistake. ICE agents are completely out of control, and that is on purpose. That is their mission.
This is what the Trump administration wanted to happen from the start--to funnel hundreds of billions of dollars to their paramilitary force and then use masked agents and a nationwide effort to spread fear and terrorize immigrant communities.
The mass deportation agenda is part of their fascist, far-right scheme to amass power by using immigrants as scapegoats and deploying Federal troops to American cities, like my hometown of Phoenix.
All across this country, people are shocked, outraged, and appalled by ICE's conduct and the sheer cruelty of Trump's mass deportation agenda. Yet, it continues to happen in service of arbitrary, brutal quotas for bodies--quotas for bodies of real people to fill beds so that for-profit prison companies like GEO Group and CoreCivic can rake in billions of dollars and families can be torn apart and deported to third countries they have never known.
We are talking about 10,000 arrests in a 5-day period this past week. As part of all of these horrors, ICE has carried out two sickening murders just in the last week: one in Houston and one in Maine.
ICE is using pathetic excuses and spreading more misleading information with the Federal Government's bully pulpit to cover up their crimes.
This is Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old father who was driving to work and was shot and murdered while doing so. He was not a domestic terrorist. He wasn't going to ram his vehicle into anybody. He had no criminal record whatsoever. He was a hardworking, beloved father of American citizens who was working hard to build the American Dream.
If you haven't watched his son Ronaldo speak about his dad, I recommend you do so. It is heart-wrenching.
It is outrageous that ICE is claiming Lorenzo ``weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer.'' Multiple witnesses have testified that there were never any ICE agents in front of the van. They came in and started shooting from the sides.
As with Alex Pretti and Renee Good, ICE is lying and lying badly. I honestly cannot believe how terrible their lies are.
That wasn't enough. ICE murdered another person in Maine, 26-year-old Joan Sebastian Guerrero, somebody who had a work permit, somebody who had a U.S. Social Security number. Then, DHS put out a statement just yesterday, just last night, that said that this man was trying to drive away, and they shot him for these vague assertions of public safety.
ICE murdered a Maine resident, a law-abiding resident, in front of his wife and his 3-year-old daughter for no reason whatsoever. This is just pure evil.
Democrats in Congress have been demanding accountability for well over a year. We are a nation of laws, not a nation of secret police, cold-blooded murders by Federal agents on city streets, and black site detention centers.
We must urgently work to stop these horrific abuses. It is a moral stain on our country. We must abolish ICE, and we are going to prosecute every single person responsible for directing, enabling, or carrying out these crimes.
Lives are at stake. How many more families and communities need to be torn apart for Republicans in Congress to do something?
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Rotary Club of Front Royal as it celebrates 100 years of service to Warren County and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Chartered in 1926, this club has helped shape the very fabric of its community.
Its members were instrumental in the early advocacy that led to the creation of Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park, even sending a delegation to meet with President Calvin Coolidge. They supported the establishment of the Front Royal State Fish Hatchery and helped found the local Chamber of Commerce. For generations, many of the community's civic, business, and educational leaders have been proud Rotarians.
For a century, the Rotary Club of Front Royal has embodied the commitment of Service Above Self. The club
Mr. Speaker, I commend the club for 100 years of extraordinary leadership and service, and I look forward to its continued impact in the century ahead.
Mr. Speaker, the Luray High School Bulldogs boys' basketball team are champions for the first time in 50 years, defeating Fort Chiswell in a historic, double-overtime victory at the Siegel Center. This championship was not about one star. It was a total team effort.
While a player from Fort Chiswell delivered a record-setting performance, Luray answered with contributions across the roster. Matthew Owens, Connor Hilliard, Riley Benson, Ayden Haddock, and Will Judy all stepped up in key moments, while younger players like Cole Hilliard, Aiden Cook, and Cade Horn delivered when called upon.
Under the leadership of Coach Mat Huff, this team showed resilience through foul trouble, multiple lead changes, and two overtime periods. They stayed composed, executed when it mattered most, and never quit.
Mr. Speaker, this was a complete team victory earned through discipline, toughness, and trust in one another in a moment that will be remembered in Luray for generations.
Please join me in congratulating the Luray Bulldogs.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 90th anniversary of the Salem Host Lions Club, whose members have faithfully served the city of Salem and the Roanoke Valley since 1935.
Founded with 21 charter members, the club continues its proud tradition of service through dedicated volunteers who strengthen their community every day. For decades, Salem Host Lions have operated concession stands at Salem Stadium, raising funds that support scholarships, local schools, youth programs, charitable organizations, and first responders throughout southwest Virginia.
In the past year alone, the club distributed more than $40,000 in community donations while providing student vision screenings, recycling eyeglasses, and supporting families across the region.
I also recognize the club's current leadership: President Phil Eddy, Secretary Tammie Brightwell, Administrative Treasurer Earl Pettrey, and Activities Treasurer Barry Dick.
For 90 years, the Salem Host Lions Club has exemplified service above self and the enduring spirit of volunteerism.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Salem Host Lions Club on this milestone anniversary and thanking its members for their outstanding service.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the Working Families Tax Cut Act, one of the boldest, most successful acts of legislation in recent history.
For years, American families were burdened by unnecessary taxes, forcing families to bear the brunt of government overreach. Under House Republican leadership, we returned that money to the American people and restored commonsense, family-first policies to Washington.
Mr. Speaker, the numbers do not lie. According to IRS data, the Working Families Tax Cut Act returned more than $310 billion to Americans and their families, with the average tax refund climbing to nearly $3,300, an increase of more than 11 percent from the year before. More than 60 million Americans, over 40 percent of all filers, claimed relief through commonsense provisions like no tax on tips and no tax on overtime, and our seniors gained an additional deduction on their Social Security benefits.
The Working Families Tax Cut Act is what it looks like when Washington works for families. For millions of Americans, this marks the 1-year anniversary of more money for groceries, more money for childcare, and more money for the things the average American needs to succeed in the country.
I look forward to celebrating more wins for American economic security. House Republicans have delivered, and the American people are better for it.
Mr. Speaker, in the last week, ICE agents shot and killed two more innocent people in broad daylight.
In both cases, the people who they shot and killed weren't even the people who they were looking for. In both cases, they shot and killed people who were on their way to work in front of their families.
In Houston last week, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a construction worker who has lived in the United States for 35 years, a husband with three children, no criminal record, was driving to work with the lunch that his wife had packed for him, and his brother riding in the passenger seat, when ICE agents rammed his vehicle and shot him because they thought he was someone else.
Yesterday, in Maine, Joan Sebastian Guerrero, 26 years old, legally authorized to work in the United States--legally authorized--was shot and killed by ICE agents who thought he was somebody else, in front of his wife and his 3-year-old daughter, who screamed and wearing her Bluey pajamas, while she watched her father bleed to death.
How many more innocent people have to be killed in broad daylight? How many more children have to watch their parents shot to death by masked men too cowardly to show their faces? When will this madness stop?
When he took his position, Secretary Mullin said that his goal was to get the Department off the front page of the news. Well, you are back on the goddamned front page now with two innocent people gunned down in broad daylight. Nothing has changed. Nothing has changed. It is total chaos.
Do you know what? In both of these shootings in Texas and in Maine, none of the agents were wearing their body cameras. Congress gave them tens of millions of dollars for body cameras, and none of them were wearing them.
Where is the accountability? Do you want to know why I won't vote to give funding to this lawless, reckless, dangerous agency? Mark my words. We are not going to be silent about what is happening. We are not going to forget until there is justice.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the tourists up there in the gallery who, I am sure, are not here to hear me speak but are just getting out of that horrible heat. I welcome them to their Nation's Capital.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the retirement of Trooper William ``Buddy'' Bennett and his impactful career of protecting The Volunteer State for three decades.
Trooper Bennett is well known by the Tennessee General Assembly members and State House members and senators as a member of the Tennessee Highway Patrol's Capitol Protection Unit, where he was a friend to all.
In my 16 years in the State legislature, Mr. Speaker, I came across many State troopers who were as much a part of the legislature as we were. Trooper Bennett was always selfless and kind no matter who was there. He will be dearly missed by the State capitol and his colleagues, current and former members and Senators alike, and me, as well.
As a devoted father and husband, he will commit his time following his retirement to his wife and two children at his home in Lebanon.
I thank Trooper Bennett for his service to our great State of Tennessee, and I wish him well in his retirement.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the outstanding career of my very good friend and fellow motorcycle rider Don White, who has spent more
A lifelong resident of Lenoir City, Don dedicated his career to public service by keeping drugs off the street and putting bad people behind bars. He built strong, lasting partnerships with the Federal and local agencies. He strengthened drug enforcement efforts, and he set a standard of excellence that has elevated the entire department.
As chief and later as public safety director, Don guided Lenoir City through periods of growth and challenge with steadiness, integrity, and a devotion to the good people of Loudon County. His influence was so impactful that the city opened the Don W. White Public Training Center in his honor, ensuring future public servants will carry forward the values he championed.
After 33 years of service, Don White leaves behind not just a career but a safer, stronger Lenoir City shaped by his leadership.
Mr. Speaker, as I have always said, that bald head is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a solar panel for a think tank.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the appointment of Justice Kyle Hixson to the Tennessee Supreme Court. As a seventh- generation Tennessean, Justice Hixson is the true embodiment of what it means to be a true Volunteer.
Justice Hixson has spent nearly two decades as a public servant and will continue to serve the good folks of east Tennessee in the highest court of our great State.
In appointing Justice Hixson, Governor Bill Lee selected a judge whose career is dedicated to upholding and fighting for the constitutional values necessary to maintain liberty and justice in Tennessee.
Justice Hixson has been a lifelong pillar of our great community. From working in his family's grocery store as a kid to raising his three very lovely daughters, he understands the strength of Tennessee lies in its families, its communities, and the people who call it home. Throughout his great career, he has remained committed to serving both his profession and his fellow Tennesseans with humility and integrity.
Justice Kyle Hixson embodies the volunteer spirit through hard work, faith, and principles. His appointment is a testament to Tennessee, and I am honored to recognize him today and call him a friend.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sergeant Thomas Lemke and Deputy Triston Beauchamp of the Door County Sheriff's Office, along with Gary Robert Rasheed Daughtery, for their actions that helped save a driver's life following a serious crash.
The crash occurred after the driver experienced a medical emergency, causing his vehicle to leave the roadway. Without hesitation, Mr. Daughtery stopped to help and removed the driver from the vehicle so he could receive immediate care.
Sergeant Lemke and Deputy Beauchamp quickly began CPR and used an AED until ambulance crews arrived to begin patient care.
Their decisive response and teamwork played a critical role in giving the driver a chance to survive. Faced with a life-or-death emergency, each of these individuals stepped forward, without hesitation, and did everything within their power to save a life.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending their courage and expressing our profound gratitude for their service to the people of Door County in northeastern Wisconsin.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Pagel's Ponderosa Dairy as it celebrates its 80th anniversary.
Founded in 1946 by Carl and Garnet Pagel, Pagel's Ponderosa Dairy began with just eight milking cows on their family homestead in Kewaunee County. What started as a small family farm has grown across generations into one of northeastern Wisconsin's most respected dairy operations.
Over the last 80 years, the Pagel family has helped strengthen Wisconsin's proud dairy tradition. Under their stewardship, Pagel's Ponderosa currently milks thousands of cows, employs more than 150 people, and remains a leader in northeastern Wisconsin's agriculture and dairy industries.
The Pagel family continues to maintain a strong commitment to caring for their animals, land, employees, and their community, reflecting the very best of northeastern Wisconsin agriculture.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Pagel's Ponderosa Dairy on 80 years of hard work and service to the Kewaunee community in northeastern Wisconsin. I wish them continued success for many generations to come.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Dave Schmidt, a dedicated servant of the Clintonville community.
Dave sadly passed away on June 8 after a courageous battle with cancer. For many years, he gave his time and energy to the Clintonville Area Food Pantry, helping make sure local families had food, support, and someone willing to answer the call when they needed help.
Dave was not someone who served for praise or recognition. He simply saw a need, and he stepped forward. In recognition of that legacy, the Clintonville Area Food Pantry will now be known as Dave's Pantry.
This name is a fitting tribute to a man whose kindness touched countless lives across northeastern Wisconsin.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join the people of northeastern Wisconsin and me in thanking Dave Schmidt for his life of service. My prayers are with his family, his friends, and those who knew and loved him.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Deacon Mike Vander Bloomen on his retirement from the parish staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and for his 25 years of faithful service.
Deacon Vander Bloomen began serving in Our Lady of Lourdes in 2001 and was ordained in 2003. Since then, whether visiting the elderly, offering guidance through troubling times, or using personal stories to connect with parishioners, he has supported countless people and helped strengthen their faith.
Although he is retiring from the parish staff, Deacon Vander Bloomen will continue preaching and lending a hand at Our Lady of Lourdes where he can. His willingness to continue serving speaks to his love for his faith and his dedication to the community that he has served for 25 years.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Deacon Mike Vander Bloomen on his many years of service and wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise on a sad occasion but to honor the life and the service of Ashley Moore of my home county, Cleveland County, North Carolina, who tragically passed away just one day after celebrating her 37th birthday.
On July 6 of this year while Ashley was a paramedic with the Cleveland County EMS, while she and her team were responding to an emergency, an impaired driver struck the ambulance from behind, injuring the patient, another paramedic, and unfortunately, killing Ashley.
Ashley served Cleveland County for 9 years as a paramedic, a field training officer, and an EMS instructor. She dedicated her life to caring for others with compassion and professionalism.
Every day, first responders put themselves in harm's way to protect their communities, and Ashley embodied the very best of that calling, putting the needs of others before her own until her very final moments.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in the House join me in praying that God will bring comfort and strength to Ashley's family and her fellow first responders during this time.
Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government has been too big, powerful, and unaccountable to the American people for far too long. This is most clear in our Federal agencies, which have spent years acting as the investigator, prosecutor, and judge simultaneously and all without any accountability.
Put plainly: If a Federal agency wishes to stop a particular project or activity, it may do so at any time without regard to the cost that such actions incur on the parties who are being stopped. All leverage and power rests with the regulator, and there is no real recourse for the regulated.
This week, I introduced the Limiting Excessive Government Obstruction Act, also known as the LEGO Act, to stop this overreach. My bill is part of a broader effort to rein in the administrative state, to protect constitutional rights, and to eliminate the Federal bureaucracy that burdens so many Americans through restricting the creative genius that comes from real liberty.
Right now, administrative enforcement cases start and end inside the very agencies that write and enforce the rules. Government officials decide both who to target and then sit as judges over those very people.
Very few, except for specialized and expensive lawyers right here in Washington, D.C., have any idea of how to navigate a challenge to an agency action that halts a project.
As an example, let's say a farmer is visited by the EPA and instructed to stop farming, simply because the EPA alleges that the farmer is violating a specific rule. Right now, the farmer cannot challenge the order to stop farming in a court of law down the street from his home. He cannot continue farming. His only recourse is to file a challenge here in Washington before a ``judge'' that is funded by the EPA.
Before the challenge can be dismissed, the farmer must exhaust all administrative remedies before the EPA to show that the EPA overstepped its bounds. Not only is this unfair, but it can take years and cost millions of dollars.
That is not how our government is supposed to work.
Whether a farmer on their land or a local municipality building a bridge in a small town, we do not work at the mercy of a Federal agency or a nameless Federal bureaucrat.
My bill changes this broken system by giving the regulated party the power to proceed quickly when stopped by a governing agency.
To continue with my example, a farmer is stopped by the EPA for farming the exact same way that he has farmed for decades. Rather than having to wait on the EPA's timeline, my bill empowers the farmer to pursue the agency order in an Article III court in front of a jury of his peers and then continue on with their livelihood. There, the farmer can seek to dismiss the regulatory effort simply by showing reasonable compliance with the law and/or the subject regulation.
The effects of this bill are all favorable:
Regulated parties will no longer be bound by the whims of the regulators.
Harmless and sound economic activity cannot be stopped by a whim.
More certainty in economic activity and projects will increase efficiency and lower costs.
The bill will compel the regulating agencies to focus only on unreasonable activity.
The farmers, contractors, builders, and States will develop many more ways to design, build, and advance in a compliant and reasonable manner.
Lastly and perhaps most importantly, it will restore the balance needed between the regulator and the regulated. If unreasonable activity is occurring, the government should be forced to prove it in an independent court, rather than a regulated party being forced to prove the government acted unreasonably in an agency forum.
Mr. Speaker, the economic miracle that we have enjoyed in the United States was never achieved by a centrally controlled planning and regulatory force. The miracle of the United States' economy was conceived by private individuals and entities who had the freedom to build, experiment, farm, and progress in a system rooted in freedom.
When the government can stop free people on a whim without any consideration of the cost, we will solidify the decline that so many of us in this country feel today.
Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve a government that works for, not against, them. It is time that we rein in the bureaucracy and eliminate excessive regulatory burdens imposed by our Federal Government.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate Culpeper County Public Schools division superintendent Dr. Tony Brads. He has been recognized as Superintendent of the Year for the Northern Virginia Region of the Commonwealth.
This honor reflects Dr. Brad's outstanding accomplishments, as well as the respect he has earned throughout Culpeper County and Virginia's education community.
As he marks 21 years as a division superintendent, Dr. Brads is known as a voice of reason and a tenacious advocate for students, educators, and public schools.
Under his leadership, the Culpeper Technical Education Center opened in 2021. This center has expanded opportunity and prepared students with the skills they need to succeed in today's workforce.
Dr. Brads represents the very best of public education leadership. I thank him for his commitment to improving the lives and futures of our students. I am honored to recognize him as my Constituent of the Week.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate my Constituent of the Week, Tim Healey, on his retirement as principal of Charles J. Colgan Senior High School in Prince William County, the first and only principal since Charles J. Colgan Senior High School opened in 2016.
Principal Healey is ending a remarkable 37-year career with Prince William County Public Schools. Throughout his career in education, Principal Healey has fostered an environment where his unwavering belief in his students empowers them to prepare for their next chapter and inspires them to reach their fullest potential.
His leadership has shaped not only a school but a community grounded in excellence and opportunity.
On behalf of the entire Prince William community and as the dad of a student at Colgan High School, go Sharks.
I thank Principal Healey for his decades of dedicated service and his lasting impact on generations of students, families, and educators.
I wish him all the best in a well-deserved retirement.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my Constituent of the Week, Anita Crossfield, on being named a recipient of the 2026 President's Award for Woman of the Year.
This award recognizes individuals whose leadership and service have enhanced and preserved the quality of life in Fredericksburg.
A native of Albania, Anita and her daughter fled wartime in 2004. Her story is similar to my own. Our families came to this greatest country in the world to pursue the American Dream.
Since then, she has earned a degree from Germanna Community College and established a successful business on Caroline Street. Anita's Cafe and Dessert Bar has become a welcoming hub in the community.
In addition to her business, Anita serves on the city's Economic Development Authority and sits on the board of the Fredericksburg Area Museum.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Anita for all she has done to strengthen Fredericksburg. Our community is grateful for all of her contributions.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kristi Rice, my
A dedicated cybersecurity teacher at Spotsylvania High School, Kristi will guide and mentor cyber experts as they prepare to compete on the global stage.
This July, she will lead her all-female team at the Women's International Cybersecurity Challenge in Ireland.
In addition to this remarkable achievement, Kristi has been named Spotsylvania Teacher of the Year for 2025-2026 and is the recipient of the Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award.
These honors reflect on her exceptional leadership, deep professional expertise, and unwavering commitment to advancing cybersecurity education.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my Constituent of the Week, Dr. Michael Sidebotham, on being recognized in the inaugural class of the Virginia Department of Education's Principals of Distinction.
This recognition honors outstanding school leaders while supporting their continued professional growth.
A longtime principal of Grafton Village Elementary School, Dr. Sidebotham was named Stafford County's Principal of the Year in 2018.
His dedication to students, staff, and families at Grafton Village has stood out.
Principals like Dr. Sidebotham play a vital role in shaping the next generation and ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed.
I thank Dr. Sidebotham for his leadership and his unwavering commitment to education in our community.
Mr. Speaker, delivering on promises made by President Donald Trump and House Republicans, led by Mike Johnson, this is the first anniversary of the Working Families Tax Cut Act. This big, beautiful bill cuts taxes, limits government, expands freedom, and will create jobs.
Sadly, every Democrat voted against it. This historic legislation resulted in the largest tax cut in American history, benefiting families. Millions have received historic tax refunds. More than 29 million workers claimed the no tax on overtime deduction. More than 35 million seniors have claimed no tax on Social Security. In addition, nearly 8 million have claimed no tax on tips. Promises made, promises kept.
In conclusion, God bless our troops. Trump is reinstating peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump and mocking Trump, with President Trump now supporting the Lindsey Graham Russian sanctions act to bankrupt the Putin oligarchs who oppress the talented people of Russia.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Julia Daniels, a remarkable North Carolinian whose generosity, leadership, and love for our State touched countless lives.
Born in New Bern and raised in Raleigh, Julia dedicated herself to preserving and enriching North Carolina's culture and civic institutions. She was a champion of the arts, history, and education, helping strengthen organizations, including the North Carolina Museum of Art and the North Carolina Historical Commission.
Julia was often called a professional volunteer, but her impact went far beyond that title. To many, Julia was the embodiment of grace and service. She opened her heart to causes she believed in, inspiring generations through her kindness and civic spirit.
As we mourn her passing, we also celebrate an exceptional life and a legacy that will endure across North Carolina for generations to come.
Mr. Speaker, when schools are closed for the summer, far too many kids in America go hungry because they don't have access to nutritious breakfasts or lunches.
That is where the incredible Summer Eats program comes in. Funded by USDA and in partnership with States, local schools, and community organizations, Summer Eats provides free, nutritious summer meals to kids across the country.
Last week, I joined Project Bread on a visit to Summer Eats programs in Leominster and Turners Falls, two communities in my district. I was able to talk with young children and teens who told me they loved the meals and enjoyed the ability to spend time with their friends while school was out of session.
I thank the Spanish American Center and the Gill-Montague School District for sponsoring these successful sites.
Mr. Speaker, even with important programs like Summer Eats, 14 million kids in the United States of America, the richest country in the history of the world, are food insecure. We have
Mr. Speaker, my friend, Mr. Wilson, made some remarks about how everybody benefited from the big, beautiful bill.
What he didn't tell you is that President Trump made a deal with himself when he sued the IRS for $1 billion for releasing his tax returns, along with thousands and thousands of other Americans. He settled the case with himself and the man he wants to make Attorney General with a clause, an agreement, that the IRS would not prosecute or even look at his tax returns, his family's tax returns, or any businesses they are involved with.
That means that the $2.2 billion they made this year off of crypto and other questionable companies will be tax free. That means he is stealing from you and me, the American public.
He doesn't want to spend money on his failed war in Iran or his failure with ICE, who are killing Americans every day.
Our country is in trouble. We have a man who is out of control as our President. It scares me tremendously, and it should scare you, as well.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize journalistic excellence in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District.
This year, news anchor Noreen Turyn will retire after 36 years at ABC 13 in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Noreen began her career at WJLA, right here in Washington, D.C., followed by time at a station in Baltimore before finding her way to the Fifth District.
Noreen has earned an Emmy Award, a Virginia Association of Broadcasters Award, and the Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for her incredible reporting. Her dedication to seeking truth and giving a voice to the voiceless has made her a trusted newscaster and beloved community member.
I congratulate Noreen on over three decades of excellence in journalism.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of University of California, Irvine Chief of Police Liz Griffin.
After more than 33 years of serving her community in law enforcement, including 7 years serving Irvine, Chief Griffin is retiring.
Throughout her career, Chief Griffin has led with integrity, transparency, and a deep commitment to community-centered policing.
At UC Irvine, Chief Griffin's leadership helped the UCI Police Department implement initiatives that have set new standards for safety, accountability, and public trust. Her work has expanded public access to safety data, helped implement the community safety plan, strengthened partnerships across campus, and increased the representation of women in the policing workforce.
Under her leadership, UCIPD also earned national accreditation from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, placing it among the top 10 percent of university policing agencies nationwide.
Chief Griffin's legacy will continue at UCI and across the University of California system. I thank her for her dedication, hard work, and service. I wish her the very best in retirement.
Mr. Speaker, the Town of Hookerton and all of Greene County mourn the passing of Mayor Robert ``Bob'' Taylor.
Bob was a dear friend, and it was a privilege to know a man whose life reflected faith, hard work, and service to others.
Born and raised in Greene County, he answered our Nation's call to serve in the United States Army before returning home to serve the community he loved.
Whether protecting his neighbors through the Hookerton Fire Department, mentoring young people in his church, or faithfully serving as mayor for 17 years, Bob always put others first.
Mr. Speaker, his leadership was never about recognition. It was simply about making Hookerton a better place.
Above all, Bob was a devoted husband to Carolyn for 65 years, a loving father and grandfather, and a man whose Christian faith shaped every chapter of his life. I extend my deepest condolences to his family.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the remarkable career of a great American, Gina Joy Rigby-House, who will soon retire from her role as Vice President of AFLAC.
A native of Smiths Station, Alabama, Gina first worked for AFLAC part time during high school. After attending Liberty University, Gina dedicated her career to advocacy and government relations.
For nearly a decade, Gina worked for the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association, and in 2000 she joined a company whose commercials and mascot are familiar to us all, AFLAC.
For 26 years, Gina honorably served the employees and shareholders of AFLAC by cultivating relationships with our country's leaders and shaping policies that benefited millions of Americans.
Mr. Speaker, I first met Gina and her husband, Mike, in 2018 when I was serving in President Trump's first White House. Gina and I worked together to facilitate an Oval Office event with AFLAC employees to celebrate the passage and enactment of the historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which proved to be a memorable day we will never forget.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the distinguished career of Gina Joy Rigby-House, who will be remembered by this Congress and her colleagues in Washington for her accomplishments, character, integrity, and steadfast devotion to her work. May the wonderful example she set be an inspiration for generations to come.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Latavia Sturdivant, a disability advocate, Yonkers resident, New York City Schools educator, author, Lehman College professor, and now Ms. Wheelchair America 2026.
Ms. Wheelchair America was established on the principle of giving a platform to women who use wheelchairs, showing that they are more than their disability. The pageant crowns their winner based on advocacy, leadership, and achievements.
This title could not reflect Ms. Sturdivant more. Her passion and accomplishments are noted and rooted in resilience, service, and passion for breaking barriers for wheelchair users. Her motto: ``Don't pay attention to what we roll in, pay attention to how we roll'' speaks to her will to be a voice in the community.
Mr. Speaker, she is an inspiration to all of us, and from the floor of the House of Representatives, I extend my congratulations to Latavia on this remarkable accomplishment.
Mr. Speaker, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, Joan Sebastian Guerrero, Ruben Ray Martinez, Alex Pretti, Renee Good, and dozens of others are now dead at the hands of ICE, this administration, and detention centers across the country. Fathers, brothers, sons, daughters--dozens who have lost their lives, stolen from them at the hands of our government and the choices of this body, the choices of a House that has enabled a President to spend billions of dollars on funding ICE, choices of this body to not stop a President from breaking the law, and choices of this body for failing to act.
Mr. Speaker, it is time to act and for this body to do its job and shut it down.
Providing for Consideration of (H.R. 139) Sunshine Protection Act of 2025; Providing for Consideration of (H.R. 8595) National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act...
Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and the underlying legislation.
Yesterday, the Rules Committee met and produced a rule, House Resolution 1423, providing for the House's consideration of four measures: H.R. 139, H.R. 8595, H.R. 9237, and H.R. 1181.
First, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, or their respective designees, and provides one motion to recommit.
The rule further provides for consideration of H.R. 8595, the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2027, under a structured rule.
The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled
Additionally, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 9237, the Take Care of America's Veterans Act, under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, or their respective designees, and provides one motion to recommit.
The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 1181, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act, under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Financial Services, or their respective designees, and provides one motion to recommit.
Finally, the rule provides that once the NSRP Appropriations Act is passed, the Clerk shall add the text of S. 1383, the SAVE America Act, to the bill and transmit it to the Senate as a single item.
Mr. Speaker, we have a lot of business to attend to in the people's House this week, and part of that business is passing this rule and the underlying legislation.
Now, I am sure, as is always the case, that our Democrat colleagues will not be focused on the task at hand for even a mere second in this debate. It would be a miracle if they did, Mr. Speaker. You and I both understand that.
What they will end up doing is ruffling their own feathers, working themselves into a tizzy, and spending their time blabbering on about things that are unrelated to the business at hand. It is very typical behavior.
The rule before us today advances four separate pieces of legislation that all bear a common thread.
Let me say that again, Mr. Speaker.
The rule before us today advances four separate pieces of legislation that all bear a common thread: They serve the interest of the American people.
H.R. 8595 will make America stronger, safer, and more resilient through the championing of America First foreign policy so that our Nation and allies are supported while our adversaries are deterred.
H.R. 9237 is a comprehensive package of more than 60 bipartisan bills which will enhance and reform the delivery of healthcare and benefit services at the Department of Veterans Affairs for the entire veteran community, including military and veteran families.
H.R. 1181 would prevent intrusive monitoring by the Federal Government of Americans who exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to keep and bear arms.
H.R. 139 establishes daylight saving time as the permanent, year- round standard time for the United States and would dispense with the semi-yearly practice of resetting our clocks. For far too long, the American public has spoken out against this disruptive practice. This Congress and this President will bring the stability to American households that our constituents have been endlessly seeking.
Advancing this rule and its underlying bills is the imperative before us today, Mr. Speaker. The American people demand our doing so, and we must act without hesitation or delay.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for yielding me the customary time, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, to all my friends on the other side who have held this floor hostage for weeks on end, let me save them the suspense: Nothing changes with this rule.
There is nothing in this rule that forces the Senate to take up the awful SAVE America Act. Nothing. The majority is simply attaching the SAVE America Act on to an unrelated State Department funding bill and sending it across the Capitol. The Senate can and will strip it right back out. Everybody here knows that.
The fact of the matter is that the SAVE Act is never going to become law because even Republicans know it is a disaster that will make it more difficult, if not impossible, for American citizens to vote.
What Republicans are doing here with this procedural move is not some master strategy. It is merely political theater, designed to settle another Republican family feud. If that is enough to flip Members who have held up business for weeks, boy, they are cheap dates.
What this rule does is bring to the floor four bills.
The first would make daylight saving time permanent. Look, everybody has an opinion about changing the clocks. I actually support this bill, but for folks getting crushed by rent, groceries, utility bills, and healthcare costs, is this really the best the majority can do? Is this really the most pressing issue before the American people at this moment?
Then, there are three bills Republicans tried to bring up weeks ago, before their own chaos brought the House to a standstill.
One is the Department of State funding bill that cuts funding for American diplomacy and foreign assistance.
Another would block the use of a merchant code for gun stores, making it harder to flag suspicious purchasing patterns.
Then, there is the so-called Take Care of America's Veterans Act. That title is doing a lot of work. That bill expands some benefits by putting the disability compensation of future veterans on the chopping block, particularly veterans suffering from tinnitus and sleep apnea.
In other words--get this--Republicans want disabled veterans to pick up the tab for other veterans' benefits. That is just plain wrong. How hard is it to understand that we shouldn't rob Private Peter to pay Sergeant Paul?
The Veterans of Foreign Wars agrees. They were in the Committee on Rules last night. The VFW strongly opposes this bill on behalf of the veterans it represents, and it published a political cartoon to protest the cuts. What did the Republican chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs do? He and other Republican Members sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs, asking the agency to review the VFW's accreditation. That accreditation is what allows the VFW to represent veterans before the VA and help them navigate the benefits system.
Disagree with the cartoon, fine, say so, but do not use the Federal Government to threaten the VFW's ability to help hundreds of thousands of vets. That sure as hell looks like retaliation to me.
Veterans fought for the right to speak their minds. They should not be threatened by their own government for exercising it, but this is what happens when a majority becomes completely consumed by its own dysfunction.
Meanwhile, Americans are working hard. They are doing everything they have been told that they are supposed to do. Yet, somehow, they can't get ahead. What is this Republican majority doing about any of it? Next to nothing.
One of the bipartisan things that we actually did do to try and bring down housing costs, Donald Trump refused to sign it. He let it become law without his signature because he was angry that the Senate had not passed his voter suppression bill.
I mean, imagine that. Think about how screwed up all of that is. Families cannot afford to buy a home, rents keep climbing, and the President of the United States used a bipartisan housing bill as leverage in his fight over election lies.
That tells us everything we need to know about this party's priorities. They will move heaven and Earth to protect Donald Trump's political power, but when it comes to making life more affordable for regular people, suddenly, they can't find the time. They can't be bothered.
Republicans control the House. They control the Senate. They control the White House. They control the Supreme Court. They still can barely keep the House floor open long enough to do the people's work.
Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve a hell of a lot better than this chaos, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair for yielding, and I am
I first have to say this: One of the things that makes America great is that anything is possible, and I am very optimistic that we will be able to pass legislation to make us all proud.
Just last week, we celebrated the 250th anniversary of America and the idea of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In my mind, when you talk about the pursuit of happiness, it means improved by care. That is exactly what we are looking to do when we change for the better our VA system.
As the son of a veteran and a father of a person now in the military, we make very simple pledges: that if you choose to serve your country, we will provide for you after your service. This bill will make sure that surely not only will you get the pension you deserve, but also benefits if injured in service. It is common sense, and it has, unfortunately, taken this long to get it all together.
The good news is that help is on the way. We respect those who serve, those soldiers who put their lives on the line every single day for us and allowed us to live in freedom for over 250 years.
For too many veterans, getting healthcare benefits means dealing with long lines, confusing paperwork, or unnecessary government red tape. This bill will fix that.
It makes it easier for veterans to see a doctor when they need one, whether it is at a VA hospital or a trusted provider back at home. It speeds up disability payments, expands access to mental health care, and also improves care for veterans with serious injuries. It also helps families who have sacrificed alongside them. It provides more support for caregivers, protects benefits for surviving spouses, and gives servicemembers better tools to transition from military life to civilian careers.
Just last week, I met with so many veterans back in my district, and they know that there are some things that maybe we can improve, as always. What I think politics is is the art of the possible, and without a doubt, this bill will move forward, keeping the promise that you will get not just your pension but your benefits that you have earned should you be injured in service.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair for putting this forward. It is so important that we move this type of bill forward because we are celebrating the 250th anniversary and the pursuit of happiness because of the sacrifice our veterans have made.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, let me just respond to the gentleman by saying that whatever good is in this veterans bill is offset by the bad. Basically, they are saying we are providing veterans' benefits by cutting other veterans' benefits. I mean, this is a shell game.
That is why the VFW is furious, why they are pissed over this bill, why they have told their membership to contact Members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, to oppose it.
If this were a tax cut for billionaires, my Republican friends don't care about an offset. If it is an illegal war in Iran, they don't care about offsets. When it comes to providing veterans' benefits, all of a sudden, we have to find offsets. Those offsets that they have found to pay for this are by cutting other veterans' benefits. That is unconscionable. That is wrong, and everybody should vote ``no'' on that bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).
Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McGovern for his remarks, and I could not agree with him more.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule for many reasons, as expressed--the outrage about what is in here regarding veterans and their deserved, earned benefits. For my remarks, within it, I will speak to the Sunshine Protection Act.
I worry that this bill is repeating the mistakes of the past and that it is being rushed to the floor without a robust committee process.
We tried permanent daylight saving time during the 1970s oil crisis, and it lasted less than a year. The policy was popular until parents realized their children had to travel to school in darkness, armed with flashlights. After eight Florida children were killed in traffic accidents, the Governor called on Congress to end the 2-year experiment early.
Over 50 years later, we are making the same mistake again. Please, let's not. We are doing it with less information.
The only hearing on time zones this Congress focused on tourism and golf courses. Members should have been able to speak and ask doctors how permanent daylight savings time would affect our health, safety, and well-being.
My home State is Pennsylvania. We did just this in April. In a hearing, Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula, director of the Sleep Medicine Fellowship at UPenn, explained that our body clocks rely on bright light when we wake up in the morning and dim light in the evening before we go to bed.
Under this bill, Pennsylvanians would wake up in the darkness for months. In some parts of the State, over 100 sunrises would be after 8 a.m. Disruption in our natural sleep-wake cycle can reduce reaction time, alertness, and other measures of performance and safety.
Sleep deprivation leads to a higher risk of serious health conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression, and some forms of cancer.
This topic deserves robust debate, not a closed rule. Congresswoman Scanlon proposed an amendment for a permanent standard time to do just that, but it was promptly rejected.
In closing, for the health and safety of our constituents, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the rule.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that we defeat the previous question. If we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to allow the House to take an up-or-down vote on an amendment to H.R. 8595, sponsored by Representative Schrier, which would reverse the cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that were imposed by the Trump administration that could have prevented the ongoing outbreak of cyclospora, a parasite that has already infected thousands of Americans.
Last year, the Trump administration began illegally defunding Federal health and science agencies, firing scientists and researchers, and cutting programs that keep us healthy and safe.
One of the programs that Trump cut was called FoodNet, and it helped Federal and State public officials monitor and prevent outbreaks for eight different foodborne illnesses, including cyclospora. Yet, after Trump and his DOGE goons got their hands on this lifesaving program, the government stopped monitoring cyclospora.
That was stupid. It was dumb. Our country is now experiencing a full- blown outbreak of, you guessed it, cyclospora.
For the sake of everyone's health, I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so we can reverse these dangerous cuts.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record along with any extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts?
Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McGovern for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, right now, our country is facing a public health crisis that has been created by the Trump administration. From misinformation about vaccines and lifesaving medicines to devastating cuts to critical research, along with political litmus tests, this administration is putting Americans in danger.
Specifically, the cuts to the CDC have been disastrous. Our public health workforce has been attacked, and our ability to assess and respond to outbreaks has been decimated.
We are now seeing the worst measles outbreak in decades, and the number of
Last year, the Trump administration changed the CDC's FoodNet surveillance program, narrowing the number of pathogens under active surveillance, including cyclospora. The health and lives of thousands of Americans are on the line as they contract diseases that the CDC has helped us prevent for years and has screened for, for years, all because of the actions of this administration.
If you are an American right now with measles, this CDC has failed you. As cyclospora spreads, the CDC is not meeting expectations. Communication has been sparse. Misinformation is rampant, and real information is lacking. HHS Secretary Kennedy, as a leader, has been completely absent in helping with any of it.
As a doctor and a Member of Congress, I am outraged and deeply concerned. We need the CDC to be restored to its previous capacity, because you don't really know how critical our public health service is and our CDC is until there is an outbreak and we can't manage it.
Every death from preventable illnesses should be laid at the Trump administration's feet until these changes are undone.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the American people need to take note of the amount of rhetorical smog emanating from the other side of the Chamber, because it is obscene. Our Democratic colleagues continue to weave together an entirely disingenuous and deceptive narrative that Democrats are the ones standing at the forefront of the conversation when it comes to supporting our Nation's veterans. That has never been the case and will never be the case.
If Democrats truly cared enough about veterans, they would spend their time supporting Chairman Bost's bill and not coming up with hack job, so-called solutions that do nothing to reform the VA and deliver high-quality care and service to those who have served this Nation.
Mr. Speaker, it is sad that our colleagues across the aisle have chosen this position. It is sad that they can gin up misleading narratives and hawk them around like someone delivering newspapers on a bike.
The bill before us ensures that combat-disabled servicemembers who were medically retired through no fault of their own receive the benefits they earned while maintaining equity across retiree populations.
This is what happens when personalities of the day and political gamesmanship subvert actual legislating, like what Chairman Bost and Republicans have been doing the entire time. The former doesn't deliver for veterans. It treats them like second-class citizens. Their solution is spending more money while delivering fewer outcomes.
Wow, color us shocked. It is a story as old as time.
Instead, the bill before us today would reduce net direct spending by approximately $1.3 billion over the next 10 years. In an era of growing deficits and debt, H.R. 9237 demonstrates that Congress can advance significant veterans' priorities while remaining fiscally responsible and reducing overall Federal spending.
Republicans are focused on targeted relief. This is targeted relief that focuses on combat-disabled veterans, includes additional fairness safeguards, and does not throw money at a problem with the meager hope of things fixing themselves by osmosis.
Let's run through what else you will not find in the cobbled- together, so-called solutions that Democrats are throwing their weight behind.
You won't find a unified Democratic effort to reform the VA's outdated construction and leasing processes that delay the opening of clinics and facilities across the country. In Chairman Bost's bill, Republicans are doing just that.
You won't find the Democratic commitment to ensure that veterans can continue to access the mental health care support services in the communities where they live nationwide. In Chairman Bost's bill, it is there.
You won't find Democratic solutions to slash government bureaucracy that hinders veterans from accessing the care they deserve and earned. In Chairman Bost's bill, they are there.
Mr. Speaker, that is the difference here. All Democrats see is another government program to funnel money into without any commitment whatsoever to improving the lives of those the program serves. They will contort the language they use and the policy gimmicks they cook up to mislead people and organizations into believing mistruths.
VSOs, the purpose-driven organizations that are dedicated to advocating for veterans, have been led to believe that Republicans somehow want to rob veterans of their benefits, but that is entirely untrue.
As is evidenced by President Trump's efforts, the efforts of Secretary Collins at the VA, and the veteran-driven legislation here in Congress, Republicans see veterans and meet them where they are.
Republicans see and understand the problems that veterans face every day and want to ensure that the VA is nimble, responsive, and rightsized so that veterans are not left in the dark and to fend for themselves.
Here is a final little nugget that I will leave you with, Mr. Speaker: The majority of our Republican members on the Veterans' Affairs Committee are indeed veterans. There is only one Democrat on that committee who is a veteran.
I trust veterans to know and understand what veterans need and deserve. People are actually attuned to issues veterans face as opposed to those who simply haven't the slightest clue.
Republicans are the ones with actual solutions here. We are not bloviating like so many have chosen to do. We are fighting for veterans, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
If there were people watching these proceedings and listening to my Republican friends, they may conclude that they sound a little defensive because they are, and they should be, especially on these veterans issues.
The bottom line is that the VFW, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, strongly opposes the disability benefit cuts that are included in the proposed Take Care of America's Veterans Act.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record the entire statement of the VFW and their strong, strong opposition to these cuts.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts?
Mr. Speaker, I trust the VFW more than I trust the Republican millionaires' club that basically populate the United States Congress on their side in this Chamber. The VFW is saying we can do these benefits without punishing other veterans.
I find it amusing because the gentlewoman says we need to find offsets. Well, she voted basically to increase the debt by $4.7 trillion in the big, ugly bill, adding $4.7 trillion to the debt.
Included in that, by the way, is $70 billion, again, unpaid for, for ICE and CBP. Again, they have no problem with doing that. They have no problem with tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires and now America's trillionaire, and no problem with tax cuts for them that are not paid for, but when it comes to providing veterans' benefits, all of a sudden they have a problem?
By the way, just for the record, there is a discharge petition that has been filed to basically bring the Major Richard Star Act to the floor without cutting other benefits for veterans. Every Democrat is on that, every Democrat. We can bring this to the floor. We can have this debate. We can vote on providing veterans additional benefits without cutting other veterans' benefits. That is the choice.
When I hear these speeches about, oh, we really are doing all that we can, and we are on the side of veterans, again, the VFW opposes this strongly. They showed up in the Rules Committee, filled up the Rules Committee hearing room yesterday to show their protest, their outrage, over what Republicans were doing.
Republicans don't have to do this. Republicans could provide veterans with the benefits they need without robbing other benefits that veterans need. It is that simple.
This is outrageous. This is outrageous what is going on, and people should not be fooled.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.
Mr. Speaker, as I think we can all tell from the ensuing debate here, there are serious issues that this body needs to be wrestling with, but the Speaker has chosen to put on the floor this week H.R. 139, a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent.
I think there is one thing everyone in this Chamber can agree on: Americans do not like changing their clocks twice a year.
The big question isn't whether we should ditch the switch; it is how. Unfortunately, the bill that the Speaker has chosen chooses the wrong solution by making daylight saving time permanent nationwide while denying States the right to enact permanent standard time if they so choose--not if, but when they discover that Congress made the wrong choice.
We can all understand the appeal of an extra hour of sunlight in the summer, but permanent daylight saving time comes with serious health and safety concerns with even darker winter mornings.
If this bill becomes law, winter mornings across the country are going to look very different. Millions of Americans will wake up during the winter months in complete darkness, with the Sun not rising until long after people get up and travel to school or work or have to go about their days.
In much of upstate and northern New York, communities will not see the Sun rise until well after 8:30 a.m. In Michigan, it will be close to 9 before the Sun comes up. In parts of the Pacific Northwest, sunrise will be pushed even later than 9 a.m.
In many parts of the country, children will be waiting for schoolbuses in darkness. Parents will be driving to work before sunrise. Morning commuters, students, and pedestrians will be starting their day in the dark, not because of the seasons, but because Congress decided to move the clock instead of following the Sun.
We don't have to speculate about what would happen under permanent daylight saving time. We already tried it. During the 1974 energy crisis, Congress made daylight saving time permanent in a failed attempt to save energy. It lasted less than a year.
Families found themselves sending their kids to school in the dark, and there was a rash of fatal crashes involving schoolchildren. Communities raised serious safety concerns, and public support, which initially was quite strong, quickly collapsed. Congress repealed the policy within months.
The science has only become clearer since then. Medical and scientific experts have endorsed the move to permanent standard time because permanent daylight saving time disrupts our natural circadian rhythms, the internal clocks that regulate when we sleep and wake. That disruption has been linked to higher rates of heart disease, stroke, chronic sleep deprivation, and other adverse health concerns. These bad outcomes are even more serious and long-lasting than the sleep deprivation, traffic accidents, and heart attacks that follow the twice-yearly changes that we currently have.
I have also heard directly from my constituents. Like most Americans, they are ready to ditch the switch, but when I ask which permanent system they would prefer if they had to choose, the clear preference was for standard time. A Gallup poll last year found that Americans preferred permanent standard time to permanent daylight saving time by 2-to-1.
That is why I have introduced the bipartisan Sunshine for Our Kids Act with Representative Pat Harrigan. Our bill would end the clock changes and make standard time the national default.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Importantly, it would also allow for States to adopt permanent daylight saving time through State law if they choose.
If we are going to make a permanent change that affects every American, we should follow the science, learn from history, and prioritize Americans' health, particularly that of our children. That is why I urge a ``no'' vote on the rule and on H.R. 139.
Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining on both sides.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from North Carolina has 16\1/2\ minutes remaining. The gentleman from Massachusetts has 10\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I have great affection and respect for VFW members. In fact, I have great respect and admiration for every organization that represents veterans. It is because of veterans that we speak English here today and that we are the greatest country in the world.
I would like to set the record straight about which veteran organizations are supporting this legislation. We have The American Legion, and I am not going to read the entire quote, but there is a quote here from Daniel Wiley, American Legion national commander, who said: ``For over a century, The American Legion has been the leading veterans service organization advocating for passage of nearly all major expansions or reforms to healthcare and benefits that benefit veterans and their families.''
``After thorough consideration of the legislative and regulatory environment, which included conversations with legislators who both agree and disagree with the bill, we believe TCAVA is the best path forward to get these crucial bills enacted into law.''
``The Take Care of America's Veterans Act represents our Nation's sacred promise to those who serve and those they leave behind,'' said Bonnie Carroll, president and founder of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS.
The Military Officers Association of America has supported this legislation. The Wounded Warrior Project and 16 other groups support the legislation before us today.
Steve Schwab, CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, is quoted here: ``This legislation is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to stand with the veterans, caregivers, and survivors who have sacrificed so much for our country.''
Mr. Speaker, I have page after page after page of quotes from these various
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I am glad the gentlewoman decided to go down this pathway because it is not only the Veterans of Foreign Wars that oppose this, but the Disabled American Veterans, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Hispanic Veterans Leadership Alliance, the Black Veterans Project, Reserve Organization of America, Veterans Education Success, Student Veterans of America, Marine Corps League, Marine Corps Reserve Association, Minority Veterans of America, Common Defense, Vet Voice Foundation, National Security Leaders for America, Swords to Plowshares, The Chamberlain Network, Unite for Veterans Coalition, Veterans for Common Sense, Veterans for Responsible Leadership. I could go on and on and on.
The gentlewoman began by mentioning The American Legion. She may not know this, but as we speak, The American Legion in Texas, representing one of the largest memberships of The American Legion, has come out against this bill and is urging The American Legion nationally to now follow its lead and come out against this bill.
The bottom line is, the more veterans' organizations know that they are getting screwed, the more and more they are coming out against this bill. They are in favor of the Major Richard Star bill, which would provide and expand veterans' benefits without taking away other veterans' benefits. It is that simple.
This is a bad bill and, quite frankly, the more people realize what is in this bill, the more they realize the cuts in this bill that will adversely affect the veterans' community, the more and more people will come out against this.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Landsman).
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1181, which is in this Rules package. I want to talk about the bill because it is going to make it harder for us to fight gun violence in America.
The majority is bringing to the floor a bill that would prevent credit card companies from coding the sale of firearms, meaning that if you buy a firearm from a gun manufacturer, from a gun seller, this Congress is saying we don't want to track that, we don't want to code it. We code everything, but we are not going to code this.
It makes it even harder for us to fight gun violence in America.
Some headlines from home:
``18-year-old dies after shooting near Westwood store.''
``Cincinnati Police Department investigating after shooting in Avondale.''
``1 shot in East Price Hill, search underway for suspect.''
``No arrests made after 3 weekend shootings in Greater Cincinnati.''
These are all headlines from this weekend.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, the question then becomes: Why are they siding with gun manufacturers and not law enforcement? Why are they siding with the gun sellers and not our kids?
It is a terrible bill based on a flawed ideology that somehow if you sell a gun, you are more important than the people who get shot by one.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, this debate has made one thing very clear. Republicans are not the victims of this chaos. They are the perpetrators of this chaos. There is only one party that controls this floor and all three branches of government. Republicans set the agenda. Republicans write these awful rules. Republicans control the schedule, and Republicans have chosen to spend week after week fighting with one another while regular working people are getting squeezed.
News flash to my Republican colleagues: The American people know the difference between working and pretending to work. They know that passing the same voter suppression bill again and again will not lower their rent. They know that stapling the SAVE Act onto yet another piece of legislation will not bring down the price of groceries. They know that threatening the VFW will not improve veterans' care. They know that changing or not changing the clocks will not change what is in their bank account.
Mr. Speaker, if Democrats were in the majority, we would begin every day with one simple question: How do we make life more affordable for working people in this country?
We would work to build more housing. We would work to lower rents and stop giant Wall Street firms from bidding families out of the market.
We would take on corporate consolidation and price gouging that are driving up the cost of food.
We would lower health insurance premiums and prescription drug prices instead of ripping coverage away to pay for more billionaire tax breaks.
We would make childcare more affordable. We would lower utility bills and end these stupid tariff taxes that show up in the price of nearly everything that people buy.
In addition, we would stay here and we would keep working until the job was done.
Now, I am not saying that every problem would be solved overnight, but we would put real solutions on this floor. We would allow debate. I mean, we don't debate anything anymore. Most of the bills that come to this floor are completely closed, where nobody can offer an amendment, take it or leave it.
I mean, you know, and when something did not pass, we would keep trying. We would keep trying until we got it right, until we helped people in this country. I mean, that is our job. That's what we are supposed to do.
When it comes to veterans, Democrats would fund the benefits that these veterans earned. We would not pit one generation of disabled veterans against another, and that is what my Republican colleagues are doing.
It is really not only frustrating; it is unconscionable. That should not be a partisan statement, by the way, in terms of helping our veterans. That is basic decency.
The American people deserve a Congress that is focused on affordability, not on Donald Trump's long list of petty grievances and attempts to rehash old conspiracy theories from 6 years ago. They deserve a majority that understands that power is not about controlling the floor. It is about using the floor to help people, to improve the quality of life for the people that we represent.
Republicans have had their chance. They blew it. They have wasted it.
I urge my colleagues, vote ``no'' on the previous question. Vote ``no'' on this rule. Let us end the chaos and get back to work for the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
As I said at the outset of this debate, Mr. Speaker, we have a lot of business to attend to this week. Our work in service to the American people continues.
We are not in chaos, Mr. Speaker. The four underlying measures of this rule meet the priorities of President Trump, the administration, and the American people. We are focused on commonsense measures.
As we have seen across our country in recent weeks and months, the Democratic Party is being taken over by communists, and we know that communists have never made the world a better place to live.
A vote against this rule and its underlying measures is a vote to deny the priorities of all three of the entities I have mentioned and to deny positive progress. We would all do well to remember that.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to state my intention to vote against H. Res. 1423, the rule for consideration of H.R. 8595, National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. I oppose the resolution as written so that the House of Representatives can advance my amendment to Massie Amendment No. 8, printed therein.
Should the Rules Committee meet again, I would offer an amendment to the Massie Amendment that would read, ``After page 1 1ine 6 insert the following: (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority, or the broader region, nor shall it be construed to prevent support of Palestinian Security Forces in the West Bank, and nor shall it be construed to prevent the delivery of defensive weapons for the protection of Palestinians and Israelis.''
This would prevent the passage of the Massie Amendment from impacting the delivery of humanitarian aid and items critical for defense. However, without the opportunity to advance my amendment, I will oppose H. Res. 1423.
The material previously referred to by Mr. McGovern is as follows:
Providing for Consideration of H.R. 139, Sunshine Protection Act of 2025; Providing for Consideration of H.R. 8595, National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act...
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on ordering the previous question on the resolution (H. Res. 1423) providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 139) to make daylight savings time permanent, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8595) making appropriations for national security, Department of State, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 9237) to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, and other Federal laws, to improve benefits for veterans and the administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1181) to prohibit payment card networks and covered entities from requiring the use of or assigning merchant category codes that distinguish a firearms retailer from general-merchandise retailer or sporting-goods retailer, and for other purposes; and for other purposes, on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on ordering the previous question.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 217, nays 210, not voting 4, as follows:
Messrs. MOSKOWITZ and JOHNSON of Georgia changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
Messrs. LaLOTA and MAST changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the previous question was ordered.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) each will control 20 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas?
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the CBO estimate for this legislation.
EFFECTS ON DIRECT SPENDING AND REVENUES OF LEGISLATION CONSIDERED UNDER SUSPENSION OF THE RULES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WEEK OF JULY 13, 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the House floor in support of Republican Conference Chairwoman McClain's bill, the Common Cents Act.
This is a simple, common ``cents'' bill aimed at saving taxpayer dollars and modernizing a part of our currency system that no longer makes economic sense.
The numbers speak for themselves. According to an audit of the United States Mint, it costs $3.69 to make one penny.
That is the 19th year in a row, Mr. Speaker, the government has spent more to make a penny than a penny is worth.
Last year alone, taxpayers lost more than $85 million producing pennies.
Chairwoman McClain's bill simply codifies President Trump's directive to the Mint to stop producing pennies.
Of course, we have to be practical. If we are going to no longer make pennies, people are likely to use more nickels. The problem is that nickels aren't exactly a bargain either and the gentleman from Massachusetts knows it.
They cost nearly 14 cents to produce, so we need to make sure we don't solve one problem by creating another one. That is why Mrs. McClain's bill also gives the U.S. Treasury Secretary the authority to move to a lower cost, zinc-based nickel to ensure that increased nickel demand is not mitigating the savings due to the elimination of the penny.
The bill also addresses something retailers and consumers are already experiencing. With fewer pennies available, many cash transactions are rounded to the nearest nickel.
H.R. 3074 provides a clear, uniform standard for how these transactions can be rounded, giving businesses certainty and ensuring everyone is playing by the same rules.
This bill is about good stewardship of taxpayer dollars. It is about recognizing when government can do things more efficiently, making smart updates where they are needed, and saving money in the process.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3074, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3074, the Common Cents Act, sponsored by Representative McClain. I thank Representative McClain, along with Representative Robert Garcia, for their work on this legislation.
The idea to end penny production is not a new one. In fact, other countries, like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, have stopped producing pennies themselves. However, many of these countries executed this plan through a deliberate and meaningful process.
Unlike the approach taken by other countries, in February 2025, President Donald Trump abruptly announced on his Truth Social media account that he directed the Treasury to stop minting pennies. This decision, not surprisingly, ignored the critical role and constitutional authority of Congress in regulating the currency.
While the Secretary of the Treasury did carry out President Trump's orders, the administration failed to provide a strategic plan or guidance for the public on how to handle this change, which would impact all segments of the economy.
This sudden decision is emblematic of how the administration carries out policy. They do it suddenly, without expert engagement, without feedback, and without consideration of potential harms.
For these reasons, I was glad to see that Ranking Member Waters, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill), Representative McClain, and Representative Garcia worked together for over a year to thoughtfully provide much-needed clarity to businesses and consumers in this legislation.
In its current form, this bill has made significant improvements from when it was first marked up in our committee. As drafted, the bill now allows businesses to round cash transactions if exact change cannot be provided, and it also authorizes businesses to continue to round in favor of customers.
This legislation also requires the Federal Reserve to prepare a strategic plan in connection with managing the circulation of the penny. Additionally, the bill will now grapple with potential unintended consequences that come from ending penny production, like rounding cash transactions on low-income and unbanked communities and more.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the gentleman from Arkansas for his leadership on this. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. McClain), our Republican Conference chair and the author of this bill. I really just ask her for a penny for her thoughts.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Hill for his help on this.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3074, the Common Cents Act. This is a straightforward bill that accomplishes one commonsense goal. It stops the Federal Government from losing money on a coin that almost no one uses.
Here is the problem: Every penny we mint costs the taxpayers nearly 4 cents. Think about that. We are spending 4 cents to make 1 cent. Last year alone, that absurd math cost the American taxpayers more than $85 million. I think we can be a better steward of the taxpayers' money than that.
As a businesswoman, I can assure you that no businessowner in my district or myself would ever spend four times as much to make $1. Yet, that is exactly how Washington has managed the penny year after year. Quite frankly, that does not make sense.
The Common Cents Act fixes it. It directs the Treasury to stop minting the penny for general circulation, and quite frankly, that is it.
It does not take away a single penny that somebody already owns. Every penny in your pocket, every penny in your piggy bank, and every penny in that jar on your counter stays as legal tender if it is unused.
This is not a radical idea. President Trump called for it. It is his commonsense idea, and it should become law.
I introduced this bill with Congressman Robert Garcia, and it cleared the Committee on Financial Services with strong bipartisan support.
Republicans and Democrats don't agree on much in this town, but we do agree on this: We shouldn't be wasting $85 million a year to keep minting pennies.
Not only do we agree, but, Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support from local industry leaders who also support this commonsense piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, it is time to modernize our currency policy and bring some commonsense back to Washington. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation and vote ``yes.''
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Garcia), who is also the ranking member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to co-lead this legislation with Representative Lisa McClain, and I rise, of course, in strong support of this bill.
As has been said, we know that a penny costs taxpayers 3.7 cents to produce, so it makes zero sense to spend almost 4 cents creating only 1 cent.
This bill is common sense. It has bipartisan support, and it saves taxpayers money and reduces waste.
In 2023 alone, the Mint lost approximately $180 million making pennies. The reality is that the penny now is just out of date.
As the cost of living increases for many, with folks tapping technology
This is not a partisan idea. As has been said, countries from all across the world--Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and others--have stopped using and producing low-value coins without any issues or problems for the population.
This bill provides clarity by giving businesses the option, not the requirement, to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel when exact change isn't available.
It also ensures that existing pennies, more than 114 billion of them, will also remain legal tender. Folks can keep those pennies if they have them at home.
Now, the government should stop spending nearly 4 cents to make 1 cent coins.
The Common Cents Act eliminates a wasteful, obsolete coin while protecting pennies as legal tender. Let's stop throwing good money after the bad and pass the Common Cents Act.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas), our chairman of the Task Force on Monetary Policy, Treasury Market Resilience, and Economic Prosperity. In my experience of being chairman of the committee on which he serves, he is a man who always comes to the committee and plans on throwing his 2 cents into every debate.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate those comments by the chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Common Cents Act. This bill has been over a year in the making with my colleagues Mrs. McClain and Mr. Garcia from California, and I am proud of the product that we put forward today.
The 1 cent piece, or the penny as it is commonly known, does indeed cost almost 4 cents to produce, and 2024 was the 19th consecutive year the U.S. Government lost money keeping the 1 cent piece in circulation.
That is why this year, the President rightly ordered the Department of the Treasury to stop wasting hard-earned taxpayer money to produce the coin and why we are excited to move forward in codifying this action.
The Common Cents Act also gives flexibility to the Mint to produce a nickel with cheaper materials. In 1866, Congress mandated the nickel be produced from an alloy of copper and nickel, and we haven't updated the composition since. This bill gives the Mint the flexibility to produce a cheaper coin, while retaining Congress' responsibility of coining money.
Finally, the bill provides certainty for businesses in their cash transactions with customers without mandating price controls from the government.
We are also proud to boast the endorsements of the National Retail Federation, the National Grocers Association, the United Steelworkers International Union, and the American Bankers Association, among many others.
I must take one moment and note with the passing of the 1 cent piece, it is a coin that was mandated in the 1792 Mint Act, a coin that when it was originally produced in 1793 by the United States Mint in that very fledgling facility in Philadelphia, represented 1 cent of pure copper.
Over time, with inflation and the changing consumer patterns, we went to the smaller 1-cent piece we now use in 1857. Now, all of this time later, the 1-cent piece has passed its prime and time.
Yet, it was a coin that was important to commerce from the founding of the country. It was an important coin because every American at least had a few cents in their pocket, even in the toughest times, over the last 200 years.
Now we move forward. Again, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on the Financial Services Committee for making these wise decisions in codifying it.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Mrs. McClain and Mr. Garcia for their good work. The administration has already ceased penny production, but this legislation does the necessary work of providing meaningful guidance for consumers and businesses across the country.
Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts and the minority for helping to make this a strong bipartisan bill to do something that is common sense, with no pun intended. In fact, for all of the good reasons that Mr. Lucas and Mrs. McClain outlined, this is the right decision at the right time for the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I remind both the bankers across the country, the retailers, and all of the consumers out there that, as noted by Mr. Garcia, there are well over 100 billion pennies floating around out there in jars and drawers and cash registers across the country. You may still use those pennies until your heart is content.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3074, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to stop minting the penny, to permit cash transactions to be rounded up or down to the nearest five cents, and for other purposes''.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6556) to prohibit the use of certain concentration limit exceptions with respect to mergers involving a failed bank unless the applicable agency determines such use is necessary to prevent significant economic disruption or significant adverse effects on financial stability, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) each will control 20 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the Congressional Budget Office score for this bill.
EFFECTS ON DIRECT SPENDING AND REVENUES OF LEGISLATION CONSIDERED UNDER SUSPENSION OF THE RULES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WEEK OF JULY 13, 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6556, the Failing Bank Acquisition Fairness Act, offered by my friend from Massachusetts.
When a bank fails, regulators need to move fast to protect depositors, preserve confidence in our financial system, consider potential buyers, and minimize disruption to families, businesses, and communities. All of that often takes place in a very short period of time, between Friday at close of business and Monday morning at opening for business. At that same time, those decisions should be made by a process that is fair, transparent, and promotes competition.
Under current law, Federal regulators are generally prohibited from approving a merger or acquisition of a failed or failing bank if the resulting institution would control more than 10 percent or more of deposits nationwide.
However, regulators are allowed to waive these concentration limits under certain circumstances. H.R. 6556 restricts when those concentration limits can be waived to situations in which there are no other qualified bidders for that failed bank and the transaction is necessary to prevent significant economic disruption or adverse effects on U.S. financial stability.
This legislation helps address concentration in the U.S. banking sector and promote a more transparent, competitive, and accountable approach to resolving failing banks. This legislation includes critical guardrails, such as requiring regulators to report to Congress within 30 days of a waiver on why the waiver was granted, why other qualified alternatives were not selected, and any recommendations for legislative or regulatory changes to improve competition for future bank resolutions.
That transparency helps to ensure that these decisions are made in the best interests of depositors; our financial system at large; and, of course, the American people. This is a practical, bipartisan reform that strengthens oversight, promotes competition, and reinforces confidence in the bank resolution process, while preserving regulators' ability to respond to bank failures.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) for his leadership on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 6556.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6556, the Failing Bank Acquisition Fairness Act, which I introduced in December 2025.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), our ranking member, who advanced this legislation unanimously within the committee.
Specifically, the Failing Bank Acquisition Fairness Act will prevent megabanks from dominating the bidding process for acquiring a failed bank if there are other eligible bids from well-capitalized and well- managed small and midsized banks.
In the three decades since 1994, the number of commercial banks has declined in this country by approximately 50 percent, hollowing out the small and midsized institutions that have traditionally housed local community capital.
Small to midsized banks are unable to compete with the larger institutions in the failed bank acquisition process, even when attainable opportunities arise which might result in a more favorable result for depositors and impacted businesses and communities.
For example, after the collapse of the First Republic Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, and Signature Bank in 2023, which were the second, third, and fourth largest bank failures in U.S. history, as part of the resolution process, Federal regulators, including the FDIC, structured an immensely favorable acquisition process to allow JPMorganChase, America's biggest bank at the time, to acquire the nearly $230 billion in assets and $103 billion in deposits from the failed First Republic Bank.
Multiple midsized banks sought to acquire First Republic Bank but failed to compete with J.P. Morgan's sheer asset holdings, estimated to be close to $4 trillion.
As part of that deal, the FDIC also entered into a comprehensive loss sharing agreement with JPMorganChase to incentivize that purchase.
In fact, the FDIC agreed to absorb 80 percent of all credit losses. After effectively winning the government auction, J.P. Morgan quickly announced plans to shut down one quarter of First Republic's 84 branches rather than preserving consumer access to their local branches. The closure also led to the firing of approximately 1,000 bank employees.
Acquisitions such as these are now the norm rather than the exception. This year, U.S. bank mergers and acquisitions have hit a 7- year high, up 45 percent since 2024.
Consumer advocacy organizations such as Americans for Financial Reform and Better Markets have raised serious concerns about the advantages afforded to large interconnected financial institutions like JPMorganChase in bidding for these failing banks, and as a result growing ever larger while accelerating the process of consolidation.
To that end, I introduced this legislation, the Failing Bank Acquisition Fairness Act, which if it were law at the time would have created a more level playing field between healthy medium-sized as well as larger banks to both stabilize markets but also to better serve depositors, businesses, and the impacted communities in which those banks are located while avoiding megabanks gobbling up smaller banks in the steady march toward consolidation.
Megabanks should not be allowed to take advantage of financial crises to increase their domination and pad their own profits.
This legislation would take an important step toward increasing competition and improving the resilience of our financial system from economic shocks.
I am proud that this bill was passed unanimously in committee by every Democrat, every Republican, and has the support of Americans for Financial Reform to boot.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I join my friend from Massachusetts in speaking to the importance of this bill and provide just a couple of minutes of perspective.
If you go back to the 1980s, it was a period of Third World debt crisis, the oil and gas lending crisis, and the real estate lending crisis culminating in the late 1980s with really the collapse of
After the resolution of the savings and loan bank crisis and all the other related bank failures of the 1980s and very early 1990s, the government said, look, this is out of hand, and we want to enforce a least cost resolution process when a bank fails, meaning we don't want to lose more money after the closing by trying to keep these banks open.
So they offered this ability that whoever paid the highest price, thus the least cost to the taxpayers, was the winner, which is good policy. However, now it is 30 years later, and the largest banks in the country, as outlined by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch), have a disproportionate ability to bid $1 more and thus be the least cost to the taxpayer--or maybe after the last debate one penny more-- and be the least cost to the taxpayer. That means that it is very hard to compete with them.
What the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) has proposed is let us have more bidding for those failed banks by crafting a process that is transparent that Congress oversees, Congress outlines the guardrails, where smaller banks could team up with other capital sources and bid for one of those failed banks and end up being in a much more competitive process. What the government gets is a more diversified, more competitive banking system instead of the default winner being one of the big five existing financial institutions.
I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) for his work on this legislation. I thank Chairman Barr of our Financial Institutions Subcommittee and Ranking Member Waters for bringing our bipartisan team together on the committee in advancing this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I urge Members on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' on this measure. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Let me first of all thank Chairman Hill for his kind remarks and his astute observations on the circumstances that have brought us to this point. I will add that I believe this morning it was announced that JPMorganChase, which was the benefactor of this previous transaction, is now approaching $5 trillion in assets. That is indeed remarkable. Their market cap is about a trillion dollars, as well.
I think this legislation does point to that loophole that allows megabanks to acquire failing banks even when other eligible, well- managed small and midsize banks have submitted competing bids improving community and regional bank competitiveness and preventing further consolidation among our largest financial institutions.
Again, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bill. I appreciate the work on both sides of the aisle, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6556, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1423, I call up the bill (H.R. 1181) to prohibit payment card networks and covered entities from requiring the use of or assigning merchant category codes that distinguish a firearms retailer from general- merchandise retailer or sporting-goods retailer, 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 1423, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Financial Services 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 Financial Services or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Mr. Moore's Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act.
Financial privacy is fundamental to consumer trust and confidence in our financial system. As technology continues to transform financial services, protecting Americans' financial privacy remains an essential part of Congress' oversight role.
Merchant category codes were designed to help process transactions, not create mechanisms for tracking or categorizing lawful purchases. Maintaining trust in the payment system requires clear safeguards to ensure that these tools are used for commerce, not consumer surveillance.
H.R. 1181 establishes those safeguards by preventing payment card networks and processors from using merchant category codes to target firearms retailers and their customers. The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act provides important protections for consumers by preventing the misuse of payment systems to monitor lawful purchasing activity.
Consumers should not have to sacrifice their financial privacy in order to participate in our modern economy. Protecting financial privacy helps reinforce confidence in the institutions and infrastructure that our payment systems operate around.
Americans should be able to participate in the economy with confidence that their lawful transactions are simply being processed, not tracked or categorized or scrutinized beyond what is never necessary to essentially facilitate the payment. This bill helps preserve the integrity of that payment system by keeping it focused on facilitating commerce and efficient movement of funds.
Importantly, this bill does not interfere with any existing law enforcement authorities, anti-money laundering requirements, fraud prevention efforts, or other obligations designed to protect consumers and safeguard our financial system.
H.R. 1181 is a commonsense measure that simply safeguards financial privacy while maintaining the integrity of our Nation's payment network.
I urge all my colleagues to support the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose this bill because it limits efforts to detect and investigate gun violence and acts of terrorism.
Before I discuss the bill, let's start with a few sobering statistics:
46,000 Americans die from gun violence every year. That comes out to an average of more than 125 Americans losing their life each day due to gun violence.
Of course, America is unusual in this regard. Americans are 26 times more likely to be shot and killed than if you lived in any other high- income country.
Nearly one in five Americans say they have personally witnessed someone shot.
In the past decade, more than 1.2 million Americans have been shot, with more than 400,000 who died from gun violence. For many who survive a gunshot, they may still suffer a lifetime of devastating consequences.
Most of these data points come from GIFFORDS, a gun violence prevention group set up by our former colleague in the House, Gabby Giffords. Of course, she herself was shot when she served as a Congresswoman, and she later set up the group following the Sandy Hook Elementary mass shooting when 20 children and 6 educators lost their lives.
Now, a few States, including California, New York, and Colorado, have taken action to require payment card networks to use a merchant category code, or an MCC, to distinguish firearms retailers from other types of retailers.
Many different types of retailers have unique MCC codes, including florists, barbershops, art dealers, automotive tire shops, and even candy stores. While these merchant codes don't reveal what individual goods are purchased, they can indicate an unusually large purchase at a type of business that might reveal a risk. This information could help law enforcement track suspicious purchases and prevent even more gun violence.
Leading gun safety groups, including Brady, Community Justice, Everytown for Gun Safety, GIFFORDS, Guns Down America, and Newtown Action Alliance, sent the House a letter to urge Members to vote ``no'' on this harmful legislation.
In the letter that was sent to me, they said: ``We write in strong opposition to H.R. 1181, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act. This bill would make it easier for mass shooters, gun traffickers, and even terrorists to abuse our financial systems to stockpile firearms and ammunition undetected.''
They go on to note that between 2007 and 2018, credit cards were used to finance at least eight major mass shootings. One of these included the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where 49 people were killed and nearly 60 more were injured a decade ago last month, in June 2016.''
Now, listen to this: Just days before the shooter opened fire, his internet search history included the terms ``credit card unusual spending,'' ``FBI,'' and ``why banks stop your purchases.''
He had opened six new credit card accounts in the 8 months prior, and 12 days before the shooting, he spent more than $26,000 on things like a rifle, a semiautomatic pistol, several large magazines, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Before this, his average monthly spending on his single card was $1,500.
None of the credit card operators, payment processors, or banks were alerted to the types of transactions being undertaken, and they did not notify law enforcement officials about these purchases.
We don't know for sure, but had these MCC codes been in place for gun shops back then, a financial institution would have been empowered to report these suspicious credit card purchases to law enforcement.
Americans are tired of the senseless gun violence and want Congress to do something to curb it.
Unfortunately, this bill goes in the opposite direction and would implement a ban on such merchant reporting on the Federal level and would literally preempt existing State laws like those in California, New York, and Colorado.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 1181, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act. My bill preserves two fundamental rights: the right to privacy and the right to bear arms. Americans should not be forced to disclose to payment processors when they buy firearms.
The bill preserves Americans' rights by prohibiting the creation of a separate merchant category code for firearms. This would, of course, become a de facto gun registry. The bill also preempts harmful State laws and gives the Attorney General authority to take any bank or payment processor that assigns or requires a separate code to Federal court.
For too long, the American people have had their rights undermined by the radical left. The bill's premise is simple: no gun registries, period. In fact, this very body has twice prohibited these unjust registries, once in 1986 and again in 1993, to prohibit the left from destroying Americans' rights.
However, the gun-grabbing left never stops trying. In 2021, the progressive Amalgamated Bank lobbied the International Organization for Standardization to create a separate merchant category code for firearm retailers to advance a backdoor gun registry. Previously, these retailers had always been accurately categorized as miscellaneous retail stores or sporting goods stores.
Amalgamated Bank was hell-bent on tracking firearm purchases. It pressured a faceless, unaccountable, foreign standards body in Geneva to stand up a new merchant category code explicitly targeting American gun owners and American businesses. When I was State treasurer in West Virginia, we said ``no'' to the gun-grabbing progressive bank partnering with a European NGO destroying American rights.
Under my leadership as State treasurer, West Virginia enacted one of the first bans on separate merchant category codes for firearms retailers, protecting the privacy of our State's gun owners. Nineteen States after that followed suit.
However, a patchwork of State regulations is not enough. California, Colorado, and New York currently mandate that firearm stores have a separate merchant category code, creating a de facto registry in some of the most populous States in our country. This cannot be allowed to stand. We have already seen the Biden administration pressure financial institutions to hand over data on their customers. A private database of gun owners falling into the hands of a future anti-gun administration is a threat that we cannot accept.
Our God-given right to own a firearm does not stop at the border of blue States.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Representatives Barr and Hudson, for their work on this bill. I also thank Chairman Hill for getting it across the finish line. I also thank Representative Stefanik for her leadership on this issue.
These are our God-given rights, spelled out in our Constitution, and we proudly exercise them. We will not allow an elitist bank partnered with a foreign, faceless bureaucracy to rob Americans of their right to protect themselves. In West Virginia, we don't ask permission to protect ourselves and our families, and no American should ever have to wonder whether buying a firearm will land them on a government watch list. Privacy and gun ownership go hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1181, a bill which makes it harder to catch criminals and makes our communities less safe.
Today, under current law, financial institutions are required to report suspicious transactions to law enforcement. They do this every day, and that helps catch human traffickers. These alerts give law enforcement leads that uncover human trafficking rings and evidence that help put these bad guys away.
The bill on the floor today blocks States from using this same process to flag suspicious firearms transactions to uncover gun trafficking rings.
Many gun traffickers don't buy guns like responsible gun owners, and once guns are trafficked, we know bad things happen.
Approximately 60 percent of trafficked guns are delivered to convicted felons. The felons who seek out and obtain trafficked firearms are the people who pose the greatest risk to everyone's safety.
Mr. Speaker, gun violence is the leading cause of death for children, for teenagers, and for law enforcement in the line of duty. We should be working to break up gun trafficking rings which supply the guns that kill kids and cops.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1181, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act. I thank my friend, the gentleman from Arkansas, the chairman of the Financial Services Committee, for his leadership on the bill and for yielding.
I am proud to be a cosponsor of this legislation.
I thank Congressman Riley Moore for his leadership on this important bill. I thank Congressman Richard Hudson for his longstanding work defending the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens, and our colleague from New York, Elise Stefanik, for her original introduction of this bill in several previous Congresses.
At its core, this bill is about protecting privacy and preventing government surveillance on citizens simply for exercising their constitutionally enshrined Second Amendment rights.
H.R. 1181 prohibits payment card networks and financial institutions from requiring or assigning merchant category codes, or MCCs, that single out firearm retailers for separate tracking and monitoring.
Unfortunately, we have seen repeated examples of progressive regulators and government officials pressuring financial institutions to target lawful industries and lawful customers.
From Operation Choke Point under the Obama administration and Choke Point 2.0 under Biden to New York financial regulators pressuring insurance companies to abandon longstanding relationships with the NRA, Americans have legitimate reasons to be concerned about the weaponization of the financial system.
Despite what those on the other side of the aisle may say, this bill does nothing to prevent law enforcement or regulators from investigating criminal activity, nor does it change the stringent requirements on financial institutions to comply with existing anti- money laundering laws or suspicious activity reporting requirements.
However, what my friend from California who just spoke doesn't say, but it needs to be said, is that the lawful purchase of a firearm protected by the Second Amendment is not in and of itself suspicious activity, nor should it be surveilled by the government.
What it does is prevent the creation of a framework that could be used to monitor, flag, and discourage lawful purchases from federally licensed firearm retailers.
This is about preventing government actors from using financial data to target Americans who are engaged in conduct expressly protected by the Second Amendment's right to keep and bear arms, a fundamental liberty for Americans.
Americans should not have to worry that lawful purchases that they made will be used to create lists, databases, or surveillance tools aimed at this constitutionally protected activity.
My friend, the ranking member from California, cited statistics about annual and daily deaths that she says are the result of gun violence. Respectfully, the right to bear arms is not the cause of violence. One murder is too many in America, period. We all agree on that.
Rather than blaming gun violence, Congress would be more productive focusing on the root causes of homicide: the breakdown of the family, lack of active parenting, mental illness, open-border policies, policies to defund the police, soft-on-crime policies like no cash bail, and politically motivated violence, like the kind that was behind the murder of Charlie Kirk. Addressing these societal problems does not require unconstitutional surveillance of Americans.
H.R. 1181 establishes commonsense guardrails to prevent regulatory abuse and safeguards constitutional freedoms.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act.
Sponsors claim this bill prevents the privacy of gun owners, but in reality, it protects mass shooters, terrorists, gun traffickers, and the profits of the firearms industry.
Financial institutions have already been using merchant codes to detect crimes like money laundering and human trafficking. They should be allowed to use that same responsible monitoring to help prevent gun violence.
I know personally why this matters. The Pulse nightclub shooter opened up six new credit cards in 8 months. He racked up more than $26,000 in credit card charges on guns and ammunition in the days before his killing spree in the middle of my district in my home of Orlando, Florida.
Our system failed to turn those warning signs into an alert for police. He murdered 49 angels in my community and wounded another 49.
Instead of helping to prevent the next tragedy, this bill makes it easier for those warning signs to be missed yet again. It strips law enforcement of an essential tool to stop violence before it happens, making every community in our Nation less safe.
For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered an important amendment to make clear that nothing in this bill should prevent law enforcement from using merchant category codes to assist in investigating and preventing acts of terrorism.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of this amendment into the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Florida?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, you don't give up your Fourth Amendment rights when you are exercising your Second Amendment rights. That is what is happening out there: People's privacy is being invaded. These merchant codes are there so the government can abuse them and track you.
If you don't think I am right about this, we have the evidence: January 15, 2021, an email from the FBI to Bank of America saying give us every debit card and credit card purchase for anyone in Washington, D.C., for these particular dates. That is bad enough. You are allowed to travel in this country, too. That is a right we have. Here is what they also say: Also, overlay that with any historic purchase for weapons or weapons-related purchases.
What? We want to know what you bought when you were at a certain location, and we want to know if you ever purchased a gun anytime in your life with that credit card or debit card. That is what the FBI asked Bank of America to do.
That is how dangerous this practice is. That is why the sponsor from West Virginia, the chairman, and the committee's work is so good. God bless them.
You don't give up your Fourth Amendment rights. Our Constitution protects our First, Second, and Fourth Amendment liberties--all of them. They are all important. That is why this legislation is critical.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his good work and Mr. Moore from West Virginia for sponsoring the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green), the ranking member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, who has always been an advocate against gun violence.
Mr. Speaker, I thank those who had the foresight to declare that all persons are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among them: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
You are not giving up your constitutional rights when you are doing what you can to protect life. I have been to the funerals. I have seen the people who have lost their loved ones to gun violence. At some point we have to do more than contend that privacy trumps the right to life. The person's right to life trumps privacy, especially when no court has said that this is unconstitutional.
Mr. Speaker, that is pure speculation on behalf of some people. I believe that the right to life trumps this right to privacy that they are contending.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill.
This is not about crime. It is about control. Once you can flag a purchase, any purchase, you can flag a person. Once you can flag a person, you can control what they buy, what banks they use, and even what they believe. It is wrong. It is un-American.
This bill is not just about guns. It is about the precedent that was set. If we allow financial institutions to become the surveillance arm of one party's political agenda today, there will be no limit to what gets flagged tomorrow.
Let me be clear: Buying a firearm is not extremism; buying a Bible is not extremism; reading the news you choose and want to read is not extremism; exercising a constitutional right is not extremism.
The extreme position is using America's banks to build a permanent list to track who people worship, what they read, and what constitutional rights they happen to choose to exercise.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for privacy, freedom, and the Constitution of the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to say because we hear over and over from our colleagues about the Constitution: If using merchant category codes violated the Fourth Amendment, where is your bill on amending this for every purchase at a pharmacy, liquor store, or casino?
This is a standard accounting tool that is used by banks. This argument, unless you are going to follow it up with legislation to essentially make it illegal to track and have the same codes, which is just a four-digit number, for pharmacies, casinos, liquor, and other things as well, the argument falls flat. Law enforcement needs to go through a legal process to access the financial records here.
Mr. Speaker, it is not a good argument. We are talking about something that doesn't track what you are buying. It doesn't track the guns you are buying. It won't tell them that, but it is just a general tool to help us stop some of the worst of the worst mass shootings.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1181, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act.
The Second Amendment is a constitutional right. Americans should not have their lawful purchases singled out simply because they choose to exercise that right.
This bill stops efforts to create a special system for identifying and organizing purchases made at firearm and ammunition retailers.
While its proponents present this as simply an administrative tool, in practice it raises serious concerns about privacy and the unjust treatment of lawful conduct.
Americans are increasingly concerned about how much information is collected, stored, and shared. Those concerns are especially valid when it comes to information being tracked that relates to the exercise of a constitutional freedom. Here is the reality: Tracking the lawful purchase of firearms and ammunition creates a framework for collecting information about law-abiding citizens who have done nothing wrong.
My home State of Florida already prohibits this type of surveillance. Floridians understand something that most Americans agree with: Your bank should process your transaction, not track your activities.
This bill prevents payment networks and financial institutions from requiring special codes for firearms retailers, while preserving existing tools used to combat fraud, protect consumers, maintain cybersecurity, and report suspicious activity.
At its core, this legislation is about privacy, fairness, and the principle that the exercise of constitutional rights should never become the basis for surveillance.
I thank the chairman and the bill's sponsor for their work on this important issue. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1181.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
As I conclude, I will point out that when our committee held a hearing last year, none of the majority's witnesses said a single positive thing about this bill in their testimony. That is probably because there is nothing positive to say about this harmful bill.
Now, using merchant category codes for firearm retailers won't solve this problem, not even close. The codes themselves don't identify what is purchased, but it might have triggered a flag for unusual and suspicious purchases that get reported to law enforcement. Mr. Speaker, that might save 1 life or 10 lives or 100 lives or 1,000 lives or 10,000 lives. Even if it is a fraction of the 416,000 who have died from gun violence over the past decade, wouldn't it be worth it?
Mr. Speaker, the audacity of the opposite side of the aisle to tell States they cannot use these merchant codes, any State in the United States of America, even those who started in some way using these codes, they are now saying they want a law that would preempt your State from being able to use the merchant codes.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for this debate. I thank Mr. Moore for writing this bill, drafting it, persuading the support that he has. I urge all Members on both sides of the aisle to support this bill in the name of privacy in the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 1423, 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 1423, I call up the bill (H.R. 139) to make daylight savings time permanent, 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 1423, the bill is considered read.
The text of the bill is as follows:
On July 14, 2026, page H4445, in the third column, the following appeared: Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 139) to make daylight savings time permanent, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:
The online version has been corrected to read: Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1423, I call up the bill (H.R. 139) to make daylight savings time permanent, 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 1423, the bill is considered read. The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill shall be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).
On July 14, 2026, page H4446, in the first column, the following appeared: The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. BILIRAKIS) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. PALLONE) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
The online version has been corrected to read: The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill shall be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their respective designees. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) each will control 30 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 139.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Florida?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Sunshine Protection Act. This important legislation will finally end the outdated practice of changing our clocks twice a year and establish permanent daylight saving time.
For decades, Mr. Speaker, Americans have been asking a simple question: Why are we forcing families, businesses, and communities to adjust their schedules every spring and fall? The twice-yearly clock change is a relic of the past that no longer reflects the way Americans live, work, and conduct business in the 21st century.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Buchanan), the lead sponsor and my good friend, for working so hard on this legislation for quite a few years. It is finally coming to fruition. I know it is very important that we pass this bill.
In Florida, Mr. Speaker, this issue is especially important. Our State is home to families, retirees, small businesses, and industries that depend on predictable schedules and the ability to make the most of every single day. Floridians have made it clear that they are ready to ditch the switch.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, for his strong support of this bill.
Changing the clocks twice a year creates unnecessary disruption. I know you agree, Mr. Speaker. It affects sleep patterns, impacts family routines, creates confusion for businesses, and requires everyone--from parents and students to employers and employees and even our pets--to adjust their schedules for no meaningful benefit. After years of study and discussion, it is clear that Americans value consistency and certainty.
Establishing permanent daylight saving time would provide families with more usable daylight hours in the evening, giving people additional opportunities to spend time outdoors, support local businesses, participate in community activities, and enjoy the quality of life that makes our communities so special.
Mr. Speaker, I will add this: This is great for our kids. I want, and I know most parents want, kids to be outdoors now more than ever. The physical activity means so very much.
For small businesses, particularly those in tourism, hospitality, and recreation, as I said, additional evening daylight can help drive economic activity and create more opportunities to serve customers.
In a State like Florida, my home State of Florida, where tourism is a cornerstone of our economy, having more predictable daylight hours is a practical improvement that benefits workers, businesses, and visitors alike.
This legislation is also about listening to the American people. Year after year, Mr. Speaker, polls show strong support for ending the outdated clock change. Families do not want another disruption to their routines. Businesses do not want unnecessary uncertainty. Americans want a commonsense solution. That is exactly what this bill provides, and I have spoken to thousands of constituents on this particular bill, Mr. Speaker, and they agree. They want permanent daylight saving time.
I am proud that this effort has received bipartisan support because this is not about politics. It is about practicality. Again, the ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Pallone, I know strongly supports this bill, and he will have time to say that. It is about recognizing, Mr. Speaker, that our laws should keep pace with the needs of the people who we represent.
Today, we have an opportunity to take a meaningful step toward delivering something Americans have been asking for: consistency, convenience, and a better way to manage their time.
The American people are long past ready to ditch the switch. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this critical piece of legislation and sending it over to the Senate, and I know the President will sign it. I know he is a strong backer, and I appreciate his support again.
Finally, Congress needs to bring an end to the twice-yearly clock change.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Sunshine Protection Act.
This act addresses an issue on which many Americans actually agree, and that is stopping the biannual process of changing our clocks.
Only 12 percent of Americans prefer to switch their clocks twice a year. Far more Americans recognize that the practice is inconvenient and, frankly, disruptive.
Stopping the twice-yearly time change benefits the health and well- being of all Americans. The time change inevitably disrupts sleep patterns and is especially disruptive to the sleep of young children and pets.
Time change also is associated with an increase in the rate of heart attacks and strokes in the days immediately following the change. Disturbingly, studies have shown that the increase in stroke rates after the time change is even higher for some of our most vulnerable populations. For example, cancer patients' stroke rates increase by 25 percent, and people over the age of 65 are 20 percent more likely to have a stroke in the days following the time change.
The Sunshine Protection Act would implement permanent daylight saving time and stop the twice-a-year change that disrupts our sleep and our health.
Taking this action will increase the sunshine hours in the evening, allowing many Americans to leave work for more sunlight in the winter months, not darkness. The increased evening sunlight will also provide a needed boost to our tourism industry. Extra sunlight means more time at the beach, more time eating out at restaurants, and more time doing outdoor leisure activities.
In my district along the Jersey Shore, tourists can enjoy beautiful coastal areas with serene beaches, embark on fishing ventures along the Atlantic Coast, enjoy a nice outdoor concert from iconic musicians in places like Asbury Park, and so much more. Last year alone, New Jersey welcomed more than 120 million visitors to our State, and they contributed more than $50 billion to our State's economy.
Our tourism industry needs the boost today more than ever. The Trump administration's policies, including high visa fees and the detention and harassment of legal tourists, have discouraged travelers from visiting our country because they simply do not feel welcome.
Meanwhile, Americans are facing an affordability crisis, forcing families to
Extra daylight also helps to deter crime. Researchers at the Brookings Institution found that criminal incidents decreased during an hour of sunlight added to the evening following the springtime change. Making that extra sunlight permanent will help keep our communities safer.
All of these benefits clearly explain why 19 States have already voted to adopt permanent daylight saving time if Federal law changed because, right now, it doesn't allow them to do that. These States recognize the benefits, and it is time that Congress allows them to reap those benefits.
For States that have already chosen to follow permanent standard time due to the unique needs of their climate or location--and that includes Arizona and Hawaii--under this bill, they can continue to do so. Other States are allowed under the legislation to adopt permanent standard time prior to the bill's enactment.
Ultimately, the benefits of stopping the biannual changing of the clocks are numerous and clear. Moving to permanent daylight saving time will bring much-needed evening sunlight to communities across the United States.
It is time we finally end the process of springing forward and falling back. I urge my colleagues to support the Sunshine Protection Act, and I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in strong support for H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act, introduced by my friend and fellow Floridian, Congressman Vern Buchanan.
This is one of those issues that has been highlighted here today that brings us together as Americans, regardless of party, no matter where you are. Everyone always asks the same question every year because we are all equally annoyed: Why in the heck are we still changing our clocks?
For decades, we have accepted this ritual of springing forward and falling back, even though it disrupts routines, throws off our sleep, and creates unnecessary frustration for families across the country.
I will say, Mr. Speaker, it was always a nuisance, but as a new mom with an infant child getting the baby on a sleep schedule--and all the moms and dads of infants know what I am talking about. You get your schedule going, and then you have to spring forward or fall back, and then you start cussing the dang time changes.
This is personal at this point. It is time we stop changing the clocks and we start using some common sense.
Mr. Speaker, there are lots of Floridians here in the Chamber supporting this bill because, as Floridians--we are The Sunshine State--we value sunshine.
It is critical that we do this because we all know very closely and firsthand that our communities thrive when our families have more daylight after work and after school. That extra hour means more Little League games, more evenings at local parks, more dinners at outdoor patios and restaurants, more customers walking through the doors of all of our mom-and-pop businesses, and more time for families to simply enjoy being together.
Again, as a Floridian, it is hot in the middle of the day in the summer. It gets nice in Florida in the afternoons and evenings. It would be nice for us to enjoy a little bit more time. I know I am making this about Florida, but I am just being honest: #MakeAmericaFlorida.
For a State like Florida that welcomes millions of visitors every single year, more daylight in the evening means more opportunities. This legislation does exactly what Americans have been asking Congress to do not just for years but decades: End outdated practices of changing our clocks twice a year by making daylight saving time permanent.
It also respects the choices of States that have already opted out of daylight saving time under current law. Let's be honest. There are very few things that everyone agrees on these days, but whether you are a parent, like me, trying to get your kids to sleep or get your kids out the door for school, or you are a small business owner, a farmer, a first responder, or someone who just wants one less thing to worry about, changing the clocks twice a year is a hassle that most Americans are ready to leave behind.
We all have heard the studies here in the debate today about the real benefits to ending these biannual clock changes. The research has suggested that eliminating the time changes improves public safety. As the wife of a first responder, I very much appreciate that. It reduces disruptions to sleep and could even provide energy savings.
This bill doesn't create any new Federal bureaucracies. It doesn't grow the size of government, and it doesn't impose costly new regulations. Instead, it simplifies life. It will be one less thing for the American people to worry about.
Sometimes the best thing in Congress that we can do is remove unnecessary burdens that no longer serve its purposes. That is exactly what we are doing here today.
Mr. Speaker, this is a practical, bipartisan solution whose time, pun intended, has come. Let's stop asking Americans to reset their clocks every March and November. Let's provide some certainty and consistency and a little more sunshine at the end of the day.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act. I thank my friend and colleague, Congressman Vern Buchanan, for his efforts in advancing this and making this a real change that every American can get behind.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I want to start with a little history lesson. Back in 2013, this was my bill. I wrote this bill. I thought it was a pretty good name, the Sunshine Protection Act, back in the day. It was for good reason.
I had gotten to the State senate. In the State House, you can only file a certain number of bills, but once we got to the State senate, I really got jelling on coming up with ideas that would help our State. Up until that point, every idea on trying to stop the clock change was going to standard time.
No one likes standard time. It is darkness in the wintertime, and so we, as The Sunshine State--a lot of Floridians here--and coastal New Jerseyans and others here from Louisiana, we like the sunshine. It made far more sense to keep daylight saving time, which is the 8 months out of the year that we have light in the afternoons and evenings.
I filed that bill without a press release back in 2013. It became statewide news. For 4 years straight, every time this bill came up, it was the most viewed bill in the Florida Senate for 4 years straight.
I will say that I never got a chance to pass that bill out of the Florida Legislature, although I know some of my colleagues who are here today ended up doing it after I was gone. It is one of the burdens of being a Democrat in a Republican-dominated legislature.
Mr. Speaker, here we are many years later, 13 years later, and an idea that I got to write many years ago now is being led by great leaders like Vern Buchanan--I am a proud cosponsor of this--and Gus Bilirakis, a great Floridians whom I enjoy working with, and, of course, Frank Pallone, our ranking member.
There is a reason this bill was so popular for so long. Small businesses like it because people, after work, go out to businesses and get to have fun. Beach communities like it. With that one extra hour of sunshine, kids can go out and play after school.
We saw that people are sick of the changing of the clocks. Also, the local farmer doesn't need Big Government to tell them what time to wake up in the morning. They know what time they
Then I encourage schools and educational institutions around the Nation, to adjust school start times based upon what they think is best to keep kids safe.
At the end of the day, we have talked about how it is good for business, good for recreation, and good to help out with making sure that we don't have this public health issue every time we are changing the clocks back and forth. It is finally time to bring sunshine across the Nation, and I urge my colleagues to support this amazing Sunshine Protection Act.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Buchanan), the original sponsor of the bill here in the House of Representatives and my good friend. I thank the gentleman for his persistency all these years, along with the former Senator Rubio, who is now our Secretary of State. This has always been a priority for both of them.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent and finally end the biannual clock switch.
Twice a year, Americans are forced to change their clocks. These changes disrupt their schedule for no good reason. The outdated practice is frustrating for families, workers, schools, and small businesses across the country.
Let me just tell you, as someone who has been in business for 30 years, this is gigantic, especially for the small business person. That additional hour a day, at least in Florida but across the country, makes a big difference in terms of doing business. Ideally, it helps not just small businesses, but small businesses create most of the jobs in Florida, as well. It is key to both.
Polling shows that two-thirds of Americans want to unlock the clock. My bill is simply a solution to make daylight saving time permanent. Allowing an extra hour of sunlight in the evening gives families more time for outside sports, activities, and school. It stimulates small business and, as I said, job creation; retail tourism; and provides more time for youth sports and outside recreation.
Let me just tell you: You see a lot of kids today. The number is 20 percent of children who are obese. They need to be out more. This will make a difference for them.
There are also significant health benefits associated with DST that would prevent over 200,000 cases of stroke per year. It would make a big difference, as well, for nearly 2 million people in terms of obesity.
Importantly, this bill allows States to opt out in favor of standard time if that is important to them. Nineteen States have passed the deadline for this.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act.
Twice a year, Americans lose sleep, disrupt their routines, and pay the price for a practice that has outlived its original purpose.
H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act, ends that twice-yearly clock change and makes daylight saving time permanent year round.
Research shows that eliminating the biannual switch reduces the spike in heart attacks, strokes, and workplace accidents that follow the spring-forward transition. Ending the clock change also means fewer disruptions to sleep patterns tied to that adjustment period.
On the safety side, permanent evening daylight means more daylight during peak commuting and after-school hours, leading to fewer pedestrian and traffic fatalities in the evening.
As with many other policies, the impacts are more dramatic for our less affluent neighbors. Hourly workers, shift workers, and families relying on public transit are hit hardest by sudden schedule changes and reduced evening visibility.
More evening daylight reduces the need for artificial lighting and heating in the early evening hours, which can help lower household energy use and utility bills.
For Louisiana families, many of whom work in agriculture, fishing, and outdoor industries tied to the Gulf Coast, permanent daylight saving time would mean more usable evening daylight for safer work conditions, recreation, and valuable time with their families.
The American Farm Bureau Federation supports the Sunshine Protection Act because it would provide consistency and reduce disruptions for farmers and ranchers. A stable, year-round time system makes it easier to plan work, transportation, and market schedules. For agriculture, ending a twice-yearly change means fewer disruptions to the schedule that livestock and labor already depend on.
H.R. 139 offers a simple, permanent fix: no more clock changes, more usable evening daylight, and a system that works better for working families, rural communities, and American agriculture.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act.
For me, this vote has been nearly a decade in the making. In 2018, at the Braden River Barber Shop shortly after we turned back the clocks to standard time, everyone was complaining about the change. Kids are not waking up on time. Everyone is tired. There is a rise in health-related issues. Nobody is able to enjoy activities in the evening. The list went on and on.
The question was: Why are we still changing the clocks? As a State senator in Florida at the time, everyone looked at me and asked if we could do something about it, so we did.
That one conversation led to me introducing a bill in the Florida State Senate also called the Sunshine Protection Act. I didn't know that my friend Mr. Soto had filed it before then, so I was happy to carry on the tradition.
The idea was pretty simple. Florida is the Sunshine State. We should not be forced to change our clocks twice a year and lose an hour of usable daylight in the evening simply because of outdated Federal law.
That legislation received overwhelming bipartisan support in Tallahassee. In 2018, the Florida Legislature passed the Sunshine Protection Act, and Governor Rick Scott signed it into law. There was a catch. Florida could not actually implement the law until Congress acted.
The bill's success at the State level led to Congressman Vern Buchanan introducing the Federal version of the Sunshine Protection Act and introducing it year after year, never relenting in pushing for its passage. The Senate even passed the legislation unanimously in 2022, yet the House never gave it a vote.
When I came to Congress in 2019, I continued to fight to make permanent daylight saving time a reality. Today, Mr. Speaker, after nearly a decade of many people working on this issue, we finally have this opportunity.
Americans should never again have to participate in this outdated ritual of turning the clocks back and forth, as we can end the disruption that comes every spring and every fall when the Federal Government tells hundreds of millions of Americans to change their clocks.
Mr. Speaker, 19 States have already acted to support year-round daylight saving time once Congress allows them to do so. Florida has been waiting since 2018.
Why should we make the change? The consensus that day at the barbershop was clear for Americans. It is unhealthy and difficult on families with young children. Kids should have more daylight after school to play sports and be outside. Floridians should have more time to enjoy our beaches, our parks, and the outdoors. Small businesses, restaurants, and communities benefit when Americans have more usable daylight in the evening.
Today, we have an opportunity to finally fix it.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my fellow Floridian, Congressman Vern Buchanan, for his leadership on H.R. 139 and for his years of work on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, it is time to lock the clock. It is time to make daylight saving time permanent. It is time for Congress to finally pass the Sunshine Protection Act. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Pallone for this opportunity to talk about the Sunshine Protection Act. I rise in opposition to the bill and the danger it poses to our health and safety.
This bill, sadly, is being rushed to the floor as a political bargaining chip without thorough consideration of the impacts, and we have been here before.
Permanent time is a national decision with implications for every aspect of our health and economy. It deserves a robust, thoughtful debate and an amendment process that allows Members to test each provision of the bill.
For example, we should be able to test the provision that eliminates a State's right to opt out of daylight saving time or the decision to ``stop the clock'' on daylight saving time in the first place.
I hear broad agreement in this Chamber and beyond that the twice- yearly time changes have acute health consequences, but I want to talk about the chronic long-term impacts of this bill's late winter sunrise.
Early morning light is an important environmental cue to set our bodies' internal clocks and promote alertness, and dim evening light tells our bodies that it is time to sleep.
We function best, scientists tell us, on a physical, mental, and social level when our bodies, the Sun, and the clock on the wall are all aligned.
Kids perform better at school. Workers are more alert. That is why we observe standard time in the winter months and why we should at least consider observing it year-round.
The American Medical Association, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, National Sleep Foundation, and dozens of other societies tell us that if we stop the clock, permanent standard time is a healthier choice-- permanent standard time.
That is not the debate before us. We have been here before. In 1974, children died as a result of a permanent daylight saving time attempt or trial when they were trying to go to school in the dark for hours. In 1974, this was revoked.
More than that, we aren't voting on bills right now that would reduce the sky-high costs of food, fuel, and healthcare or address the President's war in Iran. Instead, we are considering a bill that was deadly and dangerous in the past, in the seventies, that we learned from. I hope we don't have to learn that lesson again.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to add that the substance of this bill was heard in the Energy and Commerce Committee recently and placed into the surface transportation bill. It does have bipartisan support. Also, if you want your standard time under this bill, you can keep your standard time.
Mr. Speaker, 19 States, again, have passed legislation for permanent daylight saving time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions), my good friend.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Bilirakis and the Energy and Commerce Committee for bringing this bill forward.
My dear friend, the gentleman from Florida, Vern Buchanan, years ago began this process, understanding that it was more than just an issue that Congress would deal with. It is also an issue that is called spring forward, fall back.
You fall back as we get to October, and that means you lose the time, the light that you had all this time. Spring forward is always seen by the American people--and if you serve for Roger Williams and the Republican congressional baseball team--as an opportunity for you to be able to see for the first time in the light what the day is going to look like to catch a fly ball.
The bottom line to this whole thing is spring forward, fall back is something that impacts every single American. It impacts people when they go to work. It impacts people as they try to find time to play with their children at night--just a little bit extra time. It helps people who have retinal or eye issues to be able to see more clearly for longer from the time they get up until the time they work their way home, perhaps after work.
It is no wonder that spring forward, fall back is something that the American people are asking Congress to please standardize and give them more light and opportunity. Spring forward, fall back is an opportunity for the American people to have more time in the light of day to not only live their lives but to accomplish those things, rather than being in the dark.
Mr. Speaker, I will tell you that what this does is it makes it standard across the country, and it does. I think that puts us all with the same opportunity, and that is what the American people want.
I couldn't exactly say it because I didn't want to say it wrong, but ``spring forward, fall back'' is a commonsense opportunity that every single person knows and understands because as we now have enjoyed our spring forward, if we pass this, we do not have to change it to fall back, to fall back to darkness, to fall back to change.
Lastly, it impacts my staff greatly and anyone on Capitol Hill because we are very acutely aware that when we get off work, like hundreds of millions of Americans, they go home in the dark. It means that people go into parking lots in the dark. It means that people go and perhaps walk home or drive in the dark at a time when it would be a safety factor.
There are, of course, those who do not want this. That really does not bother me. For us to address this with fear rather than knowing that the American people want this is the issue about what drives me to be here.
It is big in Texas because we spend a lot of time outside. I want to reiterate to the American people: We are listening. It is something we have taken up for a long time. Finally, Vern Buchanan and the Energy and Commerce Committee have brought this bill to us.
I am very pleased to say I will be an ``aye'' vote. I hope that my colleagues will be the same.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to address the issue that was mentioned that in 1974 Congress voted to move to permanent daylight savings time and then reversed that decision.
I think that 50 years later, things are different. First of all, in the 1970s, when that was the case, things have changed in the sense that schools have pushed start times later in many districts, including in my district and dramatically fewer kids walk to school. Also, remote and hybrid work has had significant impact on Americans' commuting patterns. Things are not the same today as they were in the 1970s in terms of what people did and how they worked and how they went to school.
Passing this bill now also in the peak summer months gives everyone-- and that is schools, workplaces, transit systems--time to plan for this change well in advance of the darkest winter months, and I think that is important also. I am also confident that we are setting ourselves up to succeed this time around so Americans can reap the benefits of eliminating the time change.
Again, it is the time change that really is the problem. Most of us, whether you are for permanent daylight savings time or permanent standard time, don't want to see the switching back and forth.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and, again, I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie), our good chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, who led this through the committee. We appreciate him so very much.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my friend from Florida yielding. It is fun today because I have my friend from Florida controlling time. I
It is actually called the Sunshine Protection Act, and the reason is people like the longer daylight hours. They like daylight even in the wintertime. I live on the very eastern end of central time. My district is split almost down the middle. I represent people who are on the very western end of eastern time, and I live on the very eastern end of central time. It does get dark at approximately 4:30 in the afternoon where I live.
People want more time, and they want more daylight. The thing is that they just don't want to have to change their clocks. As my friend from New Jersey talked about, in 1974, we did vote to change. It was because of the energy crisis going on when I was a kid. They changed it in the middle of winter. It created all kinds of disturbance.
What we have done with this bill is let people know ahead of time, you are not going to have to change your clock. We have General Assemblies that can lock in which time they want. We all know that Arizona and Hawaii stay on standard time. They will stay on standard time if their General Assembly so chooses. Any other State has the opportunity, whether they are in session or not.
There is always a provision. I know in Kentucky they are not in session, but there is a provision that if Kentucky wants to stay on standard time, the Governor can call them into session and do so. I don't think they are going to do that. We have given States flexibility, but we have given our country consistency.
I really appreciate the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Buchanan) for working hard on this bill. I believe it is the right time to do it, so I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act, and I believe it will be good for the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to really stress, again, why I think that the status quo is bad. I mean, obviously, some people here--I think a majority--would like to see a permanent daylight savings time and some who I think are in the minority would like to see a permanent standard time.
However, the bottom line is we just can't continue the status quo, Mr. Speaker, because the science and research really is clear. It shows that springing forward and falling back twice a year is harmful to our health. It makes Americans less safe, and it is very unpopular.
Studies have shown increases, as I mentioned before, in heart attacks and strokes, mood and sleep disturbances, and hospital admissions in the days after a time change. Studies have also shown that increases in stroke rates with the time change are even higher for some of our most vulnerable populations, and that includes seniors, for example.
The bottom line is, Americans' safety is put at greater risk in the days after a time change, and disrupting our sleep has been shown to lead to higher rates of fatal motor vehicle crashes, crimes like robbery and workplace injuries.
Whether or not you agree what should be permanent, the bottom line is that sticking to the status quo and continuing to change our clocks is really the worst option. I am going to stand with the 56 percent of Americans in a recent poll who prefer a shift to permanent daylight savings time to give families more sunlight in the evening hours.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
I just want to read off some of the 19 States that proactively passed laws to lock the clock: The great State of Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Idaho, Louisiana, South Carolina, Utah, Wyoming, Delaware, Maine, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, and of course, the great State of Florida, so it is not a Florida conspiracy.
Mr. Speaker, we want to give people an opportunity to go out in the sunshine, an extra hour a day. I am thinking, first of all, safety for our seniors, but also for our children. Our children are on these devices constantly, unfortunately. They should be given an opportunity to go out, and they should be encouraged to go out and play ball or whatever they would like to do with their friends.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a strong, very strong vote in favor of this bill. I will tell you that it is very, very important that we get this done as soon as possible.
In closing, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 139, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 1423, the previous question is ordered on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. 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.
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. 1181) to prohibit payment card networks and covered entities from requiring the use of or assigning merchant category codes that distinguish a firearms retailer from general-merchandise retailer or sporting-goods retailer, and for other purposes, offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Frost), 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 208, nays 217, not voting 6, as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. There are 2 minutes remaining.
Ms. WATERS 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.
Mr. Speaker, due to an emergency department visit, I missed votes today. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 238, H.R. 139; YEA on Roll Call No. 239, motion to recommit H.R. 1181; and NAY on Roll Call 240, H.R. 1181.
Mr. Speaker, I rise alongside my colleagues with a heavy heart with the Pennsylvania delegation to honor the courageous life and tragic loss of Pennsylvania State Trooper Michael Pahira who was killed earlier this month in the line of duty.
Trooper Michael Pahira was born and raised in my district. He was named for his father, Michael Sr., and was known as Mikey throughout his life.
Trooper Pahira graduated from North Schuylkill Junior/Senior High School in 2001 where he was a standout football and wrestling star.
After attending East Stroudsburg University, Michael answered the call of service and entered the Pennsylvania State Police Academy, graduating in 2007 as a proud member of 124th Cadet Class of Pennsylvania State Troopers.
Over the next two decades, Trooper Pahira would serve his State with distinction protecting communities in Lehighton, Schuylkill Haven, and Frackville.
I attended the funeral service for Trooper Pahira last week alongside his parents, Michael Sr. and Patricia; his sister, Jennifer; and thousands of community members; fellow police officers; friends, and law enforcement from throughout the State who gathered to honor his legacy.
The stories shared by those who knew him best painted the picture of a man of character, humility, and unwavering dedication. Respect was a constant theme throughout the service. Trooper Pahira lived a life defined by respect for his community, his family, and his fellow troopers.
We can honor the memory of Trooper Pahira and show more respect for the men and women of law enforcement and the communities they serve by implementing some commonsense legislation that can prevent such senseless tragedies from happening again.
On the morning of July 1, Trooper Pahira was on duty conducting a routine commercial vehicle inspection on Route 81 in Schuylkill County when a truck driven by a Michael Bon struck and killed him. Bon was in the country illegally, ordered to deport, did not do so, and was operating a commercial vehicle with a nondomiciled commercial driver's license issued by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
I am calling on every Member of Congress to support Dalilah's Law to bring common sense and strength in commercial driver's license requirements, ensuring those with commercial driver's licenses can read English and are in the United States with legal status. It is our duty to do all we can to provide such safety for law enforcement and everyone on America's roadways.
Trooper Pahira faithfully served the people of Pennsylvania for nearly two decades, and his sacrifice will never be forgotten.
On behalf of the entire Pennsylvania delegation, I want to offer our deepest sorrow and condolences to the Pahira family; his lifelong friends; the great, brave Pennsylvania State Troopers; and all those mourning Mikey's loss.
In honor of Trooper Michael Pahira's life of service, I ask my colleagues to join us in a moment of silence.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. I invite all Members in the Chamber as well as those in the gallery to rise for a moment of silence.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Airman First Class Keon Talik McDaniel of Grand Rapids, Michigan, who passed away on June 16 during the influenza outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
Keon was just 25 years old. Keon chose to serve his country, and his passing has left a family grieving, fellow airmen mourning a brother, and a west Michigan community heartbroken.
When someone raises their hand to put on our country's uniform, they make a commitment to all Americans. In return, we owe them a debt of gratitude, our support, and our promise that their service will never be forgotten or taken for granted.
Today, we remember Keon, and we stand with everyone who loved him.
We also keep in our thoughts all those serving in uniform both here at home and abroad and promise to do everything in our power to protect them as they protect us.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in standing for a moment of silence to honor Airman First Class Keon McDaniel.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. I invite all Members in the Chamber as well those in the gallery to rise for a moment of silence.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate 50 years of Penn State's Ag Progress Days.
As one of the top agricultural events in the Commonwealth, this event reflects Pennsylvania's deep agricultural roots and commitment to innovation.
What began as traveling field days in the late 1800s, this event has evolved into one of Pennsylvania's largest agricultural expositions. Each summer, farmers, researchers, students, businesses, and families gather to witness the cutting-edge innovation driving the industry forward.
In Pennsylvania, agriculture is not just an industry, but a way of life, and Ag Progress Days represents the very best of this industry. Every year, the hard work of our producers is highlighted through more than 800 exhibits, ensuring the next generation has the tools to keep Pennsylvania agriculture thriving.
As we celebrate this anniversary, we honor the people whose dedication has shaped Ag Progress Days and made it a lasting tradition.
Congratulations on 50 years of progress supporting rural communities and growing Pennsylvania's future.
Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Eddie Dean on his induction into the inaugural class of Madison County High School's Athletic Hall of Fame.
Eddie is a legendary football coach who led the Madison County program from 1967 to 2005. His impressive record includes winning three State championships.
Through Eddie's devotion to coaching, he has built a legacy of hard work, but what makes him so deserving of this recognition is not just what he accomplished on the field, but the time he took to better his players off of it. He instilled in them a sense of community, discipline, and integrity.
Eddie's leadership and unwavering commitment to this program are truly deserving of this recognition, and I am honored to name him this week's Constituent of the Week. I congratulate him and thank him for all he does for these young athletes.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 200th anniversary of the First Presbyterian Church of Macon, Georgia.
Organized on June 18, 1826, by the Reverend Benjamin Gildersleeve and Reverend Joseph C. Stiles, the church began with just 25 founding members. Since 1858, its historic sanctuary on Mulberry Street has stood as a landmark of downtown Macon and a fixture on the National Register of Historic Places.
For two centuries, First Presbyterian has served as the mother church to several congregations across middle Georgia and has equipped its members in every area of life through worship, discipline, fellowship, and mission.
Today, First Presbyterian continues to welcome more than 1,000 members, carrying forward a legacy that has spanned wars, revitalization, and generations of middle Georgia families.
I congratulate the leaders and congregation of First Presbyterian Church on this remarkable milestone, and I thank them for 200 years of faithful ministry to the city of Macon.
Mr. Speaker, shame on DTE. Shame on DTE for throwing swag bags to my residents after they went through 4 days without power. Shame on DTE for increasing our rates just a few months ago to $242 million and then 2 months later ask us for another $474.3 million increase.
Shame on you for allowing 400,000 of our families to be without power. We have the most unreliable service in the region, yet we pay the highest rates.
Shame on them for throwing a $42 reimbursement for spoiled groceries and spoiled medicine, especially when grocery and drug prices have increased. We can't even rely on DTE to get us through the summer storms. This was a 20-minute storm.
Shame on DTE for profiting off our pain.
To my residents, I say: It doesn't have to be like this.
The Michigan Public Service Commission needs to stop approving DTE rate increases and instead hold DTE accountable.
I introduced the Make DTE Pay Act just for that.
Make them pay for polluting our water and our air while hiking up our customer rates.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary legacy and life of Lauren Shields, who recently passed away at just 26 years old.
Lauren was the definition of a fighter. After receiving a lifesaving heart transplant as a child and a kidney transplant from her mother in 2020, she chose to dedicate her life to serving others.
A proud graduate of Albertus Magnus High School and Dominican University, Lauren became a tireless advocate for organ donation, helping pass Lauren's Law, which expanded New York's organ donor registry, before serving as a community and government affairs liaison at LiveOnNY.
I had the privilege of knowing Lauren. I was proud to call her a friend. Even in passing, Lauren gave hope to others as a tissue donor. Today, thousands of Americans are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. Lauren's legacy reminds us that one decision can save lives and give families more time.
I urge all of my colleagues and all Americans to consider registering as organ donors.
My deepest condolences go out to Lauren's parents, Jeanne and David; her brother, Brandon; and all of her loved ones. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said: It is not length of life, but depth of life.
In her short life, Lauren made the Hudson Valley and our country a better place. May she rest in peace.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life and legacy of my very good friend, Federico Castelan Sayre, a lifelong activist and an accomplished trial attorney whose commitment to justice and public service is second to none.
From an early age, Federico dedicated his life to serving our community. He organized demonstrations against the Vietnam war and helped establish free clinics throughout California. Despite being arrested, beaten, and intimidated, his courage never wavered.
As a trial attorney, Federico carried that same courage into the courtroom, trying more than 200 cases to verdict. He also provided free legal services to United Farm Workers of California. He fought for victims of civil rights all over.
As a proud Mexican American, Federico devoted himself to advancing opportunities and improving conditions for all.
I thank Federico, my good friend, for his good work. He is not forgotten, and we will see him soon.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to congratulate WOMT Radio in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, on an extraordinary milestone: 100 years of serving northeastern Wisconsin.
Since first going on the air in 1926, WOMT has become the trusted source for local news, sports, conversation, and community programming. At a time when much of the media has become nationalized, to its detriment, WOMT remains proudly local.
Each week the station produces more than 40 original programs focused on the people and issues that matter to Manitowoc. Its broadcasters celebrate local achievements, provide a platform for community voices, and ensure that local stories are heard.
Since the 1960s, the Seehafer family has carried on this tradition of local service. Today, under the leadership of President Mark Seehafer and Vice President Terry Stevenson, WOMT remains a third-generation, family-run company with deep roots in the community.
WOMT's excellence in truly local focus have been recognized by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association which has named it the Medium Market Station of the Year for 7 consecutive years, a well-deserved recognition.
For a century, WOMT has done more than broadcast. It has informed its listeners, connected its community, and proven that local radio is not only alive and well but is thriving in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize and honor Minnesota State Senator Steve Cwodzinski for his lifelong dedication to education, civic engagement, and public service.
Senator Cwodzinski began his career in public service as a public school teacher. For over 30 years, he inspired students to become informed and engaged citizens.
Senator Cwodzinski brought that same passion for public service to the Minnesota State Senate where he was first elected in 2016. Drawing on his background as an educator, he became a leading advocate for students and teachers across Minnesota.
In addition to his championing of students and educators, he is a passionate advocate for protecting the Boundary Waters and chief author of legislation for permanent protection of Minnesota's crown jewel.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Senator Cwodzinski is a devoted husband to his wife, Patti; a proud father of two children; and grandfather of two grandchildren. His love of family, community, and country has shaped every aspect of his life and service.
On behalf of the people of Minnesota, I extend my sincere gratitude for his years of dedicated service and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
Mr. Speaker, today marks the 137th day of President Trump's undeclared war of choice on Iran. He originally said it would last no more than 4 days. It is now day 137, and we are headed toward month 6, one-half of a year, costing taxpayers $1 billion a day.
The cost of this war is being borne by hardworking families all across our country, already costing them over $100 billion or more added to the U.S. debt.
The war is spreading. The President has blockaded the Strait of Hormuz through which 20 percent of the world's trade flows. He has turned the U.S. Navy into a traffic cop for the strait as his blockade resumed, and the Navy is charged with charging vessels 20 percent, a 20 percent tariff for passing through, which means prices are going up. Gas prices had begun to subside a little bit, but they just went back up. I just paid $4.35 a gallon. Diesel is much higher.
One farmer I spoke to last week told me that his fertilizer prices shot up from $90 to $500. This yin-yang is destabilizing.
How sad it is that the President says he doesn't think about Americans' finances when he makes his decisions.
Mr. Speaker, our people simply cannot afford the latest war in the Middle East. They are telling us that enough is enough. One-half trillion dollars more for war? No.
