| Speaker | Time | Text |
|---|---|---|
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Pay Homage to Martyrs
00:05:12
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| And yet, when this bill passed out of the House over a week ago, he voted for it. | ||
|
unidentified
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How could that be? | |
| How could you do that to all these people in your district? | ||
| Congresswoman Judy Chu, Democrat of California, thank you very much for the conversation this morning. | ||
|
unidentified
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We appreciate it. | |
| Thank you. | ||
| The Congresswoman teeing up the debate in the Senate over this so-called big beautiful bill. | ||
| The House of Representatives is gaveling in here right now for legislative business. | ||
| We'll take you to Gabla Galva coverage live here on C-SPAN. | ||
| Gurdwara, South Jersey Sikh Society in Vinland, New Jersey. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Good morning. | |
| Let's pray. | ||
| Ik Ovankar Satgur Prasad, one universal Creator God, by the grace of the true Guru. | ||
| Almighty God, Vaheguru, we call you by many names, but you are one. | ||
| Keep your divine hand over the members of this house as they help steer the future of our great nations. | ||
| Keep truth on our tongues, love in our hearts, and sound judgment in our minds. | ||
| Remind us of our purpose to love and serve one another and create a more peaceful world. | ||
| We ask for blessings unto all leaders as they work for the common good. | ||
| Give all who govern this land humility and courage, integrity and compassion. | ||
| Release each one of us from ego so that we may serve selflessly. | ||
| Help us remember that we belong to one family. | ||
| Recognize the entire human race as one. | ||
| We ask of the Almighty to also keep watch over our nation's protectors who work tirelessly day and night to ensure our safety and our freedom. | ||
| You are everywhere. | ||
| All are yours. | ||
| Whatever is seen, O God, is your form. | ||
| My Lord, you are but one. | ||
| In the name of Nanak, find everlasting optimism with your will. | ||
| Almighty God, may there be grace for entire humanity. | ||
| We pay homage to all the martyrs of the world who fought for liberty, justice, and equality. | ||
| The chair has examined the journal of the last day's proceedings and announces to the House the approval thereof pursuant to Clause 1 of Rule 1. | ||
| The journal stands approved, and the Pledge of Allegiance will be led by the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania, Ms. Steen. | ||
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unidentified
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And to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. | |
| Without objection, the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Van Drew, is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| It is my honor today to welcome Guyani Singh as our guest chaplain. | ||
| Guyani Singh has served as head grunthy at the Gurdwara in Vineland, New Jersey since 2012. | ||
|
Leading with Example
00:03:07
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| Day after day, year after year, he leads not just with words, but with example, with peace, with humility, with service towards all. | ||
| These are not just Sikh values, they are American values. | ||
| They truly are human values. | ||
| And we've seen that shared spirit in action. | ||
| Today is the 81st anniversary of D-Day. | ||
| On the beaches of Normandy, Sikh soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder with Allied forces. | ||
| And that same spirit and that same bravery lives on today as Sikh Americans continue to serve our great communities in the great nation of the United States of America. | ||
| I thank you all for coming here today. | ||
| And Mr. Speaker, I yield back. | ||
| The chair will entertain up to five further requests for one-minute speeches on each side of the aisle. | ||
| For what purpose the gentleman from Pennsylvania seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I request panelists' consent to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today to recognize the upcoming National Trails Day, a celebration of America's vast and scenic trail system. | ||
| June 7th is National Trails Day, a call to get outside and enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds us. | ||
| I'm especially proud to highlight a true gem in my district, the trails at Jake's Rocks, located in the heart of the Pennsylvania wilds. | ||
| This stunning trail system was named Pennsylvania's 2024 Trail of the Year, and for good reason. | ||
| It offers world-class mountain biking and breathtaking views across the Allegheny National Forest, welcoming everyone from beginners to seasoned outdoor enthusiasts. | ||
| In today's digital world, our trails remind us of the value of unplugging and reconnecting with nature, with one another, and with ourselves. | ||
| Trails like Jake's Rocks are more than just pathways. | ||
| They're investments in public health, economic development, and the quality of life. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the volunteers, local leaders, and outdoor enthusiasts who made this trail possible. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| What purpose does the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, Gaza is starving. | ||
| Since March, Palestinians have waited for food, water, medical supplies, and nutrition kits that have not come. | ||
| Instead, an estimated 170,000 metric tons of aid sits right outside the Gaza Strip, prohibited to enter by Prime Minister Mr. Netanyahu. | ||
|
Indianapolis: Crossroads of America
00:07:34
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| Let me be clear. | ||
| Since October the 7th, the return of all hostages, living and dead, has been my priority. | ||
| They must be returned home to their loved ones, living and deceased. | ||
| Dignity must be afforded Palestinians as well. | ||
| Children must be fed. | ||
| Doctors must be able to treat the injured and the dying. | ||
| As of now, that has not happened. | ||
| Instead, there is chaos, gunfire, and imminent death. | ||
| Half of the 2.3 million Gazans soon face starvation. | ||
| Gaza is at risk of an avoidable famine. | ||
| Look at this photo of a young girl in her father's arms who has lost more than 40 percent of her body weight. | ||
| That is the condition in Gaza. | ||
| Look at this photo of desperately needed aid sitting right outside reach. | ||
| Where is our humanity? | ||
| Where is our compassion? | ||
| We must bring aid, hope, and life to Gaza. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| For what purpose, the gentleman from Mississippi seek recognition? | ||
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unidentified
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Mr. Speaker, I ask for asking consent to address the House for one minute. | |
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the honor of the life and legacy of a great Mississippian, A.E. Peter Pierce of Helena, who went to home to be with the Lord in the early morning hours of May 24th. | |
| Peter was the best to everyone, a devoted husband to his beloved grace for 69 years, a U.S. Army veteran, a hardworking father, grandfather, and public service, a man whose quiet faith was lived out in everyday acts of service. | ||
| From the shipyards of Pascagoula to the halls of the Jackson County Board of Supervisors, from coaching Little League to mowing the church lawn, even after his diagnosis, Peter gave his time, his energy, and his heart to others. | ||
| He was a faithful member of Escatawa Assembly of God, a friend to the forgotten, and a kind man who cooked breakfast for his grandchildren on a regular Christmas breakfast for his grandkids, always reminding them he was the most blessed man on earth. | ||
| We grieve his loss, but we celebrate a life well lived, and we thank God for the example he gave us. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| For what purpose did the gentleman from Rhode Island seek recognition? | ||
| I ask to address the House for one minute. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today for the 17th time to demand that the Trump administration deliver on its promise to restore funding for life-saving food aid. | ||
| This so-called pause on life-saving food aid is unnecessary and unconscionable. | ||
| Quote, anybody who tells you that we can slash foreign aid and that will bring us to balance is lying to you. | ||
| Foreign aid is less than 1% of our budget. | ||
| That is a quote from Marco Rubio before he worked for Donald Trump. | ||
| This is not how we solve our budget problem. | ||
| A fraction of a fraction of a percent of the federal budget goes to life-saving global food aid. | ||
| The Trump administration has said they will restore it. | ||
| They need to follow their own words and do so immediately before more lives are lost. | ||
| And I will keep speaking on this floor every day until they do. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| What purpose, gentlemen from Florida, seek recognition? | ||
|
unidentified
|
I ask James Senator to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. | |
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | |
| Rise today to congratulate the women's rowing team at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on their first ever national championship as a rowing team and to recognize the university for its first ever national championship since it joined the NCAA 2 era. | ||
| They won this race rowing more than a mile, 2,000 meters in Mercer Lake, New Jersey, which, if you think about it, that is a long way to row. | ||
|
unidentified
|
I understand this. | |
| I have two sons that are rowers, and it is a very, very challenging sport, and I want to congratulate them for doing it. | ||
| Not only did they win the national championship, but head coach Grant Maddock earned the Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year honors, and Salil Edwards, a former teammate of my son's, was named winner of the NCAA's Elite 90 Award, which means she had the highest GPA of anyone rowing at that national championship site. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I congratulate them and I wish them the best of luck in the season ahead. | ||
|
unidentified
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And with that, I yield back. | |
| Gentleman yields back. | ||
| What purpose, gentlemen from Indiana, seek recognition? | ||
|
unidentified
|
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and to reply to the public. | |
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Mr. Speaker, Indianapolis is at the Crossroads of America. | |
| The Indianapolis International Airport is in my district. | ||
| It's one of the reasons why we proudly hold the claim to the distinction of Crossroads of America. | ||
| This past month, Indianapolis International welcomed a non-stop transatlantic flight to one of our gates. | ||
| The flight from Indianapolis to Dublin on Erlingus marked the start of daily non-stop service through this European gateway and onward connections throughout Europe. | ||
| Importantly, it represents an important economic development tool. | ||
| Indianapolis has long been recognized as one of our country's best mid-sized airports. | ||
| We just completed a multi-year, multi-billion dollar infrastructure project to ensure that Indianapolis is prepared for our growing economy. | ||
| In addition to 53 non-stop destinations served by Indianapolis, we're the home of FedEx's national hub, only the second largest in the country for FedEx. | ||
| Our maiden aerolingus flight is a testament to the strength of Indianapolis and reflects the growing global reach of our Hoosier economy. | ||
| I look forward to continuing my work to enhance IND and other airports. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Texas seek recognition. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 458, I call up H.R. 2966 and ask for its immediate consideration in the House. | ||
| The clerk will report the title of the bill. | ||
| Union calendar number 83, H.R. 2966, a bill to require the administrator of the Small Business Administration to require an applicant for certain loans of the administration to provide certain citizenship status documentation and for other purposes. | ||
|
SBA Ownership Rules Revisited
00:15:22
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| Pursuant to the House Resolution 458, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Small Business printed in the bill is adopted and the bill as amended is considered red. | ||
| The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for one hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Small Business or their respective designees. | ||
| The gentleman from Texas, Mr. Williams, and the gentlewoman from New York, Mr. Balquez, will each control 30 minutes. | ||
| The chair now recognizes the gentleman from Texas. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days and wish to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| I rise today in support of H.R. 2966, the American Entrepreneurs First Act of 2025, introduced by Representative Van Duyne from the great state of Texas. | ||
| For four years under the Biden-Harris administration, the SBA approved loans for illegal immigrants. | ||
| Despite their ineligibility, this bill requires citizenship verification of SBA loan assistance applications to ensure that taxpayer-backed loans only go to American entrepreneurs. | ||
| This Congress, the Committee on Small Business, is working to carry out the Made in America agenda alongside the Trump administration, and it's critical that we get the capital necessary for U.S.-owned small businesses to ensure they have everything they need to expand and grow. | ||
| Now, this bill codifies both President Trump's executive order to end taxpayer subsidization of open borders and Administrator Leffler's SBA 7A program, Guardrails, put in place earlier this year. | ||
| I ask my colleagues to support this bill for Main Street America so Americans can achieve the dream of entrepreneurship and business ownership. | ||
| Thank you, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| Gentleman from Texas Reserves, gentlewoman from New York is recognized. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentlewoman is recognized. | ||
| I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2966, the American Entrepreneurs First Act. | ||
| If we really wanted to put American entrepreneurs first, we would be debating a bill to strengthen SBA lending and make it easier to access capital. | ||
| Or we could stop playing political games and finally vote to exempt small businesses from these painful on-again, off-again tariffs. | ||
| That will put American entrepreneurs first. | ||
| Unfortunately, this bill does nothing to help small businesses grow or adjust to supply chain disruptions or unexpected tariffs costs. | ||
| Rather, it will actually make it harder for thousands of legally operating small businesses to get the financing they need at a time they need it most. | ||
| SBA loans are supposed to help creditworthy businesses that cannot get loans elsewhere. | ||
| That includes many immigrant-owned businesses, businesses that follow the rules, pay taxes, and create jobs in our communities. | ||
| Let's set the record straight. | ||
| First, the Small Business Act already prohibits the use of funds for individuals not lawfully within the United States. | ||
| So, contrary to any statement that my colleagues may make, that Democrats have supported this are incorrect. | ||
| The statute is clear. | ||
| Secondly, there is no evidence, not a shred of evidence that has been shared with members of Congress, the public, the IG, or other law enforcement officials. | ||
| My colleagues across the aisle keep claiming that the administrator, along with Doge, identified a case wherein an illegal alien, we will get to my thoughts on that term in a minute, received a nearly $1 million loan despite holding only 49% ownership of a business. | ||
| But these allegations are unsubstantiated. | ||
| We have seen no documents, data, or details have been shared to support this claim. | ||
| This claim reportedly came from Doge, which immediately sets off alarm bells given the well-documented issues with privacy and accuracy since its inception. | ||
| It is also troublesome that Republicans are blindly relying on the SBA administrator's word. | ||
| At our committee hearing the day before yesterday, all we heard from her was empty rhetoric and evasive answers. | ||
| So I will need to see some evidence before accepting her word on a case such as this. | ||
| If we are being asked to enact such drastic measures without proper vetting or a thoughtful process, we need more than her assurances. | ||
| We need evidence. | ||
| We need real facts, not fabricated ones, to back up these accusations. | ||
| Republican support for this bill seems to be strictly based on this one case. | ||
| But without the facts and circumstances, how can we know the truth? | ||
| Oftentimes, my counterparts seem to refer to anyone born outside the U.S. as an illegal. | ||
| But Democrats understand the nuances of immigration status. | ||
| And what they call an illegal may actually be a visa holder, a green card holder, or someone with DACA or TPS protections. | ||
| Precision of language matters, especially when it involves accusations of fraud. | ||
| That brings me to my next point. | ||
| Without a full accounting of this case, we could be looking at an illegal recession of loan funds made by the Trump administration. | ||
| For all we know, the recipient of that loan was in compliance with the SBA rules at the time. | ||
| Rules that I should note were in place during the first Trump administration. | ||
| Those rules required 51% of ownership of a business by a citizen or permanent resident, meaning a 49% ownership stake by a short-term resident like a DACA recipient was permissible if other requirements were met. | ||
| It allowed a pathway for hardworking documented persons to become entrepreneurs and give back to their communities. | ||
| Is this administration simply misrepresenting the rules and calling foul for no reason? | ||
| Or are they the ones in the wrong by rescinding a loan that was issued lawfully? | ||
| Or is this all just a manufactured narrative? | ||
| We may never know, because despite repeated requests, The administrator hasn't shared any information. | ||
| On that note, if they have identified this as fraud or abuse, there is a process in place to turn over these findings to the Office of Inspector General and other law enforcement for a full investigation. | ||
| Not such referral has occurred. | ||
| And no SBIG has yet been named after the legal firing of Mike Ware, a respected watchdog praised by Democrats and Republicans alike. | ||
| We also keep hearing about the need to protect taxpayers' money and ensure SBA loans go to deserving small businesses. | ||
| I don't disagree. | ||
| But I remind my colleagues that some of the individuals they refer to as illegals, which in many cases means people with TPS or DACA status, do pay taxes. | ||
| They contribute to Social Security. | ||
| The previous 51 ownership rule recognized that and created a pathway for them to access some entrepreneurial assistance, but only as a minority partner with a permanent resident. | ||
| This bill codifies the new rule that 100% of the business must now be owned by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. | ||
| That might sound reasonable until you hear the real-world consequences. | ||
| Businesses could be shut out of SBA lending because of a foreign investor with less than 2% ownership or from a husband and wife who cannot get a loan because one of them is a European citizen with an ownership interest in the business, despite their clear commitment to creating local jobs and investing in their community. | ||
| Under this bill, they are also being penalized. | ||
| And harm, and the harm isn't limited to business owners. | ||
| The bill creates a new set of compliant burdens that SBA lenders are not equipped to handle. | ||
| Banks will have to verify the citizenship status of every owner down to the last percentage point. | ||
| Something they have told us could expose them to legal risk under civil rights laws like the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. | ||
| We have also heard concerns that the information collected under this bill could be shared with immigration enforcement. | ||
| This could turn the SBA from a resource for all small businesses into an enforcement arm of DHS. | ||
| That is not what the SBA is for. | ||
| Finally, let me point out the double standard here. | ||
| For years, Republicans have complained about regulations and reporting requirements being too burdensome for all small businesses and lenders. | ||
| But now they're ready to impose an incredibly complicated, mandatory, and invasive new compliance regime without offering any new resources to support it. | ||
| This bill is about scoring political points at the expense of immigrant entrepreneurs. | ||
| It sends a message that some people, no matter how hard they work or how closely they follow the rules, do not deserve the same shot at success. | ||
| We should be expanding opportunities, not closing it off. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to reject this bill and stand up for the small businesses that make our community stronger. | ||
| Thank you, and I reserve. | ||
| The gentlewoman from New York Reserves, the gentleman from Texas is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield to Representative Van Dyne from the great state of Texas such time as she may consume. | ||
| The gentlewoman is recognized. | ||
| Thank you very much. | ||
| I want to thank the gentleman for yielding. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, in the past 107 days, since President Trump was inaugurated and Administrator Loffler took the helm at the Small Business Administration, we have seen incredible strides towards streamlining services, eliminating waste, and ensuring that every taxpayer dollar delivers immeasurable results. | ||
| Beyond tackling bloat inefficiencies and burdensome regulations, the administration has partnered with us to deliver real results for the American people. | ||
| Today, Congressional Republicans are partnering with them through my bill, the American Entrepreneurs First Act. | ||
| We've heard this bill described this morning as complicated and as taking drastic measures. | ||
| Drastic measures that the SBA is going to need new resources to be able to actually do. | ||
| Simply put, all this does is say that when you're giving out SBA loans, that you have to require age verification and citizenship status verification. | ||
|
unidentified
|
That's it. | |
| How complicated, how drastic is this? | ||
| Verify age and verify citizenship status. | ||
| That's it. | ||
| It is codifying an important executive action that's already taking place. | ||
| In recent months, it's been discovered that under the previous administration, lack safeguards and has allowed illegal aliens, children, and even the deceased to apply for and receive SBA assistance. | ||
| Thanks to the great work done by this administration, we learned that in June of 2024, the SBA approved a $783,000 loan application for a small business that was owned by almost half, 49%, by an illegal alien. | ||
| And further, they found that between 2020 and 2021, the SBA issued over 3,000 loans, totaling $333 million to borrowers over the age of 115 years old. | ||
| One more time. | ||
| That's $333 million of taxpayer dollars that went to borrowers over 115 years old. | ||
| And more than 5,500 loans, totaling $300 million to children under 11 years old. | ||
| Is that where we want our dollars being spent? | ||
| We know that without a doubt that the previous administration welcomed millions of illegal aliens into our country. | ||
| Within the first 50 days of the Trump administration, ICE made over 32,809 arrests, which included 14,111 convicted criminals, including 1,155 criminal gang members. | ||
|
Restricting Non-U.S. Citizen Loans
00:17:06
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| We cannot allow those kind of folks who are in our country illegally to take money away from hardworking Americans who are applying for SBA taxpayer-backed loans. | ||
| I am thankful to see that the tide is now turning and that we have a new day here in America, but it is important that we pass this legislation to protect the successes of this administration in the long term. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the American Entrepreneurs First Act, and I yield back. | ||
| Reserves, the gentlewoman from New York is recognized. | ||
| If this is so easy, let's then bring 1071 back Because the type of information that is requiring and that is imposing lenders to provide at the very front end, while 1071 is voluntary at the end of a loan being approved. | ||
| So, you know, we are not burdening small businesses and lenders today. | ||
| And by the way, this bill likely violates the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. | ||
| SBA lenders have already told us that they are likely to pull back from lending so not to violate ECOA. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield five minutes to the gentlelady from New Jersey, Ms. McKeever. | ||
| The gentlewoman from New Jersey is recognized for five minutes. | ||
| Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to my amazing ranking member Velasquez. | ||
| I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 2966, a bill that does not serve our small businesses, our small business community despite its name. | ||
| At a time when local businesses are working hard to keep their doors open and their workers employed, this bill would make it even harder to access the capital they need to survive. | ||
| By adding new documentation requirements around age and citizenship, it slows down the loan process and risks excluding legitimate applicants, particularly those from immigrant and mixed status communities who already face steep challenges. | ||
| Let's be honest about what this bill really does. | ||
| It uses small business policy as a vehicle for immigration politics. | ||
| That is not only misguided, it's harmful. | ||
| Small businesses are still feeling the aftershock of inflation, supply chain breakdowns, and rising costs. | ||
| We should be focused on helping them recover and grow, not creating new hoops for them to jump through. | ||
| What's especially troubling is that this bill would lock into law a policy that was rolled out without enough input and with little regard for economic consequences. | ||
| Immigrant business owners start businesses at high rates. | ||
| They create jobs. | ||
| They invest in their communities. | ||
| If we care about economic growth, we cannot afford to turn our backs on them. | ||
| As someone who has worked closely with small business owners and immigrant communities, I've seen the resilience and determination they bring to our economy. | ||
| This bill sends the wrong message and sets the wrong priorities. | ||
| We should be making it easier for small businesses to access the tools they need to thrive. | ||
| That means focusing on the actual issues that they raise with us every day. | ||
| Let me remind my colleagues on the other side. | ||
| That would be inflation, access to capital, workforce shortages, and the lingering effects of, guess what, drumroll tariffs. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to vote no on this bill. | ||
| This bill does not put American business owners first. | ||
| In fact, it sets them back. | ||
| With that, I yield back. | ||
| The woman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from New York Reserves and the gentleman from Texas is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield to Representative Cloud from the great state of Texas such time as he may consume. | ||
| The gentleman from Texas is recognized for as much time as he may consume. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | |
| Today, the House advances another pillar of President Trump's America First Agenda with the passage of the American Entrepreneurs First Act of 2025. | ||
| This bill ensures that taxpayer-funded SBA loans are reserved for American small businesses, not illegal aliens, certainly not children or people who are dead. | ||
| Americans are grateful to finally have a president in office who's protecting their taxpayer dollars and looking to weed out waste, fraud, and abuse. | ||
| Billions of loans have been flagged for suspected fraud to ineligible applicants, including illegal aliens. | ||
| The Trump administration has instituted a policy requiring SBA loans applications to include citizenship verification provisions. | ||
| It's common sense. | ||
| This bill codifies these Trump era safeguards into law so that no future administration can turn federal relief into a global giveaway. | ||
| This is about ensuring we have the validation mechanisms in place to ensure the rule of law. | ||
| It's about prioritizing Americans. | ||
| It's about making sure that when a small business owner like those in Texas or anywhere else fills out an application, they know the system is fair and the resources are theirs to access. | ||
| With every bill codifying President Trump's EOs, we are moving closer to a government that puts Americas first, protects American workers, and restores American sovereignty. | ||
| Let's support this bill. | ||
| And I thank the Chair for leading on this. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Texas Reserves, the gentlewoman from New York is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, we have heard supporters of this bill say it's about protecting taxpayer dollars and stopping fraud. | ||
| But the facts just don't back that up. | ||
| There is no evidence that undocumented immigrants are getting loans. | ||
| They are not supposed to. | ||
| In the one case Republicans like to cite, no proof has been provided. | ||
| It is highly likely that Doge and the current administration are confusing the rules that were in place at the time with the stricter 100% ownership requirement they impose later. | ||
| And that is what this bill is really doing. | ||
| It targets small business owners who are here legally. | ||
| People like DACA recipients, visa holders, and refugees. | ||
| People who are building businesses, creating jobs, and following every rule. | ||
| Republicans also claim this bill is about accountability. | ||
| But in reality, it creates a mess for lenders. | ||
| It forces them to track and verify the age and citizenship status of every single business owner down to the last percentage point. | ||
| It requires all of this information just to be considered for a loan, unlike the Section 1071 rules, which required voluntary reporting after the loan origination. | ||
| This bill makes compliance a prerequisite for obtaining a loan. | ||
| And I have to ask, all the complaints we have heard over the years about Section 1071, how do my colleagues justify this now? | ||
| Imposing this regulatory regime against lenders and borrowers. | ||
| Right now, small businesses are struggling. | ||
| Tariffs are driving off the cost of goods. | ||
| Supply chains are under pressure. | ||
| Instead of giving entrepreneurs the tools they need to grow, this bill adds more barriers and more uncertainty. | ||
| If it becomes law, it is going to hurt the very small businesses we should be trying to help. | ||
| I reserve. | ||
| The gentlewoman from New York Reserves, the gentleman from Texas, is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield to Representative Van Duyne from the great state of Texas such time as she may consume. | ||
| The gentlewoman is recognized for as much time as she may consume. | ||
| Thank you very much. | ||
| We've heard a little bit of concerns about 1071. | ||
| There's a huge difference between what we're requiring in this and what 1071 required. | ||
| That was for all businesses, for all loans. | ||
| It was not voluntary, and if businesses did not comply, they could actually be fined. | ||
| What we are asking for is simply verification of legal status in age for companies that are applying for American taxpayer-backed loans. | ||
| Now, this should not surprise anybody. | ||
| This proposed rule increases lending security and ensures that taxpayer dollars are used well. | ||
| And further, participating in government lending programs like the 7A program naturally involves complying with government rules. | ||
| This is no different. | ||
| U.X. taxpayer dollars back the SBA lending programs, and adding additional assurances like age and legal status verification should go to lawful citizens is just common sense. | ||
| Lender concerns related to the nationality discrimination are nonsensical. | ||
| This law does not prohibit lending based on nationality, but rather on legal residency or status. | ||
| And I yield back. | ||
| The gentlewoman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Texas reserves. | ||
| The gentlewoman from New York is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, sign 71, the borrower can decline after the loan. | ||
| The lender cannot get information from a trade group. | ||
| I reserve. | ||
| The gentleman from New York Reserves. | ||
| The gentleman from Texas is recognized. | ||
| The gentleman from Texas Reserves. | ||
| The gentlewoman from New York is recognized. | ||
| I would like to inquire if there are any other speakers from the chairman. | ||
| We're prepared to close. | ||
| The gentleman is prepared to close. | ||
| The gentlewoman from New York is recognized. | ||
| I'm prepared to close. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record two letters in opposition to the bill, one from the small business majority and another from UNIDOS U.S. Without Objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, let me say that H.R. 2966 will not improve SBA lending or support small businesses. | ||
| This bill creates new barriers, targets legally operating entrepreneurs, and burdens lenders with requirements they aren't equipped to meet. | ||
| Small businesses are struggling. | ||
| This administration's trade policy has increased uncertainty and made it nearly impossible for many small firms to do business. | ||
| The small businesses in my district and those that have reached out to my committee are not asking for this legislation. | ||
| They want stability and they want more support. | ||
| This bill risks making things worse by reducing access to capital for many small businesses that are following the rules. | ||
| We should be working together to lift these businesses up, not passing laws to punish them. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to vote no on this bill and focus instead on solutions that will truly help American small businesses. | ||
| And then let me say, they brought this bill to the floor without a single hearing. | ||
| No expert witnesses, no nothing. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| The gentlewoman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Texas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I urge all members to vote yes on this common sense legislation, the American Enterprise First Act. | ||
| We need to put the guardrails up to support Main Street America. | ||
| With that, I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman from Texas yields back. | ||
| All time for debate has expired. | ||
| Pursuant to the House Resolution 458, the previous question is ordered on the bill as amended. | ||
| The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill. | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
| Those opposed, no. | ||
| In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. | ||
| Third reading. | ||
| A bill to require the administrator of the small business administration to require an applicant for certain loans of the administration to provide certain citizenship status documentation and for other purposes. | ||
| The question is on the passage of the bill. | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
| Those opposed, no. | ||
| In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it without a for what purpose does the gentlewoman from New York seek recognition? | ||
|
unidentified
|
On that I demand the yeas and nays the yays and nays are requested. | |
| Those in favor of the vote for the yays and nays will rise. | ||
| A sufficient number having risen, the yays and nays are ordered. | ||
| Members will record their votes by electronic device. | ||
| This is a 15-minute vote. | ||
|
unidentified
|
A live look on the House floor right now as members are voting on whether to approve a bill that would restrict access for non-U.S. citizens to apply for loans and services from the Small Business Administration. | |
| If the bill is passed by the House, it would go to the Senate for consideration. | ||
| This is the last vote of the week for the House. | ||
| While we wait for members to come to the floor to cast their votes, we're going to show you remarks from White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro from earlier this morning. | ||
|
Good Morning, America
00:00:49
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|
unidentified
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House members are voting now on whether to approve a bill that would restrict access from non-U.S. citizens to apply for loans and services from the Small Business Administration. | |
| While we wait for members to come to the floor to cast their votes, we're going to show you remarks from White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro from earlier this morning. | ||
| So, good morning, America. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Good morning. | |
|
Tariffs and Trade Disputes
00:09:13
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||
| I hope ABC doesn't sue me on the trademark. | ||
| Let me do just a couple of things for you, then we'll take a few questions. | ||
| Because I came out this morning to talk to Maria Bartaromo on Fox Business for a very specific reason. | ||
| There's been a lot of news in the world, and one of the things that happened this week, which was really important that didn't get virtually any ink, was an increase in tariffs on aluminum as steel from 25% to 50%. | ||
| And that's really important for this country because steel and aluminum are critical to our national security. | ||
| And President Trump began the process of reviving those two industries back in his first term, but Joe Biden let that go by the wayside. | ||
| We lost two major smelters in the aluminum industry, which is a lot During Biden's regime, and then the steel industry, we've seen a dramatic fall in its capacity utilization. | ||
| Its profitability was negative in the fourth quarter of 2024. | ||
| And we can't tolerate the problem that we're facing. | ||
| I mean, you may think 50% tariffs is high, but the problem we've been facing is that we have so much overcapacity of steel in the world because of China. | ||
| China is by far the most massive steel producer. | ||
| What China has been doing is dumping that steel in the market, and they do it directly, but they also do it through what's called trans-shipping. | ||
| And if you know this term, it's basically when China uses other countries to ship and avoid tariffs and things like that into this country. | ||
| In this case, one of the worst offenders is Vietnam. | ||
| We saw the this is like interesting math. | ||
| We saw Vietnam's deficit with China go up by about $16 billion last year. | ||
| It surged to the highest on record. | ||
| And at the same time, its surplus with the United States surged up to $12 billion. | ||
| So you can see kind of what's going on. | ||
| And if you look at the different products, the rebar, the standard pipe, the oil country tubular goods, stuff and steel, it's all coming in from Vietnam. | ||
| It's coming in also from Korea, Taiwan, Japan. | ||
| And so this action by President Trump is really important. | ||
| Same thing with aluminum. | ||
| We want to get our smelters back. | ||
| I think one of the things we've already seen with respect to the aluminum industry is we've had the announcements of two new smelters. | ||
| Great news, Century Aluminum and also a conglomerate from the Emirates. | ||
| Okay, that's aluminum steel. | ||
| I'm sure you want to talk about the Elon Musk issue. | ||
| The only thing I want to talk about with respect to that, and again, I was on Fox Business and I like to talk to investors. | ||
| I did a piece for The Hill this last week, which goes over the following numbers. | ||
| What you do is when you look at the big, beautiful tax bill and you evaluate the claim by the Congressional Budget Office that has been widely disseminated by the press that the bill will add to the debt in the order of magnitude of several trillion dollars over the next 10 years. | ||
| It's just dead wrong for two reasons, one of which the CBO has already confessed to. | ||
| First of all, the CBO assumes a growth rate of 1.7% for the GDP, which is absolutely anemic. | ||
| When you simply increase that by a point, which is consistent where we think that forecast is going to be, it's a $2 trillion swing in the amount of revenues you raise because when you grow faster, you generate more tax revenues. | ||
| It's just simple math. | ||
| And lest you think that we're speculating, we have history on our side as we always do because this is the second term. | ||
| In the first term, the CBO did the same thing during the tax bill of 2017 when we got that tax bill passed. | ||
| They underestimated growth by about a point and therefore underestimated how much money we would actually do. | ||
| And it's a case of there they go again. | ||
| So, when you correct for that, you get halfway to the point where this $5 trillion swing happens. | ||
| And then, which was really heartening to me, and I don't know if my Peace in the Hill had anything to do with it, pointing out that when you count the tariff revenues, it's another $2 trillion. | ||
| So, it's a $5 trillion swing. | ||
| So, with respect to what Mr. Musk has been saying about the big, beautiful bill and overspending and things like that, I think that that dog won't hunt when you do the math properly. | ||
| And that's all I want to say about that. | ||
| So, what? | ||
| I'll take a few questions. | ||
| Let's keep it here as an economist and an analyst, not I don't want to do this related to the economy. | ||
| Okay, hang on, yes, ma'am. | ||
| Yes, ma'am. | ||
| Yes, ma'am. | ||
|
unidentified
|
I'm curious what you make of Elon Musk's comments that Trump's tariffs will send less to concession than refugee. | |
| Well, look, Elon Musk does not like tariffs, full stop. | ||
| He's made that clear from day one and going back to the first term. | ||
| He's not a tariff guy, which is fine. | ||
| We can have disagreements about it. | ||
| But I would simply say that everybody during our first term who said that the tariffs were going to be recessionary and inflationary were obviously, obviously, and wildly wrong. | ||
| All we got was price stability and growth. | ||
| And again, if you do the numbers, if you understand how gross domestic product is calculated, okay, if you ever gone through that math, it's four engines of growth: it's consumption, investment, government spending, and what we call net exports, net exports, which is the difference between what we sell to the world and what they sell to us. | ||
| And when you have them selling us more than we sell them, in the math of the GDP, growth goes down. | ||
| So, every quarter, when those numbers get reported, when you see what the net number is, that number would probably be about a point or more higher if we didn't run a trade deficit. | ||
| So, the idea that these tariffs are somehow going to be recessionary is wrong. | ||
| I mean, there's two things going on. | ||
| With the tariffs, we make more things here, we employ more people in the short run, and in the longer run, we get more capital investment, and therefore we employ more people and produce more goods. | ||
| So, the math doesn't work there. | ||
|
unidentified
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Given your disagreements on tariffs with Elon Musk that you just laid out, are you glad to see now that he's outright? | |
| No, I'm not glad or whatever. | ||
| People come and go from the White House. | ||
| He was a special government employee with an expiration date. | ||
| I work with the Doge folks a lot here, and I've got a very special project which at some point I'll come out here and talk about with them, which has been great. | ||
| We've gone into one particular agency, and we've taken a computer program that's very important that is run like a 1950s IBM punch card operation at great expense to the American people. | ||
| And we're going to turn that from a model tea into a Ferrari, and it's going to transform a bunch of people's lives and save American taxpayers a lot of money. | ||
| So, that's good. | ||
| Which program are you on? | ||
| Didn't I just tease you and say I'd be out here again? | ||
| You had to try. | ||
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unidentified
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What's the test? | |
| Stay tuned. | ||
| Okay, so you have a question, ma'am? | ||
|
unidentified
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Falling out that we've seen on social media impact Doge efforts into the future? | |
| No, look, waste fraud and abuse, unfortunately, is alive and well in America. | ||
| And the Doge folks here, they're good folks. | ||
| And when you work with them and bring to them kind of the institutional knowledge of how bureaucracies work and what's important in a bureaucracy and what's not, when you wed that, it's a great thing. | ||
|
Two Presidents' Call
00:03:21
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| So we're happy. | ||
| So I had my piece on Elon. | ||
| I'm happy to talk about other things, but that one's over, yes, ma'am. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Can you give a status update on the trade talks with other countries? | |
| Yes, ma'am. | ||
| I never thought you all would ask. | ||
| There was a very good phone call yesterday. | ||
| It ran about 90 minutes between the two presidents of the greatest economic power in the world of the United States and one of the two most populous countries in the world. | ||
| In China, we've set in motion a process in which, as President said, Jameson, Howard, and Scott will be going. | ||
| That's Secretary of Commerce Lutnick, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Besson, and the United States Trade Rep Jamison Greer. | ||
| And there was a clear mandate between and understanding between the two presidents. | ||
| And we expect that that meeting will take place within seven days. | ||
| And either I or more likely Scott Howard Jameson will come out to the sticks and let you know, or the president will let you know about it. | ||
| But it was a very good call. | ||
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unidentified
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Can you clarify that meeting with them? | |
| Where are the negotiations with Europe with still and aluminum stand at the moment? | ||
| The negotiation after the meeting in Paris? | ||
| I don't understand. | ||
| We put tariffs on, and the president has a policy of no exemptions, no exclusions. | ||
|
unidentified
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Full stop. | |
| Thank you. | ||
| Okay. | ||
|
unidentified
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All right. | |
| That's about it. | ||
| I think I've been generous. | ||
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unidentified
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On rare earth minerals. | |
| Just the German Chancellor meeting yesterday. | ||
| Oh, I have no comment on that. | ||
| It's not my lane. | ||
| Hey, anytime, just come out to give you a bunch of time. | ||
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unidentified
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What the president, when he said progress was made on rare earth minerals in the call of Xi, what does the U.S. expect to see? | |
| Well, let's see what happens with the negotiations. | ||
| But the president was very clear that the rare earth issue will be key to that negotiation, and the two presidents have a very clear understanding of the outcome. | ||
| Okay? | ||
|
unidentified
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All right. | |
| Thank you very much. | ||
|
unidentified
|
A live look at the House casting their last vote of the week and voting now on whether to approve a bill that would restrict access for non-U.S. citizens to apply for loans and services from the Small Business Administration. | |
| If the bill is passed by the House, it would go to the Senate for consideration. | ||
| While we wait for members to vote, we're going to take you live to the National World War II Memorial in DC, where a ceremony to commemorate the 81st anniversary of D-Day is underway. | ||
|
Presentation of Colors
00:07:19
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| I hear nothing. | ||
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unidentified
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Of course, my ear, I can hear it. | |
| Ladies and gentlemen, if you're able to do so, please rise for the presentation of colors by the Armed Forces Color Guard, the national anthem performed by the U.S. Army brass quintet, retiring to the colors, and then the invocation offered by Chaplain Will Horton. | ||
| Hunt, hunt, hunt, hunt, hunt. | ||
| Would you join me in prayer? | ||
| Almighty God, as we pause to thank you for the strength of this nation that we love, we thank you for the military forces that over the years have comprehensively trained and built a proportional force to defend our nation in a time of war, a force that ethically and morally stands above all others. | ||
| On this 81st anniversary of D-Day, our nation and our community commemorate the combined efforts of the American military branches and our allied forces who came together in the infamous hedgerows of Normandy. | ||
| Good men and women fought for liberty and thousands of our Allied forces paid the ultimate sacrifice. | ||
| The scars of that initial invasion forged the bedrock that ultimately led to the defeat of the rising tyranny of Nazi Germany. | ||
| Your presence enabled us to build strong alliances between nations and leaders to defeat threats to democracy, human rights, and freedom. | ||
| Your merciful power enabled our coalition of military forces to defeat the darkness of that day. | ||
| And every day since then, we fight for the hope of liberty and justice for all. | ||
| Help us to also remember the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice to consider their hurts and their needs even more highly than our own. | ||
| God bless this organization who makes this ceremony possible. | ||
| Bless the great citizens of our United States of America and all those who strive to uphold the ideals of our nation's heroes fought to safeguard. | ||
|
Representatives of Allied Nations
00:03:39
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unidentified
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God bless our servicemen and women, both past and present, and all of their families. | |
| And God bless America. | ||
| In your holy name, I pray. | ||
| Amen. | ||
| Please be seated. | ||
| Before I introduce our first speaker, we extend a warm welcome to Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable John Phelan. | ||
| It is also my great privilege to introduce representatives of the Allied nations who took part in the Battle of Normandy 81 years ago. | ||
| Without this united effort, we would not enjoy the freedom we enjoy and cherish today. | ||
| From the Embassy of Australia, Captain Andy Hoare, Air Attaché. | ||
| From the Embassy of Belgium, Maite Morin, Counselor for Political and Security Affairs. | ||
| From the Embassy of Canada, Rear Admiral Christian Monaghan, Defense Attaché, and Sergeant Major Natalie Poser. | ||
| From the Embassy of France, Colonel Thibault Thomas, Military Attaché. | ||
| From the Embassy of Greece, Captain Nicholas Lasakis, Naval Attaché. | ||
| From the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Commander Simon Gunneveig, Assistant Naval Attaché. | ||
| From the Embassy of New Zealand, Commander Alan Parker, Naval Attaché. | ||
| From the Royal Norwegian Embassy, Captain Connie Steen, Assistant Defense Attaché and Naval Attaché. | ||
| From the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, Colonel Claudius Kaminski, Military Attaché. | ||
| From the British Embassy, Brigadier Di Bevan, military attaché. | ||
| We thank each of these representatives for joining us to remember and honor this sacred anniversary. | ||
| Now, please welcome our first speaker, Jane Dropa, chair of the Friends of the National World War II Memorial. | ||
|
Circle of Remembrance
00:06:36
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|
unidentified
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Good morning. | |
| Thank you for joining us today as we mark the 81st anniversary of the Battle of D-Day. | ||
| We are deeply honored to welcome our World War II veterans. | ||
| Your service changed the course of history, and we are here today because of your courage. | ||
| We are also privileged to welcome the Secretary of Navy, the Honorable John Phelan. | ||
| Thank you for your presence and for your steadfast commitment to honoring those who have served. | ||
| We welcome as well our partners from Allied nations who stood beside us in that great fight. | ||
| And we thank Superintendent Kevin Greese and the team at the National Mall and Memorial Parks for helping care for this sacred place. | ||
| This morning, we gather at the Circle of Remembrance, home to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's prayer plaque, which was dedicated here just two years ago to reflect on the enormity of what took place on June 6th, 1944. | ||
| On that day, Allied forces launched the largest military invasion the world has ever seen. | ||
| Operation Overlord brought together more than 2 million troops in the air, on land, and on the sea in a bold campaign to liberate Europe from Nazi control. | ||
| The operation would last nearly three months, stretching from the storming of the beaches on June 6th to the liberation of Paris in late August. | ||
| It was a turning point in the war, but one that came at a heavy cost. | ||
| During the course of the operation, more than 225,000 Allied troops were killed, wounded, or declared missing in action. | ||
| On D-Day alone, over 9,000 Allied troops were lost or wounded in the opening hours of the assault. | ||
| This morning, as we lay wreaths at President Franklin D. Roosevelt's D-Day prayer plaque, we remember them. | ||
| We remember those who fell. | ||
| We honor those who fought on. | ||
| And we pay tribute to all who stood united in the face of darkness on the front lines and on the home front. | ||
| Their legacy is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we come together with purpose and resolve. | ||
| Let us share their stories. | ||
| Let us carry their values, freedom, justice, and courage, into the future. | ||
| And let us never forget. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| I'm pleased now to introduce Dr. Kevin Grease, superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks. | ||
| Good morning, Mr. Secretary, warriors, embassy representatives, and everyone who's joined us here today. | ||
| Thank you very much for taking a moment out of your lives to come and remember. | ||
| This circle is for that purpose specifically to contemplate, to think what it all meant and what it all means. | ||
| Here today on the 81st anniversary, it's an honor to have some warriors from that time still with us and to have the friendships that we forged still here with us today. | ||
| Thank you very much. | ||
| On that day, which means differently for everybody, but means something across the world, 160,000 troops hit that beach, the beaches, excuse me, more than one, to include 34,000 Americans. | ||
| Jane already discussed how many were lost or wounded. | ||
| Their courage, and for far too many, their sacrifices turned the tide of World War II, opening the path to liberation and ultimately to victory in Europe. | ||
| A peace that has stood. | ||
| We gather today at this circle standing before the words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's prayer to the nation. | ||
| His words remind us that D-Day was not just a military operation. | ||
| It was a moment of shared purpose and solemn resolve against evil. | ||
| He began his prayer with these words: Almighty God, our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor. | ||
| Those words were spoken before they knew the outcome of that day, which is amazing. | ||
|
Honor Jerry Danforth
00:05:57
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unidentified
|
Everyone knows that General Eisenhower wrote two different releases that day: one for success, one for failure. | |
| I'm glad we got the right one. | ||
| He spoke to a nation, Franklin Roosevelt spoke to a nation that held its collective breath, waiting for news, hoping for deliverance, and offering prayers on the individual basis of their own. | ||
| His words carried the weight of a nation's faith and support and hope of their warriors, all of which longed for peace, not war. | ||
| As we remember, honor, reflect. | ||
| On this vote, the yeas are 217 and the nays are 190. | ||
|
unidentified
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The bill is passed. | |
| Without objection, a motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Georgia seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourned to meet at noon on Monday next for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business. | ||
|
unidentified
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Without objection. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from North Carolina seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that, notwithstanding the requirement of Clause 11A1 of Rule 10, during the 119th Congress, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence be composed of not more than 27 members, of whom not more than 15 be from the same party. | ||
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unidentified
|
Without objection, so ordered. | |
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| The chair will now entertain requests for one-minute speeches. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Wisconsin seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I request the consent to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Jerry Danforth, a distinguished tribal leader, decorated Navy veteran, and beloved husband, father, and grandfather who passed away on the morning of June 1st, 2025 at the age of 78. | ||
| Jerry devoted his life to service, first to his country and then to his people. | ||
| He served honorably in the Navy for over three decades, retiring in 1994 with the esteemed rank of Force Master Chief. | ||
| He was a veteran of both the Vietnam War and Desert Storm, embodying courage, commitment, and leadership throughout his career. | ||
| Jerry brought the same conviction and discipline to his leadership within the Oneida Nation. | ||
| He was elected chairman of the Oneida Business Committee in 1995 and again in 2005. | ||
| A public servant in every sense, Jerry also served his nation as a judge on the Oneida Judiciary, where his wisdom, fairness, and devotion to justice left a lasting impact. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, Jerry Danforth's life was defined by service, leadership, and love. | ||
| His legacy will endure in the lives he touched, the institutions he shaped, and the nation he serves so faithfully. | ||
| I offer my deepest condolences to his family, his community, and the entire Oneida nation. | ||
| May his memory be a blessing. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman yields. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from North Carolina seek recognition? | ||
| To address the House for one minute and revise and extend my role. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor former Congresswoman Jane Pratt. | ||
| This week, in 1946, she was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first woman to represent North Carolina in Congress. | ||
| Prior to her election, she served as a Congressional Secretary for 22 years. | ||
| As a member of this body, she was an important voice urging passage of legislation for major flood control in a reservoir in North Carolina. | ||
| She also joined other women members in supporting First Lady Bess Truman's food program to support struggling people in post-war Europe. | ||
|
Congresswoman Pratt's Legacy
00:06:31
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| After her term in Congress, Congresswoman Pratt went on to serve the American people at various federal agencies for more than a decade. | ||
| She proved everyone wrong who questioned whether a woman was up to this job almost 80 years ago. | ||
| And today, I proudly stand on her shoulders. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman yields back. | |
| The chair announces without objection the Speaker's appointment pursuant to clause 11 of Rule 10, clause 11 of Rule 1, and the order of the House of January 3rd, 2025, and notwithstanding the requirement of clause 11A4A of Rule 10, the following members of the House to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. | ||
| Ms. Stefanik of New York to rank after Mr. Crawford. | ||
| Mr. Cohen of Tennessee. | ||
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unidentified
|
For what purpose does the gentleman from Utah seek recognition? | |
| I ask unanimous consent to address the House and revise and extend my remarks. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Mr. Speaker, there's no greater joy than being a father. | ||
| I'm blessed with six incredible children, 17 grandkids, and they are the heartbeat of everything I do. | ||
| This Father's Day, I'm proud to reintroduce a resolution that recognizes the power and necessity of fathers shaping strong families and stronger communities. | ||
| The data is clear. | ||
| Kids with engaged fathers do better in school, avoid crime, and thrive economically and emotionally. | ||
| But this isn't about data. | ||
| It's about dignity. | ||
| When fathers are empowered to lead, love, protect, and mentor their children, entire communities are transformed. | ||
| I'm grateful to my friend Jack Bure and the Jack Bureau Foundation for their tireless work in restoring fathers to the center of the family, especially in our most undeserved communities. | ||
| This resolution is a call to action to support policies that strengthen families, encourage responsibility, and promote a culture that values dads. | ||
| All right, let's celebrate fatherhood. | ||
| The survival of our American culture depends on it. | ||
| Thank you, and I'll yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Gentleman from New York. | |
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from New York seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House for one minute to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Which Elon Musk should we believe? | ||
| In February, he called the U.S. Agency of International Development, USAID, corrupt, beyond repair, and a ball of worms that needs to be eliminated. | ||
| He claimed that there is a gigantic fraud loophole where government funds given to NGOs lack sufficient oversight. | ||
| In March, Elon Musk called Social Security the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time, and policy followed his comments. | ||
| But then this week, he said that if the massive deficit spending continues, there will only be money for interest payments and nothing else. | ||
| No Social Security, no medical, no defense, nothing. | ||
| This week, he said about the big ugly bill, I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore. | ||
| This massive, outrageous, pork-filled congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. | ||
| Which, Elon Musk, do you believe? | ||
| The erratic rhetoric and policies of this administration are becoming clear to all who watch. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield back my time. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Gentlemen's time has expired. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Tennessee seek recognition? | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I seek unanimous consent to address the House for one minute to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to honor the life of a great Tennessean and my dear friend Bobby McClellan III. | ||
| Bobby passed peacefully at 59 years old, surrounded by loved ones and greatly cherished by East Tennesseans. | ||
| Bobby was born into a seventh-generation Knoxville family, Mr. Speaker, with his father, Matthew, who was just a dear friend of mine and my daddy's. | ||
| His daddy was a legendary businessman. | ||
| Bobby graduated from Webb School in Knoxville, continued his school in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he was a member of the SAE fraternity. | ||
| Bobby later graduated and went on to serve as general manager for his father's company, M.S. McClellan. | ||
| Bobby married the love of his life in 2006, Julie. | ||
| Bobby also served his community by supporting the local animal shelters, national parks, and recreation spaces, and being a loud and proud supporter of the Tennessee volunteers. | ||
| I spoke to my dear friends Frank Nystrom and Tommy Seiler about Bobby and his life. | ||
| And it was just the trouble with this job, Mr. Speaker, is that too many times we miss events, and I was not able to make it to his funeral because of things up here. | ||
| And I miss Bobby. | ||
| He was a good man. | ||
| I hope everybody joins me in honoring Bobby by speaking out to maybe a beloved friend or a family member that you haven't spoken to in a while, because when they're gone, Mr. Speaker, they are gone. | ||
| And remember, Bobby used to say, there is no woo in Rocky Top. | ||
| And I had to explain, you would not understand, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| So thank you, and I yield the remainder of my time. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman yields back. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Minnesota seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I was right from Customancy Center. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Adina Togal, a fearless young leader who's working hard to save lives. | ||
| Adina was old herself when she suffered a severe allergy attack that almost took her life. | ||
| But it wasn't caused by the food that she ate. | ||
| It was from a medication she had been prescribed. | ||
| Unfortunately, unlike its requirements for food labels, the FDA doesn't currently have a standardized system for disclosing the presence of common allergens in medications. | ||
| Information that could save lives. | ||
| As Adena's representative and as a doctor who's cared for patients for more than 20 years, I want to make sure that no one is in danger of a life-threatening allergy attack simply because they took their medication. | ||
| That's why I'm introducing the Adena Act to make this common sense change to allergen information on drug labels a reality. | ||
|
Coachella Football Club Recognition
00:15:22
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||
| And I'm proud this bill is strongly bipartisan. | ||
| My colleagues on both sides of the aisle agree it's a no-brainer. | ||
| I'm hopeful that together we can make this country safer and healthier. | ||
| And I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Adena and her family for your deep dedication, your tireless advocacy, and for all you're doing for millions of Americans with allergies to make their lives safer. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Gentlewoman yields back. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Georgia seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask permission to address the House for one minute. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an American hero in every sense of the word. | ||
| It is my distinct privilege and honor to recognize Charlie Dunn in the congressional record for his celebration of his 106th birthday. | ||
| Charlie was born on May 27, 1919, and grew up on the farm near Hickory Flat. | ||
| He spent his early years assisting his father as they grew cotton, peanuts, corn, and sweet potatoes. | ||
| After the stock market crash of 1929 and the ensuing Depression, Duncan relocated with his family and he stopped attending school to work full-time to help support his family. | ||
| In 1944, Mr. Duncan was drafted into the United States Army and went through basic and advanced training in Virginia and Texas. | ||
| From there, he was sent to England, where he fought with General George S. Patton's Third Army as a combat engineer. | ||
| He delivered temporary bridges to the front line, repaired and rebuilt damaged bridges, and demolished German military infrastructure along the way. | ||
| Upon his return home, Mr. Duncan worked as a craftsman, specializing in staircase banisters, and was active in the real estate market. | ||
| Throughout his life, he has served as a community leader and an exemplary figure who has handled some of the most trying events in American history with valor and grit. | ||
| Mr. Duncan exemplifies all the values we aspire to as Americans. | ||
| Duty, sacrifice, reliability, and bravery. | ||
| Happy birthday, sir, and best wishes for a fantastic year ahead. | ||
| Sepro Fidelis. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman's time has expired. | |
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Texas seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to address the House for one minute if you advise and extend my remarks. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish everyone a joyful and proud Pride Month. | ||
| In Houston, Pride runs deep. | ||
| We hosted one of the first nine-time parades in the country, and today it is the fourth largest in the nation. | ||
| And it's not just a parade. | ||
| Groups like Fondación Latino Americana de Acción Social, Legacy, Community Health, and the Montrose Center are doing the work every day, making sure that our LGBTQIA plus neighbors have care, housing, community, and support. | ||
| That's what we should be focused on. | ||
| There's so much good that we can be doing. | ||
| Instead, my Republican colleagues are using their power to bully and target trans kids, children who just want to be safe, make friends, and be themselves. | ||
| Those kids show more bravery than many of my colleagues here in this chamber. | ||
| We should all learn from them. | ||
| To every young person watching, I see you, I hear you, I will fight for you today and every day. | ||
| Because in Texas, when we say all, that means all. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Gentlewoman's time has expired. | |
| For what purpose does the distinguished gentleman from Ohio seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the life of Marcy Mae Perrin. | ||
| Marcy was a lifelong resident of Ohio's 2nd Congressional District and a beloved wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, and great-grandmother. | ||
| Marcy passed away on May 13, 2025, at the age of 82. | ||
| Marcy always put service above herself and served as a cook at the Brooks Yates School. | ||
| Those who knew her well say Marcy never met a stranger and had a wonderful sense of humor that put everyone around her at ease. | ||
| Beyond her love of family and her kindness to others, Marcy will be remembered as the queen of Peewee football. | ||
| She served as a founding member and treasurer of the Pickaway County Peewee Football Board, working to ensure that every child who wanted to participate could do so. | ||
| Throughout her more than 50 years of involvement in Peewee football, Marcy earned the love and affection of the youth in her community. | ||
| Many called her mom and knew they could always count on her to be there for them. | ||
| The greatness of America lies in ordinary citizens like Marcy, who became part of something bigger than themselves. | ||
| Let us all work to follow her example by being kind to one another and leading service-oriented lives. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman yields back. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from California seek recognition? | ||
| objection. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today with pride to recognize the Coachella Football Club, an awesome soccer organization from California's 25th district that is lifting up young athletes and inspiring our entire community. | ||
| This past year, the Coachella Football Club's premier team, our semi-pro squad, dominated the field. | ||
| They were SoCal East season champions and went undefeated in the divisional playoffs. | ||
| Coached by Aldo Caro and Octavio Bustillos, this team played one of their best seasons yet, and we are so proud of them. | ||
| And they're not alone. | ||
| The Coachella Football Club's Academy's 17 and Under Boys team also had a phenomenal run, winning the fall 2024 and spring 2025 SoCal East Championships without a single loss. | ||
| Thanks to coaches Manuel Montano and Carlos Bustillos, they have set the bar for excellence, teamwork, and sportsmanship. | ||
| A special congrats to Coachella Football Club owner Luis Bustillos, who founded the team with a vision to help players turn their dreams into reality. | ||
| He calls the club a dream factory and continues to inspire his players to dream big. | ||
| To every Coachella Football Club player and coach, thank you for representing our district with grit, heart, and pride. | ||
| Your success reminds us all what is possible when talent meets dedication. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Pennsylvania seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today to honor the life and legacy of John Farrow, a beloved member of the East Stroudsburg-Monroe County, Pennsylvania community who passed away on May 13, 2025. | ||
| John was born in Sassano, Italy, and dedicated his life to service, community, and family. | ||
| He was a devoted husband to Josephine for 51 years, a proud father, and a cherished friend to many. | ||
| John's commitment to his community was evident through his active participation in local organizations and his unwavering support and initiatives that aim to improve the lives of those around him. | ||
| He was the chairman of the Monroe County Municipal Waste Management Authority and an active leader with the Boy Scouts Troop 83 East Stroudsburg. | ||
| He truly lived the American dream. | ||
| I had the pleasure of hosting him here in Washington, D.C. from my swearing-in, as well as Representative Ryan McKenzie and Senator Dave McCormick's. | ||
| His kindness, generosity, and steadfast dedication left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him. | ||
| John's legacy serves as a testament to the profound impact one individual can have through a life devoted to service and compassion. | ||
| As we remember John Farrow, let us celebrate his life by emulating his commitment to community and service. | ||
| May his memory continue to inspire all of us and make a positive difference in the lives around us. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| Gentleman yields back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Illinois seek recognition? | ||
| To address the House for one minute, revise and extend. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stand up for the community of Crystal Lake, Illinois, who, along with over 100 communities nationwide, just had a $5.6 million student mental health program abruptly canceled by the Trump administration. | ||
| This funding, which passed with supports of both Republicans and Democrats under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, was created in response to the Uvalde school shooting to address the growing youth mental health crisis. | ||
| I think we all remember the Republican talking point at the time that we don't have a gun problem. | ||
| We have a mental health problem. | ||
| Well, fine. | ||
| And with this grant, the Crystal Lake District 47 was able to hire trained mental health professionals and give 7,100 students access to mental health care. | ||
| But canceling this grant will disrupt critical mental health care for students that are already receiving support, weaken the district's ability to identify and intervene in early morning signs of distress, trauma, or potential violence. | ||
| It undermines years of progress made in breaking the stigma around mental health. | ||
| And with suicide being the second leading cause of death for children aged 10 to 14, gutting this funding will be life-threatening. | ||
| Our kids' safety and well-being should not be a partisan issue. | ||
| I urge the administration to reverse these harmful cuts. | ||
|
unidentified
|
I yield back. | |
| Gentlemen, time has expired. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Missouri seek recognition? | ||
| I seek unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and to revise and send my reports. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of my constituent, 12-year-old Brody Jacob Holt, a beloved son, a loyal friend, and an admired brother. | ||
| Brody's life was tragically cut short just weeks ago in an accident that has left his family and our community grieving. | ||
| He was full of life, always smiling, telling jokes, and bringing joy to those around him. | ||
| He loved sports, dirt bikes, learning new things, and had even dreamed of becoming president someday. | ||
| But most of all, Brody had a servant's heart. | ||
| Just days before the accident, he told his mom that he wanted to be an organ donor. | ||
| And in his final act of kindness, Brody gave his heart, literally, to save the life of an eight-year-old girl. | ||
| To his parents, you raised an extraordinary young man. | ||
| May his memory be a blessing, and may you find comfort in knowing that Brody is watching over you from above. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman yields back. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from North Carolina seek recognition? | ||
| That's for unanimous consent to address the House for one minute. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the extraordinary resilience of the students and educators of Springfield Middle School in Lacoma, North Carolina. | ||
| At the beginning of the school year, a tornado tore through the community, causing significant damage to the school. | ||
| I recall walking through classrooms, desks all over the place, the roof removed, gone, ripped apart. | ||
| But yet, the American flag continued to stand. | ||
| Early decisions had to be made, and one in particular, whether the students would even be able to stay at the school or be separated to go to other schools, but they insisted to stay together. | ||
| As the school year now comes to an end, I made another visit to the school. | ||
| And the students at Springfield Middle School had an incredible school year. | ||
| They were able to do this only because so many came together to make it happen. | ||
| As Principal Kelly Thomas said, what could have broken us instead brought us closer together. | ||
| To the educators, staff, and greater Lacoma community, your dedication is a shining example of the best of us and who we are as Americans. | ||
| And to the students, oh, those wildcats, you are a true inspiration. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman yields back. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Florida seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to address this body for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the remarkable life of John Thrasher, who climbed so many professional mountains. | ||
| But instead of resting on his laurels, John helped other people climb their mountains. | ||
| And while many called him Speaker, Senator, Chairman, and President, I was fortunate to call him friend. | ||
| From the battlefields of Vietnam, where John was a decorated war hero, to the halls of the Florida State Legislature, where John was elected Speaker of the Florida House and State Senator, John was a born leader. | ||
| So it came to no surprise that in 2014, John became the 15th president of Florida State University. | ||
| Beside him and his many accomplishments was his wife, Jean, the heart of his world. | ||
| Their boundless joy for their children and grandchildren was a true testament to the family they built together. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, we honor John as a mentor, a mentor to me, and a man of purpose and integrity. | ||
| John, your work here is done, but your legacy will endure. | ||
| Godspeed, my friend. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman yields back. | |
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Florida seek recognition? | ||
| To address the chair for one minute and to extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | ||
|
Honoring Amazing Fathers
00:14:53
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|
unidentified
|
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss fatherhood. | |
| We must honor the amazing fathers throughout these buildings and across the nation. | ||
| As a congresswoman, founder of the 5,000 Role Models of Excellence, and chair of the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, I continue to celebrate and uplift fathers. | ||
| I proudly join my colleague, Representative Burgess, in a bipartisan fashion to promote building stronger families through fatherhood. | ||
| Still, too many families are broken due to state and federal policies resulting in mass incarceration. | ||
| We must address the many facets of public policy that hinder black fatherhood. | ||
| And organizations like the Jack Brewer Foundation play such a vital role in assuring fathers and father figures have the tools they need to raise our children. | ||
| So today, we proudly recognize the Jack Brewer Foundation of Florida. | ||
| It's all about prevention, not detention. | ||
| And that starts with all of us. | ||
| And I yield back. | ||
| The gentlewoman's time has expired. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from California seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I have a question of descent to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the career and honor the retirement of a remarkable public servant, Fire Chief Jeff Willis of the Big Bear Fire Department. | ||
| Chief Willis has had a career of over 40 years in providing fire protection services to our community. | ||
| I first met Chief Willis early in my own career in public service when I was the chairman of the Big Bear Lake Fire Protection District, and already Chief Willis was an extraordinary leader. | ||
| I learned so much, not only about fire protection, but about leadership from this man. | ||
| Jeff went on to become not only a leader in our community, but across the state of California, commanding multiple fire incidents across the state. | ||
| We owe Jeff a debt of gratitude for his long public service to our community. | ||
| We celebrate his career, we honor his retirement, and we wish him best luck as he enters this next phase of his career. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman yields back. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Virginia seek recognition? | ||
| Request unanimous consent to address the House of One Minute to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the exceptional leadership of Fredericksburg Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Marcy Catlett. | ||
| Dr. Catlett has been a traitor in implementing forward-thinking strategies to strengthen her students' well-being. | ||
| In the summer of 2024, she launched an initiative to curb her cell phone usage in schools by requiring her students to store their phones for the entire school day. | ||
| As a lawmaker in Congress leading the effort to remove phones from schools from bell to bell nationwide, I'm grateful for Dr. Catlett's commitment to helping our students unplug. | ||
| And as a father of two kids, I know the importance of creating a learning environment that nurtures the academic success and mental health of our young folks. | ||
| Collaborating with educators like Dr. Catlett has been critical to working in our work to build a stronger future for Virginia's next generation of leaders. | ||
| I extend my deepest gratitude to her for advancing these critical initiatives. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman yields back. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from South Carolina seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask the unanimous consent to address the House one minute and revise to extend my remarks. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| The Civil Georgia News of Tbilisi reports the corrupt anti-American Georgian Dream Party released a statement against democracy. | ||
| Quote, every single politician who makes anti-Georgian statements is a member of the Deep State Network, and Joe Wilson is one of the most serious manifestations, end of quote. | ||
| The Georgian Dream Prime Minister has condemned President Trump with untrue charges. | ||
| America stands with the Georgian people and the legitimate President Salome Zorish Fafili, supporting fair elections. | ||
| Americans support for the Megabari Act with a vote of 349 to 42, 90 percent of Congress for the people of Georgia. | ||
| That provides a choice to abandon the dictator Ivan Tretshvili. | ||
| In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. | ||
| Trump is reinstituting existing laws to protect American families with peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump, defaming Trump, with murderous rocket attacks on Ukrainian civilians again today. | ||
| Congratulations to the people of Georgia and all the people of Germany for German Chancellor Murray's success meeting with President Trump this week. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman yields back. | |
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Vermont seek recognition? | ||
| Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, our Defense Secretary should be one of the busiest people on the planet defending our country, leading nearly 3 million courageous Americans in our armed forces. | ||
| It's an awesome responsibility. | ||
| But this week, Pete Hagseck spent his precious time deciding that a naval ship named after a veteran is just too gay for him. | ||
| Harvey Milk was an American hero, a civil rights leader, the first openly gay official in California. | ||
| He served his country in the Navy. | ||
| He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. | ||
| He was someone who stood up for the rights and dignities of all. | ||
| And he was assassinated while serving in public office. | ||
| His memory is worthy of dignity and respect. | ||
| Removing his name from a ship is small and it's petty and is obviously an attempt to erase the history of anyone, anyone. who shows resistance to this administration. | ||
| That is what autocrats and authoritarians do. | ||
| Since Secretary Hegseth took the helm, the Department of Defense has been fraught with national security risks and constant drama. | ||
| I urge him to stop spending his time renaming ships because he wants to pretend that we don't exist. | ||
| He should do his damn job. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Gentlewoman's time has expired. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Georgia seek recognition? | ||
| I ask unanimous consent to address the House for one minute to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent of mine, Mr. Joel Willis, for his recent retirement after 45 years of serving this community in St. Simons Island, Georgia. | ||
| Mr. Willis epitomizes strong leadership and an unwavering work ethic, earning him this position of CEO of Epworth by the Sea. | ||
| Through nearly 50 years of hard work at Epworth, Mr. Willis transformed what was once a humble motel into a state-of-the-art retreat, tourist designation, and host to Christian conferences. | ||
| Epworth by the Sea undertook an incredible expansion under Mr. Willis' leadership, adding over 135 rooms and 50 employees, fostering the growth of St. Simon's Island. | ||
| Not only has his efforts strengthened the local economy, but Mr. Willis has made it Epworth's mission to continue giving back, as shown through his history of accommodating church-related and non-profit groups. | ||
| Mr. Willis has exemplified the best of hard work and southern hospitality, and it is an honor to recognize him and his service to the community of St. Simons Island. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman yields back. | |
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from California seek recognition? | ||
| Good morning, Mr. Speaker. | ||
|
unidentified
|
I request unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and to advise and extend my remarks. | |
| Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Thank you, sir. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose the administration's cuts to critical gun violence prevention programs. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today in deep solidarity with the innovators of ceasefire and the violence interruptors and the community organizations around this country that spend every day, hour after hour, working on the ground in our communities to stop gun violence. | ||
| I thank you for your work. | ||
| So critical and so needed. | ||
| At a time, at a time when the Trump administration has announced cuts of $500 million to community violence intervention organizations and funding opportunities directly from the Department of Justice. | ||
| Over $1 billion of those dollars in gun violence prevention funding from schools, from the Department of Education. | ||
| Make it make sense. | ||
| Now, organizations like Youth Alive in Oakland, California will not have the funding that they need that is so critical in this moment to do the work of violence interruption on our streets in conjunction with law enforcement and community members who have lost loved ones to violence. | ||
| June is Gun Violence Prevention Month, Mr. Speaker, and we cannot stop this work in decreasing gun violence on our streets and in our communities. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Gentlemen, his time has expired. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from North Carolina seek recognition? | ||
| I ask unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Colonel Len Lytton, a decorated combat pilot, national security expert, and proud son of North Carolina who has spent his entire life in service to our nation. | ||
| Born in Banner Elk and raised in Shelby, Len joined the Air Force out of the Citadel. | ||
| Over a 25-year career, he flew the A-10 and B-2s, trained the next generation of pilots, and led some of the most complex and high-stakes missions in our arsenal. | ||
| At every level, he brought discipline, precision, and an unshakable sense of duty. | ||
| When his time in uniform ended, his service didn't. | ||
| In the White House, the Pentagon, and across the Department of Defense, Colonel Lytton became the go-to leader for problems that demanded results. | ||
| Most recently, he led the effort to eliminate DEI mandates from the Pentagon's personnel system, refocusing it on what matters: merit, unity, and mission readiness. | ||
| Colonel Lytton never sought credit. | ||
| He just did the job quietly, effectively, and always in the best interests of our country. | ||
| I thank him for a lifetime of selfless service, and I wish him fair winds and Godspeed. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from California seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the nine black worshippers murdered at Mother Emmanuel Amy Church in Charleston, South Carolina. | ||
| June 17 marks the 10th year anniversary of that horrific act by a white supremacist. | ||
| Representative Wendell Gilliard has introduced a hate crime bill. | ||
| It still hasn't been passed. | ||
| We must pass it. | ||
| Today isn't just about remembering Emmanuel 9. | ||
| It's also about confronting the attacks on black history. | ||
| President Trump called African American History Museum oppressive and gave Vice President Vance the power to erase black history. | ||
| 44 states now are debating laws to limit the teaching of black history. | ||
| One Pennsylvania district even banned children's books about Rosa Parks and Dr. King. | ||
| As we honor Emmanuel 9, we must stand up for teaching honest black history. | ||
| I think of my friend Representative J.A. Moore, who lost his sister, Myra Thompson, today. | ||
| His call is not just to remove the symbols of hate, but to dismantle the systems of hate that Dr. King talked about. | ||
| Let the Emmanuel 9 inspire us today to teach honestly about black history and confront the systems of hate. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Gentlemen's time has expired. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from California seek recognition? | ||
| I seek unanimous consent to address the House for one minute or vice versa. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | |
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| 81 years ago today, American troops, along with British, Pray, and many others, stormed the beaches of Normandy. | ||
| They faced intense gunfire, landmines, and a real chance they wouldn't make it home. | ||
| Actually, over 4,000 didn't, as witnessed by the beautiful cemetery that oversees those beaches in France. | ||
| Of course, it took grit, sacrifice, a deep belief, and an incredible assemblage of material and the ability to keep it secret. | ||
| When all that machinery, when all that material was assembled just above the white cliffs of Dover in England. | ||
| If any of you ever watched the movie called Saving Private Ryan, there's actual soldiers that were there at the time that say that's one of the most accurate descriptions, depictions you would ever see of how nasty and how bad that was. | ||
| Can you imagine that front door of that landing craft opening and the hail of gunfire was put upon those guys? | ||
| Yet they went anyway because they're required to, because it's a duty, because they had to turn back one of the greatest threats that the world had ever seen and what Nazi Germany had been foisting upon for five years up to that point. | ||
| We owe them so much. | ||
| And as Captain Miller said towards the end of that movie to Private Ryan himself, earn this. | ||
|
I Still Rise
00:02:58
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| We all, as citizens, will remember on Memorial Day, remember this day and be good citizens and uphold what the founders gave us this country. | ||
| We earn this. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman's time has expired. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Wisconsin seek recognition? | ||
| I'd like to ask, make unanimous request, to speak for one minute. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | |
| I stand today to defend President Trump in one of his initial requests for next year's budget. | ||
| One of the goals of the Biden administration, of course, could destroy the country by having unfettered immigration, but also to divide America by groups. | ||
| And part of that was when he passed one of his big bills, he put in there an American Hispanic Museum. | ||
| This is consistent with the Democrat policy of trying to divide America. | ||
| Our motto put in place in 1782 was e pluribus unum, out of many one. | ||
| The Democrats are trying to teach people that they should always walk around hanging on to where their ancestors came from. | ||
| President Trump is right not to fund a National Hispanic Museum. | ||
| The wonderful accomplishments of the Hispanic Americans can be placed in other museums, including the Museum of American History, without having every ethnic group have their own separate museum. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you. | |
| Gentlemen's time has expired. | ||
| The chair lays before the House the following enrolled bill: Senate 160, an act to amend the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 to reauthorize the sale by the Department of Defense of aircraft and parts for wildfire suppression purposes and for the purposes. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3rd, 2025, the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Green, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. | |
| And still I rise, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| And still I rise. | ||
| Proud to be an American, proud of what this country stands for, but I also rise as a person who is censured. | ||
|
Congress As Last Resort
00:15:25
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| I have been censured, but I have not been silenced. | ||
| So I rise as an unbought, unbossed, unafraid, liberated Democrat. | ||
| And as such, I rise to speak on a topic today that I believe to be most important to the American people, most important to posterity, most important to the direction of the country, most important to who we are. | ||
| The topic is about Congress and why Congress is the court of last resort for an authoritarian president. | ||
| Why Congress is the court of last resort for an authoritarian president? | ||
| Let me start by saying this that I think is exceedingly important. | ||
| There are many among us who would manage authoritarianism. | ||
| They would want to find a way to work with it, to become a part of it if it benefits them, to make it something that is acceptable to many of the people in the classes and perhaps some of the people in the masses. | ||
| I am not one of the persons who would do this. | ||
| I believe that authoritarianism, Mr. Speaker, must not be managed. | ||
| It must be eliminated. | ||
| This country was founded upon the basic premise that it would be a democratic republic where you elect your representatives to vote for you. | ||
| This is a democracy. | ||
| And as such, in this democratic republic, I choose to stand and fight this movement toward authoritarianism. | ||
| I stand to do so because the greatness of America is not going to be found among a very few who have power concentrated in their hands or in a single person who has power concentrated in his hands. | ||
| That's not where the greatness of America is achieved. | ||
| The greatness of America is achieved by the people having the power and the people making the decisions, by having a Supreme Court that is respected, that is honored, | ||
| by having a judiciary that is respected, by having a Congress that is respected, by avoiding what could become authoritarianism that metamorphoses into something even greater in harm to this country than the authoritarianism we face today. | ||
| So I rise to indicate that Congress is the court of last resort for an authoritarian president. | ||
| And here's why. | ||
| It's the court of last resort because when an authoritarian issues executive orders and expects them to be honored even when the courts disagree, | ||
| when an authoritarian believes that his orders supersede, supplant, if you will, the rule of law, supersede what has become commonplace in terms of understanding the rule of law in this country. | ||
| When an authoritarian will defy federal courts and including the Supreme Court, then We have to conclude that the Supreme Court may not be the court of last resort as it should be for an authoritarian president, | ||
| someone who is assuming power that he should not assume with executive orders that cannot change the Constitution. | ||
| When you have a president who, by executive order, believes that he can remove people from the country without due process, and when this president is told that due process must be accorded people before you can take this extreme action, and when this president is told not only must there be due process, | ||
| but if you believe that the court has made a ruling that is inappropriate, that the court has made a mistake, that you must still honor that court order and appeal, that the appellate courts will then take charge of what you believe to be an incorrect decision by the courts. | ||
| And when you see a president saying to the country that a court that has issued an order that he does not agree with, | ||
| but contends is inappropriate for various and sundry reasons, when you see that president say that the judge that issued that order should be impeached, you're now moving into authoritarianism. | ||
| But when that president then sits with others in his cabinet and they are caught on national TV indicating why they can defy the federal court's orders, | ||
| after having been told that you have to appeal, after having been told that you cannot do what you have done, after having been told that you have to facilitate the return of someone that you have improperly, | ||
| and according to what members of this administration have said, removed from the country by mistake, then you have to bring that person the relief necessary for that person to raise his hand and say, you got the wrong person. | ||
| For that person to say, I want my rights of due process under the law in this country. | ||
| So we have a president who believes that his orders, his executive orders, exceed and supersede the orders of federal courts. | ||
| How do I know? | ||
| Because he has not returned a person to this country that he was told to facilitate the return of such that he could receive due process or just facilitate such that this person could get due process. | ||
| It hasn't happened. | ||
| The lower courts have told him at the federal level. | ||
| The Supreme Court has told him. | ||
| And the evidence now exists that he understands what facilitate means because there was a second person who was removed without due process, removed to another country without due process. | ||
| And that person is being brought back because the judge in a federal court said you have to facilitate the return. | ||
| So they know what facilitate means. | ||
| They are just being defiant. | ||
| They're just ignoring the orders of the federal courts. | ||
| They are flouting the orders of the Supreme Court of the United States of America. | ||
| Make no mistake about it. | ||
| We are now dealing with an authoritarian president that I choose not to manage. | ||
| I choose to eliminate the authoritarianism. | ||
| I don't want us to try to find a way to get along with an authoritarian. | ||
| And if the Supreme Court cannot manage this authoritarian president to the extent that he would cease and desist and obey the court's orders, and if an authoritarian president now has total control of the Republicans who represent this House and the Senate, total control of them, | ||
| so they're not going to be able to do anything because he manages their affairs. | ||
| They have become people who look for a sense of direction. | ||
| He's become their North Star. | ||
| He's become the means by which they conclude that they will go this way or they'll move in that direction. | ||
| So they can't do anything because they have surrendered, surrendered their sovereignty. | ||
| They've surrendered their power to make judicious decisions to an authoritarian president. | ||
| Supreme Court can't stop him. | ||
| Republicans who control the House and Senate won't stop him. | ||
| We have an authoritarian president. | ||
| And when you have an authoritarian president, you do have a court of last resort. | ||
| The Constitution, Article 2, Section 4 of the Constitution makes it explicitly clear that we can impeach. | ||
| And we can impeach for this type of behavior. | ||
| Not in these exact words. | ||
| Use this language that we're all familiar with, high crimes or misdemeanors, treason, bribery. | ||
| But we have an authoritarian president, an authoritarian president who is defying the courts, who does not respect the separation of powers. | ||
| An authoritarian president who would demean and minimize the role of the judiciary in our system of governance. | ||
| With such an authoritarian president, impeachment, impeachment, and this congressional court of last resort is within the power of all 435 members of the House. | ||
| Because the Congressional Court of Last Resort has to have a prosecutor. | ||
| A prosecutor, any one of the 435 can become the prosecutor once you see that impeachable actions are taking place. | ||
| Any one of us can become the prosecutor. | ||
| The prosecutor will have what we will have called the equivalent of a grand jury. | ||
| That will be the rest of the members of the House of Representatives. | ||
| 435 of us. | ||
| Some of us can act as prosecutors. | ||
| Doesn't have to be one, can be more than one, can be many. | ||
| As many as would want to sign a resolution to impeach. | ||
| Impeachment, Congressional Court of Last Resort. | ||
| That's where we are now. | ||
| This is the room where the Congressional Court of Last Resort will be convened. | ||
| And it is convened here to hear a prosecutor, a member of this august body, not known as a prosecutor, but I'm saying it to you such that you can understand this process and see that it is akin to something else that you really do understand. | ||
| So this prosecutor, this person, this member of Congress, will have to stand and read these articles of impeachment. | ||
| And this is done now because, remember, the Supreme Court can't control this authoritarian president. | ||
| And my colleagues on the other side of the aisle won't control this authoritarian president. | ||
| They have the power, but they won't. | ||
| So impeachment in this congressional court of last resort, Congress, is where the court of last resort lies. | ||
| I'm familiar with impeachment. | ||
| I understand the process. | ||
| And I want you to know that it is imminent. | ||
| A vote takes place with this grand jury that I call to your attention, which would be the members of Congress. | ||
| We need but only a majority of the member of Congress to vote in favor of impeachment, and a president can be removed from office. | ||
| An authoritarian president can be removed from office. | ||
| If you don't like authoritarianism and you believe that you have an authoritarian president, then you would vote for the articles of impeachment. | ||
| Now, is there any proof that there are people who don't like authoritarianism and who would vote in theory for impeachment? | ||
| Well, yes. | ||
| Before the election that brought Donald John Trump to the presidency this time, before he was sworn in by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, there were many among us, and I am one of the many, who talked about this topic, prognosticated this very behavior that we're seeing. | ||
| Not the exact behavior, but behavior that would be indicative of a person becoming an authoritarian. | ||
| There were some who said he would be a fascist. | ||
| There were some who said he would be a dictator. | ||
| The point is, there are many people who are members of this House who made this prognostication. | ||
| And what it is absolutely amazing is that many of them, many of them who made these prognostications, who have seen their prognostications become a reality, many of them may not vote to impeach. | ||
|
Vote of Conscience
00:10:32
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| But I'm going to give you what I believe is a rationale. | ||
| I think this is a vote of conscience. | ||
| People have to vote their conscience. | ||
| If your conscience tells you no, then I think you should follow your conscience. | ||
| I cannot in good conscience say the things that I've said about this authoritarian president, see it become a reality, and then take no action. | ||
| I cannot in good conscience. | ||
| But there are people who can, in good conscience, do this. | ||
| And I have no ill feelings toward them. | ||
| I don't count the votes. | ||
| I count what is necessary to be done. | ||
| And it is necessary for us to take action to remove an authoritarian president from office. | ||
| And the only way it can be done is right here in this chamber. | ||
| Someone has to act as a prosecutor and bring the articles of impeachment to the attention of this august body, at which time there will be a vote on these articles. | ||
| And as some people will vote to table, there's always going to be a vote to table. | ||
| Now, my colleagues on the other side, some of them have alleged that, though, this is a great thing, this is a great thing, that we're going to have impeachment again. | ||
| This is a great thing. | ||
| Let them bring it on. | ||
| Well, if you truly believe this, then you vote for the articles. | ||
| You vote against tabling because there will be a motion to table. | ||
| So you vote against tabling. | ||
| All of my Republican colleagues who are saying this, you vote against tabling. | ||
| And then see what the other side does. | ||
| Since you are absolutely convinced that this is going to be a benefit to an authoritarian president, it is not going to be a benefit. | ||
| We will take that vote. | ||
| Those who vote to table will be voting against the articles of impeachment. | ||
| Those who vote against tabling will be voting for the articles of impeachment. | ||
| I said to you, I have some experience in dealing with this. | ||
| I am the person who laid the foundation for President Donald John Trump's impeachment when he was impeached the first time around. | ||
| I am using a personal pronoun only to communicate, but the truth is there were other persons who engaged in this process with me. | ||
| I want to tell you about these other persons. | ||
| I have here something that has been removed from the wall of my office. | ||
| It is something that indicates who the persons were that participated favorably, meaning indicating there should be an impeachment when the first articles of impeachment were filed. | ||
| This is on the wall in my office. | ||
| The press assumed that it would be only Al Green. | ||
| They were wrong. | ||
| They may be right this time. | ||
| It may just be only Al Green. | ||
| I will stand alone because when it's a question of conscience, it's better to stand alone than not stand at all. | ||
| So the press thought that it would be probably Al Green and maybe one or two others, which may be the case this time. | ||
| But believe me, it will not deter me. | ||
| But what is interesting is I have this on my wall. | ||
| And by the way, many of the people who are listed here as persons who supported HRES 646, many of the people who supported H.R.E.S. 646, many of them will list it here, they have a similar document in their offices, and they will have it on their coffee tables. | ||
| And when people would come in, because this became such an important issue, they were proud to display this and say, yes, I voted to impeach. | ||
| Yes, I did. | ||
| That was important. | ||
| It's going to become important again. | ||
| Make no mistake about it. | ||
| It will be important again. | ||
| And I'm not going to name all of the persons on this set of this first article of a resolution for impeachment, but I will tell you that there were 58. | ||
| They were known as the first 58. | ||
| And there's one person that I will mention because I'm proud and he was proud to have associated with these articles of impeachment. | ||
| And I remember talking to him right in this area about impeachment. | ||
| I will not divulge the entirety of the conversation, but I'm proud to say this. | ||
| The Honorable John Lewis has his name on these articles of impeachment, the Honorable John Lewis. | ||
| First 58. | ||
| But the first 58 was not sufficient, and I knew that it wouldn't be. | ||
| By the way, whenever I say I, assume that I'm saying we, because there were persons who were engaged in helping me. | ||
| I knew that it would not be enough. | ||
| And I knew that we would have to continue to build on this to generate a mass such that impeachment could no longer be ignored because many of the people who were opposed to impeachment were making it clear that certain things would have to happen before there could be impeachment. | ||
| You'd have to have bipartisan support for impeachment. | ||
| You'd have to have, well, let's just say certain things. | ||
| If I say more, I'll probably say enough such that you'll know who I'm talking about. | ||
| And I don't care to mention names at this time, but if I'm forced to, I will. | ||
| But so we moved forward with a second impeachment. | ||
| This was HRES 705. | ||
| Many members of Congress had something similar to this in their offices. | ||
| It could have been a very large display that would unfold, and it was on coffee tables. | ||
| It was placed in various places in congressional offices. | ||
| I placed this on the wall in my congressional office along with the other article that I just called to your attention. | ||
| And this was HRS 705. | ||
| It did not grow by what some would consider a very large number, but it did move to 66 members of Congress. | ||
| 66 with HRES 705. | ||
| And the reason I know members are in possession of these documents that I've called to your attention that were displayed is because I sent them to the members. | ||
| I sent members a thank you, as we customarily do here. | ||
| And it was something that they could display in the office. | ||
| And I had many members and many people to say that it was a good idea. | ||
| Continuing. | ||
| Knowing that 66 was not enough, we brought articles before the Congress again. | ||
| And this time, the number hit what I call a critical mass. | ||
| It caused people who were antithetical to the idea to embrace the idea. | ||
| And by the way, I never thought that it had to be the exact articles that I presented. | ||
| I never thought it had to be that, but I knew that there had to be impeachment. | ||
| And these articles that I presented had to do very much with invidious discrimination, invidious discrimination, something I'll say more about later. | ||
| So this time, we had 95 people, 95 people, who supported the articles. | ||
| HRES 498. | ||
| Now what's important about HRES 498 is this. | ||
| When you add the persons who supported HRES 498 with the persons who supported the other articles, you then move beyond 100 people, well beyond 100 people who are supporting impeachment. | ||
| Some supported one set of articles and some did not, but then they supported another. | ||
| So you have HRES 498 with 95 persons supporting the articles of impeachment. | ||
| Friends, there is but one solution to an authoritarian president that cannot be controlled by the Supreme Court because he flouts the orders of the Supreme Court, that won't be controlled by members of his party because he has control over the party. | ||
| There's but one solution, and there's but one place where that solution can manifest itself, and that is the House of Representatives. | ||
| So Congress has become the court of last resort for an authoritarian president. | ||
| And as such, I pledged to many before today, and I pledge to the nation today that in this month, in this month, there will be a vote on the floor of this House, a vote to advance articles of impeachment this month. | ||
|
Belief In The System
00:07:41
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| It is necessary and it will be done. | ||
| I truly believe in what the country stands for. | ||
| I know that it has not always lived up to the expectations written in the great documents that support what the country stands for. | ||
| I know that it has not always lived up to these expectations. | ||
| But I also know this. | ||
| It's a country where I can, with due process, with free speech, with freedom of religion. | ||
| It's a country where I can vote. | ||
| And it's a country where I can fight to make the difference so that it can live up to these great ideals expressed in these great documents, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution. | ||
| And I'm going to fight to maintain the right to fight. | ||
| That's what this is all about. | ||
| Not fighting in the sense that I'm going to go out and harm someone. | ||
| Not fighting in this sense that I'm going to use some means of using physicality. | ||
| No, that's not what I'm talking about. | ||
| I'm going to fight with peaceful protest. | ||
| I believe in peaceful protest. | ||
| I do not in any way condone persons who go out and harm other people. | ||
| And I have said as much. | ||
| And yes, I get all of the backlash that others get when they say as much, but I absolutely will continue to say peaceful protest is the way to make change that can make the difference. | ||
| So I can do it through peaceful protest, and I'm going to do it. | ||
| That's the kind of fighting that I'm talking about, peaceful protesting. | ||
| But I can also do it with litigation. | ||
| So we have protestation, litigation. | ||
| I've signed on to many briefs, and I will continue to do so. | ||
| Protestation, litigation. | ||
| But we also have something else. | ||
| We have legislation. | ||
| That's what articles of impeachment are. | ||
| Legislation, protestation, absolutely. | ||
| I will never give up my right to protest. | ||
| I'm going to fight to maintain that right to protest. | ||
| Protestation, litigation. | ||
| I believe in the court system. | ||
| And then, of course, this whole notion of legislation. | ||
| These are the means by which we can make the difference. | ||
| I assure my friends, my colleagues, persons, this is official notice. | ||
| There will be a vote on articles to impeach Donald John Trump, who is now President of the United States. | ||
| I do it because conscience dictates that this be done, and it has become a moral imperative that we have to proceed with. | ||
| Now, I close with this. | ||
| This is something that came to my attention just recently. | ||
| There are people who believe, I think, that I will be intimidated. | ||
| They believe that I will be intimidated. | ||
| Now, these are people other than those who've already made their many threats that have not intimidated me. | ||
| But there's a new movement afoot. | ||
| There's a movement afoot now to do what cannot be done as they see it fast enough through the electoral process, meaning my removal from office. | ||
| They don't think that the electoral process works effectively, if you will, for them. | ||
| I was saying efficaciously, but let's just say effectively, for them. | ||
| And the governor of my state, while I am in trial, I am in trial currently defending the 9th congressional district. | ||
| I've been in trial for many years, so this is nothing unusual to defend this district, to keep this district. | ||
| It has been difficult. | ||
| Lots of money has been spent just fighting to maintain the 9th congressional district. | ||
| But the governor of my state has now decided that it is appropriate, according to the sources that have called it to my attention, and many have, many persons in the legislative body in the state of Texas have called this to my attention, has established what's called a redistricting commission or committee. | ||
| And with this redistricting commission or committee, the governor is going to try, as I'm being told, to draw the lines for these congressional districts so that it will be either difficult or impossible for me to get re-elected. | ||
| So here is my message to those who would stoop to this level of political shenanigans, as I see it. | ||
| Here's my message to you. | ||
| The people who elected me are more important than my being re-elected. | ||
| I'm going to stand up for the people who elected me. | ||
| My re-election is not the issue. | ||
| You can take me out. | ||
| There'll be another Al Green. | ||
| There always is always going to be one more. | ||
| The world seems to be put together such that there's always someone who will stand up. | ||
| So you can take me out, but you're not going to intimidate me. | ||
| And I'm saying this to the governor of the state of Texas. | ||
| Do what you may. | ||
| Redraw the lines such that I can never get re-elected. | ||
| But I guarantee you this, as long as I may be censured, but I won't be silenced. | ||
| I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman yields back. | |
| Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3rd, 2025, the gentleman from California, Mr. Kiley, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, this last week, a local newspaper published a letter to the editor claiming that by fighting against Governor Newsom's policies, I was not serving my constituents. | ||
| I very strongly disagree with that statement. | ||
| The fact is that we have a governor whose policies have turned the greatest state in the country into the most popular state to leave. | ||
| We have a governor who believes that because he has a supermajority in the legislature, he can run roughshod over the rights of Californians and continue to cause the quality of life in our state to decline. | ||
| But here in Congress, we have tools to fight back. | ||
|
Ending the Sanctuary State
00:15:21
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| And I set out at the beginning of this year to use whatever tools are available to fight back against Governor Newsom's most harmful policies. | ||
| And I believe that is precisely how I can best serve not only my constituents, but all Californians, and indeed all Americans, because the governor has himself said that his failed policies are, quote, a model for the nation. | ||
| So I wanted to go through the 10 areas, the 10 radical failed policies of Governor Newsom that have prevailed in California that we set out to reverse, to fight to overturn or to at least where we can mitigate the harm. | ||
| And I want to give a progress report on where we are with respect to each of those 10 items. | ||
| Very quickly, the 10 are, number one, crazy EV mandates. | ||
| Number two, free Medicaid for illegal immigrants. | ||
| Number three, out-of-control homelessness. | ||
| Number four, reckless crime policies. | ||
| Number five, the high-speed rail disaster. | ||
| Number six, the sanctuary state disgrace. | ||
| Number seven, failing public schools. | ||
| Number eight, man-made water shortages. | ||
| Number nine, catastrophic wildfires. | ||
| And number ten, chaotic elections. | ||
| The good news is we have made significant progress when it comes to each of those 10 items. | ||
| When it comes to EV mandates, just about a week and a half ago, the Senate followed in the House's footsteps and passed my resolution to overturn Gavin Newsom's ban on gas-powered vehicles. | ||
| Any day now, President Trump will sign my resolution into law, and Gavin Newsom's unworkable gas car ban, where he wanted to dictate what millions of Californians drive, will be reversed, and Californians will be able to drive the car of their choice. | ||
| Not only that, we are reversing Newsom's EV mandate when it comes to trucks, and we have already seen the reversal of his mandates when it comes to trains, when it comes to buses, when it comes to lawnmowers, when it comes to leaf blowers. | ||
| Number two, on free Medi-Cal for illegal immigrants, a policy that no other state in the country has, a policy that has literally driven our Medicaid system to the point of insolvency. | ||
| I introduced the No Medicaid for Illegal Immigrants Act. | ||
| We have been applying pressure in every way we can, and finally, Gavin Newsom has bowed to that pressure. | ||
| He has announced that he is sunsetting his own policy, ending it at the conclusion of this year. | ||
| Now, of course, he still has not gone far enough because he wants to keep it going for those who have already enrolled. | ||
| But this is a significant victory in forcing the governor's hand. | ||
| When it comes to homelessness, where California has by far the worst homelessness in the country, where the population of homeless has skyrocketed, skyrocketed during Newsom's tenure as governor, where he spent $24 billion and a state audit determined that he lost track of the money as homelessness again continued to go up. | ||
| And what's worse is we had this decision from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that said that local communities weren't able to do anything about homelessness. | ||
| The decision said you're not allowed to regulate camping. | ||
| You're not allowed to regulate homeless encampments in public spaces, even in front of schools or in parks. | ||
| Well, last year we had a significant victory before the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn that lower court decision. | ||
| And here's the thing. | ||
| Newsom wanted to keep the Ninth Circuit decision in place, whereas I advocated in an amicus brief that we reverse that decision and we restore the power of local communities to regulate homelessness in a common sense way. | ||
| Because of that victory before the Supreme Court, you are now seeing across California order returning to our public spaces. | ||
| Even far left, very heavily Democratic jurisdictions like Fremont, like San Francisco, have acted on this newly new ability provided by the Supreme Court decision that I advocated for to clean up their streets, and we're starting to actually see the situation improve. | ||
| Number four, when it comes to crime, we had an enormous victory last November when it came to Prop 36, an initiative that I helped to lead and qualify for the ballot that has made crime illegal again in California by restoring some basic consequences for theft and open drug use and dealing fentanyl. | ||
| Now, of course, Gavin Newsom and the supermajority in California fought against Prop 36 each and every step of the way. | ||
| They even concocted corrupt schemes to take it off the ballot and deny Californians the opportunity to vote. | ||
| But each and every one of their schemes failed. | ||
| And despite Governor Newsom leading the opposition to this initiative to make crime illegal again in California, it passed overwhelmingly. | ||
| It passed with a higher percentage than any initiative on the ballot. | ||
| It passed in each and every one of California's 58 counties, even Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris's San Francisco. | ||
| And as a result, you are seeing law enforcement throughout California that now has a new ability to restore order, to arrest people who commit crimes, and we are starting to see real improvements across the state that we have not seen in a very long time. | ||
| Number five, when it comes to high-speed rail, the biggest public infrastructure failure in United States history, which Gavin Newsom has continued to pour billions and billions of dollars into. | ||
| At the beginning of this year, I introduced legislation to say that it shall receive no more federal funding. | ||
| I then joined Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy at Union Station in Los Angeles to announce an investigation, an audit, a compliance review by the federal Department of Transportation into California high-speed rail, into the billions it has received in federal funding. | ||
| And just this week, we got the results of that audit, finding that California is woefully out of compliance and that there is no viable path forward for the project. | ||
| I believe that with this federal money now stopped, this is the beginning of the end of the high-speed rail disaster in California. | ||
| Number six, when it comes to the sanctuary state, we have taken a number of measures. | ||
| I introduced a bill, the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act. | ||
| I also introduced the Freedom to Cooperate Act to allow local authorities to cooperate with federal enforcement. | ||
| We've also seen a number of executive orders making it very clear that sanctuary jurisdictions are unacceptable and are in defiance of federal law. | ||
| And in California, U.S. Attorney Bill Asali has found a way to circumvent effectively the sanctuary state using the powers of federal law enforcement. | ||
| So we have come a long way towards ending the disgrace of the sanctuary state in California. | ||
| When it comes to California's failing public schools, which are just about the worst in the entire country, we have the lowest literacy rate of any state in the country. | ||
| We continue to see attacks on high-performing schools from Governor Newsom and his enablers in the legislature. | ||
| We also have some good news on this front. | ||
| I'm chair of the subcommittee, the House Subcommittee on K-12 Education, and we have been fighting to give Americans school choice. | ||
| And in this reconciliation bill, H.R. 1, there is a provision that would ignite a school choice revolution across America by providing tax credits that can then be used to allow students to attend school of their choice. | ||
| We believe this could enable meaningful school choice for 2 million students across the country. | ||
| And I'm also continuing to advocate for the High Quality Charter School Act, a bill I've introduced that would enable a similar measure of school choice for students in the public school system through charter schools, potentially tripling the number of students at charter schools across America. | ||
| Number eight, when it comes to the absurdity of California's man-made water crisis, where, for example, when we had heavy storms in California that caused 20,000 cubic feet of water to be cascading at a Folsom Dam per second, you at the same time had a drought emergency still in effect because we don't have adequate water storage to capture the water when it comes. | ||
| We don't have the ability to level out these cycles of wetness and dryness that are utterly predictable in California. | ||
| And on top of that, we have crazy policies that divert water to the ocean for the most absurd of reasons. | ||
| What is we're starting to see some of of this diversion of water come to an end and we have secured federal funding for the most significant water project in California in decades, Sites Reservoir, which is now well on its way to substantially expanding water storage in California and we are also taking steps to raise the level of Shasta Dam to provide additional water storage there as well. | ||
| Number nine, when it comes to the catastrophic wildfires, which have afflicted my district in searing and tragic ways and which the whole world saw on tragic display in Los Angeles at the beginning of this year, we know that California's failures to adequately manage its forests has precipitated many of these catastrophic fires, in addition to several other policy failures. | ||
| Well, the good news is we are restoring common sense when it comes to forest management. | ||
| We just passed on a bipartisan basis a couple months ago the Fix Our Forests Act, which will streamline the sort of environmental regulations that stop us from appropriately managing our forests. | ||
| It passed the House with bipartisan support, and I expect to see it pass the United States Senate very soon. | ||
| And finally, when it comes to California's election system, which is much more chaotic than any other state in the country, where we take a month just to count votes so the entire country is waiting for California to finish a process that takes everyone else a matter of hours or a matter of a few days. | ||
| We have passed in the House of Representatives the SAVE Act, which advances a common sense proposition that you should provide proof of citizenship in order to register to vote. | ||
| A recent survey showed that 72% of California's Democrats, Republicans, and Independents support this common sense policy. | ||
| In addition, I've introduced the Election Results Accountability Act saying that California has to count its votes in a timely manner. | ||
| And finally, I do believe that Californians will have a chance in the next election to vote on a proposition to establish voter ID in California elections. | ||
| So on each of these fronts, we have made significant progress and it is improving the quality of life for Californians. | ||
| And once again, this is a concern for all Americans because by making California sane again, we will help to bring about and continue this golden age in this country and chart a future that truly lives up to the founding ideals of our country. | ||
| California has always been at the leading edge of the American dream, and when California thrives, the rest of the country does as well. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to respond to the statement put out by California's high-speed rail authority in response to the audit from the Department of Transportation that came out yesterday. | ||
| Now this audit began a few months ago. | ||
| I joined Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy in Los Angeles to announce the investigation into California's 17-year-long failure to build anything despite receiving massive funding at the state and federal level. | ||
| The audit specifically looked at what happened to the $4 billion in federal funds that were provided through recent grants. | ||
| And the result of the audit showed that the state is woefully out of compliance, that it has built nothing, and there is no viable path forward for the project, and therefore those grants can now be terminated. | ||
| Now, the high-speed rail authority came out with this statement, which frankly defies belief. | ||
| It said the authority strongly disagrees with the Federal Rail Administration's conclusions, which are misguided and do not reflect the substantial progress made to deliver high-speed rail in California. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I almost cannot believe those words. | ||
| The substantial progress to deliver high-speed rail in California. | ||
| What progress has been made, let alone substantial progress? | ||
| There literally has not been any track laid in 17 years. | ||
| There has not been one passenger in 17 years. | ||
| There have been five CEOs of the Rail Authority, by the way. | ||
| So the CEOs of the Rail Authority outnumber the passengers five to zero. | ||
| $17 billion has been spent already, and literally nothing has been built. | ||
| By the way, the initial projection was this thing's going to be done in 2020. | ||
|
2045 Palmdale to Gilroy Segment
00:06:45
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| That's what we were told when it was proposed in 2008. | ||
| By the year 2020, you will have a high-speed rail system. | ||
| You could hop on it in Los Angeles. | ||
| It'll take you swiftly to San Francisco. | ||
| Wouldn't that be nice? | ||
| Well, we're now in the year 2025, and nothing has been built. | ||
| We're five years past the deadline for the whole thing to be done. | ||
| Nothing has been built. | ||
| And the Rail Authority has the audacity to claim that substantial progress has been made. | ||
| By the way, we were also told that by the year 2030, we would have 100 million riders per year. | ||
| 100 million. | ||
| We now know for a fact that the number of riders per year by the year 23 will be 100 million less than forecast. | ||
| There will be zero riders still by the year 2030. | ||
| But no, no, substantial progress has been made, we're told. | ||
| How do we know there will be no riders by the year 2030? | ||
| Well, the Rail Authority has said so itself. | ||
| It has continued to scale back its initial leg of the system, but has continued to push back the completion date for that initial segment. | ||
| So the initial segment of the system from Bakersfield to Merced, which for those who are not from California are not exactly population centers, this would span 119 miles. | ||
| They have set a deadline to complete that by 2033, but they are now saying that even that deadline will not be met. | ||
| 2033, we will not have even the initial segment of 119 miles from Bakersfield to Merced, when we were initially promised that by 2022 or by 2020, we'd have the whole thing from LA to San Francisco and that by 2030 we'd have 100 million riders. | ||
| The CEO of the Rail Authority came out recently and said he has a new, very ambitious plan. | ||
| That by the year 2045, 20 years from now, not only will we have this Bakersfield to Merced segment done, but we'll also have Gilroy to Palmdale. | ||
| Okay, where are these places? | ||
| For those who don't know California geography, well, neither is especially close to San Francisco or Los Angeles. | ||
| Let's give them the benefit of the doubt. | ||
| Let's assume this actually happens, that by 2045, we have Palmdale to Gilroy. | ||
| There's no reason to believe that'll be true since every single other deadline has been missed and has been pushed back. | ||
| But let's give them the benefit of the doubt. | ||
| They work hard for 20 years, they continue to spend tens of billions of dollars, and they build Palmdale to Gilroy by 2045. | ||
| How exactly would you utilize this system if you wanted to go from LA to San Francisco? | ||
| Well, here's what you'd have to do: you'd have to get on one rail system that would take you about two hours to get from LA to Palmdale. | ||
| You'd then have to get off and hop on to the high-speed train. | ||
| Probably have to wait for it. | ||
| That would take about two hours to get you to Gilroy. | ||
| At Gilroy, you'd have to get off, wait for another train, a non-high-speed one, that would then take you from Gilroy into San Francisco. | ||
| Overall, the trip at a minimum would take you six hours, would span three different transit systems, and you wouldn't be able to do this until 2045 at a minimum. | ||
| Whereas right now, today, for decades, you could take a flight on a Southwest or several other airlines from LA to San Francisco in about an hour. | ||
| But no, we're told that this vision, this new plan, amounts to substantial progress, such that the results of the audit are, let's see, what were the words here? | ||
| Misguided. | ||
| Do not reflect the substantial progress that has been made. | ||
| And by the way, the governor has a gentleman who's been hired specifically to go around on X attacking people like me who criticizes anything that the governor's for. | ||
| And Newsom is completely for spending billions and billions on high-speed rail. | ||
| In fact, he just doubled the amount that will be spent this year through the Cap and Trade Fund. | ||
| And this gentleman responded to my criticism of high seas rail by saying, oh, no, no, no. | ||
| We're creating all these jobs. | ||
| That's what this is about. | ||
| And I'm all for creating jobs. | ||
| In fact, it'd be great if we had more jobs in California. | ||
| California, as it is, under Governor Newsom, has the second highest unemployment in the country. | ||
| A recent jobs report showed literally zero job growth in California. | ||
| So I'd love to be creating more jobs. | ||
| But we could create jobs by hiring people to dig a hole and then hiring more people to come and fill the dirt back in, which isn't that far from what's actually happening with high-speed rail. | ||
| It's better to create jobs doing something that actually creates value, that improves the quality of life of Californians, that stimulates economic activity. | ||
| Then you actually get more jobs because there are jobs associated with the economic activity that results from having something useful when it comes to transportation. | ||
| So I do believe that this compliance review is the beginning of the end for high-speed rail in California. | ||
| I am now calling on the House to pass my bill, which provides that not only will federal funds continue to be unavailable during this administration, but that the project will be ineligible for any further federal funding going forward. | ||
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Grading Equity Initiative
00:10:20
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| Once we eliminate the possibility of future federal funding, the state will have no choice but to acknowledge reality and finally, finally wind down this embarrassing, disastrous project, the worst public infrastructure failure in U.S. history, and use those funds where they are truly needed, on our roads, on our other transportation infrastructure, or frankly, on literally anything else. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, last week, San Francisco announced a new grading for equity initiative. | ||
| Now, as the chair of the K-12 Education Subcommittee here, this caught my eye. | ||
| It truly is beyond belief what they were proposing. | ||
| This Grading for Equity initiative in San Francisco was in a sense a brilliant solution to San Francisco's problem of having so many failing schools. | ||
| It simply fiated that students would not be failed. | ||
| So anyone who got an F would just magically be given a C. | ||
| And even if you got a B minus all the way down to 81%, that would actually be considered an A under this grading for equity initiative. | ||
| Oh, and by the way, there would be no grading on anything, not homework, not attendance, midterms, anything like that. | ||
| You just wouldn't be given grades at all. | ||
| The only thing that would actually matter for grades is a final exam. | ||
| But even that, you would get to keep retaking it until you got the grade that you wanted. | ||
| So last week, I raised some concerns about this new initiative. | ||
| And just for some context, it should be understood that San Francisco has had among the very worst student achievement gaps in the state and anywhere across the country. | ||
| During COVID, they were just about the last place in the country to reopen their schools. | ||
| You had students attending class every day, no problem, throughout the country, even in other parts of California. | ||
| And yet, this corrupt school district refused to open its schools. | ||
| Instead, what it spent its time on was creating a commission to rename schools. | ||
| And they came up with such interesting recommendations as removing the name of Abraham Lincoln from an elementary school. | ||
| Lincoln was not woke enough for this commission. | ||
| They even went so far as to suggest removing the name of Dianne Feinstein from a school. | ||
| All the while, these schools were closed and students were continuing to fall behind. | ||
| So sadly, it didn't surprise me to see San Francisco come out with this absolutely preposterous grading for equity initiative. | ||
| The good news is that after we focused attention on this and folks spoke out against it, the district has now reversed course and has said we are not going to implement this in the coming school year as planned. | ||
| That's good news for all Californians because the crazy ideas that often start in San Francisco then often spread throughout the rest of the state and can even spread to the rest of the country. | ||
| So I am hopeful that this will be a wake-up call, that the way to solve the problem of failing public schools is not simply to lower expectations and to arbitrarily raise grades and to make it so failure just simply isn't within the grading system. | ||
| It is rather to raise expectations and to follow the forms of accountability and flexibility and other education reforms that have elevated student achievement in much more forward-looking jurisdictions across the country. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, yesterday in my home state of California, the State Assembly passed one of the most despicable education bills that we've seen in a long time. | ||
| Assembly Bill 84 is the latest all-out attack on charter school families and students in California. | ||
| It is part of what has been a war against charters since Governor Gavin Newsom came into office. | ||
| And indeed, we are seeing that reach a truly concerning level right now, even before this bill. | ||
| Across California, we are seeing new legislation passed by the supermajority and signed by Newsom used to devastating effect to target high-performing charter schools and to shut them down or to stop new charters from starting up, | ||
| forcing families to return to neighborhood schools that they had chosen not to attend and that in many cases are failing to teach students the basics. | ||
| We have many examples now of high-performing charters in the state being non-renewed. | ||
| But this bill, AB 84, makes things even worse. | ||
| It specifically targets independent study and homeschool-based charters, which are very important for many families throughout California, which are very important, for example, for students with special needs. | ||
| It seeks to defund these schools and force them to shut down and take this option away from those families and force them to go back into a system that wasn't working for them. | ||
| It seeks to further trap students in failing schools and to assure that California remains as having among the worst education outcomes in the country, especially for students in underserved communities. | ||
| The bill is so bad, so disgraceful, that almost 20 Democrats just didn't even vote at all. | ||
| They abstained. | ||
| They knew it was terrible, but they didn't want to go against their party or against the governor or against special interests. | ||
| So they simply abstained from the vote. | ||
| This is a measure that absolutely cannot be allowed to pass. | ||
| It still needs to go through the California State Senate, and I would encourage folks throughout the state to get in touch with your senator about it. | ||
| But the fact that we have this continued assault on students and families and their schools, this continued attempt to continue educational inequities in our state, to continue our state and country's decline when it comes to education, this makes it all the more imperative that we do everything that we can here to provide choice to families and to advance educational excellence. | ||
| While California is the worst of the worst when it comes to how our school system is run and the policies that this governor has imposed, across the country we have seen continued decline when it comes to student achievement. | ||
| Spending has continued to go up, student achievement has continued to go down. | ||
| We are falling behind other countries and it is putting our country at significant risk for the future. | ||
| Millions of kids in California and throughout the country are not getting the education that they deserve. | ||
| And as chair of the K-12 subcommittee, I am committed to reversing these trends. | ||
| And the good news is, a bill that I'm sponsoring, the Educational Choice for Children Act, the basic concept of that bill of enabling school choice for millions of kids across the country is now included in the Reconciliation Bill, HR1, which I believe is one of the most important facets of this bill. | ||
| I am also strongly advocating for a similar measure, the High Quality Charter School Act, to be passed either as a standalone bill, but perhaps more relevantly, as part of the same reconciliation bill, HR1. | ||
| We believe this measure could triple the number of students attending high-performing charter schools across the country. | ||
| And it would be a great help to California families who are being attacked by their own state government. | ||
| If we could ignite this school choice revolution across the country, what the data shows is that this will help not only those millions of families that choose to enroll in a public charter or a private school, but it will lift all boats. | ||
| It will advance student achievement for kids all across the country. | ||
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Highlighting Dedicated Educators
00:15:53
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| It will reverse this decline that we have continued to see in our education system. | ||
| It'll give families the opportunities that they deserve and are entitled to, and it'll put our country on much stronger footing for generations to come. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Tahoe Yacht Club as they celebrate their 100-year anniversary. | ||
| In 1925, many San Francisco families discovered and became drawn to the beauty of Lake Tahoe. | ||
| A small group of individuals formed the Tahoe Power Boat Club to organize seasonal boat regattas, which quickly became a highlight of the Tahoe Basin. | ||
| In 1938, the organization officially became the Tahoe Yacht Club, the name it proudly holds today. | ||
| Over the following decades, membership grew exponentially to around 600. | ||
| The organization later established the Trans-Tahoe Race, Lake Tahoe's largest sailing event, which soon became internationally acclaimed and attracted people from across the world. | ||
| This July will mark the 62nd annual Trans-Tahoe Regatta. | ||
| The Tahoe Yacht Club has exhibited endurance and resilience over the past century, briefly closing during COVID-19, but overcoming the challenges during that time to reopen to a wave of new members. | ||
| Today, the Tahoe Yacht Club boasts a membership of 450 individuals and maintains a year-round calendar of outdoor activities, environmental cleanup days, and strong community engagement. | ||
| It is an honor to represent exemplary organizations like the Dahoe Yacht Club in Congress. | ||
| The Tahoe Yacht Club contributes to the Tahoe Basin's status as an international destination, and its contributions have had a positive and lasting impact on the region. | ||
| Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to recognize the Tahoe Yacht Club for their 100-year anniversary. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of National Teacher Appreciation Week, I wish to take a moment to highlight a teacher from the Colfax Elementary School District, Dana McCoy, who has dedicated the past four years of her career to educating the young students of her community. | ||
| Mrs. McCoy is an invaluable member of the Colfax Elementary team. | ||
| She started as a para-educator before going back to school to become a teacher. | ||
| Now she has many different roles at Colfax Elementary, serving as their resource specialist program teacher, working on the multi-tiered system of support team, coordinating the Tier 2 check-in checkout program, and acting as the SST coordinator. | ||
| Mrs. McCoy's efforts are critical to ensuring that students' individualized education plans, IEPs, are being met, and she's built an educational environment dedicated to helping all students reach their full potential. | ||
| She also creates schedules for all of the school's paraprofessionals to ensure smooth support across the campus. | ||
| Mrs. McCoy's efforts do not go unnoticed. | ||
| She is an exceptional educator, and she continues to make a strong impact in the educational journey of her students. | ||
| She is known by others for her hard work, determination, strong ability to collaborate with her colleagues and work in a team, and for the brightness and positivity that she brings to the school. | ||
| It is a true honor to represent exemplary teachers like her in Congress, and I commend Mrs. McCoy for her exceptional dedication to education and to promoting student success and academic achievement. | ||
| Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am pleased to recognize Mrs. Dana McCoy for her significant contributions to Colfax Elementary School District and to the young students of the Colfax community. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of National Teacher Appreciation Week, I wish to take a moment to recognize a teacher from the Western Placer Unified School District, Mr. Chris Wardlaw. | ||
| who has dedicated 25 years of his career to educating the students of his community. | ||
| Mr. Wardlaw became passionate about teaching when he had the opportunity to be a teaching assistant in graduate school, where he was studying to become a research biologist. | ||
| In that capacity, university students knew him for going above and beyond, by holding extra weekly office hours, meeting with study groups in the library before midterms, and helping however he could. | ||
| His true passion for teaching that was ignited in that role has continued to this day. | ||
| His current high school students know him similarly as the teacher who is always willing to help no matter the time or place. | ||
| He teaches during lunch, before school, after school, into the evening, and sometimes over the weekend before an upcoming important test, dedicating countless hours towards promoting the success of his students. | ||
| He even extends himself at times to help students that aren't specifically in his class. | ||
| He brings enthusiasm, positivity, and perseverance to the classroom and uses these traits as tools to help inspire students to learn and apply math and science to their day-to-day lives. | ||
| Additionally, Mr. Wardlaw created a summer bridge course after seeing a critical need among students transitioning from middle school to high school with the goal of closing that achievement gap. | ||
| The success of the program is evident as nearly all students in his program are thriving in math for the first time. | ||
| Mr. Wardlaw exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated, compassionate, selfless, and skilled educator. | ||
| He is a source of support for not only his students, but also his colleagues and the school. | ||
| Mr. Wardlaugh is an exceptional educator, and he continues to make a profound impact on the educational journey of his students. | ||
| It is a true honor to represent exemplary teachers like him in Congress, and I commend Mr. Wardlaugh for his dedication to education and to promoting student success and academic achievement. | ||
| Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am pleased to recognize Mr. Chris Wardlaw for his significant contributions to Western Placer Unified School District and to the students of the Lincoln community. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of National Teacher Appreciation Week, I wish to take a moment to highlight a teacher from the Folsom Cordova Unified School District, Dr. Jennifer Sandfort. | ||
| who has dedicated 25 years of her career to educating the students of her community. | ||
| Beginning her career as a fifth grade teacher in 2000, Dr. Sanfort later earned her doctorate with a focus on inclusive education for students with autism. | ||
| Her research has shaped teaching practices both in her classroom and across the district. | ||
| Dr. Sanfort has spent the last 10 years teaching at Empire Oaks Elementary in Folsom, where she's become known for her innovative, inclusive approach and deep commitment to student growth. | ||
| In her teaching style, Dr. Sanfort emphasizes collaboration, relationships, and the transformative power of learning. | ||
| Her tireless devotion to her role has made a meaningful impact in the lives and learning outcomes of her students. | ||
| Not only does she empower her students academically, but she also plays a pivotal role in supporting her colleagues and fellow educators, reflecting her ongoing commitment to public service and civic responsibility. | ||
| Dr. Sanford exemplifies the highest standards of educational excellence and leadership, which led her to be recognized recently by the Folsom Cordova Unified School District as the 2024-25 Teacher of the Year. | ||
| I am proud to represent outstanding educators like Dr. Sanford in Congress, and I commend her for her more than two decades of dedication to education and to promoting student success and academic achievement. | ||
| Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am pleased to recognize Dr. Jennifer Sanford for her significant contributions to the Folsom Cordova School District and to the students of the Folsom community. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, I wish to take a moment to highlight a teacher from the Eastern Sierra Unified School District, Sarah Grimke, Taylor, who has dedicated 29 years of her career to educating the students of our community. | ||
| Ms. Taylor graduated from Amherst College in 1991, earned her teaching credential from UC Berkeley, and earned her master's degree in English from UC Irvine. | ||
| In 1994, she began teaching English and in the last 15 years has taught both English and drama at Lee Vining High School. | ||
| Due to the high standards of her performance, she has received a number of awards recognizing her exceptional teaching abilities, including the Outstanding Teachers of America Award from the Carlston Family Foundation, the Olmsted Prize for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching from Williams College, and most recently, the Teacher of the Year Award from Mono County. | ||
| Ms. Taylor is known for her empathy and attentiveness to the differing needs of her students, as well as for the high expectations she sets and the corresponding support she provides to empower her students to reach their full potential. | ||
| She is regarded as a bedrock of the school and is one that students can turn to for college and career advice, academic assistance, or just to be a listening ear. | ||
| Not only is she an invaluable role model to our students, but she also is a leader among her colleagues and was instrumental in creating a program that mentors early career teachers, helping them hone their craft and build a positive learning environment in their classrooms. | ||
| I am proud to represent educators like Ms. Taylor in Congress, and I commend her for her exceptional dedication to education and to promoting student success. | ||
| Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am pleased to recognize Ms. Sarah Grimke-Taylor for her significant contributions to the Eastern Sierra Unified School District and to the students of the Eastern Sierra community. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, as part of the California Congressional District 3 Police Honor Roll, in honor of National Police Week 2025, I wish to recognize Deputy Jeff Billodew of the Placer County Sheriff's Office for his unwavering commitment to serving and protecting the Placer County community. | ||
| Deputy Billy Due serves as the Loomis Traffic Deputy and is known for going above and beyond the normal call of duty to serve his community. | ||
| He reads books to his children at the local library, partners with, he reads books to children at the local library, partners with schools to improve traffic flow and safety, provides educational presentations about accident investigations, gives public safety presentations to the town, and so much more. | ||
| Through local partnerships, he has assisted in contributing numerous bicycles and helmets to underprivileged children in order to assure they have safe and reliable transportation options. | ||
| His passion and commitment to mentorship, education, outreach, and public safety make such a positive impact in our community. | ||
| As such, he's received several honors, including the Roseville Elks Lodge Officer of the Year Award and, soon-to-be, induction into the United States Police and Fire Olympics Hall of Fame. | ||
| It is an honor to represent such exemplary law enforcement officers in Congress. | ||
| And on behalf of California's 3rd Congressional District and the United States House of Representatives, I'd like to thank and honor Deputy Jeff Billidieu for serving and protecting the region as a dedicated public servant. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, as part of the California Congressional District 3 Police Honor Roll and in honor of National Police Week, I wish to recognize Deputy Chad Blair of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office for his unwavering commitment to serving and protecting the communities of Sacramento County. | ||
| California. | ||
| Deputy Blair began his career in 2019 working in the Investigation Service Unit where he collaborated with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to gather intelligence from inmates, analyze trends in violence and narcotics distribution, and monitor gang activity. | ||
| Deputy Blair enhanced his training by becoming a jail training officer and the team leader for the custody emergency response team. | ||
| Subsequent to his service in corrections, he was assigned to patrol, where he utilizes technologies and community engagement to help prevent crime and build bridges between the community and law enforcement. | ||
| Because of his dedication to community engagement, he was selected for the problem-oriented policing team. | ||
| And in addition to his regular duties, Deputy Blair is also a member of the Sheriff's Critical Incident Negotiations Team, in which he assists with hostage and barricade situations through the use of negotiation and crisis management skills. | ||
| Within these roles, Deputy Blair has continually demonstrated professionalism and commitment to service and community. | ||
| Deputy Blair is known by others for his expertise and highly trained skill set, as well as for his dedication to enhancing trust between law enforcement and community members to prevent crime and promote public safety. | ||
| He stands out as a daily example of excellence in law enforcement and is a model to those around him. | ||
| It is an honor to represent exemplary individuals like Deputy Chad Blair. | ||
| And on behalf of California's 3rd Congressional District and the United States House of Representatives, I'd like to thank and honor Deputy Blair for serving and protecting the region as a dedicated public servant. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, as part of the California Congressional District 3 Police Honor Roll, and in honor of National Police Week 2025, I wish to recognize Lieutenant Jason Doolittle for his unwavering commitment to serving and protecting Placer County. | ||
| Lieutenant Doolittle joined the Placer County Sheriff's Office in 2002 after he graduated from the Police Academy. | ||
| He started his career in law enforcement as a reserve deputy and later an extra help deputy, which allowed him to obtain experience in both patrol and corrections. | ||
| In 2003, Lieutenant Doolittle was brought on as a full-time deputy sheriff and worked in the jail. | ||
| In 2005, Lieutenant Doolittle was transferred to patrol. | ||
| He was responsible for the IAD corridor all the way from Bell Road in Auburn to Donner Summit. | ||
| During this time, Lieutenant Doolittle developed strong self-reliance and proficiency, and his work did not go unnoticed. | ||
| He received the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Award in both 2006 and 2008 for the most DUI arrests in the department and was awarded the Sheriff's Pin by then Under Sheriff Darcy. | ||
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Officer Schneider's Commitment
00:12:25
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| While on patrol, Lieutenant Doolittle became a field training officer, which gave him the responsibility of training new deputies in law, policy, tactics, and procedures. | ||
| In 2009, he joined the special enforcement team, which is the equivalent of a SWAT team, and was selected as the element leader for the Chemical Agents Unit. | ||
| That year, Lieutenant Doolittle was also assigned as a detective to the investigations unit. | ||
| He handled cases involving burglary, theft, fraud, stalking, homicides, sexual assaults, and assaults with deadly weapons. | ||
| Lieutenant Doolittle was very effective, with nearly all of his cases resulting in guilty pleas from the defendants, and he was recognized by the District Attorney's Office for the thoroughness of his work. | ||
| In 2012, he received a promotion to sergeant. | ||
| He went on to take such roles such as a team leader for the critical incident response team at the jail, developing a supervisor training manual for the division and working in patrol. | ||
| He has overseen teams of deputies and supervised numerous high-risk and tactical incidents. | ||
| In 2024, Lieutenant Jason Doolittle was promoted once again, this time to field operations lieutenant, and he currently serves as the commander of the South Placer substation located in the town of Loomis. | ||
| He manages the Youth and Community Services Unit, which oversees public outreach and school resource officers and works closely with local government and business leaders. | ||
| Lieutenant Jason Doolittle's service does not stop there. | ||
| He also serves as an adjunct instructor at Sierra College's modular police academy and teaches courses in firearms, weaponless defense, chemical agents, introduction to criminal law, evidence, and professional policing in the community. | ||
| On top of this, he serves as a recruit training officer, a position that allows him to mentor and guide new recruits. | ||
| Lieutenant Jason Doolittle's leadership, commitment to excellence, and ongoing involvement in our community sets him apart. | ||
| And it is an honor to represent exemplary individuals like him in Congress. | ||
| Therefore, on behalf of California's 3rd Congressional District and the United States House of Representatives, I would like to thank and honor Lieutenant Doolittle for his ongoing commitment to serving and protecting Placer County as a dedicated public servant. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, as part of the California Congressional District 3 Police Honor Roll and in honor of National Police League 2025, I wish to recognize Sheriff Mike Fisher of the Sierra County Sheriff's Office for his unwavering commitment to serving and protecting the Sierra County community. | ||
| Sheriff Fisher has served his community for 25 years, starting his career as a deputy with the Sierra County Sheriff's Office, then a detective, and finally, he was elected Sierra County Sheriff in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. | ||
| Sheriff Fisher exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated public servant, consistently prioritizing the needs of Sierra County and serving as a strong representative of his community. | ||
| His passion for championing the rural and ranching communities of Sierra County sets him apart as a leader, and his steadfast commitment to safeguarding life, liberty, property, and Sierra County's community values is unparalleled. | ||
| Sheriff Fisher is known for being a trusted leader and has earned the respect of those who have the privilege to know him. | ||
| It is an honor to represent exemplary individuals like Sheriff Mike Fisher and on behalf of California's 3rd Congressional District and the United States House of Representatives, I would like to thank and honor Sheriff Fisher for his nearly three decades of serving and protecting the region as a dedicated public servant. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, as part of the California Congressional District 3 Police Honor Roll, and in honor of National Police Week 2025, I wish to recognize Detective Dan Heaton of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office for his unwavering commitment to serving and protecting the communities of Sacramento County. | ||
| California. | ||
| Detective Heaton began his career with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office in 2014. | ||
| He spent two years in corrections before moving on to become a patrol officer. | ||
| He eventually became a field training officer where he was responsible for training new deputies under his watch. | ||
| He was then assigned to the problem-oriented policing team and then was promoted to his current rank of detective, being assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. | ||
| Throughout Detective Heaton's career and decade of public service, he has achieved a wide diversity of accomplishments to improve the safety of our communities. | ||
| One accomplishment of particular note occurred last year, in which he led and implemented a proactive investigation across nine counties, including close to 30 agencies, that located and served warrants on more than 21 suspects who are preying on children. | ||
| This was truly a heroic effort that spared many young lives from becoming victims. | ||
| Detective Heaton is known by others for his strong leadership, innovative techniques, understanding of the law, and the high standards by which he holds himself and others. | ||
| He makes himself available to assist other law enforcement officers and agencies sharing the skills that he has worked so hard to develop. | ||
| His passion and dedication to the protection of children is unparalleled, and his tireless efforts have made a meaningful impact in our communities. | ||
| It is an honor to represent exemplary individuals like Detective Dan Heaton. | ||
| And on behalf of California's 3rd Congressional District and the United States House of Representatives, I would like to thank and honor Detective Heaton for serving and protecting the region as a dedicated public servant. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, in honor of National Police Week, I wish to recognize and honor Officer Brett Schneider of the Lincoln Police Department for his unwavering commitment to serving and protecting the Lincoln community. | ||
| Officer Schneider was hired by the Lincoln Police Department in June of 2006. | ||
| Over his last 19 years with the department, Officer Schneider has held various roles, including EMT, field training officer, corporal, active shooter response instructor, arson investigator, UAV coordinator, accident reconstructionist, department instructor, and he is currently assigned as a motorcycle officer with a traffic unit. | ||
| Throughout Officer Schneider's nearly two decades of public service, he has achieved a wide diversity of accomplishments to improve the safety of our communities. | ||
| One accomplishment of particular note arose in 2023 when Officer Schneider was assigned a full-time role to revive the traffic unit that was disbanded as a result of the financial crisis in the mid-2000s. | ||
| Officer Schneider was given no funding and was directed to create a unit that provides the best possible traffic enforcement. | ||
| Since the start of this formidable task, Officer Schneider has not only met but repeatedly exceeded expectations. | ||
| Through his efforts within the traffic unit, he's been able to secure grant funding, allowing the Lincoln Police Department to acquire essential vehicles and equipment that promote traffic safety, including traffic motorcycles, a DUI enforcement vehicle, multiple DUI checkpoints and patrols, specialized equipment for targeted traffic enforcement operations, and a truck to transport these resources. | ||
| Additionally, Officer Schneider secured funding to purchase a preliminary drug screening device, which is utilized in DUI investigations involving drugs, making Lincoln the first city in the region to utilize this type of device. | ||
| The funding he's acquired has enhanced accuracy and expanded capabilities within the department, leveraging innovative and new technologies. | ||
| Not only has Officer Schneider secured equipment for the department, but he also has established the Traffic Safety Committee to actively engage with the community and to enhance traffic safety. | ||
| Officer Schneider has harnessed GIS and drone technology to enable the department to recreate the scenes of accidents, allowing them to see accurate depictions of the chain of events. | ||
| With his levels of experience and expertise in the field, Officer Schneider has become the department's subject matter expert on traffic matters, leading the city to new heights in addressing traffic concerns through the implementation of positive and advanced solutions. | ||
| Officer Brett Schneider is known for his exceptional skill set, ambition, determination, and his tireless devotion to preventing crime and promoting safety in the city of Lincoln. | ||
| His efforts have made a meaningful impact in the Lincoln community. | ||
| It is an honor to represent exemplary individuals like Officer Brett Schneider in Congress. | ||
| And on behalf of California's 3rd Congressional District and the United States House of Representatives, I would like to thank and honor Officer Schneider for his ongoing commitment to serving and protecting the region as a dedicated public servant. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, as part of the California Congressional District 3 Police Honor Roll, and in honor of National Police Week 2025, I wish to recognize Detective Sterling Wolf of the Rockland Police Department for his unwavering commitment to serving and protecting the Rockland community. | ||
| Detective Wolfe has served as a police officer for over a decade. | ||
| He's held numerous specialized roles, including rapid containment team member, drone pilot, crime scene investigator, and now detective. | ||
| Throughout every position, he has displayed and exemplified the highest levels of professionalism, leadership, and service. | ||
| During Detective Wolf's time in public service, he's achieved a wide diversity of accomplishments to improve the safety of our communities. | ||
| Over the past year alone, he's authored more than 35 search warrants, performed numerous arrests, and successfully led complex investigations. | ||
| One particular accomplishment of note was his use of advanced technology, complex search warrants, social media searches, and multiple agency coordination to identify key suspects to bring a high-value theft ring spanning across Northern California to justice. | ||
| Detective Wolfe's commitment to his role and to public safety is evident by the various recognitions he's received. | ||
| He was recognized by a deputy district attorney from Placer County and was also honored with a life-saving award, which he earned after extinguishing a vehicle fire and rendering life-saving aid to the pin driver while responding to a solo vehicle collision. | ||
| Detective Wolfe embodies the spirit of teamwork by mentoring fellow officers and fostering collaboration and open communication across the department. | ||
| He is proactive and dedicated, and he's become an invaluable resource for both his peers and the community. | ||
| As such, he embodies the core values of the Rockland Police Department through his integrity, skill, and dedication. | ||
| It is an honor to represent exemplary individuals like Detective Sterling Wolf in Congress. | ||
| And on behalf of California's 3rd Congressional District and the United States House of Representatives, I would like to thank and honor Detective Wolf for serving and protecting the region as a dedicated public servant. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
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Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3rd, 2025, the chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Roy, for 30 minutes. | |
| I thank the Speaker, and I would recognize that today is an important day in the history of our country. | ||
| As we all know, 81 years ago, on June 6, 1944, we had over 150,000 Allied troops who attacked the beaches at Normandy, knowing full well what they were walking into. | ||
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Why Young Men Fought
00:03:33
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| She had 150,000 Allied forces, tens of thousands of Americans who stormed the beaches. | ||
| They jumped out of boats into stormy waters, walked into a virtual wall of bullets, went through the fire, went to the cliffs, got shot at on the cliffs, | ||
| scaled the cliffs, to then have to fight for every yard for the privilege of then getting all the way to Bastogne to sit in foxholes in the freezing cold in Christmas of 1944 while being bombarded by Germans as they were mounting their last offensive. | ||
| Now, what would cause young men from all over this country to do that? | ||
| Why would they do that, knowing a huge number of them would not make it through the day? | ||
| They knew that, but they did it anyway. | ||
| They knew that when they were jumping out of planes in the middle of the night that many of them wouldn't survive. | ||
| I saw yesterday in social media photos of dozens of young men who didn't make it through that day, photos from them in the lead up to it that morning and the day before in training. | ||
| What would cause these young men to do that? | ||
| And the reason is that they knew that this country was worth fighting for, not because simply of the existence of the country, but because of what this country represents in terms of opportunity to live free and to prosper according to your own talents and to be able to live according to your own conscience, under our Constitution and under the principles that were advanced in the Declaration and that are central. | ||
| to Western civilization. | ||
| And that is what those young men did. | ||
| We have 400,000 plus Americans who lost their lives to defend this country in World War II. | ||
| Precious few who survived that conflict are still alive. | ||
| And if you go down to the memorial here in Washington, you go down to the World War II memorial and there's 4,000 plus stars that are across the monument, each representing 100, 100 young men who did what I just described or who did something similar at Iwo Jima or who did something similar in the Doolittle Raid. | ||
| And again, what would cause them to do it? | ||
| It is to live free. | ||
| That's what it's about. | ||
| I've got a letter that a dear friend of mine named Victoria Coates, who served in the Trump administration in the first administration, from her grandfather Howard. | ||
| I want to read the letter real quickly. | ||
| Jane darling, yep, honey, it's true. | ||
| Your boyfriend is in it now. | ||
| I can't tell you how long I've been here or where I am. | ||
| That will have to come later when I get home. | ||
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Deficits and Doubts
00:15:26
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| It's the most serious thing I've been in during all of my life. | ||
| I'm well, though, darling, and still all in one piece. | ||
| As you said in the last letter I got from you, the one you wrote on Invasion Day, I'm well trained and will take care of myself. | ||
| Of course, the men come first in our mission, but I'm not taking any chances personally except those in the line of duty. | ||
| Most all of our officers and men are reacting fine to these new conditions. | ||
| I have my own platoon and my own headquarters out in the field. | ||
| Fact is, I'm sitting in my CP now writing this letter. | ||
| I have Charlie Mugford here as my executive officer, and he's very capable in the field. | ||
| My staff sergeant is a boy by the name of Wehrbach from Pittsburgh. | ||
| He's Polish and a darn good man. | ||
| The Germans killed his grandparents in their invasion into Poland. | ||
| So you can well imagine his reaction to all of this. | ||
| The morale of the men is good and that makes the job easier. | ||
| Golly, I like my little field setup. | ||
| I have good radio equipment, also a nice switchboard. | ||
| Then I have a Jeep and weapons carrier for my CP plus my CP personnel. | ||
| We get a special dehydrated ration that requires only the adding of a little water. | ||
| I haven't received the picture yet, but I'm very anxious awaiting it. | ||
| For supper last night, we had, as an example, baked beans, sausage, cold-packed tomatoes, biscuits, jam, and butter. | ||
| Please write regularly. | ||
| I need it. | ||
| We haven't received any small, any mail since coming to France, but hope to get some soon. | ||
| That helps plenty. | ||
| Well, darling, you're ever in my thoughts over here and are my big driving force. | ||
| I, like the thousands of other Americans, am doing my damn best to get this war over and get home safely to my family. | ||
| What did they fight for? | ||
| I can tell you what they didn't fight for. | ||
| They didn't fight for a Congress to come here and continue $36 trillion of debt and mortgage their children, their grandchildren, their great-grandchildren's future. | ||
| They didn't come here for this Congress to run away from the fight of policy. | ||
| They didn't risk everything. | ||
| They didn't walk into a wall of bullets so that people in this chamber can be afraid of tweets or constituents that come in and talk about, oh, but you're cutting some program. | ||
| They expected us to actually defend this country in this chamber. | ||
| A trillion dollars of interest every year. | ||
| We're spending more on interest than we are the entirety of our national defense. | ||
| I got to be honest with you. | ||
| I don't know whether the big, beautiful bill is beautiful enough to support. | ||
| I got to be honest. | ||
| I voted for it off of the floor to send it to the Senate. | ||
| There are a lot of important provisions in it. | ||
| And I need to level set some of those provisions right now because it is not appropriate for us to run away from the fight now that these young men 80 years ago ran into the fight to preserve. | ||
| This country will not survive if we mortgage it away. | ||
| And that's what we're doing. | ||
| President Reagan was correct when he said that every member of Congress, when they come to this floor and they offer a new bill for a new program, should offer a tax increase to go alongside of it. | ||
| Because everybody in this chamber, particularly on this side of the aisle, are all too fine offering tax cuts because it's like selling dessert, but refuse to put forward the spending cuts so that people have to eat the broccoli. | ||
| And that's why we're $36 trillion in debt and growing. | ||
| And that's why we have a trillion dollars of interest. | ||
| And by the way, as interest rates go up, the price of that debt goes up. | ||
| We're going to be at one and a half, two trillion dollars of interest payments because we can't do our job correctly. | ||
| Now, the big, beautiful bill, let's go through it. | ||
| The bill is what I would call the good, the bad, and the ugly, because that's the truth. | ||
| And I'm not going to get into personalities and squabbles and back and forth. | ||
| The president is right that we need to move a bill through here with tax cuts and spending restraint so that he can get the agenda done that he campaigned on. | ||
| He is 100% right, and we should do that. | ||
| Elon is right that this bill doesn't cut enough. | ||
| That's the truth. | ||
| Two things can be true at the same time. | ||
| And the barrier to actually achieving the greatness of moving the big, beautiful bill through that would achieve the president's agenda and achieving what Elon is rightly saying, which is that we should cut more, the barrier is right here in this chamber. | ||
| It's right over there in the Senate. | ||
| People unwilling to face their constituents and tell them the truth. | ||
| Well, I'm going to try to sit here on the floor and tell the truth. | ||
| I had to hold my nose to vote for this bill two weeks ago off the House floor to the Senate. | ||
| Why? | ||
| It does not cut enough. | ||
| And it's not even close to cutting enough. | ||
| My colleagues say, oh, but Chip, it's the biggest spending decrease in history. | ||
| Let's be very clear. | ||
| It is a reduction in future increases of about $1.6 trillion. | ||
| Yes, that is the biggest amount ever. | ||
| But guess what? | ||
| We have sizably more debt and sizably more spending than ever. | ||
| So of course it should be, but it should be more. | ||
| $1.6 trillion in cuts or future reductions is really about $160 billion a year over 10 years. | ||
| That's the truth. | ||
| The truth is, our whole budget has grown from about $3.6 trillion a decade ago to $7.2 trillion now. | ||
| It's doubled. | ||
| And everybody wants to applaud themselves for $160 billion of reductions and increases. | ||
| I'm sorry. | ||
| I don't think that's good enough. | ||
| The fact is, our budget, the budget we passed to get the big beautiful bill through, says that we should be at $6.5 trillion for 2026. | ||
| But after this bill, if it's passed this way out of the Senate, we'd be at $7.2 trillion. | ||
| All right, that's a lot of numbers. | ||
| You want me to tell you back home? | ||
| The fact of the matter is, unless we have record economic growth for an entire decade, deficits will go up. | ||
| That's the truth. | ||
| This bill frontloads all of the cost. | ||
| So for the first four years, 26, 27, 28, 29, deficits are up. | ||
| That is, by the way, on a dynamic basis. | ||
| You're going to hear a lot of people taking shots at the CBO, and they should. | ||
| The CBO is biased, the CBO is left-leaning, and the CBO doesn't always get it right. | ||
| But guess what? | ||
| No economist ever gets it right. | ||
| The fact is we took care of that, at least in part, in the budget committee by assuming growth. | ||
| We assumed economic growth of 2.6%, higher than the last two decades' average, lower than the historic average. | ||
| Why does that matter? | ||
| Because we've already accounted for what you call dynamic scoring, meaning the impact of the tax cuts on revenue. | ||
| All right, so what does that mean in simple terms? | ||
| It means that if you look at our analysis, even assuming economic growth and more revenue from that growth, we will still have $400 billion of deficits added to the existing $2 trillion deficit in 2026 because of the bill. | ||
| Those deficits will go up even more, and will be another $400 billion or so in 27. | ||
| 28, we add to the deficits. | ||
| 29, we add to the deficits. | ||
| Finally, in 2030, deficits go down. | ||
| And if you look across the entirety of the 10 years under this bill, you are basically at somewhere around break-even on the impact on deficits. | ||
| Now, again, everybody understand what I'm saying. | ||
| The deficits of roughly around $1.8 to $2 trillion a year will continue. | ||
| This bill will adjust taxes and adjust spending, will increase deficits for three or four or five years, and then cut deficits in the outer five years if you believe that will ever happen. | ||
| Only in this town do you assume that the good things will happen in five years and accept the bad things in the first years. | ||
| But that's what we're doing. | ||
| Now to be clear and to be fair, this does not account for tariff revenue, which is up. | ||
| Of course, tariff revenue has to be factored into the economic impact of the tariffs. | ||
| So you got to stir all that in the pot and decide what you think is going to happen. | ||
| And if you ask me to weigh all of this, I will tell you that on the simple question of whether this bill will add to or decrease deficits, I think it will add to the deficits. | ||
| Because for the first five years, even dynamically scored, they add to the deficits. | ||
| Even if you assume the current rate of about, I don't know, $250 billion of tariff revenue, which you can't assume because they change, you're still going to be adding to the deficits, even factoring in for the economic impact of growth. | ||
| Okay, that's all a lot of nerdy speak. | ||
| Everyone sent us here to save the country. | ||
| You can't save the country if you're adding to the deficits. | ||
| You can't save the country if interest rates aren't going to be able to go down because you're being fiscally responsible and the bond markets respond. | ||
| That's the simple truth. | ||
| But here we are. | ||
| And why are we here? | ||
| Why, despite what I just said, did I hold my nose and vote for the bill? | ||
| Well, A, as part of the process and hopeful the Senate might work its will to make the bill better. | ||
| Probably not a good bet. | ||
| The Senate rarely makes things better. | ||
| Okay, B, we did get some serious reforms to Medicaid. | ||
| I'm proud of those reforms. | ||
| But I do have to be honest with you, they're kind of like breathing. | ||
| When I tell you the reforms, you're going to be like, wait, we don't do that already? | ||
| We're simply going to reverse a lot of the damage of the Biden administration and reverse a lot of the damage of the expansion of Obamacare by simply saying this. | ||
| You shouldn't be on Medicaid if you're able-bodied and can work and you're not working. | ||
| Now, Democrats will say, oh, you're slashing Medicaid. | ||
| No, we're not. | ||
| They're not telling the truth about that. | ||
| What we're doing is simply saying you should have to work. | ||
| Same thing for food stamps. | ||
| My Republican colleagues will say, oh, my gosh, these are the biggest savings in history. | ||
| This is the greatest thing since sliced bread. | ||
| I'll be like, every American I talk to says, why weren't you doing that already? | ||
| It's like basic business of Congress. | ||
| Why would you do that? | ||
| Why would you provide benefits to people who are able to work and don't? | ||
| It's insane. | ||
| So we're going to say, oh, my gosh, we saved hundreds of billion dollars on Medicaid reform by tightening and making sure we're enforcing eligibility and that the only the vulnerable get it instead of able-bodied. | ||
| But we're not doing anything to stop the money laundering scam. | ||
| We're not doing anything to stop the fact that expansion states under Obamacare get seven times more money for the able-bodied than the vulnerable. | ||
| We're going to do nothing about that. | ||
| We're going to do nothing about the provider taxes that are part of that scam that have blue states getting money to give money to illegals and to people from Planned Parenthood and other things because they launder the money through Washington and get a multiple to give it to hospitals and insurance companies and then give them a tax break on the back end. | ||
| Well documented, well reported, and this body is doing not a damn thing about it because they're too afraid, too afraid to take on the insurance lobby, too afraid to take on the hospital lobby, too afraid to be honest with the American people. | ||
| And yet I voted for the bill. | ||
| Why? | ||
| Because if we don't, we keep operating under the current system, which means we keep giving Medicaid to people without work requirements. | ||
| So I'm forced with a conundrum. | ||
| Do I vote for the bill so I can actually have the common sense of a Medicaid work requirement start in 2026? | ||
| Or do I vote no on the bill because I think deficits are going to go up and I think this is the bare basics of reform we should do while we're not doing anything to stop the money laundering scam that will likely encourage the 10 non-expansion states to expand and cement Obamacare permanently. | ||
| This is the Hobson's choice that someone like me or some of my other colleagues face, all under the bluster of what this bill does or does not do, which 90% of the people in this body can't even explain, much less the American people or anybody in the media. | ||
| That's the truth. | ||
| We add lots of new tax cuts. | ||
| Oh, but here's the little secret that everybody should understand. | ||
| All of the new tax cuts expire after four years or five years. | ||
| You want to know a classic Washington gimmick? | ||
| That's one. | ||
| You're getting absolutely the bait and switch by Republicans in the House and the Senate by saying we're going to have these tax cuts only be applied for four years because they will expire, don't you know, in four years so you don't have to score them now. | ||
| So there we say, don't worry, over 10 years, this thing, man, it reduces deficits. | ||
| But they don't score the last five years because the tax cuts expire. | ||
| Now, let me ask you a question. | ||
| If you're watching this, all 12 of you on C-SPAN, tell me whether you think if we put in place a $500 enhanced child tax credit, I don't care whether you like the policy or not. | ||
| I have my concerns with the policy. | ||
| I think it's a giveaway. | ||
| I don't think it's actually all that helpful. | ||
| I don't think it creates economic growth. | ||
| But okay, we're all in the giveaway business in this chamber. | ||
| We're going to give away another $500 for every child in this country, even though it costs thousands to raise them. | ||
| But we're only going to do it for four years. | ||
| I'm not allowed to speak and address the audience. | ||
| I have to address the speaker. | ||
| But for anybody who happens to be listening in the chamber or on C-SPAN, would you go to Vegas and bet yes or no that those tax credits would be expanded in five years? | ||
| You know damn well they'll be expanded in five years, but we don't score that. | ||
| That's a Washington gimmick. | ||
| There are seven of those, I think, or more of these tax cuts that expire in four or five years, but are not then scored for the outer five years so that everything can balance. | ||
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Green News Scam Debunked
00:10:12
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| But it doesn't. | ||
| That's $1.6 trillion of additional lost revenue. | ||
| Now, again, let me be clear. | ||
| I support a lot of those policies. | ||
| I don't think we should be taxing Social Security on seniors either at all or certainly as much. | ||
| I don't think we should have taxes. | ||
| Well, let me restate it. | ||
| I think we should give tax benefits for moving manufacturing to the United States and give rapid depreciation expensing for those companies. | ||
| I'm for that policy. | ||
| And that might actually be one of the few that might pay for themselves for the growth. | ||
| But all of these things, how about the auto loan tax deduction? | ||
| We've got that in there now. | ||
| Well, do you think that's going to pay for itself? | ||
| Do you think they'll let that expire in four years when everybody's used to deducting their auto interest? | ||
| Maybe it's fine policy, but shouldn't we pay for it? | ||
| Shouldn't we have more spending reductions? | ||
| Are we going to keep up the fiction that we can continue to do these policies? | ||
| And all my Republican colleagues go, Chip, they all pay for themselves. | ||
| Are you a tax raiser? | ||
| That's what they do. | ||
| They go, Chip, you're out there. | ||
| You're saying we've got to raise taxes. | ||
| There's a reason, as I said a minute ago, Ronald Reagan said, if you come down here with a new idea, you ought to have a tax increase attached to it. | ||
| Because everybody in this chamber cannot say no to the Farm Bureau when they come in and they want more money. | ||
| When the ALS people come in and say they need more research, when the cancer people come in and say they need more research, I'm a cancer survivor and I tell them no because, damn it, we don't have any more money. | ||
| But everybody in this chamber just says, okay, we're going to authorize more spending. | ||
| And I'm going to go do a tax cut because, oh, that's your money. | ||
| You get to keep your tax. | ||
| I agree. | ||
| Let me be clear. | ||
| They're all going to sit there. | ||
| They're going to go play some clip Chip Roy's voor tax increases. | ||
| It's all crap. | ||
| But the truth is, everybody in this chamber says every tax cut pays for itself. | ||
| What if I cut taxes to 1%? | ||
| Do those all pay for themselves? | ||
| No, they don't. | ||
| And we owe $36 trillion. | ||
| And everybody watching this, your kids, your grandkids, your great-grandkids are holding the bag because you wanted all your free crap. | ||
| And as I've said before in a speech, this is always the United States House of free crap. | ||
| And that's what we do. | ||
| We just write checks. | ||
| The Inflation Reduction Act, the Green News scam. | ||
| I'm going to tell you the one reason I voted for this bill. | ||
| One. | ||
| Yes, I like the Medicaid work requirements. | ||
| Yes, I like a lot of the extensions of the tax cuts. | ||
| Yes, I like some of the policies that stop funding Planned Parenthood. | ||
| Yes, I like some of the policies that stop funding transgender surgeries. | ||
| All of those are good. | ||
| But in my opinion, we needed more spending restraint if you want to be honest about deficits. | ||
| But I voted for this bill for one reason, and this is why I'm on the floor today. | ||
| Because I need the United States Senate to hear this as clearly as I can say it. | ||
| We got restrictions on the Green New scam to ensure that about 55 or 60% of those subsidies that are going to enrich billion-dollar corporations to put money in the pockets of the Chinese to undermine our grid with unreliable energy and undermine natural gas and undermine nuclear, all while bolstering wind and solar, which is littering our fields and littering our landscape, all to provide unreliable energy. | ||
| We fought like hell to get restrictions on that to get 60% of the green news scam basically terminated. | ||
| The president campaigned on terminating all of it, but this weak-ass Congress and Senate are going to not do that because, oh, we can't disrupt the existing flow of the $400 billion of subsidies going into the pockets of all those big companies raking in the money so they can get free money while you guys all subsidize. | ||
| They're getting rich and your grid gets weaker. | ||
| This Congress is going to do that. | ||
| And we fought like cats and dogs to get that 60%. | ||
| And everybody in town, the K-Street lobby, are freaking out. | ||
| Oh, no, we're not going to be able to have our subsidies to build more wind farms and solar farms. | ||
| We're not going to have more giveaways because their energy won't compete. | ||
| So that is the one reason I voted for this bill. | ||
| So my message to the Senate: this will get clipped. | ||
| It will get sent to the Senate. | ||
| I'm looking at you, Tom Tillis. | ||
| I'm looking at you over there in the Senate. | ||
| You backslide one inch on those IRIS subsidies, and I'm voting against this bill. | ||
| I want the White House to hear it. | ||
| I want the Senate to hear it because it is the only reason I voted for this bill. | ||
| Because those Godforsaken subsidies are killing our energy, killing our grid, making us weaker, destroying our landscape, undermining our freedom, and I'm not going to have it. | ||
| So you do what you want to do in the Senate, House of Lords, have your fun. | ||
| But if you mess up the Inflation Reduction Act, Green News scam subsidies, I ain't voting for that bill. | ||
| We have a duty to actually honor 81 years later. | ||
| All these colleagues of mine, both sides of the aisle, they'll go out. | ||
| You watch. | ||
| Today, D-Day, there'll be a tweet from everybody. | ||
| June 14th, the 250th birthday of the Army, there'll be a tweet from everybody. | ||
| July 4th, they'll get in their parades. | ||
| They'll walk around. | ||
| They'll flag. | ||
| They'll kiss babies. | ||
|
unidentified
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Yay. | |
| What do they do on Veterans Day? | ||
| What do they do on Memorial Day? | ||
| But what are we doing to actually honor the memory of those who gave the last full measure of devotion, who walked into the wall of bullets, who died for this country? | ||
| So we could be $36 trillion in debt? | ||
| So we could subsidize the Green News scam? | ||
| So that we can run away from the fight of having a tough conversation with constituents, that there in fact is no more room in the end, that we are out of money. | ||
| Because I got to tell you, this bill does not meet the moment. | ||
| I voted for it because I believe strongly in stopping those green news scam subsidies and for a variety of other good provisions. | ||
| But we ought to do better. | ||
| The Senate ought to do better. | ||
| And if the Senate weakens it, shame on the Senate. | ||
| And if the House just takes it, shame on the House. | ||
| The President of the United States campaigned on terminating the Green News scam. | ||
| We should terminate it. | ||
| The President of the United States said that we should get rid of waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid. | ||
| Well, we should, including the money laundering scam, enriching blue states at the expense of red states, expansion states at the expense of non-expansion states, and enriching the able-bodied at the expense of the vulnerable. | ||
| The president campaigned on tax relief. | ||
| We should deliver it. | ||
| But we should have the commensurate spending cuts to go alongside of it to ensure that deficits go down to do what the president also campaigned on, which is balancing the budget of the United States. | ||
| I do not believe this bill yet will do that. | ||
| We'll see what the Senate does over the next week. | ||
| But we will do a disservice to the memories of those that we are celebrating today on the 81st anniversary of D-Day. | ||
| And we'll do a disservice to the memory of all those who came before us to fought and died and bled for this country. | ||
| But more importantly, we will do a disservice to their ancestors, a disservice to our kids and our grandkids, who are the ones left holding the bag of rampant inflation and high interest rates and a bond market that is teetering on the edge of a knife's edge because we refuse to do our job. | ||
| We have an obligation to do And I hope the Senate will step up and make this bill better. | ||
| If they leave it the same, like a Senate of the President's desk, they leave it basically the same and they send it back. | ||
| I guess a lot of us will hold our nose again and say, well, I guess that's the best this Congress is capable of doing. | ||
| It's like General Patton's quote in the movie. | ||
| Well, what did you do during the great WW2? | ||
| Well, you won't have to say you shoveled crap in Louisiana. | ||
| What is Congress going to say that they did at this moment in time in history to save this country? | ||
| I hope the Senate will listen, make this bill better, make it deserving of the President's campaign and mandate, and deliver for the American people. | ||
| But they better darn well not backslide. | ||
| Because frankly, it was hard to hold my nose to vote for that bill in the first place because I'm over the barrel trying to actually make Medicaid work and try to make these subsidies get repealed and try to do the job that the President campaigned on while we are too inclined to want to have giveaways that don't simply add up. | ||
| This is a moment for us to rise up and deliver. | ||
| I hope the Senate will do it and I hope the House will follow. | ||
| And with that, Mr. Speaker, I'll yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
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Members are reminded to address the remarks to the chair and not to receive viewing audience. | |
| The question is. | ||
|
unidentified
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For what purpose does the gentleman from Texas wish to be recognized? | |
| Mr. Speaker, I would move to adjourn. | ||
|
unidentified
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The question is the motion to adjourn. | |
| Those in favor say yay. | ||
|
unidentified
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Aye. | |
| Those opposed say no. | ||
| The yeas have it. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The motion is adopted accordingly. | |
| The House stands and adjourned until next noon of next Monday for Morning Art Debate. | ||
| Today, the House passed legislation that would prevent non-citizens in the U.S. from receiving loans and services from the Small Business Administration. | ||
| The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration. | ||