| Speaker | Time | Text |
|---|---|---|
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Fed's Role in Financial Regulation
00:07:22
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| That's Tim in Haverhill, Massachusetts. | ||
| Tim, going to be our final caller in today's Washington Journal. | ||
| Just a reminder, over at the White House today at 11 o'clock, President Trump is set to greet the President of the Philippines. | ||
| A bilateral meeting expected to take place around 11.15. | ||
| We're expecting to air that here on C-SPAN over on C-SPAN 2. | ||
| The Senate is getting ready to come in for the day as well. | ||
| But we'll take you now live to the House floor for gabble-to-gavel coverage. | ||
| And we will, of course, be back here tomorrow morning. | ||
| It is 7 a.m. Eastern, 4 a.m. Pacific. | ||
| The House will be in order. | ||
| The Chair lays before the House a communication from the Speaker. | ||
| The Speaker's Rooms, Washington, D.C., July 22nd, 2025. | ||
| I hereby appoint the Honorable Randy Fine to act as Speaker pro tempore on this day. | ||
| Signed, Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives. | ||
| Pursuant to the order of the House on January 3rd, 2025, the Chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour debate. | ||
| The chair will alternate recognition between the parties with time equally allocated between the parties and each member other than the majority and minority leader and the minority whip limited to five minutes. | ||
| But in no event shall debate continue beyond 1150 a.m. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California, Ms. Pelosi, for five minutes. | ||
| I ask unanimous consent. | ||
| I'll dress the house for five minutes and two. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of one of the bedrock principles of our economy, the independence of the Federal Reserve Board. | ||
| For more than a century, the Federal Reserve has served as a cornerstone of the economic system of our country, taxed with safeguarding price stability, maximizing employment, preserving the health of our country, independent from political pressure, insulated from partisanship, and rooted in data and principle. | ||
| When I first came to Congress, Mr. Speaker, I was a member of what was then called the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, now Financial Services. | ||
| And at that committee, as it is today under the new name, we heard from the chair of the Fed on a specific amount of time required by Congress on two subjects. | ||
| According to the Humphrey Hawkins law, they would report to us on inflation and they would employ on unemployment, employment, unemployment. | ||
| And that was their part of the purview in their communication with Congress that was required on a regular basis. | ||
| I heard one of the chairs of the Fed say unemployment is dangerously low. | ||
| Scared me to death. | ||
| How could it be? | ||
| But he was reporting as to its impact on inflation. | ||
| One thing, that was when I was a new member, when I was Speaker, I said to our members who said frequently, why don't we have the Fed be more accountable? | ||
| To us, I said it has to be independent. | ||
| They have their own funding. | ||
| They don't have to come depend on us for that because their independence is essential. | ||
| Any of us who had economics in college or beyond knows that independence of the Fed is essential to the respect that our country commands in terms of our own economy throughout the world. | ||
| The chairman of the Fed is the chair of the central banks, serves as a chair of the central banks globally, and it can't be a party hack. | ||
| It can't be somebody who's there because the president doesn't want to wants to create interest rates. | ||
| That's not what the president's job is, to create interest rates. | ||
| It's the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board that does that. | ||
| So it's really important. | ||
| And I come to you on this day to say this because of the rumors that we hear of the flirtation with making the Fed just a handmaiden of the presidency. | ||
| It would be wrong. | ||
| It would be wrong to do. | ||
| It would be wrong to do, and we would be viewed disrespectfully if we were ever to go down that path. | ||
| Now, this comes at a time when we are observing the 15th anniversary of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. | ||
| As some of us here know who served with Marnie Frank, he was then a chair of the NEN Financial Services Committee and a master of his agenda there. | ||
| And Senator Dodd from Connecticut was on the Senate side with that. | ||
| It was necessary, Mr. Speaker, because of what was happening in the financial community. | ||
| The banks were, I mean, it was awful. | ||
| It was horrible. | ||
| You all know that around in September of 2008, we were told that our financial system was melting down. | ||
| It was doing so because of, well, I've written about it in my book, and I won't go through the whole thing right now, but because of what was happening terribly in the financial system by the banks and financial services, financial institutions. | ||
| What happened? | ||
| Millions of people lost money, trillions of dollars from the wealth of the country, millions of people losing their jobs, so many losing their homes, losing their savings and the rest. | ||
| So this bill was necessary. | ||
| Of course, after the bill was passed, and to this day, still the banks and other financial institutions try to undermine it and weaken it and weaken it. | ||
| The Volcker rule of the former chair of the Fed had a bill provision in there was for the security of our economic system. | ||
| So these notions that they're putting forth of making the Fed a party chair, a party hack, it's just so very wrong. | ||
| Just so very wrong. | ||
| And just say this, again, in school you probably learned a fiscal policy, and that's what the Congress of the United States does. | ||
| We create the budget of the United States. | ||
| And the monetary policy, fiscal here, monetary at the Fed, establishing the rates in terms of relating to inflation. | ||
| So let's rid ourselves, disabuse ourselves of notions when instead we need serious ideas about how to make our economy work for the American people. | ||
|
Devoted Public Servant
00:10:45
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| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Gentleman's time has expired. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Iowa, Ms. Miller-Meeks, for five minutes. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today to announce I'm introducing legislation to designate the United States Postal Service facility located at 1019 Avenue H in Fort Madison, Iowa as the Martin L. Graeber Post Office. | ||
| Martin served our country for 32 years in the Iowa National Guard. | ||
| He was a devoted public servant, a principal legislator, and a man of deep faith who lived to serve others. | ||
| He always put Southeast Iowa first and made everyone around him feel seen, heard, and valued. | ||
| Alongside his beloved wife, Connie, Martin helped lead one of Fort Madison's most iconic traditions and events, the Tri-City Rodeo. | ||
| Together, they were the heart and soul of that event, which draws visitors from not only across the region and the tri-state area, but across the country. | ||
| And it showcases the best of our community. | ||
| Their dedication to the rodeo reflects the same commitment they brought to everything they touched, family, service, and community. | ||
| To Connie, their daughters, and granddaughters, thank you for sharing Martin with all of us. | ||
| His legacy of service and leadership in Lee County and in Fort Madison in particular has left a mark that won't fade. | ||
| Naming the Fort Madison Post Office in his honor is a small but lasting tribute to a man who gave so much to the place he loved. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I would like to say happy birthday to Blake Dickerson. | ||
| Wish him a very wonderful day. | ||
| Happy birthday, Blake. | ||
| With that, I yield. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from New York, Mr. Kennedy, for five minutes. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today to honor the life and legacy of U.S. Army Specialist Javier Villanueva, a patriot, a son, a husband, a father, and an American hero. | ||
| Javier Villanueva lived a life defined by character, integrity, and selflessness. | ||
| These values were instilled in him from an early age, especially by his father, U.S. Army veteran Wilferdo Rivera. | ||
| During a recent visit to Puerto Rico, I had the honor of meeting with Wilferdo and we spoke about the extraordinary young man Javier was. | ||
| We talked about his moral compass, his commitment to service, and the strength that shaped his life and sacrifice. | ||
| In 2003, Javier followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Army, where he served with distinction in Company H, 2nd Battalion, 11th Infantry, and was later deployed to Iraq, where he served with honor until his life was tragically cut short on November 24th, 2005. | ||
| Javier embodied the very best of who we are as a nation. | ||
| His sacrifice is a solemn reminder that the freedoms we hold dear come at an immense cost. | ||
| He gave everything for people he would never meet and for ideals we must never take for granted. | ||
| Javier is survived by his wife, Felicia, and daughter, Talia, his parents, Christine and Wilferdo, and his brothers, Command Sergeant Major Wilferdo Rivera and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Carlos Rivera. | ||
| As a member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, I carry stories like Javier's with me every day that remind me of the sacred obligation that we have to support every veteran who comes home and honor every fallen hero with the dignity that they've earned. | ||
| Specialist Villanueva's courage, leadership, and selflessness will never be forgotten. | ||
| May Javier Villanueva rest in peace. | ||
| May God protect his family and may God bless the United States of America. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of James M. Kapsiak, a proud Buffalonian, a devoted educator, and a beloved pillar of our community whose life was defined by service. | ||
| Jim was the embodiment of selflessness, whether in the classroom, on the basketball court, or in the pews of his church. | ||
| After earning his master's degree from the University of Buffalo, Jim dedicated 33 years to Emerson Vocational High School, where he taught physical education, health, and computer technology. | ||
| Outside the classroom, Jim was a leader on the court and the field, coaching numerous sports at Emerson and leaving a lasting legacy as a proud coach of the girls' basketball team. | ||
| With every student, he brought patience and compassion, meeting them where they were and helping them to grow. | ||
| His passion reflected a deep commitment to helping young people build confidence, discipline, and a belief in themselves that would carry them through life. | ||
| Jim's service didn't stop at the school doors. | ||
| He served with distinction as a representative for the Buffalo Teachers Federation and remained active in civic life through his work at the Erie County Voter Registration Office. | ||
| As a deacon, mentor, coach, and friend, Jim gave his time and heart generously to those around him. | ||
| But above all else, he was a family man. | ||
| He is survived by his devoted wife, Mary Ruth, his children, Jennifer and Bradford, and his grandsons, Noah, Aiden, and Blake, each a testament to his love and his legacy. | ||
| Jim's decades of service were rooted in love for his community, and his impact will be felt for generations. | ||
| On behalf of our entire Western New York community and a grateful nation, may Jim Kapsiak rest in peace. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington, Mr. Baumgartner, for five minutes. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today to honor the life of Sarah Doxie, a devoted wife, mother, and respected health care leader in Spokane, whose life was tragically taken last week while out for her morning jog. | ||
| Sarah served as Chief Operating Officer of Chaz Health and spent her career lifting up others. | ||
| From her work at Providence to Chaz and beyond, she led with vision, compassion, and a deep commitment to her community. | ||
| She made a lasting impact on health care in eastern Washington. | ||
| Sarah is survived by her husband Eric and their two teenage children. | ||
| Their loss is unimaginable, and it is a loss felt deeply by the entire Spokane community. | ||
| May her memory live on in the lives she touched. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, last week I had the privilege of meeting with a group of outstanding students from the Washington Future Farmers of America. | ||
| These young leaders come from diverse agricultural backgrounds, one from a grain farming family, a dedicated cattle showman, an experienced horse rider, all deeply rooted in rural Washington. | ||
| Our conversation highlighted how growing up in farming communities shapes their values, hard work, responsibility, and a strong connection to the land. | ||
| Their experiences keep them grounded and committed to preserving the future of agriculture. | ||
| The Future Farmers of America plays a critical role in educating and inspiring the next generation of agricultural leaders. | ||
| It was inspiring to hear firsthand how these students are embracing that responsibility with humility, passion, and purpose. | ||
| I truly valued our conversation and look forward to strengthening this connection and championing the FFA's mission to inspire and empower the next generation of agricultural leaders. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember and honor Brian Braman, a true Spokane legend whose life was inspiring as it was beautiful. | ||
| It was a long way from his tough upbringing in eastern Washington. | ||
| Brian was born in Spokane's Hilliard neighborhood and along with his sisters was raised alone by their mother, Tina Braman Fields, after their father abandoned them. | ||
| His childhood in Hilliard, Cheney, and North Spokane was marked by instability and hardship, including periods of homelessness. | ||
| Despite these challenges, Brian's deep Spokane roots and the strength of his family shaped a resilient young man, determined to rise above adversity. | ||
| That determination would go on to define his life and his career. | ||
| Brian attended Shale Park High School, where he was an outstanding track and field athlete before deciding to join the football team. | ||
| With exceptional athletic talent and unwavering resilience, he conquered every obstacle in his life, ultimately rising to prominence as an NFL linebacker and earning a Super Bowl ring with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. | ||
| Known for his relentless spirit and generosity, even in his final days, Brian rallied family and friends for a joyful ice cream night during the final stages of his battle with cancer. | ||
| His spirit was and remains unbreakable. | ||
| Brian passed away last week, but his legacy lived on in his daughters, Blakely and Marlowe, his family, and all who were fortunate to know him. | ||
| Spokane is proud to call Brian Braman one of its own, and his beautiful life will continue to inspire us all. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Green, for five minutes. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I'd like to address the House for five minutes to rise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
|
And Still I Rise
00:07:41
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||
| And still I rise, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| And I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to speak truth to power, as well as speak truth about power. | ||
| I rise to speak truth about what's happening to the Palestinians in Gaza. | ||
| I rise to ask, what do you call it when you have a group of people who are being denied food, denied the very essence and necessities of life, when you are destroying their homes, when you're destroying their schools, when you're destroying their churches, their infrastructure? | ||
| What do you call it when you do this to them as a group? | ||
| Collective punishment. | ||
| It is called collective punishment, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| And what do you call it when you have a group of people who are being pushed around, pushed from one end of Gaza to the other, when they are literally being slaughtered as they are seeking food? | ||
| What do you call it when people say that they ought to be removed from their land? | ||
| You call it ethnic cleansing, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| And what do you call it when it appears to me that there is a deliberate, systemic effort to destroy in whole or in part the Palestinian people, to destroy them in whole or in part? | ||
| We are witnessing before our very eyes, Mr. Speaker, genocide. | ||
| Genocide in Gaza, and we say nothing. | ||
| I am amazed at how this country that stands for liberty and justice for all, this country that has a statue of liberty, how this country can see what's happening in Gaza and not call it what it is. | ||
| There's a fear among us. | ||
| We refuse to speak truth to power. | ||
| We refuse to speak truth about power. | ||
| Well, today, I'm going to do it. | ||
| And I'm doing it because these are precious babies that are being slaughtered. | ||
| You see the bodies. | ||
| You see the homes. | ||
| You see the infrastructure. | ||
| But you say nothing. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Who are we? | |
| What is wrong with us? | ||
| What is going on? | ||
| Well, here's what's going on. | ||
| We have an authoritarian leader who is supporting another authoritarian leader. | ||
| Our president, the prime minister of Israel. | ||
| They are working together and they are doing this. | ||
| Our president said there would be hell to pay if they did not move or if they did not surrender. | ||
| Not in those exact words, but that was his intentionality. | ||
| And he's talking about the people of Gaza now. | ||
| I'm not talking about Hamas that did a dastardly deed. | ||
| What Hamas did can never be justified. | ||
| They were wrong. | ||
| But you can't justify what's happening in Israel right now. | ||
| It is collective punishment. | ||
| It is ethnic cleansing. | ||
| And it is genocide. | ||
| So, Mr. President, Donald John Trump, I say to you, Mr. President, you've been trying to hide from this. | ||
| But, Mr. President, you can't hide. | ||
| I charge you with genocide. | ||
| Mr. Netanyahu, you are the perpetrator. | ||
| I charge you with genocide. | ||
| And also, I want this Congress to know that I, yes, I voted against sending any additional monies to Israel for munitions. | ||
| I voted against it. | ||
| And if this genocide is going to continue until we have the courage to say no more. | ||
| No more money to kill babies. | ||
| No more money to say you're going to move people and create some sort of Riviera on the Mediterranean. | ||
| No more. | ||
| I will not vote for any more money. | ||
| I stand where I stand. | ||
| I said what I said, and I mean what I mean. | ||
| We cannot, as a great nation, continue to stand silent as we see collective punishment, ethnic cleansing, and genocide in Gaza committed against people and children. | ||
| We can't stand silent. | ||
| History will not be kind to us. | ||
| The gentleman's time has expired. | ||
| Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities towards the president. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi, Mr. Ezel, for five minutes. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to address the House for one minute. | ||
| The gentleman's recognized for five minutes. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Mr. Speaker, if you've ever played the game of golf in Mississippi Heat, you know the game gives way to nothing. | |
| The Course doesn't care about your story, but every now and then someone comes along who plays the game with so much heart, so much resolve, it demands our respect. | ||
| Dawson Thompson is one of those people. | ||
| Raised in Pascagoula and born with anachondrophalasia, Dawson never asked for shortcuts. | ||
| Even after surgeries, even when given permission to ride a cart, he walked every hole, every round, because that's what his competitors were doing, and that's because that's who Dawson is. | ||
| Earlier this month, Dawson competed in the U.S. Adaptive Open, one of the most competitive and inspiring stages in golf. | ||
| He carried not just his clubs, but the hopes of a town, a state, and anyone who's ever been told a dream was out of reach. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, Dawson Thompson didn't just represent Pascagoula, Mississippi with pride. | ||
| He showed the nation what quiet strength and true perseverance looks like. | ||
| I'm proud to congratulate him on his remarkable achievement, and I know the entire 4th District joins me in celebrating his journey and hoping this is just the beginning. | ||
| Congratulations, Dawsons. | ||
| And with that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back. | ||
| The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Davis, for five minutes. | ||
| Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to address the House for five minutes and revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today to honor and commemorate the extraordinary service and enduring legacy of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, known with pride and reverence as the 688. | ||
|
First All-Black Female Battalion
00:04:06
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| Formed in 1944 during World War II, the 688 was the first and only all-black, all-female battalion deployed overseas in the United States military history, comprising over 850 courageous women from the Women's Army Corps, the WACS. | ||
| The unit represented 32 states across our nation. | ||
| Many trained at Fort Des Monde, Iowa, a rare opportunity afforded to African American women at the time. | ||
| These women answered the call to serve their country despite the dual burdens of racism and sexism, which too often obscured their contributions. | ||
| Yet their mission was essential. | ||
| Deployed to England and later France, the 688 was tasked with clearing an enormous backlog of more than 17 million pieces of undelivered mail, reconnecting American troops with their loved ones, operating in grueling conditions, cold, dark, and often dangerous warehouses. | ||
| They worked around the clock in three shifts, accompanying in just three months what had been projected to take six. | ||
| Their guiding motto, no mail, low morale. | ||
| It was more than a slogan. | ||
| It was the lifeline. | ||
| By restoring vital communication between soldiers and their families, they uplifted the spirit of the armed forces and strengthened the emotional backbone of a nation at war. | ||
| Despite their unprecedented success, the women of the 688 returned home to a country that failed to properly recognize their valor. | ||
| For decades, their contributions were left out of the mainstream military narrative. | ||
| That silence began to break, though, in 2022, when Congress passed and the President signed the 688 Congressional Gold Medal Act, affirming that these women's sacrifice and excellence are integral to our national story. | ||
| Let the record show, let the record reflect, the 688 was not merely a military unit. | ||
| It was a living testament to discipline, resilience, and the unyielding patriotism of black women in service to a country had yet to fully serve them in return. | ||
| As we enter this legacy into the congressional record, I call upon my colleagues and future generations to honor the 688 not only in commemoration, but in our ongoing pursuit of justice, equity, and historical truth. | ||
| It is recognized that August 10th, 2025, is 688 Day in Illinois. | ||
| And I urge all residents across the nation to honor the service, sacrifice, and legacy of the women of the 6808 Central Postal Directory Battalion. | ||
| The women served in the 68th Battalion from Illinois are listed in this communique. | ||
|
Honoring Alan Hassenfeld
00:07:01
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| I thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I thank them for their service and dedication and yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Minnesota, Ms. Fischbach, for five minutes. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| And I am sad to say that I rise today to pay respects to my friend, a colleague, a man I served for many years in the Minnesota legislature with, and a kind and good man, Senator Bruce Anderson. | ||
| He passed away unexpectedly, leaving Minnesota and his family to mourn the loss of a great man. | ||
| A Navy veteran of the Vietnam War, he was an advocate for veterans and for rural communities, and a man I was honored to serve with. | ||
| He will be missed. | ||
| He will be deeply missed by so many of us. | ||
| And I send my deepest condolences to his family and all of those who knew him, and I will keep them all and him in my prayers. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise to extend my sympathy to the WellU family of Milroy following the tragic loss of Melvin in a farming accident. | ||
| Melvin was born and raised in Milroy, a third-generation farmer, a lifelong active member of St. Michael's Catholic Church, and an amateur historian. | ||
| He loved his Milroy community, reviving the Milroy Fun Fest and following the local sports teams closely. | ||
| He loved spending time with his children and taking his grandchildren on tractor rides around the farm. | ||
| He loved his wife, Bev, and their Saturday night dates. | ||
| I send my deepest condolences to the WellU family as they navigate through this difficult time. | ||
| I will be keeping Melvin, his family, and the community of Milroy in my prayers. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Rhode Island, Mr. Amo, for five minutes. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a recently passed giant of the labor movement in Rhode Island and around the country, Arthur Coya. | |
| Labor was the heart and soul of Arthur Armin Coya. | ||
| He was born into a family of labor leaders. | ||
| As a member of local 271 in Providence since his teenage years, he worked in construction while going to Providence College and attending law school. | ||
| He was always close to his union roots. | ||
| A union man through and through, he dedicated his life to expanding workers' organizing rights. | ||
| He fought for the right to earn a fair paycheck and have dignity and safety on the job. | ||
| He started out as a business manager of the Rhode Island Laborers District Council and rose to become the general president of Liuna and vice president of the AFL-CIO. | ||
| Arthur worked tirelessly to make life better for the working men and women of our country. | ||
| He helped found the Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America, transforming job site safety and the Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust, helping union labor train workers and expand market share. | ||
| There is no doubt that his work saved lives, prevented accidents, and helped union labor gain new opportunities in the 21st century. | ||
| Arthur was not only a labor leader, he was also a dedicated father, grandfather, husband, and friend. | ||
| My thoughts are with his family at this incredibly difficult time. | ||
| But I hope they, as I do, take heart in his service to the movement and to others. | ||
| His contributions will not be forgotten. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, Alan Hassenfeld, a titan in Rhode Island, spent his life bettering the lives of countless individuals in our country and around the world. | ||
| Born in Providence in 1948, Alan dedicated his professional life to bringing joy to generations of children as the CEO of his family's company, Hasbro Toys. | ||
| Allen helped the company acquire quintessential children's brands like Play-Doh, Monopoly, and Nerf, and took their iconic tuber, Mr. Potato Head, to new heights in the Hollywood film Toy Story. | ||
| Growing up in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, I have fond memories of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head statues popping up all across Rhode Island. | ||
| Under Allen's guidance, Hasbro teamed up with our state for a tourism campaign featuring the whimsical statues of the spud made by local artists highlighting the Ocean State's role as the birthplace of fun. | ||
| But it was outside the toy chest that Allen's incredible civic spirit and unmatched generosity shone. | ||
| His contributions to Rhode Island civic life were numerous and impactful. | ||
| Alan spearheaded a political ethics reform movement, pioneered concepts of social responsibility at the corporate level by working to end the use of child labor in toy production supply chains. | ||
| He invested in generations of public sector leaders, founded the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute at Brown University to improve family mental health, created Rhode Island for Gun Safety to promote common sense gun reform, and perhaps most notably provided the vision and the founding donation for Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence. | ||
| Thanks to Allen, Rhode Island is home to a world-class pediatric health care facility providing for the specialty and emergency needs of the littlest New Englanders. | ||
| Allen was a philanthropist, businessman, and reformer, but most important, he was a dear friend, husband, stepfather, uncle, and granddad. | ||
| Before taking this office, and once more, Alan provided me wise counsel, sharing pragmatic, solutions-oriented advice on how to be of service and make change. | ||
| Allen exemplified community spirit and dedication to others, business acumen, incredible generosity, friendship, and, of course, leadership. | ||
|
Pioneers Enter Salt Lake
00:04:54
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|
unidentified
|
He represented the best of Rhode Island, and he will be truly and deeply missed. | |
| Thank you. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah, Mr. Kennedy, for five minutes. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, honored members, on February 25th, 1846, beleaguered residents of Nauvoo, Illinois, began leaving their homes and farms behind, crossing the frozen Mississippi River by ferry and wagon to escape persecution. | ||
| Only the sickest and poorest remained behind, and even they were finally forced out by mob action. | ||
| All crossed Iowa to Nebraska, just north of Omaha, their winter quarters on the Missouri River. | ||
| Why do I bring up these sad memories from long ago? | ||
| Utah still celebrates the day when they finally arrived at a place of safety, the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, on July 24th, 1847. | ||
| July 24th is the state holiday for Utah's. | ||
| Those hardy, resilient pioneers, carrying with them the sick and desperately poor from burning Nauvoo, found temporary refuge among the kind members of the Omaha tribe. | ||
| They made an agreement with the Omaha through their chief, Big Elk, who welcomed the pioneers, understanding the trouble they had recently escaped. | ||
| The pioneers would stay in residence, building houses, planting gardens and fields, and then move on after years to ensure all their numbers had enough time and resources to make the trip west. | ||
| Afterwards, the improvements would belong to the Omaha. | ||
| This vanguard party of 148 pioneers who had been on the road for 111 days followed Brigham Young down Emigration Canyon into the Salt Lake Valley. | ||
| They immediately began organizing a community, diverting water for irrigation, plowing fields, and planning their first city, Salt Lake City, our state's capital. | ||
| Salt Lake was founded that very day. | ||
| Denver wasn't founded until 1858. | ||
| So was Carson City, Phoenix in 1867, Boise in 1863, Helena in 1864. | ||
| Of all Western states' capital cities, only New Mexico's, Albuquerque, is older than Salt Lake. | ||
| From that small beginning of 148 souls, a city and metro area population of over 1.2 million and a state population of over 3.5 million have grown. | ||
| From that small beginning, a mighty state has grown with an annual GDP of over $234 billion. | ||
| Utah has three research universities, four regional universities, and other great institutions of higher education. | ||
| Utah's value education, and we are good at it. | ||
| The Salt Lake City metro area's professional sports teams competing at the highest level with basketball, the Utah Jazz, soccer, Real Salt Lake, and hockey, the Utah Mammoth. | ||
| They have already hosted the Winter Olympic Games and are set to host another in 2034. | ||
| If you travel across the state, you'll find communities with baseball fields, football fields, soccer fields, pickleball courts, tennis courts, swimming pools, ski resorts, and golf courses. | ||
| Utah's value sports, and we are good at them. | ||
| Utah is an international center for technology, including space tech. | ||
| Just south of Salt Lake is a business park called Silicon Slopes. | ||
| About 100 miles north of Salt Lake is a space dynamics laboratory. | ||
| Utah's value technology and research, and we are good at them. | ||
| Utah's may leave Utah, but they take Utah with them wherever they go. | ||
| The football coach who takes the job in the Big Ten, the medical school graduate who interns at Brigham and Women's, the ROTC grad who learns to fly in Enida, Oklahoma, and the mother of five who gets that promotion and follows her work to Seattle. | ||
| All of them take a piece of Utah with them. | ||
| And on July 24th, you may just see every one of them pulling kids in a wagon in a neighborhood parade or hear them singing a pioneer song or making the trek downtown to the shelter to drop off bedding and clothing. | ||
| Each in his way honors July 24th, and I ask you today to honor those long-dead pioneers as well as those whose hearts hold Utah close. | ||
| This place west of the Great Divide and east of Salt Flats, north of the Grand Canyon and south of lava flows and potato fields of Idaho is my home. | ||
| I wasn't born in Utah. | ||
| In fact, my father wasn't even born in this country. | ||
| I'm a pioneer like my brother and sister Utah's. | ||
| Just like those 148 brave and desperate souls, I have made this place my home. | ||
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Safe Reporting for Coast Guard
00:06:05
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| I, like Brigham Young and those other three and a half million souls, came to this place, saw that it was good, and said, this is the right place. | ||
| Drive on. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The chair now recognizes the gentleman from Connecticut, Mr. Courtney, for five minutes. | |
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, the House of Representatives will be taking up H.R. 4275, the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2025. | ||
| That is the biannual legislation that updates and codifies changes and reforms to America's oldest continuous maritime service, the Coast Guard. | ||
| It's actually called the First Fleet because technically, actually, the Coast Guard is older than the U.S. Navy. | ||
| This bill contains many good bipartisan provisions that, again, are addressing many of the challenges that the Coast Guard faces every day, whether it's drug interdiction, obviously doing the work in terms of our coastal littoral regions of the country and making sure that we have safe passage of commercial and civilian maritime activity. | ||
| Included is a provision to reach out to a great ally, Finland, to update and modernize our icebreaker fleet, which again, our Polar Star large icebreaker is now 50 years old and it is long past due, particularly with the challenges in the Arctic with Russia and China, to make sure that we update and modernize our Coast Guard and icebreaking fleet. | ||
| This bill also contains a long overdue provision to reform the Coast Guard statutes regarding protecting victims of sexual assault and harassment, both within the Coast Guard service and also the Coast Guard Academy. | ||
| I represent New London, Connecticut, which is home to the Coast Guard Academy. | ||
| It's an outstanding institution that builds future leaders for the Coast Guard. | ||
| It actually has a large international contingent of allies such as Iceland, Pacific Island nations that come to learn really at the cutting-edge institution in terms of coastal activities that are there. | ||
| But like all the military academies, there has been a shadow of, unfortunately, activity regarding female cadets over the years that have had to really put up with totally unacceptable conduct and really forcing them into almost an impossible position in terms of reporting this activity over the years. | ||
| The bill includes a safe to report policy, which will protect members reporting sexual assault. | ||
| Again, sometimes incidents occur where there may be minor misconduct issues that both the victim and the perpetrator are involved in, and that risk of being punished for those minor misconduct has really inhibited people to come forward and report sexual assault. | ||
| This is an issue which was the subject of exhaustive hearings at the Oversight Committee over really the last eight years. | ||
| Our dear belated Congressman Elijah Cummings conducted many of those hearings. | ||
| There were brave whistleblowers that came forth. | ||
| Dr. Kim Young McClear, who is now retired commander in the Coast Guard, testified before that committee and talked about, again, some of the hard experiences that she went through. | ||
| Other military academies, West Point, Annapolis, have actually adopted safe to report policies, and tomorrow's bill will get the Coast Guard Academy in line with those institutions. | ||
| The bill also extends the safe to report policy to the entire Coast Guard personnel, the entire service. | ||
| That was done administratively by the last commandant of the Coast Guard, Linda Fagan, who, again, I think was very focused in terms of trying to make sure that this safe to report policy was going to be in place to eradicate activities that really harms the readiness and effectiveness of the Coast Guard. | ||
| Women Coast Guard officers are some of the finest, most talented people that, again, are doing the important work of the Coast Guard, and we need to make sure that there is a statutory structure in place to make sure that any of this type of activity, people will be able to report it and get a remedy and a response, in some cases punishment, to make sure that, again, people are not hindered because of this unacceptable conduct. | ||
| So tomorrow, when we take up this bill, it is going to be a day in which, again, those brave women who came forward to testify and report their experience and sometimes watch their dreams and their careers end because of the fact that they were subjected to really just unacceptable pressure and retaliation for reporting. | ||
| By law, that is now going to be a thing of the past. | ||
| Long overdue. | ||
| And again, I just want to, again, take a moment to publicly thank Commander Young McClear and her colleagues for having the courage to step forward and make sure that the Congress is aware of this situation and will end it with the passage of tomorrow's bill. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon, Ms. Bonamici, for five minutes. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today to demand answers. | ||
| Answers from the Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget. | ||
|
Trump Administration Withholds School Funds
00:04:19
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| Today, it's July 22nd, and the Trump administration continues to withhold more than $5 billion in critical K-12 and adult education funding that should have been released by the July 1st deadline. | ||
| Now, more than 150 Democratic members of the House of Representatives joined a group of 42 senators, including 10 Republican senators, in calling on Secretary McMahon and Director Vogt to release the funds by July 15th. | ||
| That date has obviously passed, but we have received no answers. | ||
| Although the administration did release the 21st Century Community Learning Center grants yesterday, they are a small percentage of the outstanding funding, and there is still no word on any of the other grants. | ||
| So school districts across the country, they're scrambling to make decisions, but they have unclear information and severely constrained budgets. | ||
| Many districts have already been forced to lay off educators and staff who will not be paid without the federal funding. | ||
| For many students across the country, the new school year starts in a few weeks, and schools are now in an all-out crisis. | ||
| As one administrator told me, it's a five-alarm fire. | ||
| Funds authorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act are not a luxury. | ||
| They are part of what closes opportunity gaps. | ||
| They are a critical part of our effort to provide students across the country, regardless of income or zip code, with a world-class education. | ||
| Yes, this is about civil rights. | ||
| Every single dollar is a good investment in students and in our future. | ||
| State-administered Title I Part C grants, which have been around since the 1960s, they support migrant students. | ||
| These grants help children of mobile farm workers and fishers, people who are harvesting our crops and putting food on our tables. | ||
| It helps their children meet academic standards and graduate from high school, preparing them to become responsible citizens and productive employees. | ||
| Title II grants, that provides essential support to recruit, prepare, and retain high-quality teachers and school leaders. | ||
| These grants address the growing educator workforce shortage and provide professional development for educators to improve teaching and student outcomes. | ||
| Title III grants provide English language learners with the integrated academic support they need to learn English and meet state standards. | ||
| And Title IV Part A grants, those are designed to give students access to a well-rounded education. | ||
| That's what students need to improve school safety, to create better conditions for student learning and engagement. | ||
| These grants fund critical music and arts programs, integrate technology into the classroom so students can develop digital literacy skills. | ||
| And finally, the Adult Basic and Literacy Education Grants. | ||
| Those help provide integrated education and training services that promote essential skills for the 21st century workforce. | ||
| These are all programs that Congress authorized. | ||
| Again, these are programs that Congress authorized, yet the Trump administration is refusing to release the funds. | ||
| Ten Republican senators were brave enough, principled enough, to request with the Democrats that the administration release these funds for their intended purposes, yet we have heard nothing, nothing from House Republicans about the illegal and unconstitutional withholding of these congressionally appropriated dollars. | ||
| Is there fear of President Trump keeping them from their commitment to the millions of students in the school districts they were elected to represent? | ||
| Well, my colleagues, everyone can show that they care about the kids in their districts. | ||
| They care about education. | ||
| Everyone should join us in demanding answers. | ||
| Secretary McMahon and Director Vogt must release these funds immediately. | ||
| This is about our nation's children, our students, our future leaders. | ||
| They deserve better. | ||
| And I yield back. | ||
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Cornwall Cleanup Crew's Commitment
00:05:07
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|
unidentified
|
The chair recognizes the gentleman from New York, Mr. Ryan, for five minutes. | |
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today to recognize the Cornwall Cleanup Crew for their commitment to environmental preservation and education in the town of Cornwall and across the Hudson Valley of New York State. | ||
| Since 2023, this grassroots group has worked with community members to clean up litter and illegal dumping around the town and educate the public on the importance of conservation and environmental protection. | ||
| Started by a high school student and a group of community members within its first year, the organization amassed a team of more than 1,500 volunteers, managing to clear over 10,000 tons of litter and illegally dumped material in Cornwall. | ||
| Cornwall Cleanup Crew has become a popular community service opportunity for students, including at the Storm King School and Cornwall High School, whose students both contribute to the cleanup efforts and learn about the importance of environmental protection. | ||
| Finally, after a multi-year lengthy process, the Cornwall Cleanup Crew has earned their official 501c3 nonprofit certification, allowing them to expand their important environmental work to other communities in Orange County and across the Hudson Valley. | ||
| I've been out there with this crew and seen them work in the cold and the heat. | ||
| Their relentless efforts to combat littering and to really bring our community together in a positive way while doing so is a truly commendable pillar of selfless service. | ||
| On behalf of our entire community, I thank them and join in celebrating this certification that will allow them to continue to expand on their important work. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate recent Walk Hill High School graduate Zoe Masich on concluding a truly remarkable high school basketball career and on her appointment to the United States Naval Academy, where she is now undergoing her summer training. | ||
| I was proud to nominate Zoe to represent the Hudson Valley at the Naval Academy in this year's newest class. | ||
| With more than 2,000 career points, Zoe has been named Daily Freeman Player of the Year three years in a row, a record for the award. | ||
| This year, she was also named Player of the Year by the New York Basketball Coaches Association and was selected as a top player in the Mid-Hudson Athletic League's American Conference by all the league's coaches. | ||
| Zoe is known by her teammates, coaches, teachers, and family as an exceptionally hard worker and team player, assets that will be of great service to her and our country as she now serves in the military. | ||
| Zoe plans to continue her basketball career at the Naval Academy, where she will also study oceanography in pursuit of becoming a surface warfare officer. | ||
| Zoe, I think you know I'm an Army fan, so I can't say I'll be rooting for your team in the Patriot League this year, but our entire Hudson Valley community is rooting for you, and we cannot wait to see all that you accomplish. | ||
| Finally, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Elder Jim Childs, a pillar of our Kingston community, for his decades of service to St. Clara Church, to my home city and his of Kingston, and to families across the Hudson Valley. | ||
| Elder Childs was born and raised in Kingston, New York, the very community he continues to serve to this day. | ||
| He graduated from Kingston High School, my alma mater, before beginning his career working for IBM. | ||
| He worked initially as a mail clerk and took every opportunity to advance his education and training, further his knowledge, and move up within the company. | ||
| Additionally, a fellow Army veteran, Elder Child served his country in uniform while also deepening his faith and love of fellow man, a lesson that would stay with him throughout his life. | ||
| When Elder Childs was first appointed pastor of St. Clara Church of God in Christ in Kingston in 1969, he admitted he didn't know if he was ready. | ||
| But he was called to serve his community, which he has done faithfully for the past 56 years. | ||
| In 1961, he married Dorothy Neal, and the two of them have welcomed four children, Paula, Cynthia, James, and Timothy, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. | ||
| This year, Elder Childs was rightfully promoted to superintendent to continue serving the Kingston community in an even greater capacity than before. | ||
| I want to thank Elder Childs for his continued dedication to and love of our neighbors and neighborhoods. | ||
|
Jack's Legacy
00:14:22
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|
unidentified
|
I want to thank him personally for his mentorship and advice to me in serving in this position. | |
| I want to congratulate him on his recent promotion and a lifetime of service to our community. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Grothman, for five minutes. | ||
| I'd like to thank President Trump and his Department of Labor for stopping an administrative rule that was going to get rid of 14C certificates. | ||
| which are so vital for the lives of our disabled citizens as they pursue lives of good lives of work and self-esteem. | ||
| 14C certificates are used by people who work in work centers. | ||
| They may have spina bifida, they may have Down syndrome, but it doesn't mean that they can't lead productive lives doing packaging, doing light manufacturing. | ||
| I have several facilities in my district, Green Valley, RCS, that provide these opportunities for people with different abilities. | ||
| Not only does this give them an opportunity to interact with other people who have disabilities, it provides them with a little extra money to supplement their SSI from which they can buy clothes, buy gifts, go out to eat from time to time. | ||
| In order to allow these folks to work, some of them have to be paid less than minimum wage. | ||
| If you have never seen one of these work centers, I encourage you to go to the work centers where you will see people with different abilities at work. | ||
| Sadly, there are some, and everybody who works there that I can see is happy to be there and is working there because it is their choice. | ||
| Nevertheless, I think arrogant people in the Biden Department of Labor had decided they would get rid of the 14C certificates and tell these people, in essence, you no longer can work. | ||
| You can go to a day center, you can watch television, but we're not going to allow you to work like your siblings work. | ||
| We're not going to allow you to get out and about in the community where you get to know people other than your immediate relatives. | ||
| Fortunately, Trump's Department of Labor stepped up and said, we're not going to change the rules. | ||
| We are going to continue to allow work centers to exist. | ||
| Maybe they're making $4 or $5 an hour to supplement their SSI, but if they want to choose, they can still work there. | ||
| And hopefully, we will expand the use of work centers so that people begin to work there when they're 18 or 19 years old, like they used to. | ||
| One of the great things, like I said, about work centers is not only does it give you a little bit more independence, it gives you the ability to form a lot more friendships, both with other people whose abilities are similar to your own and the management staff at these facilities. | ||
| The Democrat Party has tried to prevent people from working here, A, saying they are being taken advantage of, which is preposterous. | ||
| Anybody who looks at these packaging or light manufacturing facilities will see immediately why you have to pay some people under minimum wage. | ||
| And secondly, they claim that people are being isolated among other people with different abilities. | ||
| Again, there are people with a wide variety of ability in these places. | ||
| And secondly, an opportunity to form lifetime bonds with people in these facilities. | ||
| I think of Threshold in West Bend, RCS in Sheboygan, Green Valley in Beaver Dam, Ascend in Manitowoc. | ||
| I think of the lifelong friends that these people form when their parents and guardians frequently worry after that the parents are no longer gone, what will these people do for socialization? | ||
| Where will these people find friends? | ||
| They find friends in the work centers, and it's horrific for the Biden Department of Labor to try to shut these places down. | ||
| In any event, one more time, I thank President Trump for preserving the work centers, and I hope his Department of Labor continues to look for more opportunities in these facilities for people at a younger and younger age, reminding you all that this is only if these folks choose to work in the work centers. | ||
| Everybody else can work wherever they want, but they want these folks stuck perhaps in a place where they're just watching TV or playing games all day. | ||
| So I encourage my colleagues to tour the work centers, and if they tour the work centers, my good colleagues, I think you too will become fans of them. | ||
| Thank you very much. | ||
| The time has expired. | ||
| The chair recognizes gentlemen from California, Mr. Whitesides, for five minutes. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | |
| I ask unanimous consent to address the House for five minutes and to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
|
unidentified
|
It's with a heavy heart that I rise today to honor the life of my dear friend, Chad Campbell. | |
| Chad wasn't just a devoted father, devoted husband, and admired community leader. | ||
| He was a cornerstone of the Santa Clarita Valley. | ||
| He and his wife, Michelle, who have been close friends for several years, were deeply involved in our community. | ||
| Chad was a former president of the Democratic Alliance for Action of Santa Clarita Valley, an active member of the Santa Clarita Valley Democrats, and someone whose commitment to service ran deep. | ||
| One of his friends described Chad perfectly. | ||
| He was someone who truly grounded those around him. | ||
| The kind of person who would help you cut through the noise, find your center, and remember why you did the work in the first place. | ||
| That was Chad, a source of wisdom and calm, always there when you needed him. | ||
| He lived in Stevenson Ranch with his wife, Michelle, and their daughter, Bridget. | ||
| And while no words can ease the pain of their loss, I hope his family knows how deeply loved and appreciated Chad was. | ||
| Chad was the kind of guy who would get there early to help set up an event and then stay late, breaking down the tables and chairs afterwards. | ||
| He was a talented designer and photographer. | ||
| He knew how to communicate, and he used that skill for the benefit of businesses and causes close to his heart. | ||
| He was known for his booming voice. | ||
| For many new activists getting involved, their introduction to civic engagement was seeing Chad kick off a meeting or rally before taking the time to greet them and every other person there, always with a big smile and an infectious grin. | ||
| He embodied the truth that the greatest title of responsibility in any democracy is that of citizen. | ||
| Chad was a rock of principle. | ||
| He was committed to making his community, his state, and his country better. | ||
| And month after month, year after year, he did the work. | ||
| He and Michelle profoundly changed the Santa Clarita Valley for the better, and his impact will never be forgotten. | ||
| Chad gave so much of himself to this community because he believed in people and the power of showing up. | ||
| His absence leaves a real void, but his spirit lives on in the work he championed and the friendships he built. | ||
| May we honor him not just in words, but in how we carry ourselves, with compassion, with humility, and a commitment to something greater than ourselves. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I want to close by thanking my summer interns, some of whom are here today. | ||
| You cannot help but be inspired about the future of our country if you spend some time with the many great young people who work here on Capitol Hill. | ||
| They work hard, they do crucial work interacting with our constituents, and their passion and inspiration must be recognized. | ||
| As a new member, I'm deeply inspired by the idea that people would come and work with us in our office, and I'm so grateful to our team, and I wish them the very best for their futures. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Ohio, Ms. Sykes, for five minutes. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Today, I rise with a heavy heart, but with extreme honor, to recognize the life of a colleague, a mentor, and a dear friend, former Ohio State Representative Jack Sarah, who passed away on July 13th after a courageous two and a half year battle with cancer. | ||
| My sincere and deepest sympathy goes out to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him. | ||
| Jack was a proud son of Belair, Ohio, a man who never forgot where he came from and who fought every day to serve the people of eastern Ohio. | ||
| Jack was a true statesman, someone who listened more than he spoke, sought common ground without compromising his values, and worked tirelessly to deliver for the communities he loved. | ||
| Jack served in the Ohio House of Representatives across three decades, from 1983 to 1996 and again from 2011 to 2020. | ||
| He represented families in Belmont, Monroe, Noble, Jefferson, and Washington counties with distinction. | ||
| His colleagues across the political spectrum respected him. | ||
| His constituents trusted him. | ||
| And those of us who had the privilege of working alongside him admired him deeply. | ||
| I had the honor of working alongside Jack in the Ohio House, where I witnessed firsthand his commitment to the people of Eastern Ohio. | ||
| Jack and I served in leadership together, and when I was elected as the minority leader, I tapped him to serve as the ranking member of the House Finance and Appropriations Committee. | ||
| Whether it was fighting for infrastructure investment, preserving the local government fund, or advocating for economic development in Appalachia, Jack never wavered in his commitment to public service. | ||
| Jack was a Brown University graduate, and he was sent to Rhode Island on a football scholarship. | ||
| And he would often joke that he was in the first class of football players to ever wear helmets, leather helmets at that. | ||
| And he, although he was an Ivy League, he didn't have an ounce of superiority, nor was there anything pretentious about him. | ||
| He was just Jack. | ||
| And that is what made him so special and so nice to work with. | ||
| He didn't take himself seriously, but he certainly took the work of the people very seriously. | ||
| I would argue that you didn't really know Jack if he didn't teach you how to properly pronounce Blair, no E, share some music, or advocate for the people of eastern Ohio. | ||
| But most importantly, Jack was smart, dedicated, and a trusted legislator who exemplified the very best of public service. | ||
| He was sought after for advice and leadership on difficult issues as he was always committed to the purpose of representing his hometown and the people of Ohio with integrity. | ||
| Without a doubt, Jack left a mark on the state of Ohio and his legacy of service will not be soon forgotten. | ||
| Jack will be remembered by his wife Becky, his beloved daughters Jacqueline and Bethany, granddaughters Scarlett, Lena, and Finley, and the countless people whose lives he made better. | ||
| This past weekend, my husband Kevin and I joined the Blair community, former legislators, colleagues, friends, and family to pay our final respects to Jack. | ||
| It was clear that the community loved and cared about him, as it was evident by the Jack Sarah for Ohio House signs in yards leading the way to the church and the many people who were gathered at the church. | ||
| The eulogist and the pastor asked those present to think about the dash in between the dates that Jack was born and the date that he was returned home to the Lord. | ||
| And as people stood up to share their experiences and to expand upon the dash, I wanted to be able to add my tribute to him, but here on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. | ||
| The eulogist also reminded us that Jack had a motto of ensuring that he left things better than he found it. | ||
| And I encourage and call upon all of my colleagues here in Congress to leave a place better than you found it in honor and memory of Jack Sarah. | ||
| Though his presence will be missed, I am confident his memory will live on through the people he influenced and the family he deeply loved. | ||
| And for a moment, I just want to say and acknowledge his daughters again, Jacqueline and Bethany and his wife Bethany of over 40 years, and say thank you for sharing Jack with us. | ||
| I know it was hard to see him leave for Columbus many times over the 30 years, but we are so grateful for your sacrifice and we will keep you lifted up in our prayers. | ||
| Thus, with deepest sympathy, I mourn the loss and pay tribute to a truly phenomenal individual. | ||
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Most Significant Betrayal
00:06:21
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| May his memory be a blessing. | ||
| The gentlelady yields back. | ||
| The chair recognizes a gentleman from Texas, Mr. Gonzalez, for five minutes. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of every senior citizen in Texas and across America. | |
| Unfortunately, it's not with celebration, but with outrage and disgust. | ||
| I'm here to shed continued light to the damage this institution has caused seniors by the recent passage of this big beautiful bill, which was anything but it is the most significant betrayal of our senior citizens yet. | ||
| A betrayal of our values and our nation's promise. | ||
| Folks, let's not be fooled by the branding. | ||
| This bill wasn't beautiful. | ||
| It was brutal. | ||
| It slashed Medicare funding under the guise of reform. | ||
| It wrapped its cruelty in buzzwords like efficiency and modernization and fiscal responsibility. | ||
| But beneath the surface, it is a cold and calculated attempt to strip millions of Americans of the dignity they have earned over a lifetime of work. | ||
| This bill tells our parents and grandparents, thank you for building this country. | ||
| Now go fend for yourself. | ||
| It says to the most vulnerable, health care is a luxury in this country, not a right. | ||
| And they dare to call it beautiful. | ||
| Let's be clear, Medicare is not a handout. | ||
| It is a sacred promise paid by workers every day, their entire lives. | ||
| And it is a lifeline for seniors choosing between food and prescriptions, for families relying on home health care, for Americans who believe that aging should not come with abandonment. | ||
| Cutting Medicare was not fiscally responsible. | ||
| It was a moral failure. | ||
| All of this was done at the bequest of their master, a master who wants tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy billionaires and multinational corporations and empty slogans for the rest of Americans. | ||
| It sacrificed the well-being of American retirees on the altar of political theater. | ||
| In fact, they were so diabolical about it that they purposely set a start date for these policies, December 2026, right after midterm elections, trying to poke seniors' eyes. | ||
| They want to fool voting senior citizens by making these painful policies kick in right after November elections. | ||
| They're not fooling anyone, folks. | ||
| Americans are smarter than this. | ||
| We need health care policies that uplift older Americans, not undermine them, that care for them, not cast them aside, that honor our social contract to American senior citizens. | ||
| So to those who voted for this bill, don't call it beautiful. | ||
| Own what it is. | ||
| A betrayal to older Americans who helped build this country. | ||
| To every senior who is watching today, to every caregiver, to every grandchild and child caring for an older American, to every worker in Texas and across this great nation in hopes to retire with peace and dignity. | ||
| We see you. | ||
| We hear you. | ||
| And we will not stop fighting. | ||
| And I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| Pursuant to Clause 12A of Rule 1, the Chair declares the House in recess until noon today. | ||
|
unidentified
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Today, House lawmakers are considering two bills out of the Natural Resources Committee. | |
| One measure involves a national forest land transfer in Wisconsin. | ||
| The other authorizes funding to track hatchery-produced fish in the Great Lakes region. | ||
| House Republican leaders changed the floor schedule after the Rules Committee recessed to block Democrats from offering amendments involving the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. | ||
| This is the last work week in the House before its scheduled August break. | ||
| Watch live coverage when lawmakers return here on C-SPAN. | ||
| C-SPAN, Democracy Unfiltered. | ||
| We're funded by these television companies and more, including Comcast. | ||
| Agriculture is the main life in Sussex County, and I'm very proud of that. | ||
| I felt like we were being left behind. | ||
| Everybody around us seemed to have internet, but we did not. | ||
| When I found out that Comcast was coming, I ran down the road and I said, welcome. | ||
| High-speed internet is one of those good things that we needed to help us move our farming, our small businesses, our recreation forward. | ||
| And now future generations will thrive here in Sussex County. | ||
| Comcast supports C-SPAN as a public service, along with these other television providers, giving you a front-row seat to democracy. | ||
| Well, coming up, House Republican leaders will be speaking to reporters about President Trump's agenda and pending legislation. | ||
| This after their weekly caucus meeting on Capitol Hill. | ||
| Well, good morning, everybody. | ||
|
unidentified
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So glad to have you here today. | |
| This weekend marked six months since President Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office. | ||
| And boy, has it been historic. | ||