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Nov. 18, 2025 20:16-22:04 - CSPAN

01:47:57

U.S. House of Representatives

Participants

Appearances

doug lamalfa

rep/r 01:00

emily randall

rep/d 01:22

eugene vindman

rep/d 01:02

glenn grothman

rep/r 01:16

haley robson

03:20

james comer

rep/r 01:10

jena-lisa jones

03:26

jim mcgovern

rep/d 02:53

kevin kiley

rep/r 01:12

lisa phillips

02:50

marcy kaptur

rep/d 01:16

marina lacerda

02:23

marjorie taylor greene

rep/r 04:02

mike johnson

rep/r 00:55

ralph norman

rep/r 03:08

ro khanna

rep/d 03:38

susan cole

02:10

thomas massie

rep/r 02:30

virginia foxx

rep/r 00:59

Clips

anna paulina luna

rep/r 00:15

glenn gt thompson

rep/r 00:02

joel salatin

00:23

randy fine

rep/r 00:09

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Speaker	Time	Text
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		We're rushing the release of thousands of unsubstantiated documents that may be included in this that are going to be in the public domain with the passage of this bill.
		And there are serious deficiencies in the legislation that I have noted at length, and Republicans have to work to address those deficiencies in the Senate if and when this legislation is advanced.
		I stood before the American public today at our press conference, and I explained in detail the dangers of the discharge petition.
unidentified		We have posted at my website, speaker.gov, a summary.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		The legal counsel, a small army of lawyers, put this together.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		I used to be a federal court litigator.
unidentified		Many of my colleagues who have spoken today were.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		We understand the dangers of how this was haphazardly drawn up.
unidentified		And among them, by the way, Mr. Speaker, before I forget, I seek unanimous consent to enter this document into the record.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		It is that.
unidentified		It's on the website.
unidentified		It's entitled, How the Flaws of H.R. 4405 Could Re-Victimize Epstein's Victims, Create New Victims, and Damage the Judicial System.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		It is dated today.
		Thank you.
		And it summarizes just five or six of the major concerns.
unidentified		Among them, it fails to fully protect victim privacy.
		It could create new categories of victims.
		It potentially jeopardizes grand jury secrecy.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		It fails to prohibit release of child sexual abuse materials that are not appropriately defined in the legislation.
		It jeopardizes future federal investigations, and we have national security concerns regarding classified information.
		We'll put this in the recording.
unidentified		We're going to leave this.
		The House is gaffling back in for a second round of votes.
		The committee on natural resources be discharged from further consideration of HJA 133 and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
		The clerk will report the joint title, the joint resolution.
susan cole ▲ ● ▼		House Joint Resolution 133, joint resolution requesting the Secretary of the Interior to authorize unique and one-time arrangements for displays on the National Mall and the Washington Monument during the period beginning on December 31st, 2025 and ending on January 5th, 2026.
unidentified		Is there objection to the consideration of the joint resolution?
		Hearing none, without objection, the joint resolution is read a third time and passed and the motion reconsiders laid on the table.
		Proceedings will resume on questions previously postponed.
		Votes will be taken in the following order.
		Passage of the House Joint Resolution 130.
		Passage of the Hout and Joyce House Joint Resolution 131.
		Passage of the Senate Joint Resolution 80, and adoption of the House Resolution 888.
		The first electronic vote will be conducted as a 15-minute vote pursuant to clause 9 of Rule 20.
		Remaining electronic votes will be conducted as five-minute votes.
		Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule 20, the unfinished business is the vote on passage of HJ Res 130, on which the A's and A's are ordered.
		The clerk will report the title of the joint resolution.
susan cole ▲ ● ▼		House Joint Resolution 130, joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under Chapter 8 of Title V, United States Code, of the rules submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to Buffalo Field Office record of decision and approved resource management plan amendment.
unidentified		The question is on the passage of the joint resolution.
		Members will record their votes by electronic device.
		Members, this is a 15-minute vote.
		And a second round of votes here in the House underway now.
		The first five votes expected.
		The first of the five votes expected are on a bill to repeal a Biden-era rule preventing coal mining in Wyoming.
		It nullifies an amendment to the Bureau of Land Management's Buffalo Field Office plan issued in November of 2024.
		Also, today in the earlier round of votes, the House overwhelmingly approved a bill requiring the release of the Epstein files, 427 to 1.
		The lone no vote was Louisiana Republican Clay Higgins.
		There were a number of news conferences as well prior to the House vote.
		We'll take a look at one of those now.
marjorie taylor greene ▲ ● ▼		I appreciate it, Roy.
unidentified		Thank you.
unidentified		Thomas, let her go before me.
marjorie taylor greene ▲ ● ▼		Whatever, whatever.
ro khanna ▲ ● ▼		She's gotten in enough trouble.
unidentified		Are we ready?
marjorie taylor greene ▲ ● ▼		Great to see you all.
unidentified		I want to see you.
		I want to follow you.
		Good morning.
		Today is the first day of real reckoning for the Epstein class.
ro khanna ▲ ● ▼		We're here to stand with forgotten and abandoned Americans against an Epstein class that had no regard for the rules or the laws.
		Look, this is one of the most horrific and disgusting corruption scandals in our country's history.
		You had Jeffrey Epstein who literally set up an island of rape, a rape island.
		And you had rich and powerful men, some of the richest people in the world, who thought that they could hang out with bankers, buy off politicians, and abuse and rape America's girls with no consequence.
		Because survivors spoke up, because of their courage, the truth is finally going to come out.
		And when it comes out, this country is really going to have a moral reckoning.
		How did we allow this to happen?
		There should be no buildings named after people in this Epstein class.
		There should be no scholarships named after them.
		They shouldn't be enjoying the perks of being affiliated with corporations or universities or writing op-eds or being lionized.
		And many of the survivors will tell you some of these people still are celebrated in our society.
		That's disgusting.
		There needs to be accountability.
		I want to recognize first and foremost the survivors.
		They are the ones who made today possible.
		Many of you had forgotten about this issue, and frankly, for decades, we have not done enough about this issue.
		And it's only because of their advocacy, them coming here to the Capitol.
		They showed up here time and again, and on September 3rd, that the country started to pay attention.
		And I also want to thank the courage of two of my colleagues in particular.
unidentified		Both of them have suffered, as you know, extraordinary political consequences for what they did.
ro khanna ▲ ● ▼		One, my colleague, Congressman Thomas Massey.
		This would not have been possible if he hadn't led the discharge petition that got 218 signatures and is going to force a vote in the House of Representatives.
		And this would not have certainly been possible if it were not for the courage of Marjorie Taylor Greene.
		She signed the petition, and I would keep texting Thomas.
unidentified		Is she going to drop off?
		Is she going to drop off?
		Because there was so much pressure against us, so much attacks against her.
ro khanna ▲ ● ▼		But she stood with the survivors.
		For Thomas or me, this has never been political.
		This is not about questions of Trump or Biden.
		This is a question of doing the right thing for survivors.
unidentified		We're going to get a vote today.
		I expect an overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives.
		And I don't want the DC Swamp playing any games.
ro khanna ▲ ● ▼		They need to pass this in the Senate and they should not amend it.
ro khanna ▲ ● ▼		President Trump has said he would sign the Epstein Transparency Act.
unidentified		It's going to get overwhelming support in the House.
ro khanna ▲ ● ▼		It should go straight to the Senate and it should be signed.
ro khanna ▲ ● ▼		No amendments, no adding loopholes.
unidentified		Justice is long overdue.
		And I want to hand it over to my colleague, Representative Thomas Massey.
		Thank you, Roe.
thomas massie ▲ ● ▼		I want to start by thanking the survivors.
unidentified		I mean, they're giving everybody hope in this country.
thomas massie ▲ ● ▼		There are survivors of other sex crimes in this country wondering if they should come forward.
		They're clouded with shame and concerned that law enforcement will do nothing.
		And these survivors have stepped forth, taking that same risk, worried that they will be defamed themselves.
		They have been defamed for stepping forward.
		But we're going to get justice for them.
unidentified		That's going to happen today in the People's House.
thomas massie ▲ ● ▼		The founders set up our government with three branches and two branches of Congress.
		And I don't think it's any coincidence that this fight is being started and it's being won in the House of Representatives.
		I have people, other survivors of other sex crimes, who come to me and say, thank you.
		You give me hope.
		You give us hope.
		There is hope here.
		We fought the president, the attorney general, the FBI director, the speaker of the House, and the Vice President to get this win.
unidentified		But they never, they're on our side today, though.
unidentified		So let's give them some credit as well.
thomas massie ▲ ● ▼		They are finally on the side of justice.
		And as Roe said, don't muck it up in the Senate.
		Don't get too cute.
		We're all paying attention.
		If you want to add some additional protections for these survivors, go for it.
		But if you do anything that prevents any disclosure, you are not for the people and you are not part of this effort.
		Do not muck it up in the Senate.
		So with that, I just want to say I am hopeful too.
		I didn't know that we would succeed when Roe and I started this effort.
		Most discharge petitions never make it, maybe only 4%.
		So we had long odds.
		But we had some brave women on the Republican side.
		My colleague Marjorie Taylor Green is one of them who's here with us today.
		You cannot even imagine the consequences that they have suffered.
		My colleague Lauren Boebert and my colleague Nancy Mace, they stood so strong.
		They put their names on a document in here and then they were pressured in ways that you cannot even imagine.
		And they stood strong.
		And that's why we're here today.
		And they didn't take us seriously over at the executive branch or in the Senate because they always thought they could flip one of these women.
		They could convince them or conjole them or intimidate them into taking their names off of this petition.
		But they did not succeed.
		This is a victory for those women and women all over the country today.
		And I'm just glad to be a part of it.
		With that, I want to introduce my colleague Marjorie Taylor Greene.
marjorie taylor greene ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Thomas.
		Thank you, Roe.
		I woke up this morning and I turned to my weather app to check the temperature and it was 32 degrees.
		And my first thought was, hell has froze over.
		I want to speak goodness and love and hope into the women standing behind me and all of the other survivors whose names you don't even know but stand with these women.
		They are survivors and they are strong and they are courageous and they are daughters of God.
		They are not victims.
		These women have fought the most horrific fight that no woman should have to fight, and they did it by banding together and never giving up.
		And that's what we did by fighting so hard against the most powerful people in the world, even the president of the United States, in order to make this vote happen today.
		I was called a traitor by a man that I fought for five, no, actually six years for.
		And I gave him my loyalty for free.
		I won my first election without his endorsement, beating eight men in a primary.
		And I've never owed him anything, but I fought for him for the policies and for America first.
		And he called me a traitor for standing with these women and refusing to take my name off the discharge petition.
		Let me tell you what a traitor is.
		A traitor is an American that serves foreign countries and themselves.
		A patriot is an American that serves the United States of America and Americans like the women standing behind me.
		And I want to tell you that this only became possible today because the American people whom we serve as representatives here in Congress demanded that this vote happen and they put more pressure on every single elected politician in this city than has ever been put on them.
		And today you are going to see probably a unanimous vote in the House to release the Epstein files, but the fight, the real fight, will happen after that.
		While I want to see every single name released so that these women don't have to live in fear and intimidation, which is something I've had a small taste of in just the past few days, just a small taste.
		They've been living it for years.
		But the real test will be: will the Department of Justice release the files?
		Or will it all remain tied up in investigations?
		Will the CIA release the files?
		Will a judge in New York, sorry, a judge in New York release the information?
		That's information that needs to come out.
		And will the list of names that these women privately hold, and they hold it because of their fear in their heart of what would happen to them if they release it on their own?
		Will that list of names come out?
		That's the real test.
		So I want to thank Thomas Massey and Ro Cona for your bravery in doing something, doing something that is much needed in America, crossing the political aisle that has become bigger than the Grand Canyon in America.
		But these men crossed that aisle on behalf of these women.
		And that is more of what is needed today in America than ever in our history.
		So thank you so much.
		Who's next?
		Roe, I'll let you introduce.
unidentified		Thank you.
ro khanna ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Marjorie, Representative Green, for your courage and your words.
		Before I introduce our survivors, I just want to say that they will make their statements and then you can ask questions of Representative Massey, myself, or Representative Green, but we do not want people asking questions and cross-examining the survivors.
		They're here to tell their stories and they should be heard by the American people with respect.
		Of course, Congressman Massey, myself, and Congresswoman Green would be happy to answer questions after that.
		With that, let me introduce the survivor who's helped organize a lot of this, and we'll be introducing, telling her own story and introducing the other survivors.
unidentified		Haley Robson, thank you for your courage and leadership.
jena-lisa jones ▲ ● ▼		Absolutely.
haley robson ▲ ● ▼		Thank you all.
		Oh, good morning.
		A little chilly coming from Florida, not used to it.
		I want everybody to take a look.
		I know everybody sees us today as grown adults, but we are fighting for the children that were abandoned and left behind in the reckoning.
		This is who you're fighting for.
		This is who Congress is fighting for.
		This is who the House of Representatives are fighting for.
		And hopefully the Senate will fight for us too.
		I want to kick this off right, and I want to address Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massey, and Rokana.
		I want to express my gratitude for all three of you.
		And I know, Rakana, we spoke earlier.
		This isn't an incredible thing that I'm watching as a Republican, and this is non-political.
		But for you to go against your own party and to be ostracized, there's no place for political violence.
		There's no place for intimidation.
		And I can say firsthand, stepping out against Epstein and his crimes against children, we have all experienced that ourselves.
		So for you to knowingly put yourselves at risk and put your career at risk is unbelievable to watch, and we are so grateful.
		I also want to make a proposition for Marjorie Taylor Greene because you've been an advocate for this.
		If you decide to read those names on the House floor for immunity, I will be more than happy.
		No security needed.
		I will stand beside you.
		I will hold your hand.
		I will hold your coat in solidarity with you.
		And on top of that, I did talk to Priya JLPAL, who said she would be more than happy to read those names too on the floor with all of us.
		It's time that we put the political agendas and party affiliations to the side.
		This is a human issue.
		This is about children.
		There is no place in society for exploitation, sexual crimes, or exploitation of women in society.
		There's no room for it, guys.
		We're not having it.
		And to the President of the United States of America, who is not here today, I want to send a clear message to you.
		While I do understand that your position has changed on the Epstein files, and I'm grateful that you have pledged to sign this bill, I can't help but be skeptical of what the agenda is.
		So with that being said, I want to relay this message to you.
		I am traumatized.
		I am not stupid.
		I am traumatized.
		I am not stupid.
		You have put us through so much stress, the lockdowns, the halt of these procedures that were supposed to have happened 50 days ago.
		The Adelita Grajalva who waited to get sworn in and then get upset when your own party goes against you because what is being done is wrong.
		It's not right.
		For your own self-serving purposes, this is America.
		This is land of the free.
		Land of the free.
		In 1863, we have a woman on top of the Capitol building represent freedom.
		I do not feel free today.
		I don't know if the women behind me feel free today.
		So I am begging every member of Congress, every representative, to step up and choose the chaos.
		Choose the survivors.
		Choose the children.
		Protect the children.
		All children.
unidentified		You protect all of us equally.
haley robson ▲ ● ▼		Thank you very much for your time.
haley robson ▲ ● ▼		Following that, Lisa Phillips will be the next survivor.
lisa phillips ▲ ● ▼		Good morning.
		My name is Lisa Phillips.
		It's an honor to stand here again for something America is finally united on.
		The immediate release of the entire Epstein files.
unidentified		In a divided nation, this is one demand we all share.
lisa phillips ▲ ● ▼		Last time I stood here, I made a promise to all survivors watching.
		If those in power refused to release the truth, we would start uncovering it ourselves.
		For anyone who doubted that, that moment has already arrived.
		Since that day, more survivors across the country and around the world have reached out, texts, emails, DMs, first-hand accounts, and evidence.
		Many are women who were abused or trafficked through the international modeling pipeline Epstein built, promising visas, apartments, opportunities, futures, while exploiting their dreams for abuse.
		Most are still terrified to speak publicly because the men involved are powerful.
		They're connected, and as we know, they're protected.
		For too long, survivors have watched others speak for us.
		And while we are grateful for our allies in Congress on both sides, we've realized something.
		This fight belongs to us.
unidentified		We lived it, and we know the truth.
lisa phillips ▲ ● ▼		And we will not wait quietly for institutions to decide when we're allowed to speak.
		The survivors now coming forward have entrusted us with their stories.
		We are sharing that information with the proper authorities, and when it can safely be made public, it will be.
		So today, we are launching something historic.
		The first national survivor-led political movement in America.
		Nonpartisan, laser-focused on exposing the systems, the loopholes, power structures, and silencing mechanisms that have protected predators for far too long.
		We are stepping directly into the halls of power, into the political arena.
		We will help rewrite laws that failed us and build protections for our nation's children together targeted by sexual exploitation.
		Together, today, survivors begin our own fight, the survivor revolution.
		And we intend to change this nation for the better.
		If you're a survivor who wants to join us, please reach out.
		And to anyone who benefits from the current system, intentionally or not, remember this.
		Alone, yes, we are afraid.
		But together, we are feared.
		Thank you.
jena-lisa jones ▲ ● ▼		Hello, everybody.
		I am Jennalisa Jones.
		And just as Haley, I would just like to give a little reminder that this was me at 14 years old.
		I was a child.
unidentified		I was in ninth grade.
jena-lisa jones ▲ ● ▼		I was hopeful for life and what the future had held for me.
		He stole a lot from me at 14.
		So just a little reminder there for everybody.
		Sorry.
		So I just want to start out by saying thank you for all of you for being here today.
		I want to start by expressing my deepest gratitude to the members of Congress who have stood with us, the survivors, in demanding the transparency and justice.
		Your support is a signal that this institution can still serve the American people.
		This issue was never one that should have divided us the way it has.
		In fact, it should have united us.
		Sexual abuse is not a Republican issue.
		This is not a debt or a Democratic issue.
		It is also not a hoax.
		We are here as American survivors of a man who used his wealth and power to hurt young girls and women.
		The world should see the files to know who Jeffrey Epstein was and how the system catered to him and failed us.
		Emotionally, this process has been distressing.
		First, the administration said it would release everything and applauded President Trump for that.
		Then it fought to release nothing.
		Now that the checks and balances of our democracy have worked and the bill is getting passed to release the files, we are hearing the administration say they intend to investigate various Democrats who were friends with Epstein.
		I beg you, President Trump, please stop making this political.
		It is not about you, President Trump.
		You are our president.
		Please start acting like it.
		Show some class.
		Show some real leadership.
		Show that you actually care about the people other than yourself.
		I voted for you, but your behavior on this issue has been a national embarrassment.
		It is time to take the honest moral ground and support the release of these files.
		Not to weaponize pieces of the files against random political enemies that did nothing wrong, but to understand who Epstein's friends were, who covered for him, what financial institutions allowed his trafficking to continue.
		Who knew what he was doing, but was too much of a coward to do anything about it?
		Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were able to recruit and abuse young girls and women.
		Then the country will learn nothing.
		The country will learn nothing and has horrible history will repeat itself if we do not do something about this.
		Thank you to the brave congressmen and women who have stood by us and recognize our side is the American side and we should all be proud once again to be Americans.
		I want to just extend my thank you so much to all three of you very, very much.
		The first time we were here listening to people yell shame at you and when she was here in support of us really hit home and spoke some volumes and I just very much appreciate your support and we stand by you.
		Don't let any of them bully you.
		We're here for you.
		Thank you guys.
marina lacerda ▲ ● ▼		Wow.
		Good morning everyone.
		Thank you all so much for coming together today and taking the time to listen to us.
		Your presence means the world and it shows commitment to understanding and supporting survivors and Americans.
		I stand before you today with a heavy heart.
		I originated from Brazil and I came to the United States when I was eight years old.
		I was only 14 when I first encountered Jeffrey Epstein and my daughter is now almost at that age.
		At 14, the only things she should be concerned with are going to school, practicing at her cheerleading competitions, and enjoying her time with her friends and family.
		She should not have to bear the burden of worrying about being manipulated or exploited.
		At this age, she is still a child, and no child should ever have to face such threats.
		I also want to address a troubling statement made by a prominent figure on a major platform who suggested that a 14-year-old should not be considered a victim of pedophilia.
		This is a dangerous and incorrect notion.
		When we talk about how children at 14 should still be treated as children, I ask you to look at the young people around you.
		Remember when you were that age?
		Do you think you should have been responsible for being groomed?
		Put yourselves in our position when we were young.
		I'm here today not to just share my story, but to call on all of you to help make a difference.
		We need to support to push for the Transparency Act and release the Epstein files.
		Please reach out to your Congress members and senators and urge them to support this crucial legislation.
		The truth is something that we all deserve, and it is vital for the safety and protection of a future of generations.
		Think about all the young people in your life, your daughters, your nieces, your friends.
		Let's stand together and ensure that they grow up in a world where they are safe and valued.
		I often wondered why did this happen to me?
		And then I realized God only gives you what you can handle.
		I'm here for a purpose, and that purpose is to make a difference today.
		So let's stand together to protect our children and our peace.
		Thank you.
unidentified		Good morning.
		I want to say a few things before I begin.
		My speech may not be great.
		It was thrown together last minute as I only came here decided Friday when one of us who has spoken several times decided she couldn't come because of the threats.
		She was too scared.
		So I want to say when you threaten one of us, you're threatening all of us.
		We are together now and that's never going to change.
		This is me at 16 when I met Jeffrey Epstein.
		Now start.
		It is an honor to stand here before the American people.
		However, I shouldn't have to stand here at all.
		I'm here because as a child, I was pulled into Jeffrey Epstein's world, a world built on exploitation and manipulation of innocence and the protection of powerful men and women who believed that they were untouchable.
		Today we'd rather be preparing for the holidays.
		We'd rather be at home with our families, baking with our children and decorating.
		Members vote.
		The yeas are 213.
		So members voted.
		Does any member wish to change a vote?
		On this vote, the yeas are 214, the nays are 212.
		The joint resolution is passed without objection.
		The motion reconsiders laid on the table.
		Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule 20, the unfinished business is a vote on passage of House Drown Resolution 131, on which the yeas and nays are ordered.
		The clerk shall report the title of the joint resolution.
susan cole ▲ ● ▼		House Joint Resolution 131, joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under Chapter 8 of Title V, United States Code, of the rules submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program record of decision.
unidentified		The question is on the passage of the joint resolution.
		Members will record their votes about electronic rights.
		members, this shall be a five-minute vote.
		Three of the votes in this round deal with repealing rules issued by the BLM under the Biden administration.
		This second of the three would do away with the rule established to prevent oil drilling off the coast of northern Alaska called the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program.
		The Biden administration rule issued in December of 2024 limited the amount of land available in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that's available for oil and gas production.
		Also, today the House nearly unanimously approving a measure requiring the Justice Department release files related to the Epstein pedophilia and trafficking case.
		We'll take a look at some of the debate on the House floor.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		On the floor, Republicans are about to finally bring up the Massey-Kana bill to release the Epstein files.
unidentified		We had to drag this leadership here kicking and screaming.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		And I appreciate their sudden and stunning change of heart on this issue.
		But I want to state for the record that the Republican leadership has tried to block this day for months and months and months.
		And I also want to stay for the record that Donald Trump could release these files on his own today, right now, right this very second.
unidentified		He doesn't need to wait for Congress to pass the bill.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		He could release the files himself, but he won't.
unidentified		That is why we are here, because he refuses to act.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		Meanwhile, the Republican majority has blocked transparency at every turn.
		They stonewalled in committee.
		The general lady from North Carolina and every Republican on the Rules Committee voted nine times to block my amendment to release the Epstein files.
unidentified		Nine times.
		Republicans were so afraid of my amendment that Speaker Johnson shut down the Rules Committee and sent us home early in July.
		And then he refused to swear in a new member of Congress for weeks because she promised to be the 218th signature to force this bill forward.
		Only four, four Republicans signed the discharge petition.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		Every single Democrat signed on.
unidentified		In a few moments, I'm going to yield time to Representative Massey, who has been the Republican leader of this effort in the House alongside Representative Conna on the Democratic side.
unidentified		And here's why I'm doing that.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		This bill should be getting a full hour of debate on the floor.
unidentified		But Speaker Johnson, I guess at Donald Trump's direction, is throwing every procedural gimmick at the wall to see what sticks.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		And he's trying to limit debate on the floor because for some reason he is very, very afraid of talking about this.
unidentified		So that's why I'm donating a significant chunk of my time to members who have been silenced by the Speaker for the terrible crime of demanding truth and transparency.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		Now, if I had a guess, most Republicans will probably vote in favor of releasing the files.
		But they're not voting yes because their conscience changed.
		They're voting yes because Donald Trump tells most of them how to vote.
unidentified		And he realized he's lost on this one.
		He says the people who support this bill, quote, betrayed the entire Republican Party.
		Really?
		Really?
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		How is accountability for a pedophile something he, something Donald Trump campaigned on?
unidentified		How is that now a betrayal?
unidentified		This was his issue, his idea.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		He ran on releasing the files.
unidentified		And by the way, to those who say that Biden should have released these files, let me just address that right now.
		You're right.
		He should have.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		But he didn't make it his number one issue.
unidentified		And he's not the president right now.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		Donald Trump is.
		He could have released the files at any point over the last 11 months, but he has not.
		Republicans have had months to sign the discharge petition.
		They had months to bring this bill to the floor.
		But this leadership has chosen obstruction.
		They don't want to pass this bill.
unidentified		They don't even want to talk about it on the House floor.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		And so that's why debate matters.
unidentified		And with that, I reserve my time.
unidentified		Gentlemen from Massachusetts Reserves, the gentlelady from North Carolina is recognized.
virginia foxx ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
unidentified		Let's be clear.
virginia foxx ▲ ● ▼		Republicans don't oppose the full transparency of the Epstein files.
		We embrace the Oversight Committee's task of doing just that.
		We embrace Reverend Representative Massey's legislation here today by putting it up for a vote under suspension.
		I'll be voting for it.
		We already have a House investigation that carries the full force of law, and there's no opposition to respecting the majority's wishes to get this codified into law.
		Let's get to it.
		Let's get the vote and end these false debates, straw man arguments, and non-sequiturs.
		We tried to pass this bill last week, but Democrats wouldn't agree to doing so.
		Let's vote.
unidentified		209.
		The joint resolution is passed.
		Without objection, the motion reconsiders laid on the table.
		Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule 20, the unfinished business is a vote on passage of Senate Joint Resolution 80, on which the A's and A's are ordered.
		The clerk shall report the title of the joint resolution.
susan cole ▲ ● ▼		Senate Joint Resolution 80.
susan cole ▲ ● ▼		Joint resolution provided for congressional disapproval under Chapter 8 of Title V United States Code of the rules submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Integrated Activity Plan record of decision.
unidentified		The question is on the passage of the joint resolution.
		Members shall record their votes by electronic device.
		Once again, members, this is a five-minute vote.
		And the third vote here to repeal Bureau of Land Management rules before the House turns to resolutions of disapproval on two of its members.
		This repeals another Biden-era policy on drilling in Alaska.
		This one in the National Petroleum Reserve.
		It nullifies limits on the amount of land that can be used for oil and gas leasing and production.
		And during this vote, we'll show more of the news conferences on the release of the Epstein files.
		Newly sworn in, House member Adelita Grijalva spoke prior to the House passage.
		Good morning.
		Thank you to Representative Adelita Gujalva and to every member of Congress joining us today.
		To the powerful organizations who are fighting for the truth and justice, and thank you to the survivors who are standing here with us.
		The survivors who bravely shared their stories earlier and to the victims who did not survive.
		We carry this fight in your honor.
		My name is Omni Miranda Martone.
		I'm the founder and CEO of the Sexual Violence Prevention Association.
		I'm a survivor of child sexual abuse.
		That experience gives me deep empathy and connection to the survivors with us today.
		And it brings me even deeper horror that our government has failed them so spectacularly.
		We should be protecting survivors.
		Instead, secrecy is actively, continually protecting abusers.
		We are here to change that.
		Today, we present a joint letter signed by 48 organizations demanding Congress pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
		I am proud to stand with you all as we make this call for truth, accountability, and systemic change.
		I will now read the letter in full to Congress.
		The Sexual Violence Prevention Association is joined by 47 organizations dedicated to ending child abuse, sexual violence, and human trafficking.
		We write with urgency and conviction to endorse the Epstein Files Transparency Act and to demand the immediate release of all records related to Jeffrey Epstein and Jelaine Maxwell.
		For far too long, secrecy has shielded perpetrators, silenced survivors, and undermined public faith in our institutions.
		This is not just about Epstein.
		It is about whether our government is willing to stand on the side of survivors, justice, and truth.
		For far too long, sorry, listening to survivors is central to our organization's values.
		Across the past three decades, hundreds of people have come forward reporting they were abused by Epstein, Maxwell, and their associates.
		The pain they have been subjected to is far greater than anyone should have to endure.
		Yet our government continues to hurt them.
		These brave survivors deserve truth and justice.
		Many have carried their trauma for decades, waiting for recognition and an end to their suffering.
		Families who lost loved ones face the pain of the abuse, the grief of death, and being forced to live without closure.
		Passing the Epstein Files Transparency Act is essential to honoring survivors' courage and providing long overdue resolution.
		You can stop the harm by passing this bill to release the files and holding the powerful accountable.
		Passing the Epstein Files Transparency Act is vital to stop ongoing harm and set the precedent that sexual violence is not tolerated.
		It is highly likely that some of the perpetrators identified in the files are still committing acts of pedophilia, abuse, and trafficking.
		Exposing them will finally allow justice to intervene and prevent further victimization.
		Moreover, not releasing the Epstein files protects the abusers.
		It prioritizes the perpetrators above your citizens and above victims.
		The files are expected to reveal individuals in positions of influence who enabled or actively participated in abuse.
		Currently, major institutions, including our government, our banks, and our companies, may be led by abusers who are named in the Epstein files.
		Not releasing this information allows them to continue their reign of terror and power and control, increasing their influence and thus increasing their ability to cause more harm and cover up their actions.
		Releasing the files will dismantle pathways of harm and serve as a warning to others who might seek to exploit their wealth or influence to commit sexual violence.
		Transparency is a deterrent.
		Exposing networks of abuse makes it harder for similar systems of exploitation to operate in the shadows.
		Accountability must extend to the powerful.
		No one should be allowed to commit sexual violence no matter how much influence, money, or control they have.
		Exposing them will uncover systems of abuse that have existed for decades.
		But acknowledging institutional failures helps us strengthen laws, strengthen policies, and strengthen protections to stop abuse in the future.
		Without systemic prevention, the same patterns will repeat.
		Preventing future harm requires breaking the silence that fuels rape culture.
		Hiding abuse normalizes it, while transparency sends an unmistakable message that sexual violence has consequences no matter who you are.
		We demand transparency, accountability, and an end to the ongoing harm.
		Releasing the Epstein files is crucial to protecting our citizens from abuse and upholding our democracy.
		Epstein's network crossed international lines in trafficking and exploiting victims around the world.
		In releasing these files, the U.S. will lead by example, strengthening global cooperation against sexual exploitation, ensuring the A's are 216 and the nays are 209.
		The joint resolution is passed without objection.
		The motion reconsiders laid on the table.
		Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule 20, the unfinished business is in the vote on adoption of House Resolution 888, on which the A's and Nays are ordered.
	The clerk shall report the title of the resolution.
susan cole ▲ ● ▼		House Resolution 888: Resolution censoring and condemning delegate Stacey Plaskett and removing her from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence for conduct that reflects discredit discreditably on the House of Representatives for colluding with convicted felony sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a congressional hearing.
unidentified		The question is on adoption of the resolution.
		Members will vote, record their votes by electron advice.
		This is a five-minute vote.
		And the fourth of five votes expected this evening here on the House floor underway.
		This one, a resolution to censure Virgin Islands delegate Stacey Plaskett and remove her from the Intelligence Committee.
		This stems from the text she exchanged with Jeffrey Epstein during a hearing she was participating in on the House Oversight Committee.
ralph norman ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, my House Resolution 888 censoring and condemning Delegate Stacey Plaskett and removing her from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence for Conduct that reflects the discredibility on the House of Representatives for colluding with convicted felon and offender Jeffrey Epstein during a congressional hearing.
		Whereas Stacey Plaskett, the delegate representing the United States Virgin Islands in the House of Representatives, inappropriately coordinated in real time with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a congressional hearing in February of 2019.
		Whereas Delegate Plaskett was actively coached by Epstein during the hearing, receiving instructions on specific lines of questioning and was congratulated afterward after the message by Mr. Epstein.
		Good work.
		Whereas Jeffrey Epstein, the House is not in order.
unidentified		The gentleman has the floor.
		The chair would again ask the body to please observe the quorum and keep conversations to a minimum.
		The gentleman has the floor.
ralph norman ▲ ● ▼		Whereas Jeffrey Epstein was a known convicted felony sex offender having pled guilty and been convicted for procuring a child for prostitution and solicitation, a prostate in a plea deal in 2008 and served a 13-month prison sentence.
		Whereas in the course of that investigation, the FBI compiled reports on dozens of confirmed minors who credibly alleged sexual abuse by Mr. Epstein.
		Whereas Epstein was under further federal investigation beginning in November of 2018, two months before Delegate Plaskett's recently revealed text exchange during a congressional hearing following investigative reporting by the Miami Herald detailing Epstein's controversial 2008 plea deal and highlighting accounts of his victims.
		Whereas Epstein was arrested in July of 2019 and charged with one count of sex trafficking of minors and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors, he was later found dead in the New York Metropolitan Correctional Center.
		Whereas according to documents released from Epstein's estate during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform, hearing featuring testimony from Michael Cohen, the disgraced former attorney for President Donald J. Trump, Delegate Plaskett coordinated her line of questioning with Jeffrey Epstein in real time over text messages while the hearing was underway.
		Whereas Delegate Plaskett, who briefly served as an assistant attorney general in the United States Department of Justice Civil Division, is known to have had extensive political, personal, and professional connections with Epstein after his conviction as a sex offender up to the time of his arrest and then his death in 2019.
joel salatin ▲ ● ▼		Whereas Delegate Plaskett's relationship with Epstein stands in stark contrast to the 2004
unidentified		On this boat, the yeas are 209, the nays are 214.
		Three voting present.
		The resolution is not adopted.
		objection.
		A motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
		We were expecting the House to hold one last vote, a second censure resolution for Florida Republican Cory Mills.
		We'll see if they do bring that up for a vote.
		Also, earlier today, the House voted nearly unanimously, 427 to 1 to force the Department of Justice to release files on the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
		So far, the Senate has not yet received the bill before adjourning for the night, but they did agree to pass it by unanimous consent when the House sends it over.
		The Senate's expected back in session tomorrow at 10 a.m. Eastern.
		That one no vote was cast by Louisiana Republican Clay Higgins, who said, as written, the bill could affect thousands of innocent people, including witnesses and those who provided alibis, but that if the Senate made changes to address that privacy of victims, would vote for the bill if and when it came back to the House.
		Just waiting for more possible debate here.
		Let you know, though, tomorrow morning on Washington Journal, starting at 7 a.m. Eastern, we'll talk about the vote in the House today to release the Epstein files and other congressional news of the day.
		We'll hear from Texas Republican Congressman Pete Sessions and Virginia Democratic Congressman Suhasubramanyam.
		Also, we'll hear from Brad Bowman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies on the Trump administration's decision to sell F-35 joint strike fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		On the floor, Republicans are about to finally bring up the Massey-Connor bill to release the Epstein files.
unidentified		We had to drag this leadership here, kicking and screaming.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		And I appreciate their sudden and stunning change of heart on this issue.
		But I want to state for the record that the Republican leadership has tried to block this day for months and months and months.
		And I also want to state for the record that Donald Trump could release these files on his own today, right now, right this very second.
		He doesn't need to wait for Congress to pass the bill.
		He could release the files himself, but he won't.
unidentified		That is why we are here, because he refuses to act.
jim mcgovern ▲ ● ▼		Meanwhile, the Republican majority has blocked transparency at every turn.
		They stonewalled in committee.
		The general lady from North Carolina and every Republican on the Rules Committee voted nine times to block my amendment to release the Epstein files.
		Nine times.
		Republicans were so afraid of my amendment that Speaker Johnson shut down the Rules Committee and sent us home early in July.
unidentified		The House will be in order.
unidentified		For what purpose does the gentlelady from Florida seek recognition?
anna paulina luna ▲ ● ▼		I have a parliamentary inquiry.
unidentified		The gentlelady from Florida will state her inquiry.
anna paulina luna ▲ ● ▼		I was wondering if the Speaker of the House of Representatives can explain why leadership on both sides, both Democrat and Republican, are cutting back end deals to cover up public corruption in the House of Representatives from both Republican and Democrat members of Congress.
unidentified		The gentlelady has not stated a proper parliamentary inquiry.
anna paulina luna ▲ ● ▼		Thank you very much, but I think the American people know what happened tonight.
unidentified		The House will be in order.
		The House will be in order.
		Members are asked to please take their conversations off the floor.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Kentucky seek recognition?
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I ask unanimous consent to speak out of order.
		Without objection.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		Two weeks ago tonight, our community of Louisville, our state of Kentucky, was absolutely rocked when a cargo plane taking off from Louisville's Muhammad Ali International Airport bound for Hawaii crashed.
		38,000 gallons of jet fuel exploded in our community in a scene that can only be described as apocalyptic.
		All three crew lost their lives, as well as 11 people on the ground.
		14 of our neighbors, 14 of our community gone.
		The first responders were incredibly brave, rushing headfirst into the inferno to save everything they could.
		Our community, our state, our delegation, we did what Louisvilleans and Kentuckians do and lifted each other up as best as possible.
		But tonight, we want to express our gratitude for those who went headfirst into that danger, for those who lifted each other up, and we want to offer a moment of silence for the 14 people who lost their lives.
		For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Michigan seek recognition?
		Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House Out of Order.
		Without objection.
		Today, I am joined by my colleagues from Michigan as we honor the community of Grand Blanc and the victims and families of the shooting and fire at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
		On the morning of Sunday, September 28th, families, friends, and neighbors gathered to worship when a gunman crashed his car into the church, set the church on fire, and began shooting into the congregation.
		Ultimately, four members of our community were taken from us that morning.
		Today, and for many days to follow, we mourn for each of them, their families, every congregant of the church, and all those impacted by this senseless act of violence.
		This kind of violence, specifically in a place of worship where we go to pray and reflect in peace, is despicable, and no one should ever have to go through this.
		We also extend profound gratitude to the heroic first responders, the law enforcement officers who responded to the scene within seconds, the 911 dispatchers who coordinated an instantaneous response, the firefighters who got people to safety, and the local EMTs, nurses, and doctors who treated the injured.
		Their bravery and quick action saved lives.
		As the community heals from a moment of this incredible darkness, they unify and find light under the motto, Grand Blank, Better Together.
		Residents specifically asked me to bring this message to the floor of the U.S. House.
		Today, may the whole nation learn from their example and may we always stand better together with Grand Blank.
		They remind us that it is our differences that make our country stronger, and it is the way we love one another that will define us.
		For them, may we all seek to bring peace, understanding, and love to this world, and let us never forget their loss.
		I ask my colleagues to join me in a moment of silence.
		Thank you, and I yield back.
		Thank you.
		Gentleman, yield.
		The chair will now entertain requests for one-minute speeches.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Pennsylvania seek recognition?
		Mr. Speaker, request unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and revise and extend my remarks.
		Without objection.
		Thank you.
		Mr. Speaker, Thursday marks National Rural Health Care Day, Rural Health Day.
		Nearly 60 million Americans live in rural areas, and too often they encounter limited access to primary care, specialist, and health services.
		These gaps are worsened by transportation barriers, doctor shortages, and health closures, hospital closures.
		These challenges don't just affect individuals, they affect entire families and communities.
		Before coming to Congress, I spent nearly 30 years in the nonprofit health care field, assisting those with life-changing diseases and disabilities.
		Most of my congressional district is rural, and many constituents must drive long distances to get the care that they need.
glenn gt thompson ▲ ● ▼		Some do not have broadband access.
unidentified		Some have limited transportation options.
		Thankfully, telehealth has added tremendous reach and value to communities across the country.
		And that's why I reintroduced the bipartisan helping ensure access to local telehealth act or the Health Act, which cuts red tape and allows community health centers and rural health clinics to provide telehealth services to their patients.
		Telehealthmakers makes life simpler for rural and underserved communities, especially our seniors.
		Telehealth is an essential part of health care that expands access to care for all Americans, regardless of location.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.
		The gentleman yields.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Virginia seek recognition?
		I seek unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and erupt and permission to revise next time remarks.
		Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute.
eugene vindman ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, given the President's disturbing and counterfactual defense of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman today, I feel compelled to speak up on behalf of Mr. Khashoggi and his family and the American people.
		During my tenure on Trump's White House National Security Council staff, I reviewed many of Trump's calls with foreign leaders.
		Of all the calls I reviewed, two stood out as the most problematic.
		The first, we all know, it was between President Trump and President Zelensky, which resulted in President Trump's first impeachment.
		The second was between President Trump and Mohamed bin Salman.
		After the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, I reviewed a call between the President and the Saudi Crown Prince.
		The American people and the Khashoggi family deserve to know what was said on that call.
		If history is any guide, the receipts will be shocking.
		I call on the President to release that transcript.
		And honestly, does anyone believe that the Zelensky call was the only problematic conversation Donald Trump had with a foreign leader?
		Thank you.
		I yield back.
unidentified		The gentleman yields.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Michigan seek recognition?
		I speak to address the House for one minute and stand and amend my remarks.
		Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute.
		Mr. Speaker, in small towns and communities across America, rural hospitals are critical lifelines.
		They provide emergency care, support seniors and veterans, deliver behavioral health services, assist mothers giving birth, supply pharmacy services, and serve as major local employers.
		Yet many rural hospitals are under serious strain.
		Nearly half are operating at negative margins.
		Since 2010, more than 150 rural hospitals have cut inpatient services or closed their doors permanently, including some in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.
		These closures aren't happening because communities don't need care, but because the financial reality of providing it in rural America keeps getting tougher.
		When a rural hospital closes, families face hours-long drives in emergency situations.
		Expectant mothers lose access to obstetric care.
		Seniors suffering a heart attack or stroke may arrive too late.
		As we mark National Rural Health Day this week, we must renew and strengthen our commitment to rural hospitals by ensuring fair reimbursement, strengthening telehealth and infrastructure, and preserving access to critical resources like the 340B drug program, a key revenue stream for rural hospitals.
		Rural hospitals must not only survive but thrive in every American.
		We need to keep that because it's not about zip codes.
		Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
		The gentleman yields.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from New York seek recognition?
		Mr. Speaker, I request 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.
		Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to bring attention to the Senate's despicable decision last week to sneak in a self-serving provision into the bill that was used to reopen the government.
		While 42 million Americans on SNAP were denied their benefits, Senate leadership added a payout provision to eight Senate Republicans whose phone records were subpoenaed in the January 6th Capitol Riot investigation by the Department of Justice.
		While American air traffic controllers worked without pay, senators gave themselves the ability to sue for at least a half a million dollars if their electronic records were seized.
		American taxpayers should not be footing the bill for this Republican windfall provision.
		I'm proud of my House colleagues for acting quickly to address this dishonest and embarrassing display.
		I will be voting to repeal this provision when it comes before the House this week because these eight senators should not be putting themselves ahead of the American people.
		I call on the Senate to take up this legislation as soon as it's received from the House and right this wrong immediately.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back.
		The gentleman yields.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Kentucky seek recognition?
		Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute.
james comer ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend Mayor Kevin Cotton of Madisonville, Kentucky, who was recently honored as the 2025 Elected City Official of the Year by the Kentucky League of Cities.
		Mayor Cotton's exemplary leadership, dedication, and service to his community have left an indelible mark on the city of Madisonville and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
		Selected from nominations all across the state, Mayor Cotton stood out for his innovative, hands-on approach and tireless commitment to making a positive difference.
		He received a record 12 nominations, many from city staff, who praised his unwavering dedication and lifelong commitment to the city.
		His peers and colleagues see him as a humble leader whose focus on Madisonville's growth and success goes far beyond the expectations of his role.
		In addition to this remarkable honor, Mayor Cotton was recognized for his four years of dedicated service as a member of the Kentucky Lead of Cities Executive Board and was presented with a copy of the Athenian Oath in recognition of his commitment.
		On behalf of Kentucky's first congressional district, I join with Mayor Cotton's family, friends, and citizens of Madisonville in celebrating his outstanding leadership and dedication.
		I yield back.
unidentified		Gentleman Yields, for what purpose does the gentleman from Georgia seek recognition?
		Ask the House of Mr. Locker for one minute.
		objection.
		The gentleman is recognized for one minute.
		Mr. Speaker, rural Georgians and rural Americans are older, sicker, and less likely to have health insurance than those in our cities.
		In fact, compared to urban areas, rural Georgians are nearly five times more likely to die early from cancer.
		But access to care is collapsing.
		Over 20 percent of rural counties in Georgia have no doctor, only one doctor, and 200 counties across America have no doctor at all.
		When rural hospitals close, the community loses not only health care, but jobs, restaurants, banks, and hope.
		When Southwest Georgia Regional Hospital closed, the nearest ER became 40 miles away, a life or death distance.
		Rural health care is not just about hospitals and doctors.
		Clean drinking water, wastewater upgrades, and broadband are necessary for health and survival.
		Rural areas simply don't have the tax base to modernize these substances alone, so Congress must invest funding in rural development, intelligent health care to ensure they can thrive.
		Rural health is not partisan, so we must work together to make access to care a reality for rural Americans everywhere.
		I yield back.
		The gentleman Yeels, for what purpose does the gentleman from California seek recognition?
kevin kiley ▲ ● ▼		I seek 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.
kevin kiley ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, this is the moment to bring the senseless redistricting war to an end.
		Today, a federal district court tossed out the gerrymandered map in Texas with an appeal headed straight to the Supreme Court.
		California's gerrymandered map is facing a similar legal challenge.
		We don't know how these cases will turn out, so there is uncertainty at this moment whether the whole redistricting war is going to end as a wash or with a modest advantage for one party or the other.
		Now, it really shouldn't matter.
		I'm against gerrymandering wherever it occurs, no matter which party stands to benefit.
		But this present uncertainty has created a window of opportunity for a bipartisan agreement to bring this madness to an end.
		I've introduced H.R. 4889 to ban mid-decade redistricting in every state in the country.
		I am calling on House leadership to do the right thing and bring this bill to the floor for a vote.
		Not only is it supported widely by members in this body, but a poll showed that the American people support this proposal by a three-to-one margin.
		Let's pass this legislation and restore a dose of sanity to politics in this country.
		I yield back.
unidentified		Gentleman Yeals, for what purpose does the gentleman from Ohio seek recognition?
unidentified		Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute.
marcy kaptur ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, in recognition of National Health Month, let me put some quotes out there from individuals that I represent.
		Just in Ohio, we know health insurance will become unaffordable for tens of thousands of people across our northwest Ohio district, over half a million Ohioans, and 15 million Americans.
		Please let me share some examples.
		A constituent from Clyde, Ohio said it clearly.
		High insurance prices will allow people to die by making health care unaffordable.
		It was terrible before the ACA.
		We need affordable health insurance.
		Another citizen from Eden in Williams County shared how their medications have become so costly that they now have to seek out patient assistance programs, and their prescription insurance has increased $119 a month, which is unmanageable on a fixed income.
		A Toledo resident told me everything's going up.
		Groceries cost more, child care rent, and unless Congress acts, health insurance premiums for us will double.
		Our family cannot make it.
		We don't have an extra $100 per month.
		Mr. Speaker, I hope you're listening to these, please, because unless we address the cost of health insurance in this country, too many people are going to die.
		Thank you, and I yield back.
unidentified		The gentleman yields.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Guam seek recognition?
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		Our question is 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 today in recognition of National Rural Health Day to honour the millions of Americans who rely on rural health care systems and to shine a light on the unique challenges faced by our rural and territory communities.
		In places like Guam, distance is not measured in miles but in oceans.
		When a family needs specialty care, when a child requires emergency service, and when one of our mononcos seeks follow-up treatment, the nearest option may be thousands of miles away.
		Hospitals and health care facilities across our nation, including Guam Memorial Hospital, bear tremendous responsibility with limited resources.
		And it is the doctors, the nurses, and allied health professionals of Guam who meet the responsibility every day.
		They provide life-saving care despite higher costs, workforce shortages, and outdated reimbursement formulas.
		Financial sustainability for these institutions is not just about health care, it's about equality, economic stability, and national security.
		That is why I'm working on policies to strengthen reimbursement, modernize federal support programs, and expand workforce pipelines so every community, no matter how remote, can count on its providers and hospitals for quality care.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		The gentleman yields.
		For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Washington seek recognition?
emily randall ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
emily randall ▲ ● ▼		I seek unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks.
unidentified		Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute.
emily randall ▲ ● ▼		Thank you.
		As a representative of a district full of forests, mountains, and rugged coastlines that are beautiful but often mean a long drive to the hospital, I know that preserving rural health care access is literally life and death in our communities.
		Tribal health clinics, federally qualified health centers, rural hospitals, independent providers are facing challenge upon challenge upon challenge.
		At Gray's Harbor Community Hospital, I saw firsthand how tariffs are driving up costs for medical devices and supplies, adding financial strain to already stretched rural facilities.
		The hospital recently invested in a new MRI machine, a critical upgrade that offers faster scans and higher resolution images.
		But because of tariffs, they had to pay significantly more money to purchase this machine, money they now can't use for other things.
		Advanced medical equipment like this is increasingly expensive under the Trump administration.
		Add to that, Medicaid cuts in the Big Oakley Bill, the end of the ACA tax credits.
		The strain and uncertainty is challenging.
		On National Rural Health Day, we should be working together to expand care, not making it more difficult for rural communities.
		I yield back.
unidentified		The gentleman yields.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Florida seek recognition?
		I ask an absence 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.
		Every time I come onto this floor, I marvel at the fact that I get the opportunity to serve here, but today it means a lot more because 35 years ago, as a page in this institution, my mom used to come and watch me every day.
		She'd come and she'd sit in the gallery over there, never knowing that 35 years later her son would ultimately serve in Congress.
randy fine ▲ ● ▼		Frankly, had you asked me one year ago today, I would have told you that I would not expect to be serving here.
unidentified		However, it was one year ago today that my mom died.
randy fine ▲ ● ▼		It was five days after that that President Trump asked me to run.
unidentified		And so today, as I mourn my mother on the one-year anniversary of her death, I think of all of the things that I can do to make sure that I make her proud and how I serve her every day.
		Because as I often say to my constituents, I won't let you down because I'm not going to let her down.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		Neils, for what purpose does the gentleman from New York 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.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I rise today to recognize the life and service of Syracuse Police Officer Wally Howard Jr.
		Officer Howard was a son of Syracuse, a Henneger graduate, a Syracuse University student, and a respected member of the Syracuse Police Department.
		He dedicated his life to protecting our community, serving with distinction on the Central New York DEA Task Force.
		On October 30th, 1990, during an undercover narcotics investigation, Officer Howard was ambushed and killed in the line of duty.
		His death marked the first line of duty death for a Syracuse officer since 1929.
		For decades, his legacy has guided law enforcement training across the country, and awards in his name continue to honor excellence, bravery, and service.
		It's time to bestow another lasting honor on the Syracuse hero.
		That's why I've introduced bipartisan legislation to rename the post office at 2220 South Salina Street in Syracuse as the Officer Wally Howard Jr. Post Office Building.
		This designation ensures that in the everyday life of the city he protected, Syracuse, New York, Officer Howard's name, sacrifice, and example will never be forgotten.
		I thank the overwhelming majority of the New York delegation that are co-sponsoring this bill, and I urge all my colleagues to support it and to help a great American city honor a great American hero who gave everything for his community.
		I yield back.
		Gentleman Neils, for what purpose does the gentleman from California seek recognition?
		Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute.
doug lamalfa ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I rise tonight to remember and make sure we don't forget the name and the likeness of Irina Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who successfully made it safely to this country, to North Carolina,
		where she innocently one evening was riding a transit train and had her life brutally taken away from her from a 13 or 14-time arrested criminal for no reason other than a thrill kill.
		We need not forget, as it doesn't seem to be playing very far into the news, this tragic loss.
		Remember the name, the face of Irina Zarutska, and hope that she gets justice from the prosecution of this animal currently in court.
		I yield back.
unidentified		The gentleman yields.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Texas seek recognition?
		Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute.
		Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a legend in Arlington, Texas that passed away.
		The former mayor of Arlington, Ailsie Odom, was 96 years old.
		Mayor Odom was a trailblazer in every sense of the word, born in East Texas, and moved to Arlington and made his mark in the city very quickly.
		His journey is a testament to determination and dignity and faith.
		He was an elected official in Arlington for 14 years and very active in the Mount Olive Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, where him and his wife Ruby of 78 years spent most of their time worshiping.
		He was very instrumental in making sure that we kept General Motors in Arlington.
		We almost lost the plant back in the 90s, and it was LZ's leadership that helped us keep the plant.
		He kept the Texas Rangers Baseball Club there as well.
		And he talked about bringing the Olympics to Arlington and people didn't believe it could happen.
		But then it got really serious recognition and we were on the short list.
		This was an incredible man.
		And his daughter, who's on the city council, Barbara Odom Wesley said that he taught others that, quote, service is the price you pay for the space you occupy.
		And I have to tell you, there are so many things that I can say great about Mayor Odom, but this man absolutely loved his family.
		His grandkids called him Grandee, and him and his wife of 78 years had one of the most beautiful relationships in all of the Dallas-Fort Worth Arlington area.
		Mr. Speaker, I yield back my time.
		Gentleman Yields.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Wisconsin seek recognition?
glenn grothman ▲ ● ▼		I'd like to ask unanimous consent to speak for one minute, to revise and extend my remarks.
unidentified		Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute.
glenn grothman ▲ ● ▼		It's hard to believe that not even seven weeks have gone by since Charlie Kirk was savagely murdered in Utah.
		I am, quite frankly, a little bit disappointed in the degree to which I do not feel that this body is doing enough to memorialize this great man's short life.
		I myself am reading books by Charlie Kirk to familiarize myself what drove him to be such an active force in American civil life.
		I hope that the rest of this body familiarizes himself with the books and familiarizes himself why so many members on the left could not contain themselves, apparently even horrifically with glee, that Charlie Kirk was shot.
		So I ask particularly my Republican colleagues to familiarize himself with his writings and let his writings inspire us for the next 13 and a half months of this term so that we can begin to accomplish all the wonderful things he wanted us to accomplish and in which he was so eloquent in pointing out we were failing to accomplish them.
		Thank you.
unidentified		Gentleman Yields, for what purpose does the gentlewoman from Oregon seek recognition?
		Mr. Speaker, I seek 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.
		All right.
		Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the growing mental health care crisis in rural America.
		Nearly one in five adults lives with a mental illness, yet rural communities lack the providers, facilities, and resources to meet their needs.
		In my own district, an entire county has just one child and adolescent psychiatrist.
		For families seeking timely, specialized care, that's not just an inconvenience.
		It's a barrier that can mean the difference between preventative help and a crisis.
		Communities across the country face the same impossible math: too many needs and too few providers.
		That's why I've introduced legislation to support clinicians who commit to practicing in rural areas and to expand telemental health services tailored to farmers, fishers, and foresters, the people who power our rural economies.
		Access to quality care should not depend on your zip code.
		I urge my colleagues to join me in ensuring rural Americans are no longer overlooked or underserved.
		Thank you, and I yield back.
		The gentlewoman yields.
		Under the speaker's announced policy of January 3rd, 2025, the gentlewoman from Hawaii, Ms. Takuda, is recognized until 10 p.m. as the designee of the minority leader.
		Ms. Dakuda.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend the remarks and submit extraneous material into the record.
		Without objection.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		Today we celebrate National Rural Health Day here on the House floor, standing shoulder to shoulder with our colleagues in the bipartisan rural health caucus.
		I'm very humbled and honored to be here with my friend and fellow co-chair, Representative Diana Harshbarger.
		A big mahalo, as we've just heard from members on both sides of the aisle who took to the floor tonight to raise up the needs, the challenges, the hopes, and the dreams for health care in rural America.
		Mr. Speaker, at this time, I'd like to yield to the gentlewoman from Tennessee such time as she may consume.
		Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight National Rural Health Month and to honor the men and women who keep health care alive in America's small towns and rural communities.
		As co-chair of the Congressional Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus, I'm proud to join my colleagues in leading an effort to ensure the millions of Americans who live in rural areas, including the hardworking people of Tennessee's first district, receive the same quality of care as anyone else in the nation.
		In northeast Tennessee, that rural health care is a lifeline to people, especially who live in remote areas and are limited or have no mode of transportation, and they depend on a nurse to drive during the night and before dawn to check on a patient, or the pharmacist who knows every family by name and stretches every dollar to keep medicine affordable.
		It's the doctor who stays late to see one more patient because there's no one else to take the next shift.
		These are the people who form the backbone of our rural health care communities, and they deserve a system that works as hard for them as they do for us.
		But the truth is, rural health care is always faced an uphill battle.
		When a rural hospital shuts down, it doesn't just take away health care, it takes away jobs, stability, and peace of mind.
		And it means longer drives for emergency care, fewer options for expectant mothers, and limited access for seniors and veterans who depend on those services the most.
		And the systems that are supposed to support them is too often buried in bureaucracy.
		Pharmacy benefit managers are manipulating drug prices, restricting choices, and squeezing out small-town pharmacies that are fighting just to survive.
		These PBMs see a patient, but they control what medicines people can get and at what cost.
		That's wrong.
		And I've been proud to lead bipartisan legislation to bring transparency, accountability, and fairness to that system because patients and pharmacists alike deserve better.
		I've made it my mission to champion these policies that put people, not politics, first.
		And under President Trump's leadership, we signed the Working Families Tax Cuts into law this year.
		And this critical legislation included the single largest investment in rural health care in history.
		That's $50 billion for a rural health care transformation fund to reinvest federal savings directly into the communities that need it most, expanding telehealth and recruiting and retaining rural health care workers.
		We're committed to ensuring telehealth remains an option for those living in rural communities.
		Telehealth provides expanded access to specialists, closes the distance between patients and providers, and gives families faster, more reliable care.
		And I have legislation in the Rural Physician Workforce Production Act that would help bring more doctors to rural communities by giving rural hospitals the resources they need to train and retrain more physicians.
		I fought to strengthen our nation's drug supply chain by supporting domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing, including facilities like U.S. Antibiotics in Bristol, Tennessee, where we're proving that these life-saving antibiotics can and should be made right here in the United States and not halfway around the world.
		Mr. Speaker, these aren't abstract policy debates.
		They're about real people in real places.
		They're about the mom who drives an hour to find a pediatric specialist.
		They're about the veteran who can't get his prescription filled because his local pharmacy closed.
		They're about the nurse who works back-to-back shifts because there aren't enough hands to go around.
		And those stories are what drive my work every single day.
		And that's why I've joined my co-chair, Representative Takuda, in introducing a resolution to recognize November 20, 2025, as National Rural Health Day.
		This resolution recognizes the challenges we face, but more importantly, it affirms our commitment to solving them.
		Thank you, Representative Takuda, for your continued commitment on working together to address the pressing health care issues facing our rural communities.
		We must fight for a health care system that serves patients, not big insurance companies, that values rural providers, not red tape, and ensures no community, no matter how small or remote, is left behind.
		To our doctors and our nurses, pharmacists, first responders who keep rural America healthy, we want to thank you.
		Your work saves lives, your compassion gives hope, and your dedication holds our communities together.
		As long as I have the privilege to serve the people of Tennessee's 1st District and as co-chair of the Rural Health Caucus, I will continue that fight.
		And we are united in our shared mission to strengthen rural health care, protect patient access, and preserve the small-town values that make this nation strong.
		And with that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back.
		Thank you.
		Mr. Speaker, National Rural Health Day is a chance to honor the communities that keep this country moving: the farmers, the teachers, the kapuna, health workers, first responders, small business owners, and families who fuel our local economies and preserve our way of life.
		It's also a moment for Congress to recognize that rural communities face challenges that are different not because they are less, but because they are often asked to survive systems that were not built for them.
	What some call in Washington innovation is really rural America being forced into a constant state of adaptation, forced to make do, to improvise, and stretch thin resources even thinner simply to maintain basic access to health care.
	Every day in Hawaii, I see mobile clinics reaching isolated communities, school-based health centers stepping up for low-income children, and community health workers bridging cultural and geographic divides.
	Rural communities everywhere are pioneering models of behavioral health integration and telemedicine, not from a place of creativity or convenience, but necessity and survival.
	We've proven we can adapt to impossible situations, but extraordinary flexibility cannot and must not replace true investment.
	Ingenuity cannot replace federal partnership, and resilience cannot continue to be a substitute for resources.
	We have unfinished business here before us in Congress, but what gives me hope is that we have allies and advocates on both sides of the aisle ready to lead.
	Across the country, from the volcano-lined communities in my district of Ka'u to the farming slopes of upcountry Maui to the tarot patches that I see on Kauai, one truth is crystal clear.
	Rural America is tired of being resilient.
	When people call us resilient, what they're really saying is we've been forced to survive hardship.
	Resilience means we're struggling.
	Resilience means we're being asked to endure what no community should ever be asked to endure.
	Our people cannot survive on resiliency alone.
	Rural America is tired of being tired.
	Rural America is tired of jumping from one difficult situation to another.
	Rural America is tired of learning to bend without breaking due to a lack of resources, investment, and support.
	What rural America needs is an immediate, revolutionary transformational investment, a historic top-to-bottom overhaul that rebuilds the health care system from the inside out.
	Rural America needs a profound change on a scale that we have not yet seen before.
	And most importantly, rural America, where we all live, needs a chance to be known as more than just resilient.
	It deserves a chance to thrive.
	We cannot rely on band-aids and small step forwards, short-term pilot projects, especially when we know families are driving hours or having to even get on a plane for care.
	Hospitals are closing.
	Behavioural health crises are going untreated.
	And when the difference between life and death is the distance between one rural town and the nearest city, this is unacceptable.
	Our people will literally die without bold, immediate systemic action on rural health.
	Today, we still lack long-term stability for community health centers, for teaching health centres, and the National Health Service Corps.
	Critical workforce and training programs remain stuck in reauthorization limbo, and bipartisan bills to strengthen EMS capacity, expand telehealth, and improve behavioural health access still await action.
	We said these issues were urgent last year when we were on the floor.
	They are even more urgent today.
	Rural communities cannot afford another year of waiting.
	That's why we're pushing forward with real, bipartisan solutions that simply cannot wait another Congress to be enacted into law.
	My rural health clinic modernization package, including the Rural Behavioral Health Improvement Act, cuts red tape and strengthens reimbursements so rural clinics can stay open.
	The Health Act protects telehealth access, including audio-only visits for families who lack broadband or live hours away from their care.
	The Community Teams Act and Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act rebuild the rural workforce pipeline, supporting students and providers and keeping scholarships and loan repayment programs accessible and tax-free.
	And the Rural Health Care Technical Assistance Act gives rural facilities the tools they need to prevent closures and stay financially stable.
	These are practical, bipartisan solutions built for lasting impact, not another short-term fix to grab a headline.
	And that is why caucuses like ours, the bipartisan Rural Health Caucus, and special order hours like the ones that you've seen tonight matter.
	They remind America and this Congress that despite everything going on in our politics, there is still a path forward.
	There is still work we can only accomplish together.
	In closing, I want to thank all of my colleagues who joined us tonight to give their speeches and to the over 70 members, Republicans and Democrats who make up our caucus.
	Your presence sends a clear message.
	Rural communities matter.
	To my constituents in Hawaii and rural Americans across this great country, your voices keep us grounded.
	And to every nurse, doctor, EMT, pharmacist, community health worker, small clinic team, you show us both the urgency and the solutions every single day.
	This work is not just policy, it's people, it's families, it's the future of rural America.
	So let's continue to listen, to act, and to deliver together.
	Because when rural communities thrive, all of America thrives.
	Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
	And at this time, I yield back.
	The gentleman yields back.
	The chair lays before the house a communication.
susan cole ▲ ● ▼		The honorable speaker, House of Representatives, sir, encloses my resignation letter to New Jersey Governor Philip D. Murphy, effective November 20th, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.
		It has been an honor to serve the residents of New Jersey's 11th congressional district.
		I look forward to serving them and all residents of New Jersey as governor over the next four years.
		Signed sincerely, Mikey Sherrill, member of Congress.
unidentified		What purpose does the gentleman have?
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Hawaii seek recognition?
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I ask that the House do now adjourn.
		The question is on the motion to adjourn.
		Those in favor say aye.
		Those opposed, no.
		The ayes have it, and the motion is adopted.
		Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow morning for morning hour debate.
		The House has passed a bill requiring the Justice Department to release files related to sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
		The vote was 427 to 1.
		Republican Clay Higgins was the only no vote.
		Later, the Senate unanimously agreed to the measure.
		It's expected the resolution will be sent to President Trump, who has said he would sign it.
		Watch more live house coverage when lawmakers return here on C-SPAN.
		C-SPAN's Washington Journal, our live forum, inviting you to discuss the latest issues in government, politics, and public policy from Washington, D.C. to across the country.
		Coming up Wednesday morning, we'll talk about Tuesday's vote in the House to release the Epstein files and other congressional news of the day, first with Texas Republican Congressman Pete Sessions and with Virginia Democratic Congressman Suha Subomanyam.
		Also, Brad Bowman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies will talk about the Trump administration's decision to sell F-35 joint strike fighter jets to Saudi Arabia and how that might impact security and the balance of power in the Middle East.
		And then KFF Health News Chief Washington correspondent Julie Robner on the expiring enhanced ACA subsidies and potential solutions to extend.
		C-SPAN's Washington Journal.
		Join the conversation live at 7 Eastern Wednesday morning on C-SPAN, C-SPAN Now, our free mobile app, or online at c-span.org.
		On Wednesday, a hearing on stock trading by members of Congress as the House Administration Committee reviews existing laws that prohibit insider trading and consider potential reforms, including barring members from trading individual stocks.
		Watch live coverage starting at 10 a.m. Eastern on C-SPAN 3, C-SPAN Now, our free mobile video app, and online at c-span.org.
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		The House nearly unanimously approved a bill that would require the Justice Department to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
		The Epstein Files Transparency Act passed in the House by a vote of 427 to 1 and now heads to the Senate for approval before going to the President's desk.
		Prior to the vote, House representatives debated the bill, and Democratic lawmakers acknowledged the bill as a bipartisan statement against sex trafficking and in support of women's rights.
		Here's the debate that led to the vote.
		We all support holding bad guys accountable, and we're all going to vote for this resolution.
		But I think a little perspective is important.
		Democrats have had spent six months talking about Epstein, even though they had four years to do something about it.

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