Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to send my greatest gratitude to Representative Harry Warren as he retires after eight terms serving the people of Rowan County in North Carolina's 76th District.

Representative Warren has been a steady, respected voice in Raleigh, and folks back home knew that they could always count on him. He listened, he worked hard, and he treated everyone with fairness and respect.

As someone who represents Rowan County in Congress, I have seen the impact of his work up close. He has been a strong advocate for the community, a trusted partner, and a genuinely good man. We are grateful for his service, and I wish him all the best in his next chapter.

Mr. Chairman, the INVEST Act calls us to review a simple truth: A nation that unleashes the talent of its people will never be left behind.

For too long, outdated regulations have stood in the way of our brightest entrepreneurs gaining the capital that they need to build, grow, and compete.

The INVEST Act changes that and opens the door for new investment. It gives small businesses from rural America, in districts like mine, more opportunity at raising capital without drowning in red tape. It expands opportunities for the everyday investor, not just those who already have an accounting department that is big enough to actually navigate through the Federal bureaucracy.

The INVEST Act makes it easier for companies to tap into American capital markets so we can continue strengthening our financial system here at home rather than abroad.

Mr. Chair, small businesses and innovators are the backbone of our domestic economy, and access to capital is vital to their success. The INVEST Act clears a path for just that.

Mr. Chair, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as we are in the process of ending the longest government shutdown in our Nation's history and to affirm that this Congress will get back to leading America into her next golden age.

Over 40 days, that is how long the government has been closed. For over 40 days, Democrats here in this body and in the Senate have chosen chaos over our country. They chose to shut the government down because politics demanded it, not policy.

The elites who dominate their party's decisionmaking are the ones least impacted by its decisions.

Were the far-left activists and Democrats here in this body the ones not getting paychecks? No, Mr. Speaker. That was the air traffic controllers, our troops, and our Capitol Police officers.

When these same people passed ObamaCare, were they the ones impacted by the law, or was it the middle-class teacher in North Carolina who could no longer keep their doctor? We all know the answer to that, Mr. Speaker.

Across the Nation, Federal workers are working two and three jobs just to stay afloat, all so Democrats could champion illegal aliens who exploit our compassion as they poison our communities with deadly fentanyl.

That is not governing. That was extortion of the American taxpayer. That ends today.

Today, we are in the process of finally reopening the government, returning to the business of the people, and further implementing the mandate our constituents sent us here to deliver on.

Democrats chose to have a month of political theater, but political shows don't do one thing to help make the costs of everyday items more affordable. It is time to govern and to focus on making America more affordable for the middle class.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this rule.

Mr. Speaker, over the past weekend, on November 1, 2025, Jesse Love, Jr. brought home the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity title from Phoenix, Arizona. Love held the lead for the final 24 laps, displaying his dominance as he secured his third career victory on his first-ever non-superspeedway track.

At just 20 years old, Love is no stranger to winning and bringing back hardware to the stock car racing capital of the world. At age 15, he set a record as the youngest winner of the ARCA Menards Series West and the youngest winner in any NASCAR-sanctioned race.

North Carolina is proud of its long heritage in racing. Love drives for Richard Childress Racing out of Welcome, North Carolina, a team known for its historic caliber of elite racers, from Dale Earnhardt claiming six NASCAR Cup Series championships and two Daytona 500s, to Austin Dillon bringing home a third Daytona 500 victory in 2018. RCR racing continues to represent the pride of North Carolina in the stock car racing community around the world.

I congratulate Love and the entire RCR racing team. The future of NASCAR is with the drivers who represent the sport with honor and spirit.

Mr. Speaker, on September 16, 2025, I regrettably missed a portion of the evening vote series. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 270.

Mr. Chair, my home State of North Carolina has recognized the Lumbee Tribe since 1885, yet for more than 135 years, their fight for full Federal recognition has been blocked by red tape and indifference.

In 1956, Congress acknowledged the Lumbee Tribe but cruelly denied them the services and the benefits afforded to other federally recognized Tribes. That mistake has never been corrected, but finally Congress has the opportunity to right its wrong.

The Lumbees are more than 55,000 strong, making them the largest Tribe east of the Mississippi. They have defended this Nation in uniform. They have contributed to our economy and preserved a proud heritage that strengthens our State and our country.

Today, this House has an opportunity to finally deliver justice for the ``People of the Dark Water'' of North Carolina. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary North Carolinian, Mr. Glenn Hoffner of Salisbury, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday.

Mr. Hoffner proudly served our Nation in World War II with distinction.

After the war, he came home, raised a family, and spent his life working hard and giving back to his community.

The local VFW Post 3006 held a celebration recognizing not only the rare achievement of a century well lived but also a legacy of heroism in defense of our liberties.

It was an outpouring of gratitude for a man who truly embodies service and sacrifice. The Greatest Generation continues to inspire those who follow.

With red, white, and blue flowing through Mr. Hoffner's veins, his life reminds us of the values that America stands for.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of North Carolina's Sixth Congressional District, I thank Glenn Hoffner for his service. It is an honor to represent a true hero.

Madam Speaker, today and every day the brave men and women of the United States Coast Guard carry out a critical mission: securing our borders, patrolling our waters, and saving American lives.

As vice chair of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, I have seen firsthand how vital their service is to our national security and to our prosperity.

The Coast Guard Authorization Act gives our guardsmen the tools, the resources, and the support that they need to meet today's threats, whether it is stopping fentanyl at sea, stopping illegal migrants, or responding to natural disasters.

This bill is about backing the Coast Guard the same way that they back us every single day.

I am proud to support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Speaker, today, I recognize one of North Carolina's brightest young athletes, Coy James of Davie County, who now joins the ranks of great ballplayers from the Tar Heel State.

Coy was selected by the Washington Nationals in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Known across North Carolina for his power at the plate and his elite play at shortstop, Coy is a force.

He follows in the footsteps of other Davie County stars, including Carson Whisenhunt, drafted a few years ago out of East Carolina by the San Francisco Giants and three-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, who just retired after nine seasons in the majors.

These men are a testament to the deep love Davie County has for the game of baseball. We are proud to have them representing our community on diamonds across the country, and we wish them all the best as they take on their next chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, America is not a surveillance state, and under Republican leadership, it never will be. Today, this Congress has the opportunity to lay the foundation for a digital future that protects freedom and financial privacy.

At the center of that effort is the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act. This bill ensures that no central bank digital currency will be created under the Federal Reserve. We have seen what that looks like in Communist China where the CCP uses it to track, monitor, and control their people, but not here, Mr. Speaker. Not in the land of the free because together with the CLARITY Act and the GENIUS Act, we will protect Americans' financial liberty and make the United States the crypto capital of the world.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, today we take another big step toward delivering a course correction for our country. The American people sent us here with a mandate, to fight back and deliver on a promise. That is what the One Big Beautiful Bill Act does.

Americans should first know what my colleagues in opposition to this legislation are voting for and what they are voting against.

Not passing this bill means a $1,700 increase in taxes for the average American family of four. Mr. Speaker, that might not be a big deal to the elites in Manhattan or San Francisco, but it does mean a lot to the people of my district in North Carolina.

Not passing this bill means our Border Patrol officers and our Coast Guard won't have what they need to secure the border and stop the flow of deadly fentanyl.

It doesn't stop there, Mr. Speaker. Opposing this bill also means protecting waste over purpose, fraud over fairness, and foreign interests over American strength.

Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure voters in my district know what passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will mean for them. It means they get to keep more of their hard-earned money. It means that small businesses can spend more money on their employees instead of sending it to Washington. This bill will make our communities safer by making a historic investment in our border security. No more dangerous, illegal aliens parading around with no consequences.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is one of the most consequential items we will vote on. It is President Trump's agenda, and it is what we all told the people back home we would do.

Now the House must get it done. I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this rule. Let's choose our country over comfort and get the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to the President's desk.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize an unparalleled figure within the city of Kannapolis, Mr. Wally Safrit, who will be retiring this summer, after more than 40 years of service.

Wally has been involved in the city of Kannapolis since before its inception. In 1982, he joined with community members to begin the push for incorporation, spearheading the legal process of creating a municipality. By 1984, he had successfully helped to guide the city into incorporation, and in 1986 he officially became the city attorney.

Since then, he has worked tirelessly to guide Kannapolis through complex legal opportunities. From the downtown revitalization to forming a minor league baseball team, Wally has been involved in just about every project in Kannapolis' history. His contributions have been irreplaceable, and his legacy is a thriving town that is home to more than 50,000 people.

I thank Wally for his many contributions to the community. I wish him a long and joyous retirement.

Mr. Speaker, today we do what lifelong bureaucrats in this town fear most: We cut their funding.

For far too long, Washington bureaucrats have taken advantage of the American taxpayer, sending their hard-earned money to fund the corrupt foreign aid complex, and pushing government funding for educational programs that groom our children. That stops today.

The Rescissions Act of 2025 is not just a bill. It is a part of a much larger course correction. This bill rips back over $9 billion from the clutches of globalist NGOs, projects that fund radical gender ideology, and the green new scam.

The great people of North Carolina didn't send me here to manage decline. They sent me here to help President Trump usher in the new golden age. Let the left scream. Let the media moan and grown, but today we are putting Americans first and looking out for their hard- earned tax dollars. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Ezell for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 2351, which will strengthen the ability of the United States Coast Guard to respond effectively to opioid overdose situations.

The Coast Guard is on the front lines of the fight against fentanyl, working to stop traffickers at sea and saving lives in the process. This bill will ensure that they have the tools needed to do just that, because when an overdose happens, there is no time to wait.

This bill will give the Coast Guard broader authority to prosecute cases where illicit drugs are discovered on unmanned vessels or smuggled onboard without the knowledge of the crew.

This bill also ensures that Coast Guard facilities have naloxone and other similar medications on hand to treat overdoses, bringing the Coast Guard in line with other branches of the military.

By giving our coastguardsmen and -women access to naloxone, we are giving them the ability to save lives at sea and protect themselves should they come into contact with these deadly drugs. Put simply, we have their backs, and they have ours.

This commonsense bill will make it easier and safer for our servicemembers to protect our maritime borders with confidence when intercepting these poisons before they reach our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, it comes as no surprise that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are afraid of the truth when speaking about the bill before us today.

We now have extensive reporting that the last administration kept the American people in the dark about the health of President Biden. They refused to call the flood of illegals coming across our border a crisis.

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle tried putting lipstick on their inflationary economy rather than changing course.

It should come as no shock, Mr. Speaker, that these same folks are misleading Americans about the bill before us today. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will be a major course correction delivering massive tax relief, certainty for small businesses, a historic investment in border security, and we are unleashing American energy.

Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that too many in this body live their own truth, not the truth. The truth is: This puts America first.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this rule.