Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1287 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Madam Speaker, last night, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 1287, providing for consideration of three measures including H.R. 8070, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, to be considered under a structured rule.

The rule provides for 1 hour of debate, equally controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, provides for one motion to recommit, and makes 350 amendments in order.

Additionally, the rule provides for consideration of House Report 118-527 and the accompanying resolution recommending that the House of Representatives find United States Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with a subpoena duly issued by the Committee on the Judiciary.

The rule also provides that upon adoption of the resolution accompanying House Report 118-527, the resolution accompanying House Report 118-533 is adopted.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support the rule and the underlying pieces of legislation, beginning with H.R. 8070, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.

Madam Speaker, under Chairman Rogers' leadership, as well as the leadership of Ranking Member Adam Smith, the bipartisan fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act passed the Armed Services Committee by a vote of 57-1. It significantly improves the quality of life for our servicemembers. It deters our adversaries, supports our allies, and focuses on our military readiness and our national security.

According to several top national security officials, our country is facing serious threats to our democracy and freedom at levels that we haven't seen since World War II. It is imperative for our national security that our servicemembers and their families are supported and that they can focus on their mission.

Ahead of the NDAA, Chairman Rogers established the Quality of Life Panel to evaluate the quality of life of our servicemembers. The panel found that servicemembers' quality of life concerns are a major cause of low morale and family stress, which are undermining recruitment, retention, and military readiness.

The National Defense Authorization Act puts our servicemembers and their families first and addresses many of the issues found by the Quality of Life Panel. The legislation improves servicemembers' quality of life by boosting compensation, improving housing, ensuring access to medical care, enhancing support for military spouses, and increasing access to childcare.

Through the tireless work of the House Armed Services Committee and Rules Committee staff, the NDAA advances important policies to support our warfighters at home and abroad and to deter our adversaries.

It is the NDAA's intent to ensure that our Nation's military is organized, trained, and equipped to deter our adversaries. Communist China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and any other nations or terrorist groups must know that they will never succeed in a war with the United States of America. The NDAA restores American deterrence by restoring lethality, defending Israel, securing our southern border, and providing oversight and accountability.

To deter our adversaries, we must continue to modernize our military. The National Defense Authorization Act boosts innovation providing for the development and fielding of AI, quantum computing, and autonomous systems.

The legislation also removes Communist China from our supply chain and prevents the Communist China spies from infiltrating our research institutions inside the United States of America.

The NDAA bolsters Taiwan's defense and supports our Indo-Pacific allies as they work to deter our shared adversaries.

This legislation also supports our ally Israel as they defend themselves from Hamas terrorists by expanding U.S.-Israel military exercises while also fully funding cooperative missile defense programs.

Additionally, Madam Speaker, the Armed Services Committee included language that saves our taxpayers over $30 billion by cutting inefficient programs, obsolete weapons, and Pentagon bureaucracy.

We live in the greatest free nation on Earth, and it is imperative that we support those who protect it. The fiscal year '25 National Defense Authorization Act is another step in that direction.

Moving on to the resolutions recommending that the House of Representatives find United States Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with subpoenas duly issued by the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Madam Speaker, at the beginning of February, Special Counsel Robert Hur released his report on President Biden's mishandling of classified documents that were discovered in his home and office in 2022.

On February 27, the Judiciary and Oversight Committees issued identical subpoenas compelling production of certain documents, including audio and video recordings of Special Counsel Hur's interviews with President Biden and his ghostwriter. These subpoenas were not complied with, Madam Speaker. The audio recordings were never produced. On May 16, the morning of the markup of the contempt report in the Judiciary and Oversight Committees, President Biden exerted executive privilege over those recordings.

Madam Speaker, the audiotapes are the best evidence that the transcripts provided to the committee accurately reflect the true content. Additionally, President Biden waived any potential assertions of executive privilege when he released the transcript, and he has not set forth any valid basis for invoking executive privilege.

Madam Speaker, the following things are true: The subpoenas were legally authorized. The subpoenas were not complied with.

It is extremely clear: We wouldn't be here on the floor today discussing the matter if that was not the case.

The American people deserve to know the truth. Even news outlets in this country, nearly a dozen, in fact, have sued for access to the recordings.

Madam Speaker, Attorney General Garland has chosen not to comply with the subpoenas, and because of his choice, he must be found in contempt of Congress.

Madam Speaker, I look forward to consideration of these important pieces of legislation and urge passage of this rule.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, the following things remain true: The subpoenas were legally authorized. The subpoenas were not complied with.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), my friend and the chairman of the Rules Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy), my friend.

Madam Speaker, the following things are true: The subpoenas were legally authorized. The subpoenas were not complied with.

I would remind you, Madam Speaker, that the words ``except for'' are even being used by my Democratic colleagues on the other side of the aisle. People don't have the option to comply partially with a subpoena. Nobody in this country does.

I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Van Orden), my friend.

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

This week, we have the ability to advance significant legislation in the House of Representatives.

The fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act fully authorizes our national defense and improves efficiency while eliminating wasteful spending and harmful programs. It strengthens our military and makes important steps to address the security threats America faces from our adversaries, including China, Iran, and foreign terrorist organizations.

It improves our military readiness, provides robust support to our ally Israel, and supports law enforcement operations at our southern border.

Critically, Madam Speaker, it focuses on improving the quality of life of our servicemembers and their families, who sacrifice so much to defend us. Madam Speaker, it provides a 19.5 percent pay raise for our junior enlisted servicemembers and a 4.5 percent pay raise for all other servicemembers.

Additionally, Madam Speaker, the House has the responsibility to protect its Article I authority to conduct oversight and investigations. This week, Attorney General Garland has a choice: either comply with the lawfully issued subpoenas completely and turn over the tapes or be held in contempt.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and move the previous question on the resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6983, a bipartisan resolution to rename the United States Post Office in Lakeland, Georgia, the Nell Patton Roquemore Post Office after my late constituent and former Lakeland postmaster, Nell Patten Roquemore.

Ms. Nell Patten Roquemore was a model public servant and an active member of her community. Her unwavering commitment to the people of Lanier County was evident in her involvement in numerous local initiatives and organizations.

Renaming the post office in honor of Ms. Roquemore is a small way to commemorate her legacy in Lanier County where, again, she served as the postmaster.

I am proud to have all 13 Members of the Georgia delegation cosponsor this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation today.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) as cosponsor of H.R. 8182.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Arizona for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we were joined in this Capitol by the family of Colonel Ralph Puckett. Colonel Puckett passed away at the age of 97, and in just a minute, I would like to read to you the official citation of his Medal of Honor.

Before I read the Medal of Honor Citation, I want you to recognize this man, outside of being a warrior's warrior, was one of the most wonderful people who I have ever had the privilege to meet. That warrior's warrior, though, had a Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars, two Bronze Star Medals with combat V, and five Purple Hearts, as well as many other awards. What a blessing it was that we, as the United States of America, got to know Colonel Ralph Puckett.

Mr. Speaker, the official citation:

``The President of United States of America, authorized by act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded, in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Ralph Puckett, Jr., United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.

``First Lieutenant Ralph Puckett, Jr., distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as the commander, 8th U.S. Army Ranger Company during the period of 25 November 1950 through 26 November 1950, in Korea.

``As his unit commenced a daylight attack on Hill 205, the enemy directed mortar, machine gun, and small arms fire against the advancing force. To obtain supporting fire, First Lieutenant Puckett mounted the closest tank, exposing himself to the deadly enemy fire. Leaping from the tank, he shouted words of encouragement to his men and began to lead the Rangers in the attack.

``Almost immediately, enemy fire threatened the success of the attack by pinning down one platoon. Leaving the safety of his position with full knowledge of the danger, First Lieutenant Puckett intentionally ran across an open area three times to draw enemy fire, thereby allowing the Rangers to locate and destroy the enemy positions and to seize Hill 205.

``During the night, the enemy launched a counterattack that lasted 4 hours. Over the course of the counterattack, the Rangers were inspired and motivated by the extraordinary leadership and courageous example exhibited by First Lieutenant Puckett. As a result, five human wave attacks by a battalion strength enemy element were repulsed.

``During the first attack, First Lieutenant Puckett was wounded by grenade fragments but refused evacuation and continually directed artillery support that decimated attacking enemy formations, repeatedly abandoned positions of relative safety to make his way from foxhole to foxhole to check the company's perimeter, and distribute ammunition amongst the Rangers.

``When the enemy launched a sixth attack, it became clear to First Lieutenant Puckett that the position was untenable due to the unavailability of supporting artillery fire. During this attack, two enemy mortar rounds landed in his foxhole, inflicting grievous wounds, which limited his mobility.

``Knowing his men were in a precarious situation, First Lieutenant Puckett commanded the Rangers to leave him behind and evacuate the area. Feeling a sense of duty to aid him, the Rangers refused the order and staged an effort to retrieve him from the foxhole while still under fire from the enemy.

``Ultimately, the Rangers succeeded in retrieving First Lieutenant Puckett, and they moved to the bottom of the hill, where First Lieutenant Puckett called for devastating artillery fire on the top of the enemy-controlled hill.

``First Lieutenant Puckett's extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.''

Mr. Speaker, may Ralph Puckett, Jr., lie in peace.

Lord, thank You for allowing us the privilege of this man.

Mr. Speaker, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 79, and NAY on Roll Call No. 80.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 55.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 50.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise today to honor the life and legacy of an exemplary public servant and friend, Mr. Michael Joseph Reed, who passed away earlier this month.

He spent nearly two decades advising my good friend and colleague, Mr. Sanford Bishop, until his retirement from public service.

Michael was a shining example of dedication and service during his tenure on Capitol Hill, serving in many capacities to pass legislation and appropriations that benefited my great State and its citizens, as well as the United States of America.

My wife, Vivien, and I extend our deepest sympathies to Michael's wife,

Mrs. Diane Fields Reed, the entire Reed family, and the staff of Representative Bishop.

Mr. Speaker, I will say this one last thing about Michael Reed. It didn't matter if you were a Democrat or Republican, especially a Democrat or Republican member of the staff. When you had a question about appropriations, it was Michael Reed that you called to get the straight answer. If he could help you, he would. He was one of the most dependable people I have met in my life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the career of a devoted patriot and civil servant in Houston County, Georgia, Sheriff Cullen Talton.

Mr. Talton's dedicated career in law enforcement has spanned over five decades,

making him the longest-serving sheriff in the history of the State of Georgia. Born in 1932 in Bonaire, Georgia, Mr. Talton was a Houston County commissioner and a dairy farmer before being elected sheriff in 1972.

When he first took office, Mr, Talton was responsible for a department of just 28 employees, which has grown to over 300 today. Additionally, Houston County had a population of 63,000 in 1972 and now boasts over 170,000 residents, which Mr. Talton has selflessly dedicated his career to protecting and serving. He is a shining example for all law enforcement officers to aspire to.

Family and friends describe Sheriff Talton as a ``role model,'' a ``servant,'' and a ``peacekeeper.'' He has embodied the meaning of each of these words to their fullest during his time as Sheriff of Houston County. I wish Mr. Talton a long and healthy retirement, surrounded by the family and friends he has served tirelessly throughout his esteemed career.

I would like to thank Sheriff Talton for his years of service to our community and our country. It is an honor to represent such outstanding constituents like him in the Eighth Congressional District of Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, Congressman Bishop, for his courtesy and for leading this Special Order hour.

We are here to honor the former First Lady of both Georgia and the United States, Rosalynn Carter.

She was a great lady, an outstanding Georgian, a Navy spouse, and a distinguished humanitarian who dedicated her life to bettering her country and her community.

The Carter name is synonymous with a faith in and love for Jesus Christ, and anybody in our part of the State--I lived about an hour from them--who knows the Carter family knows their legacy is that they continued to teach and be active in their church, and they were just wonderful people. They loved Georgia, they loved the United States of America, and specifically they loved rural Georgia and south Georgia.

She would have been very proud to know that all five of the First Ladies were there to show respect to her at her memorial service in a bipartisan manner.

She was born and raised in Plains, Georgia. She attended Georgia Southwestern College before she married the beloved farmer, Georgia Governor, and President Jimmy Carter. What you might not know is that she was first attracted to President Carter when she saw him in his naval uniform, as he was a graduate of the Naval Academy.

She was his equivalent in every way when they served together, whether it was as First Lady of our great State from 1971 to 1975 or as First Lady of the United States of America.

She was a long-term advocate of mental health in Georgia, aiming to increase mental health services and to stop the stigma that surrounds mental illness. She was appointed to serve on the Governor's Commission to Improve Services for the Mentally and Emotionally Handicapped. She volunteered at the Georgia Regional Hospital in Atlanta and was an honorary chairperson for the Georgia Special Olympics.

After her husband became President of the United States in 1977, it was Mrs. Carter who elevated the role of the First Lady for generations to come by continuing to work to improve mental health services across the United States. She actually sat in on Cabinet meetings. If I am not mistaken, she was the first of the First Ladies to sit in on Cabinet meetings.

During her time in the White House, mental health care was one of her priorities to increase government assistance to the mentally ill. She later became an honorary chair of the President's Commission on Mental Health.

After leaving the White House, she cofounded The Carter Center alongside her husband in 1982 to advocate for democracy and peace across the globe and established mental health programs to collaborate on mental health policy. Her passion for mental health advocacy encouraged her to create the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, which addresses issues in caregiving not just in the United States, but internationally.

She was also the sponsor of the USS Jimmy Carter, one of the most distinguished submarines in the history of the United States Navy. A sponsor is named by the Secretary of the Navy, and the sponsor's role is an important one. Mrs. Carter participated in many of the milestones in the life of her ship, including smashing the bottle against the bow of the submarine and bestowing its name in 2004. The following year, the USS Jimmy Carter was commissioned and entered the fleet after she said in her role as sponsor: ``Man our ship and bring her to life.''

Rosalynn Carter's dedication to public service made her an inspiration to everyone. Our Nation is thankful for her grace and bipartisanship as First Lady.

Our prayers are with President Jimmy Carter and the Carter family. May we continue to carry her patriotic legacy as we serve the people of our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, Congressman Bishop, for leading this hour, and I thank the Carter family for their service to this country.

Mr. Speaker, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 676, and YEA on Roll Call No. 677.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 678 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 679.

Mr. Speaker, before I speak to the issue of Ukraine, I thought I might read the American citizens the 27th Amendment to the Constitution. ``No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.''

If you are watching this--I am sorry that you don't have something better to do on a Saturday--but you need to know who is telling you the truth and who is not telling you the truth.

Recently, you heard my colleague from Connecticut tell you that the Republican bill has a pay raise for Members of Congress. It is simply not true. And if it did, it would be unconstitutional. If the Senate bill changes the compensation for Members of Congress then it, too, is unconstitutional.

Again, the 27th Amendment word for word: ``No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.'' They are simply grasping at straws. They have intended to shut down the government from the start.

With regard to Ukraine funding, I am on the Armed Services Committee, I also happen to be on the Intelligence Committee, and I support the mission in Ukraine. It is not a U.S.-led mission. It is a mission that the United States is participating in, and this continuing resolution will not do anything to hinder what the United States is doing with regard to Ukraine.

We need to vote for this continuing resolution. We need to keep the United States Government open. We need to keep the DOD funded and our soldiers funded, and disregard totally what you are hearing from the other side. They are grasping at straws, making excuses, and telling flat-out lies about Member compensation as an excuse to vote against this piece of legislation.

Let's keep the government open. Vote for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thought I would go ahead and respond because I know as soon as I sit down, the gentlewoman from Connecticut is going to talk about the schoolteachers in Georgia, and my sister is one of them. She gets her check from the county, in case you didn't know it. It kind of bothers me that you seem to think that they get a check from the Federal Government. They actually get paid by the county, as do our sheriff's deputies.

How did we get here? I have heard the left talk about the chaos caucus that we have, candidly, as Republicans and what gives them the power. It only takes five of them to create a disruption. How do five get the power? The five in our party get the power because the 212 of you on the Democratic side are going to vote with them to shut down the government.

Now, a continuing resolution is a 30-day piece of legislation that I will admit is not perfect, but it is better than a shutdown or the chaos that comes with a shutdown.

The idea that we as Republicans and the American citizens have to eat a $2 trillion deficit or else you are going to shut down the government is absolutely ridiculous.

We are not at war. We are not in a recession. We are in no health emergency. Show a little responsibility.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Tifton, Georgia's ``Queen of Arts,'' Syd Blackmarr, who recently passed at the age of 89.

Her commitment to promoting the arts in Georgia has left a great mark on the cultural landscape of Georgia's Eighth District.

Her legacy will be remembered in the cultural heritage she helped build, from the main stage at Fulwood Park that is named in her honor, to the former Tifton Museum of Arts & Heritage that was renamed the Syd Blackmarr Arts Center to recognize her contributions to our community.

She also founded the Art Experiment Station at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in 1976, which fostered the creation of 8 local arts councils. It was Georgia's first rural arts consortium, and her work paved the way for collaborations across South Georgia, leading to the growth of arts organizations and public art installations throughout our state.

She envisioned arts affirming cultural diversity and helped initiate the Arts in Black Festival and the Fiesta del Pueblo.

Syd's accolades and recognitions, such as the Governor's Award for the Arts and Humanities and the Selina Roberts Ottum Award for Arts Leadership, are a testament to her unwavering dedication and the immense impact she had on the arts community.

Syd's impact in Georgia's Eighth District will be felt for generations to come.