Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3571) to make technical amendments to update statutory references to certain provisions classified to title 2, United States Code, title 50, United States Code, and title 52, United States Code, and to correct related technical errors.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3571.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3571 makes technical corrections to statutory references to title 2, title 50, and title 52 of the United States Code.

These titles are where laws relating to Congress, war and national defense, and voting and elections are classified.

This bill was submitted to the Judiciary Committee by the Office of Law Revision Counsel.

These titles have been editorially reorganized to make them more clear and accessible.

When titles of the Code are reorganized, statutory references may no longer be accurate.

This bill does not substantively change any law on the books. It simply updates statutory references in the Code to ensure that they are correct.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 786) to amend title 28, United States Code, to provide an additional place for holding court for the Pecos Division of the Western District of Texas, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 786.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, our courts and judicial system are the envy of the world.

Americans rely on the Federal courts every day to protect their rights and obtain relief when those rights are violated.

They also are the means by which we adjudicate claims that someone has violated our criminal laws.

That is why improving and ensuring accessibility to the courts for our citizens is so important.

This important bill adds just four words to the United States Code to save thousands of Americans in Texas and Washington lengthy and burdensome trips just to reach the nearest Federal courthouse.

This bill authorizes the Federal courts in the Western District of Texas and the Western District of Washington to hold court in Alpine, Texas, and Mount Vernon, Washington, respectively.

Both locations already have existing facilities necessary to hold court, so the cost of this bill is minimal.

By authorizing these courts to utilize these locations, Congress will reduce administrative burdens on the court system and logistical burdens on those with business before these courts.

For example, the Judicial Conference of the United States has noted that Americans in the Western District of Texas must drive as far as 100 miles to reach the courthouse in Pecos, Texas.

The Judicial Conference has identified similar hardships for Americans in the Western District of Washington.

Mr. Speaker, I support this commonsense, bipartisan bill, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 50th anniversary of the Garth Newel Music Center, which is in the heart of Virginia's Allegheny Mountains.

Garth Newel, the estate of celebrated artists and accomplished musicians Christine and William Sergeant Kendall, has been a home to the fine and performing arts since 1924.

In 1973, with the help of Rowe String Quartet members Luca and Arlene Di Cecco, Ms. Kendall established the Garth Newel Music Center.

When Ms. Kendall passed in 1981, her vision lived on through the leadership of the Di Ceccos and visiting artists.

Today, the Music Center offers world-class performances, including the Garth Newel Piano Quartet, and educational programs.

It has received several recognitions for its contributions to the cultural life of the Allegheny Highlands, such as the Chamber Music America's Acclaim Award, and Garth Newel is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Congratulations, again, to the Garth Newel Music Center on its 50th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 514, and YEA on Roll Call No. 515.

Mr. Speaker, once again, the members of the far left are disregarding this document, the United

States Constitution, in order to undermine Americans' right to keep and bear arms.

Just a few weeks ago, New Mexico Governor Lujan Grisham issued an executive order suspending the right to carry firearms in public across Albuquerque and Bernalillo Counties for at least 30 days and fining those who don't comply.

This political power grab is a blatant attack on the Second Amendment and should infuriate every American. It sets a dangerous precedent for the rights of law-abiding Americans and threatens the very freedoms we hold so dear. We cannot allow it to go ignored.

That is why I urge my colleagues to join me in support of the resolution condemning the actions of Governor Lujan Grisham for attempting to deprive the citizens of New Mexico of their right to bear arms.

The people of this great country understand that the House Republican majority will always fight for their Second Amendment rights and uphold the Constitution.

Congratulating the Clarke County High School Women's Soccer Team

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Clarke County High School women's soccer team for winning the Class 2 State title, the program's second State championship in 3 years.

After working hard all season, the Eagles left it all on the field and defeated the Central of Wise County Warriors by a score of 7-0.

These talented student athletes include Avery and Sidney Shinabery, Danyelle Franz, Makenna Jarvis, Kelsey Elrod, Ivana Betancourth, Heather Cartagena, Bailey Mayo, Olivia Morise, Summer and Madison Toone, Audrey Price, Campbell Neiman, Morgan Walker, Ella O'Donnell, Lilly Suling, Tatiana Garcia, Kyleigh Goforth, Leah Mitchell, Krysna Miranda, and Noelle Whalen.

Throughout the final game, the team overcame challenges, displayed superior skill, and dominated possession of the ball.

This was Coach Ray Hawkins' first year as head coach; and under his leadership, the coaches, players, and staff built up their confidence to achieve their goals, and they did just that.

Congratulations, again, to the Clarke County High School women's soccer team on this incredible achievement.

Recognizing Martha's Meals on Wheels

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Martha's Meals on Wheels in Staunton, Virginia, for 50 years of service to our local community.

In 1973, Minister Jo Lotz of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church and Martha Wilkerson began preparing meals in the church for those in need for Staunton residents, and their efforts eventually became Martha's Meals on Wheels.

Five decades later, Martha's Meals on Wheels has gone from serving 20 people 5 days a week to now 30 to 35 people per day within the city limits with the help of Armstrong's Restaurant in Verona, which has been preparing the meals for 20 years.

In 2019, the program fed 4,900 people, and last year fed 7,700 people. With 60 to 80 dedicated volunteers today, the program is expected to feed 7,800 people this year.

Martha's Meals on Wheels' longevity stands as a testament to the civic spirit of the town and an example we should all follow: to always lend a helping hand to others.

I thank Martha's Meals on Wheels and the volunteers for their selfless service and wish them many years of success to come.

Mr. Speaker, just a few weeks ago, the White House press secretary said that President Biden has ``done more to secure the border . . . than anybody else.'' She could not be more wrong.

The Biden administration's open border policies have created the worst illegal immigration crisis in our Nation's history, and it is making our communities less safe while the Mexican cartels thrive. Deadly fentanyl has poured across our southern border in record-high amounts, endangering countless American lives. Criminal cartels are now making $13 billion a year smuggling illegal immigrants into our interior.

Even more troubling, the Department of Homeland Security has admitted that 40 percent of illegal migrants

caught and released into our communities have disappeared, with no way to track them.

A secure nation requires a secure border, which is why earlier this year House Republicans passed H.R. 2, Secure the Border Act, the strongest border security legislation that Congress has ever considered.

While President Biden and DHS Secretary Mayorkas have no plans to get this chaos under control, we are fighting to stop it. It is far past time the Senate stops stalling and passes our critical bill to restore the rule of law in our Nation.

To help them act, we should make border security a condition of any continuing resolution when the fiscal year ends on September 30. The American people demand and deserve nothing less.

Congratulating the Northside High School Softball Team on Winning Class

3 State Title

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Northside High School softball team for winning the Class 3 State title, the program's first State championship victory since 2010 and their second in program history.

After working hard all season, the Vikings left it all on the diamond and beat the York Falcons 3 to 1.

These talented student athletes include Baylee Compton, McKenzie Taylor, Leila Aguilar, Sydney Jordan, Karlee Austin, Zoe Mason, Chloey Lafon, Shelby Ellis, Maddelena Shepher, Bonnie Ellis, Carsyn Michaels, and Abbie Caldwell.

Northside senior Baylee Compton pitched a five-hitter for the Vikings, striking out 16 and walking 1. In the top of the fifth, the Vikings scored twice and grabbed a 2 to 1 lead. Then in the final inning, Sydney Jordan hit an RBI signal, scoring the championship winning run.

Congratulations, again, to the Northside High School softball team, Head Coach Kassie Brammer, parents, faculty, and staff on this incredible achievement.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 387.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Northside High School Women's Softball team on winning the class 3 State championship, the program's first State title since 2010 and its second win in history.

Beating the York Falcons by 3-1, the Vikings delivered strong performances needed to win.

These talented athletes include Baylee Compton, McKenzie Taylor, Leila Aguilar, Sydney Jordan, Karlee Austin, and Abbie Caldwell.

Baylee pitched a five-hitter for the Vikings, striking out 16 of the Falcons' players and walking one.

The Vikings scored twice in the top of the fifth to grab a 2-1 lead. In the seventh inning, the ladies scored another run, then held strong on defense to prevent the Falcons from catching up.

Mr. Speaker, all of these young ladies are a true testament that with hard work and determination, you can achieve your dreams.

We congratulate, again, all of the players, Coach Kassie Brammer, their families, as well as the Northside faculty and staff.

Virginia's Sixth Congressional District is incredibly proud of their accomplishment.

Mr. Chairman, years of out-of-control government spending has fueled inflation and skyrocketed our Federal debt. It is far past time we prioritize those most important core functions of government as intended by our Founders in the Constitution.

The fiscal year 2024 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill does just that. It prioritizes programs for those most important: our Nation's veterans, and facilities for our men and women defending our country.

My, my, my, what do we hear from the other side? Complaints about not being able to fly certain flags at military bases, complaints about not being able to fund climate change bureaucracies in our veterans' facilities, complaints about actually not being able to use taxpayer dollars to fund abortion services.

This bill focuses on core government functions. It fully funds veterans' healthcare, veterans' benefits and VA programs. It ensures our veterans get the medical treatment and benefits they deserve. It provides funds to the agencies that ensure our military and veterans are appropriately honored in our cemeteries and battle monuments, and it prioritizes our Nation's Active Duty servicemembers and their families by providing nearly $800 million above the President's budget request for military construction and family housing. Let me repeat that: $800 million above the President's budget request.

We can and we must support our Nation's heroes who have sacrificed so much to defend our freedoms and protect our homeland. That is why we must pass this strong legislation and make clear that we stand with our brave men and women in uniform.

Madam Speaker, the Biden administration's radical open border policies have turned every community into a border community.

Since President Biden took office, CBP officials have encountered a record high of 5.5 million illegal immigrants at the southern border, and nearly 2 million of those have been released into our Nation.

Unfortunately, to deal with this crisis, liberal cities such as New York City are planning to house migrants in public schools--setting a dangerous precedent. This brings an unnecessary problem that administrators are simply not equipped to handle, nor should they have to.

That is unacceptable, which is why I am proud to join my colleagues in passing the Schools Not Shelters Act. This legislation would ban the use of taxpayer-funded schools as shelters for illegal migrants.

America's schools should be focused on providing the best opportunities for students, not be forced to deal with the repercussions of President Biden's failure to secure the border.

Mr. Speaker, for years, Americans have watched their televisions or read their newspapers and seen the FBI constantly in the headlines--and not for the good.

Under Director Christopher Wray's leadership, the FBI has become weaponized, and the American people's trust in the institution has been severely damaged. We have seen the agency launch an entirely unwarranted investigation against Donald Trump to prove nonexistent collusion with Russia.

We have seen the agency use the Steele dossier to abuse the FISA process and spy on conservatives.

We have seen the agency label parents concerned about what their children are learning in schools in Northern Virginia as domestic terrorists.

We have seen the agency target whistleblowers who expose corrupt behavior and political bias.

We have seen the agency target Catholics in Richmond, Virginia, who are simply exercising their First Amendment right to express their faith.

The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee is demanding that Director Wray accept responsibility for the agency's abusive overreach of power, and the Appropriations Committee is taking action, using the power of the purse to rein in the abuses that have occurred in this agency.

There is no place for politics within the FBI, and we will not stop working to bring an end to this weaponization of our law enforcement agencies and the use of these agencies against law-abiding Americans.

Congratulations to Glenvar High School Men's Tennis Team

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Glenvar High School men's tennis team for winning the Class 2 State title.

This victory marks the program's first championship since 1996. By training hard to ensure that they are at their best and by encouraging each other, the Highlanders left it all on the courts and dominated the Bruton Panthers.

These talented young men include Blaine Bishop, Alec McIlwain, Marco Gustafson, Logan Garner, Beckett Wilkinson, and Ian Kelley.

Leaving the singles match, the Highlanders were out to a strong 4-2 lead, needing just one more win to get the State title.

Blaine Bishop, alongside his doubles partner Alec McIlwain, clinched the championship after Bishop dominated the Panthers' doubles team, securing the championship for the Highlanders.

For the last three seasons, Head Coach Bob Haynie has brought the team together, becoming not just teammates but a family they can rely on both on and off the court.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Glenvar High School men's tennis team and the parents, faculty, and staff on this incredible achievement.

Mr. Speaker, since our country's founding, the United States Constitution has granted Congress the legislative authority to decide major questions of nationwide policy.

Yet, since President Biden took office, his administration has continued his assault on America's economy with costly Federal regulations and executive overreach of power to advance his radical agenda.

In its first year alone, the Biden administration finalized liberal regulations that added more than $200 billion in new regulatory costs. The Biden administration has acted unilaterally on several occasions to circumvent congressional approval to pass policies that advance its far-left agenda.

We saw this in the Biden administration's attempt to pass the unconstitutional student loan giveaway plan, putting taxpayers on the hook for others' heavy college debt. We saw this in the Biden administration's cancelation of pending oil and gas lease sales, hiking up energy costs for hardworking families. We saw this in the Biden administration's proposed ESG investment rule that would put seniors' hard-earned retirement savings at risk.

This is all unacceptable. American taxpayers deserve to know just how much the administration's executive orders will cost them before they go into effect.

As our Nation faces $31 trillion in debt, Congress must pass the REINS Act. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, in keeping with my office policy of giving a floor speech for every State high school champion in the Sixth District of Virginia, I rise to congratulate the Strasburg High School women's track and field team for winning the Class 2 State championship, the program's first State title since 1993.

Finishing with a total of 68 points, the Rams delivered strong performances needed to win. These talented athletes include Macy Smith, Claire Keefe, Paige Hiserman, Toni Rhodes, Megan Martin, Maddy Dofermire, Neila Coughenour, Willow Musterman, and Amanie Hogan.

Junior sprinter and jumper Macy placed in all five of her events, even winning a State title in the long jump with an impressive leap of 17 feet, 7\1/2\ inches.

Senior hurdler and jumper Maddy also placed in four events, winning second place in the high jump.

Taking home the State title in the 4 x 800-meter relay were Claire, Toni, Paige, and Megan, beating the runner-up by over 12 seconds.

Each one of these ladies serves as an inspiration not only to their peers but to the entire Sixth District, proving that hard work and dedication can yield tangible results.

Congratulations again to the Strasburg High School women's track and field team on this incredible accomplishment.

Recognizing North Cross High School's Division II State Championships

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize North Cross High School men's lacrosse, tennis, and track and field teams for each winning their Division II State championships.

The men's lacrosse team secured its third consecutive title with an outstanding 15-6 final score, making this their fourth championship win in 5 years.

The lacrosse win was propelled by senior Joe Mason's six goals, as well as by the sticks of seniors Caleb Thompson and Ian Cann, each of whom added three goals to the tally.

Over on the tennis courts, the Raiders men's team captured its second State title since 2016 with a 5-4 victory.

The tennis team's historic performance was led by sophomore Henry Lugar, who dominated the court with a 10-0 win in his championship singles match and finished the season with a perfect 20-0 record in singles matches.

Junior Alessandro Perin and Jacob Juneau won their doubles match by an outstanding 10-2 score.

The Raiders men's track and field team won their State championship with 93 points. Freshman Jace Rhodes won first place in the triple jump.

On the track, Rhodes was joined by senior Rhone Burton, junior Moritz Mittendorfer, and junior Xavier Mitchell in the 4 x 100-meter relay, taking the title with a sprint time of 43.97 seconds.

Congratulations to all these student athletes, parents, coaches, and staff on their incredible achievements. They are all champions and have proven that with hard work and dedication, anything can be accomplished.

Mr. Speaker, the communities throughout the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia and, in fact, every community across our Nation are now border communities because of the deadly fentanyl pouring through our open borders under the failed leadership of President Joe Biden and Secretary Mayorkas.

Since October, Customs and Border Patrol agents have seized over 14,000 pounds of fentanyl, enough to kill over 3.1 billion people. Even in western Virginia, drug cartels have been caught smuggling rainbow- colored fentanyl with the intent of targeting our children.

Just last year, roughly 75,000 people died of drug overdoses from synthetic opioids, largely illicit fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances.

That is why, today, the House will be voting for the HALT Fentanyl Act because enough is enough.

This legislation would raise penalties for fentanyl traffickers under the Controlled Substances Act, support research to understand the devastating mental health effects of fentanyl-related substances, and supply law enforcement with the resources needed to keep this drug off our streets.

While our President has no plans to fix open borders or stop deadly fentanyl from being smuggled into our interior, the House will take action today to protect innocent lives by passing this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the Strasburg High School wrestling team for their Class 2 State championship victory, the Rams' second State title in a row.

The four individual State champions who led this victory include junior Heath Burks with 126 points and his third State title, senior Ethan Asher with 138 points and his third State title, junior David Burks with 150 points and his second State title, and senior Chuck Fake with 215 points and his second State title.

Additional top Strasburg Rams performers were Conner Miller placing sixth, Jadon Shanholtz placing third, Donovan Burks placing sixth, Braden Stern placing fifth, and Hutson Conrad placing third.

This was a remarkable performance by the whole team, and I wish the best of luck to the seniors on the team in their future endeavors.

Congratulations again to all these talented athletes, parents, coaches, and staff on this well-deserved victory.