Floor Statements

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 the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to be back on the House floor with my colleagues to host a Special Order on the many things House Republicans are doing on behalf of the American people.

This week, we are working hard to protect consumer choice, our elections, and our national security. We have brought to the floor the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, the SAVE Act, to defend our elections from foreign involvement and ensuring only American citizens have the right to vote in our Nation's elections.

This is commonsense legislation that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, which is more and more critical as our borders remain wide open and our immigration crisis continues.

The argument on this particular bill is that it is already law that you have to be an American citizen to vote in Federal elections. We all know that. It is also illegal to continue to cross the border. We have to take action to safeguard our elections, and we are doing that this week.

We also passed the Refrigerator Freedom Act and the Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act which protects consumer choice in home appliances.

As Democrats continue to push for burdensome regulations and bans that

are not feasible, affordable, or reliable, House Republicans are advocating for American families and their ability to choose the home appliances that suit their needs and budget. We don't want to be having to bring this legislation up. This is nonsensical regulation that shouldn't exist, and we need to make sure consumers have simple choices and that manufacturers have the opportunity to make good products. They will make the products that consumers want and that consumers need. Consumers are responsible. We have to allow that to happen.

We will also consider the Fiscal Year 2025 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, which ensures Congress can better serve the American people with tools to pursue fiscal responsibility while maintaining essential resources for congressional oversight among other provisions to support staff offices and the Capitol Police.

The need for congressional oversight of the Biden administration has never been more important as inflation continues to burden Americans and the crisis at our southern border threatens the safety of communities across the Nation.

I thank my colleagues for joining me this evening to speak on these important topics. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Rose).

Mr. Speaker, the point that the gentleman makes about he just doesn't understand why anyone would be against this, as I have seen the arguments for this, it is so simple, and it is so clear. There is no reason to be against this.

The American people are concerned about this. We clearly see now this isn't just a conservative talking point that there is a problem at the southern border. This is a widespread massive issue with all Americans recognizing that this is a problem. We have gotten to the point now where Democrats are willing to admit that this is a major problem.

The point of this legislation is to remove noncitizens from voter rolls making sure that American citizens--again, it is already illegal to do what is going on at the border. Americans are right to be concerned about this seeping into our elections and municipalities and random States here or there allowing for it to take place at the municipal level, and then the voter rolls get built up, and then they end up voting for the next election because the voter rolls are overlapped.

We have to do a better job safeguarding it. That is why Mr. Rose's point is so clear--why would anyone be against this? This is not an effort to just divide Congress like so many times that happens here. We need to make sure we are safeguarding this.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin).

Mr. Speaker, I can't emphasize that last point enough. It is already law. This is extra safeguards because of the mayhem that we have seen at the border. The only way to control this is to make sure that we have American citizens showing that they are allowed to vote and then being able to clean up voter rolls.

It is simple. This is not a partisan issue. There are many partisan issues here, and we know they are going to be partisan, and this is not meant to be. I will share more on that in a minute.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington), one of my closest colleagues and de facto mentors, someone I shared a significant passion with on getting our debt and deficit under control. He has a message here that is even more important, I believe. He will share a message on what I believe is one of the most important things: supporting our community members.

Honoring Dave Smith

Mr. Speaker, I share my condolences and offer them to the Smith family, as well. It was a beautiful tribute, and I appreciate the gentleman for highlighting these amazing community members who sacrifice so much.

I thank, as we wrap up, my Republican colleagues for being here and taking time to speak on some of the most pressing issues facing our Nation week in and week out that we are here as we try to advance various initiatives.

Congress is a tough place. The House of Representatives tends to be a more partisan body where we have a lot more partisan fights. The Senate tends to be a more collaborative body where you try to pass a filibuster.

All of that being said, the work that we did this week should not be that. We have a massive immigration problem in our Nation. Right now, we have a border with inept policies that are allowing illegal immigration to run rampant in our country.

We have to get this under control, but one of the negative externalities from this that will be dangerous to the future of our Nation is if our elections are not safeguarded.

The SAVE Act this week was a very simple measure. It was not intended to be partisan in any way to simply say American citizens are allowed to vote in Federal elections and we can take steps to prove that American citizenship, as well as remove noncitizens from voter rolls. That is the intent of the legislation. It should be basic and simple, but here we are.

This is, again, the reason why House Republicans put the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act on the floor, as I mentioned the things that it highlights.

Again, we are at this place where it became partisan, and Democrats opposed the bill. Perhaps an attempt to weaponize our elections benefits immigrants who illegally enter our country and advance the far-left agenda.

We have evidence of noncitizens voting in U.S. elections in Massachusetts, Ohio, Virginia, and more. Americans are concerned about this. The outcomes of our elections can carry significant consequences for the direction of our Nation. We cannot allow those

who do not legally live here to influence our policy decisions through elected government.

This legislation will ensure our elections stay fair, democratic, and reflective of the American people. I am hopeful that the Senate will see the value and the intent of this.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for sharing their message, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to honor the exceptional life and service of my constituent, Mr. Ray W. Wright, as he celebrates his 100th birthday. Mr. Wright has not only witnessed a century of history but has actively shaped it through his dedicated service to our nation during World War II and his continued contributions to our community.

While America was embroiled in the middle of war on multiple continents, Mr. Wright took the opportunity to serve his country and joined the Army Air Corps in June of 1943. A month later, his basic training was cut short when he and his fellow soldiers embarked from New York Harbor in July of 1943, evading German U-boats as they crossed the Atlantic to arrive in Scotland.

After being assigned to Burtonwood Air Base Depot No. 3 near Warrington, England, Mr. Wright began operations repairing incoming B- 17 and B-25 bomber aircraft.

Specializing in engine repair, Mr. Wright and the repair teams kept allied aircraft running even as the enemy forces fired CV-2 Rockets and ran Buzz Bomb Raids throughout the United Kingdom. Thanks to their efforts the war ended, and Mr. Wright was reassigned to the 325th Troop Carrier Squadron and rebased to Ansbach, Germany to maintain C-47 aircraft.

Following his service, Mr. Wright returned to civilian life but remained committed to his fellow veterans and his community. He became actively involved in the American Legion, where he dedicated his time and energy to advocating for veterans' rights and supporting initiatives to improve the lives of those who served.

Today, as we celebrate Ray W. Wright's 100th birthday, we reflect not only on his remarkable achievements but also on the profound impact he has had on our Nation and the world. His life is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of service to others. As we honor Mr. Wright, let us also reaffirm our commitment to upholding the values for which he and his fellow veterans protected for us all.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Republican Conference, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for this opportunity to honor the success and achievement of Mr. Roger C. Jones. Along with countless individuals in northern Utah, I congratulate Roger on his retirement from the Bear River Association of Governments (BRAG) and express my gratitude for his 51 years of service to our communities. Northern Utah has been fortunate to have had such a dedicated civil servant for so many decades. Born and raised in Logan, Utah, Mr. Jones embodies the best qualities that Utah, and our Nation, has to offer.

Prior to starting his career with BRAG, Mr. Jones served as an officer in the United States Army in Vietnam. Upon returning home, he completed his MBA at Utah State University and took what he thought would be a 6-month position with BRAG. That 6-month job turned into 51 years of continuous efforts to better communities throughout Northern Utah.

Soon after joining the organization, Roger implemented new functions and carried out responsibilities delegated to BRAG by the state, helping local governments adapt and integrate new programs for healthcare planning, aging services, substance abuse treatment, and law enforcement planning.

In 1986, Roger was appointed Executive Director and, in this position, worked to improve integration of the various government organizations within the Bear River Association of Governments. Under his watch, BRAG became the model for multi-county government associations.

It is people like Roger Jones and his team who have made Utah's First Congressional District, and all of Utah, the incredible place it is.

I join all who have been touched by Roger's service in thanking him for his work for our great state. I wish Roger nothing but the best in his well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Chair, had I been present, I would have voted Aye on Roll Call No. 228.

Stated against:

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 the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, today and this week, House Republicans are advocating for the American people and protecting them from bureaucratic overreach. We are pushing legislation that will protect Americans' right to financial privacy and

create a regulatory framework for digital asset markets so American industries can thrive.

I am grateful to the Financial Services and Agriculture Committees for prioritizing this important issue, and I am grateful to have my friend and colleague from Arkansas here to share more about his work on this.

I think one interesting element to this is we had a very strong approach and bill on this regulatory framework regarding these various digital assets. We garnered an incredibly strong bipartisan vote today.

I think it is important to recognize this is not a messaging bill in any way, shape, or form. We are trying to make sure we do the thing that we are elected to do, and that is take care of this type of very important work legislatively and not cede this power to the bureaucratic state and the regulators.

That is something that we accomplished here, and we are accomplishing this week. It is incredibly important to recognize that we are doing this through legislation and not just through an administrative state.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill), an authority on this topic.

Mr. Speaker, I will echo the comments on much of the financial services packages that we are putting on the floor this week. The gentleman's comment that this is a big deal, I would hope that folks could recognize that we are at a time where it is unknown. There are no rules in place for this innovation that is taking place in the financial market, and there has to be. It is good for every American, it is good for our economy, and it is good for our industries to be able to have that structure, and we are putting that forward today.

The big deal about this is that this is something that should pass as soon it goes over to the Senate. It has strong bipartisan support, and folks can recognize the importance of this moment. House Republicans are leading to make that happen and to make that possible. We are not just engaging in messaging bills on this type of stuff. This is legitimate, and it had a really, really strong vote today. It was not as strong, I might mention, from my Committee on Ways and Means with the tax package, but this is not a competition. It is not a competition.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague from the great State of Arkansas for his words, more so for being able to encapsulate what you all have accomplished with the Financial Services packages we are putting on this week. They are a very big deal, as was mentioned.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to sharing just a few thoughts of my own as we wrap up here.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his tireless work. These are meaty issues. They are hard for folks to truly understand, and it takes the real work of Congress to do stuff like this, so I thank the gentleman for his leadership there.

As I mentioned earlier, House Republicans are pushing legislation to protect consumers' and Americans' rights to financial privacy, values that I believe everyone can support. We witnessed that today with the strong bipartisan vote on this issue.

The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act, also known as FIT21, will protect consumers and encourage innovation by creating a regulatory framework for digital asset markets through legislation, not through regulators.

One of the most common frustrations that I hear back in the First District of Utah is this concept of why does the administrative state have so much influence? Why is there so much executive overreach?

This isn't just geared toward one administration. They are very frustrated with pretty much all of President Biden's policies and his executive actions, whether it be the student loan repayment stuff that he is doing or the inability to implement solid policy at the border and all the protections that he removed there.

They are so frustrated at executive overreach in general, and I think you see that play out in why Congress, oftentimes, has such low approval ratings.

Today was a day that we are pushing back against that. We can always blame the administration, but part of it is that we have to look at ourselves and say what we are doing to find a path forward and to find a way to get something accomplished.

We have actually had several of these moments in this House majority, in this Republican majority, in this 118th Congress. Today was definitely one of those days.

We are making it so the executive branch is going to work the way they are supposed to. This legislation should go to the Senate. It should get a vote that will garner the same type of bipartisan support that it got here in the House today, and it should be signed into law.

As digital assets and blockchain technologies continue to develop, FIT21 takes a critical step toward market certainty for consumers and innovators. Rather than regulation by enforcement, FIT21 will establish clear regulatory lines between the SEC and CFTC, as well as ensure digital asset providers have a pathway to raise funds.

FIT21 would also protect consumers and the broader ecosystem through measures that establish transparent disclosure requirements, including requiring digital asset developers to provide information about a digital asset project's ownership and operational structure; creating a comprehensive registration system for digital asset institutions to serve customers in the market; and, three, ensuring that customer- facing digital asset exchanges and brokers provide disclosures to their customers and take steps to reduce those conflicts of interests, Mr. Speaker.

We have seen what regulatory certainty and pro-growth policies can do to help American industry thrive. I commend Chairman Thompson of the Agriculture Committee, Chairman McHenry of the Financial Services Committee, and members of both of those committees for their hard work on this important legislation. As we heard earlier from Mr. Hill, this is hard work. Actually finding consensus to move something forward is the tough work of Congress.

House Republicans are also leading efforts this week legislatively in supporting the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act, which is critical to blocking Federal bureaucrats from creating a central bank digital currency. A CBDC could allow a China-like reality in which our financial system could be used against Americans as the government monitors transactions and tracks customer behaviors.

As I shared earlier today, implementing a central bank digital currency is simply un-American. There are few things that could totally infringe on our freedoms and autonomy more than currency. There are only a few things that could totally infringe on that more than a currency that can be closely tracked, withheld, and weaponized based on our behaviors, causes, and political leanings.

This bill ensures Congress maintains its authority over CBDCs so that if a CBDC were authorized, it will receive robust attention and vetting by elected officials.

Mr. Speaker, I can't stress enough that with the way that this digital currency is trending--and we see it from other nations--the ability to closely and quickly track directly offends our American right to privacy on this important aspect of our financial freedom.

Again, we are taking the steps today with the House Republican majority to find a path forward and do this the way that the Constitution envisioned we would actually work here, to find a way to make this into law and to actually address these issues.

It is a world that is, again, difficult to understand, and that is why this is such tough work. Again, I commend the members on the Financial Services and Agriculture Committees to get this right, put forth the legislation, receive the bipartisan support, send it over to the Senate, and, hopefully, get it passed into law soon.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues who participated in this and for the successful week that we are having back here in our legislative session, the last one in the month of May. We look forward to advancing more key legislation tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, due to flight delays, I was unable to vote on May 14, 2024. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 196.

Mr. Speaker, this week is National Police Week, and I am grateful for the opportunity to honor the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day to ensure our safety.

Law enforcement officers face unique challenges that most of us cannot even imagine. They have accepted the call to serve and protect others, risking immense cost to themselves and their families.

Just the other week, I joined the Utah House delegation in a moment of silence here on the House floor for Sergeant Bill Hooser who was tragically killed at a traffic stop in Santaquin, Utah.

Reports say he was helping a woman who was being driven against her will. As Sergeant Hooser was assisting her, the assailant drove his vehicle toward Sergeant Hooser, ending his life. Sergeant Hooser's final moments were spent serving his community and helping a woman in harm.

This is a senseless tragedy and one that will take much time to process. I join his family, friends, and the community in paying tribute to this great public servant.

This year alone, 56 law enforcement officers throughout our Nation have died in the line of duty. They are our heroes.

As crime surges across the Nation, we simply cannot allow the growing anti-police sentiment to take any root. We must show unwavering support for those who stand ready to protect us and our families.

My colleagues and I support our law enforcement. They risk their lives so we can live in safety, and we will always be thankful.

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 the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, House Republicans are addressing important issues affecting Americans across the country.

This week, we passed legislation out of the Energy and Commerce Committee to stop the Biden administration from imposing further regulations on home appliances and pushing their rush to green energy agenda that squashes consumer choice.

I can't believe we have to even say that in the U.S. House of Representatives, that we have to even deal with this type of nonsensical policy, but it is an important thing to do, to be able to push back on this, again, rush to green energy agenda that makes no sense.

As Americans struggle with historic inflation and everyday goods and energy costs, it is important that we have the ability to purchase the appliances that best suit our needs rather than overregulated appliances that, per the Department of Energy's analysis, will increase upfront costs by nearly 30 percent.

I hope Americans can understand that. This type of nonsensical overregulation is just going to cost them more money in an inflationary period that has been persistent since Biden took office.

We continue to stand up to anti-Semitism on our college campuses and hold university leadership accountable. Speaker Johnson has convened a probe into the leadership failures at our colleges and universities and the ways that they have allowed dangerous and harmful protests to overrun their campuses, putting Jewish students and community members in danger. We will not stop until Jewish students feel safe on their campuses again. This is a basic, fundamental right.

Last week, the House Committee on Homeland Security released documents that identified over 45 airports throughout the Nation that have been used by the Biden administration to secretly fly over 400,000 illegal immigrants into the United States, from Miami to Los Angeles, from Washington to Chicago. As this crisis at our southern border continues to wreak havoc on our communities, this is unconscionable.

President Biden's failed border policies have only further jeopardized our national security and risked the safety of our neighborhoods.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for my colleagues to be focused on these key important issues and for them to join me this evening briefly.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Owens).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Utah for his steadfast voice on these key matters.

Mr. Speaker, I am also grateful to welcome my colleague and the House Republican skipper to share his message.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams).

Mr. Speaker, I will share a couple of thoughts about this. I actually think it is very important as we are going through this moment right now in our country, as we see protests continuing on at colleges, to emphasize the importance of peaceful protests, the things that are done lawfully. We don't probably spend as much time focusing on the good examples that come out of this.

We have to be a nation of the rule of law. We have seen excellent examples from universities across the country as well taking a very clear, simple stance about offering opportunities for peaceful protest, but when they cross the line, they are going to be punished. We saw it from the University of Florida and others throughout the country.

Those are things we need to highlight. Those are things that are important to celebrate, that we are navigating that tricky line of making sure that we have the ability to protest. That is fundamental to who we are as Americans, and I commend those leaders.

Instead of just always talking about all the negative that is coming from this lawlessness that we see in a lot of ways, I commend those leaders who are across our country at different universities making it very clear that they are not going to tolerate anything that crosses the line. If you don't do that, you will continually see people cross the line.

Now, commencement ceremonies are being canceled. These kids have families, parents. Kids and students have put countless hours into their education to get to this moment. The commencement ceremony is one of the most special things that you could do in your academic experience. To then give in to this overextending of their protest capabilities just ruins the experience.

I hadn't even thought about it until I was talking to one of my colleagues, but this is the same group of people who probably had their graduations canceled because of COVID 4 years ago. Now, they are going through a similar type of situation. We are seeing it happen, popping up across the country. It is flat wrong.

We need stronger leadership. We have shown that in the last few months from the House of Representatives with the House Republican hearings that we have had. I think what we saw with the inability to call out genocide for being against the code of conduct clearly is the wrong direction to go, and I think there was a nice recourse. People lost their jobs because of it, as they should have.

This is going to be one of those moments when they are not doing enough to protect the silent majority on these campuses that want to attend class, that want to put their money to use in something productive.

The more that this type of nonsense continues to happen, we are going to see a shift away from these types of universities that aren't focused on what they should be focusing on, which is preparing those young minds and those students for the next-generation workforce. That is somehow lost in all of this. We are seeing it.

I am proud to represent a State that does such a good job with higher education. We are not immune to protests and things like that, but we are doing the best we possibly can to make sure that the rule of law is followed.

My oldest son is 11. I can't imagine helping out with tuition one day and then not even being able to go to a commencement or my son not even being able to get to class because of a group of people who have no idea and don't understand centuries and centuries of turmoil in a particular region. Hamas was elected 15 or so years ago and has made it impossible for Palestinians and citizens of Gaza to remove them from power. It has inflicted so much evil will on those innocent Palestinians, but they want to be in a position of supporting them.

It is fascinating that they think that they have it all figured out, that they understand Middle East policy, that they understand centuries and centuries of turmoil. It flat doesn't make sense. As a parent, to have a university president not be able to move forward to continue on with commencement is beyond me.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Burchett).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for that great message.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam 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 the topic of this Special Order.

Madam Speaker, this is an important week in the House of Representatives as we discuss several issues important to Americans across the country, from standing up for Jewish students in the midst of dangerous anti-Semitic rhetoric and demonstrations being tolerated at universities across the country to denouncing the Biden administration for their mishandling of the crisis at our southern border.

It was also Lands Week this week, and House Republicans proudly championed and passed legislation that will unleash American energy, promote outdoor access, and support local communities.

In my home State of Utah, we are deeply concerned about the Biden administration's Federal land overreach that is stifling economic growth, national security, and recreation opportunities.

I thank my colleague for joining me this evening, on a fly-out day, no less.

I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann).

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kansas, and we appreciate the chair for the time today on this Special Order, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Westerman for bringing this important bill to the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3397, the Western Economic Security Today Act, led by my friend and colleague, Mr. Curtis.

This bill will stop the latest Biden administration attack on the Western way of life. Last week, I attended a Natural Resources Committee field hearing in Hurricane, Utah, and heard firsthand how destructive the BLM's conservation and landscape health rule will be to communities.

By allowing arbitrary standards and vaguely defined leases to lock up lands from grazing, energy production, and recreation, the BLM is leaving rural America behind and costing our economy billions of dollars in the process.

We are going to hear the back and forth about this particular bill today. What it comes down to is actually listening to the people doing the job. That is what we do out West. We actually do the job that America needs for our energy, for our food. Everything that we live on in our society primarily comes from out West.

For Washington, D.C., bureaucrats to not listen to ranchers that have been grazing and farming that land in Utah for generations is the most offensive thing that can exist in this world of politics, and there is a lot there. This does not make sense. Go listen to somebody who is looking and seeing. They are terrified because there is no trust. There is trust in the balance that we want to talk about because there is always government overreach when we talk about the balance of using Federal lands.

The multiuse is so concerning. They want to be able to graze, keep fire risk low, and grow livestock in a responsible way. They do not trust that the balance trying to be sold on this particular initiative is sincere. I believe them when they say this is bad because I am representing them.

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 the topic of this special order.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to join my colleagues and share some very important perspectives and messages.

House Republicans are responding to many concerns held by Americans

across the country, from this historic crisis happening at our southern border to the increasing cost of everyday goods and services as a result of the Biden administration's tax-and-spend agenda that is burdening hardworking families from New York to California, from Utah to Ohio.

Just this weekend, Americans watched as Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, our ally, and yet again threatened Israel's very existence.

The American people deserve better. They deserve better leadership from this the administration, better stewardship of our Federal resources, and better strength on the global stage.

I am grateful to my colleagues for joining me on the House floor this evening to share their thoughts on how these issues are impacting their constituents and our Conference's solutions.

We look forward to hearing from a few of my colleagues this evening.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from South Carolina for his words and his steadfast work on the Armed Services Committee and all national security matters.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for sharing that information. It is part of the job that we need to be doing and what we can do to uncover and for a thorough analysis.

Mr. Speaker, I will next yield to my colleague from the great State of California (Mr. LaMalfa).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman and appreciate his willingness to participate always.

Mr. Speaker, as I wrap up our Special Order and my remarks, the world watched over the weekend as Iran launched an unprecedented attack on our ally, Israel.

This attack deservedly was met with scorn and contempt from governments across the world, and it was reassuring to see such strong cooperation from the U.S., U.K., Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia to intercept Iranian missiles to keep Jerusalem and its holy sites from being completely destroyed.

I never thought I would be in that situation, to be in Congress, to be a part of legislation this week, to be at this moment, to meet this moment.

People watched across the world because of these holy sites. Look, I have said this before, and as I finalize my thoughts here, I think back to one of my first meetings in my first term of Congress. I got to meet with the Consul General from the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles. He was in Utah, and I got a chance to sit down with him. I said, as I dig into this, I am so impressed with the Abraham Accords.

Candidly, I think it was President Trump and Vice President Pence's most significant success in our foreign policy during their administration. The Abraham Accords are diplomatic and trade relationships with Israel and Arab nations. I mean, when you think about the years and decades and centuries of us trying to find common ground and peace in that region of the world, we created an opportunity, and the U.S. was a big part of this, to establish these relationships with Arab nations and Israel. Potential bellwether countries like Saudi Arabia could have joined on.

I asked him what the recipe was for success to make that happen, and he said that it came down to one thing, that these Arab states--Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain--knew the U.S. stood firm against Iranian aggression. That was what he boiled the whole entire experience down to.

Nobody in that region wants Iran to gain more influence. They want to destabilize everything over there. The whole region understands this. Arab nation, Jewish nation, whatever, they all understand that Iran wants to destabilize.

They want to have the U.S. as a presence, a strong presence, to make sure that the U.S. had the backs of Arab nations and had Israel's back against continual potential aggression from Iran.

Knowing that, they were willing to enter into these trade relationships that were potentially treacherous because Iran doesn't want anybody to have a trade relationship, a diplomatic relationship with Israel.

This is my number one, biggest complaint with President Biden's foreign policy, is to just--okay, look, President Obama was going on the JCPOA, so let's just start those talks back up again and completely ignore the success that we had had to create peace in the Middle East.

It is something that every President has wanted. President Clinton, watching what he was trying to do, the absolute tragedy of the assassination that took place during his time. Every President, Republican or Democrat, has wanted peace in the Middle East.

To flatly say and to overlook the reason why the Abraham Accords were successful and to not take that type of same strength to Iran, it was the biggest blunder, I believe, in President Biden's foreign policy approach in that particular region.

Is it any wonder why we are sitting here today with unprecedented drone and missile attacks directly on our ally Israel?

You have to stand up to Iran in order to promote peace in the Middle East. You cannot have it all. You can't have the entire pie. You have to call it as it is sometimes and cut it off.

The JCPOA should never have been reengaged. It has not created any positive outcomes over in the region. Can anybody disagree with that?

Are we better today in the Middle East than we were when we had the Abraham Accords thriving? No, we are not, and everybody knows that. Anybody who is honest is willing to address it.

If you want to be Israel's ally, you cannot also continue to pander to Iran. It is not a recipe for success, and that is not just from the Israeli point of view. That is from the Arab State point of view. I hope to impress upon the Biden administration recognition of that.

That is what we are trying to do this week, putting several floor measures up to hold Iran and its proxy groups accountable for their actions. We will continue to hold the line in supporting Israel and ensuring they have what they need to defend their freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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 the topic of the Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, House Republicans are advancing important measures on the floor this week. We continue to work hard for our constituents and the American people.

We continue to push the Biden administration to address the ongoing crisis at the border and increase our domestic energy production capabilities.

We are standing by Israel and denouncing President Biden's efforts for a one-sided pressure on Israel with respect to Gaza. This is a Hamas-led

travesty, and we need to make sure that we continue to have and focus on the evils that Hamas terrorists have created and the turmoil that they have created in that region.

There is a lot to get to. I appreciate many of my colleagues for being willing to share some thoughts today.

Mr. Speaker, I will yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California and I always appreciate his participation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Harris).

Mr. Speaker, I will bring up another anecdote. When you hear voices like President Obama's economic adviser, Larry Summers, talk about the fact that there is one equation when you enact that much government spending like what happened in President Biden's first 2 years, there is only one outcome when you enact that much spending with no offsets. The American Rescue Plan, Inflation Reduction Act, like you mentioned, that type of relief spending is unnecessary and immediately creates inflation. That is what we have experienced.

House Republicans oftentimes don't get the credit that we deserve for taking back the majority and putting an end to all of that additional spending that was enacted so quickly as soon as the Democrats had the White House, House, and Senate. They do those bills under reconciliation, they don't require the filibuster anymore, and they passed over $3 trillion that way on party-line vote.

Just by taking back the majority, we have the opportunity to completely eliminate that and also work to find other areas of waste and push that as much as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Harris for that message. Sometimes the details and data are inconvenient when you are trying to push a narrative about an economy, but it is good to make sure to highlight that.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy), a good colleague and friend.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate his passion and I echo his comments.

Mr. Speaker, as I wrap up, I thank my colleagues for sharing their heartfelt messages. I appreciate them putting the time and effort into making sure their constituents and the American people know some of the most important things that are going on back here. I appreciate their time to be down here.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Alford), a good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Missouri. I can't add any more to that but will quickly highlight a point that I think needs constant reminding: The Abraham Accords were some of the strongest, most positive potential opportunities for peace in the Middle East by creating trade relationships with Israel and Arab nations. These are unprecedented. These are some of the most important things that I think happened in all the foreign policy from our previous administration.

Saudi Arabia was inching toward engaging in these types of trade relationships. Iran doesn't want that to happen. Iran supports Hezbollah. Iran supports Hamas. Hamas does this attack. The whole intent was to make sure that the narrative and public perception would change on Israel because it was inching too close to productivity with a bellwether like Saudi Arabia being willing to potentially embrace trade negotiations and diplomatic relationships with Israel. Iran does not want that to happen. They will do whatever they can to incite violence

and terrorism. They know that Israel will go and protect themselves. They know that Israel will respond. They know if they wait long enough, that even the President of the United States, who has traditionally been a very strong supporter of Israel, will start to put pressure on Israel as if October 7 was their fault.

We cannot forget that narrative. We cannot forget that Iran is rejoicing and exuberant that this one-sided pressure is put on Israel at this moment. I think that point is so important to make.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleagues for sharing so much of their thoughts on various elements of the economy and other foreign policy issues.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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 the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to be joined tonight by several of my colleagues who are doing excellent work to counter many of the misguided policy decisions made by the Biden administration that are costing American families.

From pushing legislation that fights back against the Biden administration's war on energy to creating a more sustainable Federal budgeting process, House Republicans are looking out for the American family and the American worker.

This is energy week. It is an opportunity for us to be able to highlight two different philosophies, and that is what you are going to hear a lot from my colleagues on, Mr. Speaker. We have also heard from other folks on the other side of the aisle who have literally put up a sign that says: polluters over people.

It is clear that there are two different philosophies about addressing this, Mr. Speaker. You can showcase that as American energy organizations we are going to do it better and we are going to do it cleaner than the rest of the world. By signaling that, we are able to effectively lower costs for American families.

What they have gone through over the last 3 years with historic prices and costs in the energy world is not putting people first. That is just categorically and completely disingenuous. There is a much more productive way to address this.

We harp on this a lot, but when we indicate and we showcase we are going to invest and that we are going to continue to embrace our ability to lead on this and bring our allies along with us, then we are able to weaken other adversaries across the world.

There are so many angles to this, from national security to domestic policy. It makes so much sense. I am thrilled to be able to hear from many of my colleagues on this issue.

I strongly believe that winning the future will take an optimistic and conservative approach, and we are committed to righting wrongs of the Biden administration and will continue to champion policies that allow American families to thrive.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from the great State of South Carolina (Mr. Duncan).

I appreciate the gentleman from South Carolina. Good energy policy is groovy, so I thank the gentleman for bringing that up.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the first district of California (Mr. LaMalfa).

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa), especially as he brings up some of the forestry issues, massive amounts of invasive, very noxious trees, juniper trees, things like that that can be put to much better use, saving water, at the same time replacing that with a more productive forest option.

Those type of solutions exist out there, and we are working hard to identify that and actually do a productive job, instead of just allowing for the rhetoric to exist with regard to this energy narrative.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the Commonwealth of Virginia (Mr. Cline), my good friend and colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I sit on the same committee as the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cline). We call one of those opportunities reverse the curse, the budget resolution. I do my best to show my constituents this is the hope that we have, that we didn't get here overnight, but we can build back toward fiscal responsibility, building a 10-year balanced budget and finding all those opportunities to extract waste out of our system so we can thrive and operate.

I thank the gentleman for culling out all of those differences. I appreciate it.

Now to my good friend from the greatest State--we call it the great State of Utah, but we both know that it is the greatest State--to share some of his thoughts for this important week.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Owens).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Owens) for his sentiments on this important Energy Week. Solutions can be very common sense, and we hope to be able to beat that drum continually.

For our last speaker tonight, we get the pleasure of hearing from a Representative from the great State of Tennessee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Burchett), a man of congenial disposition.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for his remarks.

I will wrap up here briefly, but as I started my remarks tonight about how this affects the family, I have the pleasure of having one of those families here today in the gallery watching this debate go on.

This is our focus. This is what we are completely focused on. This is not some nonsensical argument about polluters over people. That is just disingenuous.

The U.S. has made incredible gains. In my home State of Utah, air quality is one of our most important aspects, and we have been able to experience strong growth, but maintain and even lessen the impact that we have on particles per million, tier 3 gasoline.

If you embrace and you create opportunities for innovation, you can actually do better. You can actually engage allies better. We can be a net exporter. We can create a stronger America and lower prices.

Our entire focus here is to make sure that families have an opportunity to thrive. We put so much burden with the unnecessary costs from Biden's energy policies on the backs of the American workers and the American family.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time for this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I was saddened by the recent and sudden passing of Tammy Holland, who was an anchor in the Ogden, Utah and Hill Air Force Base communities. Tammy was a native to Colorado, where she grew up hiking, skiing, and riding horses. She brought her love of the outdoors to Utah and instilled the same admiration for God's creations in her children, Andrew and Avery. Tammy was easy to be around and quick to welcome anyone as a new friend. With her husband of 23 years, Tammy built her home centered on faith in Jesus Christ and encouraged family and friends alike to join her in serving others.

It's no easy task raising two kids in an Air Force family, and Tammy was a rock for her husband and children as they made homes in Florida, South Carolina, Ohio, Germany, Texas, Massachusetts, Virginia, Illinois, Missouri, and ultimately, Utah. Friends and loved ones in each of these communities came to love Tammy for her organizing and compassionate service to the Airmen and their respective families. Our community is better because of her efforts and her influence will be greatly missed. It is upon us to carry forward her legacy of service.

I extend my deepest sympathy to Tammy's husband, Col. Jeff Holland, and their son, Andrew, and daughter, Avery, for their loss, and I offer my prayers on their behalf.