Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1706) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1200 William Street, Room 200, in Buffalo, New York, as the ``William J. Donovan Post Office Building''.

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 this measure.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a post office in Buffalo, New York, for William J. Donovan.

William Donovan dedicated his life to military service and global leadership. After earning the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary leadership under fire in World War I, Donovan was chosen to lead our Nation's effort in a centralized intelligence program during World War II. He became the founding Director of the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the modern CIA.

Donovan worked closely with America's allies, orchestrating espionage missions and assisting resistance movements in Nazi-occupied Germany. His important work contributed to the success of the war effort and the establishment of intelligence capabilities, which were instrumental to the U.S. throughout the Cold War era.

I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill naming a post office for William J. Donovan, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3393) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12208 North 19th Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona, as the ``Officer Zane T. Coolidge Post Office''.

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 this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hamadeh).

Madam Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill naming the post office for Officer Zane T. Coolidge, who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4635) designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 890 East 152nd Street in Cleveland, Ohio, as the ``Technical Sergeant Alma Gladys Minter Post Office Building''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a post office in Cleveland, Ohio, for Technical Sergeant Alma Gladys Minter.

Ms. Minter spent her formative years in Cleveland, and following her high school graduation in 1939, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she joined the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.

During the Second World War, Alma was assigned to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black women's unit to serve overseas.

Despite being vulnerable to daily bombings and gunshots, the Six Triple Eight battalion was able to sort through a backlog of 17 million pieces of mail destined for Allied soldiers in Europe in half the projected time.

Upon returning from the war, Technical Sergeant Minter lived a quiet life in Cleveland, Ohio, where she would often tell her children stories of her time in the Army and of the lifelong friendships made while serving our country.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill naming a post office for Alma Gladys Minter, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4707) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1019 Avenue H in Fort Madison, Iowa, as the ``Martin L. Graber Post Office''.

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 this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks).

Madam Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill naming a post office for Brigadier General Martin L. Graber, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5058) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 46164 Westlake Drive in Sterling, Virginia, as the ``Firefighter Trevor Brown Post Office Building''.

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 this measure.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a post office in Sterling, Virginia, for Trevor Brown.

Trevor lost his life in the line of duty as a firefighter with the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company on February 16, 2024.

Trevor was deeply committed to serving others. Trevor's deep sense of responsibility to his community was reflected in everything he did from volunteer firefighter to a dedicated youth soccer and baseball coach.

He is survived by his wife and their three young children. His community will never forget his heroism.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill naming a post office for Trevor Brown, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5773) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service at 1300 East Northwest Highway in Palatine, Illinois, as the ``Bernie Bluestein Post Office Building''.

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 this measure.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a post office in Palatine, Illinois, after Bernie Bluestein.

Mr. Bluestein was an American artist, innovator, and World War II veteran. As part of the top-secret Ghost Army unit, Mr. Bluestein used his artistic skills to create fake patches, signs, and vehicle stencils to deceive Nazi forces about the strength and location of American troops.

After serving in the Army, he worked as an industrial designer, assisting leading electronics companies, such as Zenith and Sunbeam, by designing products.

Mr. Bluestein passed away on March 25, 2026, at the age of 102.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, naming a post office after war veteran Bernie Bluestein, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6020) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14855 South Van Dyke Road in Plainfield, Illinois, as the ``Staff Sergeant Jose Duenez Jr. Post Office Building''.

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 this measure.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a post office in Plainfield, Illinois, for Staff Sergeant Jose Duenez, Jr.

Sergeant Duenez tragically lost his life during a tactical training exercise while serving his country. He was known by his peers as a trustworthy and dedicated soldier and a natural leader, ultimately reaching the rank of staff sergeant in November 2020.

Sergeant Duenez was also a decorated soldier, receiving two Army Commendation Medals and many other achievements. Most importantly, he was a loving brother, husband, and father.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill, naming a post office for an honored serviceman, Staff Sergeant Duenez, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6317) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12109 New Kent Highway in New Kent, Virginia, as the ``Patricia Paige Post Office''.

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 this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman).

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

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill to honor Patricia Paige, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6808) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 417 West 7th Street in Columbia, Tennessee, as the ``Pharmacist's Mate First Class John Harlan Willis Post Office Building''.

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 this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ogles).

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

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill naming the post office for Pharmacist's Mate First Class John Harlan Willis.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6995) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 825 Highway 198 in Beaumont, Mississippi, as the ``Jeremy Malone Post Office''.

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 this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Ezell).

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

Madam Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill, naming the post office for an honored community member, Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Malone.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6247) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 13355 North Lon Adams Road in Marana, Arizona, as the ``Mayor Ed Honea Memorial Post Office''.

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 this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Ciscomani).

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill naming a post office for Mayor Ed Honea. I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5831) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 306 South Main Street in Waupaca, Wisconsin, as the ``Master Sergeant Melvin O. Handrich Post Office Building''.

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 this matter.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Wied).

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill to honor Master Sergeant Melvin Handrich. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1032, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 142) disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.J. Res. 142, a resolution disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025.

Congress has the constitutional right to review legislation passed by the D.C. Council under the D.C. Home Rule Act. It also has the authority to block such legislation. In this case, it should do just that.

In December of this past year, the D.C. Council enacted, without the Mayor's support, legislation that denies tax relief to D.C. residents and businesses that was afforded to them by the Working Families Tax Cut Act.

While D.C. taxpayers still enjoy the benefits of such tax relief with their Federal tax filings, they are being stripped of corresponding relief that should also be afforded to them at the local level. In other words, the D.C. Council has rejected tax provisions that help relieve the burdens faced by D.C. residents and businesses.

There are nine tax provisions that the D.C. Council has completely opted out of in the D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025. Seven of them are targeted at tax breaks for individuals. This includes service workers relying on tips as part of their wages, workers relying on overtime, senior citizens relying on Social Security, and even residents just trying to write off their charitable contributions.

They are all being targeted by the D.C. Council. Specifically, the D.C. Council is opting out of the following tax provisions that House Republicans championed for all Americans: no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security for senior citizens, no tax on auto loan interest for certain personal car loan deductions, and even the increased standard deduction, meaning that D.C. taxpayers who do not itemize their tax deductions will not be able to claim the full amount of the federally expanded standard deduction in their local tax returns. In addition, individuals who take the standard deduction will not be afforded an additional charitable deduction like they will have in the Federal Tax Code.

Stripping away this tax relief from the residents of D.C. is egregious, but, Mr. Speaker, that is not all. The D.C. Council has not stopped there. They are working also to ignore the Working Families Tax Cut Act's pro-economic growth business deductions.

That is, the radical D.C. Council also wants to stunt local businesses and prevent economic growth. They are blocking the 100- percent expensing of qualified nonresidential manufacturing and property production and improvements that help fuel such commercial investment.

Finally, the D.C. Council is blocking the full and immediate expensing of a business' domestic research and experimental expenditures. They apparently would rather have investments and innovation in other States or even foreign nations as opposed to right here at home in the Nation's Capital City.

You might find yourself wondering why would the D.C. Council do this to their own residents and businesses. I will tell you why: It is because the Working Families Tax Cut Act was President Trump's bill.

The D.C. Council would rather punish their own residents, their own people, than recognize the achievements of President Trump's legislation. This is anti-working class, anti-senior citizens, and of course antibusiness.

They say they need more time to analyze and consider these provisions, the same provisions that had numerous congressional debates and hearings. These justifications are just excuses to play politics. It is all at the expense of local residents and businesses who want to and should be able to keep their hard-earned money in their pockets to reinvest in their families, communities, and businesses.

The House must swiftly exercise its constitutional responsibility to oversee the District of Columbia and reject this misguided legislation from going into effect.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to unite in support of D.C. taxpayers and businesses and support this necessary resolution of disapproval.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Hageman), the future Senator.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Rose).

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith), the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague pointed out, it is good to be here in floor debate with the other youngest Member of the House of Representatives. I don't want to put words in his mouth, but I suspect we would both agree that we do need more representation in Washington in this body from younger Americans.

Even though he and I disagree on many things, including this resolution, Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot from the other side of the aisle about how they support working families.

Mr. Speaker, this is a resolution that would provide no tax on Social Security, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, provisions that specifically help working families, families in this country. Yet, they are opposed to it.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard a little bit about fiscal responsibility. That is something that Republicans have championed for quite some time. In fact, it has been pointed out that our ideas are old. I would point out that my colleague is right. Our ideas are old in the sense that individual liberty and fiscal responsibility are ideas that have withstood the test of time. That is something that conservatives recognize.

The city of Washington, D.C., does not adhere to those ideas. If they would like to pursue a more responsible budget, I think that we would all be thrilled. Yet, what are they spending their money on?

Recently, the city of Washington, D.C., gave almost a half-million- dollar grant to the Central American Resource Center, which advocates for local rent supplement programs to go to noncitizens; in other words, illegal aliens. They gave almost a million dollars over two grants to Georgetown University, a university whose endowment is about $3.6 billion.

In fiscal year 2025, D.C. spent approximately $434,000 to establish a reparations task force. That same year, they spent $40 million for the Office of Migrant Services to ``ensure migrants arriving in the District are treated humanely and have the resources they need to reach their destination or resettle.'' In other words, they are taking money out of the pockets of working-class families and giving it to illegal aliens.

In fiscal year 2025, again, D.C. spent almost $2.3 million on the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Affairs. That same year, they spent $7 million for the Green Bank. In fiscal year 2025, they spent $441,000 for the Medical Cannabis Social Equity Fund.

Mr. Speaker, we support fiscal responsibility. This is not fiscal responsibility. This is taking money from working-class families to fund leftwing social programs and pet projects.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I strongly support this joint resolution Disapproving the Action of the District of Columbia Council in Approving the D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025.

It is an egregious targeting of the hardworking residents of the District, and it ignorantly and foolishly blocks economic growth.

Congress is within its right to deny this legislation pursuant to the D.C. Home Rule Act, and it should do so because it is the right thing to do for the people of this District.

The people and businesses of this town deserve the tax relief these provisions grant, not just at the Federal level, but also at the local level. It is time we support them.

The following organizations have endorsed this resolution, including: AMAC Action, America First Policy Institute, the D.C. Police Union, Heritage Action, the Independent Women's Forum, the International Franchise Association, the National Association of Convenience Stores, the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, the National Restaurant Association, the National Taxpayers Union, the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The House must swiftly exercise its constitutional responsibility to oversee the District of Columbia and reject this misguided legislation from going into effect.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to unite in support of D.C. taxpayers and businesses and support this necessary resolution of disapproval, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, a core part of American sovereignty is the ability to determine who is able to enter our country. The sole purpose of our immigration system is to benefit American citizens.

That is why today I introduced a bill that would implement a Somalia immigration moratorium.

Mr. Speaker, we have seen the multibillion dollar Somali fraud scandal just in the past week, and Americans are furious. The reality is that Somali immigration makes America less prosperous, less safe, and less culturally cohesive.

Mr. Speaker, 78 percent of Somali immigrants in Minnesota alone receive welfare benefits, even after being in the United States for 10 years or longer. Somali men commit crimes at rates significantly higher than Americans, and only about half of Somali immigrants can speak English very well. Again, that is even after being in our country for over a decade.

The reality is that Somalia's clan-based society is unassimilable into American society.

It is time to put the American people first, and I urge the House to support my bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Sharia Free America Caucus, which I am proud to have joined.

Across the world, ideologically driven Islamic movements have destabilized entire regions; displaced tens of millions of people; and fueled terrorism, repression, and violence.

Where civil law is subordinated to Islamic authority, freedom, prosperity, and security collapse. Sharia law is not a personal creed. It is a political and legal system and one that rejects equality before the law, suppresses dissent, and fuses radical religious doctrine with state power. History shows that where Sharia gains influence, constitutional government gives way to coercion.

In Texas, my constituents are increasingly alarmed by the consequences of mass migration and the importation of ideologies that are fundamentally incompatible with our Western civilization.

The purpose of this caucus is clear: to ensure that Sharia never gains a foothold in America--not now, and not ever.