Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment No. 121 that prevents any funds in today's bill from being used to implement recommendations made by the Biden administration's Interagency Working Group on Mining.

This last September, the Working Group released a 168-page report containing 65 different recommendations. There are a few recommendations in this report that were helpful but, unfortunately, the vast majority further undermine, rather than facilitate, our industry and congressional efforts to secure our own domestic mineral supply.

The Biden administration knows and acknowledges that a strong U.S. mining supply chain is critical. They are aware that demand for minerals is skyrocketing, doubling over the last 5 years and will continue to grow. They know that we are dangerously dependent on overseas suppliers, in particular adversaries like China, Russia, and other unstable countries, for minerals that are essential to our economic competitiveness and national security.

Examples of this can be seen in countries like Peru and Chile, which combined produce about 40 percent of the world's supply of copper. Peru has gone through seven Presidents in the last few years. In Chile, the government is

now making plans to nationalize the country's lithium supply. Despite acknowledging this as a national security issue, the Biden administration continues to attack our American suppliers with layer, upon layer, upon layer of burdensome, duplicative, and unworkable regulations.

The Biden administration needs to do more than just talk about a strong, stable American economy. They need to act by fostering a strong domestic minerals supply. Unfortunately, they continue to do the opposite by proposing inconsistent, uncoordinated, and insufficient policies that slow our progress to independence through self-imposed barriers.

The recommendations in this report embolden our adversaries and are not beneficial to America. Countries like Australia, Canada, and even the European Union have committed to increase domestic production. All of them have developed long-term strategies to be the global suppliers of choice for minerals. Under this administration, the United States has yet to put together a long-term strategy. Other countries will be competing for the same global mineral supply, at the same time, putting stress on America's ability to source additional volumes outside of our country.

My State of Utah produces large amounts of copper, gold, magnesium, and silver. We are the global leader in beryllium, which is used for aerospace and national security applications. We need to allow these producers to thrive and to do what they do best. It is well known that the United States has a higher standard than any other country when it comes to quality, safety, cleanliness of process and product. We have an opportunity to emerge as a world leader in the mineral mining space. This administration needs to stop standing in our way.

Many of these dangerous report recommendations would only reinforce China as the permanent leader in minerals. This is not good for our country, our economy, our jobs, our industry, and, most importantly, for our national security. We should not, therefore, use Federal funds to administer or enforce these recommendations. Hopefully, the administration will go back to the drawing board and, with an America First mindset, create a durable and sustainable strategy that would actually help our domestic mineral supply chain and the American worker, not the Communist Chinese Government. The risk is far too great when we are already decades behind.

Mr. Chair, I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I think the question is why is it so difficult for us to understand that independence is the American way. Independence is what we have always sought. It is allowing the middle class to grow because it is powered by a strong business segment. It appears that at every turn that is possible. The Biden administration-- and this is a good example of that--finds a way to put more regulations to stifle that ingenuity, that innovation, and our opportunity to become independent.

We have to make sure that we are, in particular with rare-earth minerals, leading the charge and not falling behind and taking advantage of the remarkable wealth we have in this country.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 798) condemning the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 798, as amended, the resolution now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 798, condemning the hateful acts of anti-Semitism spreading like wildfire across American college campuses.

Last year, I made my first trip with a few of my colleagues to Israel, where we were welcomed by Jewish citizens of all backgrounds-- Black, European, Russian, Arabian, and Palestinian.

During a visit to a Jewish family's home near the Gaza border, I held a bomb fragment that had landed in their front yard. I saw a lifestyle where the norm was always being on edge. There were bomb shelters built on both ends of elementary soccer fields and at every bus stop.

One of my colleagues asked our guests: You live so close to people who literally hate you simply because of your religion and culture. Why do you stay?

The answer stuck with me: Because I love my country, and this is our home.

None of us could have imagined, a little over a year later, the pure evil that would visit that home. They never knew how vulnerable they were to satanic barbarism. Those who would film, call home, and bolster the torture and death they rained down on innocent, defenseless men, women, and children.

What does evil look like? The German Nazis attempted to hide their acts, but these nazis have posted their acts on social media for the world to see and remember: a pregnant mother shot in the face, her baby cut from her womb and then beheaded; a female raped with such evil voracity that her pelvis was broken, and she was then murdered; grandmothers, children, and babies huddled together and then burned alive; a young 20-year-old woman who was shown half-naked and unconscious as she was paraded through the streets of Gaza, tortured and desecrated by these cowardly devils. She was later found beheaded.

Within hours, 1,400 innocent, defenseless men and women, children in their bedrooms, and teenagers celebrating peace at a music festival were murdered without mercy.

What was the response on American campuses?

At Cornell University, a professor called the Hamas attacks exhilarating and energizing.

At George Washington University, less than 4 miles from where I stand, students projected the phrases ``from the river to the sea,'' and ``glory to our martyrs'' on the side of Gelman Library, a building named after a Jewish alumni. These phrases are an explicit anti-Semitic call for the violent eradication of Jews in the State of Israel.

At Cooper Union, Jewish students were forced to lock themselves in the library to avoid a rabid mob chanting: ``Murder to the Jews.'' These hate-filled college students have no shame and no fear. Imagine the accountability they would face if they were chanting: ``Murder to the Blacks,'' or ``Murder to the trans.'' As this mob pounded on the front door of the building, the Jewish students were quietly ushered out the back door.

This is America 2023, not 1960. No students, regardless of race, creed, color, or religion, should ever have to use the back door of a campus library out of fear for their safety--not now, not ever in the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to strongly condemn the pure evil of Hamas, affirm Israel as our greatest ally in the Middle East, and proclaim our unwavering support as they assert their right to self- defense.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 798, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Houchin).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Kiley).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bean).

Madam Speaker, in concluding this discussion, I have five words for American colleges: You reap what you sow.

After failing miserably to condemn student support for terrorism on your campuses, Jewish students are now living in fear. The violent anti-Semitic protests of students educated on your campuses have brought to light what for decades has thrived in the dark.

Many American universities are fundamentally adrift. Instead of an environment of enlightenment and one that unites diverse ideas, they have become incubators of hate. They call for inclusion yet exclude the Jewish people. They call for neutrality yet stoke the flames of culture wars that have brought us here.

Deep in the humanities department, seas of bigotry have taken root. The poison fruits of a sanction ideology are now ripe for all to see. In the Committee on Education and the Workforce, we will call out rotten ideologies when we find them.

At this moment, though, we must offer in the clearest terms the condemnation of Hamas brutality and violence. Now is the time for Congress to shine as an example of moral clarity both at home and abroad.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 798, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Rollcall No. 417.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act.

The Department of Education's decision to block funding for hunting and archery education under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act eliminates valuable opportunities for students to participate in safe and responsible firearm handling, recreational shooting sports, and outdoor recreational activities.

School programs such as hunting and archery have enjoyed longstanding bipartisan support, and for good reason. The National Archery in the Schools Program has served over 18 million students since 2002. Forty percent of these students claim to be more engaged in the classroom, and a remarkable 91 percent pursue, or express their desire to pursue, other outdoor activities.

Hunting and archery programs provide more than dexterity and mental skills. They foster character development, a sense of responsibility, and a profound connection with the natural beauty of our Nation.

In Utah, hundreds of thousands of Utahns spend quality time with their family, friends, and neighbors during the hunting season. Additionally, these sports provide 13,000 jobs and generate $550 million for the Beehive State's economy annually.

There is a bipartisan consensus that students should be able to receive safe, responsible hunting and archery education.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues across the aisle to support H.R. 5110, bipartisan legislation to stand behind student hunters and archers, and ensure these programs are preserved for future generations of Americans to use these recreational tools safely.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 684, the resolution condemning Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's unconstitutional actions violating New Mexicans' Second Amendment rights.

The Second Amendment is not an optional legal provision that bureaucrats can toss aside at their whim. It is a fundamental principle to ensure that every law-abiding citizen has the God-granted right to protect themselves, their families, their property, and their liberties.

Growing up in the Deep South, I witnessed how Black Codes and Jim Crow laws unjustly restricted minority communities from owning firearms. In the mid-1950s, Martin Luther King, Jr., kept firearms for self-protection, but his application for a concealed weapons permit was denied because of racist gun control laws in his State.

Gun control laws proposed by Democrats and State legislatures, Congress, and the White House aggressively erode our basic constitutional rights. As it was in the civil rights era, the Black community has seen this movie before. As Democrats abridge our rights to self-protection, they legislate away the commonsense tools for Black Americans to protect themselves. As they push ``defund the police'' and ``soft on crime'' policies, it is the urban Black community that suffers. We are now experiencing all-time highs in homicide, robbery, car thefts, physical assaults, and destruction of Black-owned businesses.

House Republicans will never waver in our commitment to defend the rights of all law-abiding citizens, regardless of race, creed, color, or ZIP Code. We will continue to fight to safeguard Americans' inalienable rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. It is an honor to lend my support to this House resolution. I pledge to continue to champion the Second Amendment rights of all Americans. I thank Representative Johnson for bringing us together for this purpose.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in full support of the House Republicans' formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

Several months ago, House Republicans returned oversight to the people's House. We worked consistently day after day to make our government more accountable, as promised in our Commitment to America.

Since January, concerning and credible allegations against President Joe Biden have emerged, including abuse of power, obstruction of justice, corrupt foreign business dealings, and influence peddling schemes that led to tens of millions of dollars in the pockets of several members of the Biden family.

I think we can all agree: Americans deserve accountability from our President. Our impeachment inquiry is not a political ploy. It is an opportunity for Congress to continue its duty, digging into the potential of corruption and bringing facts to light.

The evidence is deeply troubling. Our witnesses have testified to President Biden's involvement in phone calls, interactions, and dinners that resulted in significant financial gains for his son and his son's business partners.

The Treasury Department alone has more than 150 transactions involving the Biden family and other business associates that were flagged as suspicious activity by U.S. banks.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana for yielding me the time.

I rise today in full support of House Republicans' formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

Seven months ago, House Republicans returned oversight to the people's House. We have worked consistently day after day to make your government more accountable as promised in our Commitment to America.

Since January, concerning and credible allegations against President Joe Biden have emerged, including abuse of power, obstruction of justice, corrupt foreign business dealings, and influence-pedaling schemes that led to tens of millions of dollars in the pockets of several members of the Biden family--so far $20 million in profits to a family that has nothing to do with our government at this point.

I think we can all agree Americans deserve accountability from our President. Our impeachment inquiry is not a political ploy--it is an opportunity for Congress to continue its duty, digging into the potential of corruption and bringing facts to light.

The evidence is very troubling. Our witnesses have testified about President Biden's involvement in phone calls, interactions, and dinners that resulted in significant financial gains to his son and his son's business partners.

The Treasury Department alone has flagged more than 150 transactions involving the Biden family and other business associates as suspicious activity by U.S. banks.

Even a trusted FBI informant has alleged a bribe to the Biden family.

There is evidence that President Biden used his official office to coordinate with Hunter Biden's business partners regarding Hunter's role with Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company.

These actions, and more, raise serious questions about the integrity of our highest office. Our government serves the interests of all Americans, not just a select few.

Rest assured, House Republicans will follow the evidence wherever it leads, and the truth will come to light.

I thank the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Johnson, for yielding and for bringing this team together tonight.

Mr. Speaker, this year, the entire state of Utah celebrates a remarkable milestone in our community's history--the 75th anniversary of Salt Lake Community College. As Utah's largest college with more than 45,000 students across 10 campuses, SLCC has played a pivotal role in shaping the lives of countless individuals and has been a cornerstone of education and progress in the Beehive State.

Over the past seven and a half decades, Salt Lake Community College has been a beacon of opportunity, offering a pathway to success for students from all walks of life. It has embraced the values of collaboration, community, inclusivity, learning, innovation, integrity, and trust, providing a welcoming environment for students of varying backgrounds and aspirations.

As we commemorate this milestone, we must recognize the dedication and hard work of the faculty, staff, and administrators who have tirelessly supported and guided our students throughout their educational journeys. The impact of their commitment extends far beyond the walls of the classroom, touching the hearts and minds of our community members.

The successes achieved by Salt Lake Community College alumni are a testament to the institution's commitment to excellence. Graduates have gone on to become leaders, innovators, and contributors to our society in various fields. Their accomplishments reflect the quality of education and opportunities provided here.

I would also like to acknowledge the role of the community in nurturing and sustaining this institution. Salt Lake Community College has thrived because of the unwavering support of the people it serves. Your investment in education has paid dividends in the form of a more skilled and empowered workforce, contributing to the prosperity of our region.

As we look ahead to the future, let us continue to support Salt Lake Community College's mission of empowering individuals through education. Let us rededicate ourselves to the values of learning, growth, and community that have defined this institution for 75 years.

Together, we can ensure that SLCC remains a beacon of hope and opportunity for generations to come.

Congratulations to Salt Lake Community College on this momentous occasion and may the next 75 years be even more fruitful and inspiring. I thank them for their dedication to our community and its future.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to support the U.S.-Taiwan partnership. I recently joined a congressional delegation to visit Taiwan. While in Taiwan I met with President Tsai Ing-wen and discussed our shared national security, economic, and political interests.

I also witnessed firsthand how patriotic and fiercely resilient the people of this island nation are in the face of an increasingly aggressive Communist China.

Taiwan is a critical partner to the United States in the Indo-Pacific region and shares our unwavering commitment to freedom, liberty, and democracy in every corner of the world.

Moreover, we have longstanding economic ties.

Taiwan is America's eighth largest trading partner, and America is Taiwan's second largest trading partner.

Taiwan's ingenuity, entrepreneurial spirit, and skilled workforce have resulted in an island nation of just 23 million people producing 90 percent of the global semiconductor supply--vital components in the microelectronics ecosystem--and essential to life in our modern digital age.

In addition to strong economic collaboration, Utah and Taiwan have strengthened their relationship through educational and cultural exchange programs.

The decades-long economic, cultural, and geopolitical bond between our two beloved countries has established a legacy of mutual understanding, regional security partnership, and deep appreciation for our shared values.

Unfortunately, the Chinese Communist Party's evil regime increasingly encroaches on the territorial integrity of Taiwan with provocative military exercises and the buildup of its armed forces in the region. This threatens the rules-based international order.

That is why I joined the House Republican majority to establish the Select House Committee on the Chinese Communist Party to counter the imminent danger posed by the CCP to the strength, resilience, and sovereignty of Taiwan.

Mr. Speaker, I was proud to vote ``yes'' on the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, the NDAA, to provide robust investment in our defensive capabilities in the Taiwan Strait and support their right to defend themselves from CCP aggression.

As a member of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I reaffirm my commitment to policies that continue to improve the U.S.-Taiwan ties and enhance America's military infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific region and ensure peace in the South China Sea.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment No. 71.

Mr. Chair, for 60 years, the federally imposed perimeter rule has limited access and increased costs for Americans flying into Washington's Reagan Airport.

My amendment is simple. It adds seven new routes, one for each airline currently operating out of DCA, while preserving all existing flight routes.

Congress is long overdue to modernize this arbitrary, protectionist Federal policy put in place for the economic protection of one airport and one airline.

Deliberate misinformation has been circulating wildly among my colleagues, and I want to be clear: Our effort is not about benefiting one airport, one airline, or any one Member of Congress. It is about empowering American consumers by providing more options and greater convenience for people traveling to and from Washington, D.C.

For those who have benefited from the monopoly created by the perimeter rule 60 years ago, the message is clear: America, your choices will remain limited and your ticket prices will remain high.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan amendment to help DCA fly into the 21st century.

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore).

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

Madam Speaker, in the latest edition of the U.S. News & World Report's ``Best States'' rankings, Utah was ranked the top in the Nation.

Utah has one of the strongest economies in America because of our State's pro-market policies, family values, and entrepreneurial spirit. At the forefront of Utah's thriving economy is the booming technology industry in my district and across our State.

Today, I recognize Roland Christensen, an entrepreneur, a businessowner, and an engineer who has made an invaluable contribution to the Gunnison community and the entire State of Utah.

Raised in the rural town of Gunnison, Roland utilized his expertise in mechanical engineering to build one of the most successful aerospace companies in the Nation from the ground up in his hometown.

ACT Aerospace is a defense technology manufacturing leader supporting our troops with the latest technology to win on the battleground because of the visionary leadership of Roland Christensen and the highly skilled workforce of Utah.

Madam Speaker, I thank Roland for all he does to keep Utah the best place to live, raise a family, and start a business.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my friend, Representative Dale Strong, and many of my Republican colleagues today in full support of the HALT Fentanyl Act.

Last year, the Drug Enforcement Administration seized 379 million deadly doses of fentanyl. This week 30,000 fentanyl pills, enough to kill 1.8 million people, were recovered in Utah during a routine traffic stop.

This deadly drug is pouring across our southern border and wreaking havoc in communities across the country.

Fentanyl is now the number one cause of death for young people aged 18 to 45 and poses more danger to young Americans than COVID, car accidents, and suicide combined.

The Biden administration and open-border Democrats have for 2 years ignored the border security crisis and the surge in drug trafficking. America's misery has become the Democrats' political strategy.

The HALT Fentanyl Act delivers on one of the House Republicans' pledges under our Commitment to America, a Nation that is safe.

The HALT Fentanyl Act will permanently classify fentanyl-related substances into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act and close the criminal code loophole to apply the current minimum sentencing for illicit drugs to fentanyl.

It also empowers law enforcement with the tools needed to keep these dangerous drugs off our streets.

It will support research efforts to understand the effects of fentanyl-related substances on the health of Americans.

The House GOP recently passed Secure the Border Act--the strongest border security legislative package in America's history--to address the border security crisis, increase Border Patrol agents, and to end the flow of deadly fentanyl.

These two landmark pieces of legislation will finally tackle the ever-worsening catastrophe at the border, save American lives from deadly drugs, and support our law enforcement officers who risk their lives to protect and serve our communities.

I urge the Biden administration and my colleagues across the aisle to support these commonsense, innovative solutions to our Nation's most pressing challenges.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to celebrate and honor our brave men and women in law enforcement who paid the ultimate price to protect and serve our communities and preserve our American way of life.

In our Nation's Capital, there is a 304-foot-long wall, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, that features the names of more than 22,000 officers who sacrificed themselves in the line of duty. Beyond this magnificent architecture, the legacy of service, dedication, and hard work remains etched in every American heart and

continues to inspire generations of police officers.

Throughout our Nation, our men and women in blue risk their lives to fight crime, respond to emergencies, and keep our communities safe.

During National Police Week, I highlight courageous officers who have gone above and beyond to serve others.

The Riverton Police Department recently recognized the Violent Fugitive Apprehension and Suppression Team, VFAST, as Partner of the Year. It deploys innovative investigative methods to apprehend violent fugitives.

Officer Kevin Salmon, a combat veteran and a Purple Heart recipient, received the inaugural Fraternal Order of Police officer wellness award due to his pioneering work to promote the wellness, the mental and physical health of his fellow officers.

The team at the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake has built a relationship of trust and confidence between law enforcement officers and the Salt Lake community to help at-risk youth pursue life- changing academic and professional opportunities.

Detective Marisha Manzano is a beloved member of the Herriman police force dedicated to quality education, welfare, and safety of students in her role as a school resource officer at Copper Mountain Middle School in Herriman, Utah.

The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force established by Saratoga Springs is at the forefront of the battle against human traffickers and online predators.

It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent and champion the extraordinary police forces in my district and throughout the country. We began our Nation with certain promises--the promise of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness--and that can only happen in an environment of safety. The fact that we have the most robust middle class, the biggest dreamers, the most innovative States in the world today is because we have a nation of safety.

I thank all those who have given their lives, given their efforts to get up every single morning to go out and protect this Nation and come back home to their family knowing they have done their job to make sure we stay safe.

To all my friends in law enforcement, thank you for all you do and happy National Police Week.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the nomination of Julie Su for U.S. Labor Secretary.

I have always been told that you can get some idea of a person's future judgment and skill based on their past judgments and skill.

Ms. Su has a history that is very instructive. It was her tenure as the secretary of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency of California that put the Golden State on a fast track to bankruptcy and economic collapse.

Because of Julie Su's leadership, hundreds of business headquarters have fled the State. Between 2020 and 2022, over one-half million Californians left the State for greener pastures.

Mr. Speaker, as a California executive, the primary responsibility in representing your State should be growing it, not expelling your citizens.

Ms. Su's reign has shown a failure in both judgment and skills. Under her watch, over $31 billion of California COVID funds were delivered to the bank accounts of fraudsters. At the same time, delays and red tape plagued legitimate COVID relief claims for those who desperately needed it.

Caving to the demands of union bosses, Ms. Su has been and will continue to be totally tone-deaf to businessowners. She will never understand Americans who build our Nation's tax base; who power our middle class; who pay her salary; and who, through robust employment, are the source for union dues. She literally turned her back on the goose that laid the golden egg--California's risk-taking businessowners.

At the behest of the union bosses, she instead launched an all-out assault on independent contractors critical to the success of the gig economy.

At every government post Ms. Su has been appointed to, she has prioritized non-revenue producers: the union bosses and unelected bureaucrats. Her priority has always been those who empty the government coffers instead of the small business owners who, through work, risk, expansion, and paying taxes, replenish them.

After forcing Californians who can afford to leave to move out, the Democratic-controlled legislature then figured a way to tax departing citizens several years after the taxpayer's departure. It is sad that wisdom and creativity weren't used at the front end to keep them from leaving the State.

Unsurprisingly, the Biden administration plans to continue its disastrous antigrowth and antibusiness policies under the leadership of Ms. Su.

American families and the workforce are hurting from 40-year record inflation, supply chain disruptions, and high energy prices. Ms. Su is not the right person to tackle America's pressing economic challenges.

Mr. Speaker, I call on the White House to withdraw Julie Su from the confirmation process for Secretary of Labor and prioritize American families, the workforce, and economic growth.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the honor and privilege to stand in the House today to highlight the courage of a young man, Enes Kanter Freedom, who has dealt with the tyranny of a country that he came from.

Since becoming an American citizen, he decided to stand for those who do not have the voices that we have here.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for being here to share these moments with us, and to educate the American people to the fact that freedom is something we have to fight for. Not only here, but everywhere, there is a voice that is speaking for the things we sometimes take for granted.

Mr. Speaker, I am very, very proud to highlight Enes Kanter Freedom's journey. The fight exposes tyranny in Turkiye and China. I encourage those who are watching to tune in so we can support and help those that are truly voiceless in these other countries.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. De La Cruz).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for her remarks. The gentlewoman is a great addition to our Conference.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), who is my good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack), who is my favorite Gator of all time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her remarks.

Mr. Speaker, we are going to switch slides here in a minute.

First of all, I thank my colleagues. It has been a full day, a flying day, yet they found the time. Many would have loved to have been here-- but they had other things going on--to speak up for a young man who had the courage when many in the NBA league would not. He had the courage to stand out. He had the courage to stand up because freedom is something that many of us take for granted. He happened to be a young man at the age of 20 who stood up against the regime that he saw changing.

Two years ago, he started exposing the atrocities in Communist China, a country that is very near and dear to the NBA because that is where they get a lot of funding now and where they get a lot of profits now. We can see that there are many who are playing the game and becoming very, very wealthy and becoming very, very popular and getting a lot of fame but not willing to do what Enes Kanter was able and willing to do--to give it all--because he believes so much in the idea of freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my grave concerns regarding the human rights abuses discussed tonight. Once a thriving democracy, the two-decades-long ruthless regime of Erdogan has made Turkiye notorious for human rights abuses.

For over a decade, former NBA star Enes Kanter Freedom has used his platform to speak for the voiceless who are suffering under the tyranny of Turkiye and Communist China.

Turkiye's oppressive behavior does not end with Enes. Journalists, human rights activists, and protesters are jailed. His father was jailed because he spoke up here in the United States--unjustly, to say the least. Protesters are jailed without trial and labeled ``terrorists'' without evidence.

Turkiye is ranked fourth globally for arresting journalists critical of the government. Turkiye's President has also weaponized the judiciary system to target opposition parties.

This is not democracy. This is not what a NATO ally should be standing for or acting like.

Two years ago, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Turkiye shut down the second largest political party.

Women's rights are also under threat in Turkiye, as well. The Turkish Government withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty to tackle gender-based violence.

In anticipation of a formidable challenge in the upcoming general elections in Turkiye, the regime is intimidating rival parties, voters, and the press to sway the election results in the government's favor.

The Biden administration and other NATO allies must condemn these heinous actions of the Turkish regime. Unfortunately, once again, President Biden is a laggard when it comes to protection of basic human rights and freedoms.

Though an American citizen, Turkiye put a $500,000 bounty on Enes for calling out the abuse of power in Turkiye. President Biden, as has been noted before, has repeatedly refused to meet with our fellow citizens. He has also ignored the official requests from many of my fellow Republican colleagues to do so.

The Biden administration has failed to protect one of the most fundamental rights of every American--freedom of speech.

When Enes criticized the Chinese Communist Party for its brutality against its own people, the NBA abruptly ended his career.

As the corporatist sports complex--NBA, NFL, and Nike--promoted the anti-flag, anti-American, BLM, Marxist movement, it was Enes Freedom who was speaking about the real human rights abuses being perpetrated by the CCP.

Note here the shoe, ``end slavery.'' No slavery. That is something that you did not see on TV, I can promise you that.

It was his voice that exposed the corporatist sports complex hypocrisy as they chose to turn a blind eye to the misery their business model had created for the Chinese people. Enes' criticism culminated in the CCP's demand that he be canceled. The CCP's cancellation of China's NBA TV coverage drove home the consequences of not bowing to their demands. Once the NBA acted to terminate the 11- year all-star's career, the CCP allowed NBA games to once again be aired in the Chinese market.

The NBA, NFL, and Nike's decades-old partnership with the CCP has created a culture within the corporatist sports complex that can best be summarized as profit over American patriotism and profit over the Chinese people.

It is a culture that has granted credibility to the Communist Chinese regime, a regime that has interned over 1 million Muslim Uyghurs.

It is a culture that promoted BLM rhetoric of America's systemic racism as the global corporatists in real time profited in the billions from slavery in China. This sports complex has discovered the financial benefits of the 1800's slave trade, that when given scale, human slavery is the cheapest and most profitable labor on planet Earth.

The NBA, NFL, and Nike culture of greed profit over patriotism and profits over the Chinese people has justified them closing their eyes to the genocide of the Muslim Uyghurs. It confirms that child labor, human trafficking, and organ harvesting from healthy Muslim Uyghurs is okay as long as it is out of sight and out of mind.

What the voice and action of Enes Freedom did was show the hypocrisy of their virtue signaling. As the NBA handed out slogans to players on their jerseys to support Black Lives Matter, he was wearing shoes that highlighted the real issue of atrocities of slavery in China. Again, this is what was not seen on prime time TV.

On a side note, and a personal note: Where are the activist voices of this corporatist sports complex as throughout our country hopeless Black youth callously kill each other by the thousands?

Where are their BLM slogans and messages on the sidelines as in every urban city our education system betrays at-risk kids by the millions?

Where is the presence and voice of the sports complex whose very survival

depends on 70 to 80 percent of Black talent?

Mr. Speaker, the corporatist sports complex of the NFL, NBA, Nike could care less about Black lives, Muslim lives, Asian lives, White lives, or American lives. For them, it is indeed profit that matters. If turning their backs on their loyal fans here in America and betraying the values that have made us the greatest country in the history of mankind, so be it. Profit over patriotism.

One of the values that the Republican Conference holds dear and will make clear is loyalty to our fellow countrymen and women. Turkiye, remove the bounty off Enes Kanter Freedom and any other American citizen. If not, there will be legislative action from this body, I can promise you.

We call on the Turkish Government to release all political prisoners and cease its persecution of the Hizmet movement and its members. We expect a NATO ally to respect free speech and assembly and to uphold its international obligations to protect human rights.

Let us not be the generation that history looks back on as one of moral indifference.

Let us not be the generation that is compared to the 1800s pre-Civil War era when industries flourished from the demands of cotton as they betrayed their commitment to our human rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

Enes Kanter Freedom has shown the bold courage, tenacity, and empathy that defines our American way. For the millions who depend on American resolve to remain the shining city on the hill, we are committed to freedom and liberty in every corner of the world. We must stand, rise, support those Americans who speak and stand for freedom and the freedom of speech. Let's make sure as Americans we are not looked at as the one who dropped the ball in this case.

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