Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may hereafter be considered to be the first sponsor of H.R. 1719, a bill originally introduced by Representative Pascrell of New Jersey, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8631) to prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from procuring certain foreign-made batteries, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 8631, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 8631, the Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act.

Our world is increasingly reliant on battery technology, from the smartphones in our pockets to the energy storage systems that power our homes and businesses.

This dependence underscores a larger issue: Our Nation is becoming increasingly reliant on foreign adversarial entities for the materials and technologies that power these devices, which poses grave risk to our Nation's security and economic stability.

As it stands, Communist China produces approximately 80 percent of the world's batteries and roughly 70 percent of the world's lithium-ion batteries. These staggering numbers leave U.S. supply chains vulnerable and our Nation's security at risk.

Recently, the United States House Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, a committee that I am a member of, uncovered information that revealed that at least two of the world's top battery manufacturers, CATL and Gotion High-Tech, are affiliated with Xinjiang Production and Construction Corporation, a paramilitary and CCP-owned entity that is expressly named in the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act statute due to its egregious forced labor practices.

Specifically, XPCC has been accused of assisting the CCP's policy in Xinjiang that implemented comprehensive surveillance, detention, and indoctrination that targeted Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minority groups that the CCP is attempting to eradicate. Furthermore, XPCC utilizes forced labor practices to manufacture their wide range of products.

In addition, dependence on batteries that are manufactured in the PRC presents incredible risks to our national security. There are legitimate concerns that PRC-aligned battery companies and other similar Chinese entities could install malware and other intelligence- gathering sensors on these products, which could result in gathering sensitive information or execute a shutdown on EV charging networks and battery-energy storage systems or even disable targeted vehicles through hardware infiltration.

Last year, reports indicated that the PRC-aligned CATL installed its batteries at facilities in Florida, Virginia, Nevada, and California, as well as a solar farm on leased land inside the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Energy-storage batteries produced by the PRC-aligned CATL at Camp Lejeune have been decommissioned, following increased pressure from Congress.

The Pentagon's decision to not only remove the PRC-aligned CATL batteries from Camp Lejeune but also to make it clear it will not buy CATL batteries because of concerns is more than adequate to demonstrate why we should not have these batteries in other parts of our critical infrastructure.

Our government should not be spending tax dollars to procure batteries from companies that profit from slave labor or provide another avenue for the CCP to expand their surveillance apparatus here in the United States homeland.

My legislation, H.R. 8631, the Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act, is a critical first step in addressing this issue. Modeled after previous provisions included in the fiscal year 2024 NDAA, my legislation builds off these efforts and prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from procuring battery technology companies that have deep ties to the CCP and engage in human rights abuses. In doing so, this bill helps our Nation take a step to advance efforts to decouple from the PRC and safeguard critical supply chains from exploitation.

I am proud to see this bill pass out of committee in a bipartisan nature and look forward to seeing it pass the full House with a bipartisan vote.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Moolenaar).

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

Mr. Speaker, we cannot continue to surrender dominance over our critical supply chains to our geopolitical rivals. Communist China will exploit any economic or security vulnerabilities that could be created from the Department of Homeland Security's reliance on lithium-ion batteries.

To put an end to this dependence and to take important steps in decoupling from the CCP, I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 8631.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8663) to require the Science and Technology Directorate in the Department of Homeland Security to develop greater capacity to detect, identify, and disrupt illicit substances in very low concentrations.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 8663, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8663, the DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act of 2024.

As the catastrophe at our southern border has continued to spiral out of control, the trafficking of fentanyl and other drugs has reached critical levels, putting Americans and law enforcement officials at risk.

The unchecked drug flow has devastated families and communities across the country, and the Committee on Homeland Security has uncovered throughout the course of the past 2 years this devastating lack of enforcement at the southern border.

While our brave law enforcement and frontline border personnel do their best to interdict, they do not always have the tools and resources to effectively do so. H.R. 8663 will improve drug detection accuracy through DHS Science and Technology Directorate research and providing critical equipment for Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement dealing with fentanyl, xylazine, and other deadly drugs.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaLota) for his work on this legislation. I urge all Members to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaLota), the author of the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. As more and more Americans are negatively impacted by fentanyl and other deadly drugs, it is important to take steps to mitigate and detect the flow of these drugs over our borders. I urge passage of H.R. 8663, which will develop a greater capacity to detect, identify, and disrupt illicit substances. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7404) to require annual reports on counter illicit cross- border tunnel operations, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 7404, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7404, the Subterranean Border Defense Act.

Due to President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary Mayorkas' collective failures and refusal to secure our border, transnational criminal organizations are unchecked in their efforts to infiltrate into the United States.

These illicit pathways into our country have only made it easier for criminals to bring their illegal business into the homeland, from human trafficking to drug smuggling deadly fentanyl and other drugs that are being funneled from nations afar, including Communist China.

H.R. 7404 will require DHS to provide annual reports on its efforts to counter illicit tunnel operations.

I commend the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Crane) for his leadership on this effort and urge strong support for the measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Crane), the author of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the bipartisan Subterranean Border Defense Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1371.

Mr. Speaker, in March 2021, President Biden proclaimed Vice President Kamala Harris as our Nation's border czar. Yet, over the last 3\1/2\ years, it is unclear what work she has done, if any, to secure our borders.

As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I traveled to the Darien Gap in Panama to witness the migrant crisis firsthand. I have also been to our southern border.

This is a picture of me at the Darien Gap. Those folks there, that is thousands of migrants coming to the United States. This is 2 years after she was named the border czar.

According to the CBP, before the Biden-Harris administration, there were less than 1 million encounters at the southern border annually. Since the border czar, Harris, has taken over, there have been nearly 8 million illegal encounters at the southern border and nearly 2 million known got-aways. That is a total of almost 10 million people who have entered our country.

The growing crisis has a direct impact on our border districts, like mine. Illegal migrant landings have increased in our State, particularly in our beloved Florida Keys. We have seen an increase in encounters of Chinese and other nationals.

Our adversaries know that they can take advantage and exploit the open-border policies of the Biden-Harris administration. FBI Director Christopher Wray has testified that suspected terrorists have crossed the southern border and are unaccounted for in our country.

The Biden-Harris open-border policies are a risk to every man, woman, and child living in America.

Vice President Harris has proven herself incapable as border czar, and I know that the country cannot afford 4 more years of these disastrous policies.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my friend Representative Stauber's bill, H.R. 3195, the Superior National Forest Restoration Act.

Throughout this Congress, the work of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party has shown what many of us already believed: that the threat of Communist China looms larger than ever before, casting a shadow over our Nation's security and prosperity.

As an exile who was forced to leave my native Cuba after the Communist takeover, I understand this threat firsthand. That is why I am urging my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3195, which would reverse the Biden administration's plan to cut off Minnesota's mineral deposits containing 88 percent of America's cobalt and 95 percent of America's nickel.

Right now, Congo accounts for 75 percent of the world's cobalt supply. These mines are CCP-owned, Chinese Communist Party-owned, and massive perpetrators of illegal child labor. These minerals are then shipped to Communist China for refining.

President Biden is putting America at risk by failing to combat Communist China's subversive tactics, including undermining America's defense industrial base.

We must obliterate the CCP's monopoly over rare earth minerals critical to the development of batteries and 21st century technology.

H.R. 3195 is an amazing step in reasserting America's industrial might. We work more efficiently, guarantee fairer wages, and extract these minerals cleaner than any other nation in the world.

What the Biden administration is doing makes absolutely no sense. We cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the CCP's cynical vision and their relentless pursuit of dominance in the global arena.

H.R. 3195 is the epitome of Made in America, and I urge its passage on the House floor.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

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

Madam Chair, be it through technology transfers or monetary investments, we must stop funding our own destruction through tacit support of the PLA's technological advancement.

This amendment requires the annual China Military Power Report to provide an assessment of the PRC's development in critical and emerging technologies, relevant to any advancement of the PLA capabilities, any involvement in the CCP's Military-Civil Fusion program, or any involvement in the development of the CCP's state surveillance initiatives.

This amendment also calls on the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and other interagency partners to list all Chinese companies involved in the development of this critical technology and determine if any U.S. technology components are used by these companies or if any U.S. capital is invested in these companies.

This is critical information to have. American dollars and ingenuity should not be building the CCP's techno-totalitarian surveillance state and should not be funding its gross human rights abuses. We must recognize the risk of support for entities involved in Xi's Military- Civil Fusion program and understand any technological development made in China on the civil side instantly goes to support military advancements.

Right now, Americans--usually unwittingly--are funding the People's Liberation Army, paying for things like aircraft carriers, fighter jets, and artillery shells, and facilitating a mass surveillance and oppression of the Chinese people.

I think the bottom line, from my perspective, is that the CCP is an adversary, and you don't defeat an adversary or deter an adversary by shoveling billions of dollars into their military and technology programs. Every time we allow this to happen, we are closing the capability gap between our military and the PLA, giving the upper hand to our greatest adversary, the only country with the intent, will, and capability to reshape the international order, and that is China.

Madam Chair, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Krishnamoorthi), the ranking member of the Select Committee on the

Madam Chair, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul).

Madam Chair, in closing, the PRC is the only competitor with the intent, the will, and the capability to reshape the international order. We must stop fueling our own demise.

Madam Chair, I urge support of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the supplemental for Ukraine.

For the past few years, Ukraine has valiantly fought against the barbaric and unjustified invasion by Vladimir Putin and Russia. We have now reached an inflection point. Ukraine is running out of time, bullets, and arms necessary to defeat Russia. This supplemental will allow Ukraine to counter Russia with new and more advanced aid. It will also help by replenishing U.S. weapons, stocks, and facilities.

America is seen as the beacon of hope across the globe, and our enemies are watching our actions closely today. As the Chinese Communist Party, Iran, North Korea, and even Cuba all line up behind Putin, it is time to do the same for our friends and allies.

Mr. Chair, when I was 6 years old, my family fled my native homeland of Cuba. I personally know the evils of communism. The freedoms of this country are what brought my family here. They are worth fighting for. The Ukrainian people are only asking for help in fighting for that same freedom.

What is the cost of freedom? Is there a cost for freedom? Can you put a price tag on it?

Today is a chance to bolster our international reputation as a faithful ally and to prove that we will not falter under pressure. This is an opportunity to help our allies and discourage our adversaries.

Mr. Chair, I urge support for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall vote No. 54 on H.R. 5375, I was not recorded because of an unexpected flight change forcing me to leave Washington, D.C. early. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 54.

Madam Chair, the United States is facing a host of pressing issues, from Communist China's increased aggression in the Indo-Pacific to attacks by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists against our dear friend, Israel. This NDAA ensures our military is ready and able to meet these challenges head-on.

In south Florida and across the Nation, living and housing costs are a priority for our men and women in uniform. This NDAA secures a 5.2 percent increase in pay to our servicemembers which is the largest in 20 years, it authorizes $394 million more than the President's budget request for new family housing and barracks, and it increases eligibility for cost-of-living allowances.

While this NDAA may not be perfect, it fully funds our military, enhances capabilities and readiness, and supports our brave servicemembers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution.

On September 30, while the House considered crucial legislation to avoid a government shutdown, Representative Jamaal Bowman pulled a fire alarm to disrupt proceedings, a crime for which he pled guilty. Let me repeat that again. A crime for which he pled guilty.

As a career firefighter, who served for 25 years in the city of Miami, 9 years of which I served as its chief, I know just how serious this is. Every time a firefighter responds to an alarm, they are placing themselves and the public at risk.

While that is a risk that we are willing to take to protect life and property, we should never put our first responders and the public at risk by pulling a false alarm. In fact, in 2021, over 40 police and firefighters died and were killed while responding to an alarm.

While Representative Bowman initially claimed that he pulled the alarm thinking it would open a locked door, we know that that was a blatant lie.

After pulling the alarm, Representative Bowman can be clearly seen on camera ripping down the emergency exit signs and fleeing the scene. He had every opportunity to alert Capitol Police to his mistake but chose not to.

Had it been a simple mistake, I wouldn't be here. It wasn't a simple mistake.

It is disgraceful that a Member of Congress would go to such lengths to break the law and put first responders and the public at risk to prevent the House from voting to keep government open so our Federal workers can receive their paychecks.

For obstructing the House, putting first responders and the public at risk, and breaking D.C. laws, Representative Bowman should be censured before the House.

Mr. Speaker, I stand before my colleagues and the Nation as a proud Representative of the great State of Florida. I truly am beyond blessed to represent the paradise that is Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys. I am beyond proud to represent my community before this Congress, to stand with a leader who has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our country and to the principles that define us as Americans, Kevin McCarthy.

Today is historic for a lot of reasons. For one thing, this is the first time in over 100 years that this has been attempted, but it is also because we are part of a Congress with historically tight majorities for the Republicans in the House and the Democrats in the Senate, and we have a Democratic White House. Divided government is what we have.

The need to negotiate to find solutions to the issues facing this country, that is a reflection of the principles that are uniquely American, principles that make this country exceptional. They are principles that allowed me, an exile who came here from Cuba, fleeing Communist Cuba, to serve in this very institution.

I wasn't born here, but everything that I am, everything that I ever will be, is thanks to America. The best part about it is that my story, the story of the community I am so proud to represent, and the story of many in this body is that we are not the exception in America. We are the rule. That is the America that Kevin McCarthy has fought for his entire career. Kevin McCarthy is a champion for the American Dream, and he has proved it as our Speaker.

Thomas Jefferson once said: I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the guise of taking care of them.

Let's keep Kevin McCarthy as our Speaker. He is a great man, a great leader, and a great Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate State Representative Danny Perez on being formally selected as the next Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.

Most importantly to me and all of my fellow explorers, Danny Perez will be the first Christopher Columbus High School graduate to serve as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.

Senator Marco Rubio paved the way as the very first Cuban-American Speaker of the Florida House, and now Speaker-Designate Perez will be just the third Cuban American to ever serve in that role.

Speaker-Designate Perez is happily married to his wife, Stephanie, and has two beautiful children, Camila Lucia and Matias Daniel. He is an attorney by trade and a passionate advocate for children. He also serves as national chair of the American Legislative Exchange Council.

I look forward to continuing to work with Speaker-Designate Perez. I am confident that he will continue to be a champion for Miami-Dade County and

for the State of Florida and a responsible steward of our taxpayer dollars.

``Adelante,'' ``onwards,'' Danny, ``adelante,'' ``onwards.'' We are all so very proud of you.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2.

We have a crisis at our southern border. When title 42 expires in just a few hours, that crisis will become a complete catastrophe.

In an effort to play petty politics, the Biden administration and Secretary Mayorkas have traded many effective policies implemented by President Trump for chaotic, unorderly, and inhumane immigration.

I arrived in the United States with my family shortly after the communist takeover of my native homeland. I understand the plight of many of those who are fleeing socialist regimes in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, because I, too, am an exile. I, too, am an immigrant.

We have legal processes already in place for people to immigrate to America legally and to solicit political asylum legally.

But what the Biden administration is doing is offensive, cruel, and inhumane. Lethal fentanyl is flooding our border, killing nearly 100,000 Americans every single year. According to The New York Times, there are over 85,000 migrant children unaccounted for, and many are being subjected to forced labor and child sex trafficking. I repeat: 85,000 unaccounted for children here in the United States. I ask you: Is that humane? I think not.

Lack of enforcement of our border is incentivizing illegal immigration and enriching corrupt Mexican drug cartels that extort the most vulnerable.

While the Biden administration endangers the American people, H.R. 2 tackles the crisis head-on. This bill resumes construction of the border wall that is needed, increases the number of border agents to 22,000, increases Federal grants to local law enforcement in border States, protects migrant children from human trafficking, streamlines the asylum process, and enforces background checks to bar repeat criminal offenders from reentering our country.

H.R. 2 provides a solution to the crisis that President Biden has created. Believe me, he has created it. Secretary Mayorkas and the Biden administration have failed to protect America, and our country is more dangerous than ever before.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the measure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate The Children's Trust on their 20th anniversary.

My wife, Lourdes, and I have been longtime supporters of The Children's Trust and are so proud of their tireless work to protect our community's children and safeguard taxpayer dollars.

I would especially thank our friends, David Lawrence and James Haaj. Their visionary leadership has paved the way for the countless innovative programs offered by The Children's Trust aimed at improving the lives of our next generation of leaders: our children.

In Miami-Dade, we are blessed to have The Children's Trust prioritizing our kids' welfare and investing in family programs to nurture and advocate for all of our children regardless of socioeconomic background.

As a county commissioner, mayor, and now a Member of Congress, I have seen the impact of The Children's Trust firsthand, and I look forward to continuing to work closely together.

Congratulations on these 20 years and many, many more.