Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2274) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 112 Wyoming Street in Shoshoni, Wyoming, as the ``Dessie A. Bebout Post Office''.

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 this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2274, which would name a post office in Wyoming for Dessie A. Bebout, and I encourage support from both sides of the aisle.

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill honoring a veteran and a local postmaster, Dessie A. Bebout.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3267) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 410 Dakota Avenue South in Huron, South Dakota, as the ``First Lieutenant Thomas Michael Martin Post Office Building''.

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 this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3267, which would name a post office in South Dakota for First Lieutenant Thomas Michael Martin.

I encourage support on both sides of the aisle, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill honoring First Lieutenant Thomas Michael Martin. I encourage support on both sides of the aisle, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3419) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1765 Camp Hill Bypass in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, as the ``John Charles Traub Post Office''.

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 this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3419, which would honor John Charles Traub by naming a post office in Pennsylvania in his honor, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill, to honor John Charles Traub, a veteran and postmaster who served his community with honor.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2143) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 320 South 2nd Avenue in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as the ``Staff Sergeant Robb Lura Rolfing Post Office Building''.

Mr. 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.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2143, which names a post office in South Dakota for Staff Sergeant Robb Lura Rolfing who served with honor.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support on both sides of the aisle, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill, to honor Staff Sergeant Rolfing, who paid the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our country, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Green for recognizing me for such time as I may consume, whereas any other Member of Congress would need only about 1 minute to provide this commentary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 794, the CTPAT Pilot Program Act of 2023.

Since 2001, the United States Customs and Border Protection's CTPAT program has been reducing vulnerability throughout the supply chain by incentivizing greater security measures with certified trade partners.

Today, more than 11,400 certified partners have been accepted into the program.

The CTPAT Pilot Program Act of 2023 expands upon this already successful program by requiring CBP to establish a pilot program to assess the benefits of allowing non-asset-based third-party logistics providers, 3PLs, and additional asset-based 3PLs to participate in this program.

Mr. Speaker, I hope all Members will support this critical legislation today, as it strengthens our efforts to combat the threat of terrorism in the global supply chain.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 4698, the DHS Joint Task Forces Reauthorization Act of 2024. I am proud to lead the House companion to this bill.

This bipartisan and bicameral legislation will extend the Department of Homeland Security's joint task force authority for another 2 years.

Extending this authority allows for a unified DHS law enforcement approach to target, dismantle, and disrupt transnational criminal organizations and their illegal activities. This coordination enables personnel from Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, and others to continue integrating their existing authorities to work together to confront complex national security threats that impact our Nation's land, sea, and air borders, and to combat terrorism, unlawful immigration, maritime mass migration, and illicit smuggling.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 4698.

Mr. Speaker, I don't know where to begin. I have 5 minutes. I could use 500.

The American people are watching. They recognize that our Nation suffers under the burden of a threatened government shutdown and the very real threat of millions of illegals who have flooded into our country who could potentially vote in this very important election cycle in November.

If you don't think it can happen, you haven't been paying attention. There have been thousands and thousands of illegal voters removed from precincts across the country in any sovereign State that had the courage to pursue the endeavor of looking into those voter rolls.

Many congressional races and the balance of this people's House are determined by hundreds of votes, sometimes less. We just had a colleague lose an election by 317 votes, a man who serves in this body with us right now. If you don't think millions of illegals can potentially influence a Federal election, you are really not being intellectually sound.

To talk about money, the good lady said disgraceful. I will tell you what is disgraceful, Mr. Speaker, is to stand here and say that the Federal Government is too small and doesn't spend enough money. That is outrageous. We have a $36 trillion debt. If this body were to run a $1 billion surplus, it would take 36,000 years to address a $36 trillion debt.

Do you think a 6-month CR at a flat-line spending level is not a compromise, Mr. Speaker, from my perspective as a constitutional conservative? It most certainly is.

I am extending a respectful compromise. I would bring this thing back to 2019 spending if I could.

I cannot find one American in my townhall--and I do many--when I ask them: Does anyone in here think that the Federal Government was too small and didn't spend enough money in 2019? Nobody raises their hand, no matter where they are on the political spectrum. Yet, my colleagues in this body want more and more money in this environment that is supercontentious.

So, we take a 6-month CR that flatlines spending levels and move it into the next Congress, the 119th Congress, and into a new Presidential administration, whoever that may be.

They say they are going to control the White House. Good. Go ahead. I say they are not. We will let the American people determine that, but we will remove this political nightmare show from the entire consideration of the American people.

Let the American people have a clear field to vote in. Let them hear about the policies and principles of the candidates that stand before them and make their determination reflective of their own deep policy principles and their core beliefs.

We have a solid solution to this thing. To say that my colleagues in the Committee on Appropriations have not performed, no, you are not getting that past me. They passed five appropriations bills funding 72 percent of the Federal Government months ago, and where do those bills sit? In the Democrat-controlled Senate.

Pay attention to what is happening, America. This is the future of our country we are talking about. It is the right thing to do to pass this 6-month flatlined spending CR into March.

Let the new Presidential administration, whomever it may be, get situated and name their team. Let the 119th Congress get sworn in and populate our committees. Then, we will continue again.

This is a very important election cycle. We have to protect the integrity of that election, and we have to remove this contentious environment of this threatened government shutdown from this election cycle.

Mr. Speaker, my bill accomplishes that, and I encourage all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 9494.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Conrad Shipyard for its delivery of the first new class Yard, Repair, Berthing, and Messing (YRBM) vessel to the U.S. Navy.

Conrad Shipyard has a legacy of quality and safety in providing premier vessels to the U.S. government and commercial enterprise. The new class of YRBM vessels are needed to modernize the living and housing conditions for thousands of Navy personnel. These vessels will provide a temporary home for our service men and women whose other vessels are in port for repair and maintenance.

I have had the privilege of touring Conrad Shipyard in Morgan City, Louisiana and seeing firsthand the finished product of a dedicated, skilled workforce. The work being done at Conrad and shipyards in South Louisiana drives economic growth, brings jobs and prosperity to our community, and provides our Armed Forces with the necessary tools to secure America.

The new class of YRBM barge craft are essential to the modernization effort led by the U.S. Navy. We should all celebrate Conrad Shipyard's delivery of the first new class YRBM vessel to the U.S. Navy, on track and on schedule, and the work they continue to accomplish for the betterment of the U.S. military.

On behalf of Louisiana's 3rd District, I congratulate Conrad Shipyard on this momentous achievement. I am grateful to the skilled workforce at Conrad for making this possible and thank them for the vital part they play in bolstering our defense maritime industrial base.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to respect the passing of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. She leaves behind a significant legacy, grounded in a lifetime of passionate, diligent public service.

I came to know Sheila during the eight years we served on the Homeland Security Committee together. Having worked alongside her and engaged in countless debates with the good Congresswoman from Texas, I can say with full certainty that she was one of the hardest working Members of Congress I have known. Sheila was always incredibly well prepared, and although we commonly disagreed on ideological matters, I greatly respected her conviction.

In one of her final statements, she said, ``the road ahead will not be easy, but I stand in faith that God will strengthen me.''

I will miss Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, and I extend my most sincere condolences to her family.

Mr. Speaker, I tested positive for COVID in Louisiana, and was restricted from travel to D.C. for the week of July 22 through July 26.

Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: YEA on Roll Call No. 356; NAY on Roll Call No. 357; YEA on Roll Call No. 358; YEA on Roll Call No. 359; YEA on Roll Call No. 360; YEA on Roll Call No. 361; YEA on Roll Call No. 362; YEA on Roll Call No. 363; YEA on Roll Call No. 364; YEA on Roll Call No. 365; YEA on Roll Call No. 366; NAY on Roll Call No. 367; NAY on Roll Call No. 368; NAY on Roll Call No. 369; NAY on Roll Call No. 370; NAY on Roll Call No. 371; NAY on Roll Call No. 372; NAY on Roll Call No. 373; YEA on Roll Call No. 374; YEA on Roll Call No. 375; YEA on Roll Call No. 376; YEA on Roll Call No. 377; YEA on Roll Call No. 378; YEA on Roll Call No. 379; YEA on Roll Call No. 380; YEA on Roll Call No. 381; YEA on Roll Call No. 382; YEA on Roll Call No. 383; YEA on Roll Call No. 384; YEA on Roll Call No. 385; YEA on Roll Call No. 386; YEA on Roll Call No. 387; YEA on Roll Call No. 388; YEA on Roll Call No. 389; YEA on Roll Call No. 390; YEA on Roll Call No. 391; YEA on Roll Call No. 392; YEA on Roll Call No. 393; YEA on Roll Call No. 394; YEA on Roll Call No. 395; YEA on Roll Call No. 396; YEA on Roll Call No. 397; YEA on Roll Call No. 398; YEA on Roll Call No. 399; YEA on Roll Call No. 400.

Mr. Speaker, to my colleagues across the aisle, this is about the quality of the evidence. Surely everyone recognizes that the Oversight Committee is the body of authority of Congress that has responsibility to hold the executive branch accountable.

In the process of our committee work on the Oversight Committee, we seek intelligence and data from the executive branch all the time. Sometimes it is voluntary. Sometimes it requires a subpoena.

In this case, we had to use subpoena authority, which we did. That is a process that we went through. It provided us a description of the evidence. A transcript is not an audio file; it is a description of an audio file. If you have a crime committed, in the evidence you are not going to look at a picture of a knife or a description of a bloody shoe or a glove. You need the knife or the shoe or the glove.

We could provide our own description. We don't know if the transcript is accurate or not because we don't have the audio file. There is zero value to a transcript in a process like this without the original quality evidence. My attorney friends over there know this.

As an investigator I say it is quite simple: Give us the original evidence. What do you have to hide?

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Officer David Lyons and Corporal Dempsey Lavergne of the Vinton Police Department (VPD) for their life-saving actions in response to a dire situation. Their actions illustrate an optimal delivery of a vital public service: timely heroics by law enforcement officers.

In July of 2022, a resident of Vinton, Louisiana was driving home with her four-year-old granddaughter via Interstate-10. As they neared their exit, the driver maneuvered her vehicle to avoid a collision, veering off the road and into the middle of a canal. As a result of the crash, the vehicle's windows and doors would not open. As the vehicle began to sink in the 10-foot-deep canal, the occupants trapped within were at risk of losing their lives. The driver's daughter and mother of the four-year-old child was alerted to this incident via a family safety app on her phone. When her mother failed to answer a phone call, she reported the vehicle's location to an emergency operator. Officer Lyons and then-Sergeant Lavergne were immediately dispatched to the scene. Arriving at the vehicle's location, the officers identified the weight of the situation and rushed into the canal's waters toward the sinking vehicle.

Unable to budge the vehicle's locked doors, the officers smashed its rear window, through which the driver passed them her granddaughter. While the four-year-old had reached safety, the driver remained trapped in the nearly submerged car. With admirable resolve, Officer Lyons and Corporal Lavergne clung to her, ignoring the water rising around them. Finally, moments after the car had fully submerged, the officers were able to pull her from

the vehicle. This harrowing rescue, and the incident's overwhelmingly positive outcome were described by witnesses as a miracle.

Details in the incident's aftermath leave no doubt that Officer Lyons and Corporal Lavergne are the instruments through which this miracle came. These officers' courageous actions are a testament to their character. Dismissing the obstacles, danger, and odds, these officers instinctually abided by their oath of office, exemplifying the very best of the Thin Blue Line. Officer Lyons' only statement regarding this incident presents an ethos worthy of aspiration: ``We don't do it for the glory, we simply do what God put us on the planet to do.'' May the Lord continue to bless and protect Officer Lyons and Corporal Lavergne in their service and protection of our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Louisiana State Representative Kimberly Coates for her efforts to pass HB 467, a bill expanding access to Fresh Natural Milk.

Louisiana's unfounded prohibition on natural milk was primarily a consequence of Federal interference. Despite fresh natural milk's benefits, the FDA holds that only pasteurized dairy should be consumed. Requiring the dairy industry to abide by this standard ensures the destruction of natural milk's holistic composition.

HB 467 legalizes the sale of natural milk and dairy products, reinstating freedom of choice to Louisiana consumers, and providing millions of Americans with access to an uncorrupted source of nutrients and health. In its natural state, fresh milk is a nearly perfect food.

Hundreds of studies have confirmed a connection between pasteurization and lactose intolerance, concluding that pasteurized milk's molecular decomposition allows it to seep through the gut, resulting in various health afflictions. Fresh, natural milk that has forgone pasteurization retains self-contained enzymes, facilitating its digestion and conferment of health. Accordingly, Representative Coates' ``Fresh Natural Milk Bill'' will provide millions of Louisianans with a previously unrealized ability to consume dairy.

Representative Coates work, guiding HB 467 through both chambers of the Louisiana State Legislature, is to be commended. Her bill passed the Louisiana House of Representatives in a 96-1 vote and through the Louisiana State Senate in a 32-3 vote. These wide margins of support reflect Representative Coates' determination and skill as a legislator.

Representative Coates' legislation will benefit many Louisiana citizens, including our farmers, dairy producers, and consumers. I commend Representative Coates and congratulate her on HB 467's signing into Louisiana law.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the work that has been done on the underlying bill.

I rise on behalf of my amendment No. 60 to H.R. 8774, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for 2025.

My amendment specifies that the United States Navy shall use $19.44 million to procure 40-foot patrol boats. The Navy has a stated need for these new boats to replace the aging feet, the old 38-foot boats. In today's battle environment, it is essential that we have the most advanced technology and capabilities.

It is well understood the 40-foot patrol boats are essential to the Navy's mission, and the Navy requires the shipyards by contract to be capable of producing one boat every 45 days in order to sustain maximum efficiency. Yet, the Navy does not fully fund the program through the President's budget request year after year to ensure this objective is accomplished.

My amendment does not increase the actual cost of the 40-foot patrol boat program. Instead, the amendment simply specifies within appropriations the funds needed for the efficiency of the Navy and the shipyards working together to build these vessels.

Overall efficiency requires that the rate of funding match the rate of vessel production, and any pause in the delivery of funding leads to a loss of the existing workforce, the supply chain, the vendors, the materials, et cetera. Coordinating funding with production is essential, and we should support this commonsense funding delivery adjustment which is essentially what my amendment calls for.

It is critical that we ensure our Armed Forces have the vessels and technology required to secure America. I will always advocate for a strong maritime industry that bolsters our national security and supports thousands of American jobs.

I am grateful for this opportunity to speak on behalf of my amendment, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Daniel Flavin, a uniquely integral Southwest Louisiana community leader. Dan's career spanned business, politics, and philanthropy. No matter what his means were, he always worked to benefit those around him, his family, and God.

Dan's family moved to Lake Charles in 1972, where he attended and graduated from A.M. Barbe High School. Mr. Bill Flavin, Dan's Father, was a Veteran of the Korean War and an industrious, self-made man. Despite generous offers that would force his family to leave the Southwest Louisiana community they had come to love, he resigned from his job and founded what is now the renowned Flavin Realty Inc. Dan once recalled that even at 86, his father still came to work every day. Mr. Bill Flavin clearly endowed Dan with this impulse for hard work and integrity. The Flavins' principles are emblematic of Southwest Louisiana's grit and ingenuity.

Dan bought Flavin Realty from his father after graduating from McNeese State University, inheriting it just as he had his fundamental values. Under Dan's management, Flavin Realty steadily grew into the organization we know today: Southwestern Louisiana's eminent real estate firm. In recognition of his personal ability, Dan was twice awarded the Calcasieu Parish Realtor of the Year Award and was selected for leadership positions in Louisiana's top real estate associations. Dan always showed great humility in his achievements, always giving credit to family and God above all.

Throughout his life, Dan's personal integrity and dedication reached beyond his own interests, overflowing into the community. He gave generously to charity and local causes. In 1996, Dan brought his talents to the state legislature, where he served his beloved SWLA community. His decade-long tenure in the Louisiana House of Representatives was noted by constituents as an era of major victories and development. Representative Flavin's greatest legislative work came amid efforts to bolster the Port of Lake Charles. His concerted legislation and advocacy made the Port of Lake Charles our Nation's 10th largest, cementing an irreplaceable source of SWLA economic prosperity for years to come.

This unwavering dedication to community was surpassed only by Dan's intertwined love of family and God. After retiring from the state legislature in 2005, Dan spent the joyful final years of his life caring for the family business, surrounded by his wife Lisa and their six children, 20 grandchildren, and a community of friends. Dan's love of God, family, and community made him an exemplary Louisianan by any definition. His work was always conducted according to our state's unique intersection of government, business, and family values.

Dan is survived by a big, beautiful Louisiana family and a forever grateful community. On behalf of Louisiana's 3rd District, I thank Mr. Dan Flavin for his generous charity and lifelong service to Louisiana. As we continue to benefit from Dan Flavin's legacy, I pray the Lord blesses his family and grants his reward in Heaven.