Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.J. Res. 79, which terminates the national emergency pertaining to actions and policies that have existed for years, enjoyed bipartisan consensus, and underpinned a significant portion of the U.S.-Syria sanctions architecture.

More specifically, this measure targets an executive order that was issued based on legislation that Congress passed with broad bipartisan consensus: The Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act, which over 400 Members of the House, including 200 Republicans, voted in support of.

For over 12 years, Syria's Assad regime has perpetrated a heinous campaign of genocide and unrelenting violence against the Syrian people, who rose up for their basic rights and freedoms after years and years of oppression.

This unceasing campaign of brutality has been aided and abetted by Assad supporters in Tehran and Moscow, and amounted to countless war crimes and the most egregious violations of international humanitarian law of which I am aware.

Relevant to this legislation, the Assad regime has served as a fertile and pliant jurisdiction for Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies to shuttle arms throughout the region, as well as grow in numbers and capabilities in support of the Assad regime's actions against the Syrian people.

At the same time, actors ranging from the remnants of ISIS to other violent extremist organizations like al-Qaida-affiliate Hurras al Din, and others continue to terrorize civilians, and threaten to reconstitute and, again, use Syria as a launchpad for attacks into Europe and the rest of the world.

Active U.S. efforts to counter and degrade these very groups and support networks--those targeted by the sanctions--would be undermined by abruptly repealing and stripping away such important authorities. Preemptively abandoning these policy tools and sanctions authorities through a rushed, poorly conceived legislative effort undermines our national security interests and those of our closest partners.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in opposition to this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing.

I agree with my colleague from Florida on a couple points. I abhor war like he does, and I wish Congress would reassert itself, but I must say, we should legislate it, not terminate it.

Abruptly terminating this national emergency will simply undermine U.S. national security interests and those of our allies. The resolution would further destabilize Syria and the entire region, be a gift to the violent and oppressive Assad regime, and create space for terrorist organizations like ISIS to grow in numbers and capabilities.

I strongly oppose H.J. Res. 79 and urge my colleagues to do the same. I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle join me in opposing it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a life well lived. I'm saddened to announce the passing of an American hero, retired U.S. Navy Commander Allan Randolph (``Randy'') Topp. I'm honored to help tell his story because I think it's a life that should be memorialized in these hallowed halls, and we here in Congress sometimes need reminding of what it is to lead a life well lived.

Born in 1953 in Atlanta, GA, Randy was known for his playful glimmer throughout his childhood. He decided to attend Vanderbilt University and graduated in 1975 with a double major in Economics and Latin American Studies. After graduating, he began a 20-year career as an officer in the U.S. Navy piloting P-3 Orions, serving on the USS Constellation, and leading Training Squadron Six (VT-6) as its Executive Officer and Commanding Officer. He retired from military service with the rank of Commander in 1996, but his professional life was far from over. Randy continued his career with the Raytheon Company in Tucson, AZ, before fully retiring in 2018 to spend more time with his family.

Throughout his career, Randy was a lifetime learner. He continued his education beyond the undergraduate level and received not 1, but 3 masters' degrees: the first, an MBA from the University of New Hampshire, the second, an MS in Electrical Engineering, and the third, an MS in Systems Technology (Space Systems Operations) from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He is even a named inventor on multiple patents from his time with Raytheon.

What the accolades and accomplishments don't tell us is just how much of a positive effect Randy had on those around him. Upon hearing of his passing, one of his Navy shipmates commented, ``Randy was . . . a great pilot, but also 1 of the fun guys every group needs to keep everything in perspective and moving together. I met him again years later while with Raytheon, and he was still the same great guy . . . Truly a man to be admired; I'm happy to have known him.''

This same spirit carried through to his time with his grandchildren, with whom he was excited to experience life. He introduced them to

new adventures like horseback riding, whitewater rafting, visiting the rodeo, and attending cowboy cookouts. He appreciated the lifestyle of Tucson, hosting family and friends to introduce them to the Sonoran Desert culture, including enjoying the occasional Sonoran hot dog.

Fair winds and following seas, Commander Topp. I thank him for his service to his family, to his friends and shipmates, and to this Nation. We are forever grateful to him for providing an example of what it means to live life to the fullest.

Madam Speaker, Ben Franklin said that necessity never made a good bargain.

This is necessity. For the first time since 1789, our MAGA GOP friends are putting us at risk of default.

However, we have a solution, and it is sitting right here, right next to me. It is a discharge petition, and we only need five of you.

Madam Speaker, I see about 80 of my Democratic colleagues in front of me, and I only see one Republican, you.

We only need five. So, I welcome you back to Washington. Come on. Join us. Sign the petition. We will keep the lights on, but will you?

Mr. Speaker, my friends, this National Police Week, instead of helping communities recruit and train the next generation of principled police officers, we voted to let officers buy their department's retired handguns, and we voted on a nonbinding resolution opposing defunding the police.

So many of us here are willing and ready to work together to address the problems that I hear about when I meet with our police chiefs and police officers. In fact, my bipartisan Pathways to Policing Act has been endorsed by law enforcement and is still awaiting action on this floor.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get to work and legitimately invest in law enforcement. Let's stop creating campaign slogans and start working on congressional solutions like my Pathways to Policing Act to ensure safety, security, and justice for all.

Mr. Speaker, Ilhan Omar and I are products of remarkably different life experiences. Hers began by fleeing civil war in Somalia before emigrating to the United States after 4 years in a Kenyan refugee camp, an experience that few, if any, of us in this room could possibly imagine.

My family came to America a century before hers seeking the same safety, security, and opportunity as they fled Russian pogroms targeting Jewish people in Eastern Europe. My life began by losing my father in the Vietnam war, an American tragedy that may well have been prevented had this very Chamber been filled with more voices like Ilhan Omar's.

Now, don't get me wrong: Representative Omar and I regularly disagree on policy, both domestic and foreign, and she has, at times, used words that have caused concern, offense, and even personal pain to me and others.

She and I have spoken face-to-face on those occasions, and she has apologized, and she continues to learn from those missteps.

Furthermore, she has never posted a video depicting herself decapitating and killing fellow Members of Congress. She doesn't question whether a plane really smashed into the Pentagon on 9/11. She does not wonder if school shootings in America are staged. She has not propagated the absurd notion that space lasers, financed by the Rothschild family, are the cause of wildfires in California. She has never equated vaccine mandates with Adolph Hitler. She has never, ever expressed support for executing leaders of the United States Congress.

Now, being a conspiracy theorist alone is not grounds for removal from committees. I will admit that. But depicting violence or supporting violence against fellow Members of Congress is grounds for removal, be it a Democrat or a Republican.

But no one has accused Representative Omar of depicting or supporting violence against anyone in this Chamber.

So why will 90 percent of Jewish Members of the United States House of Representatives vote to maintain her committee assignment?

Quite simply because we believe in the human capacity to learn from mistakes, to make amends, and that atonement should be rewarded, not punished.

We also believe that the most dangerous acts by elected officials in a democracy are to silence voices of dissent, even those with which we fundamentally disagree. That is what this is about, silencing and canceling. How ironic.

Furthermore, this is the very weaponization of anti-Semitism that I, as a Jewish person, find repulsive, I find dangerous and, above else, shameful. Yes, shameful.

To my friends across the aisle: If you really are sincere about defeating anti-Semitism in America, how about ask us. How about ask us what we need. And let me assure you, you might be surprised by the answer.

Madam Speaker, according to an analysis by Issue One, House Members running for reelection this year raised $207 million over the past three months, an average of $3,400 per Member, per day.

Back in Minnesota, people ask me all the time how busy Members of Congress--compensated by taxpayers--could raise that much money every single day.

Well, we know the dirty truth around here: Rather than meeting with constituents, studying policy, writing legislation, or attending committee meetings, Members of the House and Senate collectively are spending 10,000 hours per week dialing for dollars or attending fundraising receptions. It is downright gross.

So that is why my colleague, Mike Gallagher, and I have introduced the On the Clock Act. Our bill won't fix America's corrupt campaign finance system, but it will ensure that Members of Congress spend more time working for the people and less time raising money for themselves.

Madam Speaker, I am hearing from Minnesotans who want their leaders to reach across the aisle and pursue common ground.

From fighting inflation to fighting crime, I work to build consensus on our biggest challenges as vice chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, and I am proud of everything that we have accomplished so far.

There is hard work ahead, but Minnesotans know that we are stronger when everyone is at the table, and that is why I created Common Ground Workshops and why I will continue to pursue commonsense solutions.

Madam Speaker, Jim Ramstad represented Minnesota's Third District in Congress as a principled Republican from 1991 to 2009.

His widow, Kathryn, a remarkable woman in her own right, wrote me last week and asked that I share her message with the country: ``Jim voted for the 1994 crime bill and its gun control measures. He was one of only six Republicans to cast what was clearly a difficult vote, but he felt so strongly about the compelling need to act and believed it was consistent with his bipartisan, pragmatic, and commonsense approach to fighting crime.

``After so many mass shootings, I cannot understand why Congress does not at the very least,'' she wrote, ``ban semiautomatic weapons like the AR-15 that have been used in so many recent mass shootings.''

She continued, ``I feel very strongly about this and ask sincerely, what can we do to legislate reasonable legislation like in 1994?''

What can she do? She asks; she and the country ask, I might add.

We all know what we can do. And I say, let's do it.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 336) calling on the Government of the Russian Federation to provide evidence or to release United States citizen Paul Whelan, as amended.

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 H. Res. 336, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 336, calling on the Government of the Russian Federation to provide evidence or to release United States citizen Paul Whelan.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Stevens for her tireless work on behalf of her constituent, Paul Whelan, whom Russia has held hostage as a political prisoner for over 3 years.

For more than 1,300 days the Russian Government has put Paul and his family through unimaginable torment: taking away Paul's freedom, threatening his health, and denying him his most basic human rights-- all for the purpose of using an American citizen--a human being--as a political bargaining chip.

Paul's treatment at the hands of the Russian Government and its so- called justice system is shocking, but unfortunately, hardly surprising.

As we witness the horrors committed by Putin, his enablers, and Russian forces in Ukraine, we are reminded of the lengths that the authoritarian regime in the Kremlin will go to achieve its nefarious objectives. But neither Paul nor any political prisoner is a tool to be used for an end. They are human beings with families who just want to see justice served and see their loved ones home safe and sound.

In light of the horrific treatment Paul has endured, I thank our wonderful diplomats in Russia, particularly Ambassador John Sullivan, as well as Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Roger Carstens, working under tremendous pressure from the Russian Government to see that Paul Whelan, Brittney Griner, and other Americans detained in Russia are treated with dignity and that their human rights are respected.

Good news today, we are thrilled that in large part due to their work, Trevor Reed is now on his way home. We cannot stop until Paul's family and other families with Americans detained overseas are given that same relief. These families work tirelessly to remind us that we cannot stop pushing--they deserve that same level of dedication from all of us.

H. Res. 336, calling on the Government of the Russian Federation to provide evidence or to release United States citizen Paul Whelan, takes another step toward securing that safe and swift release of American citizens from unjust detention abroad.

Mr. Speaker, I support this important resolution and thank the gentlewoman from Michigan for introducing it. I urge all Members to vote in support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

I also thank my dear friend and colleague from South Carolina for delivering to me a Ukraine-United States solidarity pin that I now wear proudly on my lapel.

Freedom is at the core of our American values. It is the backbone of democracy. We have Americans stuck in Russia and around the world being held against their will and without explanation to be used as political bargaining chips.

During this time of horrific atrocities, their safe and secure release is all the more imperative. H. Res. 336 takes action to secure the safety of our fellow Americans, including Brittany Griner and Paul Whelan, who are at the mercy of Vladimir Putin, an evil dictator who has no regard for human life.

Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7314) to require the Secretary of State to submit to Congress a report on the People's Republic of China's support to the Russian Federation with respect to its unprovoked invasion of and full- scale war against Ukraine, and for other purposes, as amended.

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 H.R. 7314, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7314, the AXIS Act, authored by our committee colleague, Representative Andy Barr.

The world watched in horror as Russia launched its latest invasion of Ukraine, marking an egregious violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and a disdain for the rules-based international order. Russia has mercilessly killed thousands of innocent civilians. Graphic images of death and destruction from Bucha and Mariupol lay bare: There is no defense for Putin's barbarity.

Amid this carnage, the international community has overwhelmingly come together to condemn Russia's brutal, unprovoked aggression against Ukraine and hold Russia accountable for the gross atrocities being committed.

While China has tried to distance itself from Russia's war of choice against Ukraine, it has, at best, remained neutral in the face of this violence, demonstrating a woeful abdication of its self-proclaimed role as a responsible stakeholder. Worse, growing signs indicate China is aligning itself more closely with Russia.

Just before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, President Putin and Chairman Xi released a joint statement calling for closer strategic cooperation. While China has publicly denied any foreknowledge of the invasion, it discounted and ignored American intelligence showing Russian buildup around Ukraine. At no point since the invasion began has China condemned Russia for its invasion nor for its subsequent human rights atrocities.

The PRC has chosen to employ a disinformation campaign to spread harmful narratives about Russia's assault on Ukraine. Both within China and abroad, the PRC is promoting Russian propaganda about the war and echoing Russian's absurd justifications for the invasion, going so far as accusing the United States for Russia's one-sided aggression.

President Biden has warned China that there will be consequences if it decides to materially support Russia's war or helps it skirt U.S. export controls and sanctions. H.R. 7314 would require the Secretary of State to report on any efforts made by the PRC to support Russia's unprovoked, unjust, and illegal invasion of Ukraine.

This bipartisan measure is vital to ensure Congress and the American people stay informed about how, if at all, China might be supporting Russia in Ukraine.

Mr. Speaker, I support swift passage of this timely and urgent bill, I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume for the purpose of closing.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to China and Russia, I do not trust empty words; I verify.

H.R. 7314, the AXIS Act, will help Congress and the American people stay informed about how, if at all, China might be supporting Russia in its unprovoked, unjust, and illegal invasion of Ukraine.

It is of the utmost importance for this body and the world to understand whether China is complicit in the gross atrocities and war crimes being committed against the Ukrainian people. Doing so will allow us to adjust our strategies and policies as necessary to further isolate Russia and deepen support for the Ukrainian people.

Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7372) to amend the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 to require the President to establish a semiconductor supply chain working group in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and submit reports to Congress on potential future disruptions to the supply chain.

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. 7372.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7372, the Protecting Semiconductor Supply Chain Materials from Authoritarians Act.

The pandemic has exposed how intricate, how fragile, and how globalized supply chains are in 2022. Many of the products our families know and use every day, whether it is our cars, our computers, our smartphones, or our refrigerators, are the products of complex components assembled all around the globe. Semiconductors are a prime example, as they power just about every electronic device in existence.

America is the global leader in semiconductors because our semiconductor design companies are the global leaders. No country is capable of making advanced semiconductors without American innovation and know-how.

But we are also reliant on other nations that are a part of the semiconductor supply chain. Ukraine and Russia are crucial providers of important compounds and elements that are necessary for their production, including palladium, neon gas, helium, and C4F6. Without these gases, many types of semiconductors cannot be produced. Most chip-making companies had a little extra supply of these products before Putin started his immoral, unjustifiable invasion, but these stores are quickly dwindling.

This bill directs the President to quickly address this problem and forces the administration to work with our allies and partners to ramp up production of these key elements and compounds. It also asks the administration to look ahead to future geopolitical threats and analyze how we can prepare for potential instability down the road.

I thank Representative Titus for her work on this important bill and for working in a bipartisan way with Representative Meijer.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this valuable legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing.

H.R. 7372 is important legislation that will take practical steps to solve supply chain problems that would affect all Americans in a bipartisan way.

This is exactly the type of work we were elected to do. I applaud the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Meijer) for their work on the Protecting Semiconductor Supply Chain Materials from Authoritarians Act.

Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 496) to oppose violations of religious freedom in Ukraine by Russia and armed groups commanded by Russia, 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. 496, as amended.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 496, the Ukraine Religious Freedom Support Act, and thank my committee colleague and friend, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), for introducing it.

As we speak here in this Chamber, Russian forces are ravaging Ukrainian cities and towns. They are committing unspeakable atrocities and war crimes against innocent civilians and continuing to wage an unprovoked and unjustified war. The world cannot and will not overlook or forget Russia's heinous acts of aggression, nor the war crimes and other human rights violations it is committing.

But, sadly, Russia's human rights violations against Ukrainian civilians and on sovereign Ukrainian territory started well before February of this year. Ever since Russia illegally attempted to annex Crimea and backed the separatists in the Donbas region, Russia and Russian-backed forces, as well as the so-called authorities in those regions, have demonstrated a complete disregard for human rights, including the rights of Ukrainians and others to practice their religions freely.

That is why H.R. 496 is so critically important. We must hold accountable those Russians and Russian-backed individuals responsible for committing severe violations of religious freedom on Ukrainian sovereign territory. Not only must we ensure that it is held accountable for the daily human rights violations that characterize its illegal war in Ukraine, but also for those committed long before this latest invasion.

Given that the U.S. may take actions, including by withdrawing development assistance, against countries who defy religious freedoms protected under U.S. Federal law, H.R. 496 directs the President to include Russia-controlled areas and groups when determining concern for religious freedoms and funding eligibility for Russia.

Mr. Speaker, I support this important legislation and thank the gentleman from South Carolina once again for introducing it. I urge all Members to vote in support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, April 20, 2022.

Hon. Gregory Meeks,

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Meeks: This letter is to advise you that the

Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to

review the provisions in H.R. 496, the ``Ukraine Religious

Freedom Support Act,'' that fall within our Rule X

jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on those

provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to your

including them in the bill for consideration on the House

floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to forgo

action on H.R. 496, with the understanding that we do not

thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those

provisions or their subject matters.

In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar

legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the

right to request an appropriate number of conferees to

address any concerns with these or similar provisions that

may arise in conference.

Please place this letter into the Congressional Record

during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank

you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked

regarding this matter and others between our committees.

Sincerely,

Jerrold Nadler,

Chairman.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing.

I thank my friend and colleague from South Carolina. He is a gentleman and a champion of religious freedoms around the world. This is an example of what this institution, and we Americans can do together when we find common ground and set our minds to it in the face of such aggression and risk around the world.

Putin's flagrant violations of the basic human rights of Ukrainian civilians on Ukraine's sovereign territory are disturbing, and they are unacceptable. Freedom of religion is a moral imperative that the United States must continue to strive to defend as we support the people of Ukraine through these incredibly trying and horrific times.

This is personal to me. My own family fled Russian persecution during the pogroms of the late 19th century to come to this extraordinary country. Little could they have imagined that I would be standing here with you, my friend from South Carolina, talking about religious freedoms and doing everything we can as a country to preserve and protect those all around the world. That is what it means to be an American, not just here, but all around the world.

We must take action where we can, including by ensuring that the President considers all regions where Russian influence is determining future development funding for the Nation. I trust my colleagues will join me in supporting this terribly important bill to defend these freedoms all around the world.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6930) to authorize the confiscation of assets subject to United States jurisdiction of certain foreign persons, and for other purposes, as amended.

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 H.R. 6930, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6930, the Asset Seizure for Ukraine Reconstruction Act, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, we have long known the Russian oligarch class is an important pillar of President Putin's brutal and corrupt regime. These Russian oligarchs have been able to enrich themselves and use their wealth to consolidate power within their country and increase their influence abroad.

As President Putin continues in his unjustified and premeditated full-scale invasion into Ukraine, the United States must do all that it can to identify and sanction his cronies bankrolling this brutality.

The Asset Seizure for Ukraine Reconstruction Act, as amended, takes an important step in this direction. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that the President should confiscate property subject to U.S. jurisdiction worth over $2 million belonging to Russian energy companies or Russian oligarchs whose wealth is derived from corruption or by support of President Putin. It expresses the sense that such property should be held, used, administered, liquidated, or sold, and that any funds gained from such sale should be used to benefit the Ukrainian people.

Furthermore, this legislation would also create an interagency working group to determine the proper constitutional mechanisms through which this could be achieved.

The luxury villas and fancy yachts and private airplanes of Putin and his cronies are tainted with the blood of the Ukrainian people. Their corrupt assets should be seized and should be used to rebuild Ukraine.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing.

Mr. Speaker, the Asset Seizure for Ukraine Reconstruction Act, as amended, sends a statement to Vladimir Putin and his cronies that the U.S. Congress will make sure the United States is not a safe haven for their corrupt assets.

The legislation makes it clear that the President should take measures to seize and confiscate their assets subject to U.S. jurisdiction and use the proceeds from such sales to help the Ukrainian people, all while protecting and preserving the rights enshrined in our Constitution.

I thank Representative Malinowski for authoring the bill, and I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.

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

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Mrs. Trahan).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence).

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I would inquire through the Chair if my colleague has any remaining speakers on his side.

I reserve the balance of my time, Madam Speaker.

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

By the way, to my friend across the aisle, I concur. I am eager for a return to regular order, and I hope we work towards that.

I want to thank Chairwoman Velazquez, the extraordinary staff of the Small Business Committee, my staff, and so many in the Capitol complex who have brought us to this day; Representatives Blumenauer and Quigley; my good friend, Brian Fitzpatrick, from across the aisle, and so many others. In fact, 300 Democrats and Republicans are on bills right now to replenish the RRF, and I want to thank them all for getting us here today.

I am a small business owner myself. I have been listening to this debate with open ears and open eyes, a long business career, now I own a couple coffee shops. I used to have three, but we had to close one during the pandemic.

I know how hard it is, how hard it has been, and how hard it will be. But we didn't take PPP. We didn't take an IDA loan. We didn't take any of the government support programs. That is why I am here to advocate for the 177,000--177,000--small restaurants and cafes and millions of owners, operators, and employees all around the country in my district and yours who were approved for RRF funds and have been waiting for almost a full year for us to make good on a very simple promise.

I want to thank the thousands of other small entrepreneurs and enterprises in the fitness, live events, hospitality, and other hard- hit sectors who have been waiting so patiently--but desperately--for support.

A singular principle has guided me in this 8-month journey to get to today to see this bill become law, and it is the universal and core American principle of fairness.

We promised American entrepreneurs during the worst of COVID that we would be there for them. We promised that those who required financial support to survive that we would distribute it on a level playing field. We promised that there would be no program just for the wealthy or the well-connected, and we promised them that their government, the United States of America, would not pick winners and losers. It is a theme I hear constantly from my friends across the aisle, and I agree with it.

But lo and behold, what did we do?

We did just that. We picked winners and losers by woefully underfunding the RRF and all but ignoring other small businesses dependent on public gathering that were ravaged by the pandemic. Most of the 100,000 restaurants and cafes that received support weathered the storm because of that support. They kept their lights on and their people paid, and they are now returning to viability. I think we can all agree on that. But 177,000 restaurants and cafes, often next door to or across the street from those who received RRF support, got nothing. One restaurant on one side of the street got full support, and the other one applied, was approved, and got nothing. This is patently and grossly unfair.

Actually, let me correct myself. I shouldn't say they got nothing.

Do you know what they got?

They got nonforgivable bank loans. They took on credit card debt. They mortgaged their homes. Many lost

hope and closed their doors. And, yes, a number took their own lives. They lost hope and took their own lives. I have sat around tables with tears hearing those stories about how their debts mounted and their dreams slipped away.

So to my friends across the aisle who plan to vote against this measure, particularly those whose own businesses were recipients of COVID aid that was passed in this Chamber, I ask a very simple question: How would you feel if you and your business were among the 177,000 that got nothing?

How would you feel?

And was it not wasteful spending or inflationary spending when you took the money?

My goodness. Today, we have got one last opportunity. I do believe it is the last opportunity to make good on a very simple promise that we made at the outset of this pandemic. Best of all, we are going to convert the moneys recovered from the prosecution of fraud into fairness. That is right, from fraud to fairness. The money that was fraudulently obtained is rightfully supposed to go to those whom we hope to benefit if we pass this bill today.

Now, we may not always agree on policy. But, my goodness, I would like to think that Democrats and Republicans in the United States Congress can agree on the basic principle of fairness.

That is why I will not urge; rather, I will ask, that my colleagues vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3807, to vote ``yes'' for American small businesses, and to vote ``yes'' for fairness.

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

Madam Speaker, today I recognize Len Simich for his extraordinary service to the state of Minnesota as the longtime leader of SouthWest Transit.

Since 1997, Len has served as the CEO of SouthWest Transit, a public transit agency serving the cities of Chaska, Chanhassen, Eden Prairie, and Carver. Under his leadership, SouthWest Transit has embodied its mission to be more than a transit agency by putting people first. This approach established SouthWest Transit as a nation-leading suburban transit agency and key contributor to the region's continued growth and economic development.

Len has helped guide SouthWest Transit from nearly the beginning, helming the agency for over two-thirds of its existence. In that time, he has spurred a fourfold increase in ridership, the construction of numerous new transit stations, and the implementation of innovative transit services such as SouthWest Prime. He also helped lead the agency through the many challenges that have faced transportation agencies in the past two-and-a-half decades, including the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Len's dedication and ingenuity has been recognized time and time again at the state and national levels. Len was previously honored as the Minnesota Transit Professional of the Year, and the list of accolades for SouthWest Transit are too numerous to fully list but include the American Public Transportation Association's Outstanding Public Transportation System of the Year and the Federal Highway Administration's National Environmental Excellence Award.

Even as he embarks on his retirement, both SouthWest Transit and the communities the agency serves will continue to benefit from his visionary leadership. His service has made it easier for families and friends to share moments together, for residents to achieve economic success through access to job openings across the region, for seniors to live more independently and maintain access to the care and services they need, and for all to enjoy unique seasonal events like the Minnesota State Fair. Our region owes a debt of gratitude to Len for allowing us all to enjoy the fruits of his labor, and on behalf of a grateful community, we wish him a happy, healthy, and meaningful retirement.