Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the International Day Against Nuclear Tests and recognize Kazakhstan's enduring contribution to world peace and security.

August 29, 2026, marked 35 years since Kazakhstan's historic decision to close the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. In tribute to that decision, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously designated August 29 as the International Day Against Nuclear Tests in 2009, drawing global attention to the devastating human and environmental consequences of nuclear testing. Similarly, on September 8, Kazakhstan and its Central Asian neighbors will mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia.

The consequences of nuclear testing are deeply understood in both our countries. More than one thousand U.S. nuclear tests exposed servicemembers, workers, and downwind communities in Nevada and throughout the West to radioactive fallout. At Semipalatinsk, 456 Soviet nuclear tests between 1949 and 1989 exposed approximately 1.5 million people and left a lasting human and environmental toll. The Nevada-Semipalatinsk Movement, which united citizens affected by nuclear testing in Kazakhstan and the United States, helped generate the public momentum necessary to end testing at the site.

After inheriting the world's fourth-largest nuclear arsenal following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan voluntarily relinquished those weapons and chose security through diplomacy, international cooperation, and nonproliferation policy. The United States was a close partner in this historic transformation. Through the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, our countries eliminated weapons and delivery systems, dismantled nuclear infrastructure, sealed test tunnels, and secured dangerous materials in the former Soviet Union. Project Sapphire alone removed nearly 600 kilograms of highly enriched uranium from Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan quickly translated its national commitment into a regional security framework. In 2006, the five Central Asian states signed the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone in Central Asia at Semipalatinsk. The Treaty remains an important pillar of regional stability and the global nonproliferation regime, transforming a former center of nuclear testing into a symbol of arms control cooperation. Kazakhstan has continued to put these principles into practice. It hosted two rounds of P5+1 negotiations with Iran in 2013 which led to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, supported implementation of the 2015 nuclear agreement, and now hosts the IAEA Low Enriched Uranium Bank at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant. Kazakhstan's commitment to denuclearization and stability demonstrates how the credibility earned through disarmament and reinforced by decades of cooperation with the United States can help address one of today's most difficult nuclear challenges.

Mr. Speaker, we should recognize Kazakhstan not only for its historic decisions, but also for the responsibilities it continues to assume. Its example proves that nonproliferation is not an abstract aspiration, but a practical instrument of national security and diplomatic problem- solving.

I urge the Senate to ratify the Protocol to the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, which the United States signed in 2014. This step would reinforce American nonproliferation objectives and recognize the obligations Kazakhstan and its neighbors have upheld for two decades. I also urge Congress to repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment and establish permanent normal trade relations with Kazakhstan. This outdated Cold War-era restriction bears no reasonable relationship to modern trade relations with Kazakhstan, its partnership with the United States, or its extraordinary contribution to global nuclear security.

Kazakhstan has demonstrated that disarmament can strengthen sovereignty and national security. The United States should recognize this unprecedented record not only with words, but through concrete action.

Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the floor and missed roll call votes numbered 208 and 209. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 208, on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 8466; and YEA on Roll Call No. 209, on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 8428.

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the floor and missed Roll Call No. 206. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 206, on agreeing to the resolution providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2913) to authorize support for Ukraine, and for other purposes.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment, although I am not opposed to it.

Mr. Chair, I thank Mr. Mast for his eloquent defense of this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I, too, rise in support of the veterans equal access amendment. Forty States, three territories, and the District of Columbia allow medical use of cannabis products, but not something for our veterans who live and work in those places.

For the nearly 200,000 veterans who call Nevada home, this commonsense amendment would allow healthcare professionals at the VA to just discuss cannabis for medical purposes with their patients. This includes providing information on the State's legal program, answering questions that the veteran may have about information that he has picked up out on the hustings.

It would also assist them in filling out any forms that might be required by the State to qualify for medical marijuana assistance.

Cannabis has proven to help with a wide variety of medical issues that veterans face, including pain management, PTSD, and opioid addiction. Instead of self-medicating and going outside the VA system, a veteran should be able to speak with a doctor honestly about what their options are.

Our veterans deserve the best healthcare they can get and should not be left behind because the Federal Government lags behind the States. They need to hear their options and make their choices.

Mr. Chair, I urge all my colleagues to vote in favor of this amendment because it will be a meaningful step in the right direction for our veterans and for cannabis reform.

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

Mr. Chair, I have no further speakers.

In closing, I just want to thank Mr. Mast and Mr. Joyce for their leadership on this issue. Our veterans sacrifice everything for our country. We don't leave them behind on the field, and we shouldn't leave them behind when they come home. One way that we can serve them is providing this option when it comes to medical care.

They need to have an honest conversation with their doctors to understand what their options are and how they can best recover from the pains that continue after they have come home.

Mr. Chair, I proudly support this amendment. I urge all my colleagues

to vote in favor it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2853, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act legislation, which I am proud to co-lead and have been working on since 2021 with then-Representative Buck.

Organized retail crime is one of the most pressing concerns I hear about from businesses, workers, law enforcement, and community leaders, not just in Nevada, but across the country.

As we have heard, these sophisticated operations go far beyond just a kid stealing a candy bar. They require a strong Federal response to protect consumers, local businesses, and transportation networks.

As we have heard from our ranking member in detail about how this bill will work, I ask my colleagues to just think about it in personal terms. When a customer gets ready to go to a store, whether it is to buy razor blades from Target or an electric saw from Home Depot, what do they find? They find all of these things locked behind glass doors. They then have to call an assistant. The customer has to wait. They can't play with whatever it is or read the description or the specs because this is all locked away protecting it from organized retail crime.

Now, what has that done? That has made it more expensive and more inconvenient. It leads to people staying at home because they are reluctant to go shopping, and they will just do it online. This hurts local businesses, and also it cuts down tax revenue for local governments.

At the same time, it is putting people in danger from these people who engage in this type of crime. They use this money to fund trafficking of all types: humans, drugs, and guns.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in supporting this legislation that will protect workers and customers, support our businesses, and strengthen public safety.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Alabama for yielding me the time and for his eloquent defense of this legislation, H.R. 5663, the ACPAC Modernization Act.

The Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee, or ACPAC, provides recommendations to the Department of Transportation for improving consumer protection in aviation.

My bill would simply, as you have heard, expand the committee's membership to include a representative for ticket agents.

There are 2,700 travel advisers in Nevada, and in 2024 alone, they generated over $1 billion in sales. These same travel advisers are an integral part of our travel and tourism economy.

For example, in 2024, Las Vegas welcomed 41.7 million visits, yielding over $86 billion in economic impact.

In my district alone, the travel industry also supports $1.6 billion in State and local taxes and is the top industry for employment.

Supporting our tourism economy is one of my top priorities in Congress, and that effort is more important than ever now that the Trump slump has hit our travel destinations.

This bill will give travel agents a seat at the table as a voting member of ACPAC alongside air carriers, airport operators, and other stakeholders.

Ticket agents build their business on their unmatched expertise dealing with what the public needs and wants when traveling. Accordingly, they will provide valuable insights into ACPAC's work.

When we prioritize consumer protection and the passenger experience in aviation, everyone wins and everyone enjoys the trip even more.

Mr. Speaker, we are seeing in real time how global instability can come home to hit our working families. President Trump's war of choice in Iran is not just a foreign policy blunder, but it is also exacerbating the Trump slump.

When conflict disrupts oil supply, it drives up energy prices. This is not just at the pump. In Las Vegas, we have seen the price of gas go up $1 a gallon in just one month. These high oil prices push inflation higher, slow economic growth, and directly feed into affordability for families.

When energy prices spike, it is not just at the pump, as I said. It means higher prices for food, transportation, and basic goods. It also has a real hit on tourism, which makes a difference in the economy of towns like Las Vegas.

What were Trump's big promises during the campaign? He promised no new wars and cheaper prices. Well, in one fell swoop, he has reneged on both of those.

Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the floor and missed Roll Call Nos. 71 through 74. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 71, H.R. 6329, YEA on Roll Call No. 72, S. 2503, NAY on Roll Call No. 73, the previous question on H. Res. 1075, and NAY on Roll Call No. 74, adoption of H. Res. 1075.

Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the floor and missed Roll Call Nos. 75 and 76. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA

on Roll Call No. 75, the motion to recommit H.R. 4626 and NAY on Roll Call No. 76, passage of H.R. 4626.

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the floor and missed Roll Call Nos. 57 and 58. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 57, H.R. 6644--Housing for the 21st Century Act, as amended and YEA on Roll Call No. 58, H.R. 1531--PROTECT Taiwan Act, as amended.

personal explanation

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to a narrow- minded, shortsighted amendment that is going to be offered to this bill on the National Endowment for Democracy, prohibiting funding for that important organization.

By eliminating NED's appropriation, U.S.-based nonprofit organizations, local partners, and frontline democracy defenders in dangerous contexts will be put in immediate jeopardy, undermining efforts to support emerging democracies and those resisting authoritarian rule like the brave protesters in Iran.

In places like Nicaragua, Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, Hong Kong, Tibet, Burma and, as I mentioned, Iran, NED provides vital resources for those advocating for freedom. This amendment would halt efforts to provide citizens with accurate information, exposing corruption and brutality of some of these regimes and kneecapping protesters who are pleading for freedom.

If we withdraw our support and abandon democracy defenders, we cede this ground to autocratic regimes which will eagerly step in to replace us and promote their own interests at our expense. This will devastate U.S. national security and the advancement of our democratic ideals.

Mr. Chairman, I urge all of my colleagues to reject this terrible amendment when it comes up and show the rest of the world we have not lost our minds nor lost our way.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Foster for having this Special Hour on such an important topic.

Mr. Speaker, I have seen the movie ``A House of Dynamite'' as well as ``Oppenheimer'' the previous year, which introduced a lot of people in the moviegoing world to the development of our first atomic bomb at the Manhattan Project.

It is very important that we go from popular culture to real history and talk about this in terms of the destruction that will occur if we do not continue the New START treaty.

I am a former political science professor. I have taught and written about the history of nuclear weaponry. I am now a Member of Congress, representing southern Nevada. A lot of testing is right in our own backyard. Over the years, I have learned quite a bit about our nuclear legacy, both good and bad.

Nevada was the focal point of nuclear development throughout the Cold War. Over four decades, the Nevada test site, which is located about 100 miles north of downtown Las Vegas, hosted over 900 nuclear tests, more than any other place in the country.

Throughout the 1950s, the visible mushroom clouds often loomed in the distance. They could be seen from the strip, and they became part of a tourist attraction there in southern Nevada.

These tests were conducted for a number of reasons. They were to better understand the power and effects of nuclear weapons, what were the consequences, how could we make them bigger, and how could we make them cleaner. All of these things were part of that testing.

The test site became a real player and had a major role in shaping our policies, both nationally and internationally, regarding testing and nonproliferation.

The radiation given off by more than 100 atmospheric tests had devastating impacts, however. It wasn't a tourist attraction to those downwinders who were exposed. That fallout caused cancer and premature deaths for thousands across the West.

That is what prompted me to introduce the PRESUME Act. It would ensure that radiation-exposed veterans, who did war games there at the test site, could receive their rightful benefits from the VA.

Furthermore, there were 800 underground tests that sometimes vented, and radioactive contaminants came out in the air or the water table. That is a problem we are still dealing with today. Some of you may know the story of the Baneberry shot.

Last year, the Nevada Legislature passed a resolution urging the Federal Government to maintain the moratorium on nuclear weapons testing. That has been in effect since 1992. They cited risk of environmental damage and also health hazards from what had been caused by testing before.

My colleagues may remember that in 2020, the first Trump administration called for a resumption of nuclear testing in the breach of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Back then, I led the charge in the FY 2021 NDAA process to ensure that that didn't happen and that we couldn't resume that testing in the United States.

Pardon my bad French, but ``the more things change, the more they stay the same''; ``plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.''

On October 29, 2025, just last year, Trump announced that he was directing the Department of Defense to again resume nuclear testing in a disastrous policy reversal. It is really not surprising because it is in Project 2025, which is the policy blueprint of this disastrous administration.

Just look on page 399, and you will see that Project 2025 calls for the rejection of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty once again. It would allow testing here at home but would also give a green light to other nuclear powers around the world to start doing the same.

This would put us on a disastrous collision course of catastrophic proportions with Russia and China. It would allow the proliferation of these weapons to nonnuclear States that seek its development. It would also put the health of Nevadans once again in jeopardy.

By foolishly announcing his intention to resume nuclear explosives testing, Trump will trigger a dangerous nuclear arms race that could blow apart our strategy for the last decades and any kind of nuclear nonproliferation treaty.

There is no technical national security or political reason for us to resume nuclear testing. If a power resumes testing because the U.S. is abandoning the moratorium, those countries will develop new types of warheads, close the technical and scientific advantage that we have always had, and be a detriment to our national security.

Furthermore, scientists are already doing groundbreaking experiments and simulations, as our professor knows. They test the existing stockpile to make sure it is safe, secure, and reliable. These subcritical tests are done without an explosion of any kind.

The last time a nuke was tested was 2017 by North Korea. That was a good while ago, the longest period since 1945 that we have gone without a nuclear test. Are we really the ones who want to break that record and start testing again?

For these reasons, I introduced the RESTRAIN Act to prohibit the resumption of explosive nuclear testing and prevent any funds from going toward Trump's misguided policy.

Amidst all this nuclear saber-rattling, the New START treaty that we are here to talk about tonight, which is the last remaining arms control agreement between the U.S. and Russia, expires in just 21 days. That treaty caps deployed strategic nuclear warheads at 1,550 each and limits deployed systems for delivery to 700 per side.

Without this treaty in force, there would be no legally binding limits on the size or composition of the U.S. and Russia strategic nuclear arsenals. This would be the first time in over half a century.

Without limits, both countries could expand their nuclear forces without constraint and potentially trigger a renewed arms race internationally just like we had during the Cold War. Letting that treaty lapse without a successor closes the door on incremental progress toward broader, multilateral nuclear arms control.

If President Trump really wants to be the President of peace and really thinks he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, he would stop invading and threatening to invade other countries, he would drop the idea of resuming nuclear testing, and he would make tangible, necessary steps to prevent New START from expiring, to make sure the catastrophic consequences of a new nuclear arms race are averted.

Unless there is dramatic action, the world will be a much more dangerous place after February 4. We cannot let that happen.

Again, I thank Mr. Foster for his time and for allowing me to join him on this important topic.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice opposition to this bill, the Tipped Employee Protection Act.

Don't be fooled by the name of it. There is nothing proworker in this bill. It is like calling increased air pollution the blue sky initiative. This is just another attempt from my Republican colleagues to create loopholes that allow employers to get away with wage theft.

Anyone who has visited my district in downtown Las Vegas and the strip will know that our world-class hospitality workers are the magic behind the glitz and glamour. With the power of organized labor, casino workers, servers, line cooks, housekeepers, and others put Las Vegas on the map as a world-renowned hospitality center.

The tourism, gaming, and entertainment industries account for more than 315,000 jobs in our State. We have proven in Nevada that if you pay workers what they deserve, everybody wins.

I am especially proud that our State bans subminimum wages for tipped employees. That means, whether an employee has a good or a bad tipping month, an employee can still earn an honest living.

More needs to be done to support our workers. This is especially true as the Trump slump threatens our tourism economy and the Trump administration cuts vital safety nets like SNAP.

That is why I introduced the LIFT Act last year. It would raise the minimum wage and all subminimum wages to $17 an hour over the next 3 years with annual increases after that. In contrast, the bill before us today would change the definition of tipped employee in a manner that would allow employers to undercut wages.

Anybody in the service industry knows that tips vary from shift to shift. Under the current law, the definition of tipped employee accounts for those realities by stipulating that an employee must customarily and regularly--customarily and regularly--receive more than $30 a month in tips.

Yet, the bill we are considering today would allow employers to measure a worker's tips over just a single day of work. Employers could manipulate schedules and purposely choose to count days where workers get more tips in order to pay them less.

In 15 States, that means even more workers will be making just $2.13 an hour. That can't even buy a carton of eggs in Trump's economy, much less pay the rent. A more accurate name for this would be the employer profits protection act.

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleagues on this side of the aisle and urge everyone to stand up for workers and vote ``no'' on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their kind words of support. I, too, am rising today in support of this bill, H.R. 972, that I brought before you. It is the Sloan Canyon Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act.

As we barrel toward record low water projections at Lake Mead and the increasing risk of prolonged drought due to climate change, there is no time to waste in securing water reliability for southern Nevadans.

My bill would allow a portion of the Southern Nevada Water Authority's Horizon Lateral water pipeline project to tunnel beneath Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area. This pipeline will increase water reliability for over a million southern Nevadans. It will fortify the region's water infrastructure against potential outages, and it will minimize disruptions and impacts to the surrounding communities.

The proposed underground route beneath the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area is estimated to save southern Nevadans at least $200 million, while minimizing disturbances to both residents and the local environment.

This route for the Horizon Lateral water pipeline also ensures the water delivery system's redundancy in emergency situations, and it offers flexibility to accommodate the needs of a growing community.

Finally, this legislation expands the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area by 9,290 acres to enhance the preservation of the desert landscapes and habitat unique to southern Nevada.

I call that a win-win-win. It is no wonder that my legislation received bipartisan support in the House Natural Resources Committee, and I thank my colleagues for that. It is also supported by businesses, conservationists, and the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for your attention to this, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' today on this critical legislation for southern Nevada's water future.

Mr. Speaker, just check out this picture. This fabulous woman is A'ja Wilson, who was named Time's 2025 Athlete of the Year.

A'ja became the first player in either the WNBA or the NBA to win a championship, claim the scoring title, and be named Finals MVP, league MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year all in one season.

A'ja's impact was pivotal as the Las Vegas Aces won a record 16 straight games at the end of the regular season and then swept the finals to capture their third championship in 4 years.

Beyond those statistics, A'ja continues to elevate the sport. She inspires young girls, and she uses her platform to advance equity and empowerment across women's basketball.

We all want to be like A'ja: beautiful, smart, talented, and kind. I congratulate A'ja. We are so, so proud of her in Las Vegas District One.