Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committees on Rules and House Administration be discharged from further consideration of H. Res. 731, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 906 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

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

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

Last night, the Rules Committee met and produced a rule, House Resolution 906, providing for the House's consideration of several pieces of legislation.

The rule provides for H.R. 4468, the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act, or the CARS Act of 2023, to be considered under a structured rule. It provides for 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their designees and provides for one motion to recommit.

The rule also provides for two measures related to education: H.R. 5933, the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act, or the DETERRENT Act, and H.J. Res. 88 related to income-driven repayments for educational loans.

H.R. 5933 would be considered under a structured rule with eight amendments made in order. It provides for 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce or their designees and provides for one motion to recommit.

Finally, the second education measure to be considered under a closed rule is H.J. Res. 88, a joint resolution nullifying the final rule submitted by the Department of Education on income-driven repayment published on July 10, 2023. It also provides for 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce or their designees and provides for one motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the underlying pieces of legislation, beginning with H.R. 4468, the CARS Act.

Mr. Speaker, it seems like every week we are here talking about another bureaucracy under the Biden administration overstepping their bounds. Again and again, these out-of-control agencies under this administration are chipping away at our personal freedom.

This time, it is the EPA. Specifically, their proposed new standard is for two-thirds of all new vehicles to be electric by 2032.

Last night, at the Rules Committee hearing, the bill's sponsor, Representative Walberg, laid out why this legislation is very clearly necessary. This misguided EPA rule takes away consumer choice. Americans should be able to have every option available to them in what vehicle they choose to drive, specifically because automobiles vary greatly in both reliability and cost, and consumers have different wants and needs.

Market demand, not government mandates, should drive this industry. If nothing else, our colleagues should support this legislation because it is also not ready for prime time.

Electric vehicles are more expensive. Until the cost comes down, we shouldn't be forcing these purchases on consumers.

While Americans are experiencing crushing inflation, the infrastructure needed to support EVs does not exist. This rule disadvantages rural communities like mine and so many others across the country.

Mr. Speaker, we all know it is a Biden administration priority to pour billions into green energy and clean cars. The President even recently invoked the Defense Production Act, spending $169 million in green energy handouts for electric heat pumps for water heaters. That doesn't seem like a top priority to meet the needs of our national defense.

This EPA rule simply ignores the practicality, cost, and choice for Americans, and it is wrong.

One doesn't need to look further than Secretary Granholm's recent failed and taxpayer-funded EV road trip. This PR stunt was ridiculed for highlighting the shortcomings of EVs rather than their potential and also resulted in a probe by the House Oversight and Energy and Commerce Committees.

Most egregiously during this trip, the police were called when Secretary Granholm's staff blocked a charging station from use by a Georgia family with an infant in the middle of summer.

It is unbelievable, really, but under President Biden's EPA, this would be reality for everyone everywhere in America.

In addition, with the forced and accelerated transition to EVs, this EPA standard prioritizes benefits to China over the needs of the American people. As we all know, China controls many of the raw materials necessary for batteries and other components for EVs. By rushing to meet arbitrary green and climate agendas, the United States is more likely to solidify China's control of the energy future rather than save the planet.

Mr. Speaker, we must be measured, trust market forces and American consumers, and not push top-down and expensive mandates. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting H.R. 4468.

Moving on to education, as a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, I am glad to see floor consideration of H.R. 5933, the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act, also known as the DETERRENT Act.

This legislation would bring much-needed transparency, accountability, and clarity to foreign gift reporting requirements for

colleges and universities across the Nation.

I know many of our colleagues share our concerns over foreign adversaries infiltrating college campuses. Foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party have been leveraging ties with institutions of higher education in order to further soft power goals for many years, including by shaping public narratives, influencing academic curricula, sowing social divisions, and undermining faith in our public institutions and our very system of government. It must stop.

While it is clear that global partnerships and academic collaboration can be beneficial for U.S. students at our universities, it is our responsibility to carefully monitor foreign partnerships, particularly with countries of concern, and we must be steadfast in doing so. We must ensure our adversaries are not given a platform in our classrooms to work against the United States' values and interests.

The Biden administration doesn't seem to take this responsibility seriously, though. They have not opened a single new investigation since taking office.

Just this week, the Department of Education updated their section 117 FAQs. This was their first update to these FAQs since taking office 3 years ago, and it was undoubtedly a result of pressure from our work on the Education and the Workforce Committee in passing the DETERRENT Act.

Because of the Biden administration's failure on section 117, the University of Pennsylvania alone took $14 million from unnamed contributors in China and Hong Kong and $2.4 million from unnamed contributors in Saudi Arabia since 2021. These amounts are well over the threshold of concern and are reasons alone to pass the DETERRENT Act.

Back home in Indiana, our own Valparaiso University was home to a Confucius Institute. These institutes are funded and arranged by the People's Republic of China and have raised concerns about improper influence over teaching, espionage, and undermining Taiwan and its relationship with the United States. Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita investigated this Confucius Institute, and though it has now been closed, the need for oversight remains.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an original supporter of this legislation, and I urge its passage.

Finally, H.J. Res. 88 is a joint resolution nullifying President Biden's reckless income-driven repayment plans that would effectively forgive nearly

half of the student loan debt and cost taxpayers at least $138 billion over the next 10 years.

It would be a direct cost to taxpayers because this proposed student loan debt plan simply transfers the burden of paying these loans away from student loan borrowers and onto those taxpayers who have chosen not to go to college.

A 2019 Government Accountability Office report found that 95,100 income-driven repayment plans were held by borrowers who reported zero income yet earned enough wages to make monthly student loan payments. Borrowers with these 95,100 income-driven repayment plans owed nearly $4 billion in outstanding direct loans.

As to their family size, about 40,900 income-driven repayment plans were approved based on large family sizes of nine or more, which are atypical for income-driven repayment plans. GAO also found two income- driven repayment plans that were approved in which the borrower reported a family size of 93. Borrowers with atypical family sizes of nine or more owed almost $2.1 billion in outstanding direct loans.

Given all of this reported fraud, I have significant concerns with the Biden administration's income-driven repayment plans.

Since I went to college, tuition and fees have increased almost three times more than the rate of inflation, many due to subsidized tuition in the form of grants and loans that are already largely paid by taxpayers. Student debt in the U.S. is now over $1.6 trillion, with the average borrower owing over $37,000.

Since 1980, the average cost of college attendance has risen 180 percent. We can't keep writing blank checks to universities, particularly when many are failing our students and graduation rates are poor.

We need solutions that will drive down the cost of college. The income-driven repayment plan doesn't address the root cause of this issue, and it places an unfair burden on the taxpayer.

I look forward to the consideration of this legislation that will actually address the underlying issue here, and I urge the passage of this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Van Orden).

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to note that Congress has provided $7.5 billion for electric vehicle chargers, and they have built zero so far.

According to this article recently published by Politico, the United States has around 180,000 chargers today according to the Energy Department, including 41,000 of the type of chargers that can alleviate what they are calling range anxiety. They expect that the U.S. will need 1.2 million public chargers by 2030 to meet the demand, including 182,000 fast chargers.

Again, I would say this rule is not ready for prime time. We don't even have the vehicle charging stations available, and we don't expect that if zero have been built, we will meet that demand.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include this article in the Record.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Moran).

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to note that the criticism that this bill does nothing to address the spiraling cost of education is just not true. The cost of higher education always rises in connection with the availability of student loans.

Making student loans widely available with government backing has caused this wild cost increase in higher education, which has increased 4.6 times the rate of inflation since 1971.

Canceling student loan debt will not lead to reductions in the cost of higher education. It will, instead, likely have the opposite effect, encouraging colleges and universities to raise tuition and other fees, knowing full well that the cost of these items will ultimately be borne by the taxpayers.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy).

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time, if the gentleman is prepared to close.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have before us the opportunity to move legislation that could have a positive effect on the everyday lives of Americans. This is not nothing.

Whether it is the overreach of the bureaucratic state or protecting our colleges and universities from bad actors, the choice before us in this rule is clear: We must take action.

H.R. 4468, the CARS Act, protects American consumers, protects their freedom of choice, and does not give China the upper hand in the energy economy of the future.

We must let market forces work and American ingenuity lead the way, not pursue mandates and unrealistic green agendas that drive us off a fiscal cliff and pick winners and losers.

H.R. 5933, the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act, or the DETERRENT Act, takes seriously our responsibility to carefully evaluate foreign partnerships, particularly with countries of concern.

We must ensure our adversaries are not given a platform within our classrooms to work against the United States, our values, and our interests.

H.J. Res. 88, the joint resolution nullifying President Biden's reckless income-driven repayment plans, will increase rather than decrease the cost of college. This Biden rule will effectively forgive nearly half of the student loan debt and cost taxpayers at least $138 billion over the next 10 years. Therefore, it is the responsibility of Congress to reject this rule as we continue our work to address the cost of higher education in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to moving these bills out of the House this week. I ask my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a hero, a trailblazer, and an inspiration to all, astronaut Virgil ``Gus'' Grissom.

Growing up in Indiana, I am honored to pay tribute to this remarkable man as he is inducted into the Indiana Military Veterans Hall of Fame.

Gus Grissom's contributions to space exploration are tremendous. He was one of America's original astronauts.

In 1961, he made history when he became the second American to travel to space. He later commanded the Gemini 3 mission, paving the way for the Moon landing.

Gus was a man of courage, unwavering dedication, and profound commitment to his country. Gus was a native son of Indiana. Born and raised in Mitchell, he embodied the spirit of the heartland and carried those values into space.

Though his life was tragically cut short during a prelaunch test for the Apollo 1 mission, his legacy continues.

He exemplified the qualities that define our military veterans: bravery, sacrifice, and service to a cause greater than oneself.

Today, we remember Gus Grissom not just for his achievements in space exploration and service to his country, but for the inspiration he continues to provide to countless Americans young and old. His name will forever be etched in the archives of American history.

As we honored him with this induction into the Indiana Military Veterans Hall of Fame this month, let us be reminded of the courageous spirit of exploration and of the bravery of all of our veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifices.

Gus Grissom's legacy lives on, and we are privileged to celebrate his life and achievements. May his memory continue to inspire generations to come.

Madam Speaker, if you ask anyone who knows him, you will learn that Colonel Charles Eckart of Corydon, Indiana, among other things, is devoted. He is devoted to his faith, to his family, and to his country.

Colonel Eckart served in the United States Army for 28 years. He served our Nation with unwavering dedication, protecting our freedom and ensuring our liberty. His service extended beyond the call of duty, making a profound impact on countless lives and communities. This is why he is being inducted into the Indiana Military Veterans Hall of Fame.

Colonel Eckart was awarded the Bronze Star for his heroism during the Tet Offensive in Vietnam.

He taught English literature at his alma mater, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He was the battalion commander in charge of the U.S. Army Reserves in Jeffersonville and retired as a colonel in 1993 in Indianapolis.

Although he retired, his service never stopped. He has served his community of Corydon for decades and has served as the West Point liaison for Indiana's 9th District for the last 23 years.

This is where my staff and I have had the honor and privilege of getting to know him.

Colonel Eckart is loved by my staff, his family, his community, and his country. It is truly a blessing to honor him on the House floor today.

Madam Speaker, I congratulate Colonel Eckart on being inducted into the Indiana Military Veterans Hall of Fame. Indiana is proud to call him one of its own.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 847 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

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

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

Last night, the Rules Committee met and produced a rule, House Resolution 847, providing for the House's continued consideration of appropriations bills for fiscal year 2024.

The rule provides for H.R. 4664, the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act of 2024, to be considered under a structured rule with 104 amendments made in order.

It provides one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their designees and provides for one motion to recommit.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and support the underlying pieces of legislation.

H.R. 4664, the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act of 2024, was subject to a robust committee process, one that saw both Republicans and Democrats offer amendments during the markup.

This is a work product the whole House can be proud of. Chairman Womack and his team, working together with Ranking Member Hoyer and his team, have produced a comprehensive and timely bill. While I am sure the two sides have differences of opinion on the final product, I am also sure I am joined by all my colleagues in thanking them for their hard work.

There are many aspects of this appropriations bill that I want to highlight. First and foremost is the commitment to rooting out wasteful spending.

The bill limits funds for 31 unauthorized accounts for a savings to the American taxpayer of approximately $64 million. It ensures that the Small Business Administration focuses on its core mission--helping small businesses--and not undertaking unnecessary climate activism outside of its primary responsibilities.

The bill also claws back wasteful spending from previous fiscal years, including money used to hire an army of IRS workers. The American people have been very clear. They don't want tens of thousands of additional IRS agents.

I also commend this bill as a product of strong cooperation between the Appropriations Committee and the authorizing Financial Services Committee, on which I am proud to sit. The bill furthers a lot of the efforts we have been working on in that committee.

It would prevent the SEC under Chair Gensler from finalizing rules that vastly overstep the Commission's jurisdiction, including ones that push ESG and Green New Deal agenda items over the interests of everyday investors.

The bill prevents the Federal Housing Finance Agency from forcing responsible borrowers to subsidize individuals with bad credit.

This bill also eliminates funding for the Federal Insurance Office and stops the Federal Government from taking over the insurance industry, an industry that is already successfully regulated at the State level.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the waste and abuse that this bill prudently targets, starting with penalizing the administration for not submitting its budget request on time. If the President can't complete this task, then there must be consequences. This is a basic principle in business and in our households, one our government would be prudent to similarly adopt.

Additionally, this legislation prohibits funds for Federal agencies until telework policies are reinstated to prepandemic standards. The pandemic is over, and it is long past time that the Federal Government returned to work. Our constituents deserve fully staffed and responsive agencies, and I commend Chairman Womack for his commitment to this principle.

Finally, we are here today and over the course of this week to consider more appropriations bills like the one provided for in this rule because we must rein in Federal spending.

To be more exact, this bill comes in at approximately 20 percent below the President's request, without sacrificing essential government functions. If enacted, it represents a modest 7 percent cut below last year's fiscal level.

The most important number we should all keep in mind is $33 trillion, that is $33 trillion in debt. We can no longer afford to kick the can down the metaphorical road. Madam Speaker, there is no road left.

We need to pass this rule and the FSGG appropriations bill so we can continue to deliver on the fiscal sanity that puts us back on the right path.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, the sky is not falling. I would remind my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that the spending levels in this bill are the same as they were just 10 months ago. The sky was not falling then, and the sky is not falling now.

We are talking about cuts to some agencies, agencies that are intent on overregulating our small and midsize banks out of business.

If our colleagues on the left would have their way, we would have three major national banks and no access to community lending.

I certainly think my constituents would rather have access to their community banks than worry about how much funding level we are giving those agencies.

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy).

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

Madam Speaker, I just want to touch on a few things mentioned by my colleague on the other side of the aisle.

We talk about no economic cost to what they are doing in this bill in terms of climate, but we saw during the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank that our regulators Federally were spending more time focused on climate risk to our financial sector than to systemic risk.

This is an asleep-at-the-wheel approach of the Biden administration that we are trying to avoid in this piece of legislation.

My colleagues also discussed the District of Columbia. Well, the District of Columbia is receiving Federal funds in this piece of legislation which does give us an opportunity to weigh in on what we think the policies and the policy riders that should follow within that should be attached to this piece of legislation.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, again, this bill funds at a level that we were just at 10 months ago. The sky was not falling then. The sky is not falling now, despite protestations of my friends from the other side of the aisle.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, with the Nation $33 trillion in debt, a number higher than the U.S. GDP, Congress has the responsibility to reduce Federal spending when possible.

According to the CBO, the United States ran a $1.7 trillion deficit in 2023, driven by $6.1 trillion in spending and $4.4 trillion in revenues following a $1.4 trillion deficit in fiscal year 2022.

This type of spending is completely unacceptable, and every Member of Congress knows it.

With regard to funding for public defenders, $1.14 billion is afforded in this bill for public defender services. This provides $8.7 billion for the judiciary, of which $110.4 million is above the fiscal year 2023 enacted level.

There is no amount of spending cuts that our friends on the left will support. We have to get our fiscal house in order. This is a responsible step forward while still providing for the needs of the American people.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I would note for my friends on the other side of the aisle that 40 percent of the debt was incurred under Nancy Pelosi. Both parties are responsible, but it is only House Republicans that seem to be focused on cutting Federal spending. It just simply cannot continue.

It is why House Republicans have put forward and support a bipartisan debt commission. We are talking about discretionary spending in these bills, not mandatory spending. The lion's share of our debt is due to our mandatory spending. We must address that.

Again, I commend Chairman Womack on this piece of legislation for trying to cut unnecessary programs, stop funding for unauthorized programs, cut spending, and get us back on a better path of fiscal sanity.

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

Mr. Speaker, continuing to say that Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare, to quote my colleague, ``cutting these programs down to the bone,'' doesn't make it so.

Republicans are committed to reducing spending. We are committed to trying to find a way to get our fiscal house in order and to get us out of the calamity that we are currently in with our financial situation.

The debt commission won't make cuts. It might make recommendations on how we can restore the Nation's fiscal health, which is a matter of national security. It doesn't matter if we don't make cuts or if do we make cuts if Social Security becomes insolvent. We cannot let that happen, not on our watch.

Republicans are taking the initiative and taking the lead on trying to solve the problem.

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

Mr. Speaker, I note again that this bill is funded at levels that we were just under 10 months ago. If we were operating just fine 10 months ago under the grants that my colleague mentioned, then we will be operating just fine following the passage of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the balance of my time.

We face another week of big legislation under consideration for a vote on the House floor to better the lives of everyday Americans. H.R. 4664, the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act of 2024, as well as the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill, which was provided for under a separate rule, are important steps in delivering on our promises for a Nation that is both responsive and responsible to the American people and one that delivers a government that is accountable.

It is Republicans that are keeping our Commitment to America. With the passage of these two bills, we are closer to finalizing the appropriations process. We can continue to lead while also reining in out-of-control government spending.

As I said in my opening remarks, we need to pass this rule and the FSGG appropriations bill so we can continue delivering fiscal sanity to put us back on a better path.

I look forward to moving these promises out of the House this week. I ask my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule.

The material previously referred to by Ms. Leger Fernandez is as follows:

An Amendment to H. Res. 847 Offered by Ms. Leger Fernandez of New

Mexico

At the end of the resolution, add the following:

Sec. 6. Immediately upon adoption of this resolution, the

House shall proceed to the consideration in the House of the

resolution (H. Res. 178) affirming the House of

Representatives' commitment to protect and strengthen Social

Security and Medicare. The resolution shall be considered as

read. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on

the resolution and preamble to adoption without intervening

motion or demand for division of the question except one hour

of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and

ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means or

their respective designees.

Sec. 7. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the

consideration of H. Res. 178.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Devonnia Kate Tscheulin of Scottsburg, Indiana.

Devonnia passed away on August 15 due to complications while giving birth to her third child.

Anyone who knew Devonnia knew she had a heart for service.

After graduating from Salem High School, she became a paramedic and went on to serve as deputy director for the Washington County EMS and the deputy chief director of the Scott County EMS in Scottsburg.

It is impossible for me, in the time I have here today, to capture just what made Devonnia so special, so admired.

She was known for being a comforting presence for many families in their darkest moments. She was a steady hand in times of crisis, saving many lives during her career.

Devonnia's life was meaningful, yet tragically too short. It is difficult to imagine women can die during childbirth in the United States today, but they do.

It is in her memory that I commit to pursuing legislation to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect the lives of mothers and their babies. That is why I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 3838, the Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2023. I won't stop fighting for solutions to prevent maternal deaths.

Devonnia left behind incredible loved ones like her husband, Michael, also a public servant with the fire department, and three beautiful children, Chase, Katie, and Maverick.

We will never forget Devonnia and the example that she was and still is to us all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of the General of IU basketball, the legendary Coach Bob Knight.

Growing up in southern Indiana, there were three things that shaped my childhood: family, faith, and IU basketball.

Any game day, TVs across our towns would play the game, and on the screen was Coach Bob Knight. During those games, my mom really only had two emotions: frustration, yelling, Come on, boys; or elation, celebrating game play.

I was a student during Coach Knight's last year at IU, and I always said that you haven't really seen an IU game unless you were able to witness one that he had coached or had been kicked out of.

Coach Knight's legacy was complex to say the least, but that didn't stop Hoosiers from loving him and through him the game of basketball. Boy, did he create champions on and off the court. He brought home three national championship banners to the walls of Assembly Hall and 902 wins, more than any other coach in IU history.

Under Coach Knight, IU basketball wasn't just a sport about wins and championships, it was a way of life.

In his honor, today we remember what it means to be an IU Hoosier.

Madam Speaker, with regard to Israel, the mask has finally come off the woke left whose center of gravity, sadly, is situated in American universities.

Following the barbaric attacks on Israel by Hamas, student groups at universities across the country demonstrated support for the terrorists.

Let me pause to say that again. Demonstrations are happening at universities across the United States in support of terrorists.

A student group at my alma mater, George Washington University, called for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people.

The liberal ideology is emanating from universities and spreading throughout our corporations and tainting the world view of the next generation of Americans. This is dangerous and must be rejected.

That is why I am an original sponsor of Representative Owens' resolution condemning the support of terrorists at our institutions of higher education.

I urge all Americans to join me and my colleagues in stating in no uncertain terms that we support our Jewish students and affirm the statehood of Israel and the right of her people to live and to thrive.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 798.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 7 o'clock and 55 minutes p.m.), under its previous order and pursuant to House Resolution 742, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Saturday, September 30, 2023, at 10 a.m. as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Honorable Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein.

Thereupon, (at 7 o'clock and 55 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Saturday, September 30, 2023, at 10 a.m. as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Honorable Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. I thank the gentlewoman from Wyoming for yielding and for her leadership on this issue.

I share the concern of many of my constituents with respect to the World Health Organization or the WHO, particularly with respect to the recent track record related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In fact, I supported President Trump's efforts to remove the United States from the WHO. Our tax dollars are precious. Tax dollars should only be spent on necessary programs and necessary programs only.

We should be prioritizing our limited resources within organizations that have a track record of delivering for the American people.

Frankly, based on the WHO's own record, I struggle to say the WHO fits into that category. We have had to

make a lot of tough decisions about what to spend taxpayer dollars on, about what to cut and what not to cut.

An international organization with a dangerous record of protecting the world from the spread of diseases just does not meet the simple threshold. Are American taxpayers getting what they are paying for?

Again, I thank the gentlewoman from Wyoming for her efforts to bring this to the floor. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, let me start by saying killing a baby is not healthcare if it is done in an elective abortion. Clearly, the Hyde amendment gives exceptions for life of the mother, rape, and incest.

Mr. Speaker, we shouldn't really have to be here talking about this issue today, but we are. The amendment we are speaking in support of today would repeal the Department of Defense's policy that facilitates elective abortion at taxpayers' expense. Whether those funds are for travel or any other purpose related to abortion, they are illegal.

Mr. Speaker, it seems pretty cut and dry to me and many of my colleagues that what the Department of Defense is doing now is not in line with longstanding and current law, according to the Hyde amendment.

While the administration might disagree with the Supreme Court's decision with respect to Dobbs, that does not give them the right to circumvent the law. Taxpayer funds should not be spent on elective abortion, period.

Republicans are not the ones polarizing this country or injecting wokeness and politics into the institutions entrusted with our defense. It is quite the contrary.

Mr. Speaker, what we are trying to do is strip those things out of the Department of Defense and return them to their sacred duty of defending the country.

I voted in support of this amendment during the House consideration of the NDAA because it was the right thing to do.

As the House just agreed to proceed in conference, I strongly encourage House conferees to advocate for its inclusion in the final product in conference.

This is an issue about the rule of law and pushing back on an administration that has demonstrated its appetite to ignore it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the Armed Services Committee for his leadership as we head into conference.

Mr. Speaker, last month, back home in Sellersburg, Indiana, Silver Creek High School's baseball team made history by winning the program's first-ever class 3A State title.

It is truly an honor and a privilege to recognize Silver Creek High School on the House floor. This is not only an impressive victory, but a testament to the guidance and leadership of Coach Joe Decker and his coaching staff who worked diligently to mold these young men not only into State champions--but future leaders.

I hope Coach Decker enjoys this well-deserved retirement.

The players' countless hours of practice, preparation, and teamwork has finally paid off and will, without a doubt, inspire future generations of players and coaches to strive for both excellence and good sportsmanship. They have not only made their school proud but the entire community and their Congresswoman.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward with great anticipation to see what they will accomplish next.

I congratulate them, once again, on their first-ever State championship win. I am sure it won't be their last.

Activist Proposals at the SEC

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Financial Services Committee, a member of the ESG Working Group, and the Representative of the Ninth District of Indiana, I can say with certainty that we need the Securities and Exchange Commission to be transparent and accountable to the American people.

In my work with committee, one issue I have been particularly focused on is the shareholder proposal process. In the current system, activists can persistently resubmit similar far-left proposals year after year despite those proposals being previously rejected by a majority of shareholders.

This shift in focus toward advancing environmental, social, and political policies distracts from the primary purpose of our public markets which is to enable companies to raise capital, foster economic growth, and provide a return on investment for everyday investors.

The SEC's recent proposals would make this problem worse by allowing more and more politically motivated shareholder proposals to be considered.

This busy work provides no benefit to business.

So why would we allow these already decided upon political topics to plague our boardrooms?

It is simply not fair to companies, including the ones across my district, to have to continuously invest resources in fighting or litigating activist proposals that clearly do not benefit the company or its shareholders, especially when similar proposals have already been rejected.

The SEC proposals defy logic and sound investment strategy. That is why last week I introduced the No Expensive, Stifling Governance Act, or

the No ESG Act, as the very first bill of its kind to be introduced in Congress.

The No ESG Act would stop this burdensome rule from being enacted and help put an end to redundant and onerous shareholder proposals.

More specifically, for companies listening back home, this would address the SEC's proposed amendments on rule 14a-8.

While the current system benefits a small group of activists over everyday investors, this proposed rule would increase the burden on shareholders and businesses and divert attention away from the issues that actually matter.

The bottom line is that southern Indiana companies shouldn't be forced to become political platforms where politics overshadow sound financial decisionmaking.

When I said that my priority was to improve the financial landscape for the Ninth District, I meant it. Accomplishing that depends heavily on putting forth legislation that would make a real difference, and the No ESG Act is that kind of legislation.

I am glad to be contending on behalf of the State of Indiana to solve this problem that has been overlooked for far too long.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 597 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

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

Mr. Speaker, last night, the Rules Committee met and produced a rule, House Resolution 597, providing for consideration of two measures, H.R. 3935 and H.R. 3941.

The rule provides for H.R. 3935, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, to be considered under a structured rule with 104 amendments made in order. It provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.

The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 3941, the Schools Not Shelters Act, under a structured rule with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, or their designees.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the underlying pieces of legislation.

H.R. 3935, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, was subject to a thorough committee process, one that saw a 2-day markup and eventually passed out of committee in an overwhelming fashion. This is a work product the whole House can be proud of.

Chairman Graves and his team, working with Ranking Member Larsen and his team, have produced a comprehensive and timely bill. I am sure I am joined by all of my colleagues in thanking them for their hard work.

As Chairman Cole mentioned in his opening remarks at the Rules Committee hearing yesterday, since the birth of flight, the United States has been a world leader in aviation safety and innovation. Mr. Speaker, I firmly believe this bill follows in and adds to that tradition.

Our aviation industry needs certainty, and it needs opportunities to innovate. At the same time, we need to ensure that there are proper guardrails for safety. I believe the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee delivered on these goals.

As a testament to meeting the mark, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has provided a lengthy list of groups in the aviation industry that are supportive of this bill.

Aviation plays a crucial role in the American economy. This holds true in each and every congressional district represented by this body, whether that be large international airports or smaller regional airports in districts like mine.

In preparing for the bill's passage, I have spoken to local aviation officials

in southern Indiana to gather input. One of my constituents even referred to the underlying bill as ``one of the best'' FAA reauthorization bills they have seen.

Comments like this give me great confidence in the policies we are advancing and the importance of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, the United States must remain the leader in aviation safety. We must preserve the United States' position as a world leader in providing an efficient, innovative, and safe aviation transportation system.

Simply put, we must remain at the forefront of global aviation, and this FAA reauthorization is a strong illustration of our leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I will move on to H.R. 3941, the Schools Not Shelters Act.

I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 3941. As a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, we were presented with staggering statistics that provide further evidence of Biden's border crisis.

We learned that over 2,500 migrants are pouring into New York City weekly with over 87,000 migrants arriving since last spring. It is obvious that action must be taken.

These statistics from our larger cities preview what could happen across the country if action is not taken. We know some Democrats are willing, even eager, to ignore Federal immigration law, and that is why I am concerned with proposals to house illegal migrants in our schools and what that means for our students and school safety all across the country.

While every child should have access to all the resources they need to be successful in their education, K-12 facilities should be used for educational purposes, not as housing units for illegal immigrants. Colleges and university campuses should not be distracted from meeting the educational needs of students because the Biden administration has failed to secure the southern border.

I am sympathetic to the issues created by this administration leading to the influx of migrants into the interior of the United States, but I vehemently disagree that these problems should be borne by our schools and their students. That is why this legislation is necessary and why I am, again, proud to be a cosponsor.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. McClain).

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

I will note that new laws will not keep guns from criminals any more than the current ones that we have.

This legislation does not defund schools. I think there is a disconnect from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle because we have before us legislation that would simply say that schools need to be focused on education and not on housing illegal migrants--migrants that the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. McClain) pointed out have no background checks--and that they have no ability to verify and determine if they would be safe.

Meanwhile, parents of students in my school corporation have to have background checks to go in for classroom parties.

We are not defunding schools. We are simply saying that schools cannot house these migrants as a matter of safety for our children.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Van Orden).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Molinaro).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Malliotakis).

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

We face another week of big legislation under consideration for a vote on the House floor to better the lives of everyday Americans.

Both the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act and the Schools Not Shelters Act are important steps in delivering on our promise for a nation that is safe.

Republicans are keeping our Commitment to America.

With the passage of these two bills, we can continue to lead in aviation safety and innovation and keep the promise to our students that schools are a place dedicated to learning and safety.

I look forward to moving these promises out of the House this week, and I ask my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.