Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the California School of the Arts in the San Gabriel Valley.

Over the past decade, this special institution has inspired so many talented young students in California's 31st District to embrace their creativity and pursue their dreams as artists.

I visited the campus earlier this year and saw firsthand the talent on display. Students here are equally dedicated to academic excellence and mastering the artistic process. It is truly an inspiration to witness.

To the staff and educators, I congratulate them on their 10-year anniversary of setting our California-31 students up with the foundation for success.

Best of luck on the new school year, and I wish them all success in their future academic and creative endeavors.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I yield myself 1\1/2\ minutes.

Mr. Chair, I am going to say, I am pretty baffled by this amendment from my friend and colleague, and I rise in opposition to this amendment.

It moves base safety in the wrong direction. Even the Department of Defense opposes this amendment. This amendment would prohibit automated speed enforcement cameras on military installations.

To be clear, these cameras aren't about punishing our troops or their families. They exist to keep bases and military families safe. These cameras keep reckless drivers accountable and have a proven and effective record for reducing traffic accidents and maintaining safe and orderly driving.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, speed enforcement cameras have been found to reduce roadway fatalities and injuries by up to 37 percent.

I want to remind my colleagues that our military bases aren't just for troops to work and train. They are home to schools, youth centers, child development centers, playgrounds, and family housing.

Junior personnel can't usually afford vehicles and are usually having to walk around bases. It is imperative that we maintain traffic safety. The servicemembers and families who live and

work on these bases deserve every protection we can give them, and that must be part of this conversation.

I have not heard one shred of data and not one credible argument that this amendment makes our installations safer.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I appreciate my colleague's argument there, but if the Department of Defense can't maintain the cybersecurity cameras on our own installations, then we have a lot bigger problems.

The truth is that vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of death for our servicemembers.

Why are we even debating this? We should be debating amendments that rein in this administration's reckless conduct on this Iran war or its reckless spending in the Middle East. Instead, my colleagues would rather discuss speed cameras.

The fact is, this amendment restrains the Secretary's ability to allocate security and law enforcement resources to address traffic safety. Prohibiting the use of speed cameras also undermines an installation commander's ability to deploy the appropriate resources to effectively meet the traffic and public safety needs of the installation.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this reckless amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. The FY16 NDAA already granted the Department the authority to establish a process for servicemembers to carry personal firearms on base.

It is simple. The chain of command has the authority to grant these requests. However, Secretary Hegseth's MOU from April, which this amendment codifies, has a presumption of approval that weakens an installation commander's authority and would require them to essentially prove a negative to deny a request.

The process that we established was dependent on a servicemember's need for personal or force protection. Yet, this amendment strips that requirement or any justification for that matter in order to carry a personal firearm on base.

The Secretary's logic is that adding more firearms at military installations would make it safer. No law enforcement agency would ever suggest that more people carrying personal weapons makes any place safer. While our military personnel are trained to use firearms, they are not all trained to be law enforcement, and no one should ever take the law into their own hands.

There is nothing in this amendment that would restrict locations for personal firearms. Does that mean junior enlisted servicemembers who account for roughly half of all military suicides are now permitted to carry in the barracks under this amendment?

Are personnel now allowed to walk around the commissaries, schools, the exchange, or libraries with a firearm? More guns does not make us more safe.

Expanding access to personal firearms on base increases the risk of servicemember suicide. Independent research, including reviews commissioned by the Department of Defense itself, has found that greater access to firearms is associated with increased suicide risks among servicemembers.

There is a clear lack of consideration by Republicans for servicemembers' and their families' well-being and safety here.

Madam Chair, I urge all my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. This amendment bans gender-affirming care for servicemembers and their dependents under TRICARE.

Recently, the Secretary of Defense just came out in support of gender-affirming care for our male servicemembers by providing the testosterone testing and treatment for those who need it.

The DOD Secretary and Republicans have already canceled health coverage for less than 1 percent of the population within the Department of Defense. The Secretary is currently kicking out transgender servicemembers, and now this cruel amendment is targeting dependents of servicemembers who are receiving hormone therapy and mental health counseling for gender dysphoria.

Dependents not receiving adequate healthcare is a factor pushing people to separate from the military. This culture war ideology amendment can result in a readiness gap issue.

I strongly oppose this amendment and urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano).

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Jacobs).

Mr. Chair, gender dysphoria is real. It is a real diagnosis, and there is a treatment for it. Yet, our colleagues want to deny them.

Both in this debate and in the previous debate, my colleagues have said gender dysphoria is a mental health issue, and it needs to be treated. Yet, they want to deny individuals, the dependents--family members of our servicemembers and those servicemembers--the treatment required in order to help and support them.

I have a friend, because of this Nation's policies, who is being forced--is leaving this country so that her daughter can go get the treatment that she can get in another country.

This policy, this amendment, is cruel. It is meant to just basically root

out a whole people that exist. You want to deny their existence. That is unfortunate, and it is cruel.

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

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a pillar of the Covina community, Councilmember John King.

After 20 years on the Covina City Council and 30 years of serving the city, Councilmember John King is moving on from public office.

John guided the community with love and care and made every resident proud to call Covina their home.

He is an example of what it means to be a true public servant. While his time on the council comes to a close, I am sure his service to the community will only grow even stronger.

We are also grateful to have benefited from his many years of leadership. He left an incredible legacy and a permanent mark on the community.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate John on a remarkable career in service. Covina is so proud of him.

Recognizing West Covina Speech and Debate Team

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the outstanding achievements from schools in California's 31st Congressional District at this year's National Speech and Debate Tournament.

I congratulate the students representing West Covina Unified School District for their multiple top 10 finishes.

I extend a special congratulations to Edgewood Middle School on receiving the prestigious School of Excellence Award for the third year in a row.

To the 20 middle school students and 8 high school students who competed, you demonstrated exceptional talent, resilience, and intellect. All of us in the 31st Congressional District are so proud of them. They all competed under high pressure and completely rose to the occasion.

I want to give a special shout-out to California's 31st Congressional District students who earned top 10 finishes in the Nation: Cetlalli Valenzuela-Gonzalez, Darcy Lam, Lorenzo Williamson, Jacky Huynh III, Jillian Liang, and Arielle Hsiao.

Mr. Speaker, their hard work and perseverance paid off, and I am honored to uplift their accomplishments today.

Recognizing Disability Pride Month

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize this July as Disability Pride Month and to commemorate the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In 1990, the U.S. passed this landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with physical and mental disabilities.

In the time since then, we have made great progress breaking down barriers to employment, healthcare, and housing, dismantling harmful stigmas, and fighting against ableism.

There is still work to be done to ensure every disabled American can contribute to our society and receive the accommodations they need to live a free and fulfilled life.

Disability is a vital aspect of our country's diversity, and no one should ever be discriminated against or excluded from public life because they are differently abled.

In light of this current administration's disturbing decision to move the Office of Special Education out of the education department, it is especially important to protect disabled students' rights and support their access to the programs and support they need to succeed.

Mr. Speaker, to everyone living with physical and mental disabilities in California's 31st District, I am proud to champion their right to live in a society built on equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

Recognizing America 250

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.

While this is a time for celebration, it is also a time for reflection. In southern California, we know what this country is capable of when we care for each other, lead with empathy, and open our communities to everyone, not just to some.

I am proud to represent a community of families, friends, teachers, servicemembers, veterans, and small business owners, a community of people who came from all over the world to call the San Gabriel Valley home, because that is exactly what makes this country special. At our core, we are a nation of immigrants, a melting pot of diverse traditions, cultures, and shared histories.

In this time of great political divide, it is more important than ever for us all to come together to build a better nation that lives up to our founding principles of liberty, freedom, and justice for all.

Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to champion our district in Congress. On the 250th anniversary of our democracy, I am grateful to uplift what we should be celebrating today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and uplift a major milestone achieved by an outstanding member of California's 31st Congressional District.

Congratulations to Soo Hak Kwon for graduating high school at the young age of 91 years old. Soo was a Korean-American businessowner who immigrated to Los Angeles in 1972 and moved to La Puente with his family in 1980.

He always enjoyed learning but never had the time to start taking classes because he was busy raising his family and operating a local TV repair and wig shop.

That all changed when he enrolled at Bassett Adult School 5 years ago. Last week, he received his high school diploma in his cap and gown. His teachers say Soo has a kind, warm presence that makes other students feel welcome, and he lit up every classroom he walked into.

Soo is an inspiration to our community, and he should be so proud of himself. He has reminded us all that education truly is a lifelong process.

Glendora Baseball Division III Regional Championship.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Glendora High School baseball team on pulling off an incredible comeback victory in the Division III regional championship.

Mr. Speaker, it takes grit, determination, and focus to pull off an upset win when the cards are stacked against you, and that is exactly what they demonstrated.

It is an incredible feat to win eight straight playoff games in a row. They accomplished that through teamwork and dedication to athletic excellence.

What a perfect way to cap off a great season. I congratulate them on winning a CIF championship.

Mr. Speaker, I hope they enjoy their win and know that our entire district is so proud of their accomplishment.

All Children Deserve Education

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with grave concern about disturbing actions taken by our country's leadership.

The Trump administration has announced plans to move the office of overseeing special education services out of the Department of Education.

With this development, the Department of Education has hollowed itself out by delegating the vast majority of its functions to other agencies.

The President is so determined to dismantle our education systems that he is willing to put millions of students at risk and completely abandon our children with disabilities.

As a proud champion for students with special needs, I am horrified that this decision will undermine accountability and disrupt communication for families and school officials who need help.

We should be investing in and expanding special needs programs across the country so that all children can get the support they need and the education they deserve.

Instead, this administration has made the cruel decision to shut our most vulnerable students out from the programs that they rely on. This is a reprehensible action from a corrupt administration. I will do everything in my power to oppose this shameful decision and protect our disabled students' rights.

Anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges this week, the landmark Supreme Court decision that affirmed marriage equality as law of the land over a decade ago.

We honor this anniversary every year during Pride Month by remembering the activists, couples, and lawmakers who had the courage to fight for their right to love whom they love in the face of hate, discrimination, and injustice. Their relentless advocacy and conviction paved the way for marriage equality.

I am so grateful to live in a world where every LGBTQ+ individual who calls California's 31st District their home has the right to marriage.

I will always fight to protect their right to equality and to live freely and happily as their most authentic self.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the Charter Oak High School Cheer and STUNT Team for making history by becoming the first San Gabriel Valley school to win a CIF Southern Section STUNT cheer championship.

Their hard work and dedication paid off. They should all be very proud of themselves for capturing the Division 2 title.

Congratulations to Coach Ashley Garcia for all the time and energy she spent training these talented athletes.

An additional shout-out to sophomore Juliette Ramirez for being the top power player and point earner and to senior Kaelynn Quezada who made a triumphant return from injury this season. She came back stronger than ever and scored 249 points in 265 rounds. I'm not really sure what that means, but it sounds incredible.

Kaelynn was also named the Valle Vista League MVP, and that I do know is incredible.

I congratulate her on that achievement.

This was a remarkable season capped by historic victory. I am incredibly proud of the Charter Oak team, and I hope they enjoy their major win.

Congratulating Edgewood Softball Team

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my congratulations to the Edgewood softball team for their impressive victory in the CIF Southern Section championship.

Their teamwork, hard work, and devotion to the game paid off with this success, and they should be so proud of their achievements.

A special shout-out to junior Alexis Hurtado for her amazing performance. She pitched a complete game, played great defense, and helped guide her team to victory.

The entire team demonstrated dedication to athletic excellence and made our district proud with this impressive game.

I congratulate them on their accomplishment. They earned it through their hard work and dedication.

I wish them good luck in the CIF Southern Section playoffs. I will be rooting for them.

Recognizing Pride Month

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Pride Month and celebrate the strength, resilience, and diversity of the LGBTQI+ community in California's 31st District and across the country.

It was just over a decade ago that the Supreme Court announced their decision to affirm marriage equality as the law of the land. This historic step forward remains a landmark legal victory for LGBTQI+ Americans in the fight for equality, but today that fight continues. There is always more work to be done to make this country a more inclusive and welcoming place for all.

This Pride Month is about coming together as a community to celebrate the freedom we all deserve because everyone deserves to love who they love and to live openly and authentically, without fear of discrimination.

I also want to take a moment to reaffirm my commitment to fighting for trans equality. I will always defend their right to live as who they are. As a member of the Congressional Equality Caucus and an original cosponsor of the Equality Act, I am proud to champion their fight for equal justice, equal dignity, and equal rights.

Happy Pride Month.

Gun Violence Awareness Month

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gun Violence Awareness Month and to honor the thousands of Americans who lost their lives to gun violence.

In 2025, gun homicides killed an estimated 15,000 people. This number represents children taken from their parents, young people with bright futures stolen from them, beloved community members and so many families torn apart by the cruel injustice of an act of violence permitted by our broken policies.

I know family and friends who have lost loved ones due to an act of gun violence. For them, it is pain that will live on forever.

Thoughts and prayers are not enough. It is time for us all to confront this epidemic head on with long-overdue gun reform. Commonsense gun safety laws are not controversial. In fact, a majority of Americans say it is far too easy to legally obtain a gun in this country.

No one should have to bear the trauma of losing a loved one to a preventable incident of gun violence. I promise you that I will fight every day to forge a better tomorrow where everyone is safe from this unconscionable harm of gun violence.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate nine schools in my district that have been honored as California's 2026 Distinguished Schools.

Congratulations to the students, teachers, and staff at California School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley in Duarte; Edgewood High School in West Covina; El Monte High School in El Monte; Hollencrest Middle School in West Covina; Lone Hill Middle School in San Dimas; Mt. SAC Early College Academy at West Covina; Ramona Middle School in La Verne; Sandburg Middle School in Glendora; and South Hills High School in West Covina.

The California Distinguished Schools recognition program honors public schools that go above and beyond to close education gaps, provide exemplary instruction, and innovate education systems to help create better outcomes for our students.

Our students are our future, and I am so proud to see these inspiring schools receive the recognition they deserve.

The students, teachers, and staff at these distinguished schools are to be commended for their dedication and hard work. I congratulate them on this tremendous achievement.

Mr. Speaker, as every local businessowner knows, every

penny counts, especially during the holiday season. Elsa Duenez, owner of Paradise Gym in San Dimas, took this busy and valuable time to use their business to give back to the community by organizing a month-long fundraiser and toy drive to support the children and families of the City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment hospitals in the United States.

Paradise Gym encouraged patrons and community members to donate new toys to children and their families, sharing the message that donating toys not only gives joy but offers hope to those navigating cancer treatments and care for their loved ones.

The support and community of southern California is unlike any other, and I am so proud to see our neighbors come together and give back. This is a true testament to the character of Paradise Gym and the power of community and service.

I thank Elsa and the staff at Paradise Gym for their commitment to service. We are so grateful for them.

Congratulating Rorimer Elementary School

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge an outstanding accomplishment by Rorimer Elementary School in La Puente, California, a part of the Rowland Unified School District in California's 31st District.

Rorimer Elementary has been designated as a 2026 Seal of Excellence School by the California Association for Bilingual Education, one of only four schools in California awarded this designation after undergoing an extensive review process.

This award recognizes schools for their strong vision for biliteracy, multicultural competency, and educational equity.

As a Spanish dual language immersion school, Rorimer Elementary has demonstrated notable gains in academic achievements and bilingual proficiency among English learners using effective research-based instructional strategies.

Rorimer Elementary's success has been built through creation of a school-wide culture that embraces and celebrates developing students' bilingual language proficiency and cultural awareness in grades TK-6.

The strong relationship built between Rorimer's teachers, staff, and families has been central to the school's success.

Congratulations to the team at Rorimer Elementary for setting an amazing example for bilingual education.

Recognizing Christopher Nigg on His Retirement

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize former La Verne Fire Chief Christopher Nigg for his distinguished time of service with the La Verne Fire Department.

While in service at the department, he led significant operational and organizational advancements, strengthening emergency response, workforce readiness, and regional integration.

Chief Nigg worked collaboratively with regional partners to enhance service-and-response delivery, fostering a culture of professionalism, trust, and shared accountability focused on serving the community.

Notably, he led the department to streamline emergency response with an efficient ambulance operator program and established a comprehensive succession plan for long-term organizational stability.

I am so grateful for his leadership and service, promoting safety for the community in California's 31st District. He will be remembered as a team player, fierce advocate for fire prevention, and an innovative leader. We wish him the best in the next chapter of his life.

Celebrating 100 Years of Route 66

Mr. Speaker, 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the most famous road in the country, Route 66, and it travels right through the 31st Congressional District in California.

Last month, the city of Azusa unveiled its Route 66 centennial monument and mural at the newly designated Route 66 Tribute Corner in honor of this historic highway. This new mural and monument are part of a series of monuments that will be unveiled from Chicago to Santa Monica as part of the official project organized by the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission.

Mr. Speaker, we are excited that many will continue to get their kicks on Route 66, as we celebrate this historic highway that connected our community to the rest of the country and opened up a pathway for migration, tourism, and development in the San Gabriel Valley and the great State of California.

Mr. Speaker, like many people on Sunday, I went to church. I went to church and prayed for the victims at my alma mater, Brown University.

Eleven kids were studying for their economics final exam and dreaming about going home to their families for the holidays when a gunman entered the room and started shooting. I prayed for the families and those who were shot and wounded, and I hope they all have a speedy recovery.

I also prayed for Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and Ella Cook, who both lost their lives to the unimaginable, senseless shooting. They were cherished members of the Brown community and had years of life and bright futures ahead of them. In one moment, it was all taken.

I prayed for them on Sunday, and I will continue to pray for them, but it is not enough. It will never be enough. We have a problem with gun violence and mass shootings in this country.

Twenty-six years ago, at Columbine High School in Colorado, 13 people were shot dead and 20 others injured. Thirteen years ago, at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, 26 were fatally wounded. In 2018, 17 were killed and 18 were wounded at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.

These are just some of the more high-profile shootings over the last 26 years. There have been countless others at schools, movie theaters, parades, shopping centers, and even a concert in Las Vegas, where a family friend lost his daughter.

From 2000 to 2022, the United States has had over three times as many mass shootings as 16 other politically similar countries combined.

The one thing that has remained consistent during this time is that Congress has failed to act. Mass shooting after mass shooting, death after death, Congress has done nothing.

To my colleagues in Congress, I compel you to end this tragedy. As a practicing Catholic, I put my faith in God, but He is not going to solve this problem for us.

The prayers might make us feel good, but they are doing nothing to stop the scourge of gun violence threatening our communities. There is not going to be a miracle from Heaven that will end gun violence for us. We need to do it.

Mr. Speaker, I ask: Where is the outrage from my Republican colleagues? The President was outraged over the shooting and death of American soldiers in Syria this weekend, and he should be. My sympathies are with those American heroes who gave their lives for our country fighting terrorists, but all Donald Trump had to say about the Brown University shooting was: ``Things can happen.''

Mr. Speaker, really? Now is the time for action. It is what the American

people want. Over 90 percent of Americans want universal background checks. Mr. Speaker, 60 percent support an assault weapons ban, 75 percent support red flag laws, and over 83 percent support gun safety storage.

Some of my Republican colleagues will argue that guns don't kill people. People kill people. Anyone who does this must have mental health issues.

This is all the more reason for the background checks and the red flag laws. We cannot continue to act like nothing is wrong in America. We have a problem with gun violence and mass shootings in our country, and Congress must finally act.

Will enacting these laws eliminate mass shootings, gun violence, or suicides completely? No, but commonsense gun laws like this will make a difference, and it is a start.

This past weekend was one of the worst that I can remember. I spoke about the Brown University shooting and mentioned the soldiers in Syria. We also lost a great American and artist in Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, this past weekend due to an act of violence.

Mr. Speaker, I must say I was appalled by the President's response to his death. It was nothing more than shameful and disrespectful and unbecoming of the person who is supposed to be the leader of our country.

I also send my condolences to the Australian people who suffered through their own mass shooting this past weekend, a mass shooting that was a hate crime that targeted the Jewish community in Australia with 15 people dead, including a 10-year-old girl and a Holocaust survivor.

Fortunately, in Australia, they are already talking about how they can change things to prevent this from happening again. I can only hope there will be similar action in our own country and Congress will finally act. If history proves us right, I very much doubt it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the South El Monte High School Lady Eagles volleyball team on their first-ever CIF Southern Section Division 9 championship.

In a hard-fought match, the Lady Eagles fell behind two sets to one before rallying back with determination and grit to take the lead. They forced a decisive fifth set, battling point-for-point until the score was tied 12-12. Senior Zaira Garcia then delivered back-to-back kills, sealing the championship for South El Monte.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Lady Eagles volleyball team on this historic achievement.

El Monte High School Eagles Football

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the amazing victory of the South El Monte High School Eagles football team in the 2025 CIF Division 14 championship game. The team claimed the school's first-ever championship in a nail-biting 14-6 win.

Under the leadership of their head coach, Frank Gallardo, the team devoted countless hours to training this season. Their hard work and competitive spirit carried them forward when the game was tied at six.

In the final minutes, Eagles quarterback Michael Maldonado stepped up under pressure and delivered a perfect 10-yard touchdown strike to Gabriel Canchola. This touchdown pass put the Eagles in the lead.

With 21 seconds still left, the Eagles' Ivan Lopez broke through the line to sack the opponent's quarterback and seal the championship.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Eagles football team for their first championship. Their hard work and teamwork shined through, and myself and our community are very proud of them.

Baldwin Park Braves Football

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the inspiring 2025 football season of the Baldwin Park Braves.

After enduring a five-game losing streak, the Braves turned their season around with determination and teamwork and ultimately secured an at-large bid into Division 11 playoffs.

In the playoffs, the Braves became a different team and dominated their way to the CIF Division 11 championship game.

This was the first CIF Southern Section championship appearance for Baldwin Park since 1991. Unfortunately for the Braves, the goal of a championship would end when their opponent kicked the game-winning field goal with 8 seconds left on the clock.

Although they did not take home the title, their teamwork and determination reflected the true spirit of a champion and serves as an inspiration to all of us.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the Baldwin Park Braves football team on their success this season. Their perseverance and commitment have made their community incredibly proud.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak as we take up a set of five bipartisan bills that will expand services available to our country's 36 million small businesses.

These businesses are crucial to our economy and national security, creating two-thirds of all new jobs, employing half the private-sector workforce, and generating almost half of our Nation's economic activity.

Despite forming the bedrock of our local communities, small businesses are increasingly feeling uncertain about the future of the country. The small business landscape is littered with obstacles like finding qualified workers, dealing with supply chain disruption as they adjust to the President's tariff regime, and adopting new technologies in order to stay competitive. These economic headwinds make SBA services more important than ever.

The bills before us today reflect the monthslong, bipartisan effort to strengthen the services offered by the SBA and bolster the support for small businesses across the country. These five bills were negotiated in good faith and in the spirit of collaboration.

Together, they help expand access to capital for businesses central to our national security, expand the reach of the SBA's Office of Rural Affairs, hold fraudsters accountable for exploiting the pandemic relief programs, and modernize the SBA's IT infrastructure.

These bills are quite simply common sense and would meaningfully improve SBA services for small businesses across the country. I am proud to support them, and I thank my colleagues for the bipartisan effort.

Mr. Speaker, turning to the first bill, I rise today for H.R. 3174, the Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act.

Small manufacturers account for more than 98 percent of U.S. manufacturing firms and employ 4.8 million Americans. They play a critical role in regional economies and in maintaining supply chain resilience.

There is no doubt that reshoring manufacturing is a top priority. We all lived through the pandemic and saw the downsides of streamlined just-in-time supply chains. When it comes to industries critical to our economic and national security, such as pharmaceuticals and weapons, ensuring the viability of domestic supply chains is paramount.

Let's all be honest, as a result of the crushing use of tariffs imposed unilaterally by the President, small businesses are clamoring for options in their supply chains that avoid massive and ever-changing taxes at points of entry, but a renewed economic focus on making things in the U.S. cannot happen at the snap of a finger.

It takes large investments and longtime horizons. This bill is a way to approach filling the gaps in manufacturing financing. It raises the loan limits for the SBA 7(a) and 504/CDC loan program from $5 million to $10 million for small manufacturers.

In fact, helping small firms with the upfront capital investment is one of the main goals of the 504/CDC program, and there is broad support for increasing the loan limits in particular. Whether this is a prudent use of the 7(a) program is a conversation that is still up for debate, and one I look forward to continuing to work through with our Senate counterparts.

Mr. Speaker, I support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I will close by thanking the chairman for his commitment to working on behalf of small businesses to open up avenues of financing for small businesses hoping to contribute to the reshoring of manufacturing.

Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise today in support of my bill, the SBA IT Modernization Reporting Act, and I thank the chairman for his support. I also thank Representative Jack for joining me in introducing this bill, which will go a long way to help SBA modernize its IT infrastructure and improve its services to small businesses.

Billions of dollars in Federal contracts are awarded to small businesses every year, and the SBA plays a vital role in promoting small business participation; however, over the years the SBA's outdated and inefficient IT systems have made it harder for entrepreneurs to access the resources they need.

After repeated unsuccessful attempts to develop and deploy a platform that would be a one-stop-shop for contracting certifications, the committee requested the GAO review the SBA's efforts to figure out why they failed. The report identified the critical gaps in the SBA's modernization efforts from risk management to cybersecurity and budgeting.

My bill directly addresses these issues by requiring the SBA administrator to implement the 11 recommendations in the GAO report, mandating a clear plan of action and ensuring Congress is kept in the loop. This means better oversight, better execution, and most importantly, better services by the SBA for all small businesses.

An efficient and fully operational IT platform is critical for the SBA to conduct the certifications that allow for so many small businesses to participate in the Federal marketplace. The SBA IT Modernization Reporting Act will ensure that the SBA addresses the root causes that lead IT projects to fall behind schedule, increasing costs, or outright fail.

I am grateful for the partnership of Representative Jack to introduce this commonsense, bipartisan legislation which shows that modernizing how the SBA works is not a partisan issue. Together, we can ensure that the SBA is prepared to meet the evolving needs of small businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill to ensure we give the SBA the modern tools it needs to support the success of America's small businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I close by once again thanking my colleague Representative Jack for partnering with me on this important legislation.

By bolstering SBA's IT infrastructure, we can improve services to small businesses and open up doors to thousands of new entrants in the Federal marketplace. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 4495, the SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act. This bill builds off the work done by Ranking Member Velazquez in a previous Congress. That bill extended the statute of limitations for investigating fraud in the PPP and EIDL programs.

All of the major pandemic relief programs, including the Shuttered Venues Operators Grant Program and Restaurant Revitalization Fund, will have extended statutes of limitations from 5 years to 10 years because of this bill.

Passing this bill into law will send a strong message to fraudsters that their behavior will not be tolerated, and those who committed fraud will be held accountable in the years to come.

The pandemic upended regular SBA operations, and the agency executed 14 years of lending in 14 days to keep small businesses afloat. While these programs helped millions of small businesses, the implementation was not without its flaws.

As we now know, potential fraud could range from $36 billion up to $200 billion. While the exact number will never be known, we do know that the vast majority of that fraud came in the first 9 months under the first Trump administration.

Recognizing the potential for fraud, the Biden administration instituted strong upfront controls for RRF and SVOG. To date, the Office of the Inspector General's work has resulted in charges against 25 individuals, 14 criminal convictions, and more than $61 million in recoveries.

Now, the OIG has 31 open RRF cases and 6 open SVOG cases. While modest in number, these cases are complex, involving layered transactions, false documentation, and financial concealment. These cases will take time to investigate and prosecute, and we owe it to the experts doing the work to give them the tools they need.

Extending the statute of limitations is only part of the equation. We must provide full funding to the Office of the Inspector General so that they have the resources to root out the fraud. Moreover, we need to ensure proper staffing at the SBA to review the 1,892 active SVOG awards totaling over $3.2 billion.

Mr. Speaker, with that said, this legislation is a step in the right direction. I commend Mr. Downing and Mr. Conaway for leading this effort. We need to make sure that no one gets away with fraud simply because the clock ran out.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of New Jersey (Mr. Conaway).

Mr. Speaker, I will close by thanking Mr. Conaway, Mr. Downing, and Chairman Williams for their work on ensuring taxpayer funds are protected from fraudsters. This is a commonsense measure to rebuild public trust, and I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this commonsense legislation to enhance the Office of Rural Affairs at the SBA. I commend Representatives Goodlander, Wied, and Golden for their commitment to making this office operate more effectively for rural small businesses.

Rural small businesses are powerful drivers of economic growth across the United States, fueling the agricultural, tourism, manufacturing, and energy sectors.

Unfortunately, they receive disproportionately fewer SBA loans and resources than their urban counterparts and face greater challenges, including access to affordable capital, unreliable internet access, and access to talent.

Created in 1990, the Office of Rural Affairs at the SBA could play a key role in helping small businesses overcome these challenges. However, throughout its existence, the office has either been dormant or the collateral duty of a regional administrator.

In 2020, an acting SBA director was named, and in 2021, the SBA appointed a permanent, full-time career deputy director to stand up the office. This bill would elevate the role of director to an assistant administrator, ensure that assistant administrator meets certain qualifications, and requires the office to host webinars and outreach events.

With clear lines of communication and the outreach that will come from the office, small businesses will be able to access resources that should be readily available to them.

I will, once again, thank Ms. Goodlander, Mr. Wied, and Mr. Golden for their bipartisan efforts on behalf of America's rural small businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from the great State of New Hampshire (Ms. Goodlander).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, I will, once again, thank my colleagues, Ms. Goodlander, Mr. Wied, and Mr. Golden, for their bipartisan efforts to pass this legislation.

By strengthening the Office of Rural Affairs, we can ensure all small businesses have adequate access to the resources at their disposal.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.