Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, during Roll Call Vote Number 429 on H.R. 7909, I mistakenly recorded my vote as NAY when I should have voted

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Takano for hosting tonight and for his leadership on the PACT Act, which has helped so many veterans.

Our veterans and servicemembers have sacrificed so much on behalf of all of us. We know now that during their service, millions were exposed to toxic substances, and these exposures have caused serious health issues for so many.

This is why, 2 years ago, Representative Takano and others passed the PACT Act. This landmark legislation expanded healthcare for veterans exposed to these toxic substances. Since its passage, over 32,000 Ohioans and over 1 million veterans nationwide have had their PACT Act claims granted by the VA. This means that these folks are finally getting the healthcare they deserve.

As a member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I am proud to serve our veterans and advocate for better benefits, more funding, and continued investment in their well-being.

In our district, we have over 30,000 veterans. By ensuring the continued acceptance of PACT Act claims, funding the VA properly, and passing important veteran legislation like our Employing Veterans to Feed America Act, which provides jobs for veterans, we are doing important work.

I am grateful for all the veterans in southwest Ohio and across the country. I promise to keep working to improve their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and wish good luck to Carson Foster, a remarkable 22-year-old swimmer from southwest Ohio, who will be representing our Nation in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Carson started his road to success by setting the national high school record in the 200 freestyle at Sycamore High School in my district. Go Aves.

Since then, he has been a 13-time All-American at the University of Texas and won national titles in the 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter individual medley, and the 400-meter individual medley at last summer's U.S. National Championships.

U.S. swimming is always a Summer Olympics highlight watched by millions of Americans, and I know our family will be tuning in to cheer on Carson and the rest of Team USA. We love the events.

We wish them the best of luck. Southwest Ohio is so very proud.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Children's Week celebrated by First Focus on Children, a bipartisan group dedicated to serving children here in the United States and abroad.

Every decision that we make on the floor of the House has an impact on our children, from education to healthcare to the economy.

When we pass legislation to expand the child tax credit, we drastically reduce child poverty.

When we pass our bill to cap the cost of insulin for children, we keep hundreds of thousands of children healthy without their families going broke.

When we continue our work on bills to make childcare, housing, and food more affordable, we are making life just a little bit easier for our children and families.

Giving our children a voice in legislation means taking responsibility for their success. What could be more important?

We must do more. Every week should be Children's Week.

Mr. Chair, during Roll Call Vote No. 265, I mistakenly recorded my vote as aye when I should have voted no on the Grothman No. 41 Amendment.

Amendment No. 42 Offered by Mr. Norman

Madam Speaker, I am one of only a few Jewish Members of the House, and I am leading this Special Order hour to help provide some clarity in this time of challenge and confusion. It has been said that there are four barriers to peace in the Middle East, but we are here tonight because there is only one barrier to peace, and that is the Government of Iran.

This war in the Middle East has impacted two historically traumatized people who share a history. They share land, and unfortunately, they share this reality that no one in the world wants either one of them.

Watching this trauma and this history unfold has had a deep impact on caring people all over the world. We want this war to end. We want the hostages returned, and we want a future peace for Israelis and Palestinians. We may be nearing a cease-fire, and I pray Hamas agrees to the proposal that is on the table now. That won't resolve the larger issue of Iran.

Before October 7, we were nearing peace in the region. In fact, over the past several decades there have been major efforts to bring peace between Israel and Arab nations. Historically, Arab nations were united against Israel, launching frequent attacks with the intent of destroying the Jewish state, but things slowly changed, one

realignment at a time achieved through American leadership and American partnership.

However, there is one glaring exception toward this progress, the totalitarian regime in Iran, which remains intent on Israel's destruction and disrupting the path to peace. It creates chaos in the region.

President Carter worked with Egypt and Israel to bring those two states to a sustainable peace. President Clinton worked with Jordan and Israel to normalize relations between those two nations. Four years ago, the United States formed the Abraham Accords, where the UAE and Bahrain recognized Israel's sovereignty. Sudan and Morocco would later join.

Then just days before October 7, Saudi Arabia and Israel were near a deal. It would have brought the region closer to peace. At that point, Iran had seen enough. Hamas, an Iranian-backed army, had seen enough, too, and they attacked, massacred, raped, and took Israeli and American hostages.

People have looked at this war as a David and Goliath story, and in some ways it is. We all know the story; the Philistines were attacking the Israelites in the Valley of Elah. Every morning, Goliath, this giant, challenged the Israelites to fight. One day, David, a young shepherd boy, did what no one else would do: He defeated the giant with just a sling, against all odds.

It is a story about the imbalance of power and strength but also courage and ingenuity. Israel in the last 8 months has been painted as this Goliath in the war today, and if you looked at a map and you zoomed in, you may think that, too. There is Israel, and there is Gaza, very small. However, if you zoom out, you would see the reality of what is going on, and that the Goliath isn't Israel, but it is Iran.

Iran has funded over 20 terrorist organizations all surrounding Israel. They have funded groups that were responsible for killing three U.S. servicemembers earlier this year, funding the Houthi rebels in Yemen responsible for attacking U.S. ships in the Red Sea, and most recently they funded Swedish gangs to carry out terror attacks against Israelis in their embassy.

Today, just like the story, 8 million Jews are in the Valley of Elah surrounded by the Goliath, Iran, and its terrorist-backed armies. Iran is not alone in this effort. It is supported by global chaos agents like Russia. What is happening in the Middle East and what is happening in Ukraine are not isolated events. Putin attacked Ukraine because he believes it is a fictional state, just as Iran and Hamas and Hezbollah believe Israel is a fictional state.

This partnership between Iran and Russia has sowed conflict, chaos. Russian-made weapons have found their way to Hamas for years, and the same Iranian drones that were fired into Israel weeks ago have been used in Russia's offensive against Ukraine.

There are those who seek to put us on a path to a peaceful future and those who seek to disrupt it and sow chaos and destruction. Russia, Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthi, they are all part of this group.

Following October 7, Israel was suddenly up against Goliath and confronted with an impossible choice:

What was Israel to do after October 7 when their enemy, Hamas, went underground, taking Israeli and American hostages with them?

What was Israel to do when they hid in tunnels and shielded themselves by leaving innocent Palestinians above ground?

What was Israel to do when Hamas vowed to end Israel if they were to survive?

Hamas could cease their actions at any moment to save innocent lives, but they choose not to. If Israel stops now, they would not only abandon their people and Americans, but they would also relinquish the hard-earned stability in the Middle East, opening the door for further chaos.

The truth is, we aren't seeing the forest for the trees. We aren't zooming out to see the Goliath here--the Iranians, the Russians, the terrorists that they support against the global community. They have done this by abandoning innocent people, hiding behind civilians, and stealing aid from Palestinians. Unfortunately, their plan has succeeded.

Recently, Canadian protesters gathered and declared:

What happened on October 7 was the beginning of the great

intifada.

It has spread in the minds of people of the free world.

When you scream with a loud voice, Long Live October 7, you

will understand that these people decided to end their

miseries and this nightmare called Israel.

In response to calls like these, the Iranian Ayatollah has said it is working. That is right. He sees all of these protests against Israel, and the Ayatollah has said, it is working.

Just last week, in reaction to U.S. protests, the Ayatollah praised American protesters in a letter that also contained anti-Semitic tropes and accused Israel of being a terrorist state.

Iran and Russia's goal of terror isn't limited to the Middle East. It is spreading globally. If we want this war to end, which I desperately do, if we want the hostages returned, which I desperately do, and a new future for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, which I desperately do, then we have to firmly stand against the ongoing Iranian aggression.

The path forward requires bold, ethical leadership from Israel to urgently end the deepening humanitarian crisis, defeat the terror groups once and for all, and rally global diplomatic support. It is also a requirement that the leaders of the international community and these Arab nations be all in for peace and be willing to stand up to Iran once and for all.

Crucially, the work ahead requires all of us to work together to reject the tactics of terror and chaos and choosing to build a brighter future.

Iranian aggression has pitted two groups with a deep history of trauma into further trauma and pain. Yet, in this shared trauma lies the potential for profound peace. This conflict can be the foundation upon which we build lasting and sustainable stability, where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace.

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

Mr. Speaker, for personal reasons, I was unable to make votes. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 227; NAY on Roll Call No. 228; NAY on Roll Call No. 229; NAY on Roll Call No. 230; YEA on Roll Call No. 231; and YEA on Roll Call No. 232.

Madam Speaker, for personal reasons, I was unable to make votes. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 221, NAY on Roll Call No. 222, YEA on Roll Call No. 223, YEA on Roll Call No. 224, NAY on Roll Call No. 225, and YEA on Roll Call No. 226.

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, for personal reasons, I was unable to make votes. Had I been present, I would have voted:

YEA on Roll Call No. 187, YEA on Roll Call No. 188, NAY on Roll Call No. 189, YEA on Roll Call No. 190, NAY on Roll Call No. 191, YEA on Roll Call No. 192, NAY on Roll Call No. 193, YEA on Roll Call No. 194, and YEA on Roll Call No. 195.

personal Explanation

Mr. Speaker, for personal reasons, I was unable to make votes. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 179, NAY on Roll Call No. 180, NO on Roll Call No. 181, NO on Roll Call No. 182, YEA on Roll Call No. 183, NAY on Roll Call No. 184, NAY on Roll Call No. 185, and YEA on Roll Call No. 186,

Mr. Speaker, for personal reasons, I was unable to make votes. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 177 and YEA on Roll Call No. 178.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to call for real action on the Social Security Fairness Act and have it be brought to the floor. There are over 300 of us who have signed onto this bill, and once you hit 290, it should come to the floor.

Now, the bill itself will be a game changer for public employees who are retired and aren't getting all of their Social Security, even though they paid into Social Security throughout their career.

The bill aims to ensure that retired public servants receive their full Social Security benefits. This is obviously so critically important as people are working to pay their bills, visit family, buy groceries, et cetera.

Americans pay into Social Security. They have for decades so that they can receive their hard-earned dollars when they retire. By fixing the program, millions of families will know their full Social Security benefits will be there for them when they retire.

I will say that people come up to me all the time and say, if this passes, we are talking $1,800, $2,000. Please bring it to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 164.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call for a renewed investment in the Affordable Connectivity Program, which is set to expire this month.

The ACP has helped over 23 million households that have received affordable broadband internet.

In my district alone, that is one in four people who depend on the ACP for internet access. This access is so important. It allows people to work from home, children to do their homework, people to get healthcare online, and everyone to participate in our digital economy, all without prohibitive costs.

This investment is about more than just internet access. It is about opportunity and equality and strengthening our economy.

Continuing to fund the ACP would have bipartisan and overwhelming support when brought to the floor. Millions will be left without internet access if we don't, so I urge the Speaker to bring this bill to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to sign the discharge petition, which will be here today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say thank you to one of the most remarkable human beings whom I have ever met.

To be sure, Mr. Speaker, this is a sacred well, and I am here speaking on the floor of the United States House of Representatives, in part, because of her.

I am one of literally thousands of people who have been forever improved because of her. Those of us who have had the good fortune to know her could not possibly think of anyone else with her warmth, her kindness, or her joy.

She is the epitome of a public servant, serving the way she has lived her life: in total devotion to others.

No one has done it better.

Brigid is such an amazing and wonderful human being. We are forever grateful to her, and we love her so much.