Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Scharmel Roussel.

In 2009, Ms. Roussel became a founding member of Arkansas Affiliate of Interfaith Power and Light which fights to protect the Earth and our environment.

In March of 2024, Roussel received the Peace Activist of the Year award from the Arkansas Coalition for Peace and Justice.

Roussel's dedication to environmentalism has earned her several grants, including such from the EPA and the USDA.

Scharmel Roussel is more than deserving of this award, and I thank her for her important work to help preserve the world's ecosystems through faith.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding time.

Mr. Chairman, for those watching at home, it is like the tale of two cities, where one side is offering a work of fiction and the other side a work of nonfiction.

I think, over here, those who support this bill are supporting exactly the opposite of what I have heard on the other side of the aisle.

Since last January, our two committees, Agriculture and Financial Services, have collaborated to make sure that we protect consumers and investors in the digital marketplace by preventing fraud, manipulation, front-running, and other abusive practices; applying Bank Secrecy Act/ AML requirements and know-your-customer rules; mitigating conflicts of interest; requiring firms to hold capital and segregate customer funds; have the right kind of custody policy; have registration for exchanges, dealers, and brokers that are working in digital assets; imposing reporting and bookkeeping requirements; and building on the existing exemption regime for the offer and sale of digital securities to include robust disclosures to anyone considering a purchase.

With that said, we hear a lot about the lack of legal clarity for the treatment of digital assets, which was the impetus for this legislation. What does that even mean?

Mr. Chairman, to this day, the SEC and the CFTC still contradict each other in court about whether a digital asset like Ethereum should be treated as a security or a commodity. Both cannot be true.

When two Federal agencies in the same administration cannot agree on the law, it should be up to Congress, and that is the regulatory clarity that this FIT21 bill will bring.

In fact, I would argue, Mr. Chairman, that FIT21 is responsive to President Biden's own executive order and the Financial Stability Oversight Council report calling on Congress to enact a framework for digital assets that are not securities. That is what we have done.

I am also proud that this measure is the product of committee work done through regular order and through good-faith bipartisan efforts.

Mr. Chairman, all Members should support this bill, and I encourage a full ``yes'' vote from both sides of the aisle.

Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman McHenry for the time.

Mr. Chair, I congratulate the gentlewoman from Colorado on this very effective amendment because she shares that passion that we have all had through this entire process, which is to recognize that we need to have vigorous anti-money laundering/Bank Secrecy Act and Know Your Customer protections around digital finance just like we do in the analog financial services system. Her bill will strengthen that.

I was just reviewing the Treasury Department's 2024 national security for combating terrorists and other illicit financing, and it brings to mind what a better regime it is to have blockchain.

Because a blockchain, Mr. Chair, has the identity connected with the transaction. It leaves an indelible mark cryptographically of those transactions that makes illicit finance easier to identify, not less. The Treasury Department points out that the top abusers, the top concern about illicit finance, are misuse of cash, including bulk cash, misuse of financial products and services like money orders; easy formation and limited information required to create a legal entity. An example is the use of casinos.

That is what the Treasury Department says are the toughest, most- challenging aspects of terror finance, and that is why this study will help us make sure that using blockchain is a more effective way to counter illicit finance in the world.

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from Colorado for her support and for being such a constructive source of dynamic support for crafting

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from South Carolina for yielding to me to speak in support of this amendment. It allows me to illustrate two things.

First is that Prometheum, while it was approved as a special purpose broker-dealer for digital assets, has not accomplished anything. It has no business, yet it also has this partnership with the CCP, so there is an illustration that FIT21 would allow us to have the guidance on how to register a broker-dealer.

Secondly, I fully support Mr. Norman and his concerns about the influence of foreign adversaries on people registered in the United States. It is a clear issue, and we have an investigation going on, on why the SEC has not pursued this itself.

I rise in support of Mr. Norman's effort. It is a good amendment. Let's add it to the bill and pass FIT21.

Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his constructive amendment. I think it is the absolute right approach. I want to associate myself with the comments from the chairman of the Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee from the House Ag Committee, Mr. Johnson, on that.

Madam Chair, FIT21 does exactly the opposite of what has been argued by the minority today. It gives a clear regulatory framework. It prevents fraud. It does require registration, custody, capital requirements. It gives clarity for the first time in American history to how we do securities and commodity oversight for digital assets.

The minority has also charged time and time again that somehow a great securities loophole is being opened in this bill.

It is just not true. It is not a factual statement. The term ``investment contract'' is a fungible, digital representation. It is not all these other items.

In fact, the bill specifically says the term ``digital asset'' does not include notes, stock, Treasury stock, securities, security-based swaps, and a whole list. It does not open the loophole that the ranking member of the Financial Services Committee charges.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bill and a ``yes'' vote for Mr. Perry's amendment. Let's have regulatory credibility and clarity for a competitive United States in the 21st century.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Utah for sharing some of the time tonight to talk to the American people about some of the important priorities that House Republicans have put on the floor for consideration in the House this week.

House Republicans believe strongly that capital formation, jobs, careers, and opportunities are essential to economic growth in our Nation.

America's economic growth leads the world right now. We are so blessed to have relatively low unemployment and ample work, but we are also leading in technology. That is at the heart of what House Republicans have had on the floor today.

First, let's talk about the internet. What has been more forceful in our lives, all of our lives, for the past three decades? The internet.

Back in 1996, in this Chamber, in this House, former Congressman Chris Cox of southern California, later an SEC chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, was on this floor and he said: We should not try to regulate or tax the internet. The internet is just a computer program; it is a computer platform. Let's tax and regulate the kinds of activity that take place on the internet.

This House made the decision, and the Senate joined, to leave the internet as an open platform for collaboration. Think about that and the effect on the last three decades.

If we had not had the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and that resolution to not overregulate and hamstring the internet by Federal intervention, you wouldn't have the smartphone technology in your pocket. You would not be shopping and having your dog food delivered to your house every month. It has been amazing to see how the protocols written on the internet as open-source technology benefited our country.

After email, it allowed us to set up our own marketing platforms on the internet, so-called Web2, where we set up websites, we had interactivity with our customers, we sold products, we serviced products, and we took payments.

Now, it is time for people to have an opportunity to write applications on a blockchain, what we call Web3. We want to own our own data. We don't want our data to be owned by Google or by Facebook or by Big Tech. Ideally, we would like to own our own data, have our own data privacy, and all of that is made easier and more effective by writing applications on a blockchain.

Today, in the House, we had a big vote. We have 435 Members here in the House, and 279 Members voted in favor of the Republicans' proposal for a regulatory framework for digital asset technology. This is setting up the regulatory framework so that if you want to write an application on blockchain and you want to raise money around that, do venture capital effectively, right now there are no rules of the road for that, zero.

There is a regulatory gap, and that regulatory gap is in the purview of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Right now, we have people who want to do Web3 applications. They want to write programs for blockchain, they want to raise money for that and have that technology expand, but they are stymied by the existing laws and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Our fit for purpose act that we passed today by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote sets up that framework. It directs the SEC and it directs the Commodity Futures Trading Commission what to do and how to have the right laws and the right regulations so that people can trade digital assets. Like bitcoin is a digital commodity, it is a cryptocurrency, but this affects, as I say, the future of technology in developing new forms of financial services that will lower costs for consumers, give people more choice, let people own their own data and have greater privacy and have less intrusion from Big Tech, own more of what they create, and get paid for sharing what they create.

All of that, in my judgment, is at the heart of Web3 internet development. The bill today, supported overwhelmingly by the Republicans and 71 Democrats who joined us for a total vote of 279 votes on the House floor means that, once again, there is a bipartisan consensus that we want America to lead in technology.

It is just like that bipartisan consensus back in the 1990s led by Chris Cox so long ago that gave us the ability to have competitive new technology for cellular telephones and for an open internet so that we could creatively use it to build our businesses.

I want to thank some people who have helped make this a success over the past 1\1/2\ years working on this: G.T. Thompson of Pennsylvania, the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, and Patrick McHenry, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. If we didn't have Patrick's and G.T.'s leadership then this wouldn't have been a priority in this House. Working with Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Speaker Mike Johnson, it became a priority for this House.

My hat is off to Chair McHenry and Chair Thompson for their leadership.

It may sound like a small thing when you don't work here, Mr. Speaker, but to see two large authorizing committees of the U.S. House of Representatives, Agriculture and Financial Services, working seamlessly together, it is a big deal. They produced this bill. I was proud to work on it with them with my colleague on the Agriculture Committee who does digital assets on the Agriculture Committee, Dusty Johnson of South Dakota.

The four of us led this effort, but we had help from our whip, Tom Emmer of Minnesota, and Warren Davidson who have been leaders in decentralized finance, Fintech, and blockchain for years, long before this bill came to the floor. They were essential to that effort.

Now for my friends on the other side of the aisle, Jim Himes of Connecticut, Ritchie Torres of New York, Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Brittany Pettersen of Colorado, and Ms. Caraveo of Colorado, these were outstanding leaders on the Democratic side of the aisle who worked tirelessly with Republicans to draft this law to convince the American people that we do work together on this House floor, we do put America first, and we do put American leadership in technology first. A vote of 279, as I say, is a big vote in the House on a bipartisan priority to set the right course for a regulatory framework for digital assets.

Who benefits?

Consumers, investors, inventors, and people who want to create new ways for you and me to do financial services and do healthcare together on a blockchain benefit. I think this is an exciting prospect. I think it was an important step for the House.

The second bill that we will be debating tomorrow is also led by Republicans. It, again, says that the private sector should lead, not the public sector, not Big Government when it comes to digital payments.

Many in the Democratic Party support something called a central bank digital currency where you would actually end up banking at the Federal Reserve bank, and your lack of privacy and your private information could be compromised because you would be embedded in this large digital payment

system called a central bank digital currency.

Republicans are opposed to that. We prefer the private sector innovate in payments, as you see today in your own life, Mr. Speaker, Venmo, Zelle, and peer-to-peer payments, those are products of the private sector. Writing a check is part of the private sector. Making a debit card payment or a credit card payment is a product of the private sector.

We believe that is also the case when it comes to a tokenized payment stablecoin. We believe that should be a product of the private sector and not of the Federal Reserve or the central government.

Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker, you will see House Republicans come to this floor and say that we do not want this administration, or any administration, to move forward with a central bank digital currency without a direct authorization of the Congress because we believe, as I say, so strongly in the private sector leading the way in payments and in the innovation for blockchain technology.

We will probably come to this House floor later in the year with a private-sector driven payment stablecoin bill led by Mr. McHenry of North Carolina.

To my friend from Utah, I say that those are some of the highlights today that I think show that on a bipartisan basis, the Republicans are leading in technology in this House.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Utah for yielding.

I think that is an important comment that this vote of 279 sends a strong message to the Senate that this House has done their homework and that this House is prepared to advance technology that protects consumers, offers opportunities for investors, lets America lead, and brings capital back to the United States that has left the U.S. due to the uncertainty and lack of leadership from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the lack of authority in the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

I hope this is a sign we can work together with our friends in the Senate and that we can make law in this financial technology advance and, as you say, not just have a messaging bill.

Recognizing Julie's Sweet Shoppe in Conway, Arkansas

Mr. Speaker, small businesses are the heart of each of our communities.

I rise today to recognize the efforts of a good friend, a great entrepreneur, and one of my constituents, Julie Goodnight, and her bakery, Julie's Sweet Shoppe in Conway, Arkansas.

Julie began her career in the bakery industry at the age of 17 as she worked for her father's bakery, Ed's.

As the granddaughter of two World War II veterans, Julie loved how her father's shop provided a place for local veterans to meet and share their stories over a cup of coffee and a doughnut.

Beginning at Ed's in the 1990s, Julie worked to honor these local heroes by celebrating them with an annual Veterans Day event, and when Julie finally got that amazing opportunity that every American entrepreneur dreams of, opening her own shop on Veterans Day in 2013, she continued this amazing family tradition.

Since its founding, Julie's Sweet Shoppe has honored over 1,000 local veterans at its annual Veterans Day celebration.

I have had the honor of attending every Veterans Day event at Julie's, and I have seen firsthand the impact she makes on our community.

I thank Julie's Sweet Shoppe for their outstanding service to our veterans in central Arkansas and to wish them continued success in all of their endeavors.

Syrian Emergency Task Force, 2024 Community Partner of the Year Award

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a nonprofit based in central Arkansas.

In May, the University of Central Arkansas awarded SETF with the 2024 Community Partner of the Year Award for their work to relieve the suffering of those in Syria from Bashar al-Assad's deadly regime.

In 2011, the Syrian Emergency Task Force was created in response to the Syrian Government's war on its own citizens, many of the targets of which were innocent kids. It was called the Syrian Emergency Task Force because they thought it would be a short-term emergency in 2011. Here we are a decade later, and they are still hard at work on behalf of ordinary people in Syria.

Last summer, I was honored to visit the beautiful children at SETF's sponsored school for orphans, the Wisdom House, in northwest Syria. While there, I heard devastating stories from these children who endured continuous bombardment by the Assad regime and their Russian or Iranian coconspirators resulting in more orphans on the street and more families displaced.

Under UCA graduate and SETF executive director Mouaz Moustafa's leadership, SETF works with those in the region and beyond to bring the voices of the Syrian people to the international stage. They are determined to create a safe and free Syria, away from the Assad dictatorship.

I thank President Davis and many other leaders at the University of Central Arkansas for their support of SETF and their support of the organization's efforts to make a difference in the lives of the Syrian people who are suffering at the hand of the Assad regime's barbarism.

The SETF is more than deserving of this award. I am proud to continue to work alongside of them in Congress in combating the Assad regime and helping them to be a strong advocate for helping the innocent people regain their freedom and regain their country.

BSA 2024 Silver Buffalo and Antelope Awards

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize these Scouters from the Natural State Council who have been awarded national recognition in 2024.

The Silver Antelope, created in 1942, honors Scouters who have demonstrated exceptional character and provided distinguished service within one of Scouting America's 16 territories across the country.

The Natural State Council is delighted to see the recognition of Ray Dillon of Little Rock and Anthony Sitz of Conway as the 2024 winners of the Silver Antelope Award.

The Boy Scouts of America would not exist without the foundational help of their volunteers. They make scouting successful. The responsibility for ensuring that our youth receive mentorship and guidance that they need to develop as strong leaders rests with volunteers like Ray and Tony. I congratulate them both on this national recognition of their decades of service.

National Guard Professional Education Center's 50th Anniversary

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Guard Professional Education Center in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

In 1974, then-Governor Dale Bumpers recognized the need for a place to train National Guardsmen and -women from across the country, and he knew Arkansas would make the perfect home for such a facility.

Beginning with an inaugural class of 30 soldiers from 12 States, the PEC now serves over 20,000 National Guard members from around the country every year at their base in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

For 50 years, the Professional Education Center has been committed to the important work of ensuring the readiness of our National Guardsman to respond to the challenges of today and the unknown challenges of tomorrow.

The PEC at Camp Robinson is a credit to Arkansas and the Nation, and I thank them for their service and dedication. I know the next 50 years of our Professional Education Center on Camp Robinson will be absolutely just as productive and successful.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman McHenry and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Flood) for this excellent work in this Congressional Review Act resolution to roll back the SEC's failure in their Staff Accounting Bulletin 121.

It would reshape the business of custody in this country. This is not just about crypto. This is a sweeping rule that the SEC has implemented without following the Administrative Procedures Act. The GAO says it is a rule. Well, if it is a rule, it needs to go through the Administrative Procedures Act and have a comment period and get people involved because, as Ranking Member Waters noted, they did not consult with the banking regulators, who have the primary role of supervising custody in this country.

A custodian is someone who holds your assets for you, whether it is shares of a stock or acres of forest land or a rental house or 10 bitcoin. Holding reserves against the assets in custody is not standard financial services practice.

This staff accounting bulletin is misguided. It requires that money be set aside for that category of assets of digital assets in custody. It is part of a broader attack by the Biden administration to treat digital assets differently from all other assets.

That doesn't make any sense to House Republicans. Under Mr. McHenry's leadership and Mr. Thompson's leadership of the Ag Committee, we have a fit-for-purpose approach that, in fact, directs the SEC and the CFTC how to handle digital assets.

Unfortunately, this accounting bulletin is in the wrong direction. That is why we have the Congressional Review Act. That is why we are using Article I authority under the Constitution to say this is the wrong direction and that we will all come to this House floor and say it should be repealed and sent back.

Mr. Speaker, I would remind my friends on the other side of the aisle, senior Biden official Vice Chairman Barr of the fed, Acting Comptroller Hsu all testified before our committee that they were not consulted by the SEC about this staff accounting bulletin. It is a significant change. It is a rule. It should have gone through the Administrative Procedures Act and be out for public comment.

Mr. Speaker, that is why I thank the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Flood) for leading the charge on this important resolution, and I urge adoption.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor WWII veteran and Arkansas Native, Mr. William Toombs, who will soon celebrate his 100th birthday.

Mr. Toombs served as a flight engineer gunner on both B17s and B24s with the 493rd bomb group of the 8th Army Air Force, also known as the ``Mighty 8th.''

He flew his first mission on June 6, 1944--D-Day--and went on to carry out over twenty successful missions.

For his heroism, Toombs was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, as well as several Air Medals and foreign decorations. In 2021, he was inducted into the Arkansas Military Veterans Hall of Fame.

Mr. Toombs has been an active spokesman for the ``Mighty 8th,'' sharing their story in numerous interviews, and has continued to serve

his fellow veterans through his membership in several veterans organizations.

I thank Mr. William Toombs for his service and congratulate him on his 100th birthday.

Madam Chair, once again, dear friends, into the breach. We stand in the breach again for freedom. We stand in this historic Chamber with Washington on one side and Lafayette on the other.

In 2 years, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of this country, this freedom, this democracy, which would not have happened without money from the Netherlands, money from France, guns from France, a navy from France. Allies stood at the side of the birth of this Nation.

The birth of freedom was born here, so today, we come to this House floor to see that freedom is fought for here in this House.

Last week, Prime Minister Kishida of Japan stood on this floor and called this Nation the indispensable Nation--not to do it alone, not to stand in the breach alone, but to lead. Today, the United States will once again step up and lead.

Today, we will send the world the message: We stand with those who stand for freedom, and we hold to account those who are against freedom.

This bill supports our allies. This bill condemns our rivals and our enemies.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill.

Madam Chair,

America 250--in two years, this House will celebrate the 250th birthday of our Declaration of Independence.

As Americans, we are all versed in our Founding, our struggles in the American revolution. We recall the lack of food and pay for our troops, the misery of winter at Valley Forge.

What we must remember is that we did not win our independence alone.

From 1775 through 1781, the United States would not have seen victory at Yorktown ending the American Revolution were it not for allied nations making a bet on the grit and tenacity of Colonial Americans taking on the world's largest army and navy. France, the bankers in Amsterdam, and the Spanish opposed Britain backed Washington's struggling ragtime army.

Madam Chair, I thank Mr. Nunn and Chairman McCaul for their leadership.

Madam Chair, I stand in support of this amendment. We have to counter Iran's illicit use of funds any way we can to stop their reign of terror and their attack on our ally, Israel. The key to that is stopping their invasion of sanctions. These funds go directly to attacking our friends and partners, and Iran uses new and creative ways to do that.

This amendment from Congressman Nunn ensures that we are stopping funds at the source by instructing the Treasury Department to examine the source and benefactor of all Iranian assets over $5 million.

Madam Chair, I stand in support of this amendment, and I stand in support of the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote because I stepped out to the Speaker's Lobby for a meeting. Had I been present, I would have voted AYE on Roll Call No. 125.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas, and I certainly thank my good friend from New York, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, for his collaboration on this bill, H.R. 4681, the Illicit Captagon Trafficking Suppression Act.

I appreciate Mr. Moskowitz, my partner and collaborator in drafting this measure. With the help of Mr. McCaul from Texas and Mr. Meeks from New York, this bill passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee 44-0. It is a key follow-up to my CAPTAGON Act of 2022, which was enacted into law as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act of that year.

This measure would further press the Assad regime in Syria by imposing new sanctions to directly target individuals and networks associated with the production and trafficking of this dangerous drug, captagon, and the resulting illicit finance.

This illegal drug trafficking is being orchestrated by Assad's relatives, leaders in his security forces, and those affiliated with Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah. These sanctions and a successful U.S.-led captagon strategy are necessary in order to disrupt the illicit funds to the Assad regime and Hezbollah.

Mr. Speaker, this drug is exiting Syria by way of Lebanon and the Syrian ports to the Mediterranean. It has been found in Europe. It has been found manufactured in Europe. Most of it passes across the land border in Jordan and finds its way to the Gulf, where it is addicting citizens in Jordan, it is addicting citizens in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and that illicit money is fueling terrorism in the region.

For 12 years, Assad, with his terror partners, Iran and Russia, have murdered and imprisoned Syrians, bombed hospitals, and gassed his own citizens. Since 2018, narcotic production and trafficking in Syria have turned Syria and the Assad regime from simply a broken, failed state of mass murder to a narco-state, with Assad's crimes against his own citizens expanding to drug trafficking.

If we fail to stop captagon's trade, then the Assad regime will continue to drive the ongoing conflict in his country, provide a lifeline to extremist groups, and permit our adversaries such as Iran, Russia, and China to strengthen their engagement in Syria, posing a larger threat to Israel and other allies in the region.

To enhance greater stability in the Middle East, the U.S. Government must continue to work with our allies and partners in the region and in Europe to increase pressure on stopping the proliferation of this drug.

In 2023, following the State Department's initiation of the U.S. captagon strategy, I traveled to the region. I visited the area three times, and captagon was an essential topic on each trip. Everybody I visited with, from a diplomatic point of view, wanted to talk about the impact of captagon.

Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq directly have seen captagon trade infiltrate their borders. Egypt, Israel, and Turkey all express concern about the money fueling terrorism.

While I commend the Biden Treasury Department and the United Kingdom jointly for using Caesar sanctions last spring to sanction individuals for captagon, it is important we step up our efforts and add specific targeted sanctions like those contained in this bill for the production and trafficking of this drug.

This bill is an important component in pushing back against diplomatic normalization with the Assad regime, pushing back on the intense terror leadership of Iran in every aspect and conflict in the region, and standing in full support of our ally Israel.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation. I thank my colleagues on the House Financial Services Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee for helping bring this bill to the House floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart. I rise to remember Dr. Jerome Green, who died unexpectedly earlier this week.

Jerome served as the president of Shorter College in North Little Rock, Arkansas, since 2012. As the only private 2-year historically Black college in the country, Shorter College faces unique challenges, challenges that were all embraced by Dr. Green.

In his time as president, he increased the enrollment of the college, brought back intercollegiate athletics, added academic programs, and more. Jerome was recently named by the HBCU Campaign Fund board as one of The Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders Award and Class of 2024.

Early in his career, Jerome was appointed by then-Governor Bill Clinton to the Arkansas Ethics Commission where he served as chairman. Following his work on the Ethics Commission, he was appointed to the Panel of Conciliators for the International Center for Settlement Disputes, a division of the World Bank.

Dr. Green has truly dedicated his career to improving the lives of others. He was an exemplary leader in his faith, his devotion to Shorter College, and our country.

He was a dear friend and will be missed by many. Martha and I are brokenhearted, and we pray for the repose of his soul and for his friends and family.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the time.

As we witnessed President Biden's State of the Union speech last night in this historic House Chamber, the gallery was filled with families that are in mourning, Mr. Speaker.

They are in mourning because their loved ones are captive by a rogue terror group or by an authoritarian country or by a Nation not living up to the rule of law. Some 56 Americans, Mr. Speaker, are held wrongfully detained by another country or by a terror group.

This week, we had many of those families in the gallery last night. We had the parents of Evan Gershkovich, The Wall Street Journal reporter, held in Russia.

We had families whose loved ones are somewhere in Gaza, held by the terrorist group Hamas--Americans, and we don't know where they are or what their condition is.

In last year's defense authorization bill, Congresswoman Haley Stevens and I created a provision that was passed by this House and by the Senate and signed into law by President Biden that designates March 9, tomorrow, Mr. Speaker, as U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day, so it is perfectly appropriate that last night in this gallery those families came.

Why March 9? The death of Bob Levinson, the longest held American held hostage abroad. This week, Congresswoman Stevens and I met with the Foley Foundation and the McCain Institute who are working mightily with Members of Congress and with our diplomats to free those 56 Americans

identified as being held illegally and wrongfully abroad.

Haley and I met with Sagui Dekel-Chen's family, one of the Hamas--I hope to say hostages, not a victim of Hamas.

We met with the family of Zack Shahin, held by the United Arab Emirates for the past 16 years. We met with the family of Kai Li, held in a Shanghai prison.

The countries that hold Americans wrongfully are many, and I think it is important that this House keep those families top of mind every day.

In my office, Mr. Speaker, I have a beautiful inlaid box from Syria, a custom in their country, and it is dedicated to Majd Kamalmaz, formerly a constituent of mine in Little Rock. His family now lives in north Texas. He is in Syria somewhere in one of Assad's jails.

Mr. Speaker, we need to constantly remember these families and America's obligation to not leave Americans held wrongfully detained abroad and reunite them with their family.

It is an obligation of our country, it is an obligation of this legislative branch, and we are committed to working with the administration to bring them home.

Mr. Speaker, there are Americans held in Iran. Iran is a country that Americans need to focus on because it is intricately related to everything that we see in our news.

The mullahs in Tehran are on the march against peace and prosperity in Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and across the globe.

Today, I want to put a human face on that march of terror and partnership in terror across the globe. I remember Sarina Esmailzadeh, who was wrongfully beaten to death by the Islamic Republic security forces in 2022.

Sarina was, Mr. Speaker, just 16 years old. Like young people all over the world, young people in our gallery today, young people listening in America today, Sarina was an avid social media user.

She began to upload vlogs of her volleyball, singing, and enjoying life. As she posted, she was seen breaking the rules set by the Iranian regime, including not wearing a hijab, singing, expression opinions openly as a woman.

Sarina said herself that she understood the stakes of posting these videos, but she did not let that scare her. What an inspiration to young people across the globe.

In one of her videos, she said: Why should my life be so different from teenagers in Berlin or New York, just because I was born in Iran?

And when referencing all that, it is banned for women but not for men in Iran.

In September of 2022, she took to the streets in Karaj, and alongside hundreds of others, protested the Iranian regime. During the protest she was beaten to death by the Islamic Republic's security forces. All she wanted was to create an Iran that represented fully the Iranian people. Her dreams were to make the most of her life, but under the rule of the Iranian regime, this is impossible.

Iran is the world's number one state sponsor of terrorism, and their barbarism spreads across far from their borders, Mr. Speaker, and Americans witness it every day.

Iran has a stated purpose of wiping Israel off the map, destroying it as a country, wiping out the people. That is a stated goal of the nation of Iran led by the mullahs there. They are backing Hamas financially--Hamas--with training in Gaza on the attack. They back Hezbollah in southern Lebanon in their attacks on the northern part of Israel.

Iranian proxy forces, the Houthis, are disrupting global shipping in the Red Sea, affecting goods and supplies coming to Europe and coming to the U.S. The Houthis are disrupting that shipping.

Who backs them? Iran.

Who gives them targeting advice? Iran.

Who gives them the missiles to attack ships in open navigation? Iran.

Who is supplying the drones, Mr. Speaker, to Russia, to aid the invasion of Russia of its sovereign neighbor Ukraine, causing murder and mayhem daily across the nation of Ukraine; where is that munition coming from? Where are those drones coming from? Iran.

Who threatened to murder Americans like former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo here in the United States? Proxies of Iran.

The constant attacks on U.S. personnel and our allies in Iraq and Syria, who is making the attacks? Proxy militias from Iran.

All of this is culminating in their desire for a nuclear weapon to change the balance of power in the world.

Iran is behind all of this. Their brutality should not be tolerated by Western countries who believe in security in the region, and as my good friend from Texas (Mr. Green) just talked about, the basic human rights that we stand for in this country.

We must continue to press this regime further, not fund it as is the case with the Biden administration freeing up billions of dollars to Iran for their use. It isn't a peaceful use, I can assure you, Mr. Speaker.

We must continue to press the regime. Iran's reign of terror against its own citizens like Sarina, they are exporting that terror around the Middle East into the Red Sea. It is destabilizing and it is damaging to a peaceful future not only for prosperity in the Middle East but across the globe.

Congratulating Buck Layne's Retirement

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Buck Layne, a good friend, on his retirement from the Searcy, Arkansas, Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Buck joined the chamber in February of 1991 after applying for an executive vice-president position. He then went on to give 33 years of dedicated service and hard work for the betterment of the Searcy community, serving as president and CEO of the chamber most recently.

During his time with the chamber, Buck has made impressive strides to build an economic development strategy and produce new jobs and careers for all the citizens of Searcy in White County.

From expanding existing companies in the city to bringing new ones, Buck had significant accomplishments.

I congratulate him for his outstanding work in Searcy. I thank him for our years of collaboration, and I wish him the best in his retirement.

Remembering the Life of Bob Brooks

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Arkansas Chief Deputy Attorney General Bob Brooks. Bob passed away suddenly after a brief illness on February 11.

Bob was beloved by Democrats and Republicans, old and young, in Arkansas. He was a graduate of the University of Arkansas and the University of Tulsa College of Law. He served as chief of staff for longtime Arkansas Congressman Jay Dickey, and he led in our State as Governor Huckabee's director of the Arkansas Ethics Commission.

Most recently, he served Tim Griffin as Arkansas' Chief Deputy Attorney General. He loved his job so much, and it was always hard, Attorney General Griffin tells me, to get him to go home each night as the office closed.

Bob was a dedicated public servant who represented all that is good in Arkansas through his professionalism, his wit, and his great sense of humor.

I remember Bob for his selfless commitment to public service, his long desire to get back to Arkansas to be in a dream job, and I thank him and his memory for our warm two decades of friendship.

Martha and I are praying for his friends, his family, and his loved ones during this difficult time. Bob will be missed dearly by many.

Congratulating Danielle Ziemba

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Senior Airman Danielle Ziemba.

Danielle was recently announced as a recipient of the Air Force's 2023 GEICO Military Service Award.

This annual award is given to one enlisted member from each of the six service branches and the National Guard for their achievements and contributions to the men and women they serve with.

Danielle did an outstanding job in her training. She deserves this award. It is a great recognition of her commitment to the Air Force and to her fellow airmen and airwomen, and I congratulate her on this important accomplishment.

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

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

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 12 o'clock and 23 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until Monday, March 11, 2024, at noon for morning-hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Utah for yielding. Just for those two people that are listening at home, there are only four members of the Arkansas delegation, so that was an easy comment from my good friend.

I thank my friend from Utah, who is doing an outstanding job helping lead our Conference and lead our Conference's messaging on this House floor and in our home districts as we draw a distinction between what House Republicans would be doing if we were able to be guiding the executive branch or have both Houses here in Congress, and the failures of the Biden administration.

Mr. Speaker, I want to address a couple of issues I think that are key that are confronting the American people and that we are touching on this week in the House.

Mr. Speaker, the United States went from importing liquefied natural gas just 15 years ago to now being the world's largest exporter. That is a powerful testament to America's technological advances and our ability to harness this clean, abundant, affordable source of baseload power for our own use and for the ability to export it.

President Biden's recent decision to halt the export of American liquefied natural gas is not in the interest of the American worker, the American economy, our allies' national security, or the globe's goal of a clean energy transition.

This is just another one of President Joe Biden's poor decisions in a long line of other failed energy policies since he took office in January 2021: As noted by my good friend from California shutting down on day one the Keystone XL pipeline, denying new permits, discouraging new drilling, discouraging new pipelines, and coercing banks and securities firms across this country to discourage badly needed loans and capital investments in the energy industry by way of environmental social governance, so-called ESG policies.

These reckless decisions have weakened our global leadership and weakened America's energy independence. While President Biden's nanny state regulators consider going full California on the whole Nation by banning your gas stove, Republicans support an all-of-the-above approach to our energy needs and our long-term energy transition.

Republicans believe that we need to tap into American's abundance of natural resources that are crucial to enhancing our own energy security and our own energy independence.

The United States stands ready to export more LNG to Europe, but pipelines and other needed infrastructure are not adequate in this country in order to advance more assistance in the short term. In my view, Mr. Speaker, upstream and downstream infrastructure investments in natural gas are not stranded assets, which is typically the argument made by the opposition.

According to a recent U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Outlook, by 2050, global energy use will increase nearly 50 percent compared to today. Now, let that sink in--50 percent greater than today in just 25 years.

Although the primary energy consumption sources for renewables is expected to grow from 15 percent today to 27 percent by 2050, still 83 percent of consumption will need to come from coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear.

Clearly, based on global power demands and despite new renewable sources, this globe, this Nation, needs decades of liquefied natural gas access and natural gas in our reserves.

We need to invest and create that infrastructure leading to our own development and crucial export development, which will, if we export, add $73 billion it is estimated to our U.S. economy over the next 15 years, bolstering energy trade, stimulating domestic production while assisting friends and allies abroad.

Increasing U.S. liquefied natural gas exports will benefit our allies, as I note, in Europe and in Asia by adding the U.S. as a reliable source of energy on the global market and offsetting the risk that is being dominated by one supplier--like in the case of Germany being completely dependent on natural gas from Russia at the time of Russia's invasion to Ukraine--or countries being caught in a supply crisis due to war in the Persian Gulf or a war or shipping challenges in the Red Sea.

Just last year, Mr. Speaker, about 13 percent of Europe's natural gas went through the Red Sea. That has now been impacted by the Houthis in Yemen attacking shipping of all flag vessels trying to go up the Red Sea through the Suez Canal to service Europe.

We have natural gas fields across our Nation in Pennsylvania and New York that rival and may even be more abundant than those in the Middle East.

Yet, we will never see, in my view, Mr. Speaker, a pipeline--a new pipeline--built from Pennsylvania over to the East Coast ports under this administration or under future Democratic leadership. I don't think we will see new jobs or development of New York's massive, abundant natural gas in the Marcellus shale under Democratic Governors.

Again, these kinds of policy officials and Biden officials have doubled down, tripled down, on policies that not only raise costs for everyday American families but do nothing in the long run to impact the climate.

Likewise, to aid American technology exports, the Biden administration should work to ensure that international financial institutions like the World Bank or the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will finance natural gas projects and nuclear power as a part of the energy transition.

Right now they are very reluctant to do that. In the case of the EBRD, they will not finance nuclear.

Now, think about that. They certainly won't finance natural gas.

The EBRD has been insisting on financing renewable green energy projects only to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, yet ignores an all-of-the-above energy strategy.

International financial institutions like the EBRD should finance beyond nuclear and include sources of energy like liquefied natural gas to improve access and diversification, particularly in Europe, their energy backbone, their energy sources. It is in their best interest to do that.

Energy policy is a long-term investment in the needs of the globe's future both at home and abroad, and as more and more countries grow and develop and their people become wealthier and their incomes rise, their energy consumption will increase, as well.

We cannot wait and have nothing to offer and certainly cannot impose the Biden administration's energy policies on the world and expect a good outcome or rising wages or incomes.

We should be investing in all of our energy options like oil, nuclear, renewables, and natural gas--not hurting our ability to export and remain energy dominant worldwide but to benefit the entire economy of the globe.

President Biden's mistakes and failed policies today will lead us to not having the energy capacity that we need for tomorrow, and he will be making the transition to a clean energy future even harder and more costly for our families.

Mr. Speaker, this week the Senate completed work on funding for military assistance for Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel, all critical partner countries to the United States, each a Nation where we have a national security interest in seeing their security needs met, benefiting our economy, benefiting our jobs, benefiting our global reach across the globe. As Americans, it should feel very natural to us that we partner with other nations to help a nation fight for freedom.

Why? Well, Mr. Speaker, as Americans, we are all versed in our own founding, our own struggles with the American Revolution. We recall the lack of food, the lack of pay, the lack of socks and shoes, the misery of the winter at Valley Forge. Every school child in this Nation knows about Washington on his knees at Valley Forge.

What we must remember is that we did not win our independence alone.

From 1775 to 1781, the United States would not have seen victory at Yorktown ending the American Revolution in victory were it not for allied nations making a bet on the grit and the tenacity of colonial Americans taking on the world's largest Navy and the world's largest Army.

France, the bankers in Amsterdam, the Spanish, all opposed Great Britain's empire and backed General Washington's struggling rag-tag Army.

Mr. Speaker, 80 percent of the muskets and uniforms worn by the colonial Army were supplied by France. The French and the Dutch supplied loans and cash, the Spanish supplied gunpowder, and the French Navy were critical to our victory.

Without this help of the other nations, we would not have had the resources to win the American Revolution or become an independent, democratic, dynamic country 250 years later.

As Americans, we understand that sense of partnership that it takes when you are fighting for freedom. This week, once again, I traveled across the Atlantic to meet with President Zelenskyy in Ukraine joining a codel led by Mike Turner, the chairman of our Intelligence Committee, to assess what is Europe doing? What is Ukraine's strategy? How are American investments audited and protected and transparent? What are our options there to make sure that Putin is not successful in Ukraine?

Instead of reading something on the internet, Mr. Speaker, let's go investigate it for ourselves. Let's look Zelenskyy and his generals in the eye. Let's look at American advisers in Germany and in Poland in the eye and ask them: Should Putin be allowed to win in Ukraine? The answer, Mr. Speaker, is clearly no.

Along with dozens of allied nations, the United States should continue to back the freedom fighting, freedom loving Ukrainians to ensure that Vladimir Putin knows he is not going to stay in Ukraine. Let me be clear, he will be denied that opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, in polling, the American people are clear. They do not want Putin victorious in Ukraine. It is bad for Europe, the sovereignty of Ukraine, and for the world.

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear: We need to complete our work effectively on this House and find that sense of partnership that we find the right funding, the right balance of auditing and talent necessary to back the Ukrainians' success in defeating Putin.

Mr. Speaker, the innocent people of Ukraine have been under unprovoked attack for over two years, their lives upended by the vengeance of a megalomaniac illegally invading and attempting to overthrow a sovereign neighbor.

This war commenced in 2014 in the Donbas and Crimea and exploded into a full invasion on February 24, 2022.

American military aid to Ukraine is running out and Ukrainians battling on the frontlines to defend their homeland are running out of ammunition and other crucial military supplies.

They are losing the ability to defend themselves and win this war that they have so valiantly fought for 24 months--and politically and emotionally for a painful decade.

To my colleagues in Congress, it is essential that we pass further aid to Ukraine.

Time is running out.

And when the war ends, and Ukraine hails victory, Putin must bear the responsibility for the death and destruction he has caused in their sovereign nation.

He must bear responsibility of paying for Ukraine's reconstruction.

Alongside my friend and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mike McCaul, we passed our REPO bill out of committee, which would seize Russian sovereign assets for the sole purpose of Ukraine's eventual reconstruction.

Similar legislation has successfully been passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Considering most Russian sovereign assets are located outside of the United States, it is critical that our allies around the world draft and pass companion legislation.

In January, European Union (EU) members unanimously agreed to set aside frozen Russian central bank assets in Europe, taking the first step to benefit Ukraine and its reconstruction from Russia's destruction.

This is a strong signal from our European allies that we are one step closer to seeing crucial draft legislation.

Although the EU has taken a step in the right direction, their action needs to go further. In my view, the ideal proposed draft legislation needs to encompass all Russian assets, not just liquid central bank accounts.

In the meantime, the United States and our allies need to continue to press Putin with further sanctions to deter his aggression.

We also need to ensure Ukraine remains an open economy.

Despite the damages caused by the war, over the past two years, Ukraine's economy is hanging in there.

Ukraine's battlefield victories in 2023 include pushing the Russian Navy to rear, freeing the western Black Sea, reopening it to Ukrainian exports of grain, iron, and fertilizer.

Although Russia's invasion drove Ukraine's GDP down in 2022, their economy is reported to have grown by roughly 3 to 4 percent, in 2023.

More economic recovery and more exports mean Ukraine is generating revenue to support itself and its needs.

Given the nation's current state in the face of devastation and in the wake of Putin's madness, this is remarkable.

As Ukraine is one of the world's largest grain producers, it's key that they continue to maintain an open, thriving economy.

In sum, it's simple: the U.S., Europe and global partners need to continue to support Ukraine with financial, military, and humanitarian assistance; hold Putin responsible for paying for the damages he has caused in this sovereign nation; and discourage him with further and more aggressive sanctions, including secondary sanctions on all nations that help fuel his terror.

For if Russia wins, it opens the door for other foreign adversaries like China to follow in their pursuit of taking over Taiwan, jumpstarting a global war.

If Russia wins, it threatens the 75 years of peace and prosperity in Europe, and risks dragging the United States into a war like we have never witnessed.

We can defeat Russia in Ukraine, if we see their struggle for freedom in the same way we fought for ours nearly 250 years ago.

Failure in Ukraine is not an option.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for yielding, and I thank my good friend from South Carolina.

Madam Speaker, I stand in full support of Joe Wilson's good bill to counter the butcher, Assad. The gentleman from South Carolina and I spent a great deal in 2023 traveling the Middle Eastern region talking to our partners in the Arab world, warning them of the consequences of readmitting Assad back into the Arab League.

While official U.S. policy does not support normalization with Assad, we have U.S. Government officials, like Brett McGurk and Assistant Secretary Barbara Leaf, watering down that position of U.S. policy, encouraging Arab countries to ``get what you can for normalization.''

What did we get?

Madam Speaker, we got more war. The Arab countries said: Let's cut out Captagon trade and drugs. Let's return refugees from Jordan and Turkiye and Lebanon back to Syria. Let's eliminate Iranian influence in Syria.

Madam Speaker, did we get those things?

No.

That is why this bill to counter normalization is so important, because Syria, for the American people, is a giant aircraft carrier for terrorism--Israel being attacked from Syria, Iraq being attacked from Syria, Americans killed because of attacks from Syria.

Madam Speaker, I support Mr. Wilson's bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues who were just on the floor discussing one of the biggest challenges that we face in this country, which is having a secure southwest border. It is, in fact, a national security problem and a homeland security problem, and it is the Biden's own policies that have caused this to happen.

This avalanche of humanity at our border that is a colossal challenge to our Nation is due to specific decisions taken by President Joe Biden and his lack of leadership to recognize it is a disaster. Then to do nothing about it, compounds it.

Since President Biden took office, there have been 7.1 million known border crossings across our southwest border; almost a million got- aways, these are people that we don't know that crossed the border.

In December, as my colleagues noted, a record 300,000 migrants were apprehended at the border. Yet, President Biden has still not agreed to work with Congress to solve this problem. Mr. Speaker, 300,000 in one month; never before have we seen numbers like that in 20 years.

Mr. Speaker, I went down to the border a few days ago with our new Speaker Mike Johnson. Over 50 of my colleagues were on that trip to Eagle Pass. That was my eighth trip to the border, which is about eight times more than Joe Biden has been to the border in 50 years of public service.

While there, we saw a group of Venezuelans come across the border illegally to the United States right in front of the new Speaker of the House as he was meeting with Texas Department of Public Safety.

Now, I can promise you, despite Secretary Mayorkas saying that the Biden administration has operational control of the border, that is nonsense. It passes no smell test of any practical commonsense American to think that you could say, with 300,000 people interdicted in one month, that we have operational control.

President Trump inherited an open border from President Obama, but through many tough choices, over 4 years of trial and error and several homeland security secretaries, he got a strategy that began to work.

It was President Biden on January 20, 2021, that threw those working policies away. Now, we have an avalanche of fentanyl coming across our border, an avalanche of human trafficking, and kids being trafficked across our border.

Over 300,000 people since the President has been in office that are on the terror watch list have crossed the border. Let that sink in.

What happened to them? How many people came across the border on the terror watch list that we did not catch.

As has been said, we have challenges: Criminal cartels making billions, not from selling drugs to our citizens, but criminal cartels making billions trafficking people across our border.

As we were told by the FBI in this House last month, this is the most serious moment for America since 2014, and some argue since 9/11, for the risk of a terror attack in our country. Yet, we don't have a secure border. This is why we passed H.R. 2 across this House floor, with Republican support, and sent it to the Senate, where it sits since last May, Mr. Speaker.

The President of the United States and the Senate have known the views of this body in detail about what immigration policies we would change, what funding we would apply, and what border security ideas we have. They are all in H.R. 2. Yet, there has been no action by the Senate.

Mr. Speaker, I join my friends. Although, I am not sure that we have a lot to look forward to, I am an optimist.

President Biden told the Speaker yesterday: No, I want to change policy on the border. I want to work with Congress on a border solution.

Bring it on. We want to see it.

So as an optimist, I hope that when we come back to this House one week from now that, in fact, we see a deal that is something that House Republicans can support that is not lip service but true border security and immigration reform.

Noa Marciano--Israeli Hostage

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the story of Corporal Noa Marciano.

On October 7, Corporal Noa Marciano was one of more than 240 men, women, children, and elderly who were brutally kidnapped by Hamas terrorists as they stormed across the border from Gaza into Israel.

Noa was a corporal in the Border Defense Corps' 414th unit. She was serving as an observation soldier at the Nahal Oz IDF base in southern Israel, just about a kilometer from the Gaza border. Her position was overrun.

Most of her unit soldiers were female, and they were not provided a sidearm or a rifle to defend themselves. Their duty was to monitor the border with Gaza.

On November 13, Hamas terrorists produced a video showing Corporal Marciano's dead body. She was 19 years old, Mr. Speaker.

Last November, in our candlelight vigil on the House steps, I met with Noa's mom, Adi, as we prayed together for her daughter and all the hostages wrongly held by Hamas. It was just the next day that she learned her daughter was not a hostage but a victim of murder by Hamas. That is sick.

Her family describes Noa as a girl who loved to dance, and sing, enjoyed music and literature, and whose dimples and smile radiated love.

My heart breaks for Adi and her family. No family should have to experience this kind of loss due to the reprehensible actions of terrorists.

We know how they feel in this country. We remember viscerally the pain and suffering, murder and mayhem, dust, smell, and smoke of 9/11.

We know how her family feels.

Sadly, while Noa can no longer be released, we remember her and her courage in her defense of the homeland.

I stand here on the floor, Mr. Speaker, demanding that Hamas release all the remaining hostages. Those who have been fortunately released have shared their horrifying experience in captivity, something that they will never forget. America must stand unequivocally with Israel as it works to

defeat this terror onslaught and free its citizens wrongfully held by Hamas.

Israel has proven its willingness to pause the fighting for hostages to be returned home. Despicably, the terror group broke that first hostage deal just as the cease-fire was being put in place.

Mr. Speaker, I call on all nations, all allies, all friends of Israel, and all those nations that have ties with this murderous terror group to press Hamas' leaders to cease military action and free those in captivity.

Taiwan Election

Mr. Speaker, last week, the people of Taiwan went to the polls and elected the Democratic Progressive Party, the DDP Presidential candidate, President Lai, to be the next President of Taiwan. President-elect Lai will serve along with his Vice President, Vice President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim, who had a distinguished recognition here in Washington as Taiwan's diplomatic representative to America's Capital.

This successful election signals to the Chinese Communist Party leadership that Taiwanese want to remain friendly, trading neighbors, but independent of the CCP and China.

Although China has claimed it would not invade Taiwan, CCP Leader Xi has more openly stated of late that China will one day unify with Taiwan and has not reiterated taking force off the table.

I met with President-elect Lai while on a visit to Taipei with House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman McCaul, and I know his desire for peace on the Taiwan Strait, the preservation of democracy and liberty on Taiwan, and an openness with all the countries of the world.

In my view, the United States' mission and the job of all freedom- loving nations is to continue to support Taiwan in strengthening their security and countering the CCP's aggression in a military fashion toward the island.

Let's let the people of Taiwan continue, as they have for five decades, the recent decades, to live in peace, democracy, and prosperity.

Milken Institute HBCU Fellows 2024 Cohort Launch

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate and thank the Milken Institute here in Washington, D.C., for this week's HBCU Cohort Reception, where they gathered to celebrate and welcome their second historically Black colleges and universities Strategic Initiative and Fellowship Program.

I thank them for their leadership, and I congratulate these 20 impressive students that the Milken Institute has sponsored and identified from 12 different HBCUs across the country.

Since I came to Congress, I have been an active member of the bipartisan, bicameral, Historically Black College and University Caucus. Before I came to Congress, I was very active with the Arkansas historically Black colleges and universities community, working mightily as a community banker with Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock.

My work with ABC was impactful and meaningful, and I recognize their incredible contributions to both education and economic growth in my hometown of Little Rock by working with their students.

Since I have been in Congress, I have advocated for HBCU growth and development, and along with Arkansas Baptist, I am proud to represent Philander Smith University and Shorter College.

I would particularly give a shout-out to one of those 20 students, Mr. Speaker. Justin Woods is a senior at Philander Smith, and Justin was selected by Milken to be part of this cohort, and I congratulate him.

I thank my co-chair of the HBCU Caucus, Alma Adams of North Carolina, and thank her for continuing to work together for Federal policy that aids our very important HBCUs, and I thank the Milken Institute for their continued leadership.

KVRE/Tom Nichols

Mr. Speaker, since 1958, my good friend, Tom Nichols, has been an impactful voice for many Arkansans.

This past November, Tom completed 65 years of broadcasting, an extraordinary accomplishment. His station, KVRE or 92.9 FM in Hot Springs, Arkansas, is family-owned and operated by Tom, and now his daughter, Alice.

Sadly, KVRE is only one of the few family-owned radio stations left in Arkansas, and it has a great audience of over 600,000 Arkansans. Their station is celebrating 30 years this year; also a remarkable milestone.

Tom and Alice are dedicated to ensuring that Arkansans are informed, while providing daily entertainment. In a world where media outlets are frequently corporately owned, it is terrific to recognize a local, family-owned, and independently operated radio station.

I congratulate KVRE for 30 years on the air and Tom for 65 years of broadcasting. My thanks to the Nichols family for their dedication to the communities they serve over the air. I look forward to many years ahead of their success.

Congratulating Don Walker

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Don Walker on his retirement from Arvest Bank. Don spent the past four decades in the banking industry, with most of that spent making major strategic decisions at Arvest, including helping craft their own corporate name, Arvest.

During his tenure, he served as president and CEO of their expansion business in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which became one of their largest and most successful markets in their company. Don is known for not only being a great business leader and banker but for being a friend to many in northwest Arkansas and throughout our State.

I applaud my friend Don Walker on his impressive career and wish him a very happy retirement.

Congratulating the Harding University Football Team

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the House floor to congratulate the Harding University football team for winning the NCAA Division II Football National Championship. That is right, a national championship from Arkansas.

The Bisons wrapped up an undefeated season, going 15-0, while only completing 26 passes all year. This team was a running machine. They found success by running the ball and racking up 6,300 rushing yards for the season.

Mr. Speaker, this is the first time in college football history that a team has rushed more than 6,000 yards in a season.

I congratulate head coach Paul Simmons and his exceptional team on their incredible achievement and hard work, and I really look forward to the team building on this success in their next season.

Go Bisons.

Congratulating Kathy Webb

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kathy Webb on her retirement from the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance.

Kathy served as the CEO of Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance for the past 12 years while simultaneously also representing Ward 3 on the City of Little Rock Board of Directors.

During her time as CEO, Kathy expanded access to food across our region and our State, creating new partnerships to fight hunger and improve public policy at both the State and the Federal level.

She was a real leader in our community as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted work and food access. She will now carry out a 2-year term as vice mayor of Little Rock and work as a consultant on a variety of issues in central Arkansas.

I congratulate Kathy for her outstanding leadership and work on combating hunger. I wish her a happy retirement from this mission, and I look forward to my continued work with her on issues of mutual concern in our city.

Celebrating the Accomplishments of Carson DeLong

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the accomplishments of Carson DeLong, a fifth grader from The Baptist Preparatory School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

At such a young age, Carson has become the embodiment of kindness and giving for many this season.

Starting in his own classroom, Carson aimed to donate 50 pairs of socks to the homeless in central Arkansas. As his sock drive grew, he ended up collecting 500 pairs.

Arkansas has a homeless population of approximately 2,500 people, but because of Carson's passion, his commitment, and his love for everybody, some

of those will have a much warmer winter.

Even amongst his newfound fame, Carson remains humble and attributed much of this feat and success to his classmates. His class has started another drive for other pieces of clothing, and Carson says he is happy just knowing that he could help start this cycle of generosity.

Carson is not done yet, as he started a new drive that collects teddy bears and stuffed animals, and he hopes to donate that to the patients at our outstanding Arkansas Children's Hospital.

His kindness shines through, and I am looking forward to the future of this fine young man.

Recognizing the Impressive Career of Randy Hankins a/k/a Craig O'Neill

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the impressive career of Randy Hankins, a/k/a the beloved Craig O'Neill, who, after 50 years of working as a news anchor and radio DJ, retired at the end of 2023.

Craig has spent the best part of 24 years of his career working as a broadcaster on Little Rock's KTHV Channel 11, and I was really amused and happy as I watched the great tribute they delivered for him on his last sign off on December 29.

Craig's career includes accolades and awards, including a regional Emmy, the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Award in Broadcast Journalism, and Craig was inducted into The National Academy of Television Arts this past year.

Randy and his wife, Jane, are devoted to Arkansas. They have helped raise millions of dollars for charities and community causes, and they have delivered decades of laughter to all of us in central Arkansas.

On behalf of the people of Arkansas, I thank Randy for his years of service, love, and humor in the community as he prepares for his well- deserved retirement.

Honoring Mrs. Elnora Cranford

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor World War II veteran and Arkansas native Mrs. Elnora Cranford who celebrated her 100th birthday on December 20.

Elnora's call to service began long before joining the Women's Army Corps. Prior to service, she worked at the Jacksonville ordnance plant as a detonator assembler in Jacksonville, Arkansas.

She joined the Women's Army Corps in 1944 and served honorably, receiving medals including the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the American Theater Service Medal. She earned the rank of corporal before she separated from the service in 1946.

After her separation, Elnora, a second generation Arkansan, married Robert Cranford, who began his service in World War II, as well. They were married for 56 years and have two daughters, Glenda and Judy.

For over 25 years, they were the owners of Earl's Cafe in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

I thank Elnora Cranford for her service, her love of life, her family, and I congratulate her on her 100th birthday.

Recognizing Eli Paladino

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Eli Paladino of Morrilton, Arkansas.

During the most recent Christmas season, Eli hosted a toy drive fundraiser for the kids at Arkansas Children's Hospital, the same hospital where he receives his care for his congenital heart defect.

A sixth grader at Sacred Heart School, Eli got the idea for a fundraiser from how happy the toys made him the previous year, and he told his mom that he wanted to host a fundraiser the following Christmas.

With an initial goal of raising $300, he has raised over $2,000 from family, friends, and the community for his toy drive. Eli now wants to work in the hospital when he grows up, because the employees there make the kids feel so happy.

I commend Eli and his family for their successful toy drive and for creating countless memories for those kids who have to spend some time in a very caring place, but away from home, our Arkansas Children's Hospital.

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