Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained due to family obligations, I regret missing the one vote today. If I had been present, I would have voted to support H. Res. 1160. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 142.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship. I urge Congress to support our ally now more than ever, and stress the need to defeat Hamas and all Iranian proxies.

Israel is a strong and resilient country. Born in the aftermath of the horrors of the Holocaust and the Second World War, Israel's short history is full of successes. Israel has become one of the world's leading nations for innovation and technology. Its contributions to fields like cybersecurity, healthcare, and agriculture benefit Americans every day. Most importantly, Israel is and always will be our closest ally in the Middle East.

I recently returned from a trip to Israel last week with several of my House colleagues, where we saw with our own eyes the devastation of the October 7 terror attacks. We visited the Nir Oz Kibbutz miles outside of Gaza and also visited the site of the Nova music festival, where hundreds of young people were murdered or kidnapped.

We heard from the parents of an Israeli-American hostage who has been held captive by Hamas for 188 days. We saw burned homes with posters of hostages on the outside. We saw children's toys scattered throughout yards. We could almost feel and smell life there, the life that had been, that was no longer.

Everything I saw and everything I learned verified the brutality of Hamas' unprovoked attacks and reinforced the need to support our longtime ally. The message we all walked away with was the same: Hamas must be eliminated.

During our trip, we met with President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who shared with us the importance of continuing a strategic partnership between our two nations.

The U.S.-Israel relationship is truly the embodiment of peace through strength. By standing together, we demonstrate to our adversaries that we will not be intimidated and that we will defend our shared values and interests.

As malicious regimes like Iran continue their quest for nuclear capabilities and ramp up their backing of radical terror organizations, it is essential that America remain committed to ensuring a strong and secure Israel. This starts with defending Israel's right to self- defense. Israel did not start this war, but they have a right to defend themselves from brutal terrorists.

Hamas' horrific October 7 attacks, as well as the more than 170 attacks against our own Armed Forces by Iranian proxies that have occurred since, are concrete evidence that our enemies are emboldened. Because of weak foreign policy choices made by this administration, starting with the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal, I worry that

our friends don't trust us as much, and our enemies certainly aren't fearing us as much. We must make smarter choices on the world stage to fight the evil that unfortunately exists in the global arena.

As a Navy veteran who deployed twice in the Persian Gulf, I know how volatile this region is and understand that a key element of our own national security is the strength and security of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East.

Now more than ever, the United States must stand with Israel to ensure the safety of not only one of our closest allies, but also that of America and all freedom-loving people across the globe.

I remain steadfast in my support for Israel and will do everything in my power to provide the Israeli people with the military and security assistance they need as they fight to defend their nation. In a world that gets more dangerous by the day, we cannot fail to project strength abroad. Standing with our allies and providing unwavering support is the right place to start.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak in support of the EXPLORE Act today. It has been a privilege to work on this legislation with the chairman as a member of the Natural Resources Committee.

I am particularly proud that it includes my Military and Veterans in Parks Act, nicknamed the MVP Act after the invaluable role our former servicemembers have played in protecting our great Nation.

As a wife of a veteran, the mother of future veterans, and a former Navy helicopter pilot myself, I have a unique understanding of the challenges facing those who have served.

As a geriatric nurse practitioner who spent years caring for our Greatest Generation, I have also seen the effects of all types of injuries sustained on the battlefield, including post-traumatic stress disorder and countless other invisible wounds.

Unfortunately, almost two-thirds of all post-9/11 veterans are experiencing mental health issues, while 27 percent of all veterans have a service-related disability.

We should be going above and beyond to give those heroes every opportunity to reintegrate into civil society and lead happy and healthy lives.

That is why it is incredibly frustrating to me that accessibility remains a significant obstacle for disabled veterans in our national parks and other outdoor recreation sites.

Steep trails, inaccessible facilities, and inadequate accommodations limit the ability of veterans with disabilities to fully enjoy all of the fantastic recreation opportunities our Federal lands have to offer.

Between the beach and the bay, southeast Virginia is home to some of the most beautiful natural resources in the country. Residents and visitors alike enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking, kayaking, camping, and countless other forms of outdoor recreation often in one of our many national wildlife refuges as well as Park Service-managed lands.

The MVP Act ensures these outdoor activities are available to all of our veterans by directing the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service to each develop adaptive trails and campgrounds in the regions they manage, as well as accessible hunting, fishing, and kayaking opportunities.

As a primary care provider, I know the connection between outdoor recreation and improved mental health outcomes cannot be denied.

Research consistently demonstrates that spending time in nature can reduce stress, alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression, and enhance overall psychological well-being. For our veterans who suffer from both the physical and the invisible wounds of war, these benefits are particularly critical.

Though I have not been in Congress long, I have made it my mission since day one to advocate for the mental health of our servicemembers and veterans. It is a mission that guides everything I do here in Washington.

That is why it is my great honor to be standing here today in support of the EXPLORE Act.

I thank Chairman Westerman for his continued support for the MVP Act and for implementing it within the EXPLORE Act. I know this legislation will help improve the lives of our Nation's heroes.

These brave men and women have selflessly served our country, defended our freedoms, and protected our way of life. It is our duty to ensure that they receive the support and opportunities they deserve even after their service has concluded.

I hope my colleagues recognize the great need for the EXPLORE Act, and I urge them to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the lives of five United

States Marines lost in an H-53 helicopter crash in San Diego, California, last week.

These young men embodied what it means to be military pilots and U.S. Marines. As aviators, we know that risks, even during routine training missions, are part of the job. Our Nation will be forever indebted for their sacrifice.

Captain Jack Casey was a 2019 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute from Dover, New Hampshire. He was 26.

Captain Miguel Nava was a United States Naval Academy graduate from Traverse City, Michigan. He was 28.

Captain Benjamin Moulton was from Emmett, Idaho. He was 27.

Lance Corporal Donovan Davis was from Olathe, Kansas. He was 21.

Sergeant Alec Langen was from Chandler, Arizona. He was 23.

These five marines will forever be remembered in the military aviation community. Please keep their family and friends in your prayers. We are eternally grateful for their service and sacrifice to our great Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of E. Phillip Hickman of Virginia's Eastern Shore.

Born in July of 1952, Phil group up in northern Accomack County, graduating from Atlantic High School. He attended Virginia Tech, studying agricultural economics, and returned to the shore upon graduation.

Together with his brother David, they founded Dublin Farms in Horntown, Virginia, and built it into the center of potato growing in the Commonwealth.

Phil was extremely active in the Virginia agriculture community, serving as the chairman of the Virginia State Seed Potato Board, National Potato Board, and countless other local organizations.

Matching his dedication to his community was his next-level enthusiasm for the Virginia Tech Hokies, owning a maroon pickup, an orange boat, and a van dedicated to tailgating. If it was a Saturday during football season, you could count on Phil to be cheering on Tech.

Phil was a devoted family man, raising the next generation of great Virginia farmers at Dublin Farms. He leaves behind a wife, son, daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and his brother.

Phil Hickman embodied the culture and values of the Eastern Shore, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy. The Commonwealth mourns his loss.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record remarks submitted at the request of a Virginia Beach constituent, Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman of Temple Lev Tikvah, and are a reflection of his views.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Saying ``Yes to Life'' Published for the first time in

English, Yes To Life (In Spite of Everything) Boston: Beacon

Press. 2020, originally appeared in German in 1946 following

public lectures delivered in Vienna, Austria in March and

April 1946 by the renowned psychiatrist and author Dr. Viktor

E. Frankl (1905-1997), the iconic founder of Logotherapy, the

third school of Viennese psychotherapy. His thirty-nine books

were translated into fifty languages. His classic Man's

Search For Meaning was reconstructed during nine days in 1946

from bits of paper he had ``obtained'' during his internment

since the original manuscript sown into his coat was

confiscated upon arrival in Auschwitz.

An Austrian Jew, Dr. Frankl was deported by the Nazis in

1942 to Terezin, Auschwitz, Dachau, Buchenwald and Turkheim

from which he was liberated by the American forces in 1945.

His pregnant wife, parents and brother who were deported with

him did not survive. Dr. Frankl chose to remain in Vienna

after the war--though the majority of survivors left with

understandable cause--to head a neurology department in a

major hospital and, I believe to prove the limits of Nazism

and the power of the individual to contend with great

suffering, asserting the human will while serving as a

personal exemplar. Already back in 1946, still reeling and

recovering from the unfathomable horrors of the Holocaust,

Dr. Frankl's insights remain most relevant, pointing at the

critical difference a single human being can make whether for

good or evil in face of mass ideologies proven empty and

utterly destructive.

While the inmates in the camp, testifies Dr. Frankl, were

told by their tormentors as a means to dehumanize them that

they ``were `not worth the soup' '' they were given following

a trying day, never mind that the poor-quality soup was the

only food they ate that day. Nazism sought to reduce humanity

to meaninglessness. Juxtapose it with Dr. Frankl's noble

assertion ``of life's unconditional meaning'' which is rooted

in Judaism's affirmation that human life is a precious divine

gift, partaking of God's sacred image; that saving one human

life is tantamount to saving an entire world, and destroying

one human life is tantamount to destroying an entire world.

No wonder saving a life, our own included, is a paramount

Mitzvah overriding all but three Commandments. Each of us is

unique and irreplaceable, including one's weaknesses. Each

human life is of infinite worth and meaning that none can rub

us off. Indeed, God's divinity and human dignity are

indivisible. Dr. Frankl's personal experience in the camps

led to his conviction that having a sense of purpose while in

dire circumstances of suffering can make a critical

difference for one's very survival.

The book's title Yes To Life is intimately intertwined with

Judaism's clarion call ``L'Chaim! `` ``To Life!'' as well as

the Biblical admonition, ``U'Varachta Bachaim,''``Choose

life.'' ``Yes To Life'' was forcibly and ironically sung as a

hymn by the camps' inmates, originating in a camp song

ordered by one of Buchenwald's commanders. Yes, saying

``yes'' to life in face of imminent death is both

courageously encouraging and foolishly disappointing,

reminiscent of the Nazi deceiving ``Arbeit Macht Frei,''

``Work Will Free You,'' upon entering hell's gates. Judaism's

endless optimism manifested in Dr. Frankl's approach,

captured the Rabbinic teaching not to lose hope even if a

sword is placed on your neck. However, the odds do not

support it. The same heroic thrust but rarely realistic

prevailed in the paradoxical reassuring though not accurate

message atop a shtiebel's entrance in the Warsaw Ghetto,

``Jews, do not despair!'' Is not hope against hope all that

we have left when the chips are down, providing us with an

extra measure of strength to endure?

Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman is the founder of Temple Lev Tikvah in Virginia Beach. Kazakhstan's only born rabbi, he is the son of Polish Holocaust Survivors and spent his early childhood in transit and DP Camps in Austria and Germany. He grew up in Haifa, Israel.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to advocate for our military men and women and their families and the work that needs to be done to improve their quality of life.

As a former Navy helicopter pilot, Navy spouse, and now-Navy mom, taking care of our military members is one of my top priorities. We can do better for our military, and there is much work to do.

Two weeks ago, I attended the funeral of Navy Commander Doug Morea. A Naval Academy graduate, Doug was an F-18 pilot who led a squadron during a recent 9\1/2\-month deployment on the USS Truman.

He died by suicide, and his death was one of seven naval aviator suicides since July of last year. As I stood in the parking lot talking to base leadership after his funeral, I asked: Why? Why do we continue to see so many military suicides and the number rise?

The base commanding officer spoke about the pressure even senior officers feel to care for their people, including the most junior sailor. Our country continues to ask our military, and specifically our Navy, to do missions around the world to keep the peace and defend the freedoms we hold dear.

In order for our military men and women to complete this mission, we must provide resources they need to do their job. That begins with ensuring they have the quality of life they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record remarks submitted at the request of a Virginia Beach constituent, Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman of Temple Lev Tikvah, and are a reflection of his views:

I have returned from the torn Land of Israel where I grew

up, following a visit throughout July of a shaking, even

shocking experience. Israel is undergoing a trauma whose

lasting impact is impossible to predict. However, the current

internal crisis threatening Israeli democracy, the Middle

East's sole one, is due to the most extreme coalition

government in Israel's history attempting to alter its

Western liberal orientation by disabling the Supreme Court's

standing as an independent Judiciary. Consequently, the

unprecedented mass demonstrations for months in opposition to

the proposed radical agenda which I watched in disbelief and

participated in, have reflected a powerfull popular response

determined to preserve Israel as both the Jewish and

democratic state envisioned by its founders. Already

adversely affected are the Israeli economy, military, public

health, the woman's status, education, Pride community and

society at large, while Israel's enemies, Iran and its

proxies, become further emboldened. The special relationship

between Israel and the United States is at risk as well as

the essential bond between Israel and American Jewry.

With heartfelt, even prophetic pathos and deep grasp of the

multi-layered Israeli scene since its inception and prior,

veteran Israeli author Ari Shavit offers us a concise

manifesto for urgent action with the goal of ``Saving

Israel,'' his recent book's alarming title (Saving Israel.

Rishon LeZion: Miskal- Yedioth Ahronoth Books and Chemed

Books. 2023). He begins with a statement of both profound

gratitude and grave concern, ``the State of Israel is a

miracle. No other nation did what we have: To build anew a

national home following two thousand years. No progressive

democracy succeeded to flourish as we have, following a Shoah

and living under a volcano. Despite all the troubles,

problems, weaknesses, difficulties and blemishes--The Zionist

dream has been realized. The people of Israel lives and the

state of Israel lives. Our sons and daughters have in our

ancestral land what our grandfathers and grandmothers did

not: Sovereignty, freedom, prosperity, pride and progress.

Being a technological, economic, military and political

super-power, Israel of the 21st century is a strong country

capable of shaping its own fate and march toward a brilliant

future. But the deep 2023 crisis threatens the Israeli

miracle and erasing our astonishing successes, leaving us

homeless.''

Shavit does not mince words. On the one hand, heaps praise

upon Israel's successes though Israel is not a global, as the

author claims, but a regional superpower. In light of trying

beginnings and facing monumental challenges that were likely

to doom the fragile creation: Attacks from a collection of

superior military establishments while absorbing penniless

immigrants from west and east three times larger in size,

into a war zone with meager resources. On the other hand, he

bemoans the Jewish people's destructive tendencies that

brought down Jewish sovereignty and led into long exile and

ultimately a consuming Holocaust. ``And the Jewish people has

multi-talents though sorrowfully it lacks the talent to be a

people. It tends toward extremism, internal strife and self-

destruction . . . Israel needs to be both powerful and

ethical, both national and liberal, both Jewish and

democratic. Only a combination of resoluteness and openness

will guarantee that not weakness nor zealousness will bring

us again to the pit's cusp.''

The author is convinced that the goal is within reach

though the hour is late and the Israelis with all their

complexities and tribal tendencies ought not further delay.

He thus concludes, ``The good and silent great Israeli

majority will not remain still. The democratic Jews will not

let a wondrous national and human enterprise to go down. For

all of us have a stake in this special place. And we all know

that there wouldn't be a Fourth Commonwealth. The Third

Commonwealth is the Jewish people's last opportunity. With

determination, love and faith we'll defend Israel and rebuild

the house.''

Rabbi Israel Zoberman is founder of Temple of Lev Tikvah in Virginia Beach.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained due to family obligations, I regret missing the 3 votes on December 11, 2023. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 707, YEA on Roll Call No. 708, and YEA on Roll Call No. 709.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have had the honor of working on this important legislation for months and am proud of the final bipartisan bill we produced to strengthen our national security.

One of the main reasons I came to Congress was to restore America's military strength and improve the quality of life for our servicemen and -women. This bill takes several critical steps to help us achieve that goal.

In total, this year's NDAA authorizes $886 billion in national defense discretionary programs with the focus on improving our readiness and recruitment, supporting our servicemembers and their families, strengthening partnerships with our allies, increasing the lethality of our Joint Force, equipping our warfighters to successfully complete their mission, and ensuring vigorous oversight of taxpayer dollars at the Pentagon.

I wanted to speak specifically to a few components of the NDAA, why it is a great bill, why I am excited to support it and encourage my colleagues to do the same.

First of all, a large component of the NDAA is about supporting our servicemembers and their families. It secures the largest pay raise in 20 years for our servicemembers at 5.2 percent. We continue to see our servicemembers struggling with the economy. They are unable to afford things, not just gas and groceries, but things like buying a new home, buying a new car. We have servicemembers that still qualify for things like SNAP benefits and WIC benefits. We still see food pantries that exist on our bases. Providing that important pay raise, again the largest in over 20 years, was a very important component of taking care of our men and women.

This NDAA also authorizes $356 million over the President's budget request to renovate and build new barracks. We had a GAO report come out recently that really highlighted some of our insufficiencies when it comes to housing, especially unaccompanied housing--the mold issues, the pest issues, and the out-of-date infrastructure that is old and dilapidated. We can do better for our servicemen and -women. This bill provides just that.

It is a starting point. There is a lot to do, but I am excited to support it for that reason. The NDAA also includes a parents bill of rights at DOD schools.

I represent Virginia's Second Congressional District, so it is kind of the birthplace of the parents' rights matter movement. We were able to incorporate why it is important to have parents involved in their children's school into this NDAA piece so that it applies to DOD schools as well.

The bill also authorizes DOD to reduce the out-of-pocket childcare expenses for military families and provides $153 million over the President's budget request for the construction of new childcare centers. In my district, I have Naval Air Station Oceana. Our base has over 1,600 people on the waiting list. That is not acceptable, and my base is not alone.

If you were to look at other bases, they have the same amount on their waiting lists. We can do better than this. It is an important way to support our servicemembers and their families.

This bill also authorizes an additional berthing barge to provide a safe and healthy housing alternative for Navy servicemembers during dry-dock availabilities. We just had an article come out about the USS Stennis in Newport News, which is where the shipyard is. It will be the first to have off-ship housing, free WiFi, and better parking. We have to take care of our servicemen and -women who are in these extended port periods, especially when their ships are being repaired. This bill does just that.

This NDAA also provides oversight for taxpayer dollars. It cuts $37 billion in inefficient weapons systems, Defense programs, and Pentagon bureaucracy. It requires mandatory DOD audits, and it also establishes a special inspector general to oversee and monitor security assistance going to Ukraine.

I have been a supporter of Ukraine. I think we need to continue to support that fight in Ukraine; however, it cannot be a blank check. There has to be some accountability, and this inspector general will do just that.

This NDAA also improves readiness and recruitment, and this is something I have been focused on. We have a recruitment, retention, quality of life task force that has been part of our Armed Services Committee. We have been focusing on that for several months now. This NDAA is a good place to start.

It creates a grant program to expand the capacity of our shipyards. We see

that we are behind in our shipbuilding capacity. We know that China is outpacing us. China is rapidly approaching 400 ships, while we are hovering at just under 300. It is so important that we invest in that shipbuilding piece and, additionally, supporting our ship repair industry.

This bill also increases the number of Junior ROTC programs and instructors at U.S. high schools. That is such an important part of our recruiting for our Armed Forces. I want people to be in our great Navy and Army and Air Force and to join our great military. It is a great way for people to have jobs and education benefits and healthcare. Plus, there is no better place to advertise for our military than starting with our young people. Putting that investment in the JROTC programs is so important, and this NDAA does that.

This bill also extends military recruitment and retention bonuses and special pay authorizations. We have got to stay competitive with civilian jobs that are out there. I know there is a lot of competition in workplaces, and this NDAA will help the military to stay competitive.

It also rejects the Biden administration's efforts to reduce the size of our Navy by protecting four battle force ships with years of service life remaining. The President had asked to decommission eight ships, and we reduced that number to four. We really can't afford to decommission any ships, in my opinion, but we cut it to four. We have to make sure that we are providing oversight of the money and investment that we are putting in ship repair. We need to watch that our ships are getting repaired and they are getting repaired on schedule because we need every single one of them.

This bill also establishes enlisted training pilot programs at community colleges offering more educational opportunities for our enlisted servicemen and -women. It prohibits DOD from contracting with any CCP or Chinese-owned or controlled company operating in the U.S., which is such an important piece of national security.

This NDAA also strengthens partnerships with our allies. We need our friends now more than ever. This bill fully funds our Pacific Deterrence Initiative. It provides for the implementation of the AUKUS agreement with Australia, unlocking over $3 billion in Australian investments in the U.S. submarine industrial base.

It authorizes over $987 million in INDOPACOM Commander priorities, which were left unfunded in the Biden budget. It strengthens training and advising for the military forces of Taiwan and extends authority for the transfer of weapons systems, as well as precision-guided munitions to Israel.

This NDAA also protects our own national security. We do have some border wins that we were able to get and secure in this NDAA. It fully funds the deployment of National Guardsmen in support of Border Patrol activities. It extends the Pacific Deterrence Initiative to enhance U.S. deterrence and defense posture in the Indo-Pacific region. It funds initiative of $14.7 billion, an increase of $5.6 billion over the budget request. It prohibits the DOD from reducing the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles below 400 or reducing the responsiveness or alert status of the arsenal.

I am also proud that my colleagues from both sides of the aisle supported my effort to include critical provisions from my Sailor Standard of Care Act in our Nation's most important Defense bill. These provisions will directly benefit servicemembers and their families in Hampton Roads and throughout the country by improving our servicemembers' quality of life by increasing access to mental health care.

As a nurse practitioner, focusing on mental health care, especially for our military members and especially for our veterans, has been something that I fight for every single day. We had provisions of the Sailor Standard of Care Act get into the NDAA and into the Conference version, which we will be voting on tomorrow.

Some of those provisions are that it examines reimbursement rates for mental health care providers under TRICARE.

When I meet with mental health care providers in my district, and throughout the country really, they have that same concern, they want to be reimbursed. There are not enough of them.

We want them to be partners in care for our military members and our veterans, so we need to make sure we are providing that reimbursement, and we are providing it in a timely manner.

This bill also directs the Navy to look into constructing and managing a dashboard to track quality-of-life programs and their utilization rate. So we are looking at things like healthcare, childcare, spouse employment, housing, and we are making sure we are providing the best services we can, again, for our military.

This bill requires a report on the feasibility of expanding TRICARE for life to include a benefit for the SilverSneakers program, mimicking the existing benefit that is included under some of our Medicare Advantage programs.

We had constituents that asked for this program. They want to utilize public gyms and recreation facilities, and so we would like the TRICARE program to cover it for our older adults who would love nothing more than to go exercise.

This bill also assesses the feasibility of providing additional mental health resources to limited-duty sailors. In Hampton Roads, we saw an increase in the suicide rates for sailors that we took out of the workplace, that we took out of the mission, and we kind of had them in a waiting area.

In this bill, we are looking at how long is that taking to medically process people out?

Are we providing those mandatory mental health screenings?

Are we taking care of them? Who is providing that care?

This bill is going to look at expanding that care so that chaplains can do it and corpsmen can do it. There is a shortage of mental health care providers. So really looking holistically at how we are providing the mental health services to our servicemen and -women and providing them with the best mental health services that we can.

The harsh reality is that the world is a dangerous place. The United States and its allies are facing unprecedented and rapidly evolving threats across the globe. China is outpacing us in warship production. China has 350 ships and is quickly moving to 400 ships compared with our 293.

Iranian proxies have attacked American bases and troops stationed overseas over 46 times since October 17. Israel is countering the most horrific attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

North Korea launched its first military reconnaissance satellite into orbit last month with the help of Russia. Russian aggression continues in Ukraine, with Putin threatening to go after NATO member countries next.

Now more than ever, we must prioritize and project American strength across the globe. This legislation goes a long way in achieving that goal. The goal of this legislation is deterrence, it is all about peace through strength. America leads the world in peacekeeping forces, and it is so important. I can think of no other country that I would want to have this role than our great Nation, the United States.

In closing, Madam Speaker, the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act ensures our military can remain the best in the world. It refocuses our Nation's efforts on advancing military readiness and quality of life to make sure our men and women in uniform are ready to fight tonight.

As a former Navy helicopter pilot, as a third-generation veteran, military spouse, and mother to children who serve, I will always be the loudest voice for our military men and women in Congress. I urge all of my colleagues to support this critical legislation.

Passing this year's NDAA by a wide bipartisan margin would send an important signal to the men and women defending our freedom that those of us in Congress will rise above our differences to prioritize their needs and our national security above all else.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my Caregiver Outreach and Program Enhancement Act. Known as the COPE Act, this bill takes an important step toward providing mental health resources to those who care for our Nation's veterans. Specifically, this legislation would authorize the VA to provide grants to organizations that support family caregivers' mental health.

Caregivers play a critical role in the lives of older Americans, especially our veterans. As the only geriatric nurse practitioner in Congress, I have seen firsthand the positive impact caregivers have in the lives of the people they care for.

When I was practicing in clinic settings, I had countless conversations with the people who cared for my patients. I know that this genuinely rewarding role comes with immense emotional challenges, as well. These dedicated individuals frequently put aside their own needs to care for their loved ones and desperately need to have the resources at their disposal to effectively handle the stress of taking on such a role.

By ensuring veteran caregivers can properly take care of their mental health, the COPE Act will improve the lives of our Nation's heroes and solidify the support system they need to age with dignity. The VA offers so many great benefits and programs, unfortunately navigating the wide range of these benefits and programs is so complicated that many are unaware that they might qualify for them or that these services even exist at all.

My legislation also seeks to fix this problem by requiring the VA to reach out to eligible veteran caregivers and make them aware of the mental health benefits available to them.

I am very proud that another bipartisan bill of mine, the VA Medical Center Security Reporting Act, is included in this version of the COPE Act that is being considered today.

From 2018 to 2021, violent crimes at VA medical center campuses more than doubled from 3,141 to 6,505.

There is a significant lack of important statistics and information relevant to crime and safety on VA campuses, including the vacancy rate for VA police departments, availability of issued equipment, and recommendations to address and reduce criminal activity at medical centers.

By ensuring these statistics are properly reported, my legislation will equip us with the information we need to address the increasing crime at VA medical centers, support our law enforcement officers, and provide veterans with a safe environment to receive the quality healthcare they have earned and deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I am the granddaughter of a veteran, the daughter of a veteran, the wife of a veteran, and the mother of future veterans, and I served 10 years myself in the Navy as a helicopter pilot. I am also blessed to represent one of the largest veteran populations in the country in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Improving the lives of our Nation's heroes is and always will be one of my top priorities in Congress, and this bill helps to do just that.

In closing, I thank Chairman Bost for moving this legislation through the Veterans' Affairs Committee as well as my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Representative Chrissy Houlahan and Chris Pappas, who joined me in introducing these important bills.

I am confident that with the passage of this legislation, we as a country will move closer to fulfilling our promise to provide for America's veteran population and those who care for them.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the COPE Act.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 5283, the Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act.

For 3 years, Americans have experienced the repercussions of the Biden administration's failed border policies.

In fiscal year 2023 alone, over 2.4 million migrants were apprehended illegally crossing our southern border with drug smugglers, human traffickers, terrorists, and other dangerous criminals taking advantage of our porous border.

This crisis has affected every facet of our Nation, including our National Park Service.

In September, the Biden administration signed a lease with New York City to house at least 2,000 illegal migrants in a tent encampment at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn which sits on Federal land.

This encampment conflicts with Federal law, takes away from the field's taxpayer-funded recreational activities, and raises serious safety concerns both for those who would be housed there and for those who live nearby, as it puts an undue burden on law enforcement.

A couple of months ago in the Natural Resources Committee, we actually heard from people who represented the Park Service and lived and worked in New York City, including law enforcement. I feel that it is our job as Representatives to be listening to the people who actually live and work in those communities to have legislation that makes an impact there.

They are the ones that told us about the security concerns and the concerns from tourists. What were the children and people who are encamped there doing on a daily basis?

Some of the issues they had were with criminal activity and how it interfered with the recreational purposes of that park. Americans shouldn't be deprived access to national parks and lands paid for by their tax dollars because of this administration's destructive immigration policies.

This bill, that I was proud to work on as a member of the Natural Resources Committee, would reverse the decision to lease Park Service land to New York City to house illegal migrants and prohibit the Biden administration from doing so with any Federal lands in the future.

Mr. Chair, I came to Washington to restore commonsense leadership, and with this bill we have an opportunity to do just that.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5283.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Inaugural National Certified

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Virginia Beach Sheriff Ken Stolle, who recently retired after an incredibly successful 43-year career in public service.

During his 13-year tenure as sheriff, Ken Stolle brought about numerous positive changes for our local law enforcement officers and our community, including creating a successful transition program for inmates at the end of their sentences, implementing body cameras for all Virginia Beach sheriff's deputies, and establishing successful mental health programs for those serving time in the prison system.

Stolle was often quoted as saying he ran the largest mental health facility in Hampton Roads, and his emphasis on this issue led to policies that have been a blueprint for agencies across the country.

Before serving as sheriff of Virginia Beach, Ken worked for the Virginia Beach Police Department, practiced law in Hampton Roads, represented Virginia Beach in the Virginia State Senate, and served our great Nation as a United States Navy reservist.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Sheriff Stolle for his many years of service to our community, our Commonwealth, and our country. We wish him the best of luck in retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained due to local and state elections in my district, and I regret missing the votes on the Amendments to H.R. 4820, Making Appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, HUD, an related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024. Had I been present, I would have voted nay on Roll Call No. 613; yea on Roll Call No. 614; nay on Roll Call No. 615; nay on Roll Call No. 617; nay on Roll Call No. 618; yea on Roll Call No. 619; and nay on Roll Call No. 620.