Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, as a proud native Michigander, I am keenly aware of the importance of our Great Lakes. I grew up enjoying the national treasure of the Great Lakes, and I want the same opportunity for my three young boys and for generations and centuries beyond.

Michigan was blessed with a bountiful abundance of natural resources, holding the second-most coastline of any State in the Union because of our Great Lakes.

Our Great Lakes are too important to neglect. They are too important for our economy, national security, and Michigan's way of life.

Mr. Speaker, that is why I joined a bipartisan, bicameral delegation to introduce legislation that would extend the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. With the Great Lakes contributing over 90 percent of our Nation's fresh surface water and being the world's largest store of freshwater, it is critical that we continue to allocate resources to the GLRI.

The Great Lakes generate $62 billion in wages annually, and every dollar invested in the GLRI yields $3.35 of economic activity. It is literally a good investment and good for our environment, too.

Mr. Speaker, I implore all of my colleagues to support the GLRI extension to bolster the prosperity of our communities while simultaneously affirming our commitment to preserving the health and vitality of the Great Lakes for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 9, 2024; and further, when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, when it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Madam Speaker, while we often recognize noteworthy and acclaimed personalities, we have so many other great, unsung heroes and amazing souls who do a ton of heavy lifting with little to no recognition. Yet, if truth be told, they serve as the glue, sturdiness, strength, and all that is good about America. They go about their jobs quietly, without having the expectation of recognition. In fact, they do what they do because it is God's work, it is the right thing to do.

I am privileged to be in a position where I can acknowledge one such unsung hero who happens to be the grand matriarch of my family. Born February 14, 1929, to William E. and Lillie Mae Ward, she is my grandmother, Ms. Annie Ruth Nicks. In a few days, we are blessed to celebrate her 95th birthday.

I am standing here on the shoulders of giants, her shoulders, four generations removed from slavery, because my grandmother has always covered me in prayer, has always had my back when I needed her the most, and because she didn't kill me as a child when I put a hole in her wall, flung applesauce on her ceiling, and played with matches too close to the house in the Mississippi summertime. I thank my Grandma and wish her a happy birthday.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Biden administration just announced a total pause on new export permits for liquid natural gas, all in the name of climate change.

I am from Michigan, the Great Lakes State. We all love clean air and clean water. Michigan is the home of the automotive industry, and the longest coastline of any place in America with our Great Lakes, protecting both our table stakes. To those ends, LNG is one of the cleanest energy fuels on the Earth, mined with American labor according to the strictest environmental and safety standards in the world.

However, this administration has decided to play politics with not just our energy security but also our national security. Let me be clear. This administration does not hate oil and gas; they hate American oil and gas.

Since he has been sworn in, Biden has waged war on American industry. He has crippled the very industry that our prosperity and security rely on and the very reason the U.S. dollar is the currency of global trade, yet he has made us dependent on our adversaries, including Russia, China, and Iran.

If we had just done what President Trump asked of our allies in shutting down Nord Stream 2, Putin would not have been able to fund his war against Ukraine in the first place, but I digress.

Mr. Speaker, this war on LNG is going to impact my State specifically. Michigan has the most underground natural gas storage in the entire country, with 1.1 trillion cubic feet of underground storage. That is one-eighth of the Nation's natural gas storage capacity.

Mr. Speaker, the Biden administration's energy policies are insane. We cannot allow this administration to continue relying on dictators and despots from Tehran to Caracas to keep our supply chain moving and our homes heated. That would be like asking the fox to lock up the chicken coop at night or Secretary Mayorkas to watch the border.

By pursuing energy independence using safe, American-made energy, we lower prices, grow jobs, and reshore domestic manufacturing.

That is why I voted in favor of H.R. 1 alongside 225 of my Republican and Democratic colleagues. H.R. 1 would unleash American oil and natural gas while securing our critical supply chains. It would ensure that America is energy independent, prepared for threats down the road.

This makes certain that America has the resources necessary to defend and protect herself while also assuring that blue-collar families in my district can afford to keep their lights on and their gas tanks full without breaking the bank.

Mr. Speaker, I will continue to champion energy that is made in America and hold Biden accountable for the foolish games he is playing with our future.

Mr. Speaker, Governor Granholm's policies crushed the State of Michigan. I will not stand idly by while Energy Secretary Granholm's policies crush the United States of America.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my resolution, H.J. Res. 98, to provide for congressional disapproval of the NLRB's recent joint employer rule.

I first thank the esteemed Member from North Carolina, Chairwoman Foxx, and her staff for working with me and my staff to get this joint resolution to the floor and, hopefully, through to the Senate.

I have been here for about a year, and it is readily apparent to me that too many people in this town are making rules that they will never live by in an area where they have never had to survive in the business world. Additionally, too many of my colleagues seem to be convinced that small business is the enemy and Big Government is here to save them.

Plainly put, this joint employer rule is part of the Biden administration's antifreedom, antigrowth, and antibusiness agenda that is gutting the American Dream.

Madam Speaker, the American people don't want Washington telling them how to start or manage a business in this country.

Don't take it from me. Franchise owners in my district have conveyed to me that they are choosing retirement over dealing with this harmful policy. They want the chance to create a better life for their families and their employees' families and not be controlled by out-of-control bureaucrats at the NLRB.

We already have the right to collectively bargain in this country, but this rule goes too far. This is the most glaring evidence yet that capitalism and choice are threats to this administration's socialist America last agenda.

When this regulation was enacted under the Obama administration, it cost franchise businesses $33.3 billion per year. According to the International Franchise Association, around 26 percent of franchises are owned by people of color compared with 17 percent of independent businesses generally.

Madam Speaker, I fear this harmful rule will lead to job losses, increases in the cost of living, and for Americans already suffering, fewer American Dreams being realized, as well.

It burns me up when I hear politicians talk about creating jobs. Politicians can't create jobs, but they sure can kill them. That is what this regulation does.

Bureaucrats don't create jobs; businesses create jobs. Republicans aim to make policy that will not only result in more jobs but more job creators.

These job creators, these entrepreneurs, these franchisees, and these independent contractors create good-paying jobs and give people opportunities to succeed. Overturning this joint employer rule is just the first step in the right direction.

I am the walking result of the American Dream. My father started our family business with one truck, one trailer, and no excuses. He worked 25 hours a day and 8 days a week with my mother by his side. When he handed that business down, my brother and I, with a wonderful team and the grace of God, were helped to grow it to higher heights. We put more effort into it, and that is the story of how this Nation grows and becomes more successful. Nonetheless, we can't allow this story to end.

Madam Speaker, I implore my colleagues to remember that small business on Main Street in their districts when they cast their vote today because the small business on Main Street will certainly remember them in November.

For these reasons and more, Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.J. Res. 98.

Madam Chair, this is not political theater, far from it. This is accountability to the American people.

I rise today in support of this amendment to reduce the salary of Secretary Granholm to $1 because I cannot make her pay us back.

The job of the Secretary of Energy is to secure American energy independence, but she is not securing American energy independence. She is depleting it, and she should be held accountable to the people for failing to deliver on her job.

You see, Madam Speaker, before Ms. Granholm was Energy Secretary, she promoted the same failed policies while serving as Governor of Michigan and presided over what is now known as Michigan's Lost Decade, a legacy that we are still paying for at home.

She presided over the mass exodus of our jobs and our children from our State. She presided over the crippling of our economy, foreclosures of so many of our homes, and the closing of our businesses.

She embarrassed us with the RASCO fiasco when she offered $9 million in tax credits to promote a job program that actually went to a convicted embezzler who lived out of a trailer.

You know what she did when she was done gutting and embarrassing our State, Madam Speaker? She left. She got on a plane and headed for California where she took a faculty position at Berkeley while leaving Michiganders at home struggling in the snow.

Madam Chair, while this amendment today is not about her time in Michigan, past behavior is the best indicator of future performance.

We should be appalled but not surprised by the same malpractice, malfeasance, and mistreatment of the office that she assumes currently, and she has inflicted serious pain on the

American people and jeopardizes our American independence moving forward.

Since this administration took office, Madam Chair, we have gone from energy independence to energy reliance on dictators and despots around the world.

Secretary Granholm sold off our Strategic Petroleum Reserve and sold out Americans and our national security. All the worse, she went on television and laughed in our faces just before gas prices hit their peak.

The American people's pain is their plan, Madam Chair. They are making gas unaffordable and are trading away our national resources to China, our number one adversary, all so they can implement their pipe dream of forced EV transition. I won't call it treason, but many in my district have.

The policies she is seeking to impose, the billions of dollars in penalties for our autos through her EV mandates would crater the number one industry in Michigan.

We do not fear the future, but we demand to be a part of it. Madam Chair, the consequence of her failures is the reason folks in my district are standing on a picket line right now.

The unrealistic, untimely, and unjust forced EV mandates she supports is building the Chinese middle class on the backs of middle-class families in Michigan and around America.

It is time for her to pay, and Congress is holding her accountable. This is the essence of what the Article I branch of government should be doing. It is holding an out-of-control administration accountable to the people. She failed in Michigan, and we will not let her fail America.

This is a warning to the American people that policies that hurt them will stop with the 118th Congress.

These policies have not worked anywhere. They have tried and they have failed. In the real world, failure means your employer takes your pay. This town needs to start operating a little bit more like the real world.

Madam Chair, that is why I support this resolution, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support it as well.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to say something that possibly no one in this Chamber's storied history has ever said: The Detroit Lions are the best team in football--you heard me--at least after week one.

The Detroit Lions went into Arrowhead Stadium last week, faced the 2023 Super Bowl champions, and walked away with a W.

Now, it used to be considered child abuse to turn your children into Lions fans. I have three little boys: John, 9, Hudson, 8, and Christian, 4. We all love the Lions.

Detroit football is back. When was the last time the Detroit Lions were the first team to score in the NFL season? When was the last time that on third and short, we actually ran the ball and made a first down? When was the last time there was a team on fourth and 25, deep in their own territory in the fourth quarter, and it not be the Detroit Lions?

This is an indication that we have turned a new leaf, and the good days are ahead.

I am 42, and this might be the best year in my football life after the Michigan Wolverines have beaten the Ohio State Buckeyes 2 years in a row and the Detroit Lions have only lost two games since last October.

Now, of course, we need to keep winning under our boy Dan Campbell's outstanding leadership and his staff, but I know our boys in southeast Michigan have what it takes to win.

The Detroit Lions' very first game at Ford Field is this Sunday, and Lions fans, I need you to make this the loudest game in Ford Field history, even louder than we were when we played the Bears in 2011 on Monday Night Football. Let's show up and show out.

Lions, I love you. Keep grinding. Let's restore the roar. Let's go 17-0 and not just win the NFC North title but the whole doggone thing. Let's win the Super Bowl.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for wearing Honolulu blue. Oh, shoot. He is gone. Well, I appreciate you wearing blue today for the Lions, Mr. Yakym. Go Lions.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3395) to direct the Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission to seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center to evaluate foreign ownership of marine terminals at the 15 largest United States container ports, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record on H.R. 3395, as amended.

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

H.R. 3395, as amended, requires a study on the implication of foreign ownership of marine terminals at United States container ports.

Not only will the study examine the nationality of the firms owning marine terminals at 15 of the largest United States ports, but it will also specifically focus on whether ownership is held by entities or nationals of countries adversarial to our Nation, including affiliations with China or Russia.

Further, the study will assess whether Port Infrastructure Development Grant and Port Security Grant funds have been awarded to ports that are wholly or partially foreign-owned.

These findings will help the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure hold the administration accountable for how Federal funds are allocated and inform the committee's work on the efficient movement of goods through the supply chain.

I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Auchincloss) for introducing this bill.

As a supply chain logistics professional in my prior life, I understand how critical this is to our Nation's infrastructure and to our economic prosperity moving forward in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers. I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

The report directed by this bill will help inform the committee's work and protect our ports and supply chains against foreign adversaries.

As we have seen these past few years, disruptions in the supply chain have a widespread impact across our Nation. We should take the necessary steps to understand the potential vulnerabilities in our supply chain and work to address them.

Mr. Speaker, I again, thank the sponsor of this bill for his work, and I urge support. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3399) to study the security of the Soo Locks and effects on the supply chain resulting from a malfunction or failure of the Soo Locks, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on H.R. 3399.

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

Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I am grateful for the bipartisan support of

my colleagues in Michigan, General Bergman, along with Representatives Scholten and Kildee, for cosponsoring this very important legislation.

H.R. 3399, the Soo Locks Security and Economic Report Act of 2023, is proof that fortifying our national security and strengthening our economy transcends partisan politics.

The Soo Locks are a feat of human ingenuity and a point of pride for all Michiganders. The Army Corps of Engineers has nicknamed the Soo Locks the ``linchpin of the Great Lakes,'' and for good reason. The locks connect both Lake Superior and Lake Huron.

They play a vital role in transporting goods and resources not just throughout the Great Lakes, but all around the world. An average of 7,000 vessels pass through the locks every single year, and with it, over 90 percent of the world's iron ore.

As the hub of America's vehicle industry and one of the most critical States for our military industry, Michigan relies on the locks to get necessary materials in and out of the State. The Soo Locks aren't just important for my home State, they are also critical for every State and for our national security.

As stated above, over 90 percent of the world's iron ore flows through the Soo Locks. Michigan is home to the third largest land border in the country. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the congressman representing Michigan's 10th Congressional District, America's number one manufacturing district, it is my job to safeguard our national defense and vital commerce by finding ways to secure our essential infrastructure. An unexpected closure of the Soo Locks would threaten both.

In 2015, the Department of Homeland Security found that a 6-month shutdown would be disastrous: Recession, closed factories, shuttered mines, a pause in U.S. auto and appliance production for most of the year. Around 11 million jobs could be lost nationwide. That is the entirety of Michigan's population.

Let's think of that. Our economy would be critically harmed and might never recover.

A 2018 study concluded that an unexpected outage in the 1,200-foot- long Poe lock would create a bottleneck that would disrupt the supply chain for steel production and wreak havoc in Michigan manufacturing, particularly in the automotive industry.

That is why I introduced the Soo Locks Security and Economic Reporting Act of 2023, and this is why we must together pass this legislation. This is a commonsense measure that simply asks the Secretaries of Transportation and Defense, along with the commandant of the Coast Guard, to study potential security risks of the Soo Locks.

It would examine the economic consequences in the event of operational failure. Finally, it asks these departments to provide recommendations, as well as the cost of these recommendations to Congress.

This legislation is a commonsense step toward protecting the infrastructure that keeps this country running. Failing to move forward on this bill doesn't just jeopardize America's national security, it leaves our country vulnerable to an economic crisis that is unacceptable.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3399, the Soo Lock Security and Economic Reporting Act of 2023, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber), a Lake Superior State University graduate.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for his leadership on this matter, as well as his remarks, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Soo Locks are critical to international commerce and to our supply chain, and the report directed by this bill would provide important information to ensure their continued funding and operation.

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

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

Madam Speaker, over the weekend of July 4, sweet, precious, 2-year-old angel, Wynter Cole Smith of Lansing was kidnapped and killed by a truly evil person. Two years old, murdered with an iPhone charging cable. Everyone in Michigan is horrified by this heinous and despicable crime; a bright light snuffed out way too early.

Madam Speaker, our thoughts and prayers are with Wynter's family, and I ask that all Members in the Chamber and those in the gallery please rise for a moment of silence to honor and remember this beautiful, beautiful soul.

We love Wynter Cole Smith, and she will always be in our hearts.

Mr. Speaker, we had a slogan in Army aviation: ``High Above the Best.'' It was a reminder that the American people entrusted us, me and my men, to provide air support for the soldiers fighting for their lives on the ground each and every single day. Likewise, in Congress, our constituents, our customers, have entrusted our staff and myself to provide air support to the good people in our district fighting for their livelihoods each and every single day.

I stand here to say that my district staff has exemplified this slogan, ``High Above the Best.'' In under 6 months in this office, my team has already delivered on a monumental constituent casework milestone in a freshman office.

Earlier this month, my team surpassed $100,000 in Federal casework dollars returned to our constituents, to our customers. They are providing that air support to Michigan's 10th Congressional District, just like Army aviators.

It is a lot of work setting up a congressional office. Both our D.C. and district teams have burned the midnight oil to get everything up and running so

that we can serve you, our constituents, and deliver on the promises we made.

On top of all the work that had to be done getting our district office up and running, this staff delivered for the constituency and has returned over $100,000 in Federal dollars and about a trillion-and- a-half passport requests.

I recognize each and every single member of my district staff by name, in alphabetical other: Russ Cleary, Lisa Damon-Brown, Phil Rode, Linda Torp, and Kris Zrinyi.

I thank them all for helping me serve Michigan's 10th Congressional District, the greatest district in the United States of America.

Of the many cases my district team has closed this year, there are a couple that I reviewed that really stuck out to me.

We got a call from a veteran in our district who hadn't received his VA benefits in nearly 2 years. Together, my staff elevated this case within the VA and got them to act. Now, this veteran in my district has thousands in backpay and a monthly payment of roughly $2,000 that he earned serving our country in uniform.

My team also helped a single mother of two get her tax return from all the way back in 2015. This young mother is currently attending nursing school to better the future for herself and her two children and to serve her community. Between being a single mom and a student, she didn't have enough time in her busy schedule to work with the IRS, but she had time to give us a call. That is all that mattered. My diligent team was able to step up for her and help her to retrieve $9,000 from her tax return.

These are just two of the many stories and constituent cases that our district office worked so diligently to close over just the past 5 months--in under 6 months, under half a year. I am so grateful for all the work they have done for our constituents.

I am a combat veteran, but I am also a businessman, and I believe that constituent services, customer service, is why I am here.

Customer service, serving constituents, is my number one priority in Congress. I have served my country in combat, but the chance to serve this community is the honor of my lifetime. We are ready to continue to serve the good people of Michigan's 10th Congressional District. I thank them for trusting me to be High Above the Best.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of April 26, 2023, I call up the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 30) directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove all United States Armed Forces, other than United States Armed Forces assigned to protect the United States Embassy, from Somalia, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will start by commending both gentlemen from Florida for their concern about our Nation's ongoing military engagements. It is one I share as a veteran of the global war on terrorism.

Unfortunately, there are no silver bullets in policymaking, and when we try to make one, we usually end up shooting ourselves in the foot. It is for this reason and this reason alone that I stand in opposition.

I served in Operation Iraqi Freedom as an attack helicopter pilot. As a combat veteran, Mr. Speaker, I can assure you that no one hates war more than those who have come face-to-face with it. I do not look back on the days of American military overreach and intervention in the Middle East with nostalgia.

That said, as a West Point graduate, I understand history and the lessons it teaches. The siren song of isolationism is tempting, but allowing vacuums of American influence around the world to be filled by terrorists and exploited by communists is a direct threat to Americans at home.

While each Presidential administration has made errors in the conduct of its foreign policy since the tragedies of 9/11 22 years ago, the most egregious of these errors is continuing to concede America's diplomatic leverage and allowing our agricultural, manufacturing, and energy independence to erode.

It is Congress, this body, that has lazily conceded its constitutional duty to guard its war powers jealously from the executive branch. Congress' failure to hold each administration this century accountable for their vague, broad, and failing foreign policies may force Congress to exercise our war powers again in my lifetime.

That is why I agree with Mr. Gaetz, in large part, that war should never be on autopilot nor open-ended. Americans have the right and Congress has the responsibility to understand and approve of the sacrifice that we will be asking our country to make.

Our servicemembers are real people with families. They are sons and daughters. Many weren't even born when 9/11 occurred.

Congress needs to do its job, but it needs to do its job the right way. That is why, rather than continuing an open-ended, 22-year-old law, I believe we must work together to first replace it with an Authorization for Use of Military Force that focuses on today's critical terrorist threats and requires Congress to stay engaged.

We must prioritize first building an America that is strong at home, or we will never have hope of being strong abroad.

Regrettably, my friends, today's resolution does little toward those ends. It will merely direct the removal of U.S. forces from Somalia. That will not work.

Less than 2 years ago, we saw what happens when we pull troops with no plan. Joe Biden's botched Afghanistan withdrawal forced our troops to abandon billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded military equipment. It resulted in 13 young American servicemembers dead. It left hundreds of thousands of American veterans who served in Afghanistan wondering if their efforts were in vain. It embarrassed America on the world stage and left a gaping hole that China and the Taliban rushed to fill in.

What have we learned? The Biden administration responded with the Commander in Chief checking his watch during a dignified transfer of servicemembers killed, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin claiming he had no regrets about the withdrawal.

What have we learned?

Lest my argument be debased or derided as petty partisanship, let me flip the script.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you, what happened the last time Republicans tried to repeal something without a plan to replace it?

I tell you the truth: What happened then will pale in comparison to the consequences of ceding the global strategic high ground of the future to those who mean to harm us.

I will be the first to argue that we have become overdependent on the military rather than investing in ourselves, in our industrial base at home, wielding diplomacy, and harnessing economic statecraft as our tools of first resort.

There is no global stability when America is economically weak and militarily impulsive and has a reputation of retreat. The most devastating effect of abandoning our allies--even now, thousands of our fellow Americans are on the battlefield--is that our friends don't trust us and our enemies no longer fear us. If we want nations around the world to choose America instead of dictators and despots, we must give them a reason to do so.

This premature withdrawal from Somalia will be a great victory for a dangerous al-Qaida affiliate that seeks the death of America.

There is another group of adversaries to keep in mind, as well. Russia and the Communist Party of China would like nothing more than to see the U.S. take a foreign policy of isolationism. There is already a Chinese military base on the east coast of Djibouti. There are reports of more coming to the west coast of Africa, which will pose a direct threat to America.

If we cavalierly withdraw from Africa, the CCP will rush to fill in the void like they did in Afghanistan. By emboldening terrorists, Russia, and Communist China, this resolution would harm the national security of the United States.

Again, Mr. Speaker, I applaud the gentleman from Florida's initiative for forcing this long-overdue debate. I also applaud leadership for allowing it to come to the floor.

I invite the gentleman to work with me to end this executive overreach of over two decades, to pull back our war powers and Article I authority under the Constitution in a way that truly puts America first. As it stands today, regretfully, this resolution will not strengthen America at home or keep her safe abroad.

It is for that reason, and again, that reason alone, that I urge my colleagues to join me in opposition.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague, Mr. Gaetz. He makes a series of great points. The greatest, I believe, is our military cannot be used to fight an ideology. Unlimited war without checking by Congress is unconstitutional, and we must come up with a better solution, which is why the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and me, as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, recognizes that the DOD doesn't exist in a vacuum. We recognize that the State Department and USAID are present in building civilian leaders and institutions. We understand these institutions must work together with different mandates, and we are not shooting our way out of Somalia. We must provide additional ways to fix the problem.

I agree we cannot fight ideology with military. I look forward to working with all sides to figure out exactly how we can strengthen our ties to make sure that we have partners and move from aid to trade with a long-term partner.

We had a rousing speech from the President of South Korea just an hour ago where he mentioned the great aid that the United States taxpayers and the great investment that we have made over decades and years in South Korea. Now as a shining example, they are the 10th most wealthy country in the world because of America, our great generosity, and because we are exceptional.

I think we have a remarkable opportunity to do that and show that America truly should be the first choice and first option for folks around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Zinke).

Mr. Speaker, I think this is what we call a violent agreement. We need to fix the ills of the past with a solution for the future.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. McCormick).

Again, Mr. Speaker, I believe we are in violent agreement.

The gentleman from Georgia mentioned, I believe, and it is extremely appropriate, that this isn't about protecting another nation. It is about protecting ours.

Today, I think that we are just standing here, and I think if we were to take the vote on the floor, I am pretty sure that most of our colleagues would agree that the executive branch is abusing its power and that we as Congress have ceded our constitutional authority to hold them to account.

We should absolutely hold the executive branch to account for their two decades of missteps, but a number of my colleagues and I in the freshman class have been here but a mere 110 days. I am sure I can speak for most of us that we refuse to be held bound to the mistakes of the past.

We are inspired and excited to make sure that we correct those mistakes of the past with strong policy to benefit the American people and our allies in the future.

That requires not repealing something without a replacement.

That requires the executive branch to come to us for permission, as they are constitutionally obligated to do.

It is our duty to retain these authorities, but not proceeding without an event-based strategy rather than a time-based strategy.

Regrettably, I restate that this resolution does nothing toward those ends. It merely directs the removal of U.S. forces from Somalia within a time frame without regard for what may be going on on the ground.

Again, I applaud and appreciate forcing this debate. It is long overdue. I respect and thank the gentlemen, Representative Mills for his service and Representative Gaetz for forcing this very important debate.

I am looking forward to taking this up with the help of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks), my friend, in the House Foreign Affairs Committee to make sure that we can satisfy our obligations, first to the American people and also to our allies who count on us to take up the mantle and use global leadership not to be isolationist and also not to be imperialist but to make sure that we are staying strong at home first.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. I have the right to close, and I will continue to reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, again, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mills) are both very well-intentioned on this resolution today, and I firmly agree that Congress must reassert its Article I constitutional responsibility to declare war.

This body must replace the 22-year-old counterterrorism AUMF with an authorization that focuses specifically on the threats that we face today. Yes, it must be both time and event based because, frankly, when I heard Representative Gaetz, my colleague and a great patriot as well, mention this may not be a threat, I got shivers down my spine, and I remembered something when I heard former President Obama talk about ISIS as the JV team.

Under this administration, we have wide open borders, and frankly, it is a direct security threat. I am not comfortable taking our eye off the ball with an Al-Shabaab that is well funded that has designs on killing Americans.

This resolution, as a blanket statement, I do not believe accomplishes very specific, targeted time- and event-

based goals to keep Americans at home safe.

Our troop presence in Somalia is small, serving primarily in a training role. It has made critical national security gains. As I will mention again, I am a big Lions fan, and I learned growing up as a Lions fan that the reason we all knew the names of the offensive linemen is because our quarterbacks kept getting sacked. I learned very early that sometimes the best offensive linemen, the best small units are the ones you never know their name.

I believe that those nameless, faceless heroes all over the world in corners that the administration has not justified in 22 years deserve updated AUMFs with congressional authority and approval in order to justify their presence putting their lives on the line, being at risk, and being away from their families.

We all agree that the way we are doing things is wrong and must be fixed. Let's work together to fix it. We would not even be having this conversation if not for the courage of my colleagues to stand up and force the issue, so I personally thank them for forcing this debate. It is long overdue, and I am excited to do well by our servicemen and - women all over the country.

I again call on my colleagues to please join me in opposition to this resolution and commit to working with all of our colleagues to make sure that if the administration wants to send our men and women into harm's way, they better doggone well come to Congress first.

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

Roger, my brother. Go Army.

Mr. Speaker, it is in similar fashion that I approach this body out of respect for American life and our servicemembers, even as I watched the situation unfold in Sudan with shock nearly 2 weeks ago when rival forces started fighting in the streets of Khartoum.

It caught our entire diplomatic establishment by surprise, despite the many risks of trying to get the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces to integrate into one structure.

The fighting has been relentless, and except for a brief window in which we withdrew our diplomats, every cease-fire has failed to truly hold. There are pockets of less violence today in Khartoum, but that is because thousands upon thousands have already fled the bloodshed.

I want to commend the bravery of our brothers and sisters and their professionalism, those military servicemembers who conducted a successful extraction of our embassy personnel, flying missions in Chinooks over 800 miles through the night and accomplishing their mission flawlessly. It was a remarkable success.

I am glad that our diplomats are now out of harm's way, but there remains much more work to be done. Unfortunately, that work is not being conducted with the competency and urgency that the situation in Sudan demands.

Congress was told thousands of American civilians are still in Sudan, but the Department of State, as this administration has shown a penchant for, has left them behind to fend for themselves.

This policy that is furthered by this administration not only leaves Americans abroad vulnerable, but as targets to those who would hurt and kill us. This Department of State is proving time and time again that they are unable to perform their duties confidently. We must look into this as a body in Congress.

Right now, the Department of State is unable to provide an update of how many Americans have contacted the department for assistance. They either can't or they won't. In either case, they will be held to account.

The Department of State refuses to be honest and transparent about the structure of the task force, the number of consular offices answering the need of Americans on the ground, or to describe how those Americans waiting to get out are being assisted besides updates on the next foreign flight or vessel.

There are French planes assisting their citizens, there are Chinese ships assisting their citizens, and there is silence for the cries of American citizens in Sudan being ignored. In a world where we cannot shoot our way out of conflicts exclusively, we need our diplomats to show up and with a plan that will have the full support of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, our President came to this Chamber mere months ago and told us repeatedly that he wanted to finish the job. It is not clear, after seeing what is happening in Afghanistan and seeing what is happening at our borders and seeing what is happening in Sudan that he ever started the job to begin with. We need the leadership of this body to stand up for American citizens when this administration will not.

Mr. Speaker, America's fiscal trajectory is unsustainable. The threat of a potential U.S. Government debt default plays into China's longstanding grand strategy for expanding its global role and diminishing our influence. It is a matter of national security to get this under control.

When small businesses and families in my district and all across the country experience financial problems, they tighten their belts. They change their spending habits, and they expect Washington to do the same.

Instead, President Joe Biden stood in this very Chamber, gaslighted, fearmongered, and claimed Republicans want to sunset Social Security and Medicare while there are attacks on Republicans all over the country on this very same lie.

Why? To frighten seniors and hope the stampede would block Republicans from reining in his destructive, runaway spending. That is why I introduced the Protecting Social Security and Medicare Act the very next day.

I spoke with leadership in the following weeks about taking these very important critical programs off the negotiation table, and that is exactly what leadership did.

As we debate today, seniors can rest assured that the promises Republicans made to them will not be broken in this debate.

I am also voting for this bill because it does not include cuts to the Pentagon's budget, particularly to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, a pillar of my district, a crown jewel of the State of Michigan, and critical to our national defense against northern aggressors like China, Russia, and North Korea who may threaten us from abroad.

It is reasonable to disagree with any specific debt ceiling approach, and I am looking forward to continuing with the debate.

If President Biden continues to refuse to come to the table and negotiate in good faith, we will achieve historic default, putting our country's national security and families like mine and yours at economic risk in the future.