Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a true American treasure that I have the privilege to represent here in Congress. This year marks 100 years since the Grand Ole Opry first introduced audiences around the world to country music and to Nashville, Tennessee.

My home State of Tennessee is known for many things. If I had to list some of the most prominent, I might think of the Great Smoky Mountains or Elvis Presley. I would most certainly include the Grand Ole Opry.

Nashville is known around the world as Music City, USA. That would not be the case had it not been for the Opry. The longtime show isn't exclusive to Tennessee's story. No, it is part of American culture.

The Opry was around before the Great Depression and World War II. It has seen a lot, endured a lot, and served as a beacon of hope decade after decade. The program's venue has moved within Nashville a few times, but it is primarily known for two locations. They are the Ryman Auditorium off Broadway, downtown, and its current location on Opry Mills Drive. Both locations enjoy hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Without the Grand Ole Opry, we would likely not know names like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, or Willie Nelson. Heaven forbid, we might not even know Dolly Parton, had it not been for the show.

WSM, those are its call letters, was one of the first radio stations to connect urban and rural culture. The Opry was also a first to transform a hobby into a marketable and lucrative industry. Crossover artists are not uncommon today, but they were virtually

nonexistent before 1925. The Opry hosted honky-tonk, bluegrass, gospel, rockabilly, and many other performers. This paved the way for what we know today as country music.

From music legends to up-and-comers, musicians from around the world rightfully revere the Grand Ole Opry as a place of prestige, history, and continued relevance.

There are fewer than 100 members of the Grand Ole Opry. It is indeed an elite crowd of men and women who made the world better, who embody country music, and who are part of our shared heritage as Americans. In fact, that membership sits at the top of dozens of obituaries among some of our Nation's finest performers.

This year, Tripadvisor ranked Nashville sixth among the best American travel destinations. More than 17 million people visited last year. That is in large part because of the influence of the Grand Ole Opry over the last 100 years.

Mr. Speaker, any seat in the house will do at the Grand Ole Opry to bear witness to the iconic barn background behind the stage. The lights that look like stars above you and the acoustics around you make for an unforgettable evening. No matter how many chances I get to see a show in person, I always sense the history, the importance, and the joy that the Grand Ole Opry represents.

As the United States Representative of Tennessee's Sixth Congressional District, I rise today to enthusiastically congratulate the Grand Ole Opry on a century of entertainment and a century of significance. I am confident that the man or woman who is in my shoes 100 years from now will feel compelled to do the same.

Congratulating the Upperman Bees

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Upperman High School boys' basketball team on securing the first State championship in program history last month. The historic matchup was a nail-biter as the game was tied up for much of the night. Nonetheless, it ended with the Upperman Bees defeating the Tullahoma Wildcats 65-55.

This TSSAA Division 1 Class 3A BlueCross basketball championship win at Middle Tennessee State University puts their team at 32-3 on the season.

Again, I congratulate the players and their families. I also want to congratulate the coaches, including Head Coach Bobby McWilliams on the many hours they also put into this great win. Coach McWilliams says that focus was the key to their win. He says that his guys were locked in before they arrived at MTSU and it showed. Congratulations to the 2025 Tennessee State champion Upperman High School Bees.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a true American treasure that I have the privilege to represent in Congress. This year marks 100 years since the Grand Ole Opry first introduced audiences around the world to country music and to Nashville.

My home state of Tennessee is known for many things. If you had to list some of the most prominent, you might think of the Great Smoky Mountains of Elvis Presley, but you would most certainly include the Grand Ole Opry.

Nashville is known around the world as Music City USA. That would not he the case had it not been for the Opry. But the longtime show isn't exclusive to Tennessee's story. No, it's part of American culture.

The Opry was around before the Great Depression and World War II. It has seen a lot, endured a lot, and served as a beacon of hope decade after decade.

The program's venue has moved within Nashville a few times, but it is primarily known for two locations the Ryman Auditorium off Broadway and its current location on Opry Mills Drive. Both locations enjoy hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Without the Grand Ole Opry, we would likely not know the names Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, or Willie Nelson. Heaven-forbid, we might not even know Dolly Parton had it not been for the show.

WSM, those are its call letters, was one of the fist radio stations to connect urban and rural culture. The Opry was also a first to transform a hobby into a marketable and lucrative industry.

Crossover artists are not uncommon today. But they were virtually nonexistent before 1925. The Opry hosted honky-tonk, bluegrass, gospel, and rockabilly performers. This paved the way for what we know today as country music.

From music legends to up-and-comers, musicians around the world rightfully revere the Grand Ole Opry as a place of prestige, history, and continued relevance.

There are fewer than 100 members of the Grand Ole Opry. It is indeed an elite crowd of men and women who made the world better, who embody country music, and who are part of our shared heritage as Americans. In fact, that membership sits at the top of dozens of obituaries among some of our nation's finest performers.

This year, TripAdvisor ranked Nashville 6th among the best American travel destinations. More than 17 million people visited last year. That is in large part because of the influence of the Grand Ole Opry over the last 100 years.

Mr. Speaker, any seat in the house will do at the Grand Ole Opry. To beat witness to the iconic barn background behind the stage, the lights that look like stars above you, and the acoustics around you makes for an unforgettable evening. No matter how many chances I get to see a show in person, I always sense the history, the importance, and the joy that the Grand Ole Opry represents.

As the United States Representative of Tennessee's 6th Congressional District, I rise today to enthusiastically congratulate the Grand Ole Opry on a century of entertainment and a century of significance. I am confident the man or woman in my shoes 100 years from now will feel compelled to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the many families still grieving from the heinous assault that claimed 1,200 innocent lives on October 7, 2023.

Last Monday marked 500 days since Hamas terrorists perpetrated the unprovoked and truly evil attack. It was the deadliest assault on Israel and the Jewish community since the Holocaust.

I commend President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for their efforts to secure the recent cease-fire agreement. Because of their collaboration, we are seeing some of the 240 hostages being released, including Americans.

I urge my colleagues to keep the events of that horrific day top of mind. It is imperative that the United States show unwavering support for Israel and the Jewish community so that Hamas terrorists or any other bad actors never attempt another attack on our closest ally in the Middle East, Israel.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Macon County High School football team for securing their first state championship.

The Tigers advance to the playoffs often. They've done so 20 times in the last 55 years. But this year they captured the big Class 4A BlueCross Bowl Title after defeating Melrose 45 to 15.

Twin brothers, Zach and Gabe Borders are credited as standouts. Gabe ran for 117 yards and completed his team's only pass for a touchdown. His brother, Zach, earned MVP after his 250-yard performance, which included four rushing scores in the second half. The Tigers were fortunate to have both brothers on the field, especially considering Zach has undergone surgery and pins after multiple breaks to his collarbone.

I would now like to recognize everyone who carried the team to victory. Players included: Anthony Johnson, Cooper Carlisle, Isaac McClard, Baylon Hesson, Zach Borders, Kelby Wheeler, Bradyn Hasse, Gabe Borders, Kelen Hire, Kilian Jetton, Ty Young, Michael Bentley, Andrew Comer, Corey Underwood, Bradley Crawford, Mathew Wheeley, Hunter Jones, Taylen Swaffer, Luke Gammon, Braylon Flowers, Brennan Flowers, Jayden Cook, Michael Pelico, Braxton Boles, Tanner Gilmore, Tre McClain, Dakota Ridgeway, Hadyn Hasse, Trey Gann, Roberto Perez, Logan Tirjan, Mathew Brawner, Koen Kindle, Lamoney Mosley, Cooper East, Kade McKinney, Eli Gammon, Kellan Craft, Corbin Stephens, Dakota Hackert, Nicholas Goodrich, Owen Pitts, Dawson Whittemore, Brody Frye, Ethan Parker, Levi Edgmon, Jaxon Frye, Bo Warner, Hunter Griggs, Cooper Dunn, Emmerson Hubbard, Gavin Johnson, Ethan West, Bryson Wauford, Javier Rodriquez, Courtland Shrum, Zvi Rotstein, Colton Clark, James Clark, Aedan Hopson, Brock Buckalew, Wyatt Walrond, Ruben Valdez, Dayton Demmink-Harwood, Christian Sanchez, Dylan Stone, Jeremiah Vaughn Gilpin, Tyler Mossbarger, Gael Amaral Sanchez, Dillon Crutchfield, and Camren Miller.

I'd also like to recognize Head Coach Kyle Shoulders and assistant coaches: Isaac Belton, Lionel Borders, Sean Corbitt, Chris Escamilla, Ethan Jenkins, Ty Lowhorn, Brandon Nix, Jack Painter, Brandon Robertson, Drew Scott, Eli Stephenson, Chase Whittemore, and Spencer Young.

I congratulate all the players, the coaches, and their families. And congratulations to all who prayed over the health of the senior class.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Macon County High School football team for securing their first State championship.

The Tigers advance to the playoffs often. They have done so 20 times in the last 55 years. This year, they captured the big Class 4A BlueCross Bowl title after defeating Melrose 45-15.

Twin brothers, Zach and Gabe Borders, are credited as standouts. Gabe ran for 117 yards and completed his team's only pass for a touchdown. His brother, Zach, earned MVP after his 250-yard performance, which included four rushing scores in the second half.

The Tigers were fortunate to have both brothers on the field, especially considering that Zach has undergone surgery and has pins after multiple breaks to his collarbone.

I congratulate all of the players, their families, and Coach Kyle Shoulders, and I congratulate all who prayed over the health of this senior class.

Go Tigers.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) for yielding and for claiming the time this evening to acknowledge and honor our Nation's 83rd National Bible Week.

I rise today the week before we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ to celebrate and honor the book that reveals His life, His teachings, and His promise to save us if only we will accept and follow Him.

This amazing book is, of course, the Bible. You see, Mr. Speaker, there are many stories in the Bible, none arguably more important than the miracle of Jesus Christ's birth, death, and resurrection. However, the Bible also teaches us the story of God creating the Heavens and the Earth, of Adam and Eve, the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, as well as recounting many fantastical miracles.

Eighty-three years ago, our country was reeling following the devastating attacks on Pearl Harbor, an attack unfathomable at the time. In the immediate aftermath, our country came together to worship and celebrate our first-ever National Bible Week held December 8-14, 1941.

It is no surprise that following those devastating days in the creation of the first National Bible Week, 83 years later, we still celebrate it every year.

It is because even on our darkest days, Mr. Speaker, the Bible will always be there for us. Look no further than Philippians 4:4, which says: ``Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.''

We are reminded that joy is constant and takes place at all times with the Lord.

Psalms 118:24 which says: ``This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.''

A reminder that the Lord gives us today and every day, and we should celebrate it as a gift from God.

Mr. Speaker, I could go on about the number of Bible verses that have inspired me from the time I learned them in Sunday school until this very day when I pass those inspiring words onto my two young sons. There is no doubt that the Bible has had a tremendous impact on my life and will continue to do so.

That is why I feel so deeply about the continued importance of teaching the Lord's Word. At a time in our country when it seems we are straying from the Lord, we must lean in and encourage the teachings in the Bible.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage Tennesseans to join me in studying the good word in the Bible, passing its lessons down to our children, and living our lives according to Bible teaching. After all, there is no better way to celebrate and honor National Bible Week than by reading or teaching the Bible and living according to its Word.

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 topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, today, the House passed the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, otherwise known as the Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA.

The Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA will improve the quality of life for every servicemember who serves our great country. It restores the focus of our military on lethality, not woke ideology. It improves the military's ability to recruit and train our fighting forces to be able to deter China and our other adversaries. It also increases oversight and requires accountability of the Biden administration and the Department of Defense.

All of these tremendous accomplishments are why we are here tonight, Mr. Speaker.

To speak in support of this recently passed bill that will make our military great again, I am grateful for the Members who join me this evening to discuss this important bill to protect our country and restore our national security.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the State of Missouri (Mr. Alford).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Missouri for that heartfelt tribute and for his important remarks concerning the issue regarding the National Defense Authorization Act.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa).

Pacific Deterrence Initiative

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa) for sharing his thoughts on these important issues tonight, and I appreciate his remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I will close by reiterating our support of our servicemen and -women who defend our great country. Many of us have highlighted the improvement in the quality of life they will receive from the passage of this bill and it being signed into law by the President.

However, I would like to take a moment to highlight the impact it will have on Tennesseans serving in the armed services.

According to the House Armed Services Committee, this bill will provide a 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers and an average 4\1/2\ percent pay raise for Tennessee's 19,500 servicemembers.

It also expands the program to help Tennessee's 1,500 military spouses attain and retain employment.

Lastly, it expands access to childcare for the 2,800 children of military families in Tennessee.

These important provisions to increase servicemembers' pay, expand childcare services, and bolster efforts to assist military spouses are much-needed and well-deserved.

Servicemembers' families sacrifice a lot so that their loved ones can keep us safe. I am proud to support these provisions, and I am glad that they have been included in the final passage of the NDAA.

When Americans elected President Donald Trump to serve as the 47th President of the United States, they sent a clear message: We must deter

our adversaries, eliminate our enemies, protect the homeland, and support our troops.

That is exactly what this National Defense Authorization Act seeks to do. We are proud to see it pass and encourage the Senate to join us in passing this important legislation so that it can be sent to the President's desk to be signed into law.

Mr. Speaker, I thank everyone who has joined me this evening, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank our vice chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, for the last several weeks, I listened to countless concerns from literally hundreds of Tennesseans whom I have the honor to represent here in Congress. I heard from families still struggling to make ends meet because of rampant inflation. They are paying more for housing, groceries, energy, and just about everything else you can think of because of Bidenomics.

I listened to constituents who are worried about crime, fentanyl, and, yes, the overrun U.S.-Mexico border.

Small business owners expressed the heavy burden of government regulations. Parents told me the many ways government overreach in schools keeps them up at night.

It is not hyperbole to say that the results of this election were an answered

prayer for those Tennesseans and millions more across this country.

Throughout the 118th Congress, House Republicans fulfilled our Commitment to America. We passed bills to secure our borders, lower energy costs, curb Federal regulations, and restore fiscal sanity to our government, but unlike what we have seen for the last 2 years, the bills we pass in the 119th Congress will no longer be dead on arrival in the do-nothing Senate.

The next Congress will also have a Commander in Chief who values family, common sense, and strength on the world stage. We will have a partner in the White House who is willing to roll back red tape rather than layer on more. We will have a President willing to sign legislation into law that will keep American workers and their families working, safe, and prosperous.

But we are not waiting for January to deliver results, Mr. Speaker. This week, House Republicans will bring two commonsense pieces of legislation to the floor.

The first prohibits the IRS from charging penalties and late fees to Americans who happen to be late on filing their taxes due to being wrongfully detained abroad. American families of hostages held by Hamas terrorists shouldn't incur tax penalties. I proudly voted for this bill when it came up under suspension and plan to do so again.

The second bill aims to support our national security and energy independence by streamlining the permitting process for geothermal energy development. It requires the Interior Department to increase the frequency of geothermal lease sales to every year rather than every 2 years. It also calls on the Department to hold a replacement sale, if needed, and creates deadlines for geothermal permit applicants.

Geothermal energy is a clean, dependable, renewable energy source that supports my commitment to an all-of-the-above energy approach needed for the 21st century.

After month after month of record-breaking price increases and illegal border crossings, the American people are anxious to see their country made great again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a name--and voice-- known to countless Tennesseans. Philip Gibbons is celebrating 50 years in radio, most of which having been spent as host of the midday show on 94.7 The Country Giant. The station reaches more than 120,000 listeners across 19 counties, spanning Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky. That's a lot of people who look forward to hearing him day after day.

His broadcast career started at 15-years-old, before he was old enough to drive. The year was 1974 and the gig was part-time janitor and disc jockey for WPTN in Cookeville, Tenn.

Fifty years later, Gibbons is a member of the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame. He's been selected as a regular stage host at the CMA Music Fest and a guest announcer at the Grand Ole Opry many times in recent years. In 2020, Philip was awarded Small Market Personality of the Year by Country Aircheck, the leading trade publication for the industry. Philip was also nominated by the Academy of Country Music for Small Market Personality of the Year.

When asked why he never left Cookeville behind for a larger radio market, he responded, ``this is where my heart is. This is my community.'' He not only spent his entire career in that community, but he also gives back to it every chance he gets.

Since 1983, he's served as the public address announcer for Tennessee Tech University football and basketball games. He's also volunteered his time and used his platform to support many causes over the years, including Habitat for Humanity, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Alzheimer's Tennessee, and the American Cancer Society. Gibbons is known by some as the `pink tie guy' in the Upper Cumberland for his dedication to bringing awareness in the fight against breast cancer through wearing a pink tie. Following the devastation from Hurricane Michael, Philip used his airtime to ask listeners to fill an 18-wheeler with supplies to help the folks of Panama City Beach recover.

From interviewing up-and-coming artists to the legends, Philip has built a name for himself in Cookeville, in Music City, and throughout the County Music family. He's seen a lot of change in the business throughout his career. Today, automation and pre-recorded announcements are commonplace in radio, but Philip remembers well the days of live- only broadcasts and actual turn tables.

I want to congratulate Philip on 50 years in radio and wish him many more years of success ahead.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a Tennessee hero who has dedicated his life to serving and protecting the members of his community: Van Buren County Sheriff Michael Brock.

Sheriff Brock has shown outstanding loyalty to and performed exemplary service for his community. He should be recognized for his selfless actions, which go beyond his duties as sheriff.

The people of Van Buren County, Tennessee, know their sheriff to be hardworking, compassionate, and sincere. Sheriff Brock does everything he can to protect his community under any and all conditions. For example, when Sheriff Brock learned that two of his townspeople were in danger due to knee-deep snow and subzero temperatures plaguing the Tennessee area of Van Buren County last January, he immediately set out to protect and assist them in any way possible.

The first was a gentleman with a medical condition who had wandered towards the woods away from his mother's home on the night of January 15.

He was reported missing on the 16th, and Sheriff Brock immediately organized a search from the residence, tracking footsteps and working late into the night, only calling off the search when it became too dangerous for the search team to continue their efforts.

Sheriff Brock demonstrated kindness and empathy as he personally updated the family through every effort, working closely with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and the nearby State park officials.

Devastatingly, the missing gentleman who was rescued from falling off a 700-foot drop in the forest, later succumbed to his injuries. Even after the search, Sheriff Brock was the first to console the family, moving from protecting them physically to fortifying their hearts.

As the winter storm raged on, Sheriff Brock soon learned that a citizen on the outskirts of town needed critical medication. She had just undergone numerous back surgeries and spent over 1 month in the hospital.

However, icy roads near her home had stranded her nurse and prevented her from getting the needed medications. Sheriff Brock saw that she was taken care of, driving across multiple counties to retrieve the medication. The roads were so hazardous that the trip took four times the normal period to make that journey. Time was not a concern to Sheriff Brock, but her safety and health certainly were.

Sheriff Brock's actions and timely rescue meant she was safe from further medical complications and readmission to the hospital.

Madam Speaker, Sheriff Brock is a blessing and a credit to his department, community, and people. His actions and tireless protections of his community have left people with a sincere sense of security knowing that they have him and his department watching out for them.

He expects no praise, no credit, and no notice of his tireless selflessness.

However, today I rise to recognize him. His leadership and heroism serve as an example to us all.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the heroics of Kevin Wolverton, Sr., who recently stepped up in harrowing circumstances to rescue a 3-year-old girl who had fallen into a quarry full of water.

Mr. Wolverton, a Nashville native who works at a nearby auto dealership in Lebanon, Tennessee, found the little girl floating on her side when he pulled her onto the rocks nearby and performed CPR.

Madam Speaker, there is no doubt he saved this young girl's life. She was later able to thank him for doing so after a full recovery just a few days later.

A grandfather himself, Kevin Wolverton, Sr., stepped up to save the day. We couldn't be prouder of his lifesaving actions.

Madam Speaker, I hope all Members will join me in recognizing and thanking Mr. Wolverton for his tremendous display of bravery.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, my friend from Michigan, for yielding me time to speak in support of this legislative package that includes my bill, H.R. 4657.

Mr. Speaker, under the Biden-Harris administration, economic growth has been sacrificed to pursue a woke agenda detrimental to Tennesseans. This is one of the many reasons I rise in support of my Michigan colleague's legislation, H.R. 4790.

The Tennesseans I represent can be assured that I will continue to prioritize working families over the woke socialist agenda known as ESG that far-left progressives are inserting into retirement accounts.

My bill that is included in this package, would protect retail investors and retirement savings from leftwing, activist shareholders and socially directed investment funds from abusing the shareholder process to advance their progressive political agendas.

Activist investors that force companies to take social positions on issues like abortion and climate change shouldn't be making business decisions.

My bill would offer companies respite from these harmful and extremist shareholder proposals, which is why my bill is referred to as the RESPITE Act in the Senate.

Tennesseans know firsthand how woke priorities don't align with our values or our financial interests. That is why we stood up to Tractor Supply Company and forced them to care about people again and not politics.

When the Securities and Exchange Commission came after our farmers to collect ESG-related information, the Tennessee Attorney General's office sued the SEC to remind them that they were overstepping by engaging in environmental policy.

Tennessee is proud to lead the charge against the woke agenda championed by the Biden-Harris administration.

That is why, Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to join me in voting ``yes'' on H.R. 4790, so that we can turn the focus back on promoting economic growth and not social wokeness.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding tonight.

Mr. Speaker, Vice President Kamala Harris' tenure as border czar has been a complete and absolute failure. For

the folks who claim she was never in charge of the border, I will read President Biden's own words from March of 2021.

He specifically assigned Vice President Harris with the task of ``stemming the migration to our southern border.''

I understand the White House would like to rewrite that bit of history, but a simple Google search will show that it isn't just House Republicans calling her the border czar. She was widely referred to as such by the mainstream media at the time.

Since her appointment, Harris has gone to the border only once. Even worse, she never spoke to either of the past two chiefs of Border Patrol.

While the Vice President was failing to meet her new responsibility, our Commander in Chief was busy undoing the successful border policies of President Trump.

Here is where that has gotten us. More than 10 million people have tried to cross into the United States illegally in less than 4 years. More than 52,000 illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds have tried to enter our Nation illegally. Those are just the ones we know about.

Keep in mind more than 2 million people managed to evade Border Patrol under this administration. That is more got-aways under Biden- Harris than in the previous decade combined.

This is a direct result of open-border policies and a refusal to uphold the immigration laws already on the books.

In July alone, there was a daily average of 3,300 encounters at the border. Former President Obama's DHS Secretary noted a few years ago that any more than 1,000 encounters per day overwhelms the system.

Mr. Speaker, the border crisis is far from over, and it continues to threaten our national security. In the last 2 years, Border Patrol officials have seized an average of 2,000 pounds of fentanyl every month coming across the border, enough to kill 458 million people. The real question is: How much fentanyl did they fail to seize that is currently killing our citizens?

More than 350 people who are on the terror watch list have been stopped trying to cross the southern border.

A recent report revealed that 99 of them were released into the country after being stopped at the border.

It was also widely reported this summer that more than 50 illegal immigrants with ties to ISIS were on the loose after being released from custody, all of this on Vice President Kamala Harris' watch.

This week, House Republicans will bring to the floor two pieces of critical legislation. The first is a bill to ensure that any illegal immigrant who is convicted of a sex offense or crimes involving stalking, child abuse, and neglect are deported.

The second is a piece of legislation that claims to end the free hotels, healthcare, and cash given to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants being housed in our Nation's major cities.

It is well past time to stop incentivizing illegal immigration. It is time to support what the American people overwhelmingly support, immigration done the legal way.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to a recent report from the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General putting the Biden-Harris two-tiered justice system on full display.

The recent report reveals that the FBI inadequately handled sensitive and classified materials. I repeat: the FBI mishandled classified documents according to their own inspector general report.

According to the memo: ``Electronic storage media slated for disposal are not physically secured. Nonaccountable assets slated for destruction were stored on pallets without sufficient internal physical security for an extended period of time. For example, a pallet containing extracted internal hard drives marked nonaccountable had been stored for 21 months and had wrapping that was torn and left open.''

This you can see on the poster, Madam Speaker.

The report continues: ``This facility is shared with other FBI operations, such as logistics, mail, and information technology equipment fulfillment, and had almost 400 persons with access as of May 2024, including 28 task force officers and 63 contractors from at least 17 companies. Both the FBI supervisor and contractor confirmed that they would not be aware if someone was to

take hard drives from the pallets because these assets are not accounted for or tracked.''

Madam Speaker, think about that last line. An FBI supervisor admitted that if someone took a hard drive containing classified information from the pallet pictured in the poster next to me that almost 400 people had access to, no one would ever know.

Pictured is a pallet full of sensitive electronic storage media which most likely includes hordes of classified information. It is hard to know because the FBI didn't bother to mark the media in this pallet with standard classification markings. If you look closely, this pallet is marked ``nonaccountable,'' which is a perfect metaphor for the Biden-Harris FBI: unaccountable.

Unfortunately, this is yet another example of the Biden-Harris two- tiered justice system. The FBI was giddy to rush to prosecute the former President for allegedly mishandling classified information. Yet, when the FBI is caught red-handed mishandling classified information by their own inspector general, there has yet to be a simple charge filed, leaving Americans wondering if there will ever be any accountability.

Will the FBI agents responsible for mishandling classified material be criminally prosecuted?

Will anyone hold senior leadership at the FBI accountable for allowing for the widespread mishandling of classified information?

``Rules for thee, but not for me'' seems to be the motto at the J. Edgar Hoover Building these days.

As a result of these troubling revelations, I have sent a letter to FBI Director Wray highlighting the hypocrisy of the FBI's swift action against the former President, while individuals at the FBI have mishandled classified information with no accountability at all.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Congressional Record the text of my letter to Director Wray.

Congress of the United States,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, September 9, 2024.

In re Mishandling of Classified Information by the Federal

Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Christopher Wray, Director,

Federal Bureau of Investigation,

Washington, DC

Dear Director Wray, I am writing to express my deep concern

and disappointment regarding the findings of the Department

of Justice Office of the Inspector General's (DOJ OIG)

Management Advisory Memorandum, which highlights the FBI's

inadequate inventory management and disposition procedures

for electronic storage media containing sensitive and

classified information.

The report's findings are alarming and suggest a lack of

accountability and physical security over sensitive

materials, including hard drives, thumb drives, and floppy

disks. The fact that extracted internal hard drives are not

tracked, and the FBI cannot confirm their proper destruction,

is unacceptable.

As you are undoubtedly aware, the Biden Administration and

the FBI gleefully rushed to charge President Donald Trump

with allegedly mishandling classified information. Now that

individuals at the FBI have clearly mishandled classified

information, surely each culpable individual will be

criminally prosecuted, correct? You must realize that failing

to prosecute each individual involved in this reckless and

wanton disregard for safe handling of classified information

procedures will further erode the already significantly

diminished trust Americans have left in the FBI.

I request that you provide answers to the following

questions:

1. How did these inadequate procedures go undetected for so

long?

2. What measures will be taken to ensure accountability for

all electronic storage media containing sensitive and

classified information?

3. How many individuals will be disciplined for their role

in mishandling classified information?

4. Will any individuals face criminal prosecution for their

actions?

5. What steps will be taken to improve physical security at

FBI-secure controlled facilities?

6. How will the FBI ensure that all electronic storage

media are properly labeled with classification markings?

7. What training will be provided to FBI personnel to

address these deficiencies?

8. How will the FBI verify that all extracted internal hard

drives have been properly destroyed?

9. What measures will be taken to limit access to sensitive

materials at shared facilities?

10. What timeline can we expect for implementing the

recommended improvements?

11. How will you ensure that accountability extends beyond

lower-level employees and includes senior leadership, up to

and including the Director's office, for the systemic

failures identified in the report?

The Tennesseans I represent, as well as all other

Americans, deserve a prompt response to these questions, and

as their representative in Congress, I expect to hear from

you soon with regard to the actions you will take to address

these serious concerns.

Sincerely,

Congressman John Rose.

Madam Speaker, it is time to end the two-tiered justice system in America exemplified by the FBI's prosecution of those considered political enemies by the Biden-Harris administration while the FBI has now been caught mishandling classified information in hordes.

I hope that the relevant congressional committees will hold hearings on this matter, and I call on FBI Director Wray to respond back to my letter as quickly as possible addressing the issues that I have outlined.

I am sorry to the American people for this abhorrent two-tiered justice system that we see on display from the Biden-Harris FBI and the Biden-Harris Justice Department.

Mr. Speaker, like many of the Tennesseans I represent, I was relieved to learn that Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned on Tuesday.

We all watched as she refused to answer very simple questions at a House Oversight hearing this week. She did, however, confirm what we already knew, that a significant operational failure occurred on July 13.

Ms. Cheatle did not offer an explanation as to why the former President was allowed on stage after the agency was notified multiple times about a suspicious person. She did confirm that the roof from which the shooter acted was identified as a possible vulnerability days before the rally, yet failed to explain why it was not secured.

I support a bipartisan task force to investigate the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. An armed, would-be assassin with a clear line of sight must never be allowed to get within 150 yards of a Presidential nominee or a former President ever again.