Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to condemn the betrayal of President Trump and his Republican majorities. Trump called himself the fertilization President and promised to expand access to IVF, but his Speaker of the House just blocked critical IVF expansion for military families.

The American people overwhelmingly want to expand access to IVF. It is what Donald Trump promised them as he was running for President last year. I quote word for word: ``Under the Trump administration, we are going to be paying for that treatment, or we are going to be mandating that the insurance company pay.''

Here we are, and the Republican Congress is sending a bill to President Trump's desk that fails to expand coverage for military families to do just that.

The brave servicemembers who put their lives on the line for our country and our freedoms will not be able to access the care they need to grow their families if they suffer from infertility.

Mr. Speaker, this is sadly only the latest betrayal by the Republican majority talking a big game about being profamily but blocking policies that would actually support them. It is beyond disappointing. It is cruel.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor State Senator Ann Rest for her decades of dedicated service in the Minnesota Legislature and her deep commitment to improving the lives of all Minnesotans.

For over 40 years, my friend and former colleague Ann Rest has served with distinction. First elected to the Minnesota House in 1984, she served eight terms before being elected to the Minnesota Senate, where I had the privilege of serving alongside her.

During her Senate tenure, she held key leadership roles, including Assistant Majority Leader and President Pro Tempore. In 2023, she made history as the first and only Minnesota legislator to chair the Tax Committee in both chambers.

Her career is marked by legislative achievements that strengthened Minnesota's economy and communities. She championed fairer tax policy, supported investments in public education, and worked to make government more transparent and accountable. Most notably, she played a central role in a $3 billion tax bill in 2023 delivering relief to families, seniors, and small businesses across our state. In 2025, she was honored as a ``Legislator of Distinction'' by the league of Minnesota Cities for her effectiveness and dedication.

Senator Rest is a hardworking, resilient person and an accomplished legislator. She is also a diehard Twins fan and a devoted grandmother. Her legacy is felt not only in her legislative achievements, but also in her care for her constituents. On behalf of countless Minnesotans, I offer Senator Rest my sincere gratitude for her decades of service to our great state. I wish her a very happy and well-deserved retirement and a winning season for the Twins next year.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2392, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act.

This bipartisan legislation would provide a 2.8 percent cost-of- living increase for VA disability benefits, like disability compensation and clothing allowance, as well as survivor benefits, such as dependency and indemnity compensation.

Veterans and their families are entitled to and owed these benefits, and it is our responsibility in Congress to ensure that we continue to provide the utility and financial stability they deserve.

Affordability is a top concern for all of my constituents, including the veterans in my community. This adjustment is necessary to help ensure that our veterans and their families can keep pace with the cost of living.

As a cosponsor of this legislation and a member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, I am pleased that we are able to come together on a bipartisan basis to pass this bill that will do just that.

Mr. Speaker, I want to end by thanking the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Luttrell) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. McGarvey) for their leadership on this important bill. I also thank the chair and ranking member for their support, as well. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to read a letter from more than 20 survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. I implore my colleagues and all Americans to listen to their words.

Dear Members of the Republican Women's Caucus:

We write to you today with urgency, respect, and hope.

Strong American women are serving in the House of

Representatives, and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and

Ghislaine Maxwell's abuse need you to stand with them.

It is difficult to articulate the appreciation that we have

for each member of the Democratic Women's Caucus who took the

time to meet with us on September 3, 2025. Because of the

intrepid leadership of Chairwoman Teresa Leger Fernandez and

the Congresswomen who gathered together to support us, we

left the Capitol with dignity and resolve. We are likewise

eternally grateful to Congresswomen Marjorie Taylor Greene,

Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace, as well as to Congressman

Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, for taking bold steps to help us

in our quest for justice. While we are at a loss for how

supporting survivors or transparency could ever be seen as a

``hostile act,'' what you are doing is not only right, it is

necessary. This is not a partisan issue. It is a human issue.

Jeffrey Epstein abused hundreds of women. The United States

Government itself held evidence that he had sexually abused

40 children. Some of us are those children. Any other

American man would have been imprisoned for life, yet Epstein

was not. Instead, he was shielded by a nonprosecution

agreement that blatantly violated the rights of children, and

he was set free to continue abusing women in this country for

another 9 years before his death.

Our government conspired with him and, in doing so, failed

to protect hundreds of girls who would never have been harmed

had our government simply done its job.

Those children are now grown women. We stand together in

pain and resilience, and we are asking for your help. We have

a right to feel safe in this country. We have a right to know

why a serial sexual predator was treated with more humanity

than we have ever experienced from our own government.

You now have the chance to be on the right side of history.

Unlike past administrations, you are uniquely positioned to

tell us that our voices matter and that we have finally been

heard. Some of us live in your districts. We look to you to

represent us. We deserve for you to represent us.

We implore you to stop protecting those who enabled

Epstein's crimes and instead stand firm in protecting the

women and children he harmed. Stand up against abuse of

power. Take action to end the silence and speculation

surrounding this criminal. There should be equal protection

under the laws in the United States of America. This is one

country, not two. The rich and powerful should answer for

their crimes the same way that everyone else does. And when

they don't, we deserve to know why.

Ghislaine Maxwell was tried by a jury of her peers for the

crimes that she committed, and she was convicted. That is how

the American justice system works. The idea of a pardon is

beyond the comprehension of the victims who mustered the

courage to testify against her and should be beyond the

comprehension of the American people. No one should live

above the law. Ghislaine Maxwell is certainly no exception.

You may be wondering how you can help us in this fight. At

least we hope that you are. As American women, please hear

our voices, for yourselves, for your daughters, for women,

and for the future of our country.

First, we ask that you vote in favor of the Epstein

transparency act and that you help us ensure with its passing

that the identities of survivors are protected and the

identities of the perpetrators or enablers are not. Remind us

that America is the country that we thought it was when we

were little girls, before we were let down repeatedly by our

own government.

Second, start with H.R. 9444 and rewrite the Crime Victims'

Rights Act, as codified in 18 United States Code section 3771

to protect future generations of Americans.

Third, extend the same opportunity that the Democratic

Women's Caucus did and invite us to meet with you so that we

can try to convince you that we matter. We will come back to

Washington. We will tell you why we matter. We will tell you

why this matters.

We are not a ``hoax.'' We are mothers, daughters, sisters,

friends, and wives. We are America. We have sought justice

for decades to no avail. We have been denied the basic rights

that should be afforded to every American citizen time and

time again. The fact that it took this long for anyone to

care about us is a true American tragedy. Please stand with

us, help us uncover the truth, and give us the respect and

justice that we deserve. We deserve to put this chapter

behind us. Americans deserve to move forward knowing that

they have rights in this country that will be enforced even

in the face of power; in fact, especially in the face of

power.

With hope and resolve.

Signed by more than 20 survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3854, the Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Processing Act.

The bill before us includes the provisions of the Justice for America's Veterans and Survivors Act, which I co-led with the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards). Our bipartisan bill will improve the VA's data collection efforts on the prevailing causes of death among veterans.

As a physician myself, I can tell you firsthand that thorough and accurate data is critical to delivering the best possible care for patients. I believe it is incumbent upon us as lawmakers to take the same approach with policymaking, especially when it comes to crafting legislation to help care for our veterans.

The information provided under this report will help us to better understand the most serious threats facing our veterans, whether it be suicide, toxic exposure, or other life-threatening conditions.

This reporting will also include important information on veterans with service-connected disability, which will help to ensure that surviving family members receive the benefits that they are entitled to in a timely fashion.

This commonsense legislation will provide the information that we need to ensure that our veterans are getting the best possible care, which is a goal that we all share.

Mr. Speaker, I will end by thanking the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards) for his partnership and the chair and ranking member for their support. I also thank the bill's sponsor, the gentleman from California (Mr. Valadao).

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor my parents, Chris and Jack Morrison.

I am a lifelong Democrat, but I was raised in a primarily Republican family. We debated politics and the issues of the day around the dinner table. We didn't always agree, but we respected and learned from each other.

My brother and I were encouraged to think independently and to stand up for what we believed in. We knew that we were loved and that they always had our backs.

We were raised to believe in the promise of America and with the expectation that it was our responsibility to serve our community and other people. My parents lived that ethic and led by example through serving in the military, running for office, working for nonprofits, through their many and deep friendships, through their care for our extended family, through their embrace of their son and daughter-in- law, and through their love and deep engagement with their grandchildren.

We learned that service was important and expected, and we have endeavored to live up to their example. My parents are my heroes, and encapsulating what they mean to me in 1 minute is impossible.

However, let me say directly to them, as they are in the gallery today: I am so proud and grateful that you are my parents, and I love you very much.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in recognition of the brave hospital workers who responded to the Annunciation school shooting last week.

Whenever a mass shooting happens, the ripple effects of the trauma it causes in that community are profound. I will take a moment to thank every healthcare worker who helped save lives in responding to this event.

Children's Masonic, and particularly the staff at Hennepin Healthcare, took in nearly a dozen children in critical condition. These children arrived alone, unidentified, and ripped apart by gunshot wounds.

The hospital staff leapt into action immediately, removing shrapnel, performing emergency surgery, and providing stabilizing care and comfort to these little children.

While we are immensely grateful for their expertise, we should not normalize that doctors and nurses in the United States have had to become expert in managing war wounds. The toll it takes on them is real. This event reminds us of how critically important our level 1 trauma centers are in our communities. They are lifesaving, and these hospital workers are our heroes. I am immeasurably grateful.

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, July 22, I did not vote on Roll Call No. 215. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 215.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Chief Brian Tholen for his distinguished career in law enforcement and his lifelong commitment to serving the people of Minnesota through education, volunteerism, and public safety advocacy.

For over 25 years, Chief Tholen served with dedication and integrity as a police officer for the city of Edina. He then continued his service as chief of police for the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department, leading with professionalism and courage.

A graduate of the University of St. Thomas and the FBI National Academy, Chief Tholen exemplified Minnesotan excellence throughout his law enforcement career. His tenure includes a decade in the patrol division, where he served as a field training officer, a defensive tactics instructor, and a member of the Southwest Metro SWAT Team Consortium.

In the past 12 years, Chief Tholen has worked to train officers, paramedics, firefighters, and civilians across the metro area in active shooter response protocol. Through his work, he has emphasized the importance of awareness, prevention, and survival, equipping individuals and businesses with lifesaving tools and strategies.

On behalf of myself and the Minnesotans who have benefited from his decades of leadership and service, I offer my sincere gratitude to Chief Brian Tholen.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to amend the rule to make in order the amendment at the desk that protects against any cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart but a deep resolve as we confront the assassination and attempted murders of multiple State legislators in Minnesota.

What we witnessed last weekend was an unspeakable act. This is a scary time for our country, and it comes at a time of increasing political violence. There have been assassination attempts, kidnapping plots, arson, and insurrection.

As elected Representatives for the people of the United States of America, we have to take responsibility for our roles in this moment. As elected leaders, we play a prominent role in setting the tone in creating the atmosphere and shaping the narrative in determining what becomes normalized.

This cannot be normalized.

Our words, our posts, our responses, they all carry weight and have serious consequences. This is our wake-up call. The escalation and normalization of violent rhetoric and political violence have gone way too far.

We, as elected Representatives, have to take the lead and be the first to speak out and to start to model a better path forward.

We can argue about who is to blame and which side is worse, but let's make this the moment where we unequivocally condemn and commit to ending violent rhetoric, full stop. We have to make this horrific act of targeted political violence a watershed moment for our country.

We have to take a hard look at where we are, and we have to remember who is watching us. Our children, the next generation of leaders, are looking to us to learn how to behave and how to treat each other.

That includes creating a world where people aren't scared by the hatred and division they see in their lives every day, creating a world where our children have kind, compassionate leaders to look up to and aspire to be.

Do we really want our children to live in a world where our elected leaders bully and lead with hatred and cruelty? Remember, political violence isn't just an attack on legislators. It is an attack on the American people. It is an attack on our democracy.

Political violence threatens your right to be represented, your right to have your voices heard. It threatens who will be willing to run for office. As someone who was a doctor for almost two decades before I got into politics, I am passionate about recruiting people from different backgrounds to run because we need more diversity in who represents us.

Our democracy depends on good people running for office, and I am deeply concerned that this will have a chilling effect if we don't stop it in its tracks.

As we prepare to vote on this resolution, I come to my colleagues with a solemn plea. Devastated by the loss of my friend and colleague but more determined than ever with a deep love for the unrealized promise of our country, I implore my colleagues to not only vote in support of this resolution but to commit together to live by these words every day. Stand up, speak out, and safeguard our democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today alongside my colleagues from the State of Minnesota to honor the lives of Melissa and Mark Hortman, who were shot and killed in an unspeakable act of political violence last week.

Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman was truly the best of us. She was exactly the kind of person you would want to run for office. She was a dedicated public servant who got up every day determined to make life better for all Minnesotans.

She was a brilliant legislator and a tough negotiator. She was often the smartest person in the room, but you wouldn't know it because she was so humble. She was a generous friend, a good neighbor, and a mentor to me and to so many others. She saw the dignity in all people and treated everyone with respect. She led with humility, humor, and compassion.

Her Catholic faith informed her work and she kept the beautiful prayer of St.

Francis of Assisi tucked in her wallet as a guiding principle: Make me a channel of your peace.

Melissa led us through some of the State's most difficult challenges, often with a divided legislature, and the tributes that have poured in from her former colleagues from both sides of the aisle speak to her character and her leadership style.

She knew how to get things done and she did it with determination, respect, and pragmatism. She built bridges across the aisle and she kept her diverse caucus together to usher through some of the most consequential legislation in our State's history. Her work and legacy undoubtedly improved the lives of Minnesotans for generations to come.

Let us heed the words of Melissa and Mark's children who wrote in their beautiful tribute to their parents, ``The best way to honor our parents' memory is to do something, whether big or small, to make our community just a little bit better for someone else.''

Let us all honor Melissa and Mark by leading with kindness and compassion, by prioritizing civility and humility in our service, and by always striving to make our communities just a little bit better for someone else.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to my colleague from Minnesota (Mr. Emmer).

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of us to join in a moment of silence in honor of Melissa and Mark Hortman.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize Adina Togal, a fearless young leader who is working hard to save lives.

Adina was just 12 years old herself when she suffered a severe allergy attack that almost took her life. It wasn't caused by the food that she ate. It was from a medication she had been prescribed.

Unfortunately, unlike its requirements for food labels, the FDA doesn't currently have a standardized system for disclosing the presence of common allergens in medications. Information that could save lives.

As Adina's Representative and as a doctor who has cared for patients for more than 20 years, I want to make sure that no one is in danger of a life-threatening allergy attack simply because they took their medication. That is why I am introducing the ADINA Act to make this commonsense change to allergen information on drug labels a reality.

I am proud this bill is strongly bipartisan. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle agree it is a no-brainer. I am hopeful that together we can make this country safer and healthier.

Mr. Speaker, I extend my heartfelt thanks to Adina and her family for her deep dedication, her tireless advocacy, and for all she is doing for millions of Americans with allergies to make their lives safer.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss H.R. 2987, the CEASE Act, which would place a statutory moratorium on the number of Small Business Lending Company licenses that can be issued by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

What does this bill do? It will cap the number of SBA 7(a) nonbank lenders who can give loans to America's small businesses, a reasonable endeavor that could have generated bipartisan support had there been any effort by the majority to engage in a thoughtful discussion with us.

Since there was no such engagement, this bill does nothing to protect the hugely successful Community Advantage program. Community Advantage Small Business Lending Companies provide loans to small businesses located in underserved and rural communities, to new businesses, and to veteran-owned small businesses.

For far too long, far too many people in our country have not been able to access capital and participate in the American Dream of starting a business, creating jobs, and growing our economy. The Small Business Administration plays a critical role in providing capital to our small businesses. The Community Advantage program has a demonstrated track record of helping entrepreneurs who face higher barriers to accessing capital grow and scale their businesses.

This is exactly what we should be doing: opening more doors for more Americans to start a business, create jobs in their community, and strengthen their local economy.

My question to my Republican colleagues is: Without providing protections for Community Advantage Small Business Lending Companies in the text of this bill, are you suggesting we eliminate this crucial program? Why would you threaten to remove a way for veteran-owned small businesses to access capital? What is your message to American entrepreneurs looking to access that first loan that could help turn their best ideas into a new small business?

Mr. Speaker, let's just take a step back here. Right now, small businesses across the country are ringing the alarm bells saying that the tariff wars are going to put them out of business in a matter of weeks or months.

Just this past week, we heard from Minnesota's Small Business Person of the Year, given the award by the Trump administration, who said she has 6 weeks until she goes out of business.

These are successful small businesses, small businesses that were thriving, growing, expanding until President Trump started this completely unnecessary, completely chaotic trade war by setting exorbitant tariffs as high as 145 percent, changing policies haphazardly, at times literally by the hour. No one can run a business with that level of uncertainty, and our small businesses are getting hit the hardest.

They can't plan for the future. They don't have the luxury of time. The threat is here right now. They certainly don't have the resources to personally lobby the President like the massive tech companies who got exemptions did. President Trump's so-called tariff policy is literally killing our small businesses.

Mr. Speaker, Congress has the power to stop it. Article I of the Constitution says Congress has the power to levy tariffs, but what is the Republican majority doing?

They are ceding all their power to this President and completely disregarding their constitutional duty and the outcries from small business owners who are warning us they will have to close their doors in a matter of weeks if this tariff war doesn't end.

Mr. Speaker, the three bills the Republicans are choosing to bring to the floor this week have nothing to do with the existential threat that these tariffs are posing to our Nation's small businesses. The lack of courage to stand up for our Nation's small businesses, and to stand by and watch their downfall, is shameful. We should be passing legislation to end this tariff war and save our small businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Chief Brian Tholen for his distinguished career in law enforcement and his lifelong commitment to serving the people of Minnesota through education, volunteerism, and public safety advocacy.

For over 25 years, Chief Tholen served with dedication and integrity as a police officer for the City of Edina. He then continued his service as Chief of Police for the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department for three and a half years, leading with courage and professionalism.

A graduate of the University of St. Thomas and the 275th class of the FBI National Academy, Chief Tholen exemplified Minnesotan excellence throughout his law enforcement career. His tenure included a decade in the patrol division, where he served as a field training officer, a defensive tactics instructor, and a member of the Southwest Metro SWAT Team Consortium.

In the past 12 years, Chief Tholen has worked to train officers, paramedics, firefighters, and civilians across the metro area in active shooter response protocol. Through this work, he has emphasized the importance of awareness, prevention, and survival, equipping individuals and businesses with life-saving tools and strategies.

Chief Tholen's service-oriented mindset was shaped early in life. Raised in a family-owned plumbing business, he learned the values of hard work and responsibility by going on service calls with his father as a teenager. He carried that ethic into every aspect of his public service career.

Chief Tholen has retired to Shorewood with his wife of 23 years, Lauren. He is an active member of the Excelsior Morning Rotary and enjoys boating, hunting, traveling, and spending time outdoors with Lauren and their Border Collie, Ike.

On behalf of myself and the Minnesotans who have benefited from his decades of leadership and service, I offer my sincere gratitude to Chief Brian Tholen--and I wish him many more good hikes with Lauren and Ike.