Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from Oklahoma, Chairman Tom Cole, for a job well done.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 7148, which includes my bill, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026. This legislation was a true bipartisan effort by all four corners of the Defense Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations.

The world is more dangerous than ever. China continues its rapid military expansion. Russia and Iran remain persistent threats. Illicit drugs continue to harm Americans here at home. This bill answers that challenge.

It provides $839.2 billion to strengthen deterrence, support the administration's America First defense agenda, and modernize our force.

It invests in next-generation aircraft, the nuclear triad, critical munitions, missile defense, and naval power, funding 17 new ships and sustaining fleet readiness.

The bill also drives innovation and efficiency, delivers a 3.8 percent pay raise for our servicemembers, strengthens counterdrug efforts, and invests in our defense industrial base and infrastructure.

Madam Speaker, these are strategic investments to protect the American people and to project strength abroad, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Chair, I thank Chairman Cole for yielding.

Madam Chair, we cannot thank Chairman Cole enough, as Chairman Womack said, for his steadfast leadership and his clear-eyed purpose to get us back to regular order and to see this end today with the passage of four final appropriations bills.

Madam Chair, I thank my partner, Betty McCollum, for her hard work and her leadership on her side of the aisle to get this done. It was not an easy process, but we were able to work together to make sure that the men and women who serve in the United States military have reliable funding to keep this country moving forward.

Madam Chair, I rise today in strong support of this bill, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026. This legislation was a bipartisan effort by all four corners of Defense Appropriations.

Today, our country faces a dangerous and increasingly complex threat environment. China continues to advance its military capability at an unprecedented rate. While bloodied, Russia and Iran continue to threaten Europe and the Middle East. Until 1 year ago, our unsecured borders facilitated the flow of illicit drugs into this country, killing thousands of Americans.

This legislation answers the call, providing $839.2 billion for the Department of Defense and the intelligence community to protect America and deter war. This bill protects the administration's America First defense agenda, supports the Department's innovation efforts, and includes my four key priorities.

First, this bill builds a technology-equipped fighting force to ensure that we remain the strongest military in the world. It enhances investments in the fifth and sixth-generation aircraft, including the F-35, the F-47, and the F/A-XX.

This bill supports and prioritizes the modernization of the nuclear triad through investing in the B-21 Raider, the Columbia-class submarine, and the Sentinel ICBM.

It supports the Department's innovative efforts to increase efficiency and production of critical munitions. It also provides $7.1 billion to sustain the Navy ship operations and fund 17 new ships, including 7 battle-force ships, to include 1 Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine, 2 Virginia-class fast attack submarines, 3 medium landing ships, and 1 antisubmarine warfare ship. This bill also provides approximately $13.4 billion in support of other Golden Dome efforts.

Second, this bill advances innovation efforts, increases competition, and drives down costs to create a more efficient and effective Department of Defense.

This bill includes a $1.2 billion reduction for efficiencies and to streamline management functions, and it cuts $1.2 billion to support the administration's effort to reshape the civilian workforce. Furthermore, the bill delivers a 3.8 percent pay raise to our heroic military servicemembers and provides $6 billion to transfer authority to help support an agile execution of the administration's military priorities.

Third, this legislation combats international actors who are manufacturing and trafficking illegal drugs into this country. The bill provides $1.1 billion for counterdrug programs. It includes funding for the National Guard Counterdrug Program and maintains the current location for United States Southern Command headquarters, a signal of our Nation's sustained commitment to the Western Hemisphere.

Finally, this legislation prioritizes modernization, innovation, and the industrial base. It provides $18.8 billion for facility sustainment, restoration, and modernization to sustain installations, public shipyards, and other facilities.

This bill supports commercial/dual-use technology and innovative projects by providing $429.5 million for the Defense Innovation Unit, $400 million for the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies, or APFIT.

It includes robust funding to establish the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network and almost $98 million for the Office of Strategic Capital to facilitate over $4.3 billion in loans and loan guarantees for critical suppliers to scale public capacity.

This bill includes an investment in future defense industrial base, which has languished.

Madam Chair, finally, in closing, I thank my entire staff both on the majority side and the minority side who worked diligently together. As the ranking member mentioned, we are losing one of our key staff members who went over to NRO as a deputy director, Bill Adkins. I am sure he is going to do a great job in his continued service for the United States.

Mr. Speaker, through their service and sacrifice, our veterans willingly put themselves in harm's way to ensure the security of our country. It is our turn to ensure that they are protected from scams and fraud. That is why I introduced H.R. 1663, the Veterans Scam And Fraud Evasion Act, or VSAFE Act.

The sophistication and frequency of scams and fraud targeting our veterans are constantly increasing. According to a report from the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. veterans and military retirees reported $350 million in total fraud losses in 2023.

While a number of departments and staff work in an uncoordinated manner to combat fraud within the VA and other agencies, the VSAFE Act will establish a comprehensive effort that will assist our veterans by establishing a veterans scam and fraud evasion officer in the Department of Veterans Affairs who is responsible for all fraud prevention efforts.

By providing veterans with more consistent guidance on how to identify, report, and avoid fraud and scam attempts, we can reduce the occurrences that are occurring.

I thank Chairman Mike Bost and all the cosponsors of this bill for their support. I encourage all of my colleagues to protect our veterans by supporting the VSAFE Act.

Mr. Speaker, the sudden passing of our close friend and colleague, Doug LaMalfa, has caused both shock and sadness throughout the entire House of Representatives. We lost a friend and a colleague. His northern Californian constituents lost their tireless advocate in the House.

Most tragically, his family lost a husband, a father, and a grandfather.

Doug was a proud family man. He and his wife, Jill, have four beautiful children. He just recently became a grandfather.

Doug was a fourth-generation rice farmer and a contributor to our State's important role of producing the food that sustains America. His experience as a farmer provided the foundation for his future as a legislator, both in Sacramento and here in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Speaker, it comes as no surprise that in 2024, Doug was unanimously elected to serve as the chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, one of the largest congressional membership groups on Capitol Hill, focusing on rural policy and issues that affect the West and beyond.

Doug left an indelible mark on this institution and the people whom he got to know along the way. For those who knew him, they understood his unique love of nicknames, movie quotes, and NASCAR. They understood his dislike of food waste, smartphones, and ketchup on hot dogs.

Doug's sense of humor, collegial manner, and expertise will be sorely missed. While he is no longer with us, Doug's significant contributions to agricultural and rural policies will endure long after his passing.

I will very much miss my friend and my colleague. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Jill; the entire LaMalfa family; his friends; and his staff.

God bless you, Doug.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend Woodrow ``Woody'' Harpole, who celebrated his 80th birthday on December 21, 2025. Woody has been a respected business leader, community volunteer, and trusted friend to my hometown of Corona, California, for nearly five decades.

Woody was born in Mississippi on December 21, 1945. He served his country as a soldier in the United States Army, including a year in combat in Vietnam during the height of the war. He later moved to California, where he established himself as a knowledgeable and dedicated professional in the commercial and industrial real estate sector. So much so, in fact, that I hired him nearly 40 years ago to work at Calvert Real Properties, the small business that I owned and operated before being elected to Congress.

Throughout his professional career, Woody has always made time for community service. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was an active and influential member of the Corona Jaycees, a dynamic service and leadership organization that shaped many of the city's rising young professionals. Woody also became a dedicated member of the Corona Rotary Club, serving as Club President in 2006 to 2007. His leadership helped advance Rotary's mission of ``Service Above Self,'' and he played a vital role in supporting the club's signature events, including the well-loved Lobsterfest fundraiser, which has generated substantial support for local nonprofit organizations.

Personally, I will always value his friendship, sense of humor, loyalty, and am deeply grateful for his many contributions to our community. On this special occasion, I wish Woody a Happy Birthday and the very best in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we learned of the sudden passing of our dear friend and colleague, Doug LaMalfa.

As a fourth-generation rice farmer, Doug's experience shaped his advocacy for his northern California constituents. He first served them in the California Legislature. Then he was elected to the House of Representatives in 2012.

In the House, Doug distinguished himself as a leader on matters involving water, farming, forest management, and rural issues. In recognition of that leadership, he was unanimously elected to serve as chairman of the Western Caucus last year.

We offer our thoughts, prayers, and support to Doug's wife, Jill, and their entire family.

Doug was a good and decent man, an authentic public servant. With Doug, what you saw is what you got.

As the tributes poured in, over and over people remembered his warmth, his wisdom, his sense of humor, kindness, and above all his authenticity. He

will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren), my good friend and the chair of the Democrat delegation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate Bobby Spiegel, who is retiring after serving the Corona Chamber of Commerce for the past 24 years. Bobby has been a true leader in Riverside County for decades and served as an effective advocate for small businesses throughout our region. He will be sorely missed.

Bobby has been a Corona resident since 1973. After graduating from Corona High School, he attended Fullerton Junior College and began his career as an entrepreneur with his first business, The Flower Shoppe. Bobby later sold the store before joining the family business. Since May of 2001, Bobby has served as CEO and President of the Corona Chamber of Commerce. As CEO and President, Bobby has been a true champion for the small business job creators in our community. For more than two decades, if there was an event in Corona involving a business or local leader, there's a strong chance Bobby Spiegel was in attendance. Today, the Corona Chamber represents over 720 members and more than 45,000 jobs across western Riverside County, including the cities of Corona, Norco, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, and portions of Riverside.

Over the past 24 years, my hometown of Corona has experienced tremendous growth and change. Bobby has been instrumental in opening lines of communication between Chamber members and city, county, state, and federal policymakers. Corona's success as a place to live and do business bears Bobby's fingerprints. In addition to his role with the Chamber, Bobby has also served on the Board of Directors for several community and professional organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the National Electrical Contractors Association, and the YMCA. Bobby was also the charter president of the Circle City Rotary Club and is a past president of Congregation Beth Shalom.

Bobby clearly possesses a passionate belief in small business advocacy and a dedication to the community he has served so faithfully. I know I speak on behalf of all residents and small business owners in expressing my heartfelt thanks and praise for Bobby's significant contributions to Corona and Riverside County. Personally, I will always value his friendship and collaboration on so many important causes in my hometown of Corona. I wish Bobby and the entire Spiegel family the very best in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to my good friend, a visionary entrepreneur, civic leader, and philanthropist, Duane Roberts, who passed away on Saturday, November 1, 2025. Duane was a dedicated leader in Riverside County, and he will be deeply missed.

Duane was born and raised in Riverside, California. His parents, Harry and Mary Roberts, instilled in him the values of hard work and generosity. Duane graduated from Riverside Polytechnic High School, where he competed on the swim team and participated in the ROTC. He ultimately joined the family business--meat provider Butcher Boy--after high school, in addition to serving his country in the Army National Guard. Duane keenly identified an economic opportunity and seized on it by developing the frozen burrito. After surging into popularity, the frozen burrito propelled Butcher Boy Food Products into the world's largest frozen Mexican food manufacturer before the company was sold by Duane.

In 1992, Duane launched himself into a challenge that has forever changed downtown Riverside. By acquiring the Historic Mission Inn, he took on a rescue and restoration project of epic proportions. Duane's vision and determination have transformed the Mission Inn into a jewel and world-renowned destination that has hosted presidents, dignitaries, and guests from across the world. Together with his wife, Kelly, the Roberts established the Historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa's Festival of Lights, which has become one of the most cherished holiday season traditions in the region.

Duane, a lifelong philanthropist, established the Mary S. Roberts Foundation in honor of his mother, supporting children and families in

need, victims of crime, the hungry and homeless, and the care and protection of animals. He also supported numerous organizations, including Olive Crest, UC Riverside, Riverside City College, and Pepperdine University, where he and Kelly endowed the position of Dean of the School of Law. To support conservative causes and campaigns in Riverside County, Duane and I worked together to establish the Lincoln Club of Riverside County.

Duane is survived by his wife, Kelly Roberts; his stepchildren, Casey Brown and Doug Reinhardt; his grandchildren; and countless friends and colleagues. He was predeceased by his sons Duane, Jr. and Darrell. I extend my personal and heartfelt condolences to the Roberts family, his friends, and everyone fortunate enough to know Duane. Although he may be gone, the many contributions he made to our community have left an enduring legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) as it celebrates a major milestone in the district's history. This year, EMWD will mark its 75th Anniversary and a proven legacy of service to our community.

EMWD was established on October 16, 1950, through a public vote by San Jacinto Valley property owners to help facilitate groundwater rights in the region. In the 75 years since, EMWD has grown from a small agency into California's sixth largest public retail water agency, and seventh largest wastewater agency, serving nearly 1 million customers across 682 square miles.

Throughout its history, EMWD has remained committed to delivering safe, reliable water, wastewater, and recycled water services. It serves one of California's fastest-growing regions and continues to balance the needs of current customers while planning for future growth. Through forward-thinking investments in infrastructure, including groundwater desalination and one of the Nation's most advanced recycled water programs, EMWD has emerged as a leader in water innovation and resiliency.

EMWD's success is driven by strong leadership and proactive engagement. Through active collaboration with state and federal partners and elected officials, the district has advanced policies that strengthen water reliability and promote long-term resource sustainability. EMWD and I have worked closely to advance critical water projects in both EMWD's service area, and the arid west.

On a local level, I have worked with EMWD on a sewer solution in Quail Valley a community that is reliant on antiquated, and failing septic systems. One part of the community's septic to sewer conversion is complete, and we continue to work together on subsequent phases.

Mr. Speaker, for 75 years, Eastern Municipal Water District has played a vital role in the development and sustainability of Southern California. I am proud to recognize EMWD for its decades of public service, and I join the community in celebrating this remarkable milestone. We look forward to EMWD's continued contributions and service for the next 75 years and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I was present for the vote but my voting card did not record. I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 276.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Phil Green, who passed away on Saturday, July 19, 2025. Phil was an incredible father, citizen, and advocate for ALS patients, and he will be deeply missed.

Phil Green's journey was one of resilience, dedication, and advocacy. A former walk-on kicker for the 1991 University of Washington National Championship football team, Green went on to build a fulfilling life with his wife Jennifer and their four children, Arianne, Hunter, Parker, and Whitney, in Temecula, California. Unfortunately, he began experiencing unexplained muscle weakness in early 2018 and was diagnosed with ALS later that year.

Following his diagnosis, Green became a tireless advocate, working with prominent ALS organizations such as Augie's Quest, I AM ALS, and others, and he worked with Major League Baseball to raise awareness of ALS and Lou Gehrig's day. Beyond advocacy and raising awareness, Green was committed to advancing research by partnering with UW Medicine to support ALS initiatives at the Center for Translational Muscle Research and the Institute for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine. His life centered on creating a better future for others with ALS, combining personal courage with public advocacy to drive meaningful change.

Phil is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and four children. I extend my personal and heartfelt condolences to the Green family, his friends, and everyone fortunate enough to know Phil. Although he may be gone, Phil's many contributions have left an enduring legacy. I and many others will keep working until we find a cure for ALS.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in proud recognition of four Corona High School students, Seth Hernandez, Billy Carlson, Brady Ebel, and Ethin Bingaman who were selected in the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft. Seth Hernandez, Billy Carlson, and Brady Ebel were selected in the First Round on Sunday, and Ethin Bingaman was selected in the Twentieth Round on Monday. This is the first time in Major League Baseball Draft history that three players from the same high school were drafted in the first round. I am always proud to calI myself an alumnus of Corona High School, but I am especially proud this week.

Corona High School has a long history of excellence on the baseball diamond. Seth, Billy, Brady, and Ethin are the latest in a long line of Corona High School players who have made their way to Major League Baseball. The Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and Arizona Diamondbacks are all incredibly lucky to draft Seth, Billy, Brady, and Ethin, respectively, and I know they will represent the school and our community well. I wish them all the best in the next step of their journey, and along with all Corona residents and Corona High School alumni, I look forward to cheering them on in the Major League.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chair, I think there may be a misunderstanding about bioindustrial manufacturing, what it is and what it is not. Bioindustrial manufacturing is not cultivating meat. However, bioindustrial manufacturing is critical to energetics, such as hypersonic fuels, critical chemicals for munitions and missiles, and materials that literally increase the bang for the buck.

In the 1980s, the United States developed what we called CL-20, one of the most powerful nonnuclear explosive chemicals ever created, but we did not produce it at scale. China, unfortunately, found our research and then scaled production. Now, the Chinese and Russian arsenals have this very powerful ingredient.

We cannot allow China to be the world innovation leader in any field, including bioindustrial manufacturing. We must continue tried and true practices to adopt new technologies to fortify the American defense industrial base.

American lethality is degraded without bioindustrial manufacturing. Meanwhile, China and Russia benefit from American research. That has to stop.

I am going to make a point here. BioMADE is a product. It is not a manufacturer and does not manufacture lab-grown meat. BioMADE has never funded research projects for lab-grown meat, has no current research projects on lab-grown meat, and has no plans to fund projects on lab- grown meat in the future.

I think we have a misunderstanding. We need this technology for our energetics, which we use in our explosion devices very effectively.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), who is the ranking member.

Mr. Chair, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

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

Mr. Chair, our interests are energetics that go into explosion devices. A big part of that is the BioMADE industry.

I am not interested in the substitutes.

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

Mr. Chair, this amendment strikes all funding for the Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid account. The funding is used by DOD to assist during humanitarian disasters. The funding is also used when specialized DOD experience is needed, such as detection and clearance of landmines, unexploded ordnance, and other explosive remnants of war. Even to this day, we are cleaning up World War II remnants.

President Trump's budget request includes just over $100 million for this account. I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chair, I greatly admire the gentlewoman from Georgia's passion for ensuring support for our overseas allies are a wise use of taxpayers' dollars, but support for Taiwan must be part of that equation.

Just yesterday, the Trump administration released a statement of administration policy for the Defense appropriations bill. I was very supportive of the bill we produced. One of the very few areas the administration expressed any slight disagreement with our bill was wanting more money for Taiwan. The administration has proposed including $1 billion while this bill provides $500 million.

Mr. Chair, had OMB delivered budget materials to us in time for consideration, we would have certainly taken a look at providing what they requested, but that wasn't the case.

Supporting Taiwan in the face of unrelenting Chinese aggression is absolutely in the vital interests of the United States. I point out that Taiwan makes 90 percent of the world's chips and close to 100 percent of the highly needed chips for artificial intelligence and high technical devices.

The funding will go a long way to making sure that Taiwan has the resources necessary to help prevent a Chinese invasion. That is the position of the Trump administration, and that is the position of this bill.

Mr. Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote on the amendment, and I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).

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

Mr. Chair, the amendment strikes $15 million for HIV prevention education activities undertaken in connection with the United States military training exercises and the humanitarian assistance activities conducted primarily in African nations.

This funding supports the Defense Health Program, and those funds are credited with scaling back the AIDS epidemic in Africa. This program has long enjoyed support across party lines.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chair, the gentlewoman's amendment would strike $500 million in funding for the vital Israeli missile defense capability.

Over the past 2 years, Israel repeatedly has been attacked by Iran and its terrorist proxy groups, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. Each time, these groups have vowed to destroy the State of Israel.

The United States has affirmed our resolve to stand with Israel by helping defend against the recent missile raids launched by Iran against Israel's civilian population.

The success of Israel's robust missile defense capability is, in part, because these funds were provided in this bill and prior bills. Furthermore, this funding benefits our own missile defense industrial base, as it provides for coproduction activities and shared technology development. It is certainly to our mutual advantage.

With that, I urge a ``no'' vote on the amendment.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the ranking member.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Fine).

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

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chair, Jordan remains an indispensable ally in an extremely dangerous region. Our partnership with the Kingdom of Jordan is critical both to the regional and U.S. national security.

We must continue to ensure Jordan can counter extremist terrorist threats and have the resources necessary to continue their role as the linchpin in the region.

Mr. Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote on the amendment, and I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the ranking member.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the gentlewoman's amendment.

Sadly, we saw for years how the Biden administration failed to provide Ukraine the resources necessary to fight back in an effective way against Russian aggression. Just the other day, President Trump took decisive action to provide weapons to Ukraine to defend against these unprovoked attacks.

The President is right to support efforts to ensure innocent lives are no longer lost. He is right to undertake efforts to stop the bloodshed. As he continues to work toward a peaceful solution, we should not remove the ability to provide what he thinks will help the Ukrainian people to prevent further losses and use as leverage to negotiate a peace agreement hopefully very soon.

Madam Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote on the amendment.

Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition but not the intent of the amendment.

Madam Chair, I state to the gentlewoman that certainly I look forward to working with her as we move forward with this legislation to make sure that we have the right type of language.

What I am going to do is work with the gentlewoman as we move forward on this legislation to make sure that we don't have any unintended consequences in the language. We will do that as we move this legislation forward. I appreciate the gentlewoman withdrawing the amendment.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Amendment No. 248 Offered by Mr. Ogles

Madam Chair, I look forward to working with the gentlewoman. We need a place for those aircraft to land in Greenland.

Madam Chair, I certainly rise in support of the amendment. The amendment prohibits the expenditure of funds to create, procure, or display any map that depicts Taiwan as part of the territory of the People's Republic of China.

Let's be clear: Taiwan is not a part of the People's Republic of China. We should not appease the desires of the Communist Chinese leadership by pretending that it is. Our maps should accurately reflect this reality.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that, in the engrossment of H.R. 4016, the Clerk will be authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, cross-references, and to make such other technical and conforming changes as may be necessary to reflect the actions of the House in amending the bill, and that the second instruction in amendment No. 40 printed in House Report 119-199 be changed from page 39, line 19 to page 40, line 19.