Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the dedication of the new Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in Kaufman County, Texas. Thanks to the work of the Kaufman County Gold Star Committee and the Woody Williams Foundation, this monument will forever recognize the brave men, women, and families who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Nation's freedom and security.

On September 27, 2026, citizens, veterans, and community leaders will gather in Kaufman County for the official dedication of this monument, creating a sacred space of remembrance, gratitude, and healing. This ceremony, which will be held at Kaufman County Veterans Memorial Park, will serve as a profound opportunity to honor our resilient Gold Star Families, whose profound sacrifice, enduring grief, and unwavering patriotism embody the highest virtues of citizenship and devotion to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Sergeant Major Larry L. Lentzner, a United States Marine whose extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and devotion to duty during the Vietnam War exemplify the highest ideals of the United States Marine Corps.

While serving with Hotel Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines near the Que Son Mountains in the Republic of Vietnam, then Staff Sergeant Lentzner and his fellow Marines were ambushed by a North Vietnamese Army force that significantly outnumbered their unit. Staff Sergeant Lentzner was struck by enemy fire and suffered devastating wounds to both legs.

Despite his injuries, he continued returning fire and directing his Marines, even as he periodically lost consciousness. Staff Sergeant Lentzner underwent multiple surgeries and extensive reconstruction of both legs. Determined to return to duty, he defied his medical prognosis and taught himself to walk again. Sergeant Major Lentzner would go on to honorably serve our Nation and the Marine Corps for another 25 years.

It is my privilege to recognize Sergeant Major Lentzner for his distinguished service to the United States. I extend our deepest gratitude to him, and I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring his extraordinary service and sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the historic life and accomplishments of Texas State Representative Betty Jo Brown. Representative Brown passed away on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the age of 86. A native of my hometown of Terrell, Representative Brown was Terrell High School Class of 1957 Salutatorian, and a graduate of Southern Methodist University.

Representative Brown dedicated much of her life to serving our shared community and the State of Texas. During her six terms in the Texas State House of Representatives, she served on several committees, including Elections, Redistricting, and Agriculture and Livestock, and was a faithful servant of Hunt, Kaufman, and Henderson counties.

Outside her career in the state legislature, Representative Brown built a life centered on faith, family, and service to others with her husband of more than 63 years, Ronald George Brown, who preceded her in death in 2022. She was also an active member of Russell Memorial United Methodist Church and Wills Point International Outreach Church, where she participated in the choir, handbell choir, children's ministry, and where she also served as a worship leader.

She is survived by her children, Rhonda Cobern, Greg Brown, and Emily Pogue; her grandchildren, Tarryn Cobern Hatcher, Tory Cobern, Simpson, Tabor Cobern, Denton Brown, Sophia Brown, Samantha Pogue, Lincoln Pogue, and Meredith Pogue; and her great-grandchildren, Jewel, Denver, Luke, Grayson, Grace, and Mason. Representative Brown's legacy will not be forgotten. I extend my deepest sympathies to her family, and I appreciate the profound impact of her lifelong commitment to our community.

Mr. Speaker, what we have heard today from Democrats is Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump. They are obsessed. They won't talk about the bill. They are talking about the President because they are ashamed, and they know they should be, of their record when they were in charge.

When President Biden was President, the border was wide open. Americans were getting killed, and Democrats wouldn't acknowledge it. That is why we have the majority now. That is why President Trump is in the White House. It is because he promised to clean it up, and he has. This bill continues that.

For 76 days, Democrats blocked funding for the entire Department of Homeland Security, and they are continuing to stand against this today. They won't actually come out and say what we know they mean, and that is that they want an open border. Instead, they want to talk about Trump.

The Secure America Act ensures that that border is never open again. By fully funding ICE and CBP through President Trump's term, this bill gives our homeland defenders the resources they need to strengthen deportation operations, dismantle criminal networks, and stop fentanyl before it reaches our communities.

While my colleagues across the aisle continue suffering from Trump derangement syndrome, I urge passage, and I thank the Republican majority and President Trump for leading on this.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Garland Independent School District (ISD) on being named the 2026 H-E-B Texas District of the Year, one of the highest honors in public education. Garland ISD will also receive a $100,000 award presented at the H-E-B Excellence in Education ceremony. The H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards represent the largest educator recognition program of its kind in the Nation, having awarded nearly $15 million in cash and grants to teachers, principals, counselors, and school districts since 2002.

Since its founding in 1901 with just 130 students, Garland ISD has grown to serve over 51,000 students across 67 campuses in Garland, Rowlett, and Sachse. The district offers an extraordinary range of academic pathways, including a STEM elementary campus, collegiate preparatory campus, career and technical education center, prekindergarten program, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. Garland ISD was selected from among five large school district finalists statewide through a rigorous process involving interviews and site visits by educators, community leaders, and past recipients.

I congratulate every teacher, administrator, aide, staff member, student, and parent across Garland ISD on this incredible achievement that only one district in the Lone Star state receives each year.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the distinguished career and accomplishments of Dr. Charles Victor Lampe, a devoted cardiologist and respected leader in the Dallas, Texas community. A Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, he now serves with Texas Health Heart and Vascular Specialists at multiple locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, specializing in electrophysiology and cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Lampe began his medical journey in 1994 at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, one of the Nation's premier institutions. He went on to complete his internship at Rush University in Illinois before returning to UT Southwestern to complete his residency in internal medicine, his fellowship in cardiovascular disease, and his fellowship in clinical cardiac electrophysiology. Dr. Lampe is further distinguished through academic contribution, authoring a paper on the mechanism of supraventricular tachycardia, which underscores his commitment to advancing our understanding of complex cardiac conditions.

Physicians like Dr. Lampe often serve without public recognition, yet their work profoundly shapes the vitality of our communities. It is my privilege to formally acknowledge his many contributions to the people of East Texas and to the field of cardiology.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in my hometown of Terrell, Texas. Founded in 1875 in borrowed quarters, this congregation has been a local institution of faith for over a century.

The church constructed a simple sanctuary on land purchased from R.A. Terrell in 1881, solidifying its presence and influence in my community. Although initially bare, the land was quickly developed. A tall frame building sufficient to accommodate the growing congregation was erected at the corner of Adelaide and Asylum in 1895. This building, ornamented with a bell tower and spire, stained glass windows, and a baptistery, became a symbol of unwavering faith. The present brick parsonage was built next door in 1958, replacing the old frame structure. In 1988, the Charles E. Mull Christian Family Center was dedicated, providing a multi-use space for classrooms, offices, a conference room, and athletic facilities.

I congratulate and thank the clergy and staff on this milestone-- Pastor Craig Rutherford, Lisa Cross, Mary Kay Cole, Jerry Vick, and Donna Best. The First Christian Church of Terrell will continue to be a source of faith, service, and strength for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 130th anniversary of Rockwall and Brin Church of Christ in my hometown of Terrell, Texas--a congregation that has been a meaningful part of my life since childhood. With humble beginnings in a town of cotton farmers, this congregation has been a faithful fixture in Terrell since 1896, when a small group of Christians gathered in homes and the Odd Fellows Hall on Nash Street to worship.

In 1900, Peter Breeden donated land and built a small structure on College Street to serve the growing congregation. Over the years, the church has remained on that property, expanding and rebuilding after a fire in the spring of 1994. On February 12, 1995, construction began on the building that still stands today at Rockwall and Brin. For more than a century, this congregation has faithfully served both near and far--through local outreach, mission work abroad, and partnerships with the Terrell Share Center and Boles Home for Children.

I congratulate the elders--Wynne Breeden, Ty Burnes, and Steve Rogers--on this milestone. This congregation will continue to be a source of faith, service, and strength for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the historic life and accomplishments of veteran Rudy Armstrong of Maypearl, Texas and to congratulate him and his wife, Joyce, on 60 years of marriage. Mr. Armstrong graduated from Maypearl High School in 1963 and received his associate's degree from Navarro Junior College in Corsicana before enrolling at Arlington State University.

Soon after marrying Miss Joyce Owens in 1966, Mr. Armstrong was drafted into the United States Army to serve his Nation during the Vietnam War. There, he served in the First Infantry Division, colloquially known as ``Big Red One.'' His unit was the only one of its kind, equipped with a mortar launcher to protect infantry soldiers on foot. After his return to the United States, Mr. Armstrong was stationed at Fort Hood, where he completed his service commitment.

Since honorably serving in the Army, Mr. Armstrong has worked as a carpenter in the construction industry. He retired in 2006 after 30 years of dedication to his profession and settled in his home in Gun Barrel City, Texas. He is a proud father of two sons, Lance Walker Armstrong and Travis Wade Armstrong, and has six grandchildren, Taylor and Josh Cogburn, and Trent, Carlie, Victoria, and Jack Armstrong. Jack is following in his grandfather's footsteps and is currently serving in the U.S. Army. I thank Mr. Armstrong for his service to our country and wish him the best in the coming years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the historic life and accomplishments of Veteran James Smith, Jr. of Terrell, Texas. Mr. Smith, Jr.'s life has been dedicated to service. Serving eight years in the Navy, he had various deployments and held the rank of E-5 at the time of his discharge.

He began his fearless journey in Boot Camp in San Diego, which was followed by an assignment in Whidbey, Washington. Mr. Smith, Jr. then served on a crash crew on the USS Boxer out of San Francisco, where he frequently wore asbestos suits as protection from frequent bombing raids. In the great state of Texas, he served two years at Naval Air Station Kingsville and another term with an air squadron in Virginia. Mr. Smith, Jr. was stationed in Patuxent River, Maryland, in his final two years of service and graduated from the Combat Airman School.

For his dedicated service to our Nation, he received several honors, including the National Defense Service Medal, China Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and Three-Star Attachments. It is my honor to recognize Mr. Smith, Jr.'s long life of service to our country and community, and I wish him the best in the coming years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the historic life and accomplishments of World War II veteran Reverend Donald Tisdale of Wills Point, Texas. During WWII, Reverend Tisdale served on the USS Hooper Island, a Luzon-class repair ship serving the U.S. Pacific Fleet in 1945. He worked as a radio operator and regularly handled coded communications. In the course of his radio duties, Reverend Tisdale personally received the uncoded message relaying information about the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.

For his dedicated service to our Nation, he received several service medals, most notably the Overseas Medal. Later in life, Reverend Tisdale served as a pastor with multiple Texas congregations, including Edgemont Park Baptist Church and the First Baptist Church of Wills Point. He recently celebrated his 99th birthday. It is my honor to recognize Reverend Tisdale's long life of service to our country and community, and I wish him the best in the coming years.

Mr. Speaker, throughout this sham and shame of a shutdown, we have heard so many lies from the Democrats. Over the last 45 days, and especially the last 45 minutes, I have heard them say this is an evil bill, that Republicans don't care about the disabled, and that Trump is the worst President in history for children. They have said that Republicans are to blame for the fentanyl crisis, that Republicans shouldn't take photos with veterans. January 6, of course, they mention that. They have said Republicans are corrupt. They have said that Republicans are starving kids.

What they haven't said is the one thing that this bill does, which is to open up the government. Not one Democrat is getting up here saying this bill opens the government.

Let me remind them and my colleagues and the American people that this bill opens the government tonight, and the American people have Republicans to thank for ending this shutdown and opening the government.

I urge a ``yes'' vote. I am proud to vote ``yes.'' I am so disappointed in my Democratic colleagues because, for the life of me, throughout my time in the House, I have heard them talk about how wonderful it is to keep the government open and that a shutdown is so bad and can never happen. Tonight, they won't even admit that this bill opens the government, and this is what we need for this country tonight.

I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the First Baptist Church of Quitman's 175th anniversary. Organized on November 16, 1850, the First Baptist Church of Quitman, commonly known as FBCQ, is the oldest church in Wood County. It was established just nine months after the Texas Legislature voted to create Wood County in February of that same year, and it was the home church of James Stephen Hogg, the first native-born governor of Texas.

At its founding, the Baptist congregation met in public buildings, homes, and in the open air before finding a permanent location on the first floor of the Quitman Masonic Lodge. The church resided in multiple buildings in the early 20th Century. Tremendous growth in the late 1940's led to the construction of FBCQ's fourth and current sanctuary, located on Lane Street, where the congregation still gathers to worship today. I am deeply grateful to the First

Baptist Church of Quitman for its long and storied history of service to the Greater Quitman area. I congratulate them on this incredible milestone.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Guy W. Eastep's 100th birthday and his dedicated service to our Nation during World War II. Mr. Eastep was born on August 31, 1925, in Crandall, Texas. In November 1943, Mr. Eastep was drafted into the United States Army and was activated on December 13, 1943, as a Rifleman. Private Eastep was deployed to the European Theater as an Infantry Replacement and served with I Company, 137th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division.

During his combat deployment to the European Theater, Private Eastep received multiple service decorations, including the European Theater Campaign Ribbon with two Bronze Stars, Combat Infantry Badge, and a Purple Heart, which he was awarded for wounds received in September 1944. Later, in March 1946, Mr. Eastep was honorably discharged from military service at the rank of Technician 4th Grade. It is my honor to recognize his valiant service and long life. I congratulate him on this amazing milestone.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the United States and congratulate him on receiving the distinguished Templeton Prize.

As the head of the Orthodox Christian Church, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, having faithfully served in this role since October 1991. Throughout his tenure, he has reached across borders and barriers to build peace and reconciliation among diverse faiths and nations. He has convened conferences with Jewish and Muslim

leaders, strengthened Christian-Muslim relations, and championed environmental issues worldwide. Because of this work, he is endearingly known as the ``Bridge Builder and Patriarch of Peace.''

His All-Holiness's commitment to interfaith harmony, human rights, and global peace exemplifies the highest levels of compassion and unity. We are honored by his visit to the United States and are grateful for his dedication to peace and unity. May his legacy, humility, and love for all people continue shining light toward a more just and peaceful world.