Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, this bill should really be known as the desperation act because Republicans are so desperate to fund an endless war, so desperate to avoid angering their master at the White House, so desperate to find a way to exclude from the upcoming election many of the very voters that are about to vote them out of office.

Obedient Republicans here today are doing nothing to address sky-high prices that are caused by erratic Trump tariff taxes and unnecessary conflicts.

American families are paying about $1,100 each in increased costs as a result of Trump's operation epic folly, and servicemembers are continuing to pay with their lives. Now, Trump demands that we pay again for his billions of dollars wasted in a quagmire he hasn't the slightest idea how to get out of.

Watching Trump blunder along in such a chaotic, irrational manner has caused many Americans to ask: Is he past his prime, or is he really sick?

Yet, instead of providing an inquiry or a check on his condition, Republicans hand him another huge check today to do whatever he pleases.

To shield themselves from accountability, they also add in this bill not really voter identification, but voter exclusion. They have it all backward. We should restrain the would-be tyrant, not restrain the voters.

This misnamed bill is not about saving America. It represents Republicans' last-ditch effort, grasping for a life preserver before they sink.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to condemn the violent repression of musicians. As Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Musicians' Caucus, I express my profound concern regarding reports that Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has been sentenced by that nation to public flogging for appearing in a musical performance without adhering to government- imposed dress requirements. Reports indicate that her offense was not violence, incitement, but rather the act of artistic expression itself.

The Congressional Musicians' Caucus was established to recognize the vital role that music and musicians play in enriching societies, strengthening cultures, and advancing mutual understanding. While members of Congress may hold differing views on many international issues, we can stand together in support of the principle that creators should never face physical punishment, imprisonment, or violence for creating and sharing their artistic works.

History offers far too many examples of governments seeking to silence musicians, songwriters, composers, and poets whose voices resonate with the public. Authoritarian regimes have often viewed artists as threats precisely because music and creative expression have the unique power to inspire, unite, and give voice to the aspirations of ordinary people. Efforts to intimidate artists through violence are not merely attacks on individuals; they are attacks on cultural expression itself.

From the persecution of Chilean songwriter Victor Jara during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, to the denunciation and censorship of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich under the Soviet regime, to the repeated imprisonment and violent targeting of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti for criticizing military rule, history demonstrates that the suppression of artistic voices is often an early warning sign of broader assaults on fundamental freedoms. The international community should never become indifferent to such actions.

I recognize and appreciate the efforts of organizations such as the National Music Council of the United States, the Songwriters Guild of America, the Society of Composers & Lyricists, and others that continue to draw attention to cases in which musicians and music creators face persecution because of their artistic work. Bringing these incidents into public view helps ensure that such abuses do not occur unnoticed.

I affirm my support for the freedom of artistic expression and my opposition to the use of violence, intimidation, or physical punishment against musicians, composers, songwriters, poets, and other creators. Regardless of nationality, ideology, religion, or political viewpoint, artists should be free to create and perform without fear of physical retaliation from their governments.

I stand in solidarity with artists everywhere whose non-violent, creative voices are threatened by repression and in the hope that cultural expression may continue to serve as a bridge between peoples rather than a basis for punishment.

Mr. Speaker, approaching the 61st anniversary of Medicare, a true lifeline for retirees and individuals with disabilities, I am filing the Saving MEDICARE Act to ensure a solvent, better Medicare that reaches more Americans.

Medicare represents a valued Federal guarantee that workers will age with dignity and have access to quality, affordable healthcare. That guarantee is now under threat from giant, private insurance companies that profiteer off Medicare.

This landmark proposal comprehensively addresses the many ways that Medicare Advantage insurers are overpaid. My goal is to level the playing field so that traditional Medicare is no longer at a disadvantage to these private insurers.

Twenty-three years ago, in this very room, Republicans arm-twisted their own members and others all night long into the wee hours of the morning to ensure approval of a terrible bill that has hurt Americans and cost them hundreds of billions of dollars.

Its landmark provision was one to limit Medicare from negotiating prescription drug prices, ensuring that we continue to pay the most outrageous pharmaceutical prices anywhere on Earth. At the same time, they also included this new program with the great misnomer Medicare Advantage, a private insurance alternative to Medicare.

Though the supporters claimed that they would save us so much money, it would cost less than traditional Medicare, MA private insurers have never saved us a dime. Indeed, MA actually costs taxpayers tens of billions of dollars more every year.

This year, the nonpartisan, independent Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, or MedPAC, estimates that MA costs taxpayers $2,660 more for each person who goes into their plans rather than traditional Medicare.

Insurers claim that this great bonus that they are receiving provides so many extra benefits to consumers, from pest control, to rent, to a trip to get groceries, all these various things from one advertised insurer, except a Joe Namath autographed football.

Hidden in the fine print are caveats, and consumers often find they aren't eligible for any of those advertised benefits, and skimpy coverage and high cost-sharing when they need help the most. Difficulty in accessing the doctor of their choice and getting treatment approved create long delays, often outright denials, and many MA enrollees are struggling to receive quality healthcare.

In short, the only advantage in Medicare Advantage is to the monopoly and oligopoly private insurers.

The Saving MEDICARE Act will stop this waste, fraud, and abuse. It is about delivering to Americans the care that they deserve at a reasonable price. These funds will extend Medicare solvency and improve Medicare with dental, vision, and hearing benefits--another piece of legislation I have offered. We can achieve an out-of-pocket cap, lower premiums, and more.

We can achieve this by simply saying to MA that you should not cost more than traditional Medicare.

My bill reins in upcoding, a practice insurers use to make it appear that patients are sicker than they really are. It will also stop plans from profiteering when the Veterans Administration is providing most of the healthcare, but they have recruited veterans to join their plans for whom they provide little or no care.

It addresses insurance practices of steering sicker patients into traditional Medicare and trying to get healthier consumers who cost less into their plans. It phases out the failed county quartile system and the Quality Bonus Program which have only delivered more money to private insurers.

Finally, it enhances Federal oversight and involves State partners in this also. Medicare Advantage is putting Medicare on long-term life support. The Saving MEDICARE Act is a roadmap for accountable, and reasonable spending and improving the healthcare for many Americans.

In this totally ineffective and unsubstantial Congress, chances of getting Republicans to stand up to any special interest are pretty slim, but this bill is designed to encourage colleagues in the future with specific guidelines on how to deal with Medicare and make it better for more Americans, and to urge more of our colleagues to have the courage to stand up to these insurance giants by preventing them from using Medicare as a piggy bank.

This bill should really be known as the big slush. It is a slush fund to enrich our corrupt President and a slush fund for ICE to continue abusing communities across America.

Grocery prices soar and gas prices surge, and to the Trump regime, it is really just ``peanuts,'' peanuts of the type perhaps that are served on that luxury jet that Kristi Noem purchased and wasted taxpayer funds on so she could ride in style to support her ICE agents terrorizing too many Americans.

After filing a $10 billion bogus lawsuit against his own administration, Trump incredibly reached a sordid deal with his personal criminal defense attorney, whom he has appointed Acting Attorney General, to stop tax evasion audits of Trump, his family, and all the Trump enterprises, special treatment that has been estimated to save him over $100 million.

On top of that, he gets to control a taxpayer-funded $1.8 billion slush fund that can be used to reward the rioters who were here on January 6, who assaulted police, and other Trump pals and criminals. Law-abiding neighbors face ICE cruelty while convicted criminals get a check at our expense.

What we need is a genuine check on the Trump regime, but there is no rule of law and no checks and balances. Trump knows that a compliant Republican Congress will let him get away with anything.

This bill doesn't secure America. It secures Trump's stranglehold on the Republicans.

Mr. Speaker, for over a year, the House Republican leadership has yielded to Donald Trump's peculiar friendship with Vladimir Putin and blocked action on this measure.

Every day that Republicans look the other way, Ukrainians die. Over 55,000 of them have perished. Over 20,000 children have been kidnapped. The war that Trump promised to end in a single day is now in its fifth murderous year.

Trump has continued to send signals to Vladimir Putin that his brutal aggression is okay. He has reduced U.S. direct support for Ukraine by 99 percent. He has withheld even the modest funds that this Congress approved last year. He has removed American troops from Europe, diverted essential defensive weapons that would protect Ukrainians elsewhere, and remained silent while Putin destroyed American businesses in Ukraine and provided intelligence to Iran to target Americans. Most recently, he has indicated to NATO that when Putin creates a further crisis, the U.S. will offer less, if any, help.

As Putin tests the resolve of the civilized world, Trump has shown that he has no resolve. He is too weak to lead and too reckless to be followed.

With my own name on some of the first sanctions legislation that this Congress approved against Russia and with two of the measures that I have authored since then incorporated in this measure, I am glad to see that we finally get some action.

Since March, thanks to Trump's incredible lifting of sanctions, Vladimir Putin is getting about $200 million a day, including today, in revenue to oil his war machine.

Tonight, let's unite to resist the appeasers and seek a victory for everyone in this world who values self-determination, democracy, and freedom.

Mr. Speaker, ICE has become another three-letter word for

lie: lies about immigrants as an excuse for racist and un-American policies; lies about dead American citizens like Renee Good and Alex Pretti; lies about outrageous conditions at detention centers like Dilley, Texas, where measles spread and children are fed infested food with worms; lies really to all of us that the Trump regime is merely concerned about dangerous criminals when, in fact, their dragnet picks up anyone who happens to get in the way no matter how much that immigrant teacher, immigrant construction worker, immigrant small business owner or healthcare worker are contributing to their community.

While we have simply asked that ICE meet the standards that we expect of our local law enforcement, this bill is designed to let ICE continue its rampage across America totally unrestrained.

What we should be doing is using the $70 billion that this Republican bill showers on ICE and CBP to instead address the affordability crisis that our American families are facing because of Trump's continued mismanagement, his reckless, endless war in Iran, and his illegal tariffs.

That $70 billion, think of what it could accomplish. With it, we could restore affordable access to a family physician for millions of American families.

Mr. Speaker, we could restore access to a family physician for millions of American families who no longer have it thanks to the Republican action. Or, we could instead choose to provide for our future by ensuring that every single 3- and 4-year-old in America can access pre-K.

But instead of helping working families, Republicans insist that we shower more tax dollars on a rogue agency that already has entirely too much funding to continue its mission of ripping families apart and detaining babies.

Mr. Speaker, before departing the Capitol last week, I stood at this very spot with Democratic and Republican colleagues, three separate times, to honor, with moments of silence, American servicemembers who have fallen in Trump's reckless war in Iran. If congressional Republicans continue to remain silent, the only result will be more of those ceremonies and more deaths of innocents like the 168 children and teachers who were killed by a U.S. bomb.

An arrogant Hegseth dismisses all of this with a shrug as ``bad things happen.'' To Trump, he sees it as a fundraising opportunity as he solicits money using the pictures of these fallen heroes.

But for the families who lost a father, a son, or a daughter, a spouse, it means an empty seat at Thanksgiving. It means a bride walking unaccompanied down the aisle. It means an untouched pillow on the bed. It means years of grief without the good advice, the laughter, the hope, and the bear hug that will never come.

While Iran certainly has a tyrannical regime that has murdered thousands of its own citizens and in prior years was responsible for the deaths of some Americans, Iran posed no imminent or immediate threat at the time President Trump chose to suddenly abandon negotiations and launch an assault. Republicans are rubber-stamping a war that lacks any plan or any set goal. More than 200 American servicemembers have already been wounded, and Trump is certainly not dispatching more ground troops to the area for the sunshine.

We are now in week 4 of what he told us was a 4- to 5-week war. All we have to show for it is death and destruction, a depleted weapons supply, soaring gas prices, and an Iranian regime that is intact and more hardline than ever.

Israeli officials have advised that any Iranian protestors will be ``slaughtered'' by a brutal regime that is ``not cracking.'' What is much worse about this is that Trump knew. He was told by close advisers that this would be the outcome before this war began. As one said: ``It wasn't just predictable, it was predicted.''

Instead of acknowledging this complete failure, Trump continues to endanger all of us. Now, he is submitting to this Congress a bill for American taxpayers of $200 billion. Let's face it, Iran has grabbed Trump by the Hormuz, with no path out of a quagmire that could be like Iraq where we lost 4,400 servicemembers and wasted over $2 trillion.

With Trump's $200 billion bill, about 22 million Americans could have affordable access to healthcare, not just this year, but with restored tax credits for the next 7 years. Our veterans, 9 million veterans could get their VA healthcare paid for for the next 2 years. With $200 billion, we could double the National Institutes of Health budget to explore research for Alzheimer's and

other dreaded diseases. We could fully fund Pell grants and educational opportunities for 7 million Americans over the next 7 years, actions that could have been taken here at home, but Trump yielded to pressure from abroad.

We know that under Trump it is Netanyahu first and Americans second. Too weak to prevent this war by saying no to him, he continues to blindly follow strongmen. Amazingly, when Trump is told that war criminal Vladimir Putin is helping Iran target American servicemembers, he shrugs it off. He is so desperate that he has now not only lifted sanctions on Russian oil, fueling the Russian war machine to attack innocents in Ukraine, he has actually removed sanctions on Iranian oil to fund the Iranian Government and the missiles that they continue to send our way.

While Trump declares himself the ``acting president of Venezuela'' and says that he can do ``anything I want'' to Cuba, while one of his many lies contradicts the next one, he really believes that he is not just king of America, but king of the universe. Yet, it is Americans that will pay the very severe price for his gigantic ego and constant whims that embark us in danger around the globe.

Mr. Speaker, from the same folks who brought us $4.7 trillion in additional Federal debt and who worship the ``king of debt,'' Donald Trump, as he describes himself, they present this unbalanced budget amendment.

Apparently, this proposal, which reeks of hypocrisy, is designed by those who gave us so much more debt to protect us from them doing even more harm. However, I think it really should be known as the protect our billionaire buddies act because that is what it is really designed to do: to prevent a future Congress from ever demanding a fair contribution from the billionaires and the multinational corporations that pay a tax rate lower than that for a teacher or a nurse, and to shift our jobs overseas.

Our loophole-filled tax code has more holes than swiss cheese. By imposing this first-in-history supermajority requirement before any tax can be increased, they prevent plugging those holes and doing anything about the injustice and inequities in our tax code that shift the burden onto working people and small businesses.

These Republicans aren't really deficit hawks. They are war hawks these days, and they created a special loophole in their own amendment for war, to ease the funding of the war machine. With Trump in office, we can expect more wars wherever his latest whim and ego take him, endangering all of us.

Mr. Speaker, there is nothing balanced about this amendment. Let's reject it.

Mr. Speaker, as Baghdad was first bombed 23 years ago, Americans were bombarded with lies. When that giant statue of Saddam Hussein was pulled down, the lies were paired with attacks on all of us who opposed what was ultimately recognized by almost all as a colossal American blunder.

Though later President Bush announced ``mission accomplished,'' the killing continued. Ultimately, over 4,400 American lives were lost and $2 trillion spent on this unwarranted invasion that, unfortunately, only benefited Iran.

Now, as Tehran is bombed, we are once again being bombarded with lies. Our trigger-happy President issued his personal declaration of war without approval of Congress, without exhausting nonviolent alternatives, and without any real plan after the bombs stopped falling.

Just months ago, Trump told the Nation that he had obliterated the Iranian nuclear capability. With no imminent threat to our country, he declared war just because he likes issuing decrees.

He loves issuing imperial decrees, whether it is imposing new tariff taxes, obstructing our voting rights, or declaring himself the acting President of Venezuela. It is the American people who will pay the price in blood and treasure for his military adventurism.

Trump callously has responded already ``that's the way it is'' to the deaths of American servicemembers and so many innocent civilians. With his war spreading across the Middle East, Trump is not ruling out ground troops, since airpower alone will not be sufficient to accomplish the regime change that he is obviously seeking.

While certainly not mourning the death of Iranian tyrants, despicable people, rarely has assassination of such foreign leaders produced a peaceful result. Two decades of experience in Afghanistan and Iraq tell us that even boots on the ground are insufficient to accomplish a peaceful democratic society. Only the Iranian people can do that.

Of course, Trump is also sending a message to fellow authoritarians Xi and Putin that might makes right. Use war if it is helpful.

Ironically, we learned that President Trump's action does not demonstrate strength, but rather weakness. Secretary Rubio has confirmed that Trump was just yielding to Netanyahu's planned attack by saying, essentially, ``me, too.'' He was too weak to tell Netanyahu no, as President Bush had wisely done. Trump talks tough and brandishes a very powerful military, but he cannot stand up to powerful leaders like Netanyahu and Putin.

Choosing war is not ``peace through strength.'' It is a means of diverting attention from multiple Trump failures here at home. Coming just after revelations from the Justice Department of hiding documents accusing Trump of sexually abusing a minor, this war of choice may even be useful as a distraction from the Epstein files that have not been fully disclosed.

In Trump's own words, this is a war that could go on ``as long as it takes,'' perhaps as long as it takes for him to interfere in the November elections and secure a Congress that will continue to be little more than a doormat for him.

With war so much easier to get into than to get out of, it is imperative that this Congress act swiftly this week to approve the War Powers Resolution to save American lives and stop another destabilizing, bloody conflict that will have repercussions for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, from his first day in public office, President Trump has made it clear that he wants to rule America by imperial decree. He didn't want to be king just for a day in America. He wants to be king of the universe. Congress is just a nuisance that can be avoided, the courts are an occasional speed bump, and international law is just a suggestion to this President.

In his decree declaring war on Iran, he glibly responded to the loss of American lives by saying: ``That's the way it is.''

With no clear objectives, no approval from the Congress, and no commitment to keep the ground troops out, more American deaths and billions of taxpayer dollars wasted will be ``the way it is.''

We know that in this regard, Trump is not America First. At best, he is America second, as Secretary Rubio confessed this week.

Trump is too weak to follow President Bush's wise example of saying no to Netanyahu. He has dragged us into a war without an imminent threat. He

has committed us to a war that will further destabilize an already unstable region of the world, and in Trump's own words, this war will go on ``as long as it takes.''

The last war like that cost 4,400 American lives and $2 trillion of taxpayer money.

While certainly I do not mourn the death of any of these despots in Iran who have done so much harm, under Trump's clueless approach, we may just be replacing one tyrant with another. We already see what is happening to our embassies, our military facilities, and our airports where many Americans are stranded abroad.

Mr. Speaker, I urge approval of this resolution to stop Trump's forever war. Unless it is approved, Trump will only be encouraged to grab more and more power on his drive for total authoritarian, one-man rule in this country and the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a critical national resource that for 30 years has served as a lifeline for victims and survivors of domestic violence and relationship abuse across our country: the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Based in Austin, Texas, in my Congressional district, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is the only national hotline that operates 24/7, responding to all those in the U.S., its territories and military bases across the globe via phone, chat and text. These services are free and confidential.

Authorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and funded through the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, the National Domestic Violence Hotline was created to ensure that anyone experiencing relationship abuse would have a safe, confidential place to turn for help. On February 21, 1996, the National Domestic Violence Hotline answered its very first call--marking the beginning of a national commitment to listening to survivors, offering support without judgment, and helping people see pathways to safety and healing.

Since that first call, The Hotline has served more than 7.8 million people through phone, chat and text--each contact representing courage, resilience and hope. Its highly trained advocates provide compassionate support, personalized safety planning, and connections to local resources, responding to thousands of contacts each day as the demand for services continues to grow. Thirty years later, The Hotline continues to experience incredibly high demand for its services. Every day, The Hotline receives nearly 3,000 calls from those needing crisis support and a path to safety--demand for services has more than doubled during the past decade.

As the needs of survivors have evolved, The Hotline has implemented responsible, survivor-centered technology innovations--including expanded chat and text services and improved resource navigation to increase access, reduce barriers, and better meet demand nationwide.

This 30-year milestone is not a celebration of the continued prevalence of domestic violence. The ongoing need for a national hotline is a sobering reminder that relationship abuse affects millions of people across every community, demographic, and geography. Survivors, particularly those from marginalized communities, often face compounded barriers to safety and support, and too many endure abuse in silence.

But the courage of survivors is something worthy of recognition. Every day, individuals reach out to The Hotline, often for the first time, taking a brave step toward safety, healing, and freedom. The Hotline bears witness to that courage by offering hope, validation and practical support in moments of crisis.

In addition to its core hotline services, The Hotline operates the National Dating Abuse Helpline, which provides 24/7/365 chat, text and phone support to help teens and young adults experiencing abuse or unhealthy dating situations. The Hotline also runs love is respect, a program dedicated to engaging, educating and empowering young people facing abusive or unhealthy relationships.

I also wish to recognize the dedicated advocates who staff the National Domestic Violence Hotline and its programs. Their work requires extraordinary compassion, resilience, and skill, as they respond to heart-wrenching calls and messages with care and professionalism. Their commitment saves lives and strengthens families and communities across our Nation.

For 30 years, the National Domestic Violence Hotline has stood as a beacon of hope--answering the call when it matters most. As we mark this 30th anniversary, we honor the survivors who inspire this work, the advocates who make it possible, and the enduring mission to ensure that everyone can live a life free from violence.

Mr. Speaker, we are barely 2 months into this new year, and yet we have already had 35 mass shootings, devastating communities across the country.

If only two or three people are killed, it hardly makes national news anymore. We can be sure after every major incident that Republicans will offer their thoughts and prayers and then proceed to obstruct anyone who wants to do anything to increase gun safety.

Instead of addressing the serious tragedy, the illness that plagues our country with gun violence, Republicans today propose a new loophole, a dangerous loophole for so-called less-than-lethal devices. Once they are no longer considered firearms under the Federal definition, protective rules go away. That means no background checks. That means no serial number on the equipment so that the police can trace it if a criminal is using it.

I have great respect for the gentleman from Arizona, but using his example of a woman coming at a police officer with a knife, this bill does nothing for the police officer. He can get full access to less- than-lethal weapons now, but the woman, if she had a mental health problem and was barred from a firearm, she could now go buy one of these less-than-lethal devices.

In fact, it is not just one woman in Arizona. There are 5 million convicted felons in this country. There are 7 million people with mental health conditions. They are all barred from getting a firearm, and this dangerous loophole is designed to ensure that they now will see a giant sign saying, ``Come get your weapon,'' because they no longer will be prohibited from getting one of these weapons, while the police officers, the law enforcement officers across this country, get no benefit. In fact, their job is made more difficult because these weapons can no longer be traced when used by one of these convicted felons who chooses to engage in other criminal activity.

These less-than-lethal devices, as they have been labeled, include tasers. There is one story after another, horrible stories, with details of criminals who have used tasers as they raped and abused their victims.

Beanbag rounds, we had those used in Austin against a number of teenagers. They may be called less than lethal,

but these teens required multiple lifesaving surgeries to bring them back to decent health, some with serious disabilities.

With homemade alterations, which can occur with these less-than- lethal weapons, they can become more rapid-fire. They can become much more dangerous and still untraceable weapons.

There are so many things that we could be doing in this Congress concerning gun safety. Mr. Thompson has requested a universal background check--not to deny anyone, but to ensure that someone with a mental health condition or some other condition, someone you do not want getting a gun, to ensure safety through that background check. That has been widely supported by law enforcement.

There is a concern about the weapons of war that are brought onto our streets and kill multiple people. There are a number of reasonable measures that have been advocated by one group after another across this country to make our streets safer and to have parents, when they send their children off to school, know they will come home and won't have to spend all their time fearing the kind of violence that we saw in Uvalde, Texas, that led to the deaths of so many little children.

These are things that Congress could be working on right now. This loophole that will allow more people who should not have a gun because of their criminal history or their mental health condition will allow them to get that weapon. Real public safety means fewer weapons on our streets, not more loopholes.

Mr. Speaker, President Trump's repeated bullying of Canada and its eloquent Prime Minister Carney is both embarrassing and alarming. Our country could not have a better neighbor or trading partner than Canada.

Declaring emergencies where none exist, Trump delights in these executive decrees for tariffs. He can act like a king, and he is enabled to be a king-like figure on this issue by Republicans, even though it is costing American families thousands of dollars.

There have been 76,000 American manufacturing jobs lost amidst Trump chaos. Small businesses are losing out if they don't have a lobbyist who can go to Mar-a-Lago and bargain with Trump.

This vote is about reaffirming ``no king,'' no rule by decree from the President when he has no authority to do this, and recognizing that our Constitution places responsibility for trade and tariff taxes where it should be, right here in this Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Texas, the Honorable Christian D. Menefee, be permitted to take the oath of office today.

His certificate of election has not arrived, but there is no contest and no question has been raised with regard to his election.

Mr. Speaker, Saturday was a great day for progress in Texas, from Houston to Fort Worth. For almost a year after the tragic death of our late colleague, Sylvester Turner, the citizens of the 18th Congressional District of Texas in Houston have been denied representation in this Congress.

After Governor Abbott delayed the call for the election for almost 8 months and then delayed the runoff election another 3 months, these Texans finally have the representation that they deserve.

At this moment, we remember the life of Sylvester Turner, who honorably served Houstonians for a decade or more as mayor and State representative, and who took over after the passing of our colleague, Sheila Jackson Lee, who we all remember for her tenacity.

This is in a district that was once represented by the legendary Barbara Jordan. This is also a district with a long legacy of fighters, fighters for justice. I am confident that Christian Menefee will carry on that tradition.

He was raised in the 18th Congressional District by two military parents who taught him about the values of hard work, of loyalty, and of standing up for what is right.

With the help of a Pell grant, he was the first member in his family to graduate from college. He graduated from UT San Antonio and then went on to St. Louis to get a law degree from Washington University.

He built a successful career as a commercial litigator in Houston and provided extensive pro bono work there, including his working with immigrant families affected by the Muslim ban. He most recently served as the Harris County attorney, the youngest person and the first African American to ever hold that office.

At this troubling time in our country, please join me in welcoming someone who I know will be a great colleague, carrying out the incomplete term of Mr. Turner in this Congress.

Congratulations, Christian.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Menefee).