Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, I thank Ranking Member DeLauro for yielding.

I rise in support of the fiscal year 2026 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs funding bill, a bipartisan package that strengthens American leadership and aims to make our country safer, more secure, and more prosperous.

Let me start by thanking our chair of the main committee, Mr. Cole; my ranking member, Representative DeLauro; the members of our subcommittee; and the hardworking staff who helped to get the bill done, the majority team and our Democratic team of Erin Kolodjeski, Laurie Mignone, Ed Etzkorn, and Jenn Miller. A most big thank you to our subcommittee chair, Mario Diaz-Balart. We have known each other for decades, dating back to our time in the State legislature. I am grateful for his fine leadership and friendship.

Mr. Chair, this bill reflects what I believe most Americans want from their elected leaders: to work together respectfully in a bipartisan way to get things done. At a time of global uncertainty, it is critical that we face the world with a unified front.

This bill was not an easy task to come by. We have, in my opinion, and the opinion of many on my side of the aisle, a disappointing reduction in top-line funding. The infrastructure needed to deliver foreign assistance has, in many ways, including the illegal destruction of USAID, been dismantled.

With that said, I am proud to say that we worked hard to produce the bill to affirm U.S. leadership on the world stage, recognizing the reorganization of the State Department and reasserting Congress' constitutional power of the purse.

This bill funds what should be the core missions of the State Department: diplomacy, development, and humanitarian assistance. It supports our diplomats overseas, staffs our embassies, and protects U.S. missions around the world. It invests in global health programs, from HIV to maternal and child health to tuberculosis, stopping infectious and preventable diseases before they reach our shores. It funds humanitarian efforts to respond to natural disasters, assists those displaced by conflict, and provides lifesaving nutrition to the hungry. It protects international basic education so children in poverty and crisis have a chance at opportunity.

The bill empowers women and girls by safeguarding funding for family planning, women's economic empowerment, and Women, Peace, and Security.

It supports access to objective information through outlets like Voice of America, pushing back against Russian and Chinese propaganda.

The bill upholds our commitments to allies like Jordan, Egypt, Taiwan, and Israel. Importantly, it reasserts congressional oversight over critical independent agencies that were targeted for dismantling.

This legislation affirms a simple truth: Foreign assistance is not a charity. It is a strategic investment. At just a small fraction of our Federal budget, it delivers outsized returns for our national security, our economy, and our global influence because we know that hunger, poverty, ignorance, repression, and hopelessness create the conditions where extremism and conflict take root. I can say this as a mother who watched her son put on the uniform and deploy to two wars: By investing in global stability, we reduce the need for costly and deadly military intervention.

Isolation is not an option. When the United States pulls back, our adversaries like Iran, China, and Russia double down. They move in to fill the void, rewrite the rules, expand their influence, and undermine democratic values.

This bill helps ensure that American leadership, not authoritarian influence, shapes the future.

I know we know that we are currently operating under a 2024 budget. Over the past 2 years, the world has changed, and our institutions have changed with it.

This bill reflects those realities and adapts how we carry out foreign assistance in a more strategic and accountable way.

This is a serious, bipartisan compromise with a goal of advancing American leadership around the world. It is my hope that this bill will give the administration the tools and funding needed to make our country safer, more secure, and more prosperous, with the understanding that they must be partners with Congress.

Mr. Chair, I proudly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan bill.

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

Mr. Chairman, I speak again today as a mother of a son, a United States Marines veteran, who came home from two wars.

One lesson I carry with me is this: The conflicts that put our sons and our daughters in harm's way almost always arise in places where democracy has failed or never taken root. This amendment will strike funding for the National Endowment for Democracy and core democracy provisions in the bill, and this would be a serious mistake and a dangerous retreat from American values.

For decades, these programs have supported free and fair elections, independent journalism, civic participation, and access to truthful information--tools that help societies resolve disputes without violence.

In Ukraine, democracy programs help document Russian war crimes against women and children. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they fight corruption and strengthen the rule of law. In Pakistan, they promote religious tolerance and protect minority communities. Around the world, they expand women's participation in political life, one of the strongest predictors of long-term stability.

These investments are not charity. They are prevention. They save American lives, taxpayer dollars, and future troop deployments by reducing the likelihood of conflict, extremism, and mass displacement that ultimately demand United States' intervention.

From the streets of Iran to fragile democracies under pressure, brave people are risking everything for dignity, freedom, and a voice in their future.

These are the people that these programs support. I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment and stand up for democracy and for American leadership around the world.

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

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee.

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

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, my, my, my. I rise today, amazed that with the healthcare crisis unfolding, the Republican priority before us is plumbing.

At a time when families are already being squeezed by the rising cost of living, from groceries to rent to utilities, President Trump is focused on renaming the Kennedy Center, building a ballroom, running a foreign country, and the water pressure in his showers.

Republicans in Congress, instead of focusing on lowering healthcare costs, are debating the definition of showerheads. Really? Millions of Americans are losing their healthcare coverage after Republicans allowed the Affordable Care Act tax credits to expire.

The nightmare of families having to choose between taking their child to the doctor or paying their rent is now a reality, hitting my home State of Florida especially hard. In Florida, more than 4 million people rely on the ACA and face premiums that are doubling or tripling.

A self-employed mom recovering from cancer in Lake Worth Beach is dropping her coverage as her premium tripled overnight. A 62-year-old waiter in West Palm Beach is going without insurance because it now costs more than his rent.

Here is a fact. When people lose health insurance, the consequences are real, and they are devastating. Medical debt piles up. Families drain their savings. They face bankruptcy.

Untreated illnesses force workers out of their jobs. When people lose their coverage, it affects all of us. Hospitals are strained. Businesses are hurt. Costs rise for everyone.

Here is a solution. I urge my colleagues to support the 3-year extension of the ACA tax credits and stop millions of hardworking families from losing their coverage. Fix the pressure where it matters the most. Lower healthcare costs.

Mr. Speaker, for far too long, the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse were failed by a justice system that minimized their suffering and prosecutors who treated young girls as if they were criminals. That was wrong.

I am here with my colleagues to promise that we will get to the bottom of why the Epstein survivors were treated so badly, who made those decisions, and who they were protecting. There will be no more secrecy and no more excuses.

Mr. Speaker, we all deserve the truth, and I thank the survivors for their courage and perseverance. Their voices are being heard.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise with joy to celebrate a very special milestone. On August 24, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York, my mother, Dorothy Scharf Frankel, came into the world, and this summer marked her 100th birthday.

She is still healthy, sharp, and still the life of the party. Really, to this day she is my best supporter, my best friend, and always on my side.

At 100, she plays a fierce game of bridge, Rummikub, and bingo, always with a quick wit and competitive spirit intact. She still turns on the news every day, and she worries about her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She reminds us that age is not a limit, but a badge of wisdom, resilience, and spirit.

Today, I honor my mother, not just for reaching a century of life but fulfilling every one of those years with strength, laughter, and unwavering love for her family. She is my inspiration, and I am so proud to celebrate her extraordinary journey.

Mr. Speaker, we are witnessing a reckless, cruel, and shortsighted assault on American values, global leadership, and our constitutional responsibilities.

Let's be clear. This is not a budget fix. It is a dangerous retreat from our role in the world. Foreign aid is just a sliver of our budget, but it saves lives. It prevents wars, and it opens markets for American businesses. It is a smart investment in our national security.

As we speak, Mr. Speaker, there are millions of dollars of food that has been left rotting over in ports, leaving massive numbers of people in conflict zones starving. This is all due to the chaos and mismanagement of the White House.

This is not fiscal responsibility. It is moral failure. This bad bill pulls millions of children out of school, leaves small farmers without tools, wipes out access to clean water, and cuts off contraception for women and girls.

Meanwhile, our adversaries are stepping in. China and Russia are seizing influence as we retreat. This bill cedes Congress' power of the purse giving one man the authority to cancel funds we have already approved.

I call us the disappearing Congress, and that is not how democracy works. It is how autocracy begins. Vote ``no'' on this very bad bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with deep admiration and heartfelt gratitude to honor Katrina Fotovat, a fierce, compassionate, and tireless champion for the rights of women and girls around the world, as she marks her retirement from the U.S. Department of State.

For more than two decades, Katrina has been a driving force in embedding gender equity and equality into the fabric of American foreign policy. Her legacy is one of courage, conviction, and quiet, determined leadership in some of the most challenging arenas of global diplomacy and human rights work.

Katrina has served with distinction in numerous roles across the State Department: in the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, at the U.S. Embassy in Moldova, the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, and at USAID. Most recently, she served as the Principal Deputy Director, and many times as the Acting Ambassador-at-Large, for Global Women's Issues, guiding the office through moments of great complexity with grace and resolve. Under her leadership, the Office of Global Women's Issues became a beacon for our partners around the world, showing what it means when the United States stands up for the dignity and rights of all people.

Her service has never been about recognition or accolades, it has been about impact. Whether working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, advocating through the International Human Rights Legal Clinic, or standing shoulder to shoulder with survivors of trafficking and violence, Katrina has always placed people, especially the most vulnerable, at the center of her work.

She has lifted up voices too often silenced, built bridges where there were none, and inspired a generation of women and girls to imagine a better, freer, and more just future.

On behalf of a grateful Nation, and with personal appreciation for her extraordinary dedication, I want to thank Katrina Fotovat for her years of service. She leaves behind a profound and lasting legacy that will continue to ripple across borders and generations.

We honor Katrina, we thank her, and we wish her joy, purpose, and continued impact in whatever comes next.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to include in the Record the following proclamation celebrating the 100th Birthday of Lucille Hirsh Hart.

Whereas, Lucille Hirsh Hart was born on June 21, 1925, in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Lena and Joel Hart, and has

spent a century inspiring those around her with her strength,

dedication, and love;

Whereas, Lucille built a beautiful life rooted in family,

raising four children with devotion and care while serving as

an outstanding mother and homemaker;

Whereas, she also dedicated herself to a distinguished

career in medical records, ultimately serving as the head of

Medical Records at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, a

major teaching institution in downtown Philadelphia, where

she contributed to the health and well-being of countless

patients and supported generations of medical professionals;

Whereas, Lucille has long been an ardent supporter of the

State of Israel and the Jewish people, instilling her deep

sense of heritage, culture, and commitment in her children

and numerous grandchildren;

Whereas, in 1993, Lucille moved to Florida, where she

continues to live independently in her own home in Delray

Beach, bringing joy, wisdom, and warmth to all who know her;

Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Lois Frankel, on

behalf of the United States House of Representatives, do

hereby recognize and celebrate the 100th birthday of Lucille

Hirsh Hart.

Let it be known that Lucille's life stands as a shining

example of service, resilience, and enduring love for family

and community. We honor her remarkable century of life and

the legacy she continues to build.

Happy 100th Birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to include in the Record the following proclamation celebrating the 107th Birthday of Alberta Bailey.

Whereas, Alberta Bailey was born July 5, 1918, and has

spent a century inspiring those around her with her strength,

dedication, and love;

Whereas, Alberta built a beautiful life as the matriarch of

the family, rooted in love with devotion and care while

serving as an outstanding mother.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Lois Frankel on

behalf of the United States House of Representatives, do

hereby recognize and celebrate the 107th birthday of Alberta

Bailey.

Let it be known that Alberta's life stands as a shining

example of service, resilience, and enduring love for family

and community. We honor her remarkable century of life and

the legacy she continues to build.

Happy 107th Birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in fierce opposition to the Republicans' reckless rescission bill, a backdoor scheme to claw back critical Federal funding that protects America's global leadership, public safeguards, and trusted public broadcasting, all while bypassing congressional constitutional authority.

Let's be clear: This is not a budget tweak. It is an attack on our values; a direct hit to our national health, safety, and prosperity; and a green light for authoritarian overreach.

This package guts essential investments in international development and humanitarian programs, lifesaving tools that fight disease, prevent terrorism, supports democracy, and open markets for American businesses.

Here is the kicker, Mr. Speaker: Congress approved this funding just 2 months ago, and Donald Trump signed it into law. Now, Republicans want to rip it back to cover up the massive hole they are blowing in the deficit with tax giveaways for billionaires. Their so-called fiscal responsibility comes at the expense of starving children, crumbling democracies, and public-private partnerships that channel American innovation to solve the world's toughest challenges.

Mr. Speaker, foreign assistance, which has long represented just about 1 percent of our national budget, is not charity. It is strategy.

Don't take my word for it. Military leaders from both parties have warned us for years. If we fail to lead with soft power, we will end up paying in blood, bombs, and more boots on the ground.

Cutting foreign assistance will: deepen desperation, fuel extremism, and push fragile societies toward collapse. When that happens, we all pay the price. Refugee crises will surge. Diseases will spread, and trade routes will shut down. Our troops and diplomats face greater danger, and our homeland security is weakened.

Here is an example of what is on the chopping block: PEPFAR, which has saved over 26 million lives and nearly 8 million babies from being born with HIV; food assistance, which stabilizes communities and creates agricultural markets; and public-private partnerships that channel American innovation to solve the world's toughest challenges.

Let's talk about what happens when we pull back. When the United States steps away, others step in and not with good intentions. China is flooding developing countries with infrastructure loans and digital surveillance systems. Russia is exporting mercenaries and disinformation. While we are debating whether to send a bag of rice or a clean water pump, our adversaries are buying influence, forging military alliances, and rewriting the rules of global engagement.

This is not theoretical. This is happening right now. Let's take Africa, for example, a region poised to become one-quarter of the world's population. U.S. assistance has helped build stability there through nutrition programs, education, and public health. If we walk away now, we are not just abandoning our values. We are surrendering one of the world's fastest growing marketplaces to China.

Let's be clear: Regions we assist aren't just aid recipients. They are emerging economies and future trading partners. Pulling back opens the door for authoritarian regimes like China to dominate the future, commerce, connectivity, and development.

This is not just cruel. It is strategically self-defeating and economically foolish.

Make no mistake, this rescission package is Project 2025 in action-- dismantling our institutions, silencing oversight, and handing U.S. global leadership over to the dictators on a silver platter, leaving us alone in the world.

This bill attempts to rubberstamp the Trump administration's illegal actions, blocking funding already approved by Congress, firing career public servants, and hollowing out entire agencies.

Let's be honest. These are not going to lower the costs for American families. It is not going to reduce the deficit, but it will make the world more dangerous.

It will make Americans less safe and less prosperous.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, this week marks 100 days since Donald Trump's return to power, 100 days of destruction, chaos, and heartbreak, all rubber-stamped by congressional Republicans.

Trump promised to lower costs. Instead, extreme tariffs have driven up prices and tanked the stock market, gutting retirement savings.

Trump promised to protect Social Security. Instead, he is closing offices, firing workers, and making it harder for seniors to get the benefits that they earned.

Trump promised to fight for hardworking Americans. Instead, he is pushing a cruel budget that rips food and healthcare from children, from seniors, and from veterans, all to hand massive tax breaks to billionaires.

While families struggle, Trump plays golf, and his buddy, Elon Musk, is chainsawing the American Dream.

It has been 100 days of chaos, destruction, and heartbreak, and Democrats are fighting back.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rabbi David Steinhardt, a distinguished spiritual leader and educator, as he prepares to retire after more than three decades of dedicated service to B'nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, Florida. Rabbi Steinhardt's journey to the rabbinate was shaped by his early experiences as the child of refugees from Nazi Germany and his deep connection to the Conservative Jewish movement, cultivated at Camp Ramah and Congregation Rodeph Sholom in Connecticut.

Ordained in 1982 at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, Rabbi Steinhardt began his rabbinical career in Ohio before joining B'nai Torah in 1994, where he has since become a transformative figure. His proudest accomplishments include revitalizing the synagogue's religious after-school program, which saw attendance soar from under 40 percent to over 85 percent, and overseeing over 1,000 bar and bat mitzvahs. His congregants noted that in his congregation of 1,300 families, Rabbi Steinhardt has made it a point to connect deeply with them, even knowing them all by name. Under his leadership, the synagogue grew significantly, expanding both its staff and its reach in the Boca Raton community.

Rabbi Steinhardt's commitment to Jewish education and community service has left a lasting legacy. As he transitions to ``rabbi emeritus,'' he will continue to contribute to his congregation and community, while embracing a busy retirement filled with teaching, writing, meditation, and time spent with his family.

It is a privilege to recognize Rabbi Steinhardt today, and I wish him a fulfilling and rewarding retirement, and continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my staff member, Nancy Germansky, on her recent retirement from my office.

Nancy grew up in New York City and moved to South Florida with her late husband, Stuart, where they raised their son, Henry. Nancy started serving the constituents of South Florida in 2007 as a Constituent Services Representative for Representative Ron Klein, continued her service with Representative Ted Deutch, and joined my office as a Constituent Liaison when I was elected to Congress in 2013. Covering a wide range of issues, Nancy assisted thousands of constituents over her career. She helped Veterans get the benefits they earned, ensured seniors had access to their Medicare, assisted with IRS issues, and so much more. Her calming presence and dedication to helping others made her an amazing advocate for our office, touching the lives of so many.

While it is sad to have Nancy leave our office, I wish her a very well-deserved retirement, full of travel, relaxation, and many more years of enjoyment ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I will tell you why I am voting against the bill. It doesn't lower any of my constituents' costs. Instead, it gives the Trump administration free rein to continue its chaotic and lawless dismantling of the United States' influence in the world, gutting nearly all of our humanitarian, development, security, and global health programs, programs that constitute less than 1 percent of our Federal budget.

These are not serious cost-saving measures. Instead, they make us less safe, less prosperous, and less healthy. Counterterrorism programs are halted, contracts with American farmers are cancelled, children are left wasting away, bird flu, Ebola, and HIV spreading, education programs ending, all done without any thought or any reason.

The vacuum is left for China, Russia, and extremists to fill. We should not be handing this President a blank check to continue his harmful, sledgehammer approach to how we spend taxpayer money.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a resounding ``no'' vote on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, here we go again. This bill is not about protecting anyone. It is about intimidating doctors and making it harder for women to get the care they need.

Let's be clear: Every baby born in this country is already protected under the law. The bill creates unnecessary rules that aren't based on medical facts or science. It threatens healthcare providers with jail for doing their job.

Instead of focusing on real issues like making healthcare more affordable or addressing the maternal healthcare crisis, Republicans are doubling down on their dangerous agenda of banning abortion nationwide.

Women deserve the freedom to make their own medical decisions without politicians getting in the way. That is why I strongly oppose this very deadly bill.

Mr. Speaker, I met Tracie almost 27 years ago. I am looking at her and thinking it was when I was a Member of the Florida Legislature. She was a very young, clear-eyed, energetic person with the belief that she could make a difference in the lives of people.

Mr. Speaker, do you know what? It is the same thing today. She is smart. She is energetic. I am even going to call her young at heart but still with that belief, and she has made that difference. She has had an extraordinary career in public service.

I feel so blessed that our lives have become interwoven, going back to the

Florida Legislature and then again now as a Member of Congress, with her work for the Democratic Party and for the DNC. We know she worked for an extraordinarily talented Member, but not to be trite, there is something about the wind beneath the wings. That is Tracie.

Tracie still has that great smile.

I will thank her, as Representative Castor did, for her work with our staff and all the work she has done for our State, especially for the children and families of America.

I am going to say thank you to Tracie. Her work has inspired us. She leaves a really great legacy.

Mr. Speaker, for anyone who is listening to this, what they need to know is that they don't have to run for political office to really make a difference in the lives of people. Tracie has proven it.

I am going to read the words of a poet that I think describes Tracie.

Ever heard of Maya Angelou? I will just read a passage.

Now you understand

Just why my head's not bowed.

I don't shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.

When you see me passing,

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It's in the click of my heels,

The bend of my hair,

The palm of my hand,

The need of my care.

'Cause I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman.

That is you. That is you. I am wishing you the best in your next chapter. I hope it is exciting and fulfilling. Come back anytime to see us. Love you.