Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise with grave concern for our Republic and the long-term safety of our people, our military, and U.S. assets, both domestically and abroad.

For our Nation's President to launch military force on a foreign nation without Congressional approval--Article I, Section 8--is a clear violation of the most important legal document of our country.

History brutally taught our country what asymmetrical warfare is after enduring 9/11 here at home.

Congress must reassert our constitutional authority before the American people are dragged into a very endless war by those whose radical acts of retribution will not cease.

This is a time to pay attention, to study history a little bit, and to abide by the Constitution of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Justice David H. Souter, who passed away recently at the age of 85. Justice Souter served our Nation with integrity, humility, and an abiding respect for the Constitution. In retirement, he spoke rarely but when he did, his words resonated with profound clarity. In 2012, he warned that democracy cannot survive too much ignorance. He spoke not from partisanship, but from deep historical understanding. When citizens no longer grasp how their government works, the path opens to authoritarianism. He said, ``That is the way democracy dies . . . an ignorant people can never remain a free people.'' Those words echo even louder today, when civic trust is fraying, institutions are under siege, and loud voices offer simple answers to complex problems. This is not a moment for cynicism or despair. But neither is it a time for complacency. Justice Souter's warning was not about left or right. It was about whether we choose understanding over manipulation, engagement over apathy. Let us honor his legacy by committing ourselves anew to the serious work of fostering a democracy of, by, and for the people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Jonathan Ford Orser.

Jonathan was a devoted family man, public servant, community pillar, and proud son of northwestern Ohio.

Born into the Ford family, whose vision helped build northwestern Ohio's glass manufacturing legacy, John Orser lived a life shaped by service to his family, his country, his city, and his neighbors.

From his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, which he didn't have to do, to his diplomatic service in Africa and his amazing leadership as mayor of Perrysburg, Ohio, John never ceased working for the greater good.

By launching the Perrysburg Farmers Market, he brought new life to his hometown of historic Perrysburg, Ohio. He nurtured the arts as a generous benefactor of Toledo Symphony and its zoo and preserved the history for future generations to come. He was unselfish.

His legacy includes more than buildings or institutions. His lasting legacy lives on in the lives of people and communities he inspired time and time again.

John's deep commitment to civic duty, his boundless generosity, and his reverence for tradition marked every chapter of his productive 83 years.

We offer our deepest condolences to his beloved wife and first mate, Deborah, who walked in life with him every step of the way.

May she and his enormous extended family, numerous friends, and all who cherish his memory be blessed with gratitude and the memory of a generous, kind, and patriotic American who left his community and America a better place.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert into the Record the obituary of Jonathan Orser.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a true pioneer of American military history, Rear Admiral Alene B. Duerk of Defiance, Ohio, the first woman in the United States Navy to achieve the rank of admiral.

I join my Lake Erie colleague, Representative Kennedy of Buffalo, in requesting the Secretary of the Navy name a naval vessel in her honor.

Admiral Duerk began her journey of service after graduating from the Toledo Hospital School of Nursing in 1941.

Soon after becoming a registered nurse, she entered the United States Navy Nurse Corps during World War II, and she treated wounded at the naval hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia. She later cared for the newly liberated American POWs aboard the USS Benevolence in the Pacific.

She continued her service during the Korean War as a nursing instructor. In

1970, she was appointed director of the United States Navy Nurse Corps. Her 32-year career was marked by fierce advocacy for improved medical care, equitable pay, and expanded roles for women in our Armed Forces.

Naming a Navy ship in her honor would pay tribute not only to her personal achievements but to the doors she opened for countless others.

I urge the Secretary of the Navy to ensure Rear Admiral Duerk's legacy of service, sacrifice, excellence, and patriotism are commemorated.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to place in today's Congressional Record the virtuous life of a truly beloved woman and patriotic citizen of Toledo, Ohio, Mrs. Therese Naumann. What an exemplary life she embodied.

Therese was a treasured family friend, and her son, Jimmy, who preceded her in death, was a baseball buddy and classmate of my dear brother, Steve.

She enjoyed numerous friends and held tight to memories of those precious days of youth when her husband, Bill, was the team coach of the Little Flower baseball team. Jimmy hit the line drives, as my pitcher brother, Steve, sported the No. 9.

What a legacy Therese built as a dedicated wife, mother, sister, working woman for General Mills, a joyous grandmother, great- grandmother, and friend. At 94, having survived the death of her beloved husband, for whom she cared religiously, she remained beautiful, gracious, kind, intelligent, involved, and devout.

A woman whose smile lit up the room, she drew people to her with her welcoming manner. She and her marine veteran husband, William, were married for 67 years until his passing. They nurtured youth in their church, Little Flower Roman Catholic Church, in Toledo, Ohio.

Always generous, she requested in lieu of flowers that memorial donations be made to the James E. Naumann Athletic Fund at Little Flower Church or to a charity of the donor's choice.

Therese's presence will never be forgotten for the thousands of good deeds she did as a matter of daily life. Our Nation needs more lives modeled on that of Therese Naumann--kind, constructive, joyous, and persevering.

May the angels carry her to a place of comfort and joy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record the obituary of Mrs. Naumann.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in fierce objection to the hasty, ill-considered decisions made by the new administration that undermine new investment in America's future energy and manufacturing systems.

Rather than enhancing new energy generation and bolstering good- paying jobs in the United States of America across all energy sectors, including advanced energy manufacturing, the U.S. Department of Energy has ceded ground to global competitors like Communist China.

Last Friday, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced that the Department of Energy was canceling $3.7 billion of previously appropriated funding for 24 advanced energy projects inside the borders of the United States of America.

Our goal must be to make America energy independent inside our borders in perpetuity.

These initiatives were designed to reduce energy costs and to reinvest in American-based manufacturing firms, our Nation's future.

These projects were funded under the Infrastructure Investment and JOBS Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. The goal was to resecure the United States as the global leader in energy innovation, but now, the Department of Energy has pulled the rug out from the future by walking away from leading-edge U.S. manufacturers. I never thought I would see that from this administration.

Two weeks ago, I raised this issue of strategic U.S. investment during a hearing with the new Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright. In terms of these companies, he said: ``If it is viable, and it is going to create jobs, and it is going to do these great things, we are going to support that project.''

The Secretary said that he would ask these questions to make the decisions: Is the investment legal? Is the technology viable? Is the engineering done competently? Is there a market for it? Does it add to our national or economic security?

The projects in question check all of these boxes, so what has changed? The Department of Energy claims that it conducted a ``thorough and individualized financial review of each award.'' It found that ``these projects failed to advance the energy needs of the American people [and] were not economically viable.''

Every company is economically viable.

Turning America's back on recognized U.S.-based manufacturing--I will underline that--facing fierce global competition--I underline that--is an insult.

This includes hundreds of hardworking constituents even across northwest Ohio. If the goal is to Make America Great Again, then the U.S. Department of Energy just failed royally. Each of these U.S. manufacturing companies has developed plans to modernize operations and to position themselves and our communities to fight back toward economic success in a fierce global economic race.

America can lead in the energy sector, but we cannot roll back the clock to a former era when America became economically paralyzed due to oil embargoes and dirty manufacturing.

Three of the projects across our country for which funding had been assured are from well-respected Ohio

companies: Libbey Glass, Owens-Illinois Glass, and Kraft Heinz.

Let's talk about Libbey. This historic company holds deep roots in my hometown of Toledo, long known as the Glass City. Glass requires lots of energy. The firm has been working for years to maintain competitiveness in a terrible international glass environment while reducing its environmental footprint.

Making glass requires huge amounts of power, as I said, and the funding Libbey was awarded would have helped it transition to more powerful glass furnaces with cleaner manufacturing technologies. These jobs are union jobs with living wages and benefits that strengthen Ohio as a hub for advanced industry.

Owens-Illinois Glass, another recognized heritage glassmaking firm, is headquartered in Perrysburg, Ohio. It had similar plans at its Zanesville, Ohio, plants to remain viable and globally competitive.

Third, Kraft Heinz, a giant in the food industry, is in Fremont, Ohio.

I simply do not understand how canceling these projects makes America great again. Instead, it emboldens our foreign competitors.

I invite President Trump to Ohio to visit these companies. He can change these decisions by his Secretary of Energy.

America can't look in the rearview mirror. We have to look forward to America's new energy future, and the Department of Energy's misguided decisions will really hurt American advanced manufacturing.

Ohio knows what it means to get left behind. We have seen the effects of globalization. We have lived it. We have seen the effects of outsourcing and automation. The United States simply should not be hurting our legacy companies.

Mr. Speaker, as Representative of the Ohio region that produces the most eggs in our Nation, I rise to say happy National Egg Day: Easter eggs, chocolate eggs, egg yolks, egg whites, egg souffle, meringue pie, egg salad, and so much more.

Egg prices still cost 25 percent more at the grocery store. The answer is: Don't ignore the devastating impact of bird flu decimating flocks across our district and Nation. Meanwhile, the big egg conglomerates like Cal-Maine are posting record profits, tripling them, while millions of Americans struggle to afford basic staples. Can't they pack six eggs per pack to help buyers afford some eggs rather than no eggs at all?

Our district is home to millions of egg-laying hens and countless family-run poultry operations. Ohio families and farmers deserve better than price gouging and political spin.

If we want to protect our food supply and keep our family farms alive, we must accelerate development of a safe and effective vaccine and flu remedy as well as coop control and sanitary protocols. Farmers can't afford to have their flocks wiped out time and again.

On this National Egg Day, I stand with the people who make our breakfast, not the ones making excuses and delaying scientific progress.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Boyle for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, Federal budgets are moral documents. They tell the American people who we value and who we leave behind.

This budget is a bonanza for billionaires. It is paid for by cutting healthcare and food for millions of working families and seniors.

The U.S. national debt stands at $36 trillion, and this bill will raise it to over $40 trillion. Historically, Republican administrations have ballooned the debt--Reagan, both Bushes, and Trump--through tax cuts to the very rich coupled with endless wars. It is clear where the debt has come from. Trillions were added and not paid for. Now Republicans are coming after health coverage and food assistance.

President Trump has already added $8.4 trillion to the debt from his last tax cuts. Meanwhile, his billionaires use their tax refunds to do stock buybacks. American workers are left behind.

Mr. Speaker, let's call it what it is: another Republican budget buster, betraying working people while causing prices to rise.

Mr. Speaker, 40,000 people across the district I represent and nearly 14 million people nationwide will lose coverage for healthcare to pay for these bonanzas for billionaires.

Mr. Speaker, this bill must be benched. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, please let me share the story of two of my constituents who will be hurt by the cruel bonanza for billionaires budget bill.

Bonnie is 82 years of age. She is the primary caregiver for her 63- year-old nephew, Michael. He is deaf, neurodivergent, and lives with multiple chronic health conditions.

For years, Bonnie has been his primary support so he can live independently, manage complex health needs, and navigate programs like Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and subsidized housing.

Bonnie handles most of Michael's communications with medical providers as he is unable to due to his ability to communicate by mouth or by ASL. Michael has relied on Medicaid for hearing aids, surgeries, dental work, housing, and more. If he loses his coverage, she believes Michael will become frustrated and either go to jail, self-harm, or die.

Michael's mother passed away when he was 19. With no other family to step in, Bonnie worries about what will happen to her nephew after she is gone. This is just one of many examples of who will be harmed by unreliable and onerous work requirements.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is absolutely morally wrong that millionaires and billionaires will be given $4 billion plus $4 trillion.

What is being done for families like this?

Cruelty is not an answer.

Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart after the deadly rail accident that occurred last night in my district in Fremont, Ohio.

The incident took place near the Miles Newton Bridge above the Sandusky River around 7 p.m. This is a popular fishing spot during white bass season, and anglers come from around the country.

Tragically, a family from Fort Wayne, Indiana, was walking along the rail bridge when the train began signaling its approach. We now know that three lives have been lost, with a fourth hospitalized in critical condition.

While names have not been released, we know that a 58-year-old mother; her daughter, who was 38 years old; and a 5-year-old child were among the casualties. A 14-month-old child was saved from the water by a 16-year-old bystander who dove into the water to save the infant's life.

I will continue to urge the National Transportation Safety Board to fully investigate this tragic accident.

I thank Fremont Mayor Danny Sanchez and rail union leaders for their full engagement. We all hope to provide more information in the near future.

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts and prayers remain with the families of those lost and injured, the brave first responders, the medical personnel, locomotive engineers, and, obviously, Mayor Sanchez and the entire city council of Fremont.

Mr. Speaker, I have the honor of representing Ohio's 9th Congressional District, a region that embodies the industrious spirit, deep-rooted history, and civic vitality of our great state. Today, I am privileged to join in commemorating an extraordinary milestone in our community--the 100th Anniversary of the Sandusky Lions Club, a century of unwavering dedication to service, vision, and compassion. Therefore, I include in the Record the following Proclamation:

Whereas, the Sandusky Lions Club, founded on May 7, 1925,

at the historic Cedar Point convention of Lions

International, has served the people of Sandusky, Ohio, with

humility, integrity, and remarkable commitment to community

welfare; and

Whereas, the Club rose to answer Helen Keller's historic

call at that 1925 convention to become ``Knights of the Blind

in the crusade against darkness,'' a challenge it has

fulfilled through tireless efforts to combat preventable

blindness and provide critical services such as eye exams,

glasses, and surgeries to those most in need; and

Whereas, the Sandusky Lions Club is a proud chapter of

Lions Clubs International, the world's largest service

organization, with more than 1.4 million members in over

48,000 clubs spanning 200+ countries, dedicated to empowering

volunteers, fostering peace, and advancing humanitarian

goals; and

Whereas, for a full century, the Sandusky Lions Club has

strengthened civic life through volunteerism, youth support,

health initiatives, and global outreach, earning the enduring

respect of its community and setting a gold standard for

service organizations across our nation; and

Whereas, the centennial celebration to be held at Cedar

Point on May 17, 2025, honors not only the deep roots of the

Club's founding but also its enduring legacy of leadership

and care, carried forward by generations of devoted members;

Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Congresswoman Marcy

Kaptur, representing Ohio's 9th Congressional District in the

United States House of Representatives, do hereby formally

recognize and congratulate the Sandusky Lions Club on its

100th Anniversary.

Let this centennial stand as a beacon of what community, compassion, and collective action can achieve. May the Sandusky Lions Club continue to thrive and inspire for the next hundred years and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Police Week to honor the courage, sacrifice, and unwavering service of our law enforcement officers.

In communities I represent across northwest Ohio, I have stood beside the families of heroes like Officer Anthony Dia and Officer Brandon Stalker who gave their lives protecting Toledo's citizenry.

I have witnessed the strength of mothers like Larraine Dressel, who lost her son, Detective Keith Dressel, in the line of duty. Now, I have seen that same strength in his son, Noah, who wears the badge in his father's honor.

Mr. Speaker, it is time to honor these heroes not just in words but in deed. I have recently introduced a bipartisan Law Enforcement Training for Mental Health Crisis Response Act. It will give our officers the tools they need to safely respond to behavioral health crises. Our officers are not just enforcers of the law, they are often the first to meet people in their most broken state.

They deserve training that protects both the public and themselves. Our responsibility is to ensure that no officer's sacrifice is forgotten. Let us stand together always for those who serve and for those who, in blue, gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect our northwest Ohio communities. Salute

them when you see them. They are heroes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Police Week to honor the courage, sacrifice, and steadfast commitment of our law enforcement officers. Those across the nation and especially those serving across NW Ohio.

Each day, these brave men and women answer the call, often putting their lives on the line to protect our families, neighborhoods, and freedoms.

We owe them more than thanks.

That's why I've worked hard to bring meaningful support to those who wear the badge in every county of the eight I represent. In Defiance County, nearly $290,000 in funding helped hire a new school resource officer, equip the police with body-worn cameras, and strengthen the local 911 center and fire and rescue divisions.

In Erie County, over $1.3 Million was directed to sheriff's operations, victim services, local police departments, and enhanced school security across multiple districts.

Fulton County departments, from Archbold to Wauseon, received over $1.3 Million to fund school safety, body-worn cameras, and fire and EMS support.

Lucas County's first responders benefited from major investments like $2 Million for Toledo's Community-Based Violence Intervention grant, and over $76 Million in ARPA funding for police and fire recruitment, ShotSpotter technology, and the Real-Time Crime Center. From Oregon's rebuilt K-9 unit to Sylvania Township's upgraded equipment and Toledo's forensic crime lab, these resources are making a real difference on the ground.

In Ottawa County where we had previously funded construction of the largest Customs and Border Patrol facility on the entire northern border, police departments received hundreds of thousands in funding for police, fire, EMS, and school safety upgrades. And the Ottawa County Court and Prosecutor's Office also secured over $450,000 in federal justice grants to enhance public safety and reduce recidivism.

In Sandusky County, law enforcement agencies in Fremont, Gibsonburg, and Woodville received body-worn cameras and equipment. Sandusky County EMS and school districts received critical safety upgrades as well.

Williams County's departments secured nearly $400,000 for retention incentives, body cameras, and juvenile court services to improve both public safety and the administration of justice.

Northern Wood County also benefited as school districts from Rossford to Eastwood and North Baltimore gained enhanced security infrastructure. These improvements keep both students and officers safe.

These investments reflect a simple truth: If we ask law enforcement to meet the evolving demands of public safety, we must give them the tools, training, and support to succeed.

Let us remember those we've lost in the line of duty and recommit to building a future where every officer returns home.

Your courage does not go unnoticed. Your service is deeply appreciated. May you be blessed in your patriotic service.

Mr. Speaker, many across our Nation are outraged at the $400 million luxury airplane, the palace in the sky, that President Trump just accepted from the Nation of Qatar. That is against the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. He took the bribe in plain sight.

Meanwhile, our Nation is very short on air controllers who are trained. Look at Newark, New Jersey. They have had radar failures and repeated flight delays due to serious staffing shortages. This is true across our country, but what did the Secretary of Transportation, Mr. Duffy, say? He said: What you see in Newark is going to happen in other places across the country. My reply: Excuses aren't an answer.

Going forward, what do we need to do? As of May 1, we are 3,000 air controllers short in this country. The workforce is aging. They are stretched thin and understaffed, exacerbated by DOGE buyouts and firings. The FAA just simply doesn't have the people, and it is going to get worse as people travel this summer.

While Newark grabs headlines, the pain is felt across America. Mr. Speaker, let President Trump sell the plane, $400 million, and put that money into training more air controllers for their safety and for the safety of this Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to place remarks on the Record this evening focusing on liberty versus dictatorship.

We have several Members who wish to submit comments for the Record. Congressman Mike Quigley is here this evening. Congressman Eugene Vindman is in a committee markup right now, and Congressman Steve Cohen will also have remarks for the Record.

I will begin briefly, and then I will yield to my fellow Congressman from Illinois.

China's dictator Xi was recently at the historic military parade that fellow dictator Vladimir Putin celebrated in Moscow. The purpose of the celebration was to honor the anniversary of Europe's defeat of Nazi Germany, signaling Putin's intent to actually use that occasion to turn his binoculars on capturing more free territory to control Ukraine and beyond.

Putin and Xi together in that situation was rather hard to look at. Yet, their presence underscored the danger stemming from their close and increasing cooperation, enlarging the spiderweb of tyranny led by Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, all of them acting against liberty around the world.

Xi said that Russia and China should be friends of steel. He said that they would deepen relationships in all areas, including military ties, and strengthen coordination in order to decisively counter Washington's course of dual containment of Russia and China.

What is more, North Korean troops who have been fighting against Ukraine's freedom and their freedom fighters for months were fully on display in Red Square, where Putin embraced them.

America, pay attention.

While Iran was not present at the parade, it continues to be omnipresent in the skies above Ukraine. Ukrainians can't avoid the Shahed drones that Russia is using and buying from Iran to kill innocent Ukrainian civilians who are fighting for their very liberty.

This military parade took place at a critical moment in Moscow's aggression on Ukraine as American efforts proceed to negotiate an end to it. To be clear: Vital NATO interests are at stake in central Europe, where Ukraine serves as the scrimmage line for liberty across Europe today.

Russia is the free world's only peer in terms of its nuclear capabilities, and Russia's national security doctrine declares our country and our people as its principal foe.

America, pay attention.

Putin has made clear that he wants effective political control in Ukraine and other free nations that used to be part of the Soviet Union. Putin also wants a veto over defense measures being taken in the former Warsaw Pact states that want to remain free. Putin doesn't want that. This means he wants to dictate the fate of many of our NATO allies in Europe and beyond.

Instead of strategically pushing back on Putin's unchanged goals of European and global domination, this administration has steadily given Russian exactly what it wants, both in Ukraine and well beyond. If Putin had a checklist of things he wanted America to do, I will in a brief time tell you what it would look like, and it is exactly what the Trump administration is doing.

Before I get into that, I am going to call on my dear colleague from the great city of Chicago, Congressman Mike Quigley, to enter his remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I thank our co-chair of the Ukrainian Caucus, Congressman Mike Quigley of Chicago, for participating this evening.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I will go back to discussing some of the actions the administration has taken that have undermined America's position globally.

First of all, the Trump administration has sided with Russia over Ukraine, most especially by pausing military assistance to Ukraine. Mr. Speaker, 75 percent of those dollars are spent in this country on weaponry to help Ukraine repel the enemy.

Ukraine has been courageously standing and fighting in the breach between liberty and dictatorship. This has come at great cost to her people, her prosperity, and her aspirations.

The poorest country in Europe, Ukraine is holding back Putin's covetousness and aggression against the Continent of Europe. Ukraine wants nothing more than to finally and permanently ascend to the community of free nations in the European Union and join as a strong ally in NATO. For that aspiration, Putin attacked Ukraine and

is eating her territory, and the Ukrainians are holding her off--can you imagine--the third largest military in the world.

Despite Ukraine being aligned with our values in its historic fight to regain its freedom, President Trump has time and again spouted Russian talking points by admonishing Ukraine and falsely suggesting that she started the war.

That is false.

Russia initiated its invasion of Crimea in 2014 and the larger full scale of invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It is just amazing what the Ukrainians are doing. In trying to negotiate a cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia, President Trump and Vice President Vance have squeezed concession after concession out of Ukraine, even its mineral wealth. At times, the Trump administration has effectively held Ukraine's economic future ransom for more military aid.

This includes the dastardly moment when President Trump suddenly withheld U.S. support and intelligence sharing that Ukraine relies on to defend itself from Russia's onslaught. Such a pause undoubtedly cost Ukrainian lives.

Trump has stated that Putin wants peace in Ukraine. Surely he can't believe this. Putin has failed to uphold any cease-fire agreement, including those struck with the United States of America. Dictator Putin doesn't want peace. He wants Ukraine, all of Ukraine, and beyond.

Secondly, the Trump administration has been dividing democratic alliances.

Yesterday, President Trump astoundingly said the European union is worse than China. He even has said that the European union was created to ``screw America.''

In what world does he live? He seems not to know our history.

Our Nation and European nations that won World War II created NATO to sustain liberty's alliance and as a shield against future invasions. Together, we comprise a formidable force. In doing so America was guaranteed strong security partners to defend against a world war and new threats of tyranny like that of Putin, North Korea, and Iran today.

That is why we have the European allies. They are our oldest friends and partners and we share a love of liberty. Rather than stand united as we have been for decades, the Trump administration has threatened to--are you ready for this--annex Canada and invade Greenland, which is part of Denmark.

Both are current NATO allies. Canada fought nobly with our troops on the shores of Normandy on D-day and many other places. Both nations served honorably alongside our Armed Forces in Afghanistan in response to 9/11. Threatening our neighbors and allies in such a manner is taking a page out of the very playbook of lies Putin has used repeatedly against Ukraine. Our partnerships have been won and developed as liberty's umbrella with the democratic nations of Europe.

Putin knows that. He cannot defeat our alliance if we stand united. Instead, he now waits for Trump to break apart our own security blanket so he can pick liberty's shield off one by one.

Thirdly, the Trump administration has weakened our cyber defense. U.S. top intelligence officers recently released the annual threat assessment, which states the following: ``Russia's advanced cyber capabilities, its repeated success compromising sensitive targets for intelligence collection, and its past attempts to pre-position access on U.S. critical infrastructure make it a persistent counterintelligence and cyberattack threat. Moscow's unique strength is the practical experience it has gained integrating cyberattacks and operations with wartime military action, almost certainly amplifying its potential to focus combined impact on U.S. targets in time of conflict.''

So yes, Russia is a real threat to our freedom. Its cyber capabilities are a unique threat. Despite knowing this to be true, Trump has taken steps to tear down our cyber capabilities in a comprehensive manner. Why?

Since taking office, Elon Musk and DOGE have decimated cybersecurity, CISA, our premier cybersecurity agency, with personnel cuts and stop work orders.

Why would anyone do that?

In March, President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth abruptly ended U.S. cyber operations against Russia. This was done without warning and without consulting Congress.

Then in April, at the beck and call of a far-right, online opinion influencer, President Trump fired four-star General Timothy Haugh without warning from his position leading our military cyber forces. General Haugh--get ready for this--served our Nation honorably with distinction for 34 years.

The Trump administration has left America's cyber gates unlocked at a time when cyberattacks are rapidly on the rise. Putin will make our Nation pay dearly for that set of serious errors.

Fourthly, Trump administration policies threaten U.S. global economic standing. Through American ingenuity and hard work, the likes of wish Russia cannot compete against, our Nation's financial systems are a privileged place at the center of a global economic system.

The United States has the largest economy in the world. Most other nations rely on the U.S. dollar to hold their savings and reliably conduct international trade. Putin wants to end that. Trump's unprecedented and irresponsible reciprocal tariff regime is helping Putin achieve that goal. Not only has Trump's costly universal tariffs endangered our good trade relations with our closest economic allies, moreover, they are also making others think twice about using and trusting the U.S. dollar.

These costly economic taxes on U.S. consumers will be very difficult to reverse, even if Trump pulls back his tariffs, supply chains are clogged already.

Putin has long spoken about his interest in reducing the world's reliance on America's economic strength and the U.S. dollar. Such a world leaves each American poorer and with fewer economic opportunities. Just as Russia relies on oil exports to finance and undercut the financial sanctions that have been placed on that country due to its invasion of Ukraine, Putin has called for the world to adopt untraceable cryptocurrency to protect his assets. He prefers this unregulated alternative as he pushes the world to abandon the dollar.

Now, Trump is one of the world's biggest promoters of cryptocurrency and has even started his own cryptocurrency to avoid regulated financial markets to enrich himself and his family.

Fifthly and finally, the Trump administration's actions to date are upending America's global reputation. Perhaps most damaging, Trump has upended our global reputation as a responsible partner and guardian of liberty across our world. He leans toward dictators.

What is that all about?

It took 80 years for America, with our leaders like Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan to meticulously secure our place as leader of the free world. We didn't seek it, but we did our job.

America is the global beacon of liberty and justice for all. Our reputation has been earned by tremendous sacrifice and vision. Our commitment to liberty has been built on the sacred graves of over 500,000 Americans who sacrificed their lives for the first time in history and fought not for power or land, but for the liberation of others from tyranny during World War II.

Over 2 million of our fellow citizens bore the injuries from that conflict. In the decades that followed, our Nation and our allies became prosperous not by closing our doors to the world or hiding from the challenges of the Communist bloc, our forebearers met tyranny head- on. We met the threats that we faced and stood together on our Nation's founding commitment of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, year after year, in the face of constant threats.

American liberty has been a multigenerational effort, admired around the world with each generation standing firm. In just over 100 days, Donald Trump, whose family has no record anywhere of military service or sacrifice for this Nation, is carelessly throwing liberty to the wolves. He seems to enjoy dictatorship, plutocracy, and wealth over principle. Russia celebrates as America retreats from the world, so does Iran and North Korea.

Trump has taken Putin at his word. Putin's word can never be trusted. As long as President Trump keeps trusting Putin over our allies, then he will continue to do Russia's bidding at the expense of the American people.

If America doesn't lead, then Putin and Xi and all of their dictator buddies will rule the day, and in their world, liberty cannot survive.

America must pay attention. Pay attention not just to what is happening inside our borders but outside our borders. I can tell you there are enemies to liberty across this world. We have to hold our ground. We have to tell our own President pay attention, learn from history, appreciate the relationships that had been won at such a high price.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressmen Quigley, Cohen, and Vindman, all of whom will contribute remarks to the Record this evening.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 8 o'clock and 54 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.