Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to speak of a crisis of the President's own creation due to his war of choice in Iran and the confusion that has caused.

It is my duty every day to speak for the families of Ohio who are being squeezed. Gas and diesel, oh my. The prices in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and across Ohio are now crippling, at their highest level since the summer of 2022.

Prices are approaching a new all-time record according to data from AAA and Gas Buddy. Over the next 24 hours, Americans from coast to coast will spend half a billion dollars, $500 million more on gasoline than they would have on March 1. That is half a billion dollars with a b.

The President promised to lower prices. He did the opposite. The Speaker is doing nothing to stop it. He is forcing the American people to be dragged along on this terrible ride.

Here is some advice: Grow a spine. Do your job, Mr. Speaker. Bring up a vote to end this war.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the retirement of a truly extraordinary human being, public servant, and scholar, Dr. Frank J. Calzonetti.

For decades, Frank has embodied the very best of what a university scholar and leader for our community and region can be. A patient, ingenious, and creative force for regional strength and national progress, he has built our community's resilience forward every step of the way--educationally and economically.

For 25 years at The University of Toledo, a quarter century, his leadership has transformed scientific research into real-world impact. He has advanced energy and engineering innovation, strengthened workforce development, created new age jobs in energy, advanced manufacturing, fresh water systems, and guided Northwest Ohio toward a more secure and prosperous future.

Even in his last months on the job, he helped deliver a $19.2 million federal award from the Department of Energy for nuclear workforce development, workplace safety, and advanced nuclear energy education. He told me this was the largest award in University of Toledo's history. His collaboration allowed a true team effort with over 20 organizations involved to bring home this major federal award. It would not have been possible with Frank's leadership and perseverance. Bravo.

Dr. Calzonetti has always understood that great educational institutions do not stand apart from their communities--they stand within them. His efforts to advance us all and lift our communities up to new horizons, including establishing relationships with our Nation's most advanced federal research facility.

Whether it was working together to advance clean energy initiatives, responding to crises like the Toledo water emergency, or helping position the University as a national research leader, Frank's historic work has left an enduring imprint that will never be forgotten, and exists to build forward.

What a privilege it has been to work alongside Frank, including on recent historic federal investments to shape the next generation of American energy and power leadership, to seize cutting-edge research to secure our region, to save, and change lives for the better. Whether is it photovoltaics or clean, nuclear advancements, Frank stands tall. His steady vision never lost edge.

Frank's life and career has been one of purpose, integrity, and lasting contribution. He has served our University, our State, and our Nation with distinction.

On behalf of a grateful Northwest Ohio region, and Americans from coast to coast, I want to thank him and congratulate him on a remarkable journey. His personable demeanor and acute intellect translates into progress at every threshold. I thank Dr. Frank J. Calzonetti for his immeasurable contributions to The University of Toledo and Beyond.

All of us are honored by his friendship and partnership in all these path-breaking efforts.

Bravo. Onward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the noble service of U.S. Army General Randy George, an American soldier whose life reflects decades of unwavering patriotic commitment to our Nation.

General George, at an early age, was selected to attend and then graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. General George led at every level academically and then

served from platoon to theater, many theaters, serving in Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan, and ultimately as Chief of Staff of the United States Army. He earned his spurs and stripes.

His career was not measured in titles but in sacrifice and judgment forged over time. He held the trust of soldiers. He led in peacetime and in war.

At a moment when the challenges facing our U.S. military demand depth, steadiness, and proven leadership, experience matters. It matters in consequential judgment calls and decisions in battle that affect lives, and it matters in moments of uncertainty. It matters in ensuring the trust, strength, and readiness of our force.

Mr. Speaker, the American people thank General Randy George for his utter commitment to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, this Earth Day season, I rise to represent the heart of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie's Western Basin.

Our Great Lakes region is home to the largest system of fresh surface water on Earth. This gift we hold in trust for future generations to come. These fresh waters are not only our heritage, they are our economy, our health, and our source of life.

Water and energy are closely linked. At a time when energy demand is rising and energy bills are up 13 percent, we must produce clean energy that lowers costs, creates jobs, and protects our air and water.

Northwest Ohio understands stewardship. Through efforts like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, we have proven that when we steward our environment, especially water and energy, we invest in our people's future.

Mr. Speaker, this Earth Day season, let us choose a future that is cleaner, more affordable, and more secure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 118th anniversary of the founding of the United States Army Reserve.

Our Nation first created the Army Medical Reserve Corps in 1908 to remedy wartime challenges. Since that historic origin, the Army Reserve has played a critical role in combat support and humanitarian aid both at home and abroad. Over the last 118 years, Citizen-Soldiers have been tested in the crucible of combat, transforming from a strategic supplemental reserve into an essential, operational force upon which the Nation routinely calls.

Today, we honor the nearly 172,000 Army Reserve Soldiers and 11,000 Civilians serving across 50 states, five U.S. territories, and 23 countries. On any given day, upwards of 9,000 of these dedicated servicemembers are mobilized or deployed in support of combatant commands globally. Operating out of 1,200 American communities, these individuals possess high-demand civilian career skills that are crucial to our national defense. The Army Reserve provides the bulk of sustainment forces to the Joint fight. Our Joint Force simply cannot deploy, fight, and win without them. Whether executing Innovative Readiness Training missions that deliver vital services to our local communities, or maintaining a steadfast global presence, their daily impact is immeasurable.

As we look toward the future, the Army Reserve is undertaking its most significant transformation in several decades to ensure dominance in large-scale combat operations and multi-domain environments. These modernization efforts are actively enabling the force to become leaner, more mobile, lower signature, and more lethal. Guided by their vision, the Army Reserve is continuously adapting to provide trained and equipped units at the scale and speed required to meet the challenges of tomorrow. I am deeply grateful for the unwavering service and sacrifice of every Army Reserve Soldier, Civilian, and their Families. As they step into their next year of service, they remain: ``Twice the Citizen, Combat Ready.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the victory in the fight for liberty on the continent of Europe, our closest tested allies.

Earlier this month, the people of Hungary voted in record numbers to end the repressive rule of its former Russia-leaning Prime Minister.

As co-chair of the Congressional Hungarian Caucus, I cheered with Hungarian Americans and just was thrilled at the victory of liberty in Hungary in the person of its new Prime Minister Peter Magyar.

For 16 years, Hungarians endured a cadre of kleptocrats that plundered their country and sold it out to the interests of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Shocking tapes reveal how Orban's top officials plotted with Russia to undermine neighboring Ukraine and the rest of Europe and even help the Ayatollah in Iran.

The former Prime Minister's betrayal of the Hungarian people and the NATO Alliance is why Congressman Don Bacon and I introduced the BLOCK PUTIN Act to hold these corrupt officials accountable.

Thank God the people of good will won in Hungary.

When Soviet Russia invaded the beautiful country in 1956, it took decades before they got a victory for democracy.

You have friends in America, our dear, dear friends in Hungary. We love liberty, too. Bravo. Onward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to object as our House returns after an unconstitutional, 2-week, forced recess.

Rather than exercise his constitutional Article I duties, Speaker Johnson fell in step with warmongering hotheads in the executive branch. He failed to honor his constitutional oath and uphold the U.S. Constitution and Congress' defined powers in Article I. He gaveled the House out at a most profound moment in world and American history.

The U.S. Constitution is clear. Article I, Section 8 says that Congress shall have the power to declare war. It does not say may have power. It says: ``The Congress shall have power.''

Speaker Johnson ignored this provision.

Speaker Johnson also has allowed the executive branch to draw down billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars without consent of Congress.

Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 states: ``No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law.''

Without a vote by Congress to authorize the war and appropriations spent, the Speaker is in violation of the Constitution to which he swore an oath.

Mr. Speaker, what the American people are witnessing is unconstitutional and unprecedented in the history of our Nation. I object.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor recognize and celebrate Ohio Extension Agent Amy Stone for 33 years of extraordinary, vigilant service to the agricultural community of Ohio through the Ohio State University Extension. Northwest Ohio says: Thank you, Amy Stone.

Amy's career has been defined by dedication. She was and always will be willing to assume leadership of the youth, families, and farmers who call Lucas County and northwest Ohio home.

Our freshwater tidal basin is the largest in the Great Lakes, and her job was consequential.

From horticulture and urban forestry to confronting invasive specious like the emerald ash borer and spotted lanternfly, Amy dug in. She was always protecting Ohio's natural resources. When that first emerald ash borer infestation was discovered in Ohio, she identified it and changed the course of conservation across our entire region and Ohio.

Her impact goes far. She has taught, mentored, and inspired thousands of students and strengthened both our rural roots and urban canopy.

Amy Stone has elevated northwest Ohio to be sustainable, stronger, more arable, healthier, and greener than she found it.

Bravo to Amy Stone. We love her.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a dear citizen of Oak Harbor, Ohio, Roger Carpenter. He devoted 75 years of his life to shaping character, citizenship, and service in northwestern Ohio.

Roger Carpenter was more than a Scoutmaster. For generations of young people in Troop 316, he was a teacher of values, a steady hand, and a living example of the Scout Oath and Law.

His dedication deeply shaped the character of Oak Harbor. I can feel it.

From the time he joined the troop as a boy in 1941 to his passing at age 97, Roger believed that building good citizens was the most important work any community could do, and he went about doing it.

Under his guidance, more than 50 young men achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He taught young people how to live with responsibility, humility, and care for others.

As Roger himself said: Scouting does not teach children to throw a ball. It should teach them how to help others and preserve the common good.

Boy, was he a wise man.

What a great privilege it was to honor his service at the Apple Festival last fall. Please let me honor and posthumously thank him on the floor of Congress for preserving the common good. What a patriot. Oak Harbor and all of northwestern Ohio are eternally grateful for Roger's beautiful life and good works that endure and have been nobly passed forward to the aspiring generation.

Honoring the Life of Robert Mueller

Mr. Speaker, I wish to turn to honor the life of Robert Mueller.

When I was very young, I aspired to become an FBI agent. Later, when in college, when I applied, I was told I was not qualified because I was a woman.

But tonight, I rise to honor the life and service of Robert Mueller, the gentleman and honorable Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation that I wish I had been able to work for.

He also was a father, a husband, a grandfather, a marine--our family knows a whole lot about that--a public servant, and an American hero.

He served as Director of the FBI under Presidents of both parties.

Director Mueller took his oath to support and defend our Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, as seriously as anyone could.

He was a very intelligent man whose life was defined by honor, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to the Nation he loved and to which he gave his life.

At a time when many chose a different path, he stepped forward to serve. Though he was not drafted, he volunteered to serve in Vietnam. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, earned his commission, and led Marines in combat.

There, under fire, he displayed extraordinary courage. He rescued a wounded comrade, earning the Bronze Star with a V for valor, and the Purple Heart after being wounded in battle.

He led from the front, guided by duty and shaped by the bonds of those he served beside. If he had done nothing else, his military service exemplified what it means to be a patriot for the cause of liberty.

His service did not end when he returned home. He continued to serve this Nation for decades--as a Federal prosecutor, as a leader within the Department of Justice, and as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation during one of the most consequential periods in our Nation's history.

He took office as FBI Director 7 days before the September 11 attacks on our Nation. True to his marine heritage, he always fought for right and freedom and kept his honor clean. He ushered our country and the bureau through some of our darkest days.

Director Mueller served our Nation in that role for 12 years to the very day, including a 2-year extension under President Obama.

He was then succeeded by James Comey. Four years later, in May 2017, he was again called to serve. Then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein tapped Robert Mueller to lead the investigation into the consequential 2016 Russian election interference. He pursued this investigation indefatigably. He let the facts lead and presented his report.

He did not politicize this investigation for a single second because that is just not who he was, nor what the FBI is.

Across every chapter of his life, Robert Mueller carried himself with humility, discipline, and integrity. He did not seek recognition. He sought to do what was right. He was not a showman. He was a patriot.

His life reminds us that service to country is not confined to a single moment or uniform. It is a lifelong calling.

Robert Mueller answered his Nation's call in war and peace, in public office and in quiet leadership.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation is stronger because of patriotic citizens like Robert Mueller, and I send my heartfelt condolences and those of my constituents to his wife of 60 years, Ann; to his daughters, Cynthia and Melissa; and to his five grandchildren. I know they and his bureau colleagues will miss him dearly.

May we honor his example not only in words but in pledging honorable service to our Nation in any capacity he held. May Director Mueller rest in peace--we have the watch.

Honoring Louise J. Brower

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Women's History Month with naming a steady trailblazer from northwest Ohio, Louise J. Brower.

In 1975, Mrs. Brower broke barriers when she became the first woman to serve as a principal in Toledo public schools. In doing so, she also became the first to lead a large metropolitan Ohio high school. At Scott High School, she led with strength, dignity, and an unwavering belief in her students.

The appointment was a culmination of her Toledo public schools career, which started as a teacher at Robinson Junior High. She then served as principal of both Walbridge School and later McTigue Junior High.

The library at Walbridge was dedicated in her honor in 1971.

Long before recognition followed, her impact was already deeply felt by inspired students. She empowered teachers, and she opened doors for women who would follow.

Mrs. Brower's legacy reminds us that progress is built by those willing to lead where none have gone before.

May we continue her work with purpose, with passion, and with pride. Women know how to do it right even if

it has never been done before, and Mrs. Brower certainly did that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to put her name in the Record.

Undeclared War in Iran

Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise on day 27 of President Trump's undeclared war against Iran.

An immense cost is being imposed on our U.S. military and the American people by this undeclared war of choice. Already, this war has cost U.S. taxpayers nearly $40 billion, not a penny of which was voted on by either this House or the other body.

That amount is equal to what President Trump in his big bonanza bill for billionaires cut from healthcare. The money he cut from healthcare that is being expended over Iran means 500,000 people in my State of Ohio are losing their health benefits. So, let's recognize what the transfer of funds means.

No American should be asked to surrender their healthcare for a war that was never authorized by Congress. That is a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8.

Now, President Trump is ratcheting up his ask for another $200 billion for the Pentagon's Iran war--$200 billion. There is no way--by the way, that is one-fifth of $1 trillion. There is no way the American people should be forced to hand this administration hundreds of billions of dollars to keep waging an unconstitutional war.

Just today, the war on Iran saw the Dow Jones drop 470 points. The Standard & Poor's had its worst day since January. Oil is now $108 a barrel. A gallon of gas is averaging nearly $4 nationwide, and diesel is $5.37 a gallon.

This is hurting our people.

With 25 percent of the world's oil and one-third of its fertilizer flowing through the narrow channel called the Strait of Hormuz, this war is a war of choice, not a war of necessity. It is throwing global markets off balance as prices rise on everything.

I know the American people are noticing.

I say and I believe, let the Middle East oil barons bear the billions and billions and billions of dollars this war is costing, not the American people. Our Nation is now energy independent here at home. For a half century we have worked to be that.

As President Trump has stated himself, we are now exporting more oil than ever before. I don't think we should be exporting quite as much, but that is something we can disagree on. However, here at home, we sure have made a lot of progress since 1970.

In the committee on which I serve, Congress has approved and appropriated for a historically large defense budget amounting to over $1 trillion for 2026, but that didn't account for this war. That budget is the largest defense budget in modern history.

We know we have enemies. We know we have new strategic interests that we have to attend to, but the Trump administration has simultaneously, as we have these new expenditures of war, allowed massive tax breaks to billionaires while severely cutting funds for our veterans' hospitals and clinics, veteran services, our civil hospitals to healthcare, education, nutrition, to all critical services for the American people.

Our transportation safety officers are waiting to be paid.

Americans should not be made to bear the burden of this war started by superrich dictators with no military experience who see matters of life and death as nothing more than real estate and resource deals.

If President Trump wants another $200 billion for war, don't come asking for it from our farmers. It is a rough year for them. Don't ask our policemen. Don't ask our educators. Let him go to the Saudi princes. They are reportedly urging him to keep the war going so the oligarchs in the Gulf can remake the economy of the Middle East the way they want.

Let me inquire: How many troops have the oil barons committed? They have committed zero.

As I recall, President Trump made his first trip abroad after being sworn in 2 years ago to Saudi Arabia, a dictatorship. I recall it was Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who ordered the butchering of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

News reports state Prince Mohammed has a net worth of up to $25 billion. That is just himself. Moreover, he manages a sovereign wealth fund for Saudi Arabia valued at over $1.4 trillion for the House of Saud and the royal family. And that is what we are able to know from the press. He probably has a lot more. But he alone can afford the pay for a war that will handsomely benefit his kingdom.

Think about who exactly should pay for this war of choice. President Trump is saying to the European countries that have nothing to do with this why aren't they helping, why aren't they coming over? Well, the United States does stand by its allies, but for all this administration's pressure on Europe to pull its weight in this war let me ask: What troops and resources are these superrich Gulf kingdoms committing as Americans are fighting and dying?

Mr. Speaker, 13 of our troops have died and over 300 injuries already. As we speak, thousands of U.S. Marines and paratroopers are being deployed to the Middle East, and our family knows what combat in foreign lands requires, but the sultans, shahs, and kings, they don't.

Their oil kingdoms want this war to keep going because they will be the beneficiaries, but we are their soldiers. How many soldiers is Saudi Arabia sending? What about Kuwait? How about Qatar that gave President Trump a luxury jet valued at $400 million? Can we trade that in? Can we trade that plane in to help pay down the tens of billions of dollars that our country is already spending over there? Are these kingdoms going to contribute their fighter jets to this conflict? Who will fly them?

What about the Saudis, Kuwaitis, United Arab Emirates, their pilots, their marines, where are their soldiers? I haven't seen any. No American marine, sailor, airman, or soldier should be sent to war to preserve the Gulf state kingdom's dominance over the world's oil and gas markets over there.

Let us take care of ourselves right here at home. Perpetual energy independence, we have that. We have to make it even better.

Now, let's look at the population of those countries. Iran is a nation of over 93 million people. Saudi Arabia has technically 32 million people, but most of them, three-quarters of them, are not actually Saudis. They are foreign guest workers. Kuwait has 3 million people, and most of those are guest workers. Iraq has 43 million people. Yemen has 41 million people. The United Arab Emirates has 10 million, but a lot of those are not actually citizens there. Israel has 10 million people, maybe closer to 9. Qatar has 2 million people.

Do we really want responsibility in perpetuity for nearly 250 million people in the troubled oil kingdoms and the oil rich Middle East? None of these nations is a stable democracy, not a single one.

So, why are Americans being asked again to dive into yet another Middle East war? We know this story. We know how it ends. Might I remind Members and those listening, the Lockerbie bombing was an example of what happens. Does anyone recall 9/11? And I could list a whole lot of other retaliations.

Dealing with theocratic regimes means not victory but retribution in the end, retribution against both civilian and military populations.

The United States shouldn't be fighting this war to play oil kingmaker in the Middle East. America knows that our Nation has now dedicated one-half century to making our Nation energy independent here at home, and what a triumph that has been.

We should do better, how? The Strategic Petroleum Reserve should have been filled completely, and President Trump has continued to empty it out. We have to do better than that.

We have other forms of power, modern nuclear, hydrogen, and massive natural gas discoveries in my part of the country. Mr. Speaker, we can do this here in this country, but President Trump told us we are fighting this war because Iran was building a nuclear weapon to have a bomb ready in 2 weeks. That claim fell apart under the slightest scrutiny.

The President says that we now need more bombing and more troops, even as his own Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, testified before Congress that Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated and that Iran was not trying to rebuild it.

The President said that we were fighting Iran to change its regime. Iran has replaced one Ayatollah Khamenei with another Ayatollah Khamenei.

I would observe that, as a result of this war, it is more likely Iran and adjacent nations that have succession will have hardline leaders that share Iran's religious perspective, hell-bent on opposing the United States on every front long into the future in the form of hybrid warfare, which is the new horizon for war globally.

This war must not drain our arsenal here at home. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Defense Subcommittee, the weapons that are being exploded and the amount of money being spent mean we have to follow on very quickly, and it is not so easy to do.

We have lost members of our military, as I have said, and the President's approach has alienated too many of our allies and made us new enemies. Caution. No more blood for oil. No more blood for oil. In an era of hybrid warfare, the President's impulsiveness could yield reactions for which the American people are not prepared.

I ask the question, Mr. Speaker: What does victory look like in this war? What is the endgame? What is the plan?

The President wanted to overthrow the Government of Iran, destroying its nuclear capacity, to ignite a nationwide revolt and remake the Middle East as he thinks it should be. What does that look like? Who is going to help?

There are a lot of people with money over there--not a single democracy--they will be the beneficiaries. What are they paying?

Therefore, U.S. military efforts have not been able to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Adjoining nations have placed zero troops into theater. To me, the undemocratic oil kingdoms appear to have the U.S. at their beck and call. That is not in the interests of the United States of America.

This administration has not prepared our citizens for the consequences of its hasty actions. So far, they expect Americans to pick up the tab, the whole tab, rising each week by billions and billions more dollars.

What is it about the allure of these undemocratic oil kingdoms that draws such attention from our President? Recklessness and undemocratic Middle East oil markets have led us to repeated disastrous consequences and more forever-on wars.

The American people have already paid the price. Let the phenomenally rich oil kingdoms, undemocratic oil kingdoms, their sheikhs and their Kings send their own troops and pay the price of their own security, instead of indebting the people, the good people, of the United States of America.

Today, I say enough is enough.

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

Mr. Speaker, in northwest Ohio and across our Heartland, farmers are hurting. After 2 years of record drought, a year of reckless Trump tariffs, their export markets are drying up abroad.

Now comes the war in Iran.

One-third of the world's fertilizer supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Its cost just rose.

Mr. Speaker, 25 percent of the world's oil supply passes through this narrow channel off the Iranian coast. Much like oil, fertilizer is traded on a global market, and a disruption on either side of the globe impacts Ohio farmers, producers, and growers.

This comes at the worst time as planting season is upon us. Our agriculture sector is teetering on the brink. Hello. Family farms hang in the balance. For many, this is a make-or-break year.

On top of skyrocketing fertilizer costs, the national average for diesel just hit a record $5.37 per gallon.

If costs don't stabilize soon, the Heartland is in for a reckoning. We don't want one. We don't want one. Is the White House--hello, are you paying attention?

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight and every day for the families of northwest Ohio and across our country being squeezed due to President Trump's reckless, illegal decisions.

Today, the average price of gasoline across our Buckeye State of Ohio was $3.82; nationwide, $3.97, up more than a dollar a gallon in the span of a month.

Diesel, the life blood of our supply system, is surging to nearly $5 a gallon, increasing transportation costs and driving up the cost of everything: food, manufacturing, and fertilizer across our heartland.

When the price of oil rises, families everywhere feel it. The cost of gasoline, diesel, and home heating is a daily burden on working families, farmers, truckers, and small businesses trying to keep their operations open.

The undeclared Trump illegal war on Iran makes the condition exponentially worse. When global conflict collides with fragile energy supply chains, prices surge.

In Ohio, we refine, move, and deliver energy, but I will tell you, this is actually such a terrible tax on the American people causing the debt to go up.

Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve a President who abides by the U.S. Constitution.

Mr. Speaker, we rise today with heavy hearts and deep gratitude to honor three courageous Ohio National Guard members who gave their lives in service to our Nation: Captain Seth Koval, Captain Curtis Angst, and Master Sergeant Tyler Simmons of the 121st Air Refueling Wing from Columbus, Ohio--one of the most difficult maneuvers in aviation.

These airmen answered our country's call without hesitation. They carried America's mission far beyond our shores. They stood for something greater than themselves, defending liberty and patriotic values that define us as a nation.

They were not only skilled professionals, but also patriots in the truest sense--men of honor, character, and quiet strength. Their loss is felt deeply across Ohio, in Stoutsville, in Wilmington, in Columbus, and across our grateful Republic.

We remember not only how they died, but how they lived: with courage, duty, and unwavering devotion to the United States of America.

Their sacrifice reminds us that freedom is never free and that it endures because of heroes like them.

True to the 121st's vision to be masters of airpower, safeguarding liberty and security for Ohio and the United States, they pay tribute to the Air Force's core values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.

These fallen heroes embody this spirit. May God bless them, bless their families, and bless their colleagues. May God bless the United States of America in the days ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for a moment of silence in their memory.

Mr. Speaker, on February 28, President Donald Trump made a unilateral decision to take the United States and the American people to war against the nation of Iran. Iran is a nation of 93 million people with sophistication and fundamentalist religious leaders that imbue Iran's actions intergenerationally.

Iran holds influence across millions of adherents, even across its borders. Religious ties, affinities, and memories linger across borders in that undemocratic region of the world.

Without any consultation and in direct violation of congressional war

powers in our Constitution that belongs to the people of the United States, not just the President, our Nation is now at war with a religious state.

Valiant members of our Armed Forces have been sent into battle in one of the most complex and combustible regions of the world. Never in the entire history of our Nation has any such consequential decision to take our military and the American people to war been made solely by any former President without a vote of Congress. Valiant members of our Armed Forces are being killed.

We, as Members of Congress, must offer consolation to their families and the communities from which they come, and we must pay tribute to their bravery and sheer patriotism. However, like their families, we remain stunned as we, too, were unaware they were being deployed into war in territory we know to be very dangerous.

Last week, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky was quoted as saying he would oppose any Iran supplemental. He said that he is hearing from farmers in his State impacted by rising costs on everything, including oil, that stem from the war. He thinks Congress should focus on domestic issues.

Well, we can't do just that, but I do agree with Senator Rand Paul that the war places a tourniquet on global energy supplies, and prices on almost everything will continue to rise. I can comment that as planting season is upon us, diesel and fertilizer costs are through the roof, and our farmers, producers, and growers are really feeling it.

Now, the Trump administration says that it seeks Congress to appropriate--get ready for this--$200 billion more of additional financial support for this undeclared war.

No Member of Congress would abandon our troops in harm's way. I will repeat that. No Member of Congress would abandon our troops in harm's way, but here are vital questions that must be asked by the American people and this Congress and answered by the administration: What does victory look like? What does it look like? Which nations are our allies in this struggle and are placing troops on the ground? How many troops in each adjoining nation are already on the ground? How will the Trump administration raise the funds to pay for what will likely be a half trillion dollars or more not just for the war but for the rebuilding of a very troubled, difficult region?

There will be a lingering instability that could pose more unrest in that region. Chaos is a possibility. The President has already in his first and now second administrations added over $6 trillion to America's debt, and it is rising.

Does the President intend to borrow the funds necessary and from whom, indebting the American people for generations to come? Trillions of dollars is a lot of money.

To conduct this undeclared war on Iran and apparently adjoining countries, the Trump administration is increasing our debt and borrowing even more money from China to spend against Iran. China, looking at our debt accounts, can ask for payment on those bonds at any time.

I don't like the prospect of that. At the same time, with the billions of defense dollars being spent in the Middle East, too many of our global assets are being repositioned from the Pacific and the European NATO commitment.

The President relatedly announced he is going to lift oil sanctions on Russia. That means he is empowering Russia, the fiercest foe of liberty, at the same time as he is enriching China.

Did liberty in our world just turn upside down? Have key Trump officials forgotten the difference between liberty and tyranny?

Mr. Speaker, I ask America to pay attention.

Now, let us be serious about the accounting of these ongoing war efforts. The first week alone was reported to cost $11.3 billion, not a penny of that brought before the respective congressional appropriations committees for approval. Just in the first week, $11.3 billion spent. At a pace of $2 billion per day, that means we are spending $23,000 per second.

At this pace, spending could reach $1 trillion more by November 2027. I can guarantee you our Defense Appropriations Subcommittee has not approved a single penny of this spending for the war on Iran.

This is a war of Presidential choice. Billions have been spent. As of today, we estimate about $40 billion, the 20th day of President Trump's war.

The President is erasing money from other accounts, I guess, in order to put it into this undeclared, fateful military engagement, erasing it from accounts he has to, like health insurance and food for children. We are asking where has the President emptied the accounts to pay for this war?

Our debt gets worse every day, and since he took office 14 months ago, our national debt has ballooned to $39 trillion. That is $3 trillion more than just over a year ago. That translates into a growing tax on generations to come and that is wrong.

The President must present to Congress his plan to pay for his war of choice. Otherwise, our ship of state is going to be tilting in ways that harm the American people. They are already seeing it in the price of essentials like food, gas, fertilizer for our farmers, medical care, diesel, energy prices, water prices are going up, and housing is unaffordable and rising every day. I can guarantee you the American people are feeling the raw pinch of this already.

I have questions. Who exactly will be President Trump's emissaries to negotiate a lasting peace in the Middle East? What background do they have in that part of the world? What qualifications do they have to offer in the way of expertise? It is obvious the ones that he assigned, his son-in-law and Mr. Witkoff, had no success. They had no experience in that part of the world. They had no experience in negotiating peace. It is obvious the current negotiators were unable to prevent war.

The only President of whom I am aware who made consequential peace in the Middle East was President Jimmy Carter, a man I served nearly half a century ago.

He worked diligently for months and months, and I daresay years, at that astounding achievement of a peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. I urge President Trump's associates to contact the Carter Center and identify some of those who are currently living and participated in that extraordinary achievement and seek their advice. This is not a simple engagement, and it will have lasting repercussions.

Recall it was President Trump during his first term that pulled the rug out from Afghanistan in 2018 when he withdrew from that deal, and as we watched greater instability grow, he actually made a deal with the Taliban who are our enemies and then our allies in Afghanistan collapsed. He precipitated the U.S. withdrawal, not Joe Biden.

When Joe Biden took office, the damage had already been done. As I view the road forward, who will be the diplomatic corps that will be necessary to follow on this major invasion with negotiations for a just and lasting peace?

In the national interest, partisanship has to be put aside, and the most intelligent and experienced people in our country must be drawn together. To find a way forward, levelheaded people with foreign policy experience and budgetary know-how must be brought to the forefront. This heedlessness on multiple fronts cannot continue.

Our people deserve a White House focused on resolution and here at home, affordability for the American people, not another endless foreign war with no strategy and no way out. What is truly troubling to me as I watch this engagement is, I don't see some of the richest tyrannies in the Middle East, like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where are their troops on the ground? They are not there.

We need a clear path forward for the American people, and the President needs to come to Congress as we attempt to negotiate the ship of state toward a stable Middle East, engaging countries around the world who are also suffering from this decision.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary young women of the Anthony Wayne High School cheer team.

Just weeks after capturing the National Cheer Championship title in Orlando, Florida, these remarkable athletes brought home the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators State Championship title.

Led by Erica Black and Robin Buffy, the Generals had the highest score across all teams in all divisions.

Championships are not handed out. They are earned with early mornings, late nights, and countless unseen hours of practice. They are built by coaches who mentor, parents who sacrifice, teachers who encourage, and neighbors who show up again and again.

This victory belongs to the entire Anthony Wayne community. It reflects the strength of our schools, the spirit of our families, and the promise of our young people. Our champions have inspired us and reminded us what teamwork, perseverance, and hometown pride can achieve.

I congratulate them, and Go Generals.

Mr. Speaker, as people everywhere celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I rise to honor the life and legacy of John J. Carney, an Irish- American son of northern Ohio. His vision, heart, and integrity helped shape the future of his beloved Cleveland.

John was a devoted family man and a real estate developer, but really he was so much more. He was a father for his community. He was a builder, a steward of civic renewal, and a tireless champion for the city he loved so deeply.

Through his decades of service from the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority to Playhouse Square and the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, John believed in Cleveland's promise and gave his life to helping it rise.

He brought people together with warmth, humility, and that ever- present Irish sparkle in his eye. Whether hiking in the Alps, collecting rare books, or laughing with his grandchildren, John reminded us all to live fully and give generously.

Ohio is stronger, more vibrant, and more hopeful because John Carney walked among us. May his memory be a blessing, and may the Sun shine warmly upon his face.