Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am here this morning to urge my colleagues to support the rule which includes H.R. 3492, the Protect Children's Innocence Act.

My bill criminalizes the genital mutilation, such as this young lady right here, and chemical castration of children, imprisoning offenders for up to 10 years.

For far too long, children have been sexually exploited under the malicious falsehood of so-called gender-affirming care.

Mutilating children's bodies and giving them sterilizing drugs is anything but affirming and anything but care, especially given the fact that this is happening in too many cases before these kids are ever old enough to legally vote, legally get a tattoo, ink printed on their own bodies, and make real adult decisions.

The same drug that has been used to chemically castrate sex offenders has been given to children who have been manipulated into thinking they were born in the wrong body.

Everyone knows that children many times are confused about who they want to be when they grow up or about their identity. The children are not to blame. It is our job as adults to protect these kids and allow them to grow up safely and healthy and not make decisions that last a lifetime, such as this right here that happened to this teenage girl.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to the rule, and I urge my colleagues to do the most responsible thing any adult can do for a child and protect them while they grow up.

Madam Speaker, one of the most serious responsibilities we have as adults, and particularly those of us who are elected and hold power when it comes to legislating and making law, is to protect children.

Today, the House is delivering on what the American people voted for. This is the opportunity to vote to end the gender mutilation of children via transgender treatments for children. I introduced this important bill years ago, and it is finally set for a vote in the House today.

It will criminalize gender-affirming care on minors, not adults, on minors who have not yet grown up to make adult decisions. It will end gender mutilation and chemical castration of children and imprison offenders for up to 10 years.

This is a direct legislative reflection of President Trump's executive order and every single Republican's campaign promise in 2024. It was also one of the top issues across the country.

Most Americans agree that kids just need to grow up before they do anything radical like a mastectomy on a 15-year-old girl, castrating themselves through surgery, or even taking dangerous drugs that have lifelong effects.

American children are being systematically indoctrinated with perverse gender ideology by teachers, doctors, mental health counselors, and on social media platforms. Autistic children are particularly vulnerable and are three to four times more likely to have gender dysphoria.

Joe Biden's former Assistant Secretary of Health, Richard Levine, who identifies himself as Rachel Levine, called for the Federal Government to

empower kids to go on puberty blockers and obtain sex-reassignment surgeries.

We truly don't know the lifelong effects of puberty blockers, but we do see the lifelong effects of sex-reassignment surgeries.

For far too long, children have been sexually exploited under the malicious falsehood of so-called gender-affirming care. Mutilating children's bodies and giving them sterilizing drugs is anything but affirming and anything but care.

These types of surgeries and hormone treatments are destroying children's lives all across the country, while this perverted multibillion-dollar industry rakes in profits. Pharmaceutical company Pfizer led the way in hormone production drugs, with revenues up to $74 million from those products in 2022 alone. Total revenues for transgender drugs and surgeries in 2023 were estimated to surpass $4.4 billion, and by 2030, the market is expected to grow to nearly $8 billion.

There are for-profit pediatric gender clinics as well as hospitals that receive Federal funding that are engaged in this type of child abuse. One of the Nation's top children's hospitals in the country, Boston Children's Hospital, even released videos that explained its surgeries, promoting sterilization, castration, and mutilation of children to kids and their parents. The hospital had been discovered to have performed gender-affirming chest surgeries on 15-year-old girls-- girls that are not even old enough to get a tattoo, buy nicotine, buy alcohol, and even vote.

Jamie Reid, who worked at a gender clinic and directly assisted transitioning 1,500 patients, she says, age 3 to 25 years old over 5 years, publicly came out to discuss the atrocities happening to children at these gender clinics.

``When a female takes testosterone, the profound and permanent effects of the hormone can be seen in a matter of months. Voices drop, beards sprout, body fat is redistributed. Sexual interest explodes, aggression increases, and mood can be unpredictable.''

One of the side effects includes sterility.

Can you imagine this happening to a young woman before she is ever even of legal age to be considered an adult?

Jamie Reid has full blown come out as a whistleblower on how fraudulent the entire industry is. The clinicians didn't care about the symptoms of the child. If the child believed they were trans, the clinicians took their word for it.

If a child believes that they are a unicorn, do adults take their word for it, as well?

We have laws that prevent children from being sexually exploited already on the books. As a matter of fact, in 2020, this body passed a law to stop the female genital mutilation of young women all across America. My bill has the exact same Commerce Clause that is in the law preventing FGM.

Madam Speaker, we already have Federal laws that stop the sexual exploitation of children related to porn and sex crimes against children, and these Federal laws are so important because they protect children all across America.

There is historical data that shows that 60 to 90 percent of prepuberty children with gender dysphoria stop identifying as trans once they grow up. In 2022, there is a statistic that says that only 12 percent of boys with gender dysphoria continue it into adulthood.

This is a matter of common sense. This is a vote of good versus evil. It is our duty as a governing body, filled with responsible adults, to protect children from making the worst mistake of their lives before they are ever grown up and have the ability to enter into adulthood.

Madam Speaker, I urge the House to vote ``yes'' on the Protect Children's Innocence Act and do the right thing for America's children.

Madam Speaker, this poster displayed here is the result of females having their skin and flesh stripped from their arms and their legs in order for a surgeon to create a fake penis and have it sewn on their body. These are the horrific scars and damage that these women are left with for the rest of their lives after undergoing these barbaric surgeries.

This is not something any child, any minor under the age of 18 years old, should ever undergo. This is not healthcare. This is not a parent's choice for a child. This right here is child abuse. This is child abuse. No one under the age of 18 should ever make that decision, and no doctor should ever perform a surgery like this on a child simply because they are suffering from gender dysphoria and are confused about their feelings of how they identify and how they see themselves.

This condition that so many young people are suffering with--and it has been on the rise in the past 10 years--was something that was a very small percentage. But young people today have been indoctrinated on social media. They have been indoctrinated by school counselors, teachers, and many adults, even their own parents. They are being indoctrinated to believe and take that confusion they are having just as a child, whether it is prepuberty or while they are going through puberty, to believe they want to change their gender.

Here is the real truth. God only creates two sexes and two genders, male and female, and God does not make mistakes. No child is a mistake. No feeling they have inside of themselves can change that. No barbaric surgery, no chemical-castrating drugs that are given to sex predators, can change that. No amount of hormones can change that.

The reality is that parents and adults across the country can use our God-given responsibility to protect children while they are growing up. We have laws that do that. We have laws that say they can't register to vote until they are 18 because they are not adults yet to make those kinds of adult decisions.

We have laws that say they can't get ink tattooed on their skin until they are of legal age, and in most States it is 17 or 18 years old. We have laws that say they can't buy nicotine or even see an R-rated movie until they are 17 years old. This isn't an argument between Democrat and Republican. This is simply common sense, and most Americans agree.

The best thing that we can do for our children across this country is to say: You are not ready to make these decisions. Your feelings are very likely going to change.

It is proven through the statistics. The statistics show one study from a doctor in Finland who happens to be the leading expert, Dr. Kaltiala, who says that four out of five gender-questioning kids grow up--four out of five stop questioning their gender. They stop those feelings. Twelve percent of boys with gender dysphoria continue it into adulthood, only 12 percent. These are major changes.

We already have Federal laws, and that is incredibly important to recognize. The legislation that made it a Federal law against female genital mutilation, which has the same Commerce Clause in the Protect Children's Innocence Act, the bill that we are considering that I have introduced, passed by voice in 2020. That meant that no Member of this body raised up and said that we needed a recorded vote because they wanted to vote ``no.'' It simply passed by voice.

We also have so many other laws to protect children from sexual exploitation. This is something that doesn't affect people's sexual identity. It is in no way, shape, or form insulting to anyone who identifies as gay or lesbian or bisexual. This is simply a bill that tells kids, ``Hold on,'' tells parents, ``Hold on,'' before they have double mastectomies, before they are castrated, and before they take drugs that are not FDA approved for the use that they are given, that are chemical castrating drugs. We have to stop.

Madam Speaker, I urge the House to vote ``yes'' on the Protect Children's Innocence Act.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today in a bipartisan effort to release the Epstein files finally after five administrations have covered it up.

Earlier today, I attended the press conference where the survivors-- they are not victims--the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse and sex trafficking told their stories. They told stories about how it started back in 1991 and 1996, and they continued on through the decades. They told stories about how they told someone and tried to get help. They told the FBI, and they weren't listened to. They told law enforcement, and no one did anything.

These women don't just number a few. These women number around 1,000 women, and they are victims of something that is unthinkable. This should have never, ever happened. This was the biggest fight I think I have seen in Washington, D.C. This is my fifth year here, and this was a fight that we should have never had to wage.

It should have been the easiest thing for every single Member of Congress. It should have been the easiest thing for the Speaker of the House. It should have been the easiest thing for the President of the United States to release all the information, every single file, on behalf of these American women.

These American women aren't rich and powerful elites. They do not have someone paying for their airline tickets or paying for their trips or paying for their expenses every time they try to do something to get this information out. These are your average Americans.

Mr. Speaker, do you want to know what the Epstein files represent, the coverup represents, to average Americans?

It represents the failures of the Federal Government in Congress to the American people, and that is what people rose up about in 2024. They wanted and demanded transparency from their government and for Americans; finally, to be put first.

Today, with this vote, we are finally putting these victims and these survivors of Jeffrey Epstein first and the cabal of rich and powerful elites that expands not just here in the United

States of America but to other countries as well, we are putting them last. That is exactly what Americans want.

You see, Mr. Speaker, for far too long, Americans have been put last, and they are sick of it. They are sick and tired of it. This is why they don't trust Congress. This is why they don't trust the government.

Here is the problem: All of these women are women who have suffered in shame for years and years and years. These are women who were terrified, women who were intimidated, and women who were threatened just like Virginia Giuffre, and now she is dead. These women should have never faced that for this information to come out.

We, especially the four Republican Members of the House of Representatives, should have never faced intimidation and threats for us to get this vote to come to the floor.

Never forget there were four: Thomas Massie, myself, Nancy Mace, and Lauren Boebert. We had to sign a discharge petition. We had to fight through intimidation, and we had to endure it for months to push that discharge petition finally to 218 to get this vote to come out.

This is what the American people are sick of, and rightfully so.

Now where does this go from here?

The question will remain: Will the Department of Justice release all the information?

Will the judge in New York release the information?

Will the CIA release the information?

Will foreign governments release their information?

Or will this continue after this vote today to be a coverup, a coverup of the rich and powerful elites who bond together in sex and human trafficking abuse and all types of global business that enriches them but never serves Americans?

The American people will know, and the victims--actually the survivors--of Jeffrey Epstein will know, because they know the list of names. I remain dedicated to my promise to read those names here on the House floor if those women ever find themselves in a place where it needs to be done.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 270.

Stated against:

Mr. Chair, as the designee of Mr. Davidson, I rise to speak in support of the amendment.

Mr. Chair, I rise today on behalf of my friend and colleague, Congressman Warren Davidson from Ohio, who is a proud Army Ranger. I am offering his amendment to prohibit the Department of War from researching or procuring lab-grown meat.

This amendment prohibits the Department of War funding from being used on the research, production, advancement, or enhancement of cell- cultured meat which is fake meat. It is not even real meat.

Over the years, climate activists have tried to push experimental food alternatives on the American public. The latest product they are peddling to us is cell-cultured fake meat. What is worse is they have been trying to push this experimental product on our U.S. servicemembers like they are lab rats. This is all in an attempt to put America's ranchers and farmers out of business. Our great men and women in our military are not lab rats, Mr. Chair.

In 2024, the Department of Defense announced up to $500 million in grant funding for the development of lab-grown meat products. In case anyone at home is wondering if this is real, yes, it was real, and it happened.

Last year, small farms and mom-and-pop operations across the country raised their voices in outrage against this ill-considered initiative. We won and got the DOD to back off on trying to put our farmers out of business while trying to feed our soldiers fake, poisonous garbage.

It is now time to codify this win into law, and it is important to do so with the fiscal year '26 NDAA. That is why this amendment is so important.

A product this experimental has many unresolved safety and environmental concerns. These products are not yet approved for retail sale in grocery stores. It should not be tested on our brave servicemembers who put their lives at stake for this country.

Mr. Chair, I urge the adoption of this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, it is so interesting to listen to my

Democratic colleague across the aisle talk about China and how China made cultivated meat a national priority, and so we should, too. That is pretty shocking.

Don't forget, Mr. Chair, that the COVID virus was made in Wuhan, China, and released upon the world. Look at the consequences of that.

Never forget it was the Democrats who were all about forcing poisonous vaccines into people's bodies against their will. We saw the devastating impacts of that on many military members: myocarditis, nerve conditions, heart problems, heart attacks, and many reported issues not just on the military but the American people.

As a matter of fact, there are vaccine injuries and deaths that have not been investigated to this day.

Mr. Chair, now, Democrats want to continue to force our great men and women in the military to eat fake, lab-grown meat? That is repulsive and disgusting.

I can tell you right now, Mr. Chair, I, along with my Republican colleagues, want to feed our great men and women in the military ribeyes, those that are grown right here on good old USA farms.

I think our men and women in the military, in order to quote my colleague across the aisle, to have readiness, to be ready and prepared for war, they need to be as healthy and fit as possible.

I would argue that lab-grown, disgusting, fake meat is not going to make them ready. It is not going to make them healthy. It is not going to make them fit. It is not going to get them the best possible shape they can be in to go to war. God forbid they go to war. I don't want to see them go to war either.

They talk about this fake meat being a tool or an option to keep them better supplied. I think it is repulsive. I think it is an insult. I can't imagine anyone signing up for the military saying: I can't wait to eat a big old portion of nasty, lab-grown, fake meat.

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

Mr. Chair, my Democratic colleague across the aisle just said that it is about the science. Where have we heard that one before? I think everyone in the country remembers the past few years of forced, mandated COVID vaccines.

When it becomes about the science and not about feeding our men and women in the military good, cultivated, real meat, then it is a serious problem.

Being competitive with China, according to the Democrats, means being just like China, a Communist country that America should never be like at all.

Mr. Chairman, I will finish with this: When Democrats are saying that they won't know the difference when they are being fed fake meat versus real meat and they will love it, I think that is the most terrifying thing we can hear.

Mr. Chairman, I urge the adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, my amendment prohibits the assistance to Ukraine in the NDAA.

This bill provides approximately $700 million in funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative over fiscal year 2026 and 2027 for training, equipment, lethal assistance, supplies and services, and intelligence support to the military and national security forces of Ukraine.

The administration has even raised strong objections against extending the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and authorizing additional funding for it, yet somehow, the NDAA contains $700 million.

The administration said--and this comes from a letter from the office of the OMB--the administration ``strongly objects'' to sections 1223 and 1227, as these provisions extend the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and authorizes additional funding.

``Similarly, the administration objects to section 1224, which requires the creation of a depot-level maintenance plan in conjunction with the Ukrainian Government. Furthermore, the administration strongly objects to section 1228, which usurps the administration's authority to dictate the terms of its intelligence support to the Ukrainian Government. These four provisions do not advance the administration's objective to end the conflict in Ukraine.''

That is the key point. The administration wants to end the conflict in Ukraine. Ukraine is not a NATO member nation. We are not contractually bound to provide their protection.

Need I remind everyone here that we are $37 trillion in debt--$37 trillion. We should not have to be sending more American tax dollars over to defend Ukraine and the people of Ukraine when Ukrainians themselves are coming to our country and getting murdered on subway trains. Iryna Zarutska was brutally murdered by an American man as she was riding on a subway train, yet we are sending $700 million more to Ukraine?

The American people would like that $700 million spent here to keep people safe and stop senseless, insane murders.

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

Mr. Chairman, the American people have war fatigue. They not only have war fatigue, but they are absolutely fed up. They are absolutely fed up with funding foreign wars and defending foreign nations' borders while, here in America, many cities are completely unsafe, and senseless murders go on and on.

My amendment would reorient defense policies and priorities to America only by prohibiting all assistance to Ukraine. This lines up completely with what Trump's administration has asked for. For some reason, Congress has decided that they want to keep funding the war and funding the killing in Ukraine.

To date, U.S. taxpayers have provided over $175 billion in assistance to Ukraine, including direct military aid, funding for their government, and, essentially, funding for their entire economy. Mr. Chair, this was while American businesses were shut down during COVID lockdowns and our border was completely overrun.

Everyone needs to understand that it wasn't Putin who was killing Americans, but it was the cartels killing Americans and insane murderers and criminals on our own city streets, in our own country. I remind everyone that the American people are broke, and the people in this room are responsible for that on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. Chairman, $37 trillion in debt is no joke. I say that on behalf of my children's generation, and they are all in their twenties. I want to know: How deep are we going to continue digging the grave to bury our children and our grandchildren? I will have no part of it. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I will push back on what my Republican colleague just said.

Ukraine is not our national security interest. Our national debt is a matter of national security for United States of American citizens.

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

Mr. Chairman, I missed that part in my civics lessons and pretty much every single United States map I have ever seen where Ukraine is the 51st State. In fact, it is not.

It is shameful that, in the United States House of Representatives, more United States Members of Congress fight for money and fight for the defense of a foreign country than they actually fight for their own people.

I think Members of Congress should have to wear sponsors, like NASCAR race cars have to wear, for which country they represent and which industry that they are shilling for.

Mr. Chairman, I urge the adoption of my amendment. No more money to Ukraine. Let's end the war.

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

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment strikes funding for overseas humanitarian disaster and civic aid programs.

My amendment strikes $115 million in foreign aid funding to the overseas humanitarian disaster and civic aid programs of the Department of Defense--I am sorry, the War Department.

Mr. Chairman, the United States Government is not a charity, and the American people are some of the most generous people in the world, all by themselves, without the government taking their hard-earned tax dollars and sending it to wherever they want.

Mr. Chairman, this account funds three different programs. Humanitarian assistance helps nations with disaster preparedness, public health support, and basic infrastructure support. Humanitarian Mine Action Program provides assistance to nations to help them safely eliminate unexploded mines. Disaster relief supports disaster relief in foreign countries.

In 2023 and 2024, the Department provided support for responses in Haiti, Turkiye, northern Syria, Philippines, Libya, and Gaza.

While we are compassionate to people around the world suffering from national disasters and many other issues, think of our own national disasters and problems that we face here in our own homeland: Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, Lahaina wildfires, L.A. wildfires, Texas flooding, and the opioid epidemic. The drinking water in northwest Georgia is also polluted with forever chemicals.

These are the issues that the American people care about. These are the issues that the American people pay their taxes for. Mr. Chair, $115 million shouldn't be sent to go sit in an account somewhere ready to go pay money off to every foreign country and every foreign country's need.

We are $37 trillion in debt, and I cannot believe that we can't cut spending here in this body that has created that debt.

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

Mr. Chair, we are $37 trillion in debt. Fiscal year 2024 was the first year that the U.S. spent more on interest payments than on national defense. Spending on interest was more than all the money spent on veterans, education, and transportation combined. That is for America, not the rest of the world.

Interest costs will keep rising, crowding out other priorities, and not only burden future generations but cripple them.

Three hundred Americans die every single day from drug overdoses. In 2024, 17.6 veterans committed suicide every single day, and there were over 30,000 homeless veterans.

These are American problems. These are the issues we should be spending Americans' hard-earned tax dollars on instead of shoving them off and just saying we can't wait to give American money to the rest of the world for whatever they need. Yet, we kick Americans right in the face and say: No. No money for you.

According to the Department of Education, 85 percent of Black students lack proficiency in mathematics and reading skills. Forty percent of high schools in Baltimore did not have a single student score proficiently in math in 2023, not a single student. But we have to send another $115 million for somebody else's flood or problem or issue because, God forbid, the government not jump in and send money to foreign countries.

This is a shame, and this is hurting America.

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

Mr. Chair, $115 million is a lot of money, especially when our interest is bigger than our own military budget. We have a serious crisis right now, and it is our national debt.

The American people have been through unbelievable crises: hurricanes, wildfires, every kind of natural disaster you can imagine, but also disasters caused by our own government. Yet, the people in this room are tone deaf, absolutely tone deaf.

If it were up to my Democratic colleagues, they would just keep digging the hole of debt and sending all the hard-earned money here in America overseas for every single issue there is.

I will reiterate: Americans donate more money to worldwide charities than any other country on Earth. If Americans want to be able to check a box on their IRS tax return that says, ``Here is some extra money I want to send over for humanitarian aid,'' by God, let them do it, but they shouldn't be forced to do it at gunpoint, and this body should not force them to do that.

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

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, my amendment strikes the funding for Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative.

This amendment would strike $1 billion in military assistance to Taiwan. This funding will be used to provide a wide variety of assistance, including planes, drones, missile defense, munitions, and more. However, this is an increase of $700 million from the fiscal year `25 NDAA, which authorized only $300 million, so this is quite a jump in funding.

The entire defense budget of Taiwan is less than $20 billion. We have given Taiwan over $2 billion in funding and munitions over the last 2 years. Increasing foreign aid to Taiwan will only increase their reliance on the U.S. Increasing funding by $700 million to $1 billion, when the interest on our own debt is over our entire military budget, is America last.

The United States is $37 trillion in debt, and in fiscal year `24, the government spent over $1.8 trillion more than it took in. The interest alone on our debt has exceeded $1 trillion. We can't afford to fund other countries' militaries and secure other countries' borders.

Before we start worrying about Taiwan's borders or Ukraine's borders, we

should focus on deporting every single illegal alien who invaded our borders, broke our laws, raped our women and children, and murdered our people.

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

Mr. Chair, I think everyone has to be honest in here and admit to the fact that our United States military has a strong presence in the Indo-Pacific. The United States is not backing down to China. However, we shouldn't have to fund Taiwan's security and military at $1 billion.

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

Mr. Chair, not only have I introduced amendments to defund Ukraine, defund $115 million in humanitarian assistance for foreign countries, defund $1 billion from Taiwan, I have also introduced amendments to defund money to Israel, Syria, Iraq, and the border security for Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Pakistan, but those amendments were not made in order, so I didn't get to debate those today.

The reason why I introduced those amendments is because I believe our funding for our United States military should be for our country only because it is the defense of our country only that should matter, and that is what matters to the American people.

They are absolutely fed up. Every single one of my colleagues can go back home to their districts and face their constituents, and their constituents will tell them: We are sick of the foreign wars. We are sick of the foreign aid. That is a matter of fact.

I will tell you why. It is because the American Dream has become unattainable today. The median age of first-time home buyers is 38 years old, compared to 29 in the 1980s. The cost of college tuition has increased by about 130 percent in the past two decades. Graduates leave with massive amounts of debt and are unable to find jobs. The youth unemployment rate is at 10.8 percent. The average health insurance premium for a family has risen by 22 percent since 2018 and 47 percent since 2013.

This is an America last Congress, and this is every single Congress. As we debate these bills, it is always about sending more money to more foreign countries for their foreign causes because every foreign country has a plea and a request and a reason to ask America to write them checks.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, the issue here is it is always about another country, and it is always America last. We are $37 trillion in debt. I can tell you right now there is becoming a big difference between how young Americans feel versus how older Americans feel. This body is absolutely tone deaf when it comes to spending and priorities.

When young Americans today are hopeless for the future, don't believe that they will be able to afford to buy a home, can't afford the cost of living, but yet here in Congress the debate goes on and on about how much more money we should send to more foreign countries around the world, the United States Congress is absolutely losing the support of the American people. That goes for both political parties.

Madam Chair, I urge the support of my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, we support our great men and women in our military, and we want to fund them to have the best equipment, be afforded the best housing and best pay, and be treated the best in the world.

I have an amendment today that would strike $118 million of funding to overseas humanitarian disaster and civic aid programs of the Department of Defense. These accounts fund programs for humanitarian assistance in foreign countries, in other nations, for foreign peoples--humanitarian mine action programs, foreign disaster relief for foreign countries and foreign peoples--that the American public is having to pay for.

I want to remind everybody that the American people are $37 trillion in debt because of this institution and the way Congress has spent their money. Think about our own national disasters and problems that the American taxpayer faces here at home: Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, the Lahaina wildfires, the L.A. wildfires, the Texas flooding where there are still over 100 missing people, the opioid epidemic, and the fentanyl epidemic. All over the country, people are suffering.

The American people voted to put America first. Mr. Chair, the American people are still being put last.

Right now, the average health insurance premium for a family has risen by 22 percent since 2018. Fentanyl still kills hundreds of people every single day in America. More than 32,000 veterans, people who served in our military, were homeless in 2024, and there were 6,407 suicides among American veterans in 2022. This is unacceptable.

In our Department of Defense appropriations funding, we should be funding our military and not paying for funding for humanitarian aid and crises in foreign countries. America simply cannot afford it anymore.

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

Mr. Chair, the American people are $37 trillion in debt. The Department of Defense's mission statement is to deter war and ensure our Nation's security. That is their mission, and that is exactly what their funding should be for.

I would like to ask: What foreign country showed up to help Americans in our time of distress, in our humanitarian crises?

Which foreign country has come to clean up the hundreds of people who die every single day on the streets from fentanyl?

Which foreign country showed up to defend our border as we were invaded by millions of people for the past 4 years?

Which foreign country said: Here, America, here are millions and billions of dollars to help you?

I am going to tell you, zero. Zero foreign countries showed up.

Here we are again. The American people are enslaved by $37 trillion in debt, a debt we can never climb out of, but yet a debt that continues to rise because here in Congress we go by this belief that we have to fund every foreign country all around the world.

I say: Enough. The American people say: Enough.

Right now, Americans can't afford their rent. Young people cannot afford to buy a home. Ask any 20-year-old or 30-year-old if they believe they will ever be a homeowner. Their answer overwhelmingly is no.

Americans can't afford their bills. They can't afford car insurance, health insurance, and homeowner's insurance. Life does not look good in the future.

Do you want to know why inflation is high?

Do you want to know why life continues to be unaffordable?

Because Congress cannot rein in its America last spending. It cannot stop. It refuses to stop. It continues to say yes to the lobbyists for the military industrial complex. It continues to say yes to every lobbyist who walks in this institution, as Congressmen and Congresswomen take donations into their campaign accounts.

Americans are the most generous in the world. Americans can donate through charities to foreign countries to help foreign issues and foreign people. But the American people should not be forced to write the check, and

the Department of Defense should be able to focus on their mission to deter war and ensure our Nation's security.

Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, as the House considers funding $831 billion to the Department of Defense for the funding of our great men and women in our military to defend our Nation and our Nation's interests, it is important to talk about the foreign aid that we are funding to foreign countries.

The American people are $37 trillion in debt. The debt keeps rising, and the interest on our debt is at $1 trillion now per year.

My amendment would strike $500 million of military assistance to Taiwan. This is an increase of $100 million from fiscal year 2025 and will be used to provide a wide variety of assistance, including planes, drones, missile defense, munitions, and more.

Mr. Chair, listen to this. As we are giving an extra $100 million, making it $500 million in this Department of Defense appropriations bill, the entire defense budget of Taiwan is less than $20 billion. Our defense budget is $831 billion.

It wouldn't be so high if we weren't giving foreign aid. We have given Taiwan over $2 billion in funding and munitions over the past 2 years. We have already given them $2 billion, but now we are giving them another $500 million.

Increasing foreign aid to Taiwan will only increase their reliance on the United States, and the United States should be serving the American people and stop enslaving the American people in massive debt that drives the inflation that is causing Americans to suffer and is causing Americans to not be able to afford everyday life.

The United States is $37 trillion in debt, and we can hardly afford our own massive military budget, let alone funding the significant portions of other countries, of foreign countries and foreign nations and foreign people that do not pay taxes here in America.

We have so many of our own domestic problems here at home and should not be funding foreign countries, foreign aid, and, quite frankly, instigating world war III with China.

Before we start worrying about Taiwan's borders or Ukraine's borders or any other country's borders, we should be focusing on the continued security of our own border and deporting the criminals and terrorists and millions of people who invaded our country and are somewhere within our country after they invaded our own borders.

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

Mr. Chairman, the best way to compete with China is to have a strong American economy. We shouldn't be funding the protection of a foreign country that is producing over 90 percent of our chips when we should be producing those chips right here at home.

Currently, many of our rare earth minerals are tied up on Federal lands, and this is a problem that is tying up the production of chips here in America.

Mr. Chairman, America should be building our strength and resilience. Instead of, let's say, an additional $500 million being given to Taiwan for their defense budget, we should be investing that $500 million into America's ability to produce chips so that we don't have to be the world's police that defends all these other foreign countries from China's aggression.

The best way to beat China is with a strong America, but decades of America-last policies, where our manufacturing jobs were sent overseas and sent to China, is what made China strong. America created that problem, and America is continuing to create that problem by dependence on foreign countries for our own manufacturing. This is why rural America has been crumbling for decades because of the economic loss of their own small towns.

In America today, the cost of college tuition has increased by over 180 percent. That means it is unaffordable for many students, and they are laden with student loan debt.

According to American Compass, in 1985, 40 weeks of a typical worker's income could provide the middle-class essentials for a family of four. Yet, today, this requires over 62 weeks of income, exceeding the 52 weeks in a year.

Life is unaffordable for Americans, Mr. Chairman. We are $37 trillion in debt. I urge my colleagues to vote for my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, as we are debating today the $831 billion Defense appropriations bill, it is important to talk about the foreign aid that is in this bill and why it must be stopped. The American people are $37 trillion in debt, and this institution is to blame for it.

Mr. Chairman, it is Congress and the men and women who serve in Congress who can never say ``no'' to every single lobbyist and every single foreign country that walks into their office.

My amendment today would strike the funding for HIV prevention education activities in foreign countries. This bill provides at least $15 million for HIV prevention educational activities undertaken in connection with the United States military training exercises and humanitarian assistance activities conducted primarily in African nations.

My amendment would strike this provision to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not being wasted by teaching African soldiers about how to have safe sex. This is an issue that should be resolved by now.

The U.S. already spends a massive amount of money on HIV-AIDS primarily through PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. To date, U.S. funding for PEPFAR has totaled over $120 billion. That is $120 billion that the American people do not have and never helped them solve any of their problems.

This has grown from $1.9 billion in fiscal year 2024 to $6.5 billion in fiscal year 2025. Additionally, the National Security Department of State and related programs appropriations bill released this week would provide $5.8 billion to prevent and treat HIV-AIDS globally. When the American people are $37 trillion in debt, their credit cards are maxed out.

Young people in America have no hope for the future. Why are we continually paying for HIV prevention activities in education in Africa and other foreign countries? How does this provide for the defense of our Nation? It doesn't.

Again, the American people are some of the most generous people in the world. They donate to charities, causes, and all types of organizations and foundations to help people. This should be a private donation out of the generousness of their heart. It shouldn't be part of our Defense appropriations bill that is already $831 billion.

When do we ever look at the balance sheet? When do the American people's empty pockets ever matter to Congress, Mr. Chair?

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

Mr. Chair, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Mr. Chair, while the Defense appropriations bill funds $15 million for HIV prevention educational activities undertaken in connection with the United States military training exercises and humanitarian assistance activities conducted primarily in Africa, I will talk about something that is plaguing Black Americans today.

According to the Department of Education, 85 percent of Black students lack proficiency in mathematics and reading skills.

That is appalling. That is a failure of our education system to Black Americans, but in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, we are supposed to send $15 million to teach soldiers how to avoid getting

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, as the House considers the Defense appropriations bill today that costs the American people $831 billion, it is important to talk about the fact that this is the funding for our great men and women serving in our military and our Nation's defense.

The Department of Defense's mission statement is to deter war and ensure our Nation's security. That is worthy of the American people's hard-earned tax dollars. However, the American people are $37 trillion in debt, so this is money that is being spent that they already don't have.

My amendment would strike $500 million in funding for nuclear-armed Israel's missile defense system, and it is important to phrase it that way.

Israel is a nuclear-armed nation, which is very capable of defending themselves, and they have been proving that so as we have watched on the world stage.

The U.S. already provides Israel with $3.8 billion annually in foreign aid. That is $3.8 billion. That is a lot of money.

Additionally, the April 2024 security supplemental included $8.7 billion for Israel. That is nuclear-armed Israel. During the recent 12- day war, the U.S. used 15 to 20 percent of our Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile stockpiles defending nuclear-armed Israel, which cost us over $800 million.

The $500 million provided in this bill will fund Israel's--that is, nuclear-armed Israel's--missile defense system--the Iron Dome, David's Sling, Arrow system--yet Israel is a nuclear-armed nation. That is a pretty big deterrent for any of their enemies. Any nation that has a nuclear bomb has the greatest threat against their enemies.

U.S. aid typically accounts for 15 to 20 percent of Israel's defense budget, even though Israel--nuclear-armed Israel--has universal healthcare for their citizens and subsidized college for their citizens. They are able to provide that. However, here in America, we are $37 trillion in debt.

My amendment to strike $500 million in foreign aid will ensure an America First Department of Defense. That is exactly what we need, and we haven't had it for a very long time.

Mr. Chair, Israel is a nuclear-armed nation, and they are less than $400 billion in debt. They are quite a thriving and successful nation. Their economy is strong. They are doing a great job for their people.

However, the United States, the American citizens, are $37 trillion in debt, yet we are continuing to send hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign aid constantly to foreign countries. This has to end at some point.

Our problems here at home for Americans and the American taxpayer who are paying for all of this have gotten too large.

I also want to point out that Israel bombed a Catholic church in Gaza, and that an entire population is being wiped out as they continue their aggressive war in Gaza.

We are heartfelt about the October 7 tragedy when innocent people were killed. However, at some point, the United States needs to recognize that Israel is a strong country. They are nuclear-armed, and they are capable of defeating their own enemies.

It is right to stop funding this as we give them $3.8 billion every single year anyway.

Mr. Chair, I ask for support for my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, as we are considering the Defense appropriations bill that costs the American people $831 billion, it is important to consider the amount of foreign funding that we are spending every single year. The American people are $37 trillion in debt. Life in America has become unaffordable, especially for our youngest generation.

This amendment would strike $500 million in military assistance to Jordan. This bill provides up to $500 million in military assistance to support the Armed Forces of Jordan. However, our Department of Defense mission statement is to deter war and ensure our Nation's security.

My amendment would strike this provision to ensure that our Defense appropriations bill funds only our military, not foreign militaries. Why does our Department of Defense appropriations bill continue to pay for other countries' militaries?

Furthermore, the Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs appropriations bill released this week already provides for an additional $1.65 billion in aid to Jordan. Why are we giving them another $500 million in our appropriations bill for our Department of Defense?

Congress has appropriated between $1.5 billion and $1.65 billion in economic and military aid annually to Jordan since 2018--annually. We are already sending them billions and billions of dollars as the American people continue to tumble further and further into a graveyard of debt.

Mr. Chair, $37 trillion is a debt that we don't think we will ever be able to claw our way out of. However, it is this institution and the irresponsible continued spending year after year that continues to enslave the American people in debt.

At what point do our military bases in the Middle East and around the world make our country safer? In America today, there are still hundreds of American people dying every single day from fentanyl that has come from China, which the cartels create into press pills and other drugs and smuggle them into our country.

It is time to put the American people first, Mr. Chair, and it is time to finally consider the drastic amount of spending that we spend every single year on foreign aid.

Mr. Chair, with the American people $37 trillion in debt, we are weighing whether we should send another $500 million to Jordan. They already have received $1.65 billion from another appropriations request, and they already receive another $1.65 billion every single year from the American taxpayer, who can hardly afford to pay their bills.

Let's talk about America's veterans. For the past several decades, we have men and women in our country, great men and women who served in our military, yet they were shipped over to some foreign war in the Middle East. That didn't defend America's border. Our border continued to be overrun by foreign people from all over the world, but they were sent over there to fight for our freedoms.

Do you know what they came home with?

They came home with physical injuries that they have to live with for the rest of their lives. They came home

with PTSD and mental injuries that they live with for the rest of their lives.

Unfortunately, they have a suicide rate of over 22 a day. Over 6,400 veterans committed suicide in 2022 and 32,000 veterans were homeless in 2024, yet the debate is about spending another $500 million for the defense of Jordan. That is a country I guarantee you most Americans can't even find on a map, but most Americans have a veteran in their family or their friends that suffers every single day from this country's continued pursuit of foreign wars and funding foreign wars.

Mr. Chair, enough of the foreign aid and foreign wars and funding for the security of foreign borders that have nothing to do with our own borders and our own American people and the $37 trillion in debt that is killing us.

Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, as we are considering the Department of Defense appropriations of 2026 that is going to cost the American people $831 billion, my amendment would be that none of the funds made available in this act may be used for the assistance to the Ukraine war.

This is a war that has nothing to do with America. Ukraine is not a NATO member nation. It is not the American people's responsibility to pay for this war, and it is not the American military's responsibility to fund it.

My amendment would ensure that no further resources will be sent to Ukraine. To date, Congress has provided nearly $175 billion in assistance to Ukraine, including direct military aid, funding for their government, and other forms of economic assistance.

For the past 4 years, we had a Democratic President who cared more about the borders of Ukraine than the country he swore to protect, the United States of America. They allowed our own country to be invaded by murderers, rapists, and terrorists, all while sending nearly $175 billion to defend the borders of Ukraine and fund their entire economy.

Our country funded their government at $1 billion a month, and the American people were forced to pay for their businesses. At a time when our government shut down American-owned businesses, families could not afford groceries, and our people were suffering, it was reported that nightlife in Ukraine was thriving and that there were more bars and restaurants open in the capital city, Kyiv, than before the start of the war.

Yet, the American people couldn't send their children to school, their businesses were shut down, and life here was closed, but the American people were paying for Ukraine. It was shameful that Americans were forced to foot the bill of the Ukrainian economy while ours suffered.

Furthermore, Ukraine is one of the most corrupt governments in the world, and Zelenskyy is a dictator who, by the way, stopped elections in his country because of this war. He has jailed journalists. He has canceled his elections, controlled state media, and persecuted Christians. The American people should not be forced to continue to pay for another foreign war in a country that has no effect on our own, and we are not contractually bound to defend.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Madam Chair, Democrats used to be the antiwar party. Yet, every single Democrat voted to fund the war in Ukraine. This funding has been approximately $175 billion of the American people's hard-earned tax dollars. Yet, the American people are in debt by $37 trillion.

It is said that the Ukrainian people didn't ask for that war. The American people didn't ask for this debt. The American people are not obligated to defend every single country around the world.

At what point do we defend our own citizens and their ability to actually be able to afford life in America? As our debt continues to climb because Congress refuses to stop spending on priorities that put America last and refuses

to stop spending on foreign aid and foreign wars, the American people will have no chance.

Now that our border is closed--thank God for Tom Homan, ICE, and President Trump and his administration--we are conducting the largest deportation operations our country has ever seen. We must continue to put America first and continue to address the needs of our own people within our own homeland.

This means no more assistance to Ukraine. The only assistance that America should be providing is a pathway to peace and not furthering a war. That is not what the American people want. That is not what the American people voted for.

Americans do not deserve to have their hard-earned tax dollars fund a bloody and deadly war in Ukraine. We need peace, and we need peace all over the world.

This is an unwinnable war in which Americans are footing the bill, and it has resulted in mass casualties in both Nations. Americans don't want to pay for murder.

Rough estimates show that over 1.5 million people have been killed and injured since the start of this war. A Ukrainian assessment earlier in 2024 placed Ukrainian troop losses at 80,000 killed and 400,000 wounded. Estimates from June of this year show that approximately 1 million Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded.

These are people's sons. These are people's brothers. They are their cousins and their husbands. An entire generation of Ukrainian men are being wiped out. Russian men are, as well. This isn't something the American people should pay for.

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

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in favor of my bill, the Special Interest Alien Reporting Act of 2025, an essential piece of border security transparency legislation.

A special interest alien, or SIA, is a non-U.S. person who, based on a DHS analysis of travel patterns, may pose a national security risk to the United States or its interests. My bill would require the Department of Homeland Security to publicly release monthly reports on the number of special interest aliens encountered at our borders, their countries of origin, and where they were encountered. This bill would be retroactive to January 20, 2021, so that we can get a better sense of the catastrophic national security impacts of the Biden-Harris administration's open-borders policies.

I will say that is likely why Democrats are fighting this bill so hard.

DHS publicly reports detailed information on encounters and seizures, including CBP encounters of individuals on the terrorist screening dataset, better known as the terrorist watch list, which is an even more targeted and specific number than the number of SIAs. However, missing from DHS reporting is information on SIA encounters. Instead, Congress and the American people have been left only with random, incomplete announcements periodically released by DHS officials, or through leaks to the media.

Similar to the information released on the terrorist screening dataset, my bill would require DHS to report general encounter information on special interest aliens and would not include any personally identifiable information.

No matter how many times my Democrat colleagues say it, there is no personal information released.

In fact, senior DHS officials, like the former Border Patrol chief, have occasionally put out some of these numbers on social media and elsewhere.

Public reporting of SIAs will increase the transparency and accountability that are critical to the health of our constitutional Republic. Congress has the authority and responsibility to provide transparency to the American people, which is exactly what my bill does.

I would argue the American people pay our paychecks, so they deserve to know the truth.

The Biden-Harris administration's disastrous policies placed the United States in an extremely vulnerable national security position. Under Biden and Harris, our sovereign borders became revolving doors for illegal aliens, including an untold number of murderers, rapists, and potential terrorists who hate our country and want to cause harm to our people.

Over the past 4 years, CBP faced an unprecedented number of special interest aliens from the 26 countries that the Department of Homeland Security has determined pose the greatest national security and counterintelligence threat. Those encountered included individuals from adversarial nations, including the People's Republic of China, Iran, Afghanistan, and Syria.

The Biden-Harris administration's intentional disregard for our laws and breakdown of national security resulted in U.S. Customs and Border Protection encountering over 1.7 million special interest aliens. Many of these individuals were swiftly processed and released into the interior under the Biden-Harris administration's catch and release policies. The American people deserve to know who our government is encountering at the border and where they came from while they are attempting to invade our country illegally.

Given the ongoing events in the Middle East, this legislation is essential for Congress to conduct congressional oversight over the special interest aliens encountered invading our borders. During the Biden-Harris administration, the Border Patrol apprehended over 1,500 Iranian nationals illegally crossing the Southwest border between ports of entry.

Of those, Biden and Harris admitted 729, almost one-half. We don't know where they are now, and we don't know what they may do.

With Iran threatening Americans with retaliatory strikes on our homeland, President Biden and border czar Kamala Harris created an opportunity for our adversaries to gain access to our Nation and wreak havoc when called upon.

I am proud that the Trump administration supports this important piece of legislation, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to please support this increase in transparency and accountability within our government.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Clerk be directed to make the change in the engrossment of H.R. 275 that I placed at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H.R. 1329.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2056, the District of Columbia Federal Immigration Compliance Act, introduced by my good friend from Louisiana, Mr. Clay Higgins.

Bringing in and harboring illegal aliens is not only a crime under Federal law, but it is also an absolute affront to the American people.

As a matter of fact, it already says in our law, under title 8, section 1324, that there are criminal penalties for any person who ``knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, conceals, harbors, or shields from detection, or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection, such alien in any place, including any building or any means of transportation.''

This is already our law, but not here in Washington, D.C. Prohibiting officials from cooperating with Federal immigration agencies and preventing the release of an individual in custody for the purpose of transferring them to a Federal immigration agency is shielding and concealing illegal aliens, for my Democratic colleagues.

Sanctuary cities protect and defend these criminal illegal aliens, and by definition, if they have broken our immigration laws, they are criminals and must be held accountable.

Due to the Democrats' last 4 years of wide-open borders, this country has experienced one of the greatest national security threats in our entire history as a country. Democrats welcomed over 13 million people from all over the world to come across our border and then made the American people pay for them.

This was outrageous. These are people who came into our country, invaded our country, raped our women and children, and murdered our own people.

Then, the cartels traffic fentanyl across from China, which killed an average of 300 people a day.

They set historic records by allowing the highest number of border encounters ever recorded in a single day and a single month. It was over 3 million illegals in fiscal year 2023, which was the highest ever recorded in history.

Democrats set records. They sure do. They set records by supporting criminals to invade our country.

Mr. Speaker, instead of defending the American people, the Democrats defend illegal alien criminals, gangs, and cartels at all costs.

Take, for example, their favorite MS-13 gang member, Kilmar Abrego Garcia. This MS-13 gang member and wife beater was deported to El Salvador for countless violations of our laws. Democrats labeled him as a ``wrongfully deported Maryland man,'' oh, boo-hoo, and they flew to El Salvador to speak with him.

Mr. Speaker, Democrats couldn't wait to go on vacation to go down and pretend like they cared about this MS-13 gang member as if they really actually do.

He is now charged on multiple felony counts for human trafficking. As a matter of fact, we are thrilled to bring him back and prosecute him and make the Democrats continue to own him.

I would remind my colleagues he is their Maryland man.

According to the indictment, his transporting of illegals spans decades and includes children and MS-13 gang members. He is alleged to have participated in more than 100 trips. That is impressive. That is the faith of the Democratic Party.

This is who they defend. This is who they fight for. The do not fight for the American people, not their districts, not the people's hard- earned tax dollars, and not disobeying the law. They fight for illegals.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 2056.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the House about a clause that is in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

This clause would take away States' rights to make laws or regulate AI for 10 years. I think federalism is something that must always be protected, and I warn against the dangers of protecting a tech industry where we have no idea what the future of this industry will hold.

AI is rapidly developing. AI has developed quickly over the past few years. Imagine what it will be 1 year from now, 5 years from now, and 10 years from now.

When people look to the future, they cannot take away States' rights to regulate or make laws to protect the people in their State or to regulate businesses that operate in their State. That would be destroying the very foundation of this country, which is federalism. Federal power must always be limited and State power protected.

Now, the pushback and the reasons that I have been told about this is that American tech and AI companies must be able to compete with China. Well, American tech and AI companies can compete with China, and they should compete with China. However, don't destroy federalism in order to allow them to do that. That would be a fool's errand.

Here is how this can work: Governors and State legislatures can make their States friendly for tech companies in AI, bringing these companies in by making it easy for these companies to operate in their States. That is how it has been done for every single innovation, industry, manufacturing, and all companies across America. You don't destroy federalism for one industry. You protect it and allow States to compete to bring those companies into their States. That is the right way to handle this going forward.

Here is a lesson for us all. No matter what political party holds office and is in charge, my colleagues should all watch carefully the bills that are passed and should be mindful about protecting not only State rights but the rights of the American people and looking to the future.

When I was a freshman Member of Congress in 2021, I was told that America would be at war with China within 5 years. Well, here we are approaching 5 years later. I don't think America should have to go to war with China. America can beat China economically.

Ask yourself: Why do we send our food to be processed over in China? Why do we rely on China to produce our critical supply chain like medicines? Why would we depend on this country for the American people's supplies, and why would we go to war with them when we can be innovative right here at home, in America, producing critical chain supplies, medicines, and processing our own food?

A war is nothing America should ever strive for, look for, or prepare to have to engage in. Americans should conduct ourselves here at home in a way where we don't have to go to war, we don't have to depend on foreign countries, and we never destroy federalism for the future of an industry that we have no idea what it will do.

With this warning, I urge all of my colleagues that when the House gets to

vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act again after it leaves the Senate, that my colleagues make sure that we protect federalism and, at the same time, urge our colleagues in the Senate to pull this clause out of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

This bill should be about tax policy, protecting Americans to not have to have a tax increase of over $4.7 trillion. It should be about America-first energy and Americans' border security, not about allowing AI to run rampant and destroying federalism in the process.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be here today in front of the American people as we debate the merits of the Gulf of America Act. This would rename the body of water formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

This is such an important thing to do for the American people. The American people deserve pride in their country, and they deserve pride in the waters that we own, that we protect with our military and our Coast Guard, and all the businesses that prosper along these waters, but Democrats today are outraged.

They are outraged because they love the cartels more than any other people in the world, even more than the American people. They spent the past 4 years funding and voting for policies that ripped our borders open and allowed our country to be invaded by millions and millions of people, drugs and fentanyl that murdered over 300 Americans every single day, human trafficking, child sex trafficking, terrorists, and millions of people who we have no idea where they are in the interior of this country.

Democrats are outraged today because they are America last, and they hate anything that would give the American people pride.

The Gulf of America is one of the most important things that we can do this Congress. This is an executive order written by the President of the United States, which, by the way, is President today because the American people rose up and voted against the Democratic Party that was completely America last.

Section 1 of the executive order lays out the purpose and policy in directives, stating: ``It is in the national interest to promote the extraordinary heritage of our Nation and ensure future generations of American citizens celebrate the legacy of our American heroes. The naming of our national treasures, including breathtaking natural wonders and historic works of art, should honor the contributions of visionary and patriotic Americans in our Nation's rich past.''

Americans have watched Congress week in and week out rename post offices. Democrats vote for it all the time. Democrats aren't afraid to rename anything. They have been renaming military bases because they hate our history and hate our heritage.

This is also the same Democratic Party that cheered when their ground troops, antifa and radical rioters, went throughout American cities and tore down statues, like Lincoln and Washington.

The Democratic Party doesn't want to preserve America's rich history or promote pride in our country, our lands, our people, our businesses, and, yes, our waters, the Gulf of America.

The Democratic Party wants to remain the best business partner to the cartels that they have ever had. It is the cartels that have been enriched by tens of billions of dollars because of Democratic policies, and they will continue to protect them and fight for them.

Mr. Speaker, it is so important for the American people to hear this debate back and forth between what Democrats have to say and what Republicans have to say.

The American people rose up in a historic election in November of 2024, and they told Washington, D.C., they have had enough of the Democratic embrace and love affair with the cartels in Mexico.

Mr. Speaker, Democrats today are fighting to keep the Gulf of America named the Gulf of Mexico because the cartels are their business partners. They fight for the cartels so much that they call an MS-13 gang member, a Maryland man, a man who had two deportation orders, and who was deported to El Salvador, the country of his citizenship, they fight for him so hard that they send Senators and House Members down to fight for him and not for the American people.

The drug crisis in America is the fault of open-border policies and the love affair between Democrats and cartels. Drug trafficking across the Gulf of America is a serious issue. The Gulf serves as the maritime corridor of trafficking operations with drugs like cocaine, marijuana, fentanyl--a poison that murders Americans--methamphetamine, and heroin being transported via fishing boats, private vessels, and commercial maritime routes.

It is our great United States Coast Guard who defend the waters of the Gulf of America. Since January of 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard has seized 101,415 pounds of cocaine and 10,743 pounds of marijuana in operations targeting maritime drug trafficking including in the Gulf of America.

On April 30, 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa off-loaded pounds of cocaine and marijuana worth an estimated $12.3 million at Port Everglades, Florida, seized during operations in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of America.

It is the cartels that use the Gulf of America to invade our country with drugs, human trafficking, and child sex trafficking. It is our great Coast Guard and our Navy that defend the land, our people's land, our States, our businesses and our country from the cartels.

Mr. Speaker, you would think this is the easiest vote that the United States

House of Representatives could take because, after all, everybody in here swore an oath to defend our Constitution and to defend our laws and our land.

Oh, but, no, the Democrats can't do it because we had 4 years of Democrat control where our borders were wide open. The American people are fed up with it. The American people are tired of being torn down and served by America-last policies and politicians that absolutely hate the American people and love the cartels.

Mr. Speaker, names matter, and the Democrats know that.

Parents take a lot of time when they think about what to name a child that they are happy to welcome into the world because they have pride, and they are proud to welcome their new baby into the world. That is why they take pride in the name that they name their child.

As we rename the Gulf the Gulf of America, we are also taking pride in those waters. There are an estimated one-half million businesses operating along the Gulf Coast. The Gulf is a major economic hub, particularly for oil and gas production.

As the people of Spain woke up in darkness for the second time this week because of the climate hoax and the climate agenda, it is the Democrats who pursued those same policies the past 4 years. They hate oil and gas. They want America to be plunged into darkness just like Spain has been because of those lies.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management reports that the Gulf is the Nation's primary source for oil and gas, generating about 97 percent of all U.S. OCS oil and gas production. Other significant industries include water transportation and leisure hospitality. Offshore drilling also plays a crucial role in that region, contributing to about 14.6 percent of the Nation's crude oil and 2.3 percent of its gas.

It is our great U.S. Coast Guard and Navy that defend these waters.

Mr. Speaker, the American people aren't afraid of renaming the Gulf the Gulf of America because the American people want to take pride in our land and in our waters once again.

As Democrats feign outrage today at the President and his executive order and our great audacity to rename the Gulf the Gulf of America, it was the Democrats who first tried to rename an institution after Donald Trump.

In 2024, Representative Connolly tried to rename a prison after Donald Trump, and that happened while the Democrats were waging lawfare like this country has never seen before and should never see again as they were trying to lock up President Donald Trump and put him in prison for the rest of his life for lies and attacks and purely for politics.

It is the Democrats who are constantly feigning outrage over everything the Republicans are trying to do for the American people, and the American people will no longer tolerate it. They told us that in November of 2024.

It is a great honor to rename the Gulf the Gulf of America. This is an honor not only here in Congress but for the President of the United States and for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 102.

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I certainly hope we do open as many prisons as possible to round up as many illegal aliens who have invaded our country and those who are breaking our laws; killing our citizens, women and children; and causing complete havoc across our great land.

Mr. Speaker, I support the Laken Riley Act. I support the Laken Riley Act because Laken Riley should be alive today, and she would be alive today if it hadn't been for the Democrats and the Biden administration who ripped our border open and allowed this illegal alien monster to come into our country.

Then, in the State of New York, when this monster was arrested for committing crimes, the Democrat-led State of New York let him go. That is how he came down to Georgia and murdered our Laken Riley.

This is a bill that cannot get passed soon enough, and I am so thankful that the American people overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump so that we can sign this bill into law. It can't happen fast enough. Thank God.

Listening to my colleagues, the Democrats on the other side of the aisle, complain and whine and defend illegal aliens who break the law the minute they cross our border is pathetic. The American people are so sick and tired of it. They cannot believe what our country has gone through. It is enough. It is absolutely enough.

Democrats will go on and on to defend anyone who is not American because of their America-last policies. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle talk about tax dollars used. Our tax dollars should be used for defending Americans.

Members want to talk about spending a lot of money? Spending a lot of money should happen for American causes, American purposes, and Americans' security.

Laken Riley is a young woman who should be living her American Dream, and she had the right to do it. People who come across our border illegally are not Americans, and they do not have rights here.

That is exactly why, anytime they break a law and anytime they cross into our country, they should be rounded up and shipped out as fast as possible. If we need to build more prisons, then we will do it because the American people will support it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce I am introducing a resolution to censure the ranking member of Homeland Security Committee, Bennie Thompson of Mississippi.

In April of this year, Mr. Thompson introduced a bill to repeal and completely remove the Secret Service protection of former President Donald J. Trump.

With the Department of Justice being weaponized against President Trump and multiple Democrat State DAs being weaponized against President Trump, they are also taking action that could lead to the murder of President Trump.

Mr. Thompson has refused to remove his bill.

On July 13, President Trump was nearly assassinated. On September 15, there was another assassination attempt on his life.

This bill must be removed, or Representative Thompson should be censured in the well of the House.