Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for yielding time.

I rise in support of the rule for this bill package of four measures, actually, which includes the No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act. I also express my strong support for securing our border.

Now, I feel like I must start out by addressing the fallacy brought forth by

our ranking member on the Rules Committee.

This is not a political measure--on the part of the Republicans, anyway--if it had been, for a Presidential or congressional election year, why did we pass H.R. 2 last year?

We passed it in May of last year, and it has been sitting across the hallway here on Chuck Schumer's desk since May.

The Democrats have refused to secure our border, and an open border makes America vulnerable on the world stage.

Biden's border crisis has turned every American community into a border community. Since Biden has taken office, more than 8.7 million illegal aliens have invaded our Nation.

For 34 straight months, Mr. Speaker, monthly encounters have been at a higher rate than even the highest month during the Trump administration.

This is a humanitarian crisis. They are bringing in fentanyl that is poisoning our young people. They are bringing human sex trafficking with them.

Mr. Speaker, 100,000 children who have come across our border illegally are now unaccounted for in America. The rising number of illegal aliens is alarming. It is unacceptable.

Just this fiscal year, 49 people on the terrorist watch list have been caught trying to enter the U.S., and there have been 1.7 million got-aways.

How many of those are members of Hamas? Where are these people coming from? The simple answer is, we don't know. I am deeply concerned for our national safety, our national security.

Recently, two high-ranking retired FBI members sent a letter to our Speaker and chairman warning that what could be coming to the United States of America is far much worse than what happened on 9/11.

I read one paragraph from their letter: ``The threat we call out today is new and unfamiliar. In its modern history, the U.S. has never suffered an invasion of the homeland, and, yet, one is unfolding now. Military-aged men from across the globe, many from countries or regions not friendly to the U.S., are landing in waves on our soil by the thousands--not by splashing ashore from a ship or parachuting from a plane but rather by foot across a border that has been accurately advertised around the world as largely unprotected with ready access granted.''

That is what this President has done to our national security.

President Ronald Reagan once said: ``A Nation that cannot control its borders is not a Nation.''

That is the problem we are facing now.

This President refuses to control our borders. He refuses to control the terrorists who are running freely, and our Nation is slowly withering away. We are at risk today. When will enough be enough for the Biden administration?

The President has every means available--my good friend from Texas spelled those out--to secure the border now.

It is time to demand that President Biden take action. We must protect our people. We are committed to ending this crisis and securing our border. The congressional Democrats and the White House apparently have other plans.

I urge my colleagues to vote for America, to vote for this rule, and to vote for this bill package.

Mr. Speaker, today, I stand before you with immense pride and a spirited ``Go Chiefs'' to introduce a resolution commemorating a historic moment in sports history.

We gather to recognize the 54th anniversary of the Kansas City Chiefs' first Super Bowl victory, a day that remains etched in the hearts of many.

On January 11, 1970, the Chiefs triumphed over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV with a score of 23-7, with the late, great Lenny Dawson, pictured here, leading the way.

By the way, you may not know this, Mr. Speaker, but the term ``Super Bowl'' was coined by the Chief's owner, Lamar Hunt, who saw his kids playing with a Superball. He thought, hey, that sounds like a great name for a contest, so he named it the ``Super Bowl,'' and the rest is history.

This wasn't just any Super Bowl. It was a historic moment as it was the final game played at an American Football League franchise before the AFL-NFL merger.

This resolution is a tribute to that victory, a celebration of the team's enduring legacy, and an acknowledgment of the joy and unity it brought to fans, our community, and our State.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution. As we prepare to attend the Chiefs' playoff game this Saturday at Arrowhead, which could be the coldest NFL game since 2016, a balmy 5 degrees, I say, once again: Go Chiefs.

202nd Anniversary of the Great Seal of Missouri

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 202nd anniversary of the adoption of the great seal of the State of Missouri, seen right here and above our very heads on the ceiling of this distinguished Chamber.

On January 11, 1822, the Missouri General Assembly adopted an act that established a symbol of the State of Missouri for the people of Missouri. This seal symbolizes the bravery, strength, and unity of the Show-Me State.

``Salus populi suprema lex esto,'' our State motto, means: the welfare of the people shall be the supreme law. The great seal designer, William Wells, intended the motto to represent the very fabric of the State government.

The crescent Moon symbolizes Missouri at the time of the seal's creation--of small population and wealth but would increase soon, just like the crescent Moon.

The two bears represent the strength of our State.

There are 24 stars. Twenty-three of them represent the States that were already in existence when Missouri became the 24th.

The clouds surrounding the stars represent the rocky process that led to Missouri becoming a State.

The seal itself declares and emphasizes: ``United We Stand, Divided We Fall.'' Our founders knew that if we work together, we can accomplish great things for our State and our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I missed yesterday's vote due to a snow storm in Kansas City, MO. Had I been present, I would have voted PRES on Roll Call No. 1.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet on Monday next, when it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a landmark event in our Nation's military history, the 83rd anniversary of the groundbreaking of Fort Leonard Wood in Pulaski County, Missouri.

Fort Leonard Wood stands as a symbol of American excellence and dedication. The base's rich history is marked from its early beginnings where it played a crucial role during World War II, serving as a training facility for more than 300,000 soldiers.

Today, Fort Leonard Wood continues the level of excellence displayed in those beginnings as it has become a cornerstone of our military's infrastructure, training more than 80,000 personnel each year.

This facility's unique capability to train every branch of our military demonstrates its versatility and importance in our national defense.

I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution and to recognize the 83rd anniversary of the groundbreaking of Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Mr. Speaker, I really don't take any joy in being here standing before you today to address this matter of grave concern.

Mr. Speaker, this is not trivial. This is not stupid. This is profoundly important; a solemn duty that I do not take lightly. This is not personal. This is not partisan. It is to protect this very body.

Representative Jamaal Bowman was criminally charged and pleaded guilty to falsely pulling a fire alarm. While I applaud his confession, that doesn't mean this is without consequences. This act was not a mere lapse in judgment. It was not a mistake. It was not an accident.

It was an intentional, calculated attempt to disrupt the very democratic process by halting a critical vote on this very floor, voting for government funding. If you don't believe it, watch the video.

What should our response be as a House to this willful act of obstruction?

Mr. Speaker, to this point, nothing has been done.

This inaction sends a very dangerous message: that a Member of Congress can break the law and the norms of this institution to obstruct a vote without any consequences. We must rise above partisan politics and hold our own accountable.

The integrity of our democratic process, the safety of our community, the trust of the American people, and the function of this body demands nothing less.

We cannot allow the reckless, calculated actions of one individual to overshadow the critical work that this

body does. I am sure that Mr. Bowman is a fine Representative for the people of his district. This is not a joyous day for anyone here on this side of the aisle. This is a sad day for this body.

It is an even sadder day if we do nothing about this egregious act. I recommend that the entire body vote ``yes'' for the censure.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because the Small Business Administration and the Biden administration have continuously failed to take action to prevent this type of fraud that happened during COVID-19, ripping off you, ripping off me, ripping off everyone in this room, and ripping off the American taxpayer.

The SBA's Office of the Inspector General has estimated that at least $200 billion in COVID relief money given by the SBA ended up in the wrong hands of fraudulent actors. We believe it could be well up over $600 billion. Roughly 20 percent of that money intended to help small businesses went to the wrong people, and SBA Administrator Guzman refuses to testify before our very committee about these losses.

These losses must never happen again, Mr. Speaker, and Chairman Williams' bill addresses this by doing what the SBA is not willing to do right now, and that is to hold these fraudsters accountable and make sure they are unable to steal from us again.

I proudly support Chairman Williams' bill, H.R. 5427, which prevents anyone who is convicted of defrauding the SBA's lending programs from getting any future financial assistance from that agency.

We cannot live in an America that allows criminals to defraud taxpayers and hardworking small business owners especially during a time of need.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5427.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of H.R. 4480 because, as Members of Congress, it is our duty to protect and support our Nation's veterans.

Earlier this year, it was my distinct pleasure to have Lieutenant Commander Taylor Burks of Missouri's Fourth Congressional District and a former opponent of mine in the primary for this very congressional seat, testify at a Small Business Committee hearing on veteran entrepreneurship.

We learned not only about the unique skill set veterans can bring to the small business environment, but also the obstacles they face when trying to open small businesses and live out the American Dream and the challenge of even finding the programs available through the Small Business Administration.

It was very important for all Members to hear how the committee and the Small Business Administration can better serve those who have served our great Nation.

As a result, my colleague Representative Sharice Davids of Kansas and I introduced the Successful Entrepreneurship for Reservists and Veterans, or SERV Act.

This bipartisan legislation, which passed through the Small Business Committee unanimously, will help veteran small business owners and entrepreneurs succeed by studying the barriers when starting a business.

This bill will commission a report on the outreach and promotion of existing veteran-focused small business programs to make sure that veterans can access all available resources, capital, and credit.

There are programs out there, but a lot of veterans have never heard of them, such as the Veterans Business Outreach Centers, the Boots to Business program, and service-disabled veteran-owned small business contracting programs.

This legislation also mandates the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development to devise an outreach and promotion strategy for these programs and many others available to veterans transitioning into the business world.

Veterans' service to our Nation should not end with difficulties in accessing capital and resources. With transparency and increased reporting, we can better ensure that they receive the support that they deserve.

I am proud to co-lead the SERV Act with my neighboring district Representative and colleague, Congresswoman Sharice Davids of Kansas, to promote veteran entrepreneurship in our great Nation.

This bill is a win for our districts. It is a win for veterans. It is a win for our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I want to get one thing straight for our Members on the other side of the aisle. The only shutdown that we are in favor of is a shutdown of the woke indoctrination in our military, the shutdown of the infection of socialism propagated by the other side, and a shutdown of the bloated government spending and the overreach of regulation in America.

Now, on to my main point.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the blatant attacks on the Second Amendment from the Governor of New Mexico.

We saw with COVID unprecedented government overreach that infringed on the rights of millions of Americans.

Let me be crystal clear, Mr. Speaker: There is no such thing as a state public health emergency exception in the U.S. Constitution.

The Second Amendment is a God-given right to the American people. We will not sit idly by as the people of New Mexico have their rights trampled by an unhinged lunatic.

Throughout history, countless populations have been rendered vulnerable due to their inability to defend themselves from both external and internal threats.

Our Founding Fathers, with great foresight and understanding of history's lessons, enshrined the right to bear arms not only as a protection from foreign invaders but also as a safeguard against potential domestic tyranny.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 684 and push back against the attacks on we the people's God-given rights.

Mr. Speaker, today, I stand with my colleagues to oppose the motion to obstruct and to repeal facilitating abortions funded by the Department of Defense and, in effect, taxpayers.

Following the Supreme Court's landmark Dobbs decision, the Biden administration sought ways to bypass the ruling. They have encouraged Federal agencies to not only expand abortion access but also to burden American taxpayers with the cost.

Last October, the Secretary of Defense released a memo titled: ``Ensuring Access to Reproductive Health Care.'' Let's get something straight, Mr. Speaker. There is nothing reproductive about abortion. Abortion ends a life. It does not reproduce.

This memo paves the way for taxpayer money to facilitate abortion for servicemembers and their dependents. It even allows for the reimbursement of

travel expenses for those seeking abortions in another State. Taxpayer funds for the DOD are meant for national defense, not to further a pro- abortion agenda.

Let me be clear, Mr. Speaker. We believe in life-affirming care for the mother and the baby that God is growing inside of her, but we also believe that the government in no way, no shape, and no form should be paying to facilitate ending that life.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to back this amendment and defeat the motion to obstruct. Let's save some lives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize our recently introduced legislation, the Congressional Access to Bureaucratic Offices, the CABO Act.

Oversight of the executive branch is one of the core functions of this very body, the U.S. House of Representatives, but agencies have continuously refused entry to Members of this House. For 6 long months, we have been refused entry into the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Small Business Administration. I sit on the Ag Committee and the Small Business Committee. This is unacceptable.

From everything we have been told, it appears that at least half of the Federal workforce is away from their office at any given time. Some reports say if you go over to these Federal offices down the way here from Congress, fewer than 20 percent of the workforce will actually be at their desks.

I ask, Mr. Speaker, are these agencies trying to hide the low numbers of workers actually showing up for work and doing their jobs like we do here?

Our legislation, the CABO Act, will address this very problem. It will allow Members and their staffs full access to these bureaucratic agencies without excuses like COVID restrictions or other declared emergencies. We need transparency. We need access to these agencies, these Federal bureaucracies that we oversee.

There is no reason that Members of Congress should not be allowed to see what is happening inside these buildings. It is time to get off the beach and back to work in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong support for the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

House Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations of his conduct, a culture of corruption.

We now know this to be true:

The Biden family received more than $20 million in foreign payments from China, Russia, Ukraine, and Romania.

That 10 percent cut for the big guy, well, yes, that was for Joe Biden.

The Bidens created over 20-plus shell companies to conceal the money.

Joe Biden joined 20 phone calls with Hunter Biden's business partners.

Texts invoked Biden to shake down a Chinese business partner for cash.

Joe Biden used pseudonyms on emails.

There are at least 150 suspicious activity reports.

Joe Biden's pattern of behavior is deeply disturbing and concerning for our national security.

Mr. Speaker, we need answers. We need those bank records. We need the truth.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stand against anti-Semitism.

I stand before you as a Republican Member of Congress to address the issue that transcends party lines and touches the very core of who we are as Americans.

Anti-Semitism is a pernicious form of hatred that has persisted for far too long in our world. It undermines the principles of tolerance, acceptance, and compassion that we hold dear as Americans.

It is deeply troubling and entirely unacceptable that a colleague on the other side of the aisle has labeled Israel a racist state.

We must be resolute in our efforts to combat this hate and be unequivocal in our condemnation of anti-Semitism in all of its forms from all persons.

The Jewish people have shown incredible resilience and strength as they have faced unimaginable suffering throughout history--from the horrors of the Holocaust to the persistent prejudice that seeks to marginalize them today, as the Jewish people have been unjustly targeted.

Let us join hands in solidarity, Mr. Speaker, with our Jewish brothers and sisters and make it our mission to combat and eradicate anti-Semitism once and for all.

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

Mr. Chair, I offer this amendment to simply add ``Air Force Reserve'' in addition to ``Air National Guard'' to Mr. Bacon's language that he secured in our National Defense Authorization Act that directs the Secretary of the Air Force to not terminate fighter flying missions until the Secretary submits a modernization plan to the Armed Services Committee with options for replacement of aircraft with more capable aircraft. This is important not to just my district at Whiteman Air Force Base and the 442nd Fighter Wing but at several bases across our great Nation.

As A-10s and other platforms are retired, we must ensure that our Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units have follow-on missions. This amendment will help provide clarity to Congress and Reserve and National Guard units on how the Air Force will modernize and replace our fighter squadrons.

I think we all know that the world is changing. Our platforms are changing. The A-10 is a very lethal aircraft, as we have seen for the last 30 years.

The 442nd at Whiteman Air Force Base, the men and women there have served proudly. I feel they and others deserve security in knowing that a replacement is going to be there at Whiteman Air Force Base, that they have some answers and security from the Secretary until those final decisions of modernization are made.

Mr. Chair, I urge support of this amendment, I hope it gets bipartisan support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I am eager to hear what Ms. Frankel has to say not related to this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for his hard work and dedication in crafting this bipartisan NDAA.

This amendment is not intended to block in any way the modernization. We know that the A-10 is the legacy aircraft. A lot of people love the A-10, and it has performed well in battle. It has seen effective lethality in several theatres of battle.

The people who operate out of the 442nd have a deep love of their fighter mission. They have a deep passion for continuing that mission. They know that new platforms are coming.

Whiteman Air Force Base is going to be home of the new B-21 stealth bomber. There are going to be complementary aircraft and programs to that. They know that. They know the world is changing and that the pacing threat from Communist China has really changed how we view warfare and deterrence. They get that.

We owe it to them, and they deserve a little security because it is very easy for them to pick up now and leave and go into the private sector. There is too much talent in the 442nd and other fighter squadrons to not have that security. That is all we are asking for in this amendment, Mr. Chairman, is a little security. We are asking for a little appreciation and a little respect for the hardworking men and women who have dedicated their lives in service to America.

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