Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, all the talk in Washington is about whether we will have this flavor of a continuing resolution for government funding or that flavor of a continuing resolution.

What that does is it presents the entire funding of the United States Government as an up-or-down vote, an up-or-down proposition. That is precisely the reason we are nearly $38 trillion in debt.

We have to break the fever dream of governing by omnibus spending bill and continuing resolution, and we have to get to single-subject spending bills where these agencies have to defend their budget in its programmatic review.

The reason that doesn't happen is because the lobbyists and the special interests who run this town and who own the leaders on both sides want it that way. They don't want any itemized review.

We have to get back to those single-subject bills or we will continue this path we are on where we are adding $1 trillion in debt to the national debt every 100 days.

The American people don't want it. Only the folks in Washington want it, and I am going to keep demanding a change in the way we think, breaking the fever dream, and getting back to single-subject bills. I will vote against these continuing resolutions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the occasion of the commissioning of United States Ship (USS) Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD- 29) at Allegheny Pier, Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida, on Saturday, September 7, 2024.

The USS Richard M. McCool Jr. is a 680-foot San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock produced by Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, Mississippi, and assigned the identification of LPD-29. The vessel was laid down on April 12, 2019, launched on January 5, 2022, and christened on June 1 1, 2022. The vessel was sponsored by Shana McCool and Kate Oja, the granddaughters of the vessel's namesake.

The USS Richard M. McCool Jr. is named in honor of Captain Richard Miles McCool Jr., United States Navy, who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the USS Landing Craft Support (Large)-122 during operations from June 10-11, 1945, against enemy Japanese forces in the Ryukyu chain during the Battle of Okinawa.

The commissioning will be attended by the 78th Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Carlos Del Toro; local, state, and federal elected officials; community and military leaders; the vessel's commanding officer, Captain Jeffrey Baker; and the devoted officers and crew of the USS Richard M. McCool Jr.

The commissioning of the USS Richard M. McCool Jr. is the seventh such ceremony to be planned by the Greater Pensacola Commissioning Committee and the Navy League of Pensacola, led by Rear Admiral Donald P. Quinn, United States Navy (Retired), and it is the fifth to be held at NAS Pensacola. The City of Pensacola and Northwest Florida enjoy a strong Naval heritage and are honored to host this event.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to recognize the momentous occasion of the commissioning of the final USS Richard M. McCool Jr. at NAS Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida, the Cradle of Naval Aviation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to notify the House of the creation of the Congressional El Salvador Caucus for which I will serve as chairman and for which I have appointed the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Vicente Gonzalez) to serve as the bipartisan co-chairman.

Congressman Gonzalez has extensive relationships and insights drawn from his time in El Salvador and throughout Latin America, and undeniably, that will assist in leading the caucus.

Mr. Speaker, El Salvador's President, Nayib Bukele, has converted El Salvador from the murder capital of the world into a reliable and stable partner for peace and security for the United States of America.

The Congressional El Salvador Caucus will exist to nurture and advance the U.S.-El Salvador relationship, to encourage strong borders, strong culture, and the strong reforms that President Bukele has put into effect.

They have defeated the gangs. They have put prosperity on the march in El Salvador. Even the 70,000 people who are incarcerated in that country are not just seeing their lives wasted away.

President Bukele has instituted a zero-leisure policy where they are now restoring buildings and murals and actually rebuilding the country that so many of them have a hand in ravaging through gang warfare.

The purpose of this caucus will be to vindicate the choices that President Bukele has made that, indeed, strengthen the U.S.-El Salvador relationship.

El Salvador's resurgence has not existed as a consequence of falling for the siren song of globalism. Instead, President Bukele believes that the way El Salvador can lead within Central America and, indeed, throughout the West, is by being the best version of itself; not being excessively reliant on some of these globalist institutions.

President Bukele has delivered instant justice to the satanic gangs and the endemic political corruption, but, in fact, no good deed goes unpunished.

Too often, our own government and even some Members of this Congress mount attack after attack on El Salvador and President Bukele, presumably because the comeback that El Salvador is having is a living, breathing indictment of other failed ideologies.

Through the inspiration from El Salvador's astonishing transformation, the great American rejuvenation can become a reality as well, so that we can experience a triumphant return of safety and prosperity that we once inspired in others.

I invite my colleagues in the House and Senate to contact our office. We would love to have them as Members of the Congressional El Salvador Caucus as we strengthen the U.S.-El Salvador relationship and as we work to amplify some of the good decisions that are being made by President Bukele and his government. We hope that these good ideas have legs and can travel and can be copied and implemented for a more stable world.

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

Mr. Chair, this amendment creates a prohibition on the transfer of cluster munitions.

I thank my co-lead on this measure, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, and many of the Members who have been fighting to get rid of cluster munitions as part of modern warfare, including Representatives Titus, Omar, and McGovern. I would simply observe, if there is an amendment that is supported by Omar to Gaetz with Jacobs and McGovern and Titus in it, it must be a great idea and we ought to probably adopt it.

According to The New York Times, since World War II, cluster munitions have killed an estimated 86,500 civilians. Additionally, Human Rights Watch and the U.N. have reported that cluster munitions in Ukraine have killed or wounded 890 people in 2022, 95 percent of whom were civilians. If Congress continues to flood the battlefield in Ukraine with indiscriminate killing instruments like cluster munitions, the blood of everyone impacted, including children harmed, will indeed be on our hands.

We should halt the transfer of cluster munitions to any country. We stand rarely isolated in the modern world by still sending these things. I mean, we are still demining cluster munitions in Laos, for goodness sake. I hate the notion that American taxpayers are going to have to pay for cluster munitions, a bunch of civilians are going to die, and then years from now, we will be back here paying to demine the very cluster munitions we sent out.

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

Mr. Chair, I simply observe that North Koreans have nuclear weapons. If we are relying on cluster munitions as the deterrent, it seems to be pretty nonsensical.

I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Jacobs), the co-lead on this measure.

Mr. Chairman, I would object to the proposition that the House of Representatives has to outsource our thinking on the cluster munitions question to Ukraine. When did we substitute their judgment for ours?

I think that this notion that they are essential to warfighting is belied by the actual casualty numbers. If you believe that 95 percent of the people killed were children, not enemy combatants, which is what The New York Times is telling us, then I think that adoption of the amendment is appropriate.

We should not be in a race to the bottom for the weapons systems that are the least discriminate and most harmful to people who are not engaged in warfare.

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

Mr. Chairman, I sure hope we don't have to rely on cluster munitions to deter submarines off the coast of Florida. Not being a munitions expert, I would suggest that probably wouldn't be too effective because I think the submarines are in the water.

Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to close. May I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. Chairman, I have great appreciation for the bipartisan consensus around this. I really miss when the Democratic Party was the anti-war party. Now, we are going to see probably on this vote a majority of Democrats vote for cluster munitions that are killing civilians, that will cost taxpayer money, and that are not even the best deterrent. There are just defense contractors that make them and a country that wants them, so we are willing to accommodate that death.

I hope this debate illuminates the foolishness of the United States exporting cluster munitions and that we will have a more responsible consciousness moving forward.

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

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the NDAA, which is, admittedly, a work in progress. We have seen in prior years the conference process produce even more wins for our military families like paid family leave. It is my hope that we will look at restoration of rank and backpay for servicemembers who were forced out, but the wins in this bill for military families ought to inspire every Member of this body to vote for the NDAA.

I particularly draw attention to the investments in childcare. I hear about childcare at almost every installation in the country I visit and the investment we are making of over $200 million brings us directionally correct, caring for those military families. It is critically important to vote for.

I point also to the boost in compensation for our junior enlisted and the over $600 million investment in housing. When we take care of these quality-of-life issues for our military families, we see a direct, positive impact in

our readiness, in our retention, in our recruitment, all the things that I know unite us in a bipartisan fashion.

Mr. Chair, we should vote for this bill and then we should continue our great work to make it even better.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to alert the House and the country to the latest boondoggle in foreign policy executed by President Biden, and this time it is the decision we have made to become the port authority of Gaza.

This pier has been a debacle, at a cost of $320 million. In 2 weeks, we have not even distributed 1,000 metric tons of food aid. Also, in 3 months, the entire pier has to be dismantled because of rising seas and impermissible weather conditions. At most, we are going to be able to deliver about 7,000 metric tons of food at a cost of $320 million.

Now, I don't know much about what a metric ton is, but I know what the price per pound is. This is $20,730 per pound for food. If my colleagues are in preparations for their summer barbecue and Members think your grocery bills are too high, know that the American taxpayers are incurring debt to send food to Gaza at a cost of $20,730 per pound.

Madam Speaker, I rise to alert this House of election interference that is going on in a Manhattan courtroom right now, and we ought to assert our equities to ensure that Federal elections aren't subject to this type of devious behavior.

This entire case in New York is based on Michael Cohen. He is one of the few people walking around the planet Earth today who has lied to all three branches of government. He lied to the investigators. He lied to his own sentencing judge. He lied to this very Congress.

As if that wasn't enough, Michael Cohen lied to this very jury Tuesday. Tuesday, he said that the principal correspondence that he had was directly with President Trump and only about the completion of this payoff to Stormy Daniels. In reality, text messages prove that Michael Cohen was complaining to Keith Schiller about harassing phone calls from a 14-year-old and threatening to send him to Secret Service.

Michael Cohen lies about matters large and small. There is a reason he was held to the end of this case. They were hoping to corroborate him. They couldn't. It has failed, and it should be dismissed. Otherwise, the Congress should certainly assert our equities to stop election interference.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record part II of the interim report that I have prepared for the House of Representatives titled: ``Unwelcome in Niger.''

[From the Office of Congressman Matt Gaetz]

Part II Interim Report--Unwelcome In Niger

Mr. Speaker, the link to the full report can be found here: https://gaetz.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/gaetz.house.gov/files/ evo-media-document/Part%20II%20Interim%20Report%20- %20Unwelcome%20in%20Niger.pdf.

I rise to warn this body of the deteriorating conditions in the African country of Niger and to give rise to the concern of servicemembers and contractors.

More than a thousand of them right now are functionally being held hostage in Niger. They are being used as pawns during a negotiation that has left America at the bended knee of Third World criminals and thugs as our troops seek medicine, freshwater, and troop rotations.

How did we get here, with more than 1,100 Americans endangered right now in Niger? It started back in March 2023. Secretary of State Antony Blinken went to Niger and proclaimed that it was a model of resilience, a platform for great democracy. It would be where America would execute its Africa strategy.

One year later, almost to the day, there was a coup in Niger. Guess who overthrew the government that we said was the great model of resilience? The people we trained. We trained the coup leaders to go throw out the democratically elected Government of Niger.

I know this will surprise you, but after that occurred, they say they want our bases, which U.S. taxpayers have poured more than a billion dollars into, gone. They want our servicemembers gone.

I came to this floor after hearing from some of my constituents who are stationed in Niger. After the overthrow of the government, there weren't resupply flights. They said: Congressman, we are going to be out of medicine in May if we don't get this sorted out.

Three days after I filed part I of the report that I am supplementing today, the Biden administration announced that we will be leaving Niger--a welcome sign, I am sure--but the leaving didn't actually happen. We have people who are now more than 200 days into a 180-day rotation.

While the negotiation regarding retrograde and withdrawal are ongoing, the government in Niger is using the well-being and health of our servicemembers as leverage to get what they want out of our government. Our troops aren't getting medicine for malaria, cholesterol, blood pressure, and other chronic conditions.

I have received letters from the wives and fathers of the people who are in Niger now, and they say: We know that our family members are being extorted by the local governments. When they try to leave, it is hundreds of dollars to even bring a bag through the airport. We know that Russians are behind the wire.

Do you know what a real U.S. President would do? They would say that C-130s are on their way to Niger today with the water, medicine, and food that our troops need, that they will have a full fighter pilot escort there.

If the Government of Niger or any other third-world thug tries to even turn on their air defense systems, we should show those leaders and those thugs what the target package looks like on their houses and their family members.

It should not be Americans who are suffering because President Biden and Secretary Blinken are so embarrassed that their strategy in Africa failed that they are willing to let Americans' conditions deteriorate.

They are willing to let our military spouses and family members wonder what is going to happen to their loved ones with their blood pressure rising and no blood pressure medication or be concerned about what will happen now that we are in May and there is not sufficient malaria medication. We should always keep our people's well-being at the forefront of our minds.

Today, we should be resupplying our troops in Niger, Africa, and we should dare these thugs and criminals to mess with us while we are doing that. This is a total embarrassment, and saving politicians and people like Biden and Blinken from embarrassment is not worth putting U.S. troops at risk.

I will stay on this. I will stay on our government and the Government of Niger to ensure that our military members and their families are appropriately treated, and their concerns are elevated to the highest levels of this House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to alert this House of the actions of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which seem to be vindicating the claim made by Peter Navarro that he is being held as a political prisoner.

I have been trying for 5 weeks to be able to interview Mr. Navarro. There are provisions that ought to allow this, and I was informed directly by Director Peters, who runs the bureau, that that request would be denied.

The reason it is being denied is because Peter Navarro is too notorious to be interviewed by a Member of Congress.

John Gotti was interviewed when he was in prison. The QAnon Shaman was interviewed in prison. Director Peters herself brought NBC News through prisons to showcase the work of corrections that is being done.

I think there is something else afoot here. Mr. Navarro, I am being told, is not being allowed to access his attorney, and it is because it is shameful what has been done to Peter Navarro based on a sham January 6 committee and a sham indictment and a sham conviction that we ought to work to remediate immediately upon President Trump's rightful and righteous return to office.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mrs. Heather Stewart as the 2023-2024 Walton County Teacher of the Year. Since 2008, Mrs. Stewart has served the Walton County School District with exceptional passion and an unwavering commitment to serving others.

In Northwest Florida, we are fortunate to have some of the best teachers in the Nation. It is recognized that the teaching profession is one of the most difficult yet rewarding professions in existence. Mrs. Stewart has performed her teaching duties exceptionally, while also striving to be an active and supportive member of her community.

Mrs. Stewart is revered by her Principal and colleagues for her incredible willingness to always lend a helping hand. From her fresh ideas and brilliant problem-solving skills, her school has been the benefactor of meaningful outcomes for all. Mrs. Stewart has been instrumental in securing classroom grants for STEM supplies and field trips and is helping to expand the agriculture program at her school. Her students learn significant real-world skills that better prepare them for their future.

Her support and outreach extend far beyond the walls of her classroom. Mrs. Stewart developed the first ever aerospace program at her school in conjunction with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Gaetz Aerospace Institute. She collaborates with educators from across the country to develop NGSS-aligned lessons as a Teacher Ambassador for Harvard LabXchange. Mrs. Stewart has displayed dedication to preparing the whole child for a life of success by showing students that their dreams are possible. I commend her for her steadfast willingness to serve those that matter most, the students and youth of our Nation.

For all of her admirable contributions, I am truly proud to have Mrs. Stewart as a constituent in Florida's First Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to recognize Mrs. Heather Stewart for her accomplishments and her commitment to excellence, professionalism, innovation, and collaboration in the Walton County School District. I thank her for her service and wish her all the best for continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mr. Randal Messer as the 2023-2024 Walton County Educational Support Professional of the Year. For the past thirty-three years, Mr. Messer has served the Walton County School District with exceptional passion and an unwavering commitment to serving others.

In Northwest Florida, we are fortunate to have some of the best educational support professionals in the Nation. It is recognized that the position of Paraprofessional can be taxing but can also be so rewarding. Mr. Messer performs his many duties without question or hesitation and does so with enthusiasm and a commitment to cultivate a safe and healthy school environment.

Mr. Messer is revered by his Principal and colleagues for his positive attitude and willingness to go above and beyond the scope of his job duties. He is often asked for input to adjust or problem solve at his school. He selflessly considers the needs of both students and staff because of the immense pride he has for his school.

Mr. Messer's support and outreach extend far beyond the walls of the school. He is always willing to help wherever assistance is needed. Mr. Messer has displayed dedicated teamwork by providing staff and students with technology support and is always willing to lend a helping hand. I commend him for his steadfast willingness to serve as an example for those that matter most, the students and youth of our Nation.

For all his admirable contributions, I am truly proud to have Mr. Randal Messer as a constituent in Florida's First Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to recognize Mr. Randal Messer for his accomplishments and his commitment to excellence, professionalism, innovation, and collaboration in the Walton County School District. I thank him for his service and wish him all the best for continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the remarkable contributions of Dr. Devin Stephenson to northwest Florida.

He currently serves as president of Northwest Florida State College but will be leaving our community to take a post as the head of Florida Polytechnic.

During his time at Northwest Florida State College, Dr. Stephenson began an aviation institute that has become a center of excellence. He has revolutionized the way our State colleges administer nursing education with some of the best technology in that field in the world, and the dual enrollment charter school at Northwest Florida State College has maintained its position as number one in Florida.

He has done so many things for so many thousands of people. We will miss him greatly as he heads on to his new pursuits, and we wish him well at Florida Polytechnic University.

Mr. Speaker, I thank our vice chair for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a link for a document styled, ``Unwelcome in Niger: The Interim Report from Congressman Matt Gaetz on the Crisis in Niger.'' Https://gaetz.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/ gaetz.house. gov/files/evo-media-document/Rep.%20Gaetz%27 s%20Niger%20 Report%20-%20Unwelcome%20 in%20Niger%204.17.24__compressed% 20%281%29.pdf.

Dear Congressman Johnson: I am writing to express my deep

concern regarding the actions taken by the U.S. Embassy in

Niger, particularly involving the Ambassador, Kathleen A.

FitzGibbon and the Senior Defense Official/Defense Attache

(SDO/DATT). Colonel Nora J. Nelson-Richter. The recent events

have raised serious questions about the conduct and decision-

making of these officials, and I believe Congress must

address these issues.

As a service member deployed to Niger, Africa, I have

noticed that the Embassy, and more specifically the SDO/DATT,

intentionally suppressed intelligence information from the

ground force collection elements to maintain the facade of a

great country-to-country relationship. They failed to be

transparent with U.S. service members deployed to this

country. They gave a pretense that ``things are being

worked'' and ``that is above our level,'' all the while

Diplomatic Overflight Clearances for U.S. Military aircraft

were purposefully not being approved by the country's

Military Government as a political bargaining chip to entice

the U.S. Government back to negotiate their withdrawal.

Since July 23rd, the day of the Coup d'etat, the Americans

deployed here have not been able to perform their primary

mission and have been told to ``sit and hold.'' it is clear

that the country of Niger does not want a permanent military

presence in their country and they have informed us that we

need to leave. At this time, there are approximately 1,100

U.S. Military Service Members in the country who are

essentially being held hostage from returning home to their

families while the State Department continues with failed

diplomacy by not communicating with the Country of Niger on

what their withdrawal plan would look like after the Status

of Forces Agreement was repudiated by the Host Nation.

Additionally, the government of Niger is not processing Visas

for U.S. members for entry into the country, which is

especially concerning considering that all U.S. forces were

scheduled to end a six-month deployment early this month when

relief forces arrived. The Embassy failed to share any of

this information with decision-makers at any level in the

Department of Defense regarding this, further complicating

our ability to conduct that swap of personnel.

These actions have deeply troubled me and many others in

the community at home, as well as all the service members

deployed here with me, and their families back in the States.

Our diplomatic and defense representatives need to uphold the

highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct,

especially in sensitive regions like Niger. The actions taken

by the embassy officials not only reflect poorly on the

United States but also have potential implications for our

bilateral relations with other Partner Nations and the safety

of our personnel in the region.

As a concerned citizen, I urge you to use your position and

influence to investigate these matters and hold the

responsible parties accountable thoroughly. Transparency and

accountability are fundamental to the integrity of our

diplomatic and defense institutions, and any misconduct or

negligence must be addressed promptly and decisively.

I trust that you will take appropriate action to ensure

that the necessary inquiries and corrective measures are

undertaken. It is vital for the reputation and effectiveness

of our diplomatic and defense efforts in Niger, Africa, and

beyond.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue. I

look forward to your leadership in addressing these concerns.

Sincerely,

Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor this evening to expose a cover-up in the African country of Niger. This cover-up exists to conceal the humiliating failures of the Biden administration in Niger, throughout Africa, and throughout the world. We learn of the victims of this cover-up, the 1,100 U.S. troops currently stationed in Niger, functionally stranded by a Biden administration which cares more about saving face than saving their lives.

Our troops in Niger have been pleading for help. They have sent intelligence reports and letters stating that they are rarely getting safe water. They can't get diplomatic oversights to receive medicine, fresh troop rotations, or basic supplies. They have no mission.

In addition, the local authorities are becoming increasingly hostile. The current government of Niger has called the U.S. presence in the country illegal.

Why have these pleas not been heard? It is because U.S. Embassy Niger has been blocking the intelligence. I fear, as we speak, the conditions may be forming to create another Benghazi-style attack.

How did we get here with 1,100 American troops stuck, thoroughly unwelcome in a country where we have invested more than half a billion U.S. taxpayer dollars? It all began when Biden and Blinken chose Niger to be the centerpiece of their Africa strategy. Blinken even visited the country in March of last year saying: ``Niger is . . . an extraordinary model . . . a model of resilience, a model of democracy, a model of cooperation.''

What a difference a year makes. Just 1 year and 1 day after those remarks, the democratically elected government of Niger was replaced by a military coup, and the United States military literally trained the coup leaders.

I asked General Langley, who runs AFRICOM, why this happened, why so many coup leaders are trained by our servicemembers. He said: Well, Congressman, training people to overthrow their democratically elected governments is not in our curriculum.

However, the results are staggering and embarrassing in Guinea, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and other countries. There were coups, and in each of those coups, there was one common element: U.S. training for the coup leaders.

Now, the coup government currently in charge of Niger wouldn't even meet with General Langley when he went to talk about our base. The Prime Minister literally slammed the door in his

face. One would think, if we trained you to overthrow your democratically elected government, we could at least get a meeting. However, instead of a burgeoning pro-U.S. sentiment, we now have the coup leaders we trained turning to Russia as their preferred security partner.

Where does that leave our 1,100 troops, our Americans? I did not serve in the military. I represent a military community, and I hear that these senior-enlisted servicemembers at a U.S. installation abroad, they are a big deal. They are kind of like the mayor of the installation.

The senior-enlisted servicemember at Airbase 101 in Niger wrote a letter to Congressman Dusty Johnson.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record this letter.

``Dear Congressman Johnson, I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the actions taken by U.S. Embassy Niger, particularly involving the Ambassador Kathleen A. FitzGibbon. . . . The recent events have raised serious questions about the conduct and decisionmaking of these officials, and I believe Congress must address these issues.

``As a servicemember deployed to Niger, Africa, I have noticed that the Embassy . . . intentionally suppressed intelligence information from the ground force collection elements to maintain the facade of a great country-to-country relationship. They failed to be transparent with U.S. servicemembers deployed to this country. They gave a pretense that `things are being worked' and `that it is above our level,' all the while, diplomatic overflight clearances for U.S. military aircraft were purposefully not being approved by the country's military government as a political bargaining chip to entice the U.S. Government back to negotiate their withdrawal.

``Since July 23, the day of the coup d'etat, the Americans deployed here have not been able to perform their primary mission and have been told to `sit and hold.' It is clear that the country of Niger does not want a permanent military presence in their country and they have informed us we need to leave. At this time, there are approximately 1,100 U.S. military servicemembers in the country who are essentially being held hostage from returning home to their families while the State Department continues with failed diplomacy by not communicating with the country of Niger on what the withdrawal plan would look like. . . . Additionally, the government of Niger is not processing visas for U.S. servicemembers for entry into the country, which is especially concerning considering that all U.S. Forces were scheduled to end a 6- month deployment early this month when relief forces arrived. The embassy failed to share any of this information with decisionmakers at any level in the Department of Defense regarding this, further complicating our ability to conduct the swap of personnel.

``These actions have deeply troubled me and many others in the community at home, as well as the servicemembers deployed here with me, and their families back in the States. Our diplomatic and defense representatives need to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct, especially in sensitive regions like Niger. The actions taken by the embassy officials not only reflect poorly on the United States but also have potential implications for our bilateral relations with other partner nations and the safety of our personnel in this region.''

When I became aware of this letter, my office conducted a number of interviews, which confirmed the claims made by the senior-enlisted official, and he signed his name to that letter, which we have entered in the Record. We have done those investigations. We have learned that the top public health official says that in the month of May, they are going to run out of medicine in Niger. It is worse than that. Our partner countries, Italy and Germany, who you would think would help us facilitate medicine and supplies, but they won't even help transport needed materiel to our servicemembers because they are worried about being expelled from the country.

If that isn't worse, the fact that we have got Russia as the preferred security partner now means there are Russians behind the wire at Airbase 101. We have Russians on our base somewhere. That would never happen. The only reason it is happening is because Blinken and Biden are humiliated that their plan failed, that they poured half a billion dollars into this country where now we are being thrown out by the scruff of our neck. Well, Joe Biden and Tony Blinken's failures should not have to be visited on the 1,100 servicemembers who are there fighting for us, wanting to do patriotic duty and they are being held hostage and they are stranded.

I will fight for them. I will fight against this administration that would use our servicemembers as pawns because they can't get their act together.

Just because Biden and Blinken can't say oops doesn't mean we should abandon our troops.

Mr. Speaker, and I thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore) for his indulgence and the time.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the Santa Rosa County Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Christal Bennett, for her exceptional efforts in fostering the musical talents of her many students. A longtime Florida native, Mrs. Bennett's extensive history in music education began in the very District in which she now teaches. From Avalon Middle School to the University of West Florida, Mrs. Bennett's exceptional gift of music has exemplified a lifelong dedication to spreading joy throughout her community.

As the Director of Bands at Central School and the recent founder of its very first marching band, Mrs. Bennett's leadership continues to find new and influential ways to impact the lives of countless young musicians. In its first year, the Central School Jaguar Marching Band has already managed to obtain a competition rating of ``excellent'' under her direction.

Mrs. Bennett's stated mission of filling her students with pride exemplifies the kind of leader she is. I express great pride in knowing that such a remarkable and kindhearted person has been named the Santa Rosa County Teacher of the Year. I congratulate her on this well- deserved recognition and look forward to seeing the many musical successes that she and her students will undoubtedly achieve in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I was so furious, but not surprised, when I saw the Bloomberg News report that the Biden administration is now considering draining $200 million out of Army reserves to send more money to Ukraine.

The move would target reserve funds that this House has authorized and appropriated for this particular purpose, a purpose that is worthy, certainly more worthy than continuing involvement in the conflict in Ukraine that could lead to a tragic escalatory accident.

I can't even believe this is a controversial view to take on this floor, but I believe that the U.S. Army reserves should actually be for the U.S. Army.

By the way, it is not as if we don't have needs for our Army. How about the families of our soldiers?

Right now, childcare is a real problem. We have Army soldiers who are driving 1\1/2\ hours or more each way just to drop off their kids at childcare. We could invest that money in our military families.

Mr. Speaker, I could take you to the Army town of Crestview, Florida, in my district, where the school counselors are still helping Army families deal with the lingering effects of deployment after deployment after deployment. They could use more resources. They tell me: Congressman, if we had more resources for these Army families, they could improve quality of life and improve mental health.

Not for nothing, but the Army was taking a leading role in hypersonics for our country. We have fallen behind China. If we have an extra $200 million laying around the Army, how about we invest in making sure that, with hypersonic weapons, we can hit a moving target-- I don't know--like China can? Instead, we see this attempt to drain resources away for Ukraine.

When Joe Biden talked about campaigning for the soul of the Nation, I just assumed it was our Nation and not Ukraine.

Moreover, Ukraine is no Garden of Eden for democracy. Senator Lee pointed out in a report that the CIA had to directly confront Zelenskyy about his own personal corruption.

In Ukraine, they have canceled the Presidential elections. Call me old-fashioned, Mr. Speaker, but I actually prefer democracies that hold elections rather than canceling elections.

While there were many concerns about the death of Navalny, appropriately, people forget the fact that Zelenskyy jailed a journalist, Gonzalo Lira, and that journalist died in a Ukrainian prison.

Tonight, you will hear President Biden come into this House, and the one thing that President Biden has in common with the American people is that both were far better off four years ago, Joe Biden physically, and the rest of us economically.

Now, as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I will call for an investigation of any efforts to drain U.S. reserves to fund the war in Ukraine, and I would invite my fellow members of the Armed Services Committee to join me.

What this reminded me of is when all the Democrats were crying alligator tears about President Trump using DOD money to fund the wall. My colleagues may accuse me of hypocrisy now because I supported President Trump in that endeavor, but I don't like the Biden administration going beyond what we set forth with our Article I powers.

However, at least if I am being a hypocrite, I was doing so for the defense of America's borders and America's interests to stop an invasion that is killing hundreds of thousands of people through the introduction of fentanyl and an invasion that is diminishing the economic prospects of working people in this country.

When my Democratic colleagues are hypocrites, Mr. Speaker, my colleagues

on the other side of the aisle serve as hypocrites and fund the pensions of government workers in Ukraine. It is not for nothing, but it wasn't that long ago that we found a person connected to the defense industrial complex in Ukraine exiting the country with a million dollars in U.S. cash in a shoebox.

The corruption is real. America's interests are illusory, and we should never drain $200 million out of our Army that should go to military families, that should go to soldiers, and that should go to America's capabilities. It is America's capabilities that will define whether or not we hold the high ground, not which guy in a tracksuit is running Crimea.