Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 217; YEA on Roll Call No. 218; NAY on Roll Call No. 219; and YEA on Roll Call No. 220.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Walberg for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand in support of H.R. 7726, the Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026. I am honored to see my bill added into this package today.

We are here talking about commonsense legislation to just stop fraud. The Government Accountability Office estimates that the Federal Government loses between $200 billion and $500 billion every year to fraud.

This bill makes sure fraudsters are stopped by adding commonsense requirements like agency coordination and data sharing to monitor fraud, explaining the processes used to investigate and recover improper payments, and highlighting the procedures used to impose sanctions when fraud is actually found.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues today to support this bill, strengthen integrity, and safeguard taxpayer dollars in the childcare block grant program.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Senator James E. Carnes, 84, of St. Clairsville, Ohio, who passed away on April 25, 2026. Born February 19, 1942, in Wheeling, West Virginia, he was the son of the late Edward A. and Avis E. Carnes.

A lifelong Belmont County resident, Carnes graduated from Flushing High School in 1960 and dedicated his career to the Ohio coal industry, rising to President and later President-Emeritus of Cravat Coal Company after 57 years of service. He also owned and operated the Plaza Motel and Carnes Mobile Home and Appliances.

He was a prominent figure in Ohio Republican politics for over five decades, serving as Belmont County GOP Chairman, on state and national party committees, and as a delegate to multiple conventions. He later served in the Ohio Senate from 1995 to 2004, representing southeastern Ohio and chairing key committees, including Energy and Finance.

Following his Senate service, he was appointed Deputy Director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and later served on the Ohio Liquor Control Commission until 2025. Known for his pragmatic leadership and ability to work across party lines, he was widely respected for his service to Ohio.

I invite my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring Senator James E. Carnes. He will be remembered as a devoted family man, a man of faith, and a lifelong public servant.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Seymour Wyatt, Jr., a beloved constituent from Leetonia, Ohio, who passed away on March 20, 2026, at the age of 83. Born in Philippi, West Virginia, Mr. Wyatt served honorably in the United States Army from 1962 to 1965 and carried that same dedication into his work as a machinist, salesman, and security officer.

A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, he shared more than 60 years of marriage with his wife, Audrey, and leaves behind a proud legacy of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. A proud patriot, Mr. Wyatt often reached out to my office to share his deep love for this country and belief in its promise. He will be deeply missed, and his life of service and devotion will not be forgotten.

I invite my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring and remembering the life of Seymour Wyatt, Jr.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember the life of Robert ``Bobby'' Douglas, an esteemed wrestler and coach who exemplified the grit and toughness that define what it means to be from eastern Ohio.

Born in Bellaire, Ohio, Bobby attended Bridgeport High School, where he rose through the wrestling ranks, winning the Ohio 112-pound state title as a sophomore. As a senior, he captured the 127-pound title. His success in high school led him to West Liberty State College, where he won an NAIA championship and finished second at the NCAA Championships. After two years at West Liberty, he transferred to Oklahoma State, where he claimed the Big Eight Conference 147-pound title and helped the Cowboys secure the 1964 NCAA team championship.

At the senior level, Bobby won three national freestyle championships. He competed as a featherweight at the 1964 and 1968 Olympic Games, placing fourth in 1964. His leadership and skill led him to captain the United States Olympic freestyle team at the 1968 Games. He earned a silver medal at the 1966 World Championships and a bronze medal at the 1970 World Championships. He retired from competition in 1970 with an extraordinary record of 303-17.

Bobby's passion for wrestling and for developing the next generation of athletes was evident in his coaching at UC Santa Barbara, Arizona State University, and Iowa State University. He is one of only a handful of collegiate coaches to win more than 400 dual meets, and he won an NCAA team national title at Arizona State in 1988. He coached multiple United States Olympic teams and continued to cement his legacy as an all-time great by coaching Cael Sanderson to a gold medal in the 185-pound weight class at the 2004 Olympic Games. Bobby's coaching accomplishments include 13 NCAA champions, 110 All-America performances, and 68 conference titles. After his induction into the NAIA Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1985, Bobby rightfully earned his place in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1987.

I invite my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring and remembering the life of Robert ``Bobby'' Douglas.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate J.T. Miller on his selection to the Team USA hockey roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics. From East Palestine, J.T. Miller showcases the grit and toughness of a community that is built on pride.

J.T. has represented his country at multiple hockey events, including the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. J.T. was drafted in 2011 by the New York Rangers with the 15th overall selection. Following his tenure with the Rangers, J.T. was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. After Tampa Bay, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks, where he scored over 150 goals in six seasons with the team, and his stellar play earned him an alternate captainship. In 2024, J.T. was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game and went on to net 37 goals and record over 100 points. Currently, J.T. is back in New York City, playing for the Rangers, where he serves as the team's captain.

Having played in over 900 games, J.T. has scored more than 250 goals and has assisted on more than 450 goals. J.T. has 17 overtime goals, which rank eighth all time, showcasing his ability to perform in high- pressure situations. His coast-to-coast goal against the Arizona Coyotes in February 2022 demonstrates his exceptional skating skills, his ability to deke defenders, and his knack for burying the puck in the back of the net. There is no doubt in my mind that J.T. will do everything in his power to ensure that the United States men's hockey team brings home gold at the Olympics in Milan.

I invite my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in congratulating J.T. Miller on his selection to the Team USA hockey roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Congressman Fry's SHOWER Act.

I am not going to pull a Nancy Pelosi, Mr. Speaker. I am not going to rip up the speech that I had written, but I am not going to give that speech.

I have to talk about the opposition party, and I have to talk about their complete lack of interaction with the blue-collar Joe Bag of Donuts, which is Youngstown and Akron and Canton and Cleveland and Pittsburgh. These are working people that they have forgotten.

They bring up electricity, sir, but they do not allow us to address power plants. They shut down coal plants. They put regulations on gas- powered generated plants, but then they say there is an electricity problem.

Let's talk about prices. In my district right now, eggs are $1.29. We have chicken breast at 99 cents. In Trumbull County, we have gas at $1.99. I have 45,000 jobs that I cannot fill.

We are on the ground. We are listening to the people. You guys are promoting the Ford Lightning, which nobody who is a working person even gives a crap about. They want to have Silverados and they want to have their Mopar and they want to have gas-powered engines inside of those cars, but yet they say they have it. All they work on is the narrative, Mr. Speaker. That is what they do.

I will tell you how I came to Congressman Fry's bill and how I got interested in it. We were replacing a showerhead at my mom's house, and I said to my plumber, Marty: What is going on with these showerheads? He said: You tell me. The people in Washington messed this up. Nobody can have a darn good shower in the last 10 years.

Why does that matter? What did they say? They say we are worried about showerheads. We are worried about the working man. We are worried about the standard of living that they have taken away from them. They have taxed them to death. They play this game with healthcare. They created ObamaCare. They never had a solution. It was never a permanent fix.

Mr. Speaker, the Democrats kicked it down the road, and then they said to just extend it without even dealing with it. What my Democrat colleagues are doing to the American people is wrong.

When a person goes on vacation, they go to a motel and take a shower. It is the worst shower they have ever had. It is cold. It is dripping out there. The working man cannot even enjoy his daily life. That is what they have missed.

We want to talk about how grand their philosophy is. When we look at the mayor of New York City, he wants to have government-owned grocery stores. People will be able to choose about 400 or 500 items instead of the 30,000 or 40,000 items they could choose today, all in consideration of the blue-collar Joe Bag of Doughnuts, the forgotten worker.

This is why Donald Trump was elected. We care about the forgotten worker. We are going to fix healthcare. We are going to fix affordability. Gas prices are already coming down. Grocery prices are coming down. Wait until that tax cut hits in 2026.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of H.R. 4593 and so should you.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary courage of one of my constituents, 19-year-old Logan Fomenko, whose selfless actions reflect the very best of Ohio's 6th District.

On October 9, 2025, Logan saw a house fire and learned that an elderly man may have been trapped inside the home. Without hesitation or regard for his own safety, Logan ran toward the danger and entered the now fully engulfed house in an attempt to save a life. Unfortunately, an explosion inside the home forced him to retreat, and despite first responders' best efforts, the fire consumed nearly the entire structure, and the man inside tragically perished.

Logan's decision to run toward the flames was pure instinct, reflecting his bravery and deep compassion for a man he did not know. These actions demonstrate his exemplary commitment to serving his community, even in the face of danger. I am praying for Logan and his family as they continue their journey of recovery, for the healthcare workers who took care of him in the days after the fire, and I will continue to honor the memory of the gentleman who lost his life.

I invite my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring the heroism and bravery of Logan Fomenko.

Mr. Speaker, especially after last weekend, I take a second to thank the chairman for his comments.

Mr. Speaker, the CLASS Act prohibits K-12 schools from accepting funds or contracting with the People's Republic of China or the CCP. Let's just let that sink in for a second. My

honorable friend on the other side of the aisle is literally defending the Chinese to invade our schools. That is what this is about.

It will also prohibit any person or entity acting on behalf of other such governments or parties. It also requires K-12 schools to submit a report to the Secretary of Education with the name and country of origin, the amount of funds that are being put into our public schools, and any terms of that contract.

The CCP is anti-American to its core. We stand for freedom of speech, expression, and religion. They stand for none of our values. Confucius classrooms are propaganda, and they are often set up near our military bases, just to give it another layer.

There are CCP and Chinese affiliations in 143 schools throughout this country. Honorable Speaker, I was shocked myself to realize that one of them sits right outside our capital city of Columbus, Ohio. This is unacceptable.

They could be coming to a school near you very soon. That is why I urge a ``yes'' vote from all my colleagues, especially from the other side of the aisle. We do not want them to be labeled as pro-Chinese, but as pro-American.

This is not going to have a lot of cost that will be put onto a school district. I was a school board member. This bill contains very, very few requirements to actually log in and say where this money is coming from.

I urge a ``yes'' vote today on H.R. 1005, otherwise known as the CLASS Act.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 306, and YEA on Roll Call No. 307.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 308.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 303; and YEA on Roll Call No. 304.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 305.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 298; YEA on Roll Call No. 299; YEA on Roll Call No. 300; YEA on Roll Call No. 301; and YEA on Roll Call No. 302.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call

No. 289; YEA on Roll Call No. 290; YEA on Roll Call No. 291; YEA on Roll Call No. 292; NAY on Roll Call No. 293; YEA on Roll Call No. 294; YEA on Roll Call No. 295; YEA on Roll Call No. 296; and YEA on Roll Call No. 297.