Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1616 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, last night the House Committee on Rules met to report a rule providing for consideration of H.R. 115, the Midnight Rules Relief Act under a closed rule. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate equally divided between the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees. It also provides one motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, first off, I will start today by saying thank you to everyone who has prayed for our family and sent letters, flowers, and best wishes over the past 2 weeks. Your thoughts and your prayers have helped our family as we deal with an almost unimaginable crisis with the loss of our beloved daughter, Christine. The support from everyone in this body has been overwhelming, and I hope everyone knows that my family appreciates the support. We met overwhelming grief with overwhelming support, and for that I want to thank people.

With today possibly being the last time I manage this debate, and if this body will indulge me, I will express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity of a lifetime to serve as chairman of the exceptional Rules Committee.

When I was first elected in 2003, I could never have imagined serving in this capacity and performing such an important role in our legislative process. Throughout my career, I have made a point of always saying ``yes'' to a challenge. When Speaker Johnson called me, I knew I had no choice but to accept. Serving on this committee,

let alone assuming the role of chairman, has not been an easy ride, and the legislative process is not as smooth as what we learned in ``Schoolhouse Rock!,'' but it has only allowed me and my appreciation for the House of Representatives to grow further. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to serve as its chairman.

It has given me a front-row seat to history, and whether I agreed with the decisions being made or not, this committee continues to be a model for how Members conduct themselves in the House of Representatives, respectful but ever-passionate, and I hope you all continue with that strong and honorable tradition in the next year because the American people have high expectations, but, frankly, they deserve the best from us.

I also will take a moment and thank the Rules Committee itself, my personal staff, the Rules Committee staff, who have worked so hard to ensure that I am prepared every day and that this body can conduct its work efficiently. For the past 22 years, I have been blessed to be surrounded by an amazing, smart, and talented staff. Without each of them, I would not have gotten to where I am today.

I thank my Republican colleagues for your continued commitment to prioritizing legislation that is always in the best interest of Americans. You all have a tall order next year, but having gotten to know each of you over my time here, I have every bit of confidence that this House is up to the task.

I appreciate Mr. Speaker's indulgence, and now we will get on to the business at hand.

Yesterday, the Rules Committee met to report on a rule providing for consideration of legislation that is as timely as it is fundamental to our constitutional checks and balances. The Congressional Review Act, or CRA, provides the primary legislative check on regulatory overreach by allowing Congress to reverse a rule by resolution. However, that is a single rule, and Congress' ability to keep up with these new regulations is constrained by its ability to write and pass new bills as fast as an administration can send them out with trillions of taxpayer dollars and resources at their disposal.

Administrations of both political parties tend to overwhelm Congress at the end of their term with hundreds of new rules. These are known as midnight rules, representing billions of dollars of new regulatory burden in the span of just a few short weeks. Congress has historically struggled to keep pace. The executive branch has exploited the inefficiency of the Congressional Review Act because bureaucrats know that Congress simply does not have the time or the resources to consider hundreds of rules, draft a bill for each one, and get each one signed into law by the time that rule would take effect. The result is our constituents bear the burden of this new bureaucratic cost without any accountability to eliminate it. H.R. 115 makes a small change to existing law to allow Congress to catch up to this expected onslaught of new regulations as the Biden-Harris administration leaves office.

The bill will streamline the process Congress already employs with respect to executive rulemaking. It does not change the lookback timeframe, congressional prerogatives to block similar rules, nor does it eliminate or constrain the executive rulemaking authority in any way. These things are already in existing law.

All it does is simply allow what Congress can already do in one bill instead of hundreds. Doing so will allow Congress to keep up with the rapid pace of midnight rules, reining in the Federal bureaucracy at a time when historically it is its most aggressive.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.

These are interesting talking points that have come up against a bill that the minority purportedly says didn't do anything in the first place. Let's look at what the facts of the case are.

This bill does nothing to change how the Congressional Review Act works. It does not change the look-back period for disapproving rules. It remains 60 legislative days from the point at which a rule is put in the Federal Register. That is current law.

It does not change whether Congress can block substantially similar rules. Congress is already able to do that. It is authorized under law and unchanged by this bill.

It does not proactively constrain or eliminate executive rulemaking authority.

All this bill does is allow Congress to do what it already can do in a single bill rather than having to file multiple bills.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, can I just point out for the record that the number of rules produced by this Rules Committee under this Republican majority is more than the number of rules that were produced in the previous Congress under a Democrat majority. That is just a fact of life.

Look, I recognize this time of year, it does get tense. The ranking member knows well that the committee has to remain flexible to be able to give the Speaker the tools he needs to get done whatever needs to be done for the government to be funded for the end of year. It is not always a pretty process. It wasn't when Democrats were in charge, and certainly this year, the challenge remains.

I do want to say this: The motion to vacate the Speaker a year and some months ago was a mistake. It was a mistake brought to the floor by individuals who had a particular axe to grind, and they ground it. It hurt the country, and it was wrong.

We are so fortunate that Speaker Johnson stepped forward. He took the challenge that the Conference provided him, and he has provided excellent stewardship in the 16 months that have followed. We are enormously grateful as a Nation, especially at this time at the end of the year where we are giving thanks and we are looking around and counting our blessings.

Well, one of those blessings that families should count is Speaker Mike Johnson because he has really placed the future of his country front and center in his life. His family has had to make sacrifices, and he has had to make sacrifices.

Yes, we have made some sacrifices on the Rules Committee. I freely admit that, but this country is worth that. As we wrap this up--and this may not be the last rule of the year. You never know. The excitement is always around every corner. As we conclude this debate, I, for one, just want to say how grateful I am to the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, for the work that he has done in delivering us and getting us here. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I would just point out that in the last election that the gentleman keeps referring to, Republicans did prevail. They prevailed up and down, Presidency, the Senate, and the House. It is a narrow margin to be sure, but it keeps you on your toes when you are trying to manage a very slim majority.

I think for the first time in history, there is a larger majority in the Senate than there will be in the House in the next Congress. The American people heard a vision articulated by our Presidential candidate, President Trump, and they responded to it.

I mean, what has failed the last 2 years has been leadership from the White House. It has been nonexistent. We are entering a time where there will be a bold vision for America, articulated by soon-to-be 47th President Donald J. Trump. I, for one, am grateful and looking forward to his leadership on that.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Review Act, a lot of times, people don't think about it. It is not something that registers or strikes a lot of cords in people's souls, but let me just tell you something, we all have those moments in our lives: I remember where I was when the man landed on the Moon. I remember where I was when a world leader died. I remember where I was when the Congressional Review Act was allowed to go into law under George W. Bush early in his administration that prevented the institution of what was called the repetitive injury rule.

I ran a small medical practice at the time, not a big business. I had 50 employees in my office, and I was going to have to change every computer terminal, every keyboard, and every keyboard rest to be in compliance with the repetitive injury rule that some agency in the Federal Government had produced.

Congress, early in the days of the Bush administration, passed the Congressional Review Act, which reversed this rule. I remember pulling into my driveway one evening, probably early the year 2001. We didn't have cable news and 24-hour news back then. I was listening to NPR on the radio.

The news came across the wire that Congress had repealed this Federal rule that was going to cost me tens of thousands of dollars in my small medical practice. Although that was a small step for man, a giant leap for mankind, it was at that moment I realized in my mind the importance of my Representative looking at the rules that are produced by a Federal agency. I didn't need more paperwork to make my life safe at that point.

Clearly, I urge this body to support the rule and the underlying legislation. The bill allows Congress to more efficiently review rules issued during the midnight hours of the President's term by reviewing more than one rule at a time. This change would let Congress properly oversee agency rulemaking in the period when a disproportionate amount of rulemaking historically occurs.

Mr. Speaker, for perhaps the last time, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Madam Speaker, this has all been so moving and so lovely, but if anyone tuned in late tonight in C-SPAN, they probably thought I passed because it really did sound like a eulogy.

I am still here, and I will continue to text and call and inform everyone, analyze, as I think Mr. Lucas put it. I am good at analysis. I will still give the benefit of my insight. I thank Mr. Weber for doing this. I didn't expect it.

I have got some of my great staff up there in the Gallery who have been watching and hanging on every word. This has been very, very kind. I really don't know what else to say, but I wanted to assure people that I was still here. It has been so moving. People might have thought I had left the building, but Elvis is still in the building.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chairwoman Kay Granger on her retirement and congratulate her on three decades of dedicated service to the 12th Congressional District of Texas and the United States of America.

Chairwoman Granger has been a great friend and confidant to me, providing guidance and giving helpful advice. As a senior member of the Texas delegation, Chairwoman Granger has been an influential, conservative leader who prioritized the 12th Congressional District of Texas and has led the Appropriations Committee with ample experience, wisdom, and grace.

From being the first Republican Congresswoman from Texas to being the first Republican woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Granger will be leaving with an impactful legacy. She has always fought for our national security, our troops, and Veterans, to provide all the support they need for their daily sacrifice to our Nation.

I have been honored to work with the Chairwoman on advancing legislation that benefits Texans and strengthens our state economically. On behalf of her constituents, the Texas delegation, and Republican colleagues, Kay will be greatly missed and our Nation thanks her for her commitment to America.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1602 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume.

During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, last night, the House Committee on Rules met to report House Resolution 1602, providing for consideration of two pieces of legislation.

First, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5349, the Crucial Communism Teaching Act, under a structured rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. It also provides for one motion to recommit.

Second, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 7198, the Prove It Act, under a structured rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority

member of the Committee on the Judiciary. It also provides one motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, a report recently found that nearly one-half of Gen Z students are unaware that the Chinese Communist Party is responsible for more deaths than Nazi Germany. One-quarter of Gen Z students holds a favorable opinion of communism, and nearly 20 percent think that communism is a better system of government than capitalism.

Further, roughly 500 million copies of ``The Communist Manifesto'' have been sold since 1848, more than three times as many as ``The Lord of the Rings,'' and more than twice as many as ``A Tale of Two Cities.'' The ignorance is stunning given one-fifth of the world's population, over 1 billion people, lives under Communist control. Our youngest generations' view of communism is a failure of our educational system.

The Crucial Communism Teaching Act bolsters the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation's ability to educate high school students on the facts, history, and dangers of communist ideology. According to the foundation, Communist governments have caused the deaths of over 100 million people and oppressed hundreds of millions more since the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. I hope this body continues to show strong, bipartisan support for this important piece of legislation.

The second bill under consideration is the Prove It Act, which continues House Republicans' efforts to rightsize the Federal Government and eliminate unnecessary burdens on our job creators. For too long, Federal regulators have ignored or underestimated the cost that they impose on small businesses. The result is a regulatory state that is simply crushing small businesses.

Some estimates put the regulatory toll as high as $14,000 per employee annually. This is on top of the cost of inflation, supply chain issues, energy unaffordability, and other burdens that the Biden- Harris administration has inflicted on our communities and our livelihoods.

Today, small businesses spend over seven times as much per employee as medium-sized businesses on regulatory compliance. When we disadvantage our small businesses, Communist governments like China fill the void with their own.

The Prove It Act will empower small businesses to hold regulators accountable and force them to consider the impact of the regulatory red tape that they impose. This commonsense legislation makes certain that agencies are complying with their statutory obligations and accurately account for the costs of their rulemaking.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bills, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Alford).

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague has talked a lot about the Victims of Communism Foundation and the bill that has been introduced to support their efforts. Unfortunately, he misses the point of the bill. Congress specifically chartered the Victims of Communism Foundation to study the abuses of communism. This was actually signed into law in 1993 by President Bill Clinton.

We have no doubt that harmful political ideologies besides communism exist, but the point of this bill is to educate students specifically about communism. There is an acute need to educate students on the topic given how many students are ignorant to communism's abuses, and this is the work that the Victims of Communism Foundation is best equipped to conduct.

Mr. Speaker, if Democrats wish to expand, my colleagues are free to introduce their own bill covering other topics, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared for the gentleman to close.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for that admonition. I will try to be careful to keep that in mind during my closing remarks.

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

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Massachusetts is correct. He has provided me ample opportunity to study the clinical and psychological materials for Trump derangement syndrome, and I do feel that I have got an advanced degree in that after spending these years on the Rules Committee with him, but let me bring us back to the focus of the bills before us.

On the Prove It Act, H.R. 7198, the gentleman bemoans the fact that the American people sent us here for lower prices at the grocery store and to pay more attention to how their lives have been affected by this out-of-control government that we have seen for the last 4 years.

I don't know where the gentleman has been for the last 4 years, but I have had trouble getting a phone call answered by a Cabinet Secretary for 4 years. I, unfortunately, am not going to be serving here any longer after this Congress, but I am actually excited about a time when Congress can interact with the heads of Federal agencies and get their calls returned. That will be a novel approach.

With regard to the Prove It Act, let's focus for a minute on what this bill does. This requires Federal agencies to provide transparency regarding the impact of Federal regulatory decisions on small businesses. That is so simple.

If you are worried about prices, might you also not want to consider the cost that the regulatory regime of this administration has imposed upon businesses and what happens to those costs? They are not just absorbed by the business. They are passed along to the consumer. That is the way it all works.

Providing regulatory relief for our small businesses will prevent small businesses from having to pass those costs on to their consumers.

The Regulatory Flexibility Act is not a new phenomenon. This was enacted back in 1980 and requires Federal agencies to consider the effects their regulations have on small businesses and other small entities.

The RFA's goal is to reduce the economic impact of agency regulation on small businesses. That sounds like a good thing to me. If you are trying to consider opportunities to lower costs to the consumer, it seems like that is just exactly the type of thing you would want to do.

In 1996, long before Donald Trump became President, Congress amended the Regulatory Flexibility Act to add judicial review relative to some of its provisions to require some agencies to hold small business advocacy review panels and mandate that Federal agencies produce regulatory compliance guidelines.

Congress has not amended the RFA since 2010 when it made technical corrections and mandated that the newly formed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau convene small business review panels when promulgating rules.

Again, all of that seems like good government and a good idea, especially in an environment where you want to control costs.

After Congress enacted the Regulatory Flexibility Act, some evidence suggests that fellow agencies seriously undertook the policy of reducing the regulatory burden on small businesses, but evidence shows that the burden on small businesses continues to increase.

Mr. Speaker, that is why we are here. That burden continues to increase. What happens then is the cost of goods and services increase and are passed on to customers, customers who are our constituents who sent us here to do something about the high prices that they pay.

Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to support the rule and the underlying pieces of legislation. These bills solve critical issues facing our country today. They are thoughtfully drafted and worthy of bipartisan support.

I thank the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on the Judiciary for their work on these bills. I urge a strong showing of support in this body.

Now, I will comment briefly on the ranking member's issue with the waiver provided in the rule before I yield back. I understand his role is to find shortcomings in what the Rules Committee produces. He is good at that. He does a fine job of that, but he also tends to have a very short memory of when he held the gavel. I will remind the ranking member that when he had the gavel, his committee waived paygo 25 times, which is more than the majority by several factors.

I am proud of the work we have done on the committee, even with the challenges that the ranking member can appreciate. Again, I urge this body to support this rule and support the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

The previous question was ordered.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor U.S. Army Sergeant Arthur Othello McNitzky. Arthur was the first Denton County soldier to die in combat in World War I. His

call to service and sacrifice made a lasting impact on multiple generations.

McNitzky was raised in Denton, Texas and answered the Nation's call to service, enlisting in the U.S. Army on June 30, 1917. He was listed as a Private in Company M, 142nd Infantry Regiment, 36th Division, U.S. Army. After enlisting, McNitzky was sent for training to Camp Bowie in Fort Worth.

McNitzky was killed in action during the Battle of Argonne Forest in St. Etienne, France. The Battle of the Argonne Forest, also known as the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, is recognized as a major part of the final Allied offensive of World War I. The Battle of Argonne Forest was hard fought over an agonizing 47 days, from September 26, 1918 until November 11, 1918.

For his valiant service in action, Sergeant McNitzky was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French government. His mother, Emma McNitzky, and her daughter, Rosa, traveled to France to claim Arthur's body and bring his remains home. He was buried beside his father, August McNitzky, and shares a headstone with him in the McNitzky family plot in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Denton, Texas.

Sergeant McNitzky's selfless sacrifice is to be respectfully reflected upon and remembered more than one hundred years later. We are forever grateful to the many men and women who have served and continue to serve in our nation's armed forces.

On Veterans Day 2024, Judge Forrest C. Beadle, Denton County Criminal Court No. 3, and Commander of American Legion Post 71, presented me with a United States flag that had been planted at Sergeant McNitzky's gravesite. The label reads ``SGT Arthur O. McNitzky The American Legion, Post 71 Denton, Texas Remembrance Day October 8, 1918-October 8, 2018''. STILL SERVING. It is my honor to recognize Sergeant McNitzky's sacrifice and the continuing service of Denton's Post 71, in honor of Sergeant McNitzky, with donation of this special American flag to the Denton County Office of History and Culture.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1568 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Madam Speaker, last week, the American people spoke forcefully against what we have seen for 4

years out of the Biden-Harris administration and their whole-of- government assault over individual freedom, economic prosperity, and limited government.

For 4 years, the Biden-Harris administration and their allies here in Congress had the opportunity to show the American people their vision of our country and their vision of what role the Federal Government might play in shaping it, 4 years of drastic expansion of Federal budgets, 4 years of regulatory regimes, and 4 years of hazy interpretations of the constitutional separation of powers.

Look, votes are continuing to be counted, but it is already clear that the American people spoke to the need for an equally drastic course correction right here in Washington, D.C., and, subsequently, the direction our country is headed.

This week is perhaps the opportunity to bind the wounds for a nationwide healing experience over what has been suffered for the last 4 years: crippling inflation, rampant crime, and a bureaucratic state that has squeezed out every ounce of productivity from this country. Do you know what? We have left our adversaries a lot of room to run.

The good news for the gentleman from Massachusetts is that the measure before us can and should be bipartisan. House Resolution 1568 provides for consideration of three pieces of legislation to make targeted adjustments to a bureaucracy aimed at making American lives better, less expensive, and more productive. Each piece has or should receive bipartisan support. Each piece speaks to issues that have received bipartisan praise or concern.

This week, we can unify under the mandate of the American people and continue the body of work that will begin today and continue into next year.

First, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8932, the FASFA Deadline Act, under a structured rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided between the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce and provides for one motion to recommit.

Second, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 7409, the Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources Act, or the HEATS Act, under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided between the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources and provides for one motion to recommit.

Third, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8446, the Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2024, under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources and provides for one motion to recommit.

Madam Speaker, each of these bills takes a scalpel to the government bureaucracy to make American lives easier, more affordable, and more productive.

The FASFA Deadline Act ensures that the Biden-Harris administration-- man, their rollout of the updated FASFA forms has been a disaster. We are going to make sure that that does not happen again. The delays, the mistakes, and the glitches resulted in 430,000 fewer students filling out a student aid application for the 2024 fall semester and the steepest drop in first-year college enrollment since the pandemic.

Madam Speaker, it begs the question: How are you going to forgive student loans if you don't allow them to be made in the first place?

The FASFA Deadline Act would force future administrations to prioritize this important process over illegal and constitutionally questionable student loan bailout schemes.

The HEATS Act eliminates the redundancy in Federal permitting for clean, geothermal energy production, lessening the paperwork burden for developers, lowering energy costs, and hastening a growing and important part of our domestic energy portfolio.

Finally, the Critical Mineral Consistency Act resolves a disparity between two agencies responsible for green-lighting our domestic mineral production, ensuring that we can mine the minerals for vehicles, cell phones, and lifesaving technology, not just for today but for generations to come.

Affordable energy, abundant natural resources, and economic opportunity, what is not to like? That is what these bills achieve, and in doing so, they make commonsense, targeted reforms to fix real problems the American people face.

That is what the House majority has promised to the American people. That is what this body can do today. That is what Republicans can work toward in the years to come.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bills, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, prior to coming to Congress, I was a medical doctor. In fact, I still have an active medical license. I feel like I should go back and seek a designation as a specialist in treating Trump derangement syndrome, because after 10 years on the Rules Committee, I really feel that I have earned that.

Several years ago, the columnist George Will opined that--this was in the Clinton administration. I was just a regular guy. I wasn't in political office, had no aspirations to be in political office. George Will opined that the country was evenly divided, he said, but fortunately it is not sharply divided.

Now, since then, we have seen a country that has evolved and become more and more and more sharply divided. That is too bad. That is a shame. It robs us of some of the ability we have to get things done when our divisions are so deep and divisive that we simply cannot overcome them.

Last week, I felt as if the national fever had broken. It broke because President-elect Donald Trump won the election. He won it decisively. There is no further contest that is to be had over the Presidential election because it is done. The American people spoke and they spoke clearly.

Why did they speak clearly? They spoke clearly because they felt they had not been listened to and they had not been heard. I mean, the gentleman brought up that the country had been hurt by the policies. Oh, my gosh, your own Democratic economic expert said don't do the American Rescue Plan, don't do the Inflation Reduction Act, you are going to kill people with crippling inflation, Steve Rattner, the former Secretary of the Treasury, when you were doing your reconciliation bills last Congress, and it all fell on deaf ears.

Then what happened? Inflation shot up to 9 percent. Although in recent months you say, oh, well, it is back down to 2 percent, I am sorry, eggs are still at their peak that they were at the time of that 9 percent inflation. You don't get to walk the prices back down just because you have kept the inflation rate down for a particular month.

Madam Speaker, the American people did speak, and they spoke the need for a new direction, a direction for this country where economic prosperity, limited government, and opportunity are once again the three cornerstones of the American Dream.

Today begins a new chapter by considering measures that thoughtfully solve the very real challenges created by the Federal bureaucracy.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying legislation. Let's get back to work on improving the lives of the American people. Our long national fever has broken. Let's get to work. Let's get on with the future.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Global Medical Response Stars of Life award recipients for 2024.

Each year, the American Ambulance Association (AAA) honors a select group of Emergency Medical Services professionals for their commitment to patient care, integrity, and compassion through the Stars of Life program. Global Medical Response, a member of the AAA and the world's largest provider of emergent and non-emergent medical transportation and healthcare services, has identified 33 of its frontline heroes for this distinction, representing the best of the best in the air and on the ground.

We will find these heroes all around us in our communities. From Maui, Hawaii where a Paramedic, served as the Incident Commander for EMS ground units during the deadly 2023 fire that devastated Lahaina to an advanced EMF in Lagrange, GA, who safely delivered a baby while the baby's mother was being transported to a hospital, and performed lifesaving interventions on the newborn, who was ``pulseless'' at the time of birth to Waco, TX where a paramedic, saved the life of a cardiac arrest patient after working on the individual for 30 minutes before achieving return of spontaneous circulation.

There are countless stories to share and so much that we can learn from the day-to-day lives of these heroes. We must learn to exhibit integrity in everything we do and everything we say. We must act with compassion and grace in even the most daunting and challenging of situations. We must be vigilant, never wavering in our commitment to doing what is right for the community and answering the call to serve.

So that we will never forget the immense contributions to our communities made by the 2024 Global Medical Response Stars of Life award recipients, I respectfully request that each of their names be included in the Record to honor their service and humbly thank them for showing us what it means to truly serve, while providing care to the world at a moment's notice.

Global Medical Response 2024 Stars of Life Award Recipients

Frank Alba, Critical Care Paramedic of Kansas City, KS;

Johan Alvarado, Flight Paramedic of Laredo, TX; Aubree

Arneson, Advanced EMT of Brookings, OR; Henry Barsh, EMT of

Washington, D.C.; Antoine Berenger, Firefighter, EMT, of

Tempe, AZ; Heather James, Advanced EMT of Lagrange, GA; Emily

Chandler, EMS Programs Manager of Springfield, MA; Josh

Cavaness, Flight Paramedic of Chanute, KS; Andrew Davalos,

Paramedic of Rancho Cucamonga, CA; Riggs Egolf, Paramedic of

Hampton, VA.

Juvencio Estrada, Flight Nurse of Laredo, TX; Brent Fisher,

Flight Paramedic of Poplar Bluff, MO; Jason Florance,

Paramedic of Topeka, KS; Scotland Hamlin, EMT, Field Training

Officer of Orlando, FL; Jason Henry, Fire Captain of Tempe,

AZ; Jason Hodges, Operations Supervisor of Portland, OR;

David Kingdon, Paramedic of Maui County, HI; Daniel ``Dan''

Laguna, Pilot of Elko, NV; Matthew Lambert, Paramedic,

Lifeguard of Florence, AL; Miki Leslie, EMT, Field Training

Officer of Yakima, WA.

Alyssa Meier, EMT of Prescott, AZ; Eli Melamed, Paramedic

of Prescott, AZ; Megan Overbeck, Paramedic of Decatur, IL;

Michael Pernna, Critical Care Transport Registered Nurse of

Redlands, CA; Kevin Rochford, Paramedic of Waco, TX; Lance

Smeal, Advanced EMF, Field Training Officer of Buffalo, NY.

Raquel Soto, Paramedic of West Hartford, CT; Jason

Southard, Operations Supervisor of Tucson, AZ; Shane Terry,

Flight Paramedic of Big Spring, TX; Andrew Varela, Paramedic,

Field Training Officer of Modesto, CA; Lucie Walters, Flight

Respiratory Therapist of Birmingham, AL; Nikki Warren, Flight

Nurse of Poplar Bluff, MO; Ambrose Stevens, Paramedic,

Operations Manager of Redding, CA.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recall and recognize the recipients of a special annual salute to honor local Veterans of the 26th Congressional District of Texas. Starting in 2005, I have had the privilege of honoring distinguished Veterans of my district with Texas' 26th Congressional District Veteran Commendation.

Our nation's Veterans have selflessly and honorably served our country and preserved our freedoms. It is because of their service that we enjoy all the liberties we are afforded. These brave men and women deserve our thanks and praise.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to publicly recognize eighty-six Veterans over the past two decades and honor their service through the presentation of the Congressional Veteran Commendation (CVC) at the annual ``Salute Our Veterans'' luncheon sponsored by the Highland Village Business Association (HVBA) and the City of Highland Village, Texas.

At this patriotic event each year, in addition to the announcement of the CVC recipients, each Veteran in attendance is afforded the opportunity to give their name and branch of service along with a highlight of their military service. With an annual attendance of over 250, the HVBA graciously covers the cost of the luncheon for attending Veterans and their guest.

As I retire from the U.S. House of Representatives, allow me to announce the five recipients of the 2024 Congressional Veteran Commendation and add their names to the illustrious list of prior recipients.

2024

Thomas Balmer (Sergeant--U.S. Army), Carrollton

Kasey Brown (Sergeant--U.S. Marine Corps), Justin

Frank Dixon (Corporal--U.S. Marine Corps), Flower Mound

Christopher Garner (Specialist--U.S. Army National Guard),

Gainesville

John Miller (Captain--U.S. Army), Frisco

2023

Mary Garcia (Major--U.S. Air Force) of Lewisville

Timothy Qualls (Staff Sergeant--U.S. Air Force) of Savannah

David Seals, Jr. (Captain--U.S. Army) of Frisco

Melvin Sumrall (Corporal--U.S. Marine Corps) of Denton

2022

James Brown (U.S. Marine Corps--Corporal), Sanger

Jere Delano (U.S. Air Force--SSGT), Denton

Lena Jackson-Lynch (U.S. Air Force--MSGT), Denton

Daniel Joseph (U.S. Army--Corporal), Lake Dallas

John Mulholland II (U.S. Navy--Petty Officer 2nd Class),

Justin

2021

Carolyn Bradford (Specialist--U.S. Army), North Richland

Hills

Richard Crossley, Jr. (Lt. Col.--U.S. Army), Flower Mound

Karl Monger (Captain--U.S. Army), Trophy Club

Michael Shasteen (Petty Officer Fourth Class--U.S. Navy),

Frisco

Ron Trees (Lt. Col.--U.S. Air Force), Little Elm

2020

Paul Bastaich (Senior Master Sergeant--U.S. Air Force), Oak

Point

Richard Cook (Lieutenant--U.S. Navy), Double Oak

Jacob Schick (Corporal--U.S. Marine Corps), Frisco

Dennis Sheridan (Captain--U.S. Army), Trophy Club

Danny Weakley (Master Sergeant--U.S. Army), Little Elm

2019

Sharon Balsley (Lt. Colonel--U.S. Army), Corinth

Carlos Gallardo (Captain--U.S. Air Force), Frisco

Tom Kim (Lt. Commander--U.S. Navy), Highland Village

Robert Kohankie II (Lt. Commander--U.S. Navy), Flower Mound

James Trombley (Sergeant--U.S. Marine Corps), Frisco

2018

Virgil Aldag (Specialist 4th Class--U.S. Army), Denton

Lewis Duckwall II (Gunnery Sergeant--U.S. Marine Corps),

Lake Dallas

Robert Lessard (Sergeant First Class--U.S. Army), Aubrey

Christopher Martin (Colonel--U.S. Army), Argyle

Gustav Wittschack (Sergeant First Class--U.S. Army), Cross

Roads

2017

Paul Farrar (Staff Sergeant--U.S. Army), Denton

Donald Graves (Corporal--U.S. Marine Corps), Fort Worth

Paul Perez Jr. (Master Sergeant--U.S. Air Force), Flower

Mound

Donald Phillips (Chief Petty Officer--U.S. Navy), Denton

Johnnie Yellock II (Staff Sergeant--U.S. Air Force),

Lantana

2016

Roberta DuTeil (Lieutenant Junior Grade--U.S. Navy),

Bartonville

William ``Bill'' Lawrence (Colonel--U.S. Air Force),

Highland Village

Virginia ``Ginger'' Simonson (Lieutenant Colonel--U.S.

Army), Highland Village

Clinton Turner (Corporal--U.S. Army), Denton

Charles ``Chuck'' Wright (1st Lieutenant--U.S. Marine

Corps), Frisco

2015

Jack Bailey (Major--U.S. Army/Commander--U.S. Navy), Flower

Mound

Forrest Beadle (Captain--U.S. Army), Denton

Doug Brown (Chief Warrant Officer--U.S. Army), Flower Mound

Andre ``Frenchy'' Rheault (Master Sergeant--U.S. Air

Force), Denton

Gary Steele (Senior Master Sergeant--U.S. Air Force),

Denton

2014

Charles Correll (Colonel--U.S. Air Force), Denton

Peter Lane (Colonel--U.S. Air Force), Denton

Jack Milligan (Lieutenant Colonel--U.S. Army), Highland

Village

Pat Smith (Colonel--U.S. Air Force), Denton

William Splichal (Chief Warrant Officer 4--U.S. Army),

Trophy Club

2013

Gilbert Brown (Sergeant--U.S. Army), Lewisville

Jerry Galler (Storekeeper 3rd Class--U.S. Navy), Highland

Village

James Rosengren (Major--U.S. Army), Flower Mound

2012

Robert Baird (Lieutenant Colonel--U.S. Army), Lantana

Victor Durrance (Sergeant--U.S. Army Air Force),

Gainesville

Andrew Fortunato (Lieutenant Colonel--U.S. Marine Corps),

Keller

Joe Gray (Colonel--U.S. Army), North Richland Hills

Mugg Pawless (Private First Class--U.S. Army), Gainesville

2011

Gary Alexander (Corporal--U.S. Marine Corps), Gainesville

Julius Fambry (lst Sergeant--U.S. Army), The Colony

Donald Langa (Lieutenant Commander--U.S. Navy), Denton

Joe M. Leonard, Jr. (Captain--U.S. Army), Gainesville

Leroy M. Williamson, Sr. (1st Lieutenant--U.S. Army/Air

Force), Denton

2010

Major Lee Roy Keith, (U.S. Marine Corps), Denton

Sergeant Arlen Ray Mayfield, Jr., (U.S. Army), Lewisville

Master Sergeant Guy Northrup, (U.S. Marine Corps),

Lewisville

Colonel Larry Patterson, (U.S. Army), Highland Village

Major Richard Stewart, (U.S. Army/U.S. Air Force), Denton

2009

Corporal Arthur F. Berg (U.S. Army), Lewisville

Colonel Ernest L. Isbell (U.S. Army, Ret.), Highland

Village

Captain Hank Scheible (U.S. Air Force, Ret.), Denton

2008

Staff Sergeant Mark H. Graunke, Jr. (U.S. Marine Corps),

Denton

Commander Robert Heid (U.S. Navy, Ret.), Flower Mound

Sergeant Donald W. Pettigrew (U.S. Marine Corps),

Gainesville

Colonel Walter W. Pine (U.S. Army/U.S. Air Force, Ret.),

Keller

Major Earl L. Russell, III (U.S. Army/Army Reserve, Ret.),

Gainesville

2007

Lt. Col. Walter Dyer (U.S. Air Force, Ret.), Highland

Village

Col Susanne Hechinger (U.S. Air Force, TX ANG, Ret.),

Flower Mound

Col James P. Mariades (U.S. Marine Corps, Ret.), Copper

Canyon

Lt. Col. Edward ``Red'' Weir (U.S. Air Corps/Air Forces,

U.S. Air Force, Ret.), Denton

Capt William B. Springfield (U.S. Marine Corps, Ret.),

Flower Mound

2006

Sgt. Maj. Thomas Blagg (U.S. Marine Corps, Ret.), Denton

Mr. Woodrow Wilson Burch, Jr., (U.S. Army/U.S. Air Force),

Denton

Lt. Col. Ivan N. Glasscock (U.S. Air Force, Ret.), Denton

2005

Mr. Johnnie Bulen (U.S. Army), Lewisville

Lt. Gen. Charles R. Hamm, (U.S. Air Force, Ret.), Argyle

Mr. Reby Cary (Radioman First Class--U.S. Coast Guard),

Fort Worth

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and sacrifice of U.S. Marine Corps Captain Ronald W. Forrester. CAPT Forrester was reported missing in action during a combat mission during the Vietnam War. His remains were identified and accounted for on December 4, 2023, and he was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery on October 7, 2024. His answered call to service and dedication to our Nation left a legacy that has impacted multiple generations.

CAPT Forrester was raised in Odessa, Texas and graduated from Texas A&M University in 1969. At Texas A&M University, he was a member of the Corps of Cadets before being commissioned as an officer into the Marine Corps.

Within the Marine Corps, CAPT Forrester was a member of the Marine All-Weather Attack Squadron 533, Marine Air Group 15, 1st Marine Air Wing. On December 27, 1972, Forrester was assigned as the bombardier/ navigator aboard an A-6A Intruder along with the pilot, Captain Jim Chipman. During a nighttime combat mission over North Vietnam, radio contact with the aircraft was lost, and subsequent aerial search teams were unable to locate the missing plane or its crew. After several months, the Marine Corps changed the crew's initial Missing In Action status to Killed In Action.

On December 4, 2023, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Captain Ronald W. Forrester as well as those of his fellow crewmember, Captain Jim Chipman. CAPT Forrester was officially welcomed home in a moving memorial celebration held on February 2, 2024, at Lake Travis United Methodist Church and attended by hundreds of his family, friends, Texas A&M classmates, and fellow veterans from across the country.

At the time of his death, CAPT Forrester was 25 years old and married to Jana Bland Jenkins with a two-year-old daughter Karoni. She has dedicated much of her life to the POW/MIA cause, advocating for families who have dealt with the painful uncertainty surrounding their missing loved ones.

The impact of CAPT Forrester's life has influenced more than just those who knew him. His nephew, Craig Forrester, followed his path to Texas A&M, the Corps of Cadets, and the Marine Corps. Craig Forrester credits his uncle's memory and legacy with inspiring his own military service. Forrester's granddaughter, Lilian Gonzales, believes she would not be the person she is without the love and support that has surrounded her because of her grandfather's absence and sacrifice.

Captain Ronald W. Forrester lost his life in service to our Nation, and we are grateful that his family has been provided closure and allowed to bring him home to his fInal resting place.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Denton IOOF Cemetery and the Ribbon Cutting ceremony denoting a long-overdue correction to the property's deed, formally eliminating the prohibition for the burial of Black individuals in the cemetery. This is a significant and important day for the Denton community in formally acknowledging the rights and worth of all community members, regardless of race.

I would like to thank Mayor Gerard Hudspeth for raising the issue so the City of Denton could do the necessary research and legal work to eliminate the codified restrictions in the deed's provisions. Denton county has a rich African American history, which serves as an important cornerstone for the flourishing and prosperity community we recognize today.

The elimination of this restriction aligns the IOOF Cemetery's stated value of ``elevating mankind's character'' with Denton's shared commitment in honoring the innate human value of its citizens and ensures that all cemetery visitors and their loved ones are recognized as equal in both practice and in code. I am honored to recognize this ribbon cutting ceremony.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1486 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that amendment No. 3 printed in Part D of House Report 118-705, to be offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Valadao) or a designee, be modified by the amendment I have placed at the desk.

Madam Speaker, last night, the House Committee on Rules met to report House Resolution 1486, providing for the consideration of four pieces of legislation.

First, the rule provides for consideration of H. Res. 1469, condemning the Biden-Harris administration and individuals therein responsible for the military withdrawal of Afghanistan and subsequent evacuation. This will be considered under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Second, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3334, the STOP CCP Act, under a structured rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and provides one motion to recommit.

Third, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8205, the Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act, under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided between the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary and provides for one motion to recommit.

The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 8790, the Fix Our Forests Act, under a structured rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided between the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources and provides one motion to recommit.

Finally, the rule provides clarification in House rules regarding the regulations governing the availability of remote witness testimony.

Madam Speaker, it has been over 3 years since the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan; 3 years since 13 members of our armed services fell on account of the Biden-Harris administration's rushed operation to fulfill a campaign promise; 3 years of not one single acknowledgment by the President, the Democratic nominee for President, the current Vice President, or anyone in the administration, for that matter, to acknowledge what happened in August 2021.

For better or for worse, the American people saw this tragedy with their own eyes, as Afghan civilians clung to an airplane leaving Kabul airport, and the American people have been awaiting accountability from those responsible for a long time.

Well, that wait ends this week when the House considers H. Res. 1469 to condemn those in the Biden-Harris administration responsible for the events that led up to and unfolded in July and August of 2021.

Despite the Biden-Harris administration's incessant stonewalling of proper congressional oversight and accountability, Chairman McCaul and the Foreign Affairs Committee have investigated the events surrounding and during the Afghanistan withdrawal. Their recently released report is as stunning as it is outrageous.

The Biden-Harris administration ignored that the Taliban was not meeting its obligations under the Doha agreement. For example, the Taliban had yet to cut ties with al-Qaida by the time the evacuation started, something that the Biden-Harris administration knew.

Secondly, the administration prioritized optics and political expediency over the safety of our servicemembers and civilian personnel. The Taliban had already entered Kabul before the evacuation of nonmilitary personnel began.

Third, they failed to plan for the go-to-zero order appropriately, which led to the deadliest attack on U.S. military personnel in a decade.

Fourth, the failures damaged America's credibility and standing in the world. I cannot stress enough the significance of these events. We abandoned our allies, leaving them to slaughter, and allowed terrorism once again to flourish in the area.

Fifth, there was a concerted and deliberate misinformation campaign that

touched nearly every stage of the withdrawal.

These failures have had a profound impact on our country, but not a single person in the Biden-Harris administration has yet been held accountable.

Recruitment into our military has plummeted after the prospective servicemembers saw that they would basically be used as disposable chess pawns in a political promise.

The Taliban has organized a de facto permanent regime built on torture, violence, and religious and political oppression. Without a United States presence in the area, counterterrorism operations have been hindered, and foreign adversaries like China have moved in to establish diplomatic relations with the regime.

Most importantly, however, these events signaled weakness, emboldening China, Russia, and their proxies to become more aggressive with their geopolitical ambitions. China became emboldened to pursue its objectives with respect to Taiwan. Russian leaders saw an opening, and they invaded Ukraine, knowing that the United States was weak and could not be trusted, a shameful and disastrous series of events that our country is paying the price for currently and will continue to pay this price for decades.

Afghanistan is not the only area where the Biden-Harris administration has shown weakness. This week, the House of Representatives will consider the STOP CCP Act, which will impose significant and punitive sanctions on individuals of the Chinese Communist Party.

Madam Speaker, there is broad agreement in this body over the atrocities of the Chinese Communist Party. Where we seemingly don't agree is whether there should be consequences for these atrocities. Up to this point, the Biden-Harris administration has yet to impose any meaningful sanction on the Chinese Government officials for their political and religious oppression of their own people. The STOP CCP Act forces the administration to finally do so and speak loudly that oppression of God-given rights will be met with consequence.

Speaking of consequences, the Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act imposes strict regulations and penalties on charitable bond funds, whose funding has exploded in recent years as a result of the George Floyd protests in the summer of 2020. These funds, like the Minnesota Freedom Fund, bail out violent criminals who in many cases then go on to commit more crime. H.R. 8205 ensures that these funds are subject to penalties and licensing requirements to protect our communities and keep criminals where they belong, which is behind bars.

The final bill provided under the rule, the Fix Our Forests Act, is bipartisan legislation that addresses the wildfire crisis across the country. Now, in classic fashion, the Biden-Harris administration and their allies in Congress spent billions of dollars to address the increase in wildfire occurrences and their severity without fixing the underlying problem: bureaucratic red tape and extreme environmental and serial litigators that prevent the correct management of forests.

H.R. 8790 makes targeted, yet transformational, changes to the Federal agencies responsible for our forests to improve the way we manage our forests and ensure projects are not held up in the bureaucracy or in the courts.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bills, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, before I go to the gentleman from New York, I do want to point out that, sadly, in January of this year, January 29, 2024, three U.S. soldiers were killed in Jordan. The three soldiers are Sergeant William Jerome Rivers of Carrollton, Georgia; Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders of Waycross, Georgia; and Specialist Breonna Alexsondria Moffett of Savannah, Georgia. All were assigned to the 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion, Fort Moore, Georgia.

Do not continue to repeat the lie that we have no soldiers standing in harm's way during the Biden administration. It was brought up during the debate by the Vice President. It was wrong then. It is wrong now.

We have soldiers on the ground in Iran and Syria. Of course, there are soldiers deployed in the Continent of Africa. We can't forget everything that is happening right now with the Houthi rebels placing our servicemembers in danger.

Do not make the mistake that the world is completely at peace under the beneficence of the current Biden administration.

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy), a valuable member of the Rules Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.

First off, I do want to remind the House that the House passed $3 billion in veterans funding last week and sent it over to the Senate. This gives us time to act on further veterans funding prior to the December 20 deadline that will be part of the continuing resolution that will pass later this week.

The Military Construction-VA appropriations bill was, in fact, the first House-passed appropriations bill. Representative Carter from Texas led that subcommittee and passed that bill much earlier in the year. It has been sitting over in the Senate. It hasn't seen any activity. That bill actually could have been passed by both the House and the Senate and signed by the President of the United States.

I am grateful that my counterpart, the ranking member of the committee, allowed you to see, Madam Speaker, what I live with on a daily basis, which is a severe case of Trump derangement syndrome. We see it on display in the Rules Committee almost continuously. You have heard a brief exposure of that today on the floor of the House.

I apologize to the country that they had to put up with that, but, again, this is my life in the Rules Committee. Trump derangement syndrome is alive and well and put forth on virtually every argument that goes forth in the Rules Committee.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.

The rules brought forth today, two are closed, but in both instances, neither received an amendment in which to make in order. If there are no amendments, by definition, then it is a closed rule.

I do want to point out that this majority has reported nearly twice the number of bills as the last Congress when the gentleman, the ranking member, was, in fact, the chairman of the committee. I would also like to point out that since there was a change in the chairman of the Rules Committee, all Rules Committee votes have passed on the floor. I hope that pattern continues today.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close after the gentleman closes.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time on the Republican side.

Madam Speaker, it is ironic that we keep hearing about unity. I heard the word ``unity'' I don't know how many times during the inaugural address of President Biden, yet it is virtually impossible for a Republican to get a telephone call answered from the head of any Federal agency.

This has been the most walled-off administration that I have ever seen. I served in the Bush Presidency, the Obama Presidency, and the Trump Presidency, and I have never seen an administration that behaves in the way this administration does.

The gentleman referenced the aid to the country of Ukraine. I voted for that aid package in June 2022. We didn't get a lot of information before the bill was brought to the floor. Then-Speaker Pelosi brought it rather hurriedly. It came to the Rules Committee in an emergency hearing, but what was happening in Ukraine seemed so horrific that any ability to help seemed important.

Then I waited after that vote. I waited for the administration to come to talk to us about what the strategy is, where we are going, and what the plan is. Is there an exit strategy out there somewhere?

Again, we had another vote last March, once again hoping that the administration would begin to behave differently and at least inform the Congress of what their plans were. I voted again for that aid package. I caught a lot of grief from my constituents back home for voting for that package. At the same time, once again, no information was forthcoming from the administration, no plan and no strategy.

Madam Speaker, we had big meetings over in the auditorium in the Capitol Visitor Center just prior to the invasion of Ukraine. All the generals and Cabinet Secretaries were there. They told us that it was too late, that there was nothing we could do, and that Ukraine would fall in 3 days. They didn't.

That is when the administration came back and started asking for these aid packages, but never once did they fill in the blanks of: this is what we plan to do, this is where we plan to go.

Even today, the administration seems to be arguing with itself. Do we allow for Ukraine to use that aid in a more robust way to defend itself, or is it all just purely risk-averse defense spending that they will do?

Again, we don't know. I would love to hear the administration give us a reason why it is important to continue to send American tax dollars because they have a plan for victory and a plan for ending the war.

We heard a lot of discussion about the previous administration, the Trump administration, and the world was never more prosperous and at peace.

Madam Speaker, do you remember the comment in early October last year when the statement was made by the administration that they have never seen the Middle East more quiet than it is today? Oh, my God, where are we now? Where are we now?

Where are the plans of the administration? When are they going to come to talk to us about the correct way forward?

We hear arguments internally, arguments with the administration arguing with itself. We heard the Vice President and the President basically arguing about the way forward with what to do with the problems in the Middle East, but, again, no one comes to us and lays out what the plan is going forward.

Madam Speaker, I have never seen a world more dangerous than it is today. I feel as if we are living on a knife's

edge and that, at any point, one false move, one miscalculation by one individual, could lead the world into a confrontation and conflagration the likes of which the world has never seen before.

We do need to be concerned about that. We do need the United States to lead. We need a strong leader in the United States, and I would argue that the prior President evidenced that type of strong leadership, and the world was a safer place. The world was a more prosperous place.

Now, since the gentleman brought up the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan, these were the very matches that lit the fuse on inflation in this country in January 2021.

Inflation was at 1.6 percent in December 2020. Then, a year later, where was it? It was going up toward 8 percent.

The Secretary of the Treasury said she thought it would be transitory. The Chair of the Federal Reserve thought it would self- correct. Then it didn't, and the American people suffered.

Why weren't we concerned about the suffering of the American people in the last Congress when we continued to lay spending bill over spending bill, which the people could no longer afford?

So, yes, it is tough. Now, we are having to dial some of that back, and it is not easy. Any time the Federal Government spends a dollar, it immediately creates a constituency, and it is difficult to dial those dollars back.

We argue with ourselves here in the Congress about what the best path forward is, but at the same time, we have an obligation. We have an obligation to fund the government, which we will have an opportunity to do later this week.

Madam Speaker, I do want to urge colleagues to support this rule. I do want to encourage colleagues to support the underlying legislation. I do want us to hold the Federal agencies accountable to the American people, solve critical issues for our constituents, and restore American strength on the world stage.

I said in committee yesterday that these bills are about accountability to the governed, respect for law and order, strength on the world stage, and rightsizing Federal agencies. These are the core tenets of House Republicans. That is what we pledged to the American people, and it is what the American people expect from this body.

Madam Speaker, I, again, urge my colleagues to support the rule and support the underlying legislation.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Dr. Bucshon from Indiana for yielding me the time on such an important reauthorization that we are undertaking today.

Mr. Speaker, 2018 was the last authorization for sickle cell research. Prior to that, it had been part of the 2004 Bush tax cuts, and it has been a long time since this Congress had turned its attention to the problems encountered by people who suffer from the diagnosis of sickle cell disease. Fortunately, in 2018, President Trump signed a bill into law, and now we are going to reauthorize that bill in this Congress.

That is a good thing.

I can remember sitting in a hearing in 2016 where the sickle cell disease advocate told us that it had been fully 40 years, four decades, since the Food and Drug Administration had approved a new therapy for sickle cell.

Fortunately, we are well past those days now, and on the horizon are a number of newer therapies. Ranking Member Pallone mentioned cell and gene therapies. A lot of work was done when the Committee on Energy and Commerce did the CURES bill in 2016. There are now newer therapies on the horizon that were not even contemplated the last time that this bill was authorized.

Mr. Speaker, I was in practice for 30 years. I worked with families and with patients suffering from this very complex disease. Proper treatment requires knowledge, intervention, and care coordination. It is important that we have the resources to encourage more research and more data to better inform how to evaluate treatment plans while improving the quality of life for patients.

This legislation will continue to improve physician and patient education, as well as assist with best practices for care coordination. By having access to these programs, the patient and the physician will continue to have the ability to identify the problem early on, providing more time to arrest the effects of the disease from having long-term effects on the well-being of the patient.

I certainly thank my fellow Members, Representative Carter of Georgia, and, of course, Representative Davis of Illinois for his longstanding work in this regard and for helping educate me as to the importance of advancing this research and advancing this reauthorization through the many steps it has taken over the last 20 years. I am grateful for the direction and the wise counsel provided by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) on this important issue.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Bucshon for yielding me the time, and I thank the committee for working on this important topic.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I do rise today in support of S. 2228, the Building Chips in America Act. Last week, Members of the Texas delegation sent a letter to our leadership requesting that we prioritize this crucial piece of legislation.

I certainly thank, of course, Chairman Lucas as well as Speaker Johnson

and Majority Leader Scalise for considering bringing the Building Chips in America Act to the floor this week.

We have heard over and over how semiconductors are necessary for some of the most vital technology we have today.

Let's also be clear. The NEPA process is valuable. The environmental impact assessments and reviews that are conducted in this country are a pragmatic symbol of the American people's commitment to environmental conservatism and land management. However, efficiency is sometimes lacking.

My friend, the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Pallone, the gentleman from New Jersey, said this is a solution in search of a problem. Hardly. Hardly.

NEPA's red tape means that many semiconductor projects are delayed, manufacturers are becoming discouraged in developing domestic manufacturing projects, and certainly that is evident in my home State of Texas.

This legislation is important to Texas, and we have remained at the forefront of a national resurgence in high-tech manufacturing.

Streamlining the NEPA process will help companies in the semiconductor industry bring great economic prosperity to our State.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the life of Major Raymond Roberts of Denton, Texas, who passed away on August 29, 2024. With his celebration of life ceremony being held this week, I would like to share about his tremendous life of service to his country and our great state of Texas.

Since he could first walk, Ray always wanted to be a pilot, which prompted him to join the U.S. military at the young age of 14. Initially joining the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and then transitioning to the Army Air Corps, Ray spent 22 years serving in our Nation's military.

Ray's storied military career included assignments as an airman, mechanic, and flight engineer during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. In 1948, Ray was also one of the few pilots to fly nonstop as part of the greatest humanitarian airlift in history to carry supplies to the encircled people of West Berlin. Despite the great risks and challenges that came with supplying the necessities of food and fuel for thousands of people, he remained dedicated and committed to providing the resources necessary to sustain the men, women, and children in dire need on the ground. Ray played a pivotal role in history and the success of our military.

After leaving military service, Ray did not stop serving his community. Developing a career as an entrepreneur, corporate manager, car salesman, aviation administrator, and private pilot, he ensured our state continued to grow economically. Ray loved his country and numerous times put his life on the line for the future generations of Americans. I am glad to call him a constituent of mine and was honored to nominate his son, Brandon, for the Air Force Academy back in 2012 and see him successfully follow his father in service to his country.

May his extraordinary life be remembered by many in the 26th District of Texas and across the United States. Sending my prayers and love to his family and friends, as they celebrate his life.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, the reason we are here is because the average family of four is paying over $17,000 more per year thanks to the policies of the Biden-Harris administration and their allies in Congress. In 3\1/2\ years, their policies and regulations have been unleashed into every aspect of our lives.

For example, on top of that $17,000 more that American families are having to pay each year, now the Biden-Harris administration's EPA expects that family to cough up another $10,000 for an electric vehicle. The House Republicans today will repeal this ridiculous regulation with the passage of a joint resolution under this rule.

It is not just consumer goods that are more expensive. Retirement is increasingly out of reach because of the Biden-Harris administration and their policies and what they have injected into our capital markets and retirement plans. The American family will not care how much their retirement fund

promoted ESG or DEI when they need to push off their retirement for years under this economy.

House Republicans will refocus the financial markets and retirement funds away from politics and toward maximizing investment returns. Maximizing shareholder value seems like a concept that everyone should be for.

Finally, I will touch on two important pieces of legislation under this rule that are affecting Texans, the first of which is the Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act. This bill makes it crystal clear in U.S. law that illegal aliens who commit domestic violence are both deportable and inadmissible in this country.

We have a border czar. You wouldn't know it because of what has been happening, but we have a border czar. We have a Secretary of Homeland Security who has refused to take the actions necessary to protect American citizens. Why they have neglected American citizens, I cannot tell you. Perhaps the Democrats can tell you.

Mr. Speaker, even individuals who commit domestic crimes should be deportable and inadmissible to the country.

Another bill ensures that lax enforcement of immigration law, which has become the hallmark of the Biden-Harris administration, does not extend to criminal domestic conduct.

Speaking of lax enforcement, the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act makes it crystal clear that no State or local government that made a conscious choice to disregard Federal immigration law will receive Federal funds to do so.

Sanctuary cities perpetuate the crisis at our border, a crisis that my State knows all too well. The No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act ensures that taxpayers won't be on the hook for the conscious choices of sanctuary cities.