Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Reverend Jeannette Phillips who passed away last month. She devoted decades of service to the healthcare needs of the disadvantaged in the Hudson Valley, culminating in her founding of the Peekskill Area Ambulatory Healthcare Center in 1975.

Over the course of her life of service, Reverend Phillips received myriad of awards and recognitions, including the New York State Governor's Award for African Americans of Distinction in 1994, the CHCANYS Catherine M. Abate Memorial Award in 2018, and Crain's Notable Women in Healthcare in 2019.

She also received the Sojourner Truth Award as well as the Harriet

Tubman Award for her work as the Westchester District president of the Harriet Tubman Home Historical Society.

Reverend Phillips is survived by three daughters, two sons, and more than 100 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great- grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to enter her name into the Congressional Record and recognize Reverend Jeannette Phillips, a trailblazing humanitarian, historic preservationist, and a proud matriarch.

Would the gentlewoman from Connecticut yield for a question for the purposes of a colloquy?

Does the gentlewoman support the Senate version of a CR?

The difference between the Senate version and this version is that this version does not include Ukraine funding. Are you telling me that you would shut down the government if there is not Ukraine funding?

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time.

Today, on the last day before a potential government shutdown, Speaker McCarthy will be putting a 45-day clean CR with disaster relief on the floor.

I will vote in support of this legislation so that we can keep the United States Government funded and open while we finish our appropriations bills.

Anyone, Democrats or Republicans, who votes against a clean CR with disaster relief is voting to shut the government down.

Whether it is Ukraine funding, securing the border, or reducing spending, all of which I support, it will have to be negotiated during the appropriations process.

All of us have a responsibility to lead and to govern. In a divided government, none of us will get everything we want.

To shut the government down would be disastrous for the American people, our military, and our economy. The time has come for everyone to put the American people above all interests and continue to do our work as responsible, reasonable, and serious legislators.

For anyone to vote ``no'' on this bill, they are voting to shut the government down. If you are saying that you support the Senate CR but you don't support this one, the only difference is Ukraine.

If you are telling the American people with a straight face that you will shut the American government down over Ukraine, shame on you.

Madam Speaker, 75 percent of Americans believe we are headed in the wrong direction, according to nearly every single national poll.

NBC News recently had a poll that showed Republicans outperform Democrats by 21 points on the question of who is better equipped to handle the economy. Why? Because Bidenomics has been an absolute disaster.

There is record inflation, skyrocketing energy prices, higher grocery bills. People are struggling. This administration has increased spending by over $5 trillion in new spending in just 2 years.

The American people elected a House Republican majority to serve as a check and balance on this administration and on the Senate, but also to govern.

There are real challenges in this country, starting with our economy: our reckless out-of-control spending; the cost of living; our long-term debt crossing $33 trillion; the fact that if we do nothing, Social Security and Medicare will both go broke within the next decade; and then, of course, immigration and the crisis at our southern border.

Since Joe Biden took office, 6 million migrants have crossed our southern border, many of them illegally. Asylum cases are taking 2 to 3 years at a minimum to be heard. This administration has failed to combat the malign influence of the cartels trafficking women and children, trafficking drugs, and fentanyl pouring into our communities, killing 70,000 Americans just last year.

It is shameful, yet what do the American people see? They see a government on the precipice of a shutdown.

My colleagues across the aisle will pin it squarely on the Republicans, but let's be clear: Through this appropriations process, we have now passed four appropriations bills through the House. Senator Schumer and Senate Democrats have passed exactly zero appropriations bills through the Senate.

Our fiscal year ends tomorrow, so Congress has not done its work to pass these appropriations bills, either through the House or the Senate, by the September 30 deadline.

I agree with my colleagues in the House Republican majority that we need to pass single-subject appropriations bills. The committee has been doing that work. It is important work, but it takes time. It takes time to go line by line and break the way this place has operated for three decades, and we need time to complete that work.

Shutting down the government will serve no purpose whatsoever, and in fact, it will tank an already fragile economy because of the Biden administration's policies.

Our veterans, our seniors, our Active-Duty military, all the employees within the Federal Government will be hurt by a shutdown. Our stock market and our 401(k)'s will be impacted.

There is absolutely no reason for a shutdown, and it is imperative that we, in the House, lead, govern, and pass a continuing resolution to keep the government funded short-term while we finish our work.

People can blame leadership. People can say that we should have done this back in July. I would remind some of those very people that they refused to move rules. They refused to move some of these bills because they wanted more cuts, and that is fine. That is democracy.

Madam Speaker, unlike the previous Speaker, this Speaker has allowed this place to actually function as a democracy. He is not ruling it with an iron fist. So many people complained about the way that it was previously run, and now they kind of want it run like that again. It is not the way we should operate.

We need to pass a CR. Any CR in a divided government ultimately will be bipartisan. We all know that. There is no partisan CR that is going to become law in a divided government, but we have to negotiate and have to get to that point.

Madam Speaker, it is always great to listen to DCCC talking points. At a very time when Leader Jeffries said that he would not politicize this potential shutdown in a meeting of the Problem Solvers Caucus, that very day the DCCC and House Majority Forward announced million-dollar ad campaigns--mail, TV--attacking individuals like me on the issue of a shutdown, despite me saying very clearly that I oppose a shutdown.

So we know that on the other side they actually want a shutdown. They relish it because they think it will benefit them politically.

Here is what you never hear from them: They don't want to deal with the border, they don't want to shut down the border. They don't want to deal with spending cuts. They want to increase spending. They don't want to deal with our long-term debt. They want to blow it through the roof.

We have real challenges in this country, and, yes, we need to work in a bipartisan manner.

When Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, is saying the migrant crisis is destroying New York City, that it is going to cost them more than $12 billion; when Kathy Hochul, the Governor of New York says there is no more room at the inn, despite sanctuary city policies, right to shelter, the use of taxpayer money to give free housing, healthcare, education, clothing, and food to illegal immigrants, and a refusal to cooperate with ICE and law enforcement, spare me your righteous indignation.

None of you are willing to actually tackle the challenges. You are looking to use this as a vehicle to win back the majority. That is it.

I am actually willing to work across the aisle. I signed on to the Problem Solvers CR. Join us in that. Not a single one of you have.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Robert Minichiello, a Blauvelt resident and American hero who recently turned 100 years old.

Born a few years after the end of World War I, he has lived through some of our country's most transformative moments and some of its greatest tests.

Robert served our country honorably during World War II, where he fought in Europe as part of the 26th Infantry Division and was wounded in the Moselle region of France in November of 1944.

Robert received the Purple Heart in recognition of his efforts and the injuries he sustained. The heroes of our Greatest Generation should never be forgotten, and I am proud to count Robert Minichiello, a hero of our Greatest Generation, as one of my constituents.

So please join me in wishing Robert Minichiello of Blauvelt a happy 100th birthday.

Madam Speaker, on September 9, 2006, Corporal Johnathan Lee Benson from North Branch, Minnesota, succumbed to his injuries sustained in a roadside bombing during his second tour of duty in Iraq. He was 21 years old.

By all measures, Johnathan was a courageous and enthusiastic young man with an infectious smile, a prankster's heart, and a love for adventure.

He was dedicated to our country and to the Marines. Tattooed on his back was the Bible verse: Greater love knows no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Madam Speaker, Johnathan not only laid down his life for our country, but he gave up his hopes, his dreams, and his future to preserve, protect, and defend ours.

For 15 years, I have worn this bracelet in his memory, and today, I am honored to enter his name into the Congressional Record and to recognize his wonderful parents, a Gold Star family, Marjorie and Steve Benson.

May God bless the Benson family and hold Johnathan in the palm of His hand.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked the 22nd anniversary of September 11, 2001, when 2,977 American lives were taken from us on that fateful day in the worst act of terrorism in our Nation's history.

Over the last few days, I crisscrossed my entire district, attending more than 10 events, and meeting with constituents and families and victims of September 11.

Still today, we have first responders dying from 9/11-related illnesses. It is the responsibility of our Nation to continue to care for our heroes that went down to Ground Zero to try and save lives and recover the remains of those we lost.

As a Nation, we have an obligation to ensure that our children never forget and understand what occurred on that fateful day.

There is not a child in the school system today that was born on 9/11 or before. We must teach this in our schools. Only 14 States currently teach 9/11 as part of their curriculum. It is shameful, and it needs to change.

Mr. Speaker, on the 22nd anniversary of September 11, may we always remember the fallen, and thank our brave men and women who rush toward danger to preserve, protect, and defend the greatest Nation in the history of the world.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of July 13, 2023, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 68) relating to a national emergency declared by the President on October 27, 2006, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.J. Res. 68.

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

I rise in opposition to H.J. Res. 68 and all of this afternoon's privileged resolutions on this matter.

The International Emergency Economic Powers Act created a process by which the President could declare a national emergency, create sanctions authorities for that emergency, and impose those sanctions on the malign actors that are causing the emergency in the first place.

While I agree with my colleagues about the need for congressional oversight and modernization of Presidential emergency powers, I strongly disagree with the process by which they are trying to force change.

The national emergencies we are discussing today provide the legal basis for critical sanctions programs targeting some of the most evil people on Earth. Although some of these authorities were enacted years ago, many of these sanctioned individuals continue to pose a clear and present danger to U.S. national security interests today.

These ill-thought-out joint resolutions, by terminating these national emergencies, would immediately eliminate these sanctions programs without allowing adequate time for Congress or the executive branch to establish an alternative sanctioning authority. It would also unfreeze sanctioned individuals' assets, immediately putting millions of dollars into the hands of some of the world's most dangerous criminals.

Even if a new authority were created, these monsters would not be automatically resanctioned. Each of the hundreds of sanctions designations at issue today was built on strong evidence compiled over months or even years. It is not a switch that can be flipped on or off. More time and a lot more taxpayer money would need to go into redoing the work that has already taken place to renew these sanctions.

Another reason why this is a horrendous idea is that fines collected from violating terrorist-related sanctions largely go toward the Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, which provides critical compensation for American victims of state-sponsored terrorist attacks. Since the fund was established, it has paid out over $3 billion to eligible claimants, and by law, 50 percent of these distributions must be paid to 9/11-related claimants. 9/11 was the deadliest terrorist attack worldwide, and the attack has had a huge

impact on the New York community, in particular. Today, we still have cops, firefighters, and first responders, suffering from 9/11-related illnesses. The worst thing that we can do is take money away from 9/11 families and give it right back to terrorists.

Again, while I understand my colleagues' desire to reform the national emergency process, empowering terrorists, corrupt officials, and war criminals is not the answer, and draining the fund that assists victims of terrorist attacks should be a crime in and of itself.

We should address these issues directly through regular order, rather than arbitrarily removing sanctions authorities that are essential to our national security. I urge President Biden to engage with Congress on this, instead of blatantly avoiding the topic.

Now, for the specific matter at hand. I strictly oppose H.J. Res. 68, which would terminate the National Emergency with respect to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The forced termination of that emergency would lead to the rescission of sanctions and immediate release of millions of dollars to more than 60 currently sanctioned malicious foreign actors, including notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, Russia's ``Merchant of Death,'' whose freedom Vladimir Putin demanded in exchange for American hostage Brittney Griner. This is the man you would be helping by passing this joint resolution, someone who was convicted of conspiracy to kill American citizens and officials, delivery of antiaircraft missiles, and providing aid to a terrorist organization. It would empower this horrific individual and embolden the Kremlin even further.

Revoking this emergency would also impact our ability to fight the Islamic State affiliate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Africa already represents the largest growth area of terrorism in the world, and Islamic State and al-Qaida affiliates fuel these groups' global networks.

This resolution would make it easier for ISIS to use proxies in Africa to finance its terror operations.

Further revoking the national emergency would release currently frozen money to individuals and groups that have perpetrated and profited from the ongoing deadly strife in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, groups like the M23 group, the armed militia primarily responsible for that bloody conflict.

In recent months, international pressure on all parties has resulted in less offensive military action and violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This resolution could free up funds that groups like M23 would immediately use to purchase advanced weaponry, worsening the humanitarian situation and destabilizing the region.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to oppose this reckless resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the right to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate, again, that I appreciate the engagement from my colleagues on these matters, and I would be happy to work with them on ways to modernize IEEPA or increase oversight of the President's authorities, but this is not the way to do it.

Passing this joint resolution would seriously hinder our ability to fight terrorism in Africa and allow criminals like Mr. Bout to operate more efficiently. That absolutely should not be the message that Congress sends.

I hear often from my colleagues about the need for regular order. We had a whole discussion on it as a conference in our rules: regular order. This should be going through the Foreign Affairs Committee to have regular order. By introducing a privileged resolution, this is bypassing regular order. It is bypassing the work that all of us collectively as 435 Members of Congress have to do.

Now, I would remind my colleagues that these declarations are renewed every year by the President, including President Trump, who did it four times. Annual reports come to Congress every year. They come to the Foreign Affairs Committee of which I am a member.

There are no additional spending authorities tied to these national emergency declarations. They cost about $300,000 a year to administer.

I would remind my colleagues that we cannot sanction American citizens. It is unconstitutional. We are sanctioning foreigners. We can only freeze assets within our jurisdiction. That is the intent of this.

So while I do agree that we need to modernize IEEPA and we need to evaluate any of these declarations, Congress already has the tools to do it through regular order. So let's actually follow the rules that many of my colleagues who are introducing these resolutions demanded, and let's do it the proper way.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of July 13, 2023, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 70) relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 25, 2011, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this resolution.

H.J. Res. 70 would terminate Executive Order No. 13566, which established a state of emergency in Libya due to Qadhafi's attacks on his own people, a deterioration of security in Libya, and prolonged violence that caused serious destabilization.

This executive order was enacted during the first Libyan civil war, was kept in place throughout the second Libyan civil war, and remains critical now as Libya has yet to make a transition to stable governing.

On each annual renewal of the emergency, President Obama, President Trump, and now President Biden have carefully reviewed the circumstances in Libya and each time determined that we need to maintain associated sanctions. It is simple to see the issues in Libya are ongoing, and it is not partisan to know sanctions are a key element.

One of the most critical sanctions that would be removed if Congress passed this joint resolution is against Saif Qadhafi, one of Qadhafi's sons, who has well-known links to the Wagner Group and is wanted for murdering Libyan civilians. Sanctions related to Libya are still, to this day, critical to our national security.

In the last 2 years alone, our Libya sanctions have blocked approximately $18 million from reaching hostile foreign actors. The forced termination of the national emergency regarding Libya would lead to the immediate release of millions of dollars for wanted war criminals backed by the Kremlin, like Saif Al Islam Qadhafi. Again, this money would empower Putin's regime and secure Russia's interests in Libya, a strategically important country along NATO's southern flank.

I also, again, want to mention the importance of the U.S. state- sponsored terrorism fund. There is no question that this money is better served by helping 9/11 families than quite literally financing terrorists. Like most Americans, I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. I was in my first week of classes as a freshman at Suffern High School.

September 11 had a profound impact on our Nation, but particularly impacted the residents of New York. Thousands of families have faced the repercussions of that day, especially the families of those who worked tirelessly on the pile, trying to find survivors and helping others find closure.

Every September 11, I attend numerous 9/11 ceremonies with the families and our first responders who sacrificed so much, and still today we are adding names to the various monuments of 9/11 first responders who are losing their lives to 9/11-related illnesses. These sanctioned moneys are used to help them and their families.

We will never forget that tragedy, and it is abhorrent that any of these resolutions are coming before us today in this manner.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on the measure under consideration.

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

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

Unfortunately, the alarm bells being raised by some proponents of these measures are demonstrably wrong and misleading.

The national emergencies at issue today rely on IEEPA, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which does not provide the President with any domestic statutory powers like testing chemical weapons or seizing radio stations unless the President issues another executive order specifically invoking those emergency powers.

If the President were to do so, which no President has ever done, the National Emergencies Act gives Congress the expedited privileged right to disapprove that power, which we undoubtedly would do.

Furthermore, there is no power to draft Americans into Active Duty. That was terminated in 1978. In contrast, let me remind this body, the legal certainty we are facing is that terminating these emergencies would immediately hand many millions of dollars to terrorists and war criminals and would eliminate an important source of compensation to American victims of terrorism.

Now, I remind my colleagues, with respect to Muammar Qadhafi's continued inclusion, if Muammar Qadhafi was delisted, all of his assets would be bequeathed to his children. While he has been dead for over a decade, as everyone knows, you can't take your money with you when you go, so we are preventing that money from going toward funding terrorism.

While I appreciate this dialogue, it is abundantly clear that the consequences of passing this resolution as well as the others are extensive. Amidst Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Wagner Group's continued war crimes across the globe, and the ongoing instability in Libya, we must keep this state of emergency and associated sanctions in place.

I again reiterate the point that with regular order, this should be going through the Foreign Affairs Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to call on President Biden to immediately approve the Major Disaster Declaration requested by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

The Hudson Valley was ravaged by storms and flooding on July 8, with a young woman tragically losing her life.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of our first responders, including the Piermont Fire Department's Dive Team and High Angle Rescue Team, Carmel Police Department, Putnam County Sheriff's Office, the Yorktown Police Department, among many, many more, thankfully no other lives were lost.

My office has been working in tandem with State and local elected officials to ensure that our region receives the Federal aid it needs to get back on its feet, which is why I am calling on President Biden to immediately approve the major disaster declaration requested by New York State.

We need FEMA to help our hard-hit Hudson Valley communities recover in full, and provide much-needed resources and aid to impacted homeowners and municipalities alike with the damage in the tens of millions of dollars.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the extraordinary acts of a few of our first responders, law enforcement officers, and brave residents.

On Saturday, May 20, a 911 call was received for an 8-year-old suffering from cardiac arrest.

Thanks to the swift response and unwavering commitment of the Carmel Police Department, particularly Police Officer Thomas Eagan, who arrived on the scene within 2 minutes and initiated the lifesaving application of an AED, the 8-year-old's life was saved.

Also assisting were Sergeant Laura Whitten, Officer Michelle Yeager, and Officer Brian Detz, who provided CPR, maintained scene control, and assisted medics, while Detective Daniel Shea also helped.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department, with a special mention to Assistant Fire Chief Rivera, who provided CPR, and to the Putnam County ambulance, medic, and EMS teams that stabilized the child and swiftly transported him to the Westchester Medical Center.

The immediate actions of Good Samaritans Laura Spallina, Judith Schoen, and Karen Tubman made a vital difference.

I also recognize Mircea Bors, who recognized cardiac arrest and began CPR. His fast thinking set the stage for the rescue efforts.

I thank the other law enforcement agencies that assisted with the safe transport of the child: Yorktown PD, Westchester County Police Department, New York State troopers, and the town of Mount Pleasant Police Department.

Through their combined efforts, an 8-year-old child's life was saved, a family was spared epic grief, and the community was reminded of the importance of our brave law enforcement officers and first responders.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1615, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act. This bipartisan legislation is pragmatic policymaking, one that safeguards the availability, use, and affordability of gas stoves.

By placing restrictions on the actions of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an important Federal regulatory agency, this act will help preserve access to traditional gas stoves for all Americans.

Why is this important? Because the government should not be in the habit of restricting consumer choice or access to appliances that are integral to our everyday lives.

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle will stand here and say till they are blue in the face that they don't want to ban gas stoves and that it is ridiculous that anyone would dare claim that it is happening. The fact is, they are already doing it.

In New York State, most new construction starting in 2026 will ban gas stoves. That was put in the State budget just 2 months ago. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, nearly 62 percent of households in New York State have a natural gas cooking appliance. A potential efficiency standard can be financially detrimental to millions of New Yorkers.

If you look at the sign, it is talking about 23 hours more that Americans will have to use per year boiling water under this potential regulation. Guess what? Seventy percent of electricity is generated by natural gas. You will be using more natural gas, not less. Over the past two decades, natural gas has reduced carbon emissions 60 percent more than renewables.

In California, they tried the same thing and had it summarily thrown out of court due to the absolute absurdity of this effort.

We can and should build a diverse energy grid. We agree with that. It has got to be based on science and facts, not pie-in-the-sky ideas. We simply cannot outright ban sources of energy and appliances that millions of Americans rely on.

In short, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act is prudent legislation, one that values consumer choice and maintains the availability of essential household appliances.

Mr. Chair, I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this significant and sensible bipartisan effort.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to speak in strong support of the passage of my bill, H.R. 3099, the Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman McCaul, Ranking Member Meeks, and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Torres) for working together in a bipartisan way to advance this legislation.

I have been overwhelmed by the amount of support and positive feedback that this crucial piece of legislation has received, and for good reason.

H.R. 3099 creates the position of the special envoy for the Abraham Accords in the U.S. Department of State. This new position would hold ambassador rank and be Senate confirmed. The special envoy would be responsible for coordinating efforts across the United States Government to expand and strengthen the Abraham Accords with key allies and strategic partners across the Middle East and across the globe. Having a point person at the State Department is key to ensuring the accords maintain a priority in this administration and all future administrations.

While this bill seeks to hold the Biden administration accountable to ensure they are advancing the Abraham Accords, it does so with strong support from both sides of the aisle, making clear that the United States

Government prioritizes our relationship with Israel and the advancement of peace and prosperity, regardless of any other policy differences we may have.

For 75 years, Israel has been and remains our staunchest ally and a pivotal partner in the Middle East. A beacon of freedom, democracy, and prosperity, they are an example that the rest of the region can look to for building a successful and vibrant society.

The Abraham Accords, a series of normalization agreements between Israel and other Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East, were a monumental step that has provided a roadmap for the future of diplomacy in the Middle East and beyond.

They also showcased that the real center of instability in the region is Iran. Many countries were finally ready to work together with the United States and Israel to counter Iran's state-sponsored terrorism, pursuit of nuclear weapons, and consistent violation of the human rights of the Iranian people.

Mutual opposition to the Islamic republic has fueled the Abraham Accords and signified a seismic shift in the geopolitical landscape. They are a testament to the transformative power of diplomacy and strong economic ties to bring about peace.

At its origins in September 2020, the Abraham Accords included the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Morocco joined the following December after normalizing ties with Israel.

While Israeli officials are taking meaningful steps to bring other countries into the Abraham Accords, none have joined since 2020 or the beginning of 2021.

It is critical, now more than ever, that we build upon this unprecedented progress, and the establishment of a special envoy is a definitive step in that direction.

Having a special envoy entirely dedicated to the Abraham Accords would underscore the United States' commitment to nurturing the growth of these historic agreements, and it sends a clear message to our allies and, indeed, to the entire world about the immense value we place on normalized relations with Israel and increased cooperation and stability in the Middle East.

This special envoy would also be critical for bringing Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords. Both countries have taken incremental steps to improve relations since Saudi Arabia's Gulf neighbors, the UAE and Bahrain, first normalized relations.

Israeli airlines can now use Saudi Arabia's airspace, and the kingdom recently agreed to respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Tiran for Israeli ships.

As a leader in the Arab world, Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords would make serious inroads for Israel's relationships not only in the Middle East but across the globe. Additionally, strengthening ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia would create immense pushback against Iran.

Moreover, this legislation calls for a comprehensive report to Congress detailing our Nation's efforts to expand the Abraham Accords. It requests specific information on diplomatic engagements and the status of normalization efforts with various other countries. This report, in effect, ensures a system of checks and balances, holding the special envoy, the Biden administration, and all future administrations accountable for prioritizing the strengthening of these accords.

Passing this bill would be a profound affirmation of our steadfast commitment to fostering peace, productive bilateral relationships in the Middle East and, we hope, well beyond. It embodies our vision of a world where peace in the region is not just a distant dream but a tangible reality within our reach.

Today, I stand before you, urging all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in championing this critical piece of legislation. Together, let's take this significant stride toward peace, prosperity, and a better future for all.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation shows that when Congress wants to work together, we can. We can advance legislation that not only makes a difference in the United States but makes a difference around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Ritchie Torres, for making that possible.

Mr. Speaker, having just honored many fallen veterans at ceremonies across the 17th Congressional District for Memorial Day last week, I rise today to recognize the life of a truly exceptional man, Colonel Edmund ``Beau'' Mason Riely.

Beau was a man whose dedication to service, family, and faith has left a legacy that will endure far beyond his years.

Born in Fort Bragg and raised in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, Beau was a beacon of strength and leadership from his youth, whether on the football field or in the ROTC program at Georgetown University.

As a distinguished officer in the 82nd Airborne Division, a graduate from the U.S. Army Ranger School, a battalion commander at Fort Benning, and a faculty member at the National War College, Beau exemplified the very best of our Nation's values.

Beau had a propensity for praising others and was reticent to accept credit for his accolades. In Beau's eyes, there was always something greater than himself: his faith, his family, and his commitment to service.

A loving father, he spent much of his time with his beloved wife, Renie, his cherished children, coaching their sports teams, helping with Scouts, and teaching Sunday school.

He was a husband, a father, a beloved son of Ed and Patricia, and a brother whose love radiated to those around him, leaving a profound impact.

Beau will be missed by all, those whose lives he touched and by a grateful Nation that he served.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor Ossining Padres Hispanos, a lifeline for the local Latino community, and its executive director, Ana Guzman, who immigrated to the United States from Ecuador 33 years ago.

Born from a simple Facebook group that translated school updates, Padres Hispanos has evolved into a vital community resource, serving thousands with food, clothes, language classes, workplace training, and critical classes on legal, financial, and immigration matters.

Just this past weekend, I joined Ana and community residents at Ossining Padres Hispanos to celebrate the graduation of their home health aide program, with over 30 people now joining the ranks of this critical workforce that helps our seniors age in place gracefully.

Clad in orange, symbolizing hope and energy, Ana and her team stand as a beacon of resilience, inclusivity, and solidarity in Ossining and across Westchester County.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Ossining Padres Hispanos and Ana for

their relentless commitment to our community's welfare. I thank them for making Ossining a better place for all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the scourge of fentanyl and opioids that have made their way into New York's Hudson Valley, a region I proudly represent.

It is critical that we all work together to find solutions to the devastating impacts these illegal substances can have.

I am fully committed to doing everything I can to stop the inflow of fentanyl at our southern border and points of entry and hold the cartels and those trafficking fentanyl-laced drugs accountable.

I am also dedicated to doing everything I can to assist organizations that play a critical role in the treatment, recovery, and education of those in the Hudson Valley struggling with substance use disorders, which is why I am supporting H.R. 467, the HALT Fentanyl Act.

This bill will categorize fentanyl as a schedule I drug as it has no currently accepted medical value and a high potential for abuse. Additionally, this bill establishes a new alternative registration process for schedule I research.

As someone who has seen firsthand the incredible positive impacts that recovery can have on families, I am in this fight for the long haul and know the importance of it.

Mr. Speaker, together, we can make a real impact, and I encourage my colleagues to pass H.R. 467.