Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of Julie Kim upon her retirement from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) after 33 years of dedicated public service. During this time, Ms. Kim advised Members, congressional staff, and committees on a wide range of foreign policy issues and historic world events with significant ramifications for the security of the United States and U.S geopolitical interests.

Ms. Kim joined CRS as an Analyst in European Affairs in the immediate aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall, at a time of momentous change in Europe and during a critical period in U.S. foreign policy. Ms. Kim covered the post-communist transitions in Eastern Europe, the break-up of the former Soviet Union, and the wars in the Western Balkans in the 1990s. Through her written analysis and consultative work on topics ranging from U.S. foreign assistance to Central and Eastern Europe, to NATO and European Union enlargement, to sanctions policy and peacekeeping operations in the Western Balkans, Ms. Kim contributed immensely to the knowledge of this body and its ability to provide oversight and respond legislatively to the implications of these seismic events for European security, transatlantic relations, and U.S. global leadership.

Ms. Kim also directly supported CRS' leading role in implementing the Frost-Solomon Task Force on the Development of Parliamentary Institutions for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in the 1990s. She later served as a key CRS liaison with the House Democracy Assistance Commission/House Democracy Partnership (HDP), which evolved from the work of the Frost-Solomon Task Force, and subsequently participated in many congressional legislative strengthening programs in Europe and beyond.

For the past 19 years, Ms. Kim served in a number of managerial positions at CRS, including 11 years as the Section Research Manager of the Foreign Policy Management and Global Issues section within the Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division (FDT), and as Acting Deputy Assistant Director of FDT several times. In recent years, Ms. Kim headed the Europe and the Americas team of analysts, who have been actively engaged in advising Congress as it addresses Russian military aggression against Ukraine, as well as political unrest and migration in Latin America, among other significant foreign policy challenges. Ms. Kim also contributed to many CRS-wide managerial initiatives, including playing an integral role in managing the public release of CRS products and working to increase diversity and inclusion at CRS, including through her efforts to establish a relationship between CRS and the Rangel/Payne summer internship program. In all of these managerial posts, Ms. Kim demonstrated exemplary leadership skills and mentored countless new analysts and younger colleagues, leaving a lasting imprint and legacy of excellence and service on the CRS workforce.

Please join me in expressing the gratitude of this body, and its appreciation on behalf of the American people, to Ms. Kim for more than three decades of service to CRS and the U.S. Congress. Alongside her CRS colleagues, family, and friends, we congratulate Ms. Kim on a storied and impactful career and on a well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I want to pay tribute to a long-time staff member and dear friend. Christopher Del Beccaro, who is leaving to embark on his next adventure. Although he will be greatly missed, I could not be happier for the chapter of life he is about to enter with his soon-to-be wife.

Chris has been my right-hand man, serving as Chief of Staff for the last 4 years. He has earned the reputation of a kind, patient. and dependable chief. I could always rely upon him for intelligent, helpful advice when it came to policy and politics.

Even more importantly, he has led my office with a sincere heart. My staff has often remarked on his compassion and genuine concern for their well-being. He brought a spirit of laughter and support in both good times and in difficult moments. Chris stays true to who he is and what he believes, and I know it will bring him much success throughout the remainder of his life.

I thank Christopher Del Beccaro for a job well done. I am forever grateful for the friendship and support he has given to me, the staff, and the people of our congressional district. I wish him and his fiance, Evgeniya, all the best with their upcoming wedding in Montenegro and the adventures that lie ahead.

His presence in my office will certainly be missed, but Chris will undoubtedly continue to be a trusted advisor to me. Once a member of Team McCaul, always a member of Team McCaul.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 57) expressing the sense of Congress supporting the State of Israel.

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 this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, the President of Israel will address this body in a joint session. It will be a great day in American history as Representatives of one of the greatest democracies are addressed by the head of state of another. Democracy and its shared values are at the very core of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

The beauty of our friendship is that we stand together, shoulder to shoulder, as we defend our freedom and our way of life from threats like Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and other forms of terrorism.

Let me be clear. Israel is not a racist country. It is deeply disturbing and concerning to me that some in this body have such a profound misunderstanding of Israel and Israeli society.

The previous government in Israel had Arab parties and Arab ministers serving in the coalition government. What a fantastic achievement for democracy. It is no secret that Israel is a country in a tough neighborhood that is clear-eyed in seeing many threats in its own backyard.

The United States will always support Israel's right to self-defense. We see Israeli citizens being murdered in senseless terrorist attacks. At times, the fallen have been American citizens.

Israel is responsible for protecting the well-being of its citizens. Protecting one's citizens from terrorist attacks is not racism. It is national security. To think otherwise is small-minded, and quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, it is just plain and simply wrong.

A key component of friendship is looking out for one another and standing up for each other. Racism has no place in this body or in public discord, period. I support this resolution rejecting false accusations and repulsive anti-Israel statements. I stand--and I know almost everyone in this Chamber stands--with our friends in Israel.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas (Mr. Pfluger) for bringing this resolution forward. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Pfluger), the author of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nunn).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Miller).

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 to close.

Mr. Speaker, there is nothing progressive about racism. Racism is ugly. I know my colleague, my dear friend, Mr. Meeks, who is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, knows what racism is.

He is also the strongest supporter of Israel.

I know our colleague, John Lewis, knew what racism really is, and racism is ugly.

Israel is not a racist state. My father was a bombardier in a B-17. He bombed the Nazis.

Why were we at war with Adolf Hitler and the Nazis?

For many reasons, but, fundamentally, because of their values. They were anti-Semitic. During the Holocaust, racism, in its ugliest form, took place in the concentration camps in Europe and, indeed, in Auschwitz, where I attended to see the horrors of what mankind can do against mankind.

Why was the State of Israel formed?

Israel was formed out of a racist society to say to the world: No longer, never forget, and we will not tolerate racism.

Mr. Speaker, 75 years later we stand here in this body celebrating this democratic state in the Middle East that was formed because of persecution and because of racism. We do not stand for racism. No one in this Chamber should stand for racism.

To call Israel, which was formed as a result of racism, anti- Semitism, and hatred, to call that very country a racist state is repugnant to all of our values.

I think everyone in this Chamber should vote ``yes,'' because as my dear friend across the aisle knows, racism and anti-Semitism have no place--no place--not only in this Chamber, but not in America and not anywhere in the world. Where we see it, we denounce it in its most ugliest form.

So this is a call to action to defend her and to defend the nation that was created by primarily the United States and our allies as a result of the hatred that we saw come out of Nazi Germany.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call No. 317, on Greene of Georgia Amendment No. 48, I inadvertently voted ``Aye.'' On that vote, I intended to vote ``No.''

Mr. Speaker, with a heavy but grateful heart, I rise to recognize the life of Kaye Goolsby. Kaye was not only a political giant in the state of Texas; she was also a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and dear friend to so many, including me.

One of my first supporters, Kaye helped propel me to public service, and she always inspired me to be the best representative I could be for the people of Texas. Originally from Louisiana, she and her family moved to Katy, Texas, in 1977, where they have lived for more than 45 years. And Kaye certainly earned her title as a Texan, holding dozens of leadership roles in the state and helping to advance many Texans to prominent government positions. In 2011, she was honored as one of the Top Ten Republican Women in Texas. Kaye also faithfully supported her local school district, Katy ISD, and selflessly served at First United Methodist Church.

There simply aren't enough words to describe Kaye's contribution to her community, the state of Texas, and our country. No matter what new task she took on, she remained grounded by an unwavering belief in the importance of freedom, faith, and family.

She will be deeply missed by her husband of 48 years, Gary Goolsby, her son Greg and his wife Christie, and her grandchildren, Preston and Avery.

The last words I said to her were, ``I love you, Kaye.'' The fact is: Everyone she touched loved her as well. While we mourn this tremendous loss, we also take comfort in knowing her impact will live on for generations.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 377) calling for the immediate release of Evan Gershkovich, a United States citizen and journalist, who was wrongfully detained by the Government of the Russian Federation in March 2023, as amended.

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

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

Evan Gershkovich is an American citizen and a respected Wall Street Journal reporter. He is the son of two Soviet-born Jewish exiles who fled Russia to avoid persecution. He is a loving little brother.

What he is not, Mr. Speaker, is a criminal. Yet, on March 29, he was arrested by the corrupt Putin regime and charged with espionage. No evidence has been presented to back up this accusation because there is no evidence.

Evan is innocent. He was simply doing his job, reporting on the news in Russia, but we know that the war criminal Putin doesn't like that. He doesn't want his own people to know about the atrocities that he is committing in Ukraine. He doesn't want them to know about the corruption within his own government or how he has turned their country into an international pariah.

Vladimir Putin knows that a free press is a pillar of democracy, that a strong fourth estate will hold officials accountable, so he arrested Evan with the intention of not only silencing him but of scaring other journalists to remain silent, too.

I assure Evan's friends, his coworkers, and especially his family, who I have met with, that we will continue our fight every day until we bring him home to you.

As the father of five children, I cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering Evan's family is feeling right now. I had the opportunity to meet Evan's mother, Ella, recently. Like any mother, she was very worried about her son and this situation, but she was also very determined to do anything she could to bring him home.

She thanked me for the efforts of our committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and others on Capitol Hill who are doing everything we can to help their son.

Just as unfortunate, our next resolution, on Paul Whelan, makes clear that Evan's family is not the only one suffering through this nightmare. We are also awaiting information from the State Department about the arrest of yet another American citizen in Russia over this last weekend.

The Putin regime is increasingly brazen in using political detentions to seek leverage over the Biden administration, and it must be made clear that the use of American citizens as political pawns will not go unpunished. These Americans deserve to be home with their families instead of in Russian prisons.

Today's bipartisan resolution condemns the Putin regime for their illegal imprisonment. It calls on the Biden administration to prioritize bringing home all American citizens who are wrongfully detained overseas.

Today, we send a strong message to Vladimir Putin that America, Republicans and Democrats alike, will not tolerate his corrupt regime holding U.S. citizens hostage under false pretenses.

America, Mr. Speaker, stands with Evan and with every American who is wrongfully detained overseas, and we will not rest until all of them are brought home.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. 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, let me also thank the ranking member, Mr. Meeks, because what makes this committee so special, in my opinion, is that we know how important it is to speak with one voice, as one country, not as a divided nation. When it comes to Mr. Putin and what he is doing to our Americans over there, we are united with one voice.

Mr. Speaker, Evan's case marks the first time since the Cold War that a journalist has been wrongfully charged with espionage on Russian soil. It is clear that Putin and the corrupt Kremlin will do anything to silence those who seek to expose the truth.

A man of integrity, Evan put the truth ahead of his own safety. He was dedicated to shining a light on the vast corruption and the war crimes of Russia.

Make no mistake, Evan's work posed a threat to Mr. Putin and his cronies, so they did what they always do when threatened: They silence their critics.

It is absolutely unacceptable for Putin to hold Americans hostage as diplomatic pawns. Quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, it is happening way too often now.

As I said before, America stands with Evan, and we will not rest until he is home.

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

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 272) calling on the Government of the Russian Federation to immediately release United States citizen Paul Whelan.

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 material on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, on December 28, 2018, U.S. citizen and Marine Corps veteran Paul Whelan was wrongfully arrested in Moscow and charged with espionage.

This is just one of the many examples where an American is used as a political pawn by the Kremlin--where they disguise hostility and human rights abuses as justice. Paul was held in pretrial detention for 19 months, and on June 15, 2020, he was sentenced to 16 years in a Russian labor camp.

Paul was never provided with any real evidence of guilt. Defense witnesses were excluded. He was denied a fair trial, including the opportunity to defend himself properly or even communicate with his family.

Last month, on May 16, Paul reached day 1,600 of illegally being held hostage in the Russian Federation for a crime he did not commit.

Mr. Speaker, Paul is innocent, yet he remains behind bars to this day. Since his illegal incarceration, Paul has not received adequate medical care and has been denied regular access to his attorney. He has been designated as ``wrongfully detained'' by the U.S. Department of State. U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan accurately described Paul's wrongful conviction as ``a mockery of justice.''

Make no mistake, there is no such thing as justice in a country that is controlled by a despot. This resolution shows that we have not forgotten, and we will never forget Paul, and that we will keep advocating for his immediate release.

The U.S. Congress will not sit by as Americans are held hostage by the war criminal in the Kremlin. We will not rest until Paul and every wrongfully detained American is home safely with their families.

During consideration of the prior measure, we discussed Russia's wrongful detention of the Wall Street reporter, Evan Gershkovich.

Another politically motivated imprisonment I must mention is Vladimir Kara-Murza, a legal U.S. permanent resident twice poisoned by the Kremlin. He is a relentless advocate for democracy and human rights and was recently sentenced to 25 years in prison for his criticism of Russia's war in Ukraine.

Sadly, this is what happens when you contradict the state-run media in a totalitarian state. His reward for pursuing the truth and standing up, exposing Putin's brutality and corruption, was imprisonment.

The vengeance of the Kremlin knows no bounds.

Putin must stop using Cold War tactics to target innocent Americans as diplomatic pawns. I call for the immediate release of all Americans wrongfully detained abroad.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this resolution so Paul and his family know that the United States Congress stands with them with one voice, Republican and Democrat, chairman and ranking member, and will do everything in our power to make sure that Paul is returned safely to his home and to his family.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill), the vice chair of the Financial Services Committee, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Intelligence Committee, and a cosponsor of the resolution.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I first thank Ranking Member Meeks for his support. We do speak with one voice, as one Nation, against this hostage taking by foreign nation adversaries.

I thank Representative Stevens for her passion on this issue and for introducing this resolution and being a co-chair of that important caucus. I also thank my dear friend, Mrs. Dingell, who represents the family and, obviously, the passion of the family. I can only imagine what it must feel like to have your son, family member, detained in one of the worst prisons in the world.

This happens too often. We are seeing this trend way too often now. It is not just Russia; it is China and Iran and Venezuela. It is a disturbing trend, Mr. Speaker, to take Americans hostage and hold them as political pawns for either a change of policy or an exchange of a prisoner that has no relation to the offense of the American. You can't tell me that what happened to Brittney Griner, whose offense was so meager, the idea she had some sort of small amount of--whatever it was, a vape pipe, and then in exchange, a major Russian arms dealer. But that is what they do and that is what they want.

We need to stop this, and we need to provide the deterrence to stop this. The world continues to watch in horror as Vladimir Putin's crimes and atrocities in Ukraine continue. That is a lot of what this is all about. Paul Whelan is a marine. Evan is a Wall Street Journal reporter.

Just reporting the truth gets you thrown in prison in Russia. What were they reporting about? The indiscriminate bombing and killing of civilians, to the mass graves I saw in Bucha, to torture chambers, to mobile crematoriums. Think about that, Mr. Speaker. We haven't heard about something like that in quite some time, probably since my father's generation and my father's war.

What we are witnessing today is a genocide. If you rise up in protest or report the truth, you will be put in prison. I condemn this aggression in the strongest possible terms. I, along with the other Members on both sides of the aisle, will continue to fight to hold these perpetrators accountable.

We must also condemn the Russian dictator's practice of exploiting them as political pawns. As I have said, it has happened way too often. It is time to get Paul out of this Russian gulag, which is what it is, and back to his family in Michigan.

Today, all of us stand in this body with one voice, united as Americans, in condemning Russia's illegal detention of Paul Whelan. Congress will not rest.

As Congresswoman Stevens said to Mr. Putin, if he is watching this, and to Paul Whelan, if he has the opportunity to watch this, we want them to know that we here in Congress will not rest until all Americans wrongfully detained in Russia are returned to their families.

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

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3099) to establish in the Department of State the position of Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, for 75 years, the United States and Israel have been close friends and partners, working hand in hand on our shared priorities to keep our nations safe, secure, and prosperous.

Along with our partnership with Israel, we also have many shared interests with our Arab partners in the region.

The United States has consistently worked to help secure peace in the Middle East, and we remain committed to enduring peace throughout the region.

Not only do we want to ensure regional security but economic prosperity as well, which drives cutting-edge innovation.

We are all concerned about Iran's malign activities. A nuclear Iran is a threat to the entire region and the world and is not acceptable. Yet, for so many years, our friends would not speak directly to one another. Even after Egypt, in 1979, and Jordan, in 1994, established peace and diplomatic relations with Israel, other Arab countries refused.

Then, in August 2020, everything changed. The UAE and Israel announced that they were normalizing diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by the Trump administration, which we now know as the Abraham Accords. In short order, Bahrain and Morocco joined UAE in opening diplomatic relations with Israel.

I was proud to be at the White House for the signing of these famous documents, the accords, a game-changing development that benefits the United States, Israel, and our partners in the region.

The Abraham Accords have served as a foundation for increased cooperation between Israel and Middle Eastern nations. We have already seen incredible leaps forward as these countries engage in defense cooperation, economic cooperation, and frequent diplomatic engagement. What we have not seen, but we all wish to see, is more countries joining the Abraham Accords.

Secretary of State Blinken was in Saudi Arabia last week, and I remain hopeful that one day Saudi Arabia will engage with their neighbors and join these historic accords. Saudi Arabia and Israel would both benefit from working together on their shared interests.

It has never been more important that we continue to prioritize the expansion of these agreements. Part of doing this entails making it clear who in the United States Government is responsible for expanding these Abraham Accords.

This bipartisan bill, introduced by my colleague and friend Mike Lawler from New York, who is also a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, would create that position, a special envoy for the Abraham Accords at the State Department. The special envoy will coordinate all efforts to expand the accords and strengthen relationships between Israel and participating countries.

We need to put our diplomatic might into trying to achieve the kinds of big breakthroughs that created the accords almost 3 years ago. This legislation, Mr. Lawler's bill, does exactly that.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler), a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the author of this important bill.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank all the gentlemen from New York--Congressman Lawler, Ranking Member Meeks, and Congressman Torres--for putting this legislation forward.

We have all talked about peace in the Middle East our entire lifetime, but we really have a chance to make a difference. The Abraham Accords jump-started that process, built upon the agreements with Egypt and then Jordan, and now this.

We are really, I think, privileged to be a part of the new era of ushering in cooperation between Israel and the Muslim-majority countries.

When I would talk to Ambassadors from UAE and other countries, they would say: We are just tired. We are just tired of Palestinians saying no. We just can't do it. We just can't do it.

They just said: We want to move forward. We want progress. We want peace in the region.

They want economic prosperity, which this does.

These accords mark a generational shift in Middle Eastern relations. This bill will further that effort and that mission, and we must continue the work. This special envoy will be dedicated to this purpose.

I have to say that Ritchie Torres came up with this idea. He worked with our side of the aisle, and he and Congressman Lawler worked together on this legislation. That is what Congress should look like, working together on a goal that can promote peace, prosperity, and cooperation--in this case, in the Middle East.

I may not see it in my lifetime, but I hope I do. However, I do know that this bill will move it one step forward toward that great goal that we all share here today.

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

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of Pablo ``P.J.'' Vargas, Jr.

Pablo was a constituent, a friend and the loving and dedicated father of the office manager for my College Station congressional office.

A lifelong Texan, Pablo attended Palo Alto College and moved to Bryan/College Station in 1990 to attend Texas A&M University to study civil engineering, where he graduated in 1992 and met his wife, Dee Dee Vargas, a Bryan native, whom he married in 1996.

P.J. was the proud parent of three children--Desiree Denise Carlin, Destinee Denise Vargas, and Pablo Vargas, III.

Just as his daughter Destinee is a dedicated civil servant, so was Pablo, who served the Texas Department of Transportation for 28 years.

Pablo loved to talk to everyone in the community and was always willing to help others. His generosity and his heart was as big as the state of Texas.

I extend my deepest sympathies to the Vargas family and the community he was so committed to serving.

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

Mr. Speaker, in my 20 years in Congress, including when I was chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, and as a former Federal prosecutor tasked with securing our border in Texas, I have never seen our border this chaotic, this broken. What we are witnessing today is unprecedented.

Right now, as I speak, there is a tidal wave of migrants marching across our southern border. Just yesterday, CBP apprehended over 10,000 migrants--10,000 in a single day. This is the largest human trafficking crisis I have ever witnessed in my lifetime, and it is time for Congress to act and restore control to this uncontrolled border.

While the administration and DHS Secretary Mayorkas have assured us ``the border is closed'' and that they have operational control of the border, just last month, Border Patrol Chief Ortiz testified that DHS does not have operational control of the border because the drug cartels have operational control of the border.

I know that. I have been down there. I have seen this movie before, but this is the worst movie I have seen.

It didn't have to happen. It was a self-inflicted wound. That is because, on day one, the Biden administration rescinded the Migrant Protection Protocols, otherwise known as remain in Mexico.

In my many meetings with Border Patrol agents down on the border, they tell me very bluntly that the rescission of these policies by President Biden on his very first day in office has had a direct cause and effect on the chaos at the border.

This policy was working under the last administration. Illegal immigration was dramatically declining. However, since President Biden took office in January 2021, we are witnessing a massive increase in illegal immigrant encounters and apprehensions at our southern border-- 5 million of them. The numbers don't lie.

Since President Biden took office, I repeat, there have been over 5 million migrant encounters, with at least 1.4 million known get-aways.

What is going to happen to these people? They have no legal status. They live in the shadows. The young girls are sex trafficked, and the young boys and men, their home will be MS-13.

Worse, more than 100,000 Americans have died from fentanyl flowing across the border, going from China to Mexico and across my State of Texas. That is nearly double the number of deaths in the entire Vietnam war over two decades.

Mr. Speaker, 853 migrants and counting have died trying to make the dangerous journey across the border just last year alone. This is the most recorded in history.

Thirty-five percent of women and children are raped and sexually abused throughout their journey at the hands of the brutal cartels.

What happens when they get here? We know that Mayorkas lifted the restriction so that sponsors of these children do not have to be vetted. What are we seeing?

We are seeing 10, 20, 30 children being sent to the same house, to their sponsors who have not been vetted.

This turns into a major trafficking problem right here inside the United States. When the cartels say, ``You still need to pay us more money. You need to run more drugs. You need to prostitute yourself,'' we are creating a criminal network right now inside the United States of America.

It is only going to get worse, particularly when title 42 is lifted today, the very day we are going to pass this bill.

From my point of view, as a former chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, 98 suspected terrorists attempted to enter the homeland last year. When I chaired the Homeland Security Committee, I always asked the question: How many special interest aliens, how many on the terror watch list, have tried to get in? How many have gotten in? That is just who we know about.

Think about the threat, the national security threat to the homeland, particularly after the collapse of Afghanistan and the rise of terrorism overseas.

I would argue that President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas are complicit in this crisis. The Federal Government's job is to secure borders--air, land, and sea. Unfortunately, this administration has failed to do so. They have abdicated their solemn duty to protect the homeland, to protect the American people, to protect these children.

One rescission, one stroke of the pen rescinding the remain in Mexico policy, created this chaos at the border. Don't take my word for it. Take the Chief of Border Patrol's word for it. Take the countless Border Patrol officers and agents I have talked to down on the border.

That is why I introduced this legislation, to compel the administration to solve this crisis once and for all. Congress is doing what the Biden administration has failed to do for the last 2\1/2\ years to fix our broken borders.

Our first priority must be to stem the massive flow of illegal aliens by reinstating and codifying the Migrant Protection Protocols known as remain in Mexico because it worked.

In my State, we have a saying: If it is not broken, don't fix it. It wasn't broken. It was working. They rescinded it, and now we have this crisis.

This legislation will also direct the State Department to renegotiate asylum cooperation agreements. These agreements prohibit migrants who travel throughout any countries with asylum agreements from eligibility for asylum in the United States.

Asylum is the magnet. It is the pull factor that is being abused by the cartels to make money off these children, women, and migrants.

This policy was very effective, and it worked under the prior administration. Reinstating it is a proven solution to reduce the chaos, the crisis.

By directing the Secretary of State to reauthorize and codify MPP and the ACAs, this bill bolsters the work being done on asylum reform and border security in both the House Judiciary Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee.

Finally, I would say this should not be a partisan issue. When I chaired the Homeland Security Committee, Ranking Member Thompson and I worked on many border security bills that were bipartisan. Many passed unanimously out of our committee. Yet, here we are on this partisan fight.

I think the American people deserve better than partisanship. They deserve solutions.

In my State, we witness this every day. Ranchers see dead bodies on their property and the drugs flowing in.

Secretary Mayorkas asked for a bill. Here it is. It is time that we reinstate the policies that have a proven track record of success.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will state for the record that we put in this bill a provision specifically for those paroled in the United States from Afghanistan so that this would not affect their legal status and that they can stay here in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost), the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner), the vice chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the chair of the Committee on Financial Services' Subcommittee on Capital Markets.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Burchett), a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from California.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Davidson), a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Self), a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me just say a few things. My friends on the other side of the aisle talk about this bill being inhumane.

Really?

Is it humane under this administration to stuff 40 migrants in an 18- wheeler to die from heat and suffocation in my home State of Texas?

Is it humane for the cartels to rape and traffic little girls?

Is it humane to kill 100,000 young people in this country from the poison of fentanyl?

Is it humane, Mr. Speaker, to send children to stash houses in the United States to become sex slaves and child labor slaves that even Child Protective Services would find criminal?

That is what this administration has done.

Susan Rice, our domestic policy adviser, is quoted in The New York Times as saying that she ``vented in a note she scribbled on a memo detailing the position of advocates, who believed a pandemic-era border closure was compelling parents to send unaccompanied children, sometimes called UCs.''

In other words, what was happening because of the change of policy by the Biden administration was that parents were compelled to send their children by themselves in the hands of the cartels, the traffickers, and the human smugglers.

What did Ms. Susan Rice, Mr. Biden's domestic policy adviser, say? ``This is BS,'' she wrote, according to a copy of the memo reviewed by the Times. She says: ``What is leading to `voluntary' separation of children is our generosity to these [unaccompanied minors].''

Wow. This administration, they know exactly what they are doing. They know what this policy has done. They know the results and the consequences of rescinding the MPP program, which is called inhumane. By the way, all it says is, you cannot enter the United States; you have to remain in Mexico pending your asylum claim.

You know why? Once you enter the United States, it is catch and release all over again. The very first bill I introduced 20 years ago in Congress was to end catch and release, and here we are so many years later, and we are right back to it.

The sad thing is, we had this thing under control with the construction of physical barriers and technology. Personally, I think it is very, very sad. Recent news reports show that in a single week there were almost 55,000 apprehensions by Border Patrol and more than 18,600 got-aways. Those are some of the highest totals on record.

Make no mistake, the termination of title 42 is well known among migrants. It is well known to the drug traffickers and the cartels, who make money off this racket. They are waiting for this policy to end to cross the border en masse. We see caravans right now, south, coming up toward my home State. It is clear the administration is not prepared and that this crisis will only get worse and devolve into chaos. As a result, the number of crossings, already at historic levels, will explode.

Mr. Speaker, this is unsustainable. We are facing a humanitarian crisis of generational proportions. It only benefits the cartels. I know this game too well. I was a Federal prosecutor on the other side prosecuting them. They know exactly what they are doing. They exploit, they terrorize, and they make a ton of money off exploiting human beings. It has cost countless lives.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse).

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the right to close.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the esteemed majority leader of the House.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of a most dear and loved Carol Louise Koenig, who passed away on April 9, 2023. While our hearts are heavy in her absence, knowing she is reunited with her parents and all her siblings brings great peace.

Carol was a pillar in my life and in the lives of so many others. She was one of my first supporters--both professionally and personally. I came to think of her as another mother because her guidance and wisdom helped lay the groundwork for where I am today.

The youngest of four children, Carol was born on July 12, 1936, in Houston, Texas. After graduating from Jeff Davis High School, Carol attended the University of Houston, where she met and married the love of her life, my dear friend, H.W. ``Buddy'' Koenig. Together, Carol and Buddy lived a fulfilling life and welcomed four boys into the world, whom they cherish dearly.

Carol was a lady of great faith, strength, and wisdom. Her genuine love was felt by all those who were blessed to be around her, including myself. It was always a priority of mine to visit her when I traveled back home to Austin. From the beginning of my career to now, she has continued to be a source of inspiration. I am grateful for Carol's influence in my life, and pray her love continues to be felt as we honor her memory.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H. Res. 90) demanding that the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Communist Party of China immediately release Mark Swidan, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, Mark Swidan is an American, a Texan, and has been a hostage of the Chinese Communist Party for more than a decade. We stand together to demand his release and an end to his torture by CCP officials.

In 2012, Mark was wrongfully detained in China for a crime he clearly did not commit. The U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has found that it was impossible for him to have committed any of the crimes he is charged with. In fact, Mr. Speaker, he was not even in China at the time the CCP says that these false crimes were committed.

Since his abduction in 2012, Mark has been grossly abused in Chinese custody. He has been held for more than a decade in temporary detention facilities intended for brief custody. He remains caged in a small, crowded cell that is freezing in the winter and sweltering in the summer. The toilet is a hole in the ground; the lights are never turned off; and he has no regular access to sunlight, a bed, or hot water.

Chinese officials have denied him proper medical care. Guards have broken his hands several times, and he has suffered a dislocated knee. Mark has lost almost 100 pounds. He suffers from tooth and gum disease, and his mouth bleeds every day. Mark has only been allowed to speak with his family a handful of times. His ordeal has taken a terrible toll on his physical and mental health.

Just last week, the People's Republic of China denied Mark's appeal and upheld the death penalty with a 2-year suspended death sentence. Threatening an American citizen with death for a crime that he could not have possibly committed is a brazen human rights violation and a disgusting example of CCP's hostage diplomacy.

Protecting Americans abroad is a priority mission of the State Department, yet State has failed to secure Mark's release or hold the CCP accountable for its gross violation of his basic human rights. Instead, the Biden administration continues to prioritize engagement with the PRC over all else, even the safety of American citizens.

This bipartisan resolution before us today unanimously passed the Foreign Affairs Committee in February. It condemns the CCP for their violation of international law and demands the immediate release of Mr. Swidan. Furthermore, it urges the Biden administration to hold the CCP accountable for its blatant violation of human rights and international law.

I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cloud), my good friend, for introducing this resolution which deserves our unanimous support.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cloud), the author of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, if we are seen as a weak nation, we will be treated as such. Appeasement only invites aggression. The U.S. must not tolerate these brazen acts of hostage diplomacy. I wish that Mark Swidan could somehow hear us in this Chamber today to know that he is not forgotten. However, I know that his tireless advocate, his mother, Katherine, is listening; and I know that his CCP captors and abusers are listening, too.

Our unified bipartisan message to them is simple: Free Mark Swidan now.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H. Res. 311) encouraging the expansion and strengthening of the Abraham Accords to urge other nations to normalize relations with Israel and ensure that existing agreements reap tangible security and economic benefits for the citizens of those countries and all peoples in the region.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, this week we are marking an incredible milestone, 75 years since the establishment of the State of Israel.

Since the day Israel was founded, it faced numerous existential threats, and yet today, Israel is a thriving democracy with a robust economy and one of the world's most capable militaries. Most importantly, the United States and Israel have stood shoulder to shoulder together since day one.

Over seven-and-a-half decades, we have worked as friends and partners, and we will continue to work together to overcome shared challenges and reach new triumphs.

The United States has long supported Israel's right and ability to defend herself against threats. Our long-term commitment to Israel's security includes the $3.3 billion per year in foreign military financing assistance and support for defense technology development. One of the great successes of this support is the Iron Dome air defense system.

In May of 2021 when Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad launched more than 4,000 rockets toward Israel, it was the Iron Dome that shot those weapons out of the sky, greatly limiting the number of casualties in this terrifying conflict.

After this escalation, Congress voted overwhelmingly to resupply the Iron Dome to help Israel keep its citizens safe.

The United States will always stand with Israel in its fight against terrorism. Our close partner is also vital to combating the global threat posed by Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missile arsenal, armed UAV attacks, as well as Iran's support for international terrorism, hostage-taking, and human rights abuses.

Simply put, a nuclear Iran is unacceptable, both for the United States, our ally Israel, and for the world.

We are also in full agreement that the IRGC is a foreign terrorist organization, and this designation should remain in place.

We are seeing Iran's malign influence spread well beyond the Middle East. Iran is orchestrating terror plots against Americans on U.S. soil.

Iran continues to supply Russia with lethal drones and other forms of support for its war of aggression in Ukraine.

Moreover, Iran is deepening its cooperation with Communist China who continues to threaten the global balance of power through their malign activities around the globe and hostility toward Taiwan.

Responding to Iran's global threat and its unholy alliance with Russia and China will be a generational challenge, but the United States and Israel are prepared to respond.

It is clear that others have taken note of how much the United States and Israel accomplish when we work together.

That is why in 2020, President Trump and his team succeeded in brokering the first normalization agreements between Israel and its neighbors in over 25 years.

The Abraham Accords are transformational for the Middle East. I was proud to be at the White House for the signing ceremony of these historic agreements. Now the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco join Egypt and Jordan in having full diplomatic relations with Israel.

The accords open the door to important cooperation, including to address the shared threat posed by Iran that is making the Middle East and North Africa safer and more prosperous.

These countries are working together on free trade, energy, water, and, of course, defense cooperation, like the Middle East Air Defense Alliance, now that Israel is a part of Central Command.

This is a generational shift in the Middle East and one that promotes peace and prosperity in the region. That is why we need to invest in the positive progress of growing and deepening the Abraham Accords as this resolution outlines.

We need to put our diplomatic might into trying to achieve the kinds of big breakthroughs that created the Abraham Accords almost 3 years ago.

I was pleased to see Oman and Saudi Arabia begin allowing overflights of

Israeli planes. It is a huge step forward, but we need to keep thinking bigger until we get to the game changer that would be full diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

On behalf of the American people, I congratulate our Israeli friends on everything they have accomplished in their first 75 years.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner), the author of this resolution, who made it just in the nick of time.

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

I thank Ms. Manning, Mr. Schneider, and Mrs. Wagner for leading on this important resolution. On a personal note, I have to thank my own father who fought in World War II and was a bombardier on a B-17 who bombed the Nazis. He participated in 32 bombing missions, including Operation Overlord.

My father's generation liberated Europe from the threats and the horrors of the Nazis and fascism. They liberated the Jewish people from the horrors surrounding the Holocaust, which is unimaginable. That generation brought the State of Israel into existence, and that is our pact with Israel.

Since 1948, Israel has been our best friend and our strongest ally in the Middle East. Israel has also been a true beacon of hope and democracy in the Middle East.

I look forward to a day, as I know they envisioned at the time of its creation in 1948, that even though these forces still exist today of anti-Semitism in Iran and other nations, that one day we will achieve true peace in the Middle East. I look forward to the day that Israel can coexist peacefully with its surrounding neighbors in the region and with the world.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1093) to direct the Secretary of State to submit to Congress a report on implementation of the advanced capabilities pillar of the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, as China continues its aggressive posture in the Indo- Pacific, strengthening partnerships to deter Chairman Xi are more important now than ever. I thank my good friend, Ranking Member Meeks, for standing with me in support of this bipartisan measure.

The Australia-United Kingdom-United States partnership known as AUKUS is a long-term security pact to protect peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

The recent announcement on AUKUS implementation only addressed one piece of this partnership--cooperation on conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines, but there is much more to this partnership.

The second pillar of AUKUS is cooperation on advanced capabilities. The purpose is to collaborate on high-tech research and the application of systems, such as hypersonics, undersea capabilities, quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, and much more.

This legislation focuses on ensuring the State Department is authorizing technology transfers quickly to fully support implementation of this vital pillar.

We are facing a generational challenge from the Chinese Communist Party. We must bring all tools to bear in our effort to counter Chairman Xi's attempts to disrupt the global balance of power. With AUKUS, our three nations can achieve the shared strategic goal of defending the Indo-Pacific region while maintaining our technological and military superiority.

This bill presses the State Department to take action and account for our arms transfers with the U.K. and Australia so that we can address any hurdles and act seamlessly now and not wait for a time of crisis or even war.

For these reasons, I am proud of this bipartisan bill, which will begin to address numerous long-standing challenges in our arms exports to our closest allies and potentially serve as a roadmap for working with other close allies and partners.

I, again, thank Ranking Member Meeks, his team, and our members for working with my staff to ensure that this bill in support of a new long-term security pact with our allies becomes a reality.

Mr. Speaker, this bill deserves our unanimous support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, with AUKUS, we seek peace through strength. The previous administration laid the groundwork to collaborate with our closest allies and partners in countering China's threat to peace. Our Nation stood alongside Australia and U.K. for the launch of the AUKUS trilateral partnership in September of 2021. Now, we are prepared to best implement this important program.

Through AUKUS, we are declaring that we will not stand idly by for Chairman Xi and other autocratic leaders to dictate when and under what circumstances the strength of our resilience is to be tested.

This bipartisan measure is a commitment to our partners. The American people stand with the U.K. and Australia in preserving freedom. Together we will uphold the international rules-based order and protect and preserve the right of sovereign nations to defend themselves.

In the Indo-Pacific, we have seen how one dictator, Chairman Xi, is defying the free world and threatening the open navigation and the free flow of trade. This week, Xi met with Putin in Moscow and afterwards possibly Iran.

Chairman Xi chooses to closely partner with Russia, who launched an unprovoked war of aggression with Ukraine, where they are committing barbaric war crimes, as I just returned from Kyiv and Bucha, where I saw the mass graves.

Mr. Putin also has a long track record of war crimes in Mali, Syria, and Central African Republic.

Xi also chooses to associate with Iran, whose Revolutionary Guard Corps is a designated foreign terrorist organization. These alliances are a clear indication that Xi does not seek peace but chooses to work with those who wish to destroy it.

Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to speak in a unified voice, as we do so often on the Foreign Affairs Committee, with my dear friend Mr. Meeks, in support of this great AUKUS partnership. Again, this measure deserves our unanimous support.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.