Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sergeant Mike LeDoux on his retirement after spending over 30 years with the Minnesota State Patrol.

During his many years of service, Sergeant LeDoux has conducted over 40,000 traffic stops, made 1,000 DUI arrests, and has not missed a day of work since 1998.

For Sergeant LeDoux, joining law enforcement was truly a calling. He comes from a long line of law enforcement dating back to his great- grandfather, and he has proudly carried on this family tradition.

He also served as president of the Minnesota State Patrol Troopers Association. In his capacity as president, I worked with him at the State legislature, and he has become a good friend.

I once again congratulate Mike on over 30 years of service to the State of Minnesota, and I thank his wife, Melissa, for her help and support of Mike and for putting up with a dining room table buried in papers.

Congratulations to both of them on a well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Pierz Lakers in winning the Minnesota Baseball Association's amateur State championship.

The Lakers fought valiantly through the Class C tournament, defeating the Le Sueur Braves 11-1 to win their first-ever State championship.

It is great to see the tradition of town ball alive and well in Minnesota.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Pierz Lakers on their victory.

Mr. Speaker, I am sad to say that I rise today to pay respects to my friend, a colleague, a man I served with for many years in the Minnesota legislature, and a kind and good man, Senator Bruce Anderson.

He passed away unexpectedly leaving Minnesota and his family to mourn the loss of a great man.

A Navy veteran of the Vietnam war, he was an advocate for veterans and for rural communities and a man I was honored to serve with. He will be deeply missed by so many of us, and I send my deepest condolences to his family and all of those who knew him. I will keep them all and him in my prayers.

extending sympathy to the welu family of milroy

Mr. Speaker, I rise to extend my sympathy to the Welu family of Milroy following the tragic loss of Melvin in a farming accident.

Melvin was born and raised in Milroy, a third-generation farmer, a lifelong active member of St. Michael's Catholic Church, and an amateur historian. He loved his Milroy community, reviving the Milroy Fun Fest and following the local sports teams closely.

He loved spending time with his children and taking his grandchildren on tractor rides around the farm. He loved his wife, Bev, and their Saturday night dates.

I send my deepest condolences to the Welu family as they navigate through this difficult time. I will be keeping Melvin, his family, and the community of Milroy in my prayers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Joe Jensen on a successful 50-year career serving as a 911 dispatcher. Joe started his career at the Marshall Police Department as a dispatcher and is wrapping it up with Lyon County.

His calm voice put people at ease, even during one of the scariest times of their lives.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Joe for his courage, positivity, and service throughout the years. The community will miss him, but they are grateful to him for making it a better place. May he enjoy his well- deserved retirement and the next chapter of his life. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Joe.

Congratulating Officer Sara VanLeeuwe

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Officer Sara VanLeeuwe on a successful 30-year career at the Marshall Police Force. From the time she was a teenager, Sara knew she wanted to be a police officer, starting her career as a part-time officer.

Over her 30 years, Officer VanLeeuwe has had a huge impact throughout her community and especially loved the work she did in the schools. She taught antidrug classes to hundreds of students and served for 19 years as the Marshall School resource officer.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Sara for her courage, compassion, and service. I know Marshall will miss her presence on the force. May she enjoy her well-deserved retirement.

Congratulating 2025 Meeker County Farm Family of the Year

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the 2025 Meeker County Farm Family of the Year: the Ahlgrens. Along with their six children and a few part-time employees, Rick and Sarah Ahlgren run the Ahlgren Dairy. The farm milks 220 cows and raises replacement heifers in Ellsworth Township.

While the farm has been in the family for generations, since Rick and Sarah purchased the operation in 2018, the family has invested in new robotic equipment, cover cropping, and a new heifer barn. The family is also active in their community, participating in educational events and even hosting a live nativity scene for the public each December.

I am proud to have a family so committed to both responsible agriculture and their community. It is because of family like theirs that our rural communities thrive.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Comer for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 519.

The events of June 14 were truly horrifying. Those events shocked Minnesota, and they shocked the country.

We mourn the loss of Minnesota Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. We pray for the swift recovery of my friend, Senator John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette. I was honored to serve with both of them in the Minnesota Legislature.

We are still processing this senseless act, and I stand with my colleagues today as we say that there is no place for politically motivated violence in this country.

These victims committed themselves to public service and believed that they were working to make their State a better place. There is no scenario in which that dedication to public service should have cost them their lives.

We stand with John and Yvette and their family as they continue to recover from the horrible attack.

I know that the friends and family of Mark and Melissa are proud of the legacy they left, and they have left a strong legacy for all of us. I hope their friends and family know that the Minnesota community is here for them.

Finally, I thank the men and women of law enforcement who worked tirelessly to apprehend this deranged killer and bring the episode to a close.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Nathan Lund of Starbuck, Minnesota, on receiving Minnesota's Agriculture in the Classroom 2025 Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award.

This award is given to K-12 educators who can creatively incorporate agriculture concepts into their teaching.

Nathan has taught fifth and sixth grade students at Glacial Hills Elementary School since 2001. His students have been able to grow their appreciation for agriculture through hands-on learning experiences, like maintaining a school garden and hosting food-making contests.

Community members have been grateful for Nathan's work in the classroom, as he has inspired many students

and helped them build important life skills.

I congratulate Nathan on this amazing achievement, and I wish him the best of luck as he continues his fantastic career.

Congratulating Dominique Claseman and Ahren Jurgensen

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Dominique Claseman and Ahren Jurgensen of Olivia, Minnesota, on raising nearly $120,000 for a veterans memorial in their hometown.

Mr. Speaker, 3 years ago, Dominique raised over $77,000 to construct a memorial for veterans. Since then, he has enlisted in the U.S. Army and is currently completing his basic training.

In less than a year, his younger brother, Ahren, who also intends to join the military after high school, raised $40,000 to expand on the memorial, installing additional plaques, benches, flags, and pavers.

I congratulate Dominique and Ahren on their amazing achievements, and I thank them for their service to their community and to their country.

Celebrating Lawrence Weinrich's 100th Birthday

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Lawrence Weinrich of Ottertail, Minnesota, on turning 100 years old last Friday, May 30.

Lawrence was born in Fergus Falls and grew up during the drought in the 1930s. He was one of the first drafted for the Korean war, serving 13 years. When he returned, he went to work for a lumber company and only quit chopping wood a couple of years ago.

Today, Lawrence is an avid dancer who goes out dancing at least five times a month in the winter and even more during the summer.

Lawrence credits his agility and dance ability to his active lifestyle as he walks frequently and has had several successful deer hunts. Reaching the century milestone is a testament to his strength, wisdom, and many lives he has touched over the years. I wish Lawrence a happy birthday and congratulate him on 100 amazing years.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 458 and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

General Leave

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

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

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues and I are here today to debate the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2931, the Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act; H.R. 2966, the American Entrepreneurs First Act; H.R. 2987, the CEASE Act, which will be considered under a closed rule; and H.R. 2483, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act to be considered under a structured rule.

One hour of debate each for H.R. 2931, H.R. 2966, and H.R. 2987 shall be equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Small Business Committee, or their designees.

One hour of debate will also be provided for H.R. 2483 and shall be equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, or their designees.

The rule provides a motion to recommit for all four bills.

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues are here to deliver on the Trump administration's agenda and solidify his executive actions with commonsense legislation. With Congresswoman Van Duyne's American Entrepreneurs First Act, my colleagues are going to help codify the work that the Small Business Administration is doing to ensure that businesses receiving Federal benefits are 100 percent owned by U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents and businesses that employ illegal immigrants are ineligible for these funds. This is part of our ongoing effort to stop subsidizing previous open-border policies. It makes sense that only law-abiding American citizens should have access to programs that American taxpayer dollars go towards.

SBA offices are being located out of sanctuary cities and into places that do not limit their cooperation with Federal agencies that are charged with immigration enforcement. The SBA Administrator announced that the agency would be relocating offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York City, and Seattle, and moving them to less costly and more accessible locations to better serve the mission and comply with Federal immigration law. With Congressman Finstad's bill, the Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act, Republicans are supporting this plan with legislation, giving the SBA 120 days to deliver on this commitment and relocate those offices. Sanctuary cities need to be held accountable and need to see the consequences of their disregard for Federal law.

With Mr. Bresnahan's CEASE Act, it is strengthening SBA's programs by limiting the number of nonprofit small business lending companies licensed by the SBA to 16. This will allow the agency to provide the necessary oversight to ensure that they are effectively serving the small businesses that Congress intended.

Finally, my colleagues are here to debate the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act. I thank Mr. Guthrie for introducing this important legislation. This bill reauthorizes the 2018 legislation President Trump signed into law and strengthens it. I am glad to say that across the country we are seeing a decline in overdose deaths. Of course, the work is not over. My colleagues are making sure we are investing in overdose prevention and equipping communities to counter substance abuse disorders.

The Energy and Commerce Committee has taken a hard look at what worked best from the 2018 law and built off its success by continuing to provide resources for prevention, education, treatment, recovery, workforce, and law enforcement to help patients struggling with substance use disorder. It ensures first responders are able to administer lifesaving drugs, ensures HHS cannot require States to use one specific vendor over another, clarifies that Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration's State and Tribal Opioid Response Grants can be used for test strips, and requires that Administration to identify and address serious mental illness.

This bill is part of President Trump's and the Congressional Republicans' promise to stop the flow of fentanyl by securing our borders and then combat the crisis caused by these drugs in our communities. President Trump has done his part to secure our border, and Republicans will supply him with more resources to do so in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Through the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, we will combat the existing opioid crisis in our communities.

I am proud to stand in support of these bills. I look forward to this debate, and I hope my colleagues can stay focused on the topic in front of us today as we discuss these proposals that are important to American families and taxpayers.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I am just a little confused. My colleague mentioned ``whiplash,'' and I am feeling a little whiplash over here because Democrats liked Elon Musk. Then, the minority hated Elon Musk. Now, my Democratic colleagues like him again?

I am just a bit confused and ask that maybe someone can clear that up for me because it goes back and forth, and I feel like there is lots of whiplash going on.

I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts.

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

Mr. Speaker, it sure does feel like Democrats are going back and forth on him, and there is lots of whiplash going on, so my colleagues on the other side of the aisle need to make it clear because now Democrats are quoting him on the floor.

What is embarrassing really, truly, is that the Democrats adhere to their talking points and repeat them and repeat them, and this is a perfect example of where Democrats are spreading misinformation.

The minority wants the public to believe that Republicans are cutting Medicaid, and we are not. We are making sure it goes to those people who need it and that we use every taxpayer dollar wisely. That means we are making sure that American tax dollars go to American citizens.

That means strengthening the system so care can get to those who need it most and that we weed out waste, fraud, and abuse. Individuals who are suffering from substance addiction, like those we are working to help with the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, are not subject to the work requirements in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Mr. Speaker, 11 Democrats voted for the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act coming out of committee. I think that we need to make sure that we are sticking to the facts instead of Democratic talking points.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Finstad).

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

Mr. Speaker, I was just thinking about what we are talking about. The notion that my colleagues are really considering voting against the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act is baffling to me. Really, I think it all shows that they hate President Trump so much that they are willing to vote against legislation that would help communities combat opioid abuse.

They want to stick to their anti-Trump, anti-Republican talking points and avoid talking about the bills that are in front of us. I would like them to try taking that message, the message that they refuse to provide resources to their communities to combat opioid abuse, back to their constituents.

This bill brings resources to our constituents to combat opioid abuse. That is what we are talking about. It is that simple. They can hate the President, or they don't have to, but don't let these people facing substance addiction and our communities suffer for their talking points.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleagues on the other side have been using the same anti-Trump, anti-Republican talking points for months and months, and I understand that they don't like what the House Republicans are doing and don't like what the

President is doing, but the American people do.

Poll after poll is showing that an increasing number of people now believe this country is heading in the right direction. A Rasmussen Reports survey shows that this is the first time in 20 years that the majority of respondents have felt that way.

Go ahead and vote against these things that will increase work to stop the opioid crisis, curb wasteful spending of the American taxpayer dollar, and address illegal immigration, but know that it will be a vote against the will of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber), another colleague of mine.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I will clarify some things. My colleague continues to talk about the tax bill, which is not actually in front of us right now. We are talking about different things. I do feel

the need to address that in that tax bill that he is talking about, in the reconciliation bill that he trashes and says that it is tax breaks for billionaires.

I will just use my district as an example.

In my district, in the Seventh District of Minnesota, the reconciliation bill that he opposes would prevent a 25 percent tax hike for most people in my district where the average income is $70,000, not billionaires, $70,000.

It also increases the standard deduction. It increases the child tax credit. It helps small businesses through the 199A deduction. This is a solid tax bill. We looked at what we can do to help the average citizen in the country, and we made sure that it was a solid tax bill.

I just wanted to make sure that we are correcting some of the talking points that the Democrats are using because this does provide tax breaks for the middle income.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, again, I always have to take the opportunity to correct things. What we are doing in the reconciliation bill--because this bill in front of us is not what they are talking about because they have digressed into Democrat anti-Trump, anti-Republican talking points, but I do have to make a few things clear.

In the reconciliation bill for Medicaid, we have for able-bodied individuals without dependents, there is a work requirement. That work requirement could also be schooling or it can be community engagement.

We will be removing illegal immigrants who should not be on Medicaid. We also are looking at that waste, fraud, and abuse. The people that will be removed should not have been on Medicaid in the first place. They shouldn't have been on the rolls.

We are not removing people that need Medicaid because those people who need it will be getting it. It is that work requirement, the illegal immigrants, and those who should not have been on it in the first place.

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

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will take an unorthodox step and associate myself with the remarks of one of my Democrat colleagues from New Mexico in the Rules Committee last night.

What is astonishing is that my Democrat colleague finally admitted what we have been telling the American people for weeks. As I mentioned, we are talking about the illegal immigrants in light of the CBO score that 1.4 million illegal immigrants are, indeed, on the rolls of State healthcare systems.

Now, our colleague tried to take us down a rabbit hole, and she ended up twisting herself in knots to find the terminology to aid her in the talking points. The latest argument, apparently, to hide the fact that illegal immigrants are accessing Medicaid is that they are only accessing State health systems, not the Medicaid program. I will point out in a news flash that Medicaid is a State administered program that supports State health systems.

Mr. Speaker, don't take it from me. Let me quote the Congressional Research Service: ``Medicaid is a joint Federal-State program . . . The Federal Government requires States to cover certain mandatory populations and services,'' but ``allows States to cover other optional populations and services.'' Due to this flexibility, there is substantial State variation in ``factors such as Medicaid eligibility, covered benefits, and provider payment rates.'' In addition, several waivers and demonstration authorities and statutes ``allow States to operate their Medicaid programs outside of [certain] Federal rules.''

Now, even Democrats are admitting that Medicaid dollars are being used to benefit illegal immigrants and that is what we are trying to stop, the draining of this program of funds that are intended to help American citizens in need.

Mr. Speaker, as expected, my colleagues are unable to focus on the task

at hand. Instead, they want to continue their fear-mongering and falsehoods about what is in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

For the record, again: It does not cut Medicaid for any U.S. citizen who needs it. It does strengthen the system and makes sure it benefits the people who really need it. We need to be responsible to the taxpayers, and we are going after waste, fraud, and abuse.

I will say it, again: Anyone who needs Medicaid will have it.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, as expected, my colleagues deviated completely from the task at hand today, and instead, like I said earlier, they wanted to continue these attacks on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. As I have mentioned repeatedly, Medicaid is not cut for those who need it.

We are ensuring that American taxpayer dollars are going to help American businesses. The American Entrepreneurs First Act does not prevent people with temporary visas or other legal immigrant statuses from holding jobs at American businesses or from owning their own small businesses. It just says that if you want support from American tax dollars, you need to be an American citizen or a lawful permanent resident.

Mr. Speaker, the Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act further supports that mission, a mission that the majority of Americans support, to end pro-illegal immigration policies by showing these cities that the SBA is serious and is going to move its offices if sanctuary cities do not start following Federal law.

Mr. Speaker, we are here to further the great work that is being done by our communities to put a stop to the terrible overdose and substance abuse issues in this country through the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act. I do not believe that there is a person in this Chamber who does not see this as one of the most serious issues facing our Nation today.

I support the rule and the underlying legislation, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kadyn Kulzer from Paynesville on being awarded the State FFA Degree, the FFA's highest honor.

Kadyn has been a member of the Paynesville FFA since seventh grade and has been a great chapter officer for the past 2 years. She has demonstrated years of commitment to the FFA chapter in Paynesville.

Kadyn plans to attend college to earn a degree in exercise science and eventually pursue a career as a chiropractor. I am sure she will excel in her career, just as she has excelled in the FFA.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Kadyn on her hard work and dedication to the FFA and the community.

Congratulating Dorothy Vandendriessche

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Dorothy Vandendriessche of Marshall, Minnesota, on receiving the Minnesota Woman of the Year Award at the Catholic Women's convention. This award recognizes significant and outstanding contributions made by a councilwoman in areas of service to the church, the Council of Catholic Women, her parish, and the community. This honor is given to women who serve as an inspiration to others.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Dorothy on this outstanding achievement and for her contributions to her community and her church.

Congratulating Mason Miller

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Mason Miller of Ada, Minnesota, on signing a free-agent contract with the Detroit Lions.

Mason started in all 16 games of the NDSU Bison season last year and was named a first team All-American. Mason played an important role propelling the Bison to their tenth FCS National Championship.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Mason on this incredible accomplishment and wish him well as he begins the next chapter of his life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kumara Jayasuriya on his remarkable tenure as the president of Southwest Minnesota State University.

Under President Jayasuriya's leadership, SMSU thrived. In a period where most Minnesota schools saw an enrollment drop, SMSU's rose by nearly 20 percent.

Just last year, the university recorded its highest enrollment in 14 years, and I am incredibly grateful for what he has done to improve higher education in western Minnesota and to protect the legacy of a respected institution.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate President Jayasuriya on his retirement and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with him to advance SMSU.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Mechatronics Team 3133, the Alexandria Area High School's robotics team, on winning the Impact Award.

This prestigious award will send the team to the world championship in Houston, Texas. This is their third Impact Award, and it is clear why. The team is extremely dedicated, having offered hours of their time in the summer to work with elementary and middle school robotics teams.

Teammates Bridger Klavetter and Gunner Sellnow said they appreciate the worldwide community that the sport has allowed them to be part of and said that their team works to be professional in defeat and gracious in victory.

On behalf of the Seventh District, I wish them the best of luck in Houston.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Mary Gislason on 43 years of service to the people of Lyon County.

As a dispatcher for the sheriff's office, Mary provided crucial support, connecting those in need with emergency responders. Mary's colleagues praised her ability to remain calm despite the severity and stress of the job.

After 43 years of serving the people, some of them on the worst day of their lives, and being a lifeline to those in the field, I congratulate Mary on a well-deserved retirement. I wish her the best as she begins the next chapter of her life.

Congratulating Dave Preisler

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Mr. Dave Preisler on receiving the Minnesota Pork Board's Distinguished Service Award.

From a childhood in 4-H and FFA to a 28-year career in the pork industry, Dave has dedicated his life to Minnesota agriculture. His expertise, compassion, and ability to lead in times of crisis have allowed him to leave a lasting impact on the industry and those who rely on it.

I congratulate Dave on this tremendous honor. We are all grateful so much for his service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Dawson- Boyd Blackjacks on defeating the defending champs to claim their first- ever title 1A championship.

It has been 34 years since the Blackjacks have been to the State tournament, and their hard work paid off. With what felt like the entire town in Williams Arena, this game was a dream come true.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Blackjacks on their victory. They have made all of their families, community, and the Seventh District proud.

Congratulating Albany Huskies on Undefeated Season

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Albany Huskies on their undefeated season, closing it out with a win over Waseca in the Class 2A championship last weekend.

These players were unshakable, even when the score was tied up. They knew their mission and executed, and they have made their families, the Albany community, and the entire Seventh District proud.

Congratulating Alexandria Cardinals on Championship

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Alexandria Cardinals basketball team on defeating Mankato East for their first- ever 3A Boys championship title.

The senior co-captains, Sam Hagstrom and Chase Thompson, were especially excited, saying: ``It has been a fun ride,'' and, ``We ended things with a bang and left our mark,'' after their big win.

This is a closely bonded group of young men, and their teamwork certainly paid off.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Cardinals on their win and for making their families, community, and the entire Seventh District proud.

Congratulating West Central Area Knights

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the West Central Area girls' basketball team, the Knights, on their first-ever State championship in any sport for their school.

As the fourth seed in a season full of upsets, I know this was a hard-fought victory. They should all be so proud of everything they have accomplished this year. They have certainly made their families, community, and the entire Seventh District proud.

Congratulating Ron Mergen

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Ron Mergen on 37 years of service to the city of Paynesville.

A beloved and respected member of the community, unsurprisingly, last year, he was voted Boss of the Year. I know his coworkers are sad to see him go, but I also know he won't be a stranger. He has been named the grand marshal of this year's Paynesville Town and Country Days parade.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ron so much for his service to the community and congratulate him on a well-earned retirement.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 211 and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members

may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

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

Mr. Speaker, we are here to debate the rule providing for consideration for H.J. Res. 25, H.R. 1156, and the continuing resolution.

The rule provides for H.J. Res. 25 and H.R. 1156 to be considered under a closed rule. One hour of debate for each bill shall be equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, or their designees. The rule provides for a motion to recommit for both bills.

The rule also provides for H.R. 1968 to be considered under a closed rule. One hour of debate shall be equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Appropriations Committee or their designees. The rule provides for one motion to recommit for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, House Republicans want to keep America open for business. I would like to believe nobody in this Chamber wants a government shutdown, and the bill we are considering today would keep the government fully funded through September 30. This will ensure that there are no disruptions to veterans' healthcare services and benefits or to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid.

It invests in defense personnel with the largest pay raise for junior enlisted troops in over 40 years. It includes funding for the Toxic Exposures Fund to treat veterans who have experienced service-related exposure to toxic substances. This bill fully funds the program that provides key nutrition assistance for mothers, infants, and children and increases funding for the WIC program. It increases funding for the

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

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to take a minute to address one thing out of that entire rant because it is categorically false.

The Community Oriented Policing Services, COPS, program maintains a consistent level under this CR. The only variation in levels reflects the removal of previously enacted FY24 community project funding allocations which are separate from the main programming.

Claims that the COPS program has been defunded to zero are categorically false. Unlike the Democrats, Republicans remain committed to supporting law enforcement and ensuring public safety. I wanted to address that one thing.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman), my Rules Committee colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy), my colleague from the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy), my colleague from the Rules Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind everyone that the people have spoken. They spoke in November. The Republicans are the majority in the House. The Republicans are the majority in the Senate. They elected President Trump. The people have spoken.

I would like to bring it back to what we are actually talking about today, and that is the rule in front of us. We are discussing the rule and the continuing resolution.

As my colleague from Texas mentioned, there was not a single ``no'' vote from Democrats for the continuing resolution in December. They are standing here today willing to shut down the government not because of anything substantive in the bill but because they believe that as long as they are acting against the Trump administration, against the elected President's and Republicans' agenda, then they must be doing the right thing.

Motivation by blind hatred, that is the Democratic Party that we have before us today.

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

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

This is just another example of how talking points are written before they actually read the bill because this is about a government shutdown, plain and simple. We have to have the rule to pass the CR so that we can avoid a government shutdown.

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

Mr. Speaker, the House Appropriations Committee worked in good faith throughout the FY25 process, and it was the Democrats who weaponized this process, holding up negotiations on demands that were completely unrelated to funding. If my colleagues choose a Democrat shutdown simply because they hate Donald Trump and his administration, then they are showing they have still learned nothing from the results of last year's elections.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, now that we have finished listening to the Democrats' talking points, the same talking points that they use over and over to mislead the American people and demonize Republicans and demonize President Trump, I will actually focus on what we are talking about today and what is actually in front of the body. That is the rule to deal with the CR and two other bills.

Even with the additional funding for veterans and the FAA and families in this bill, it will cost less than last year. It won't be by gutting programs, as my Democratic colleagues have so wrongfully claimed, but by removing projects from the fiscal year 2024 bill so that they are not double funding projects that have already received funds in fiscal year 2024.

My Democratic colleagues must be confused because I certainly would not want to be accused of calling them liars. This bill upholds the responsibility of our veterans and ensures full funding for healthcare services and benefits. It includes the largest pay raise for junior enlisted troops in over 40 years. It supports Federal wildland firefighters. It increases funding for air traffic controller priorities.

It does not cut grants for law enforcement. It does not cut spending on family assistance programs. In fact, it increases spending for WIC by more than $500 million, and it includes an additional $6 billion for the Toxic Exposures Fund to treat veterans who have experienced service-related exposure to toxic substances.

This bill can increase spending on these critical needs by making sure that we are not double funding existing programs. It is really that simple.

Avoiding government shutdowns ensures that the administration can continue to identify waste, fraud, and abuse. It also allows ICE to continue deporting criminal migrants. This clean CR will allow us to focus on one big, beautiful reconciliation bill.

Furthermore, this rule provides a way for us to continue to remove waste, fraud, and abuse right now by extending the time to prosecute those who committed unemployment insurance fraud during the COVID CARES programming.

I would ask my Democratic colleagues to spare us the speeches about President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency trimming some of the bloated bureaucracy from our Federal departments. They are about to vote against a continuing resolution in the hopes of shutting our

government down and sending every single Federal employee home without a paycheck. Maybe my Democratic colleagues just don't think DOGE is going far enough.

The truth is that there are more than 25,000 Federal employees in the State of Massachusetts whose paycheck will be put on an indefinite hold if the government shuts down. That is what my Democratic colleagues are going to vote for.

My Democratic colleagues keep complaining about how unfair this CR is to the D.C. residents, but there are over 160,000 Federal employees in the District of Columbia. Quite frankly, there are more than there should be. Yet, Democrats are going to make every one of their paychecks go away if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle succeed in shutting the government down.

I thank my colleagues, Mr. Carey, Mr. Cole, and Mr. Smith from Missouri, for introducing these thoughtful pieces of legislation, and I encourage every single one of my colleagues to vote for this nonpartisan continuing resolution to keep our government fully funded and hold fraudsters accountable.

Mr. Speaker, I will make it very clear: A ``no'' vote on this rule is actually a vote to shut down government.

Mr. Speaker, I support the rule and the underlying legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona, my fellow member of Ways and Means, for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Moorhead boys' hockey team on their first State championship, defeating Stillwater 7-6 at the Xcel Energy Center over the weekend. The 2A championship win was led by this year's Mr. Hockey, Mason Kraft.

The team dedicated the game to their teammate Ethan, who passed away unexpectedly last year at the age of 16. Holding up his jersey throughout the game and bringing the jersey through the handshake line, the Moorhead Spuds have made their families, community, and the whole Seventh District proud. I congratulate the Spuds.

Congratulating East Grand Forks on Hockey Championship

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the East Grand Forks boys' hockey team on their incredible Class 1A championship win.

With what sounded like the entire community of East Grand Forks in the stands, the team defeated Saint Cloud Cathedral 2-1 in overtime.

The East Grand Forks Green Wave has made their families, communities, and the entire Seventh District so very proud, and I am excited for them all to hoist that championship banner back at home.

Congratulating Warroad Women's Hockey Team

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Warroad girls' hockey team, the Lady Warriors, on their 10-year streak as section champions.

These women, from a small town in northernmost Minnesota, are part of one of the best girls' hockey teams in the last 20 years. They have made their families and communities proud.

Congratulating Praise Live on 40 Years of Broadcasting

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Praise Live in Osakis, Minnesota, on 40 wonderful years of broadcasting.

For 40 years, Praise Live has been bringing hope and faith to people across central and western Minnesota. They have even partnered with stations in Ghana and Uganda and as far-reaching as war-torn Sudan to spread the Gospel and its message of encouragement, faith, and hope across Africa.

I thank Praise Live for connecting with, praying for, and strengthening the Christian communities they are committed to serving. I pray for a successful next 40 years.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 122 and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

General Leave

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

Mr. Speaker, we are here today to debate the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 77.

The rule provides for H.R. 77 to be considered under a closed rule with 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee or their designees. The rule provides for a motion to recommit for the bill.

The Midnight Rules Relief Act addresses an inefficiency in the government and allows Congress to retain its current authority, overseeing administrative rulemaking without bogging down the legislative branch when we have so much work to get done.

In 1996, Congress enacted the Congressional Review Act, which requires agencies to submit rules to Congress and the Government Accountability Office before they can go into effect. This gives Congress an important legislative veto option over the agencies.

However, this legislation requires Congress to introduce separate joint resolutions for each agency rule it wants to disapprove. Members at the time had no idea how out of control the administrative state would become. Since the Congressional Review Act passed, agencies have issued around 2\1/2\ times more regulations during the last year of each President's term. Moreover, under the Biden-Harris administration, Federal agencies expanded their power at an alarming rate, undermining the legislative authority granted to Congress by the Constitution.

The Midnight Rules Relief Act empowers Congress to review and potentially disapprove several regulations that Federal agencies may attempt to implement in the last days of an administration by allowing Congress to disapprove multiple rules through one joint resolution if those rules were issued during the last 60 legislative days, the midnight hours, of a President's term. This would allow Congress to quickly regain control and oversee agency rulemaking during a time when there is consistently a huge increase in executive overreach.

I sincerely hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will support this bill. Just last week, we brought a bill to the floor that combats this country's fentanyl epidemic, something I know all of us care deeply about. Rather than debate the merits of the bill, my Democratic colleagues spent most of their time talking about what they believed has been executive overreach by President Trump. Comments were made that my colleagues are concerned that President Trump will try to do through executive order what he can't do through the legislative process.

Today, we present a bill that will help return authority to Congress and curb executive overreach. If my colleagues are truly concerned about executive overreach, then they should vote for this bill and start with the overreach that occurred in the final days of the last administration.

I thank Congressman Biggs for introducing this legislation, and I look forward to supporting this bill on the floor.

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

Mr. Speaker, all I can say is wow. There is a lot going on on the other side talking about this being a bad bill. This is a bill that will attempt to recover the Congress' ability and authority to overrule rules that are written in the last few days of a President's term. We should have that ability.

One of the things that we hear about when we are talking to our constituents is overregulation. Congress, the elected Representatives, needs to be able to deal with the overregulation and the rules, particularly in those last 60 days during an administration while they are on their way out the door and see it as a last-ditch effort. I see this as making sure we are responding to our constituents.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I truly understand that the Democrats are very upset about losing the election, but the American people voted to change the direction of government.

They voted to end overregulation, voted to end growing government agencies and growing government in general, and they voted to end the growing deficit. They are done, and we need to move forward. We need to answer to the American people about what we are doing to make sure that we get these things under control.

I will also quickly address that it is incredible that my Democratic colleagues are trying to claim some moral high ground about single- subject bills. House Republicans have worked hard to bring single- subject appropriations bills to the floor and pass them individually.

When was the last time my Democratic colleagues did this?

Instead, my colleagues have passed massive omnibus spending bills when Democrats were in the majority, along with omnibus packages like the American Rescue Plan and the inflation expansion act. If Democrats would please spare us the false outrage at the idea of omnibus bills.

The truth is that this bill prevents the House from bundling CRAs with similar topics into smaller, single-subject packages.

There is also nothing that prevents the House from continuing to consider CRAs on a case-by-case basis, but we have to have the option. When an outgoing administration dumps rules in the last 60 days, we have to have that option to make sure that we are addressing issues.

I think our efforts toward single-subject bills demonstrate why Republicans can be trusted to use this tool responsibly, and I look forward to my Democratic colleagues abiding by their newfound commitment to single-subject bills the next time Democratic Members are in the majority.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arizona.

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

Mr. Speaker, again, I understand that the Democrats are very upset about losing the election, and I am glad that my Democratic colleagues are showing the American people where their priorities are.

For 4 years, President Biden issued executive orders without the consent of Congress that increased inflation--we all saw that--created additional burdens for our small businesses--we heard about that--and limited consumer choices.

My Democratic colleagues said nothing, but when President Trump tries to stop our government from spending $20 million of taxpayers' hard- earned dollars to create a ``Sesame Street'' show in Iraq, or $2 million on transgender surgeries in Guatemala, then my Democratic colleagues howl and jump up and down about executive overreach.

The American people are sick and tired of being told that executive orders that put our Federal Government in the way of our businesses and our family budgets are responsible, but attempts like this bill to roll back these burdensome regulations are reckless.

The Democrats don't want government spending examined and don't want to address unnecessary programs. What my Democratic colleagues want to do is continue out-of-control spending, growing our deficit, and spending those taxpayer dollars--spending taxpayer dollars. These aren't our dollars.

We need to be responsible, and that is why they elected President Trump and Republicans. They want a change in the direction of this country.

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

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

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

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

I am just so glad that my colleague across the aisle pointed out that we have covered everything today but the bill under consideration in front of us. I should stand here kind of surprised that my colleagues on the left don't support this legislation, but of course I am not. Their lack of support proves what we already know: They don't actually care about executive overreach the way that they claim to.

Unlike the Democrats, Republicans are not changing the subject. We are focused on making sure we do the job the American people elected President Trump and the Republicans to do. It is the Democrats who are talking about paint and not talking about the bill in front of us. They are not talking about what we are doing.

I very often find myself trying to refocus the Democrats on the bill we have in front of us, which happens in many committees, but the Democrats insist on sticking to their talking points, their pro- regulation, pro-government spending agenda.

A great example today is the rant about proxy voting. This has nothing to do with the bill in front of us. It is a bill that deals with rule writing and the ability of Congress to undo rules and overregulation.

They stood silently while Joe Biden used the power of the pen to dismantle our southern border and tell Americans what kind of cars, dishwashers, and water heaters they had to have. All of this was done without a single vote by Congress, yet my Democratic colleagues never cried out about executive overreach then.

My Republican colleagues and I are committed to streamlining Federal operations and holding the government

accountable. This bill accomplishes both of those objectives, and this is the bill that we are here to talk about today. The 1996 CRA requires Congress to pass a separate joint resolution for each agency rule to seek its disapproval, slowing Congress' ability to hold the administrative state accountable and block burdensome regulations.

This legislation restores congressional control and allows us to review agency rules swiftly if they are implemented in the midnight hours of an outgoing administration. This is a simple, effective solution to improve and expedite the work of Congress and takes a step forward to curb out-of-control overregulation.

One could argue that none of the orders that the Biden-Harris White House implemented in the final days in office should go into effect, given the signal he received loud and clear in November that the American people do not want what the Democrats are selling. Perhaps that is a debate for another time. Today, we are here to streamline congressional practices at a time when we are consistently bogged down.

Mr. Speaker, I support the rule and the underlying legislation.

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