Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Kevin C. Richardson upon his retirement as the Mayor of the Village of Lake Barrington, Illinois.

Mayor Richardson has been a steadfast leader of Lake Barrington, since he was sworn into village office on May 4, 1999, both as a Village Trustee and as Mayor. During his time in office, Mayor Richardson oversaw vast economic growth, the expansion of affordable housing, the protection of public space, and the restoration of environmental habitats, Mayor Richardson has also been a strong partner in bringing federal money and resources to Lake Barrington.

Before his tenure as mayor, Kevin worked in and around politics at the national level, including as the Associate Counsel to the Subcommittee on Administrative Law of the U.S. House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee. During his time in Washington, D.C., Kevin met the love of his life, Lynne. Lynne and Kevin were married for 36 loving years, until she passed away last summer. Together, they raised two amazing daughters, Mary Ellen and Charlotte.

After 26 years of public service to the Village of Lake Barrington, Mayor Richardson is retiring on May 6, 2025. It is with immense respect that I honor Mayor Richardson for his service to Lake Barrington and our Nation. His leadership, compassion, and tireless work on behalf of others exemplify the ideals we strive for as Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and legacy of David John Meyer, Chicago Fire Department Captain.

In 1996, David joined the Chicago Fire Department and committed nearly three decades of his life to serving the city of Chicago. Before David rose through the ranks and became Captain of Truck 29, he was a Lieutenant on Truck 35, where he was not only known for his fearless leadership style, but also for his strong commitment to the Chicago Fire Department, the community he served, and his fellow firefighters. Chicago's firefighters put their lives on the line for us every single day and David spent his entire career protecting our property, communities, people, and city. He was described as a hero by his colleagues. I can only echo their sentiments and say that Chicago has lost one of our finest public servants. He leaves an unforgettable mark on the city of Chicago.

The passion David brought to his work protecting our city was also displayed in several other aspects of his life--whether it was through entertaining his family and friends, the jokes that kept his friends and family laughing, or riding his Harley around the country. David also displayed his dedication as an avid carpenter and the proprietor of Meyer Builders, a family business. His remarkable carpentry was even featured on HGTV's Windy City Rehab.

David was a proud Chicagoan who loved cheering for hometown sports, including the Cubs, Bears, and Blackhawks. Most importantly, he was a family man. He met his wife of 30 years, Kristen, at Lane Tech College Prep High School at the age of 16. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, a son, and his parents.

The city of Chicago and the Chicago Fire Department have lost a true hero that will be dearly missed. His legacy will be remembered by his family, friends, loved ones, colleagues, and the many lives he touched. I am forever grateful to David for the work that he did to protect our city and could not be prouder to have him as my constituent.

Mr. Speaker, we want peace. Ukraine desperately wants peace but not as a result of what would be in effect a Putin-Russia victory.

We want peace and not appeasement that would reward a brutal Russian invasion with land gains that officially recognize Crimea as Russia, with land gains that give de facto recognition to four other large areas. In time, then Putin would recognize his ability to come back and finish the job. We want peace but not without security assurances from the U.S. and its allies. We want peace but not without accountability.

I stood on the grounds of Bucha and the mass grave. I have seen the flattened maternity hospital. I have learned of the tens of thousands of kids kidnapped by the Russians. These Ukrainian children were taken into Russia, never to see their families again.

We want peace but not with what would, in effect, be a message to autocrats and tyrants across the world that they have a green light to take lands

not their own. Recognizing that Putin's ambitions go well beyond Ukraine to Moldova, Georgia, the Baltics, and Poland, coupled with this administration's proclamation that, in effect, NATO is on its own.

I paraphrase the concerns raised by Secretary Austin and General Milley that if we don't stop Putin's aggression now, then we will pay later with more blood and dollars.

We must recognize at the same time that we simply can't trust Putin to keep a deal, which is why the security guarantees are so important.

Indeed, our leadership here is a strategic and moral imperative, but this administration has never said who it wants to win this war. It has blamed Ukraine for starting the war. It has put absolutely no pressure on Putin to negotiate in good faith while it paused aid to Ukraine.

The President has finally recognized what is obvious to the rest of the world: Putin is in no hurry to be engaged in peace talks.

He knows he has a 4- or a 6-1 manpower advantage, and he treats his troops as cannon fodder. He knows that this administration will not provide another aid package.

So, we have to ask ourselves: Why does this matter at this point?

It is for the same reasons we fought the Second World War, to prevent a sovereign democratic nation from being wiped off the face of the Earth, for the same reason we formed NATO, and for the same reasons we formed the United Nations.

It is effective and important now to remember the Presidents who have echoed these warnings and these concerns. In FDR's last inaugural, he said that we have learned that to have a friend, we need to be a friend and that our welfare is dependent upon the welfare of nations far away. In John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, he talked of opposing any foe and supporting any friend to aid the causes of liberty. Finally, ironically, is the Reagan doctrine, which we have supported ever since, that we will support our allies against Soviet aggression at any cost. Unfortunately, the Reagan doctrine seems to be lost upon what was once the party of Reagan.

It is for those reasons that we must continue this and do what we can to support our allies and our friends because it is in our interests, too.

Mr. Speaker, I will finish with Slava Ukraini.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Mr. Thomas Frisbie on his retirement, after an extraordinary career as an award-winning writer and editor. Since 1976 Mr. Frisbie has, as he likes to say ``held almost every job at the Chicago Sun-Times besides editor''.

His commitment to bringing Chicago the news has earned many accolades over the years, including the Jacob Scher Award for Excellence in Investigative Reporting for his series covering insurance fraud at Illinois' largest driving school. He was a finalist for the Peter Lisagor Award twice for his work on judicial conflicts of interest and the open sale of illegal drugs in Cook County Forest Preserves. He was also a finalist the Lisagor Award for Editorial Cartoons.

He was the news editor for the Sun-Times' afternoon edition, the Chicago Sun-Times Final Markets and the Chicago Sun-Times PM edition.

He also co-authored ``Victims of Justice'' and contributed, and edited ``20th Century Chicago: 100 Years,100 Voices,'' a chronological history of Chicago.

Mr. Speaker, please join me and all of our colleagues in the House of Representatives in recognizing Mr. Frisbie for his immense contribution of keeping Chicagoans informed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Vietnam and Korean War veterans who traveled to Washington, D.C. on April 9, 2025, with Honor Flight Chicago, a program that provides WWII, Vietnam, and Korean War veterans the opportunity to visit their memorials

on The National Mall in Washington, D.C. These memorials were built to honor their courage and service to their country.

The American Veteran is one of our greatest treasures. The Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who traveled here on April 9 answered our Nation's call to service during one of its greatest times of need. From the Pacific Asian Theatre to the Korean Theater, these brave Americans risked life and limb, gave service, and sacrificed much, all while embodying what it is to be a hero. We owe them more gratitude than can ever be expressed.

I welcome these brave veterans to Washington and to their memorials. I am proud to include in the Record the names of these men and women for all to see, hear, and recognize, and I call on my colleagues to rise and join me in expressing gratitude:

Joseph J. Adduci, Robert J. Aksamit, Frank N. Allemana, James L. Ammirati, Dennis J. Antolec, Richard T. Arnold, Donald L. Axe, Gus G. Baseleon, Steven D. Beam, Stanley J. Bobek, George J. Bogner, Donald A. Brady, Douglas R. Brooks, Earl A. Burke, Ronald L. Byrd, Sr., Richard J. Cameron, Robert W. Carter, Gary W. Carver, Michael J. Casey, Lee E. Cherry, George G. Coll, John H. Connors, Gerald T. Cyrkiel, Gerald O. Dagenais, James Dalton, James F. Downey, Bernard Durkin, Jr., Kenneth Ebner, Chars E. Edwards, Douglas R. Ermel, Victor R. Fischer, Charles J. Fletcher, John T. Floodas, Lorenzo Franklin, James J. Furlong, Ismael Garcia, Jose L. Garcia, Juan Garcia, Jr., Juan Garcia, Sr., Joseph Garofalo, Donald J. Gawlik, Cleophus Glover, Alex D. Golden, George A. Haggis, Thomas R. Hamilton, Ronald W. Hayes, Russell E. Hengels, Lee F. Hiller, Jr., Mathew P. Hirt, II, Charles O. Ingram, Ladell Jackson, Lonnie Jackson, Jr., Michael T. Johns, Elisha Johnson, Jr., William C. Kairis, Daniel K. Kantor, Clayton J. Klein, Anthony P. Koufos, John J. Langerock, Lawrence S. Leugoud, David Lilly, Bruce J. Lipman, William J. Lopez, Charles F. Lyons, Robert M. Machuga, Paul R. Macko, John C. Malm, Ross H. Manna, Michael R. Marcelain, Thomas W. Marren, Leroy Maxie, Raymond McElree, Thomas Meadath, Jerry Mecklenburg, James D. Michels, Raymond V. Mikrut, Ronald J. Miller, Sr., Stanley P. Misiunas, Michael E. Moore, Noel E. Morgridge, Shelley A. Morrison, John H. Mukoyama, Larry E. Nazimek, Kenneth Nitz, Thaddeus Opiola, Larry D. Overton, Ronald A. Parker, Robert Perez, Raphael Perez, Jr., Robert L. Phelps, Daniel M. Pratscher, Flemon L. Pullins, Fredric P. Rademacher, Robert A. Rein, Ronald A. Reutenauer, Jerry K. Rule, Jerry Sabo, Arthur J. Salzman, Thomas E. Schaller, Robert J. Schultz, Leroy Schweitzer, Willie C. Smith, John A. Tartaglione, Jonathan R. Tunney, Timothy M. Voncina, Guy E. Vorsanger, Frank J. Walters, Sr., Kenneth R. Watts, Martin E. Wehner, William R. Weimar, Desmond Westerkamp, Edward G. White, Danny P. Wolfe, and Richard A. Zordani.

Mr. Speaker, there is a national shortage of more than 7 million units of affordable housing across America and more than 771,000 people experiencing homelessness. This CR does nothing to lower the cost of housing.

That is what I was going to talk about for my 2 minutes, but after listening to this debate for so long, I think significant correction has to be made.

Programs are not fully funded and protected if you gut the agencies that operate them. Programs are not fully funded and protected if there is no one there to operate them.

Under President Trump, spending bills have become a farce. He is not following the previous spending bill law that we passed.

Are we saying: Well, this time we really mean it; this time the President really promises he is going to follow the law?

Have we gotten to the point where Article I is optional?

Our constituents are asking us: However great you say this bill is, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, they are going to blame us because we believed you this time. We believed the President who, when he gets in the room with the truth, a fight breaks out, as we have seen time and again in the last month.

So with all due respect, don't tell us what is in this bill, how great it is, and how we need to read it when he doesn't have to follow it and you don't complain when he doesn't follow it and you abdicate your responsibilities in Article I and as appropriators.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Janet Martin on concluding an iconic career with the Chicago Transit Authority.

For the last 29 years, Janet has worked for the CTA across the Red, Purple, Yellow, and Green lines. But it is her work at the Armitage Brown Line station that has earned Janet acclaim amongst Chicagoans across the city. Known as the Mayor of the Armitage Brown Line Station, Janet's warm demeanor is well known amongst all riders. Throughout her career, Janet has gone above and beyond, befriending commuters and making sure that everyone has a friendly, helping hand, whether they are Chicago natives or visitors to the city.

Janet has truly led a life of service and plans to continue this work even in her retirement. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the service and warmth Janet has provided during her entire tenure. Our Mayor of the Armitage Brown Line station will surely be missed.

Mr. Speaker, President Trump's first Defense Secretary, Jim Mattis, once said: If we don't fully fund the State Department and diplomacy abroad, I need to buy more ammunition.

Apparently, Elon Musk, a newly minted oligarch with $20 billion in government contracts and subsidies, never heard this warning. Musk's decision to shutter USAID, supported by the current administration, will make us less safe.

USAID tracks and prevents global diseases such as Ebola and malaria from reaching the U.S. No more.

USAID programs lift people out of poverty and promote access to justice, which alleviates the root causes of terrorism. No more.

USAID counters Chinese and Russian influence by fighting against misinformation and offering funds to build. No more.

For one penny out of every dollar we pay in taxes, I cannot think of a better investment to advance America's security. Not long ago, Secretary of State Rubio said: ``Foreign aid is not charity.

. . . it is critical to our national security.''

Mr. Speaker, he should take his own advice.

Mr. Speaker, Officer Brian Sicknick,

Officer Howard Liebengood,

Officer Jeffrey Smith,

Officer Kyle DeFreytag, and

Officer Gunther Hashida.

These are the names of the U.S. Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police who died in the wake of the January 6 Capitol attack.

Mr. Speaker, 140 police officers were assaulted on January 6, but this week Donald Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of over 1,500 individuals responsible for this attack.

He has made a mockery of our justice system and the rule of law. These were not hostages, and they were not victims. They were extremists who showed up armed, wore Nazi symbols, and attacked police officers.

They were militants who planned for months to overthrow the election and were convicted of sedition by a jury of their peers.

Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, the President has put dangerous criminals back on the streets. Today, I echo the National Association of Police Organizations in their condemnation of this act.

Madam Speaker, last week the House and Senate oversaw the certification of the 2024 election. It was a quick, smooth process. There were no riots, no violence. We completed the peaceful transfer of power as the Founding Fathers envisioned it.

Now compare last week's election certification with what we witnessed 4 years ago. Thousands attacked the Capitol. They shattered windows, smashed down doors, assaulted police officers. It was a violent mob and people died as a result. It was all in an attempt to stop the certification of a legitimate election.

The insurrectionists and rioters threatened Vice President Pence and referred to him as ``dead man walking'' if he didn't illegally reject the election results.

Directly following January 6, leaders on both sides of the aisle spoke out against the antidemocratic acts of the day. Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the violence, destruction, and chaos we saw earlier was unacceptable, undemocratic, and un-American. It was the saddest day I have ever had serving as a Member of this institution.

Former Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was even more clear in his condemnation and assignment of blame. He said: ``There's no question, none, that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day,'' and, ``It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.''

Now, 4 years later, there is a concerted effort to rewrite history. Our incoming President has called January 6 ``a day of love,'' and others have claimed it was a legitimate form of protest.

Well, I was here. I saw the violence with my own eyes, and the scenes we witnessed will haunt this institution forever.

We need a clear accounting of what happened and a clear accountability to ensure this never happens again. Unfortunately, under this incoming President, it appears we will get neither.

The President-elect has said he wants to pardon the rioters. These are folks who have been convicted in a court of law. In a dark twist on accountability, the President-elect is threatening retribution against Democrats and Republicans who served on the committee that investigated January 6. They should go to jail, he said, of Members of Congress who sought to uncover the truth about January 6.

Let's recap. The people who broke into the Capitol, and injured 147 officers, and threatened to kill the Vice President should be pardoned, and the elected officials who performed their constitutional duty to investigate the largest mass assault of law enforcement officers and the greatest assault on our democracy should be jailed.

This is a perversion of the truth and justice.

For those of us who were here on Capitol Hill that day, who saw the violence, smelled the pepper spray, and heard the screams, we have an opportunity to remember that day for what it was: a dark stain on our Nation's history.

We have an opportunity to commemorate those in uniform who bravely stood up to the rioters. They didn't just protect me; they protected our Republic.

In 2022, Congress commissioned a memorial to be installed on the front of the Capitol listing the names of those who defended the Capitol on that fateful day. Three years later, it has yet to be mounted.

We should expect more. If we can't be honest about what happened on that day, if we can't, at a minimum, come together to put up a plaque commemorating those who protected us and some who gave their last full measure of devotion, then perhaps we should install a plaque like the one from ``Dante's Inferno,'' ``Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.''

Madam Speaker, on October 7, 2023, the people of Israel experienced the greatest terror attack in their nation's history. There were 1,200 people killed and 250 more were abducted in what was the most severe attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

Nearly 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with at least a third of those believed to be dead. I was horrified by the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7, but I am encouraged by the reports that indicate that Israel and Hamas are closer than ever to reaching a cease-fire agreement that would return all remaining hostages held in Gaza to their families.

Still, the reality of the matter is whether a cease-fire is reached and whether that cease-fire lasts. We must act now.

I firmly believe in Israel's right to defend itself. It has been a critical ally in the region and has earned our support as it defends against threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hamas in Gaza.

Still, the manner in which Israel defends itself matters. After 15 months of war, I believe Prime Minister Netanyahu has overseen a military campaign that has had catastrophic consequences not only for the people of Gaza but for his own people, as well.

As Israel's strongest ally, we have a responsibility to ensure that the legitimate anger felt by its citizens and the rest of the world after October 7 does not spiral into endless violence. What began as a war of defense has now devolved into a war of retribution and widespread destruction.

Over 47,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, though a recent study published by The Lancet estimates the death toll could be up to 40 percent higher. The majority of those killed are women and children.

Madam Speaker, 90 percent of Gaza's population is internally displaced and the threat of widespread famine has lingered for months. At least six newborns have recently died of hypothermia. The number of children killed in Gaza during the war exceeds the total number of children killed in conflicts worldwide over the last 4 years.

Thousands of children like Malek Al Kafarna are grappling with life- threatening injuries as a direct result of the war.

On October 24, 2023, Malek was waiting for food coupons at a market in a refugee camp when an airstrike hit and blew off his arm.

It bears repeating that Hamas is an evil terrorist organization that cynically exploits civilians and has little to no regard for life, even the lives of other Palestinians, but research shows that terrorist organizations have rarely been dismantled purely through military force.

Precisely because Hamas is such a threat, we must approach defeating them with a rational, evidence-based approach. Research by RAND shows that terrorist groups end through targeted intelligence operations or through a negotiated political settlement.

In fact, I feel the war in Gaza will act as a recruitment tool for Hamas and will create a new generation of fighters who will seek revenge. After over a year of fighting, Hamas is weakened but has not been eliminated nor have the remaining Israeli hostages been released.

The last time hostages were released was in November 2023, and they gained their freedom through diplomatic negotiations. What is urgently needed to bring an end to this brutal war is a diplomatic solution.

Both the Israeli Government and Hamas must agree to end the fighting, release the hostages, and flood the Gaza strip with desperately needed food and medical supplies. It is in Israel's security interest to have a stable neighbor and a Palestinian state.

Civil society has broken down completely in Gaza and the territory urgently needs a peacekeeping force to help restore order. This force, ideally composed of Arab states, will play a critical role now and in post-war Gaza.

Hamas cannot remain in power and the people of Gaza deserve new political leadership that will prioritize peace as they establish a new government. Ideally, that government will be

a reformed Palestinian authority empowered to both govern in the West Bank and Gaza.

The ultimate goal for all parties must be a lasting peace, and that can only be reached through a two-state solution.

We have the opportunity to change the trajectory of the lives of children like Malek. In 10 years, he will be 24. The choices we make in the coming weeks and months can either leave him desperate and hopeless, a prime candidate for recruitment from Hamas, or we can give him and the more than 1 million children living in Gaza the opportunity to grow up in a world that has prioritized peace and security. We must work toward ending this war and building a positive future for both Palestinians and Israelis.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is a cynical scapegoating of a vulnerable population. To make matters worse, it is a hateful attack on kids. Trans kids deserve to play sports just like their peers, and Congress can't bar them from the field.

All young people should be able to benefit from team sports--building character, developing friendships, and improving their mental health.

Organizations like the NCAA, International Olympic Committee, and State athletic boards have included trans athletes for years. Instead of following their lead, my colleagues want to codify hate and discrimination against all trans kids in all sports.

Not so long ago, all women were banned from school sports until the passage of Title IX. Even then, extremists preached that women playing sports was the end of sports as we know it.

Today's rhetoric about trans women and girls is no different and will soon be seen as just as outdated and absurd.

Every child should be able to join a team that is consistent with their gender and benefit from sports.

Madam Speaker, today, as in every day, we open the House with the Pledge of Allegiance and the words ``with liberty and justice for all.''

However, some of our Nation's greatest ills have come from moments when we have chosen to make exceptions to ``all.'' Right now there are those who, once again, make exceptions, this time by carving out the transgender community by targeting them for discriminatory policies.

To those crafting these policies, every economic challenge, shift in culture, and electoral loss can be blamed on one small, minority population or another. To them, every problem is someone else's fault, and if only that

group didn't exist or if they were more like the majority, then perhaps our country's challenges would be solved.

Let us remind ourselves that never have our Nation's problems been solved by creating a scapegoat. In light of Supreme Court cases and derogatory posts, we need to remind ourselves that these are real people whom we are talking about. Just because you may not understand someone's experience, Madam Speaker, does not make them any less valid.

A lack of understanding does not give anyone the liberty to attack someone's existence. Let us lead with empathy and strive to learn from our neighbors.

Mr. Speaker, now what?

Yesterday, this body was prepared to pass a bipartisan spending bill to carry us into the new year and the new Congress. It was imperfect, yet it met many of our country's critical needs, especially disaster relief.

Then, the agents of chaos descended, including what might just be our newly minted oligarch, Mr. Musk.

Now what? Mr. Speaker, we are about to swear in a new group of Members. It reminds me of my first day in this body when my Republican friend, Mark Kirk, advised me that our best work here derives from compromise.

I can only hope his advice is heeded here today and that we don't sink into ``if I don't get all that I want, I will take my ball and go home,'' or, worse yet, ``shut our government down.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize our dear late neighbor Mrs. Bonna Jo Tersch, and her lifetime of devotion to the Fifth District of Illinois' Ravenswood community. Bonna, or ``B'', was a native of small-town Missouri who found her passion living along the Chicago River with her husband and sons, planting gardens for all to enjoy, and promoting peace and beauty in our world.

B co-founded the Greater Rockwell Organization in 1979 and served as its first Secretary--a role she carried for 44 years. B started and managed Greater Rockwell Organization's popular annual neighborhood- wide yard sales, worked with fellow volunteers to report criminal activity, and rose at dawn to paint over graffiti. This nonprofit civic group was recently voted Best Block Club by the Chicago Reader.

B also partnered with the Chicago Transit Authority to modernize, decorate, and clean the Rockwell El station, the cornerstone of a small business hub that she helped make more vibrant than ever. She secured grants, including awards to establish over a dozen ``corner gardens'' that add distinctive natural charm around the neighborhood, and to create the Montrose Metra Community Gardens.

Although B preferred to humbly volunteer behind the scenes, her decades of public service were recognized by groups like the Ravenswood Community Council and Greening of Ravenswood.

Mr. Speaker, please join me and all of our colleagues in the House of Representatives in

recognizing Mrs. Bonna Jo Tersch for her years of service to the City of Chicago, and her legacy of ``leaving things better than you found them.''