Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1634, the ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act.

Although we have made considerable progress on bringing people with disabilities into the workforce, the numbers reveal how far we still have to go. Only 23 percent of the over 44 million individuals living with a disability are employed. This is not because they lack the skills or the willingness to work, but often because they face persistent structural barriers, such as discrimination, limited flexibility in the workplace, and inadequate transportation options, among others.

While small firms employ half the private-sector workforce, they may face challenges of their own, such as outdated infrastructure or uncertainty about accommodations. Helping small firms hire people with disabilities can directly benefit their company and in turn boost the overall economy.

This bipartisan bill requires that SBA collaborate with the National Council on Disability to help employers hire more people with disabilities and provide much needed support to these entrepreneurs.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Stauber, Ms. Simon, Mr. Alford, and Mr. Pappas for their bipartisan collaboration on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Simon).

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues: Mr. Stauber, for sharing his story, for acting on behalf of his son and so many Americans with disabilities; Ms. Simon for her passion and her work in this area; and Mr. Alford and Mr. Pappas for their bipartisan work on improving entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Every individual, no matter their disability, deserves a shot at participating in our economy and getting that shot at the American Dream. Whether it is getting a job in a local small business or launching their own startup, this bill directs the SBA and the National Council on Disability to collaborate on ways to help individuals with disabilities do just that.

By passing this bill, we can start clearing the structural barriers faced by people with disabilities, while growing the economy and helping small business owners.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1634, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 1621, the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Reporting Act of 2025.

As vice ranking member of the House Committee on Small Business, I am proud to partner with Congressman Stauber, who has done incredible work in this area to support Americans with disabilities and help to ensure that every American has the same opportunity to become a successful entrepreneur.

Mr. Speaker, this is, after all, the fundamental promise of the American Dream: that any person in this country can work hard, take risks, and hopefully find success.

Yet, Americans with disabilities, like other underprivileged groups, see fewer opportunities to make their entrepreneurial dream a reality. There are 44 million people with disabilities in the United States. In my home State of Kentucky, approximately 18 percent of people have a disability. Yet, people with disabilities make up just 6 percent of our Nation's small business owners. We have to change that.

Far too often, entrepreneurs with disabilities encounter significant barriers, both physical and intangible, when starting their own business, including having a harder time getting bank loans and start- up investments, inadequate support services, and insufficient outreach from Federal programs. We know this is just the tip of the iceberg and that more barriers exist.

Today, nearly 2 million small businesses are owned by people with disabilities, but there could be so many more. Here is how: by improving the public programs that serve differently abled individuals and implementing policies that make work and entrepreneurship more accessible, providing accommodations, tackling ableism, and the list goes on.

Mr. Speaker, to pull this off, our bill would require SBA to conduct a comprehensive study of the resources that are available to entrepreneurs with disabilities, examine their effectiveness, and determine what actions need to be taken to help support these entrepreneurs.

By conducting this report, SBA will have the opportunity to revisit the effectiveness of their programs to ensure that our government better serves people with disabilities who want to start their own small business.

This bill came together in a way that I think the Founders might have envisioned. Last Congress, the Committee on Small Business heard from my constituent Cody Clark, a small business owner, a disabilities rights advocate, and I think the only person who has ever performed a magic trick in front of our committee.

He testified on the challenges that entrepreneurs with disabilities face based on his experience as an entrepreneur with autism, and this bill was born from his insight and experience.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this critical legislation for Cody and for every other American with their own entrepreneurial dream, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Chairman Williams and Ranking Member Velazquez, for this incredible work and, as Mr. Stauber said, allowing us to work together in this way.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Stauber for his incredible work in this area and for his willingness to advocate for so many Americans, including his own child. It takes tremendous strength and courage. I thank the gentleman for working with me specifically on this important bipartisan piece of legislation to ensure that this Congress and the SBA do right by Americans with disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, entrepreneurship is the hallmark of the American Dream. It is who we are--a land of opportunity for all. This bill takes a commonsense, bipartisan step toward improving government services for entrepreneurs with disabilities.

By requiring the SBA to assess current programs and identify challenges and barriers that entrepreneurs with disabilities face, we lay the groundwork for a better, more inclusive society and economy.

Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy. If we can make it easier for more people to start a small business, we will all benefit.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1621, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, 13.7 million Americans will lose their healthcare. We are going to gut America's premier antihunger program. It is going to add trillions of dollars to the Nation's debt. Mr. Speaker, you don't believe me? The Congressional Budget Office says it. My colleagues: Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Roy, and Mr. Massie all say this is going to add to the debt and to the deficit of this country, and for what? So Donald Trump's small circle of billionaire donors get a tax break.

We know who it helps, but let's talk about who it hurts.

Mr. Speaker, 40 percent of the people who get Medicaid in this country are children. That is whose healthcare we are taking away. It is the kids who rely on this for lifesaving care, kids like my constituent June who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy. She has had three spinal cord surgeries in the last month.

This enables her to stay at home with her family and to have a life. It will hurt children across this country. We shouldn't do it. We should vote ``no.''

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 530, the ACES Act, as amended, a bill that would task the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine with studying the frequency and mortality of cancer among individuals who served as air crew in the Armed Forces.

I can't help but think of some of the giants of aviation our country has had: Admiral James Stockdale, Chuck Yeager, John McCain, the groundbreaking Women Airforce Service Pilots or WASPs of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen, astronauts, including the crew of Apollo 11. As a nation, we have been lucky that people of this caliber have stepped up and stepped into the cockpit.

Mr. Speaker, these veterans are some of the best our Nation has to offer. They are expertly trained to maintain, fly, and fight in their airframes. Aviators get the mission done, and they get it done no matter what. They do it under pressure, under fire, and under hostile conditions in the wind and the rain. They sometimes even land on a boat in the middle of the ocean in the dead of night with no lights. For 365 days a year, they are out there, keeping us safe. Military aviators do it all, and they do it better than anyone else.

Unfortunately, there is a concerning trend among veteran aviators and aircrews. They are seeing troubling rates of cancer. Initial studies have shown increased rates of melanoma and pancreatic, prostate, brain, and thyroid cancers. The aircrew community also shows alarming diagnoses of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

We have both a legal and moral obligation to take care of our veterans. Unfortunately, these veteran aviators are not getting the recognition they need and deserve from the VA. Often, these folks are forced to use their network of fellow veterans to share tips and tricks to get their care. They move through this new medical world with the gut feeling that they all could not be ill without their military occupation playing some role. This is unacceptable.

We need data to help bridge the gap between anecdote and evidence for aviator cancers so pilots and aircrews can get the care and the benefits they deserve.

That is what this bill hopes to achieve, and I strongly support it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for bringing the bill and for his service, and I encourage all of my colleagues to get behind this effort. While this is one affected community, we cannot forget the countless other veterans and families also fighting for their toxic exposures to be seen and addressed.

I am thinking especially about my constituents who were stationed at Camp Lejeune or the intercontinental ballistic missile, ICBM, community, who suffer from cancer rates above nationwide averages; those who were exposed to radiation while working at the Nevada Test and Training Range; and veterans exposed to fuels in their water and molds in their walls while they lived in on-base housing during their service.

These are all veterans who continue to carry hidden wounds from service that often don't show up until years after they take off the uniform.

As we learn of these communities with toxic exposure and illness beyond the battle, we need to make sure that we have adequate systems in place to take care of them. This means a fully staffed and funded Department of Veterans Affairs. This means mental health professionals are in place to assist these veterans through traumatic and life- changing diagnoses. This means updated infrastructure in place to care for these veterans. For those who succumb to their diagnoses, this means a fully functioning VA to provide end-of-life care with dignity and compassion. Lastly, it means a VA to deliver for those survivors left behind, those who carry on through the pain and grief.

Mr. Speaker, I thank all of those who have worked tirelessly to bring this issue to the attention of Congress. The ACES Act is definitely a step in the right direction. It is not a fix-all, but it will give affected veterans a fighting chance. In the near future, I hope we can do the same for so many other worthwhile populations, as well.

Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to do the same. 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, I thank Mr. Pfluger for bringing this bill to the floor, for his service to our country before coming to Congress, and for acting on behalf of all of our aviators who have taken off the uniform and are now fighting a different battle.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is important for everyone who has ever climbed into or out of a cockpit in our United States military to keep us free. It will benefit every veteran. I am excited for the veterans in Louisville, Kentucky, where we have a lot of former aviators as the home of UPS' world hub. This will help everyone, including those people in Louisville, Kentucky.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill that is not only happening quickly but, I will also note, is happening with bipartisan support. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 1912, the Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act of 2025, authored by my colleague, Representative Connolly. He cannot be here today as he bravely battles cancer, and our thoughts and our prayers are with him.

I echo the comments of Representative Bergman. Veterans in the fiduciary program are some of the most vulnerable in the VA's care. Because they are often elderly or mentally ill, they are at greater risk for financial abuse and theft of benefits than the population at large. Unfortunately, despite the VA's best efforts at vetting proposed fiduciaries, bad actors do arise from time to time. When that happens, theft or misuse of benefits can financially devastate veterans.

On top of the financial harm, the strain of being taken advantage of can further eat away at the veteran's physical and mental health. We must empower the VA to more quickly return stolen or misused benefits to veterans who are exploited by their fiduciary. This bill would do just that.

It passed the House last Congress, and I encourage my colleagues to support it again.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I also ask my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 1912, the Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act of 2025.

Before I yield back, I do want to express my deepest appreciation and admiration for the sponsor of this bill, Representative Connolly.

Representative Connolly has been a faithful and passionate servant of the American people for decades, both through his time as a congressional staffer and then as a Representative of his beloved State of Virginia.

Unfortunately, he cannot be with us today. Anybody who knows Representative Connolly knows he is a bulldog, he is a fighter, and he is tenacious. He is facing some serious health challenges right now.

Mr. Speaker, I know you will join me and Representative Bergman and everyone else in wishing him the absolute best as he is in this fight. I know he has got it, and we are with him.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Christina ``Elise'' Wobbe, a vibrant and talented individual who touched the lives of many through her passion for the performing arts and her kindness. Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Elise's journey was marked by dedication, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to her craft.

From a young age, Elise immersed herself in the world of dance, singing, and acting. Her early start in dance paved the way for a lifelong love of performance. She showcased her talents at the Youth Performing Arts School (YPAS) at duPont Manual High School, where she graduated in 2024. Elise's excellence was further recognized when she attended the Governor's School for the Arts in 2022, specializing in musical theater.

Continuing her artistic journey, Elise enrolled at Syracuse University as a first-year musical theater major. Her commitment to excellence earned her a place on the Fall 2024 Dean's List. She actively contributed to the university's theater community, serving on the production staff and costume crew for the Department of Drama's production of ``Pippin.''

Elise's unexpected passing on February 14, 2025, in Syracuse, New York, was a profound loss to all who knew her. Her warmth and genuine nature left an indelible mark on those around her. Her family fondly remembers her ability to light up any room and her knack for turning strangers into friends. They expressed, ``She lived her dream each and every day with exuberance, determination, and genuine kindness.''

In recognition of her impact and to honor her legacy, the family has established the Elise Wobbe Scholarship. This scholarship aims to support a YPAS senior pursuing a career in the performing arts, ensuring that Elise's passion continues to inspire future generations.

Elise Wobbe's legacy is one of passion, kindness, and artistic brilliance. Her spirit continues to inspire, reminding us of the profound impact one individual can have on their community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Dr. Don Dugi, a professor of political science at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, and to congratulate him on his retirement after a remarkable 50-year career dedicated to educating and empowering students.

Dr. Dugi's teaching journey began in his youth, when he helped his teachers in a small rural school in Texas. He pursued higher education at St. Mary's University, earning bachelor's and master's degrees. Fifty years ago, in 1975, he joined Transylvania University, the oldest school west of the Allegheny mountains, founded in 1780. Over the following decades, Dr. Dugi became known for his commitment to high academic standards and his unwavering support for his students.

In 2003, he was recognized for this dedication and was named Kentucky Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Dr. Dugi inspired students aspiring to enter the legal profession. He conducted intensive workshops to prepare students for the Law School Admission Test and the law school application process, resulting in Transylvania students gaining admission to top law schools, including Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Columbia, and the University of Kentucky. Thanks to Dr. Dugi, every student that Transylvania recommends to law school is accepted.

Dr. Dugi has taught and mentored countless students throughout his years, many of whom have graduated and built successful careers as lawyers and judges. He led the way for students who have dedicated their lives to the rule of law and fighting for justice, including several who now serve as federal and state judges thanks to his mentorship.

Dr. Dugi's legacy is his deep commitment to student success. His contributions have left an indelible mark on countless lives, and his retirement marks the end of an era at Transylvania University.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues, and every student who has been taught by him, to join me in expressing our deepest gratitude to Dr. Don Dugi for his outstanding service to Transylvania University and the Commonwealth of Kentucky and his enduring impact on students' lives.

Mr. Speaker, 2 years ago today, the blast of an AR-15 shattered a beautiful spring morning in Louisville as a lone gunman walked into Old National Bank on Main Street and opened fire. We lost Josh Barrick, Deana Eckert, Juliana Farmer, Jim Tutt, and my friend, Tommy Elliot. Five friends, neighbors, and loved one were taken too soon.

Among the eight wounded was Officer Nick Wilt. Just 10 days out of the academy, he bravely ran toward the gunman and was shot in the head. Miraculously, he survived. That same day, just blocks away at JCTC, two people were shot, and Chea'von Moore was killed at just 24 years old.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here today as a lifelong Louisvillian, still sad my community joined the long list of cities devastated by mass shootings. On behalf of all of our communities, we can and must do more to stop senseless gun violence.

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you exactly what is going on in Louisville, Kentucky, right now. Grocery prices are up, and retirement savings are in chaos.

Republicans could put an end to this crisis, but instead, they are going to make things worse.

Republicans are about to hand billionaires like Elon Musk $5.3 trillion in tax cuts, the biggest billionaire tax cut in American history. To pay for it, Republicans are cutting health insurance for families; ripping away food from kids, seniors, and veterans; and cutting public education, all while increasing the national debt by $5 trillion.

I don't ever want to hear a Republican complain about the debt again because no matter how they try to cook the books--believe me, they are doing that, too--they cannot hide from the negative impact this budget will have.

Seniors will lose healthcare coverage. Veterans will lose coverage for the medications they need. Kids will go hungry. For what? So Elon Musk pays even less in taxes? It is reckless and it is wrong.

Mr. Speaker, 5 years ago, a young Louisville woman was killed in the middle of the night by police officers who forced entry into her home without warning.

Her name was Breonna Taylor.

While we will never forget how Breonna Taylor died, we get to choose to remember how she lived. Breonna was a sister, a daughter, and a girlfriend.

Breonna was a caregiver, working at Louisville's emergency room to save lives. Breonna was a 26-year-old with her whole life in front of her. She had dreams, including of becoming a mom someday.

Breonna loved her family, her community, and more than anything, she loved life.

In the face of injustice, we cannot be silent. We must speak up. We must say her name: Breonna Taylor.

Mr. Speaker, Louisvillian Tim Nicolazzi has dedicated his life to service. He served in the Air Force and then Army, deploying to Kuwait and Iraq, where he earned a Bronze Star.

After his honorable discharge, Tim's call to public service brought him to HUD, where he has helped victims of domestic abuse in Louisville find safety, helped veterans get off the streets, and helped first-time home buyers achieve their American Dream.

A few weeks ago, Tim was fired with no notice and no severance or compassion.

As we speak, the Trump administration is carrying out the biggest layoff of veterans in history, including tens of thousands announced just last night.

That is why today I am cosponsoring an act to protect veterans' jobs and to reinstate veterans who have been illegally fired by Elon Musk and DOGE.

Veterans put on the uniform. They served something higher than themselves. They deserve better.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Tim for all of his service. I won't stop fighting for veterans like him.

Mr. Speaker, since before Christmas, I have heard from Louisvillians every day about mail delays.

I have heard from people who haven't received paychecks, prescriptions, or W-2s. One woman told me she received a bill so late that she owed more in late fees than she did on the bill.

What concerns me is if the Trump administration gets its way, things will get worse.

The USPS has operated independently since 1970, but now Donald Trump wants to take it over. Why? So Elon Musk can go in and fire letter carriers and sorters? These are hardworking people who go above and beyond.

This weekend, I heard about a Louisville letter carrier who wears a headlamp because she works well into the evening. She deserves support, not demonization.

Let's fix this. Let's get our letter carriers the resources they need. Let's get our sorters the machinery they need. Let's ensure Americans don't pay late fees if their mail is delayed. Let's get this done.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 695, the Medal of Honor Act.

To join the armed services is an act of profound selflessness. On the Veterans' Affairs Committee, we recognize the sacrifice and service of every servicemember who, in the face of uncertainty and danger, took the oath and chose to commit themselves to a higher purpose.

While every individual servicemember makes sacrifices and dedicates themselves to this path of honor, there are a select few who distinguish themselves from the rest.

The Medal of Honor cannot be won. It must be earned through extreme selflessness and bravery. We recognize this distinguished service with our Nation's highest military honor, the Medal of Honor.

From the first awardee to the most recent, Medal of Honor recipients have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to serve above and beyond the call of duty, even to their own death.

There have been 43 Kentuckians who were awarded the Medal of Honor. I will just talk about one, Sergeant John C. Squires, a Louisville native who went from Male High School to the United States Army and served in Italy in World War II.

It was in April of 1944, in the Italian countryside, that Squires braved automatic gunfire, artillery, and mortar

fire to carry messages through barbed wire and over minefields, to organize troops, and bring reinforcements to the front line. With total disregard for his own well-being, he fought German soldiers day and night.

He was killed in action. He lies in rest at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, and a bronze statue of Squires sits atop the Kentucky Medal of Honor Memorial.

Squires is one of just 3,538 Medal of Honor recipients in our history. From all who have been awarded, for all of those who earned this honor, they do so through the acts of service that are incredible.

There is no paycheck that could repay their sacrifice and no thank- you letter that could truly convey our Nation's gratitude. We cannot ever hope to repay this debt, but we can show our fullest support for them and their surviving spouses and families by increasing their annual compensation.

The Medal of Honor Act ensures that servicemembers and their surviving spouses get an increased pension for their sacrifice, an increase that properly reflects the gravity of their service.

Currently, the payment of $1,619.34 a month is deeply inadequate. Medal of Honor recipients go above and beyond the call of duty. It is only right that we honor their sacrifice with compensation that truly reflects their extraordinary actions.

These heroes continue to serve, speaking throughout the country and inspiring our citizens in schools and beyond. They continue to carry the mantle of courage, sacrifice, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, and commitment here at home.

There is nothing we can pay them that will ever match their sacrifice, but voting for this act is a step toward recognizing their service, courage, and enduring legacy. It is about showing them not just with words but with action that they are seen and valued and that they will never ever be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 695. I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas), my good friend and the ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 695, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the Republican budget resolution and urge my colleagues to reject it for what it is: a total scam and betrayal of the middle class.

A budget isn't just a policy document. It is a moral document. In their budget, the Republicans make their moral code clear: The rich get richer, and the rest of us pay for it.

There is no reason a teacher in Louisville, Kentucky, should pay more in taxes than Tesla did last year.

Mr. Chair, let's talk about how this budget will hurt Kentuckians. This budget mandates at least $880 billion of cuts to Medicaid; $230 billion of cuts to take meals away from seniors, veterans, and kids; and at least $330 billion of cuts to our public schools.

Let me make this clear for those of you watching from Kentucky.

If you are one of the 1.4 million people in the Commonwealth who gets health insurance through kynect, Republicans are coming for your healthcare.

If you have a kid in JCPS, Republicans are coming after their education--fewer teachers, fewer opportunities, and no more free school lunches.

If you are one of our veterans, our seniors, or the one in five Kentucky kids going hungry as we speak, Republicans want to take away your next meal.

It is wrong. I met with over a thousand of my constituents this weekend. They are angry. I am angry, too, because this budget hurts people, and for what? So Elon Musk can get even richer. It is a scam.

Mr. Speaker, we are in a constitutional crisis.

Our Founding Fathers created three coequal branches of government to ensure that no one man can be king, but here we are. We have a President who is willing to tear up our Constitution in order to seize more power for himself.

Last week, Donald Trump empowered Elon Musk to delete USAID. Now, they are trying to eliminate the Department of Education and go after Medicaid. What is next, Social Security?

Let's be clear. It is unconstitutional for any President to abolish any Federal agency created and funded by Congress.

My question to the body is this: Where are my Republican colleagues?

They would not be okay if this were Kamala Harris or Joe Biden, and the difference is, neither would I.

Mr. Speaker, stand with me. We all must stand up to do something to stop it.