Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Antioch Baptist Church of Tyler, Texas, located in the Sand Flat community of Smith County, as it celebrates its 175th anniversary on Sunday, October 11, 2026. Founded in 1851 by local residents, Antioch has been a cornerstone of faith, fellowship, and service in East Texas for generations.

Since 1851, Antioch Baptist Church of Tyler has stood through the early Texas settlements, the Civil War, and the Great Depression, and carries on today in the modern digital age. Through every season, this congregation has been a spiritual and social anchor for the Sand Flat community and the greater East Texas family around it. Generation after generation, families have called Antioch their church home. Grandparents, parents, and children have worshiped together, served together, and leaned on one another in good times and hard times. That is the work of a church. It is the faith of its founders, the fellowship of its families, and the faithful service of its members, passed down year after year. East Texans are grateful people, and we are grateful to God for Antioch. A church does not last 175 years by accident. It lasts because faithful people kept showing up, kept serving their neighbors, and kept trusting God with the rest.

The strength of a church is measured not by its walls but by the lives it touches. For 175 years, Antioch Baptist Church has fed the hungry, encouraged the discouraged, raised up young people, and stood by families in their times of need. Its legacy lives on in the many members and neighbors whose lives have been shaped by its ministry.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Marshall Elks Lodge No. 683 as it celebrates 125 years of service to the people of Marshall, Harrison County, and communities across East Texas.

Chartered on April 19, 1901, the Lodge built its first home in 1903 on North Washington Street, now a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Over the years, Elk's members have given more than $12 million back to the community through charitable giving, service projects, and volunteer effort. Behind that number are the things East Texans remember: a holiday meal on the table, help arriving after a disaster, a scholarship for a student headed to college, and a blood drive that helped a stranger.

The Lodge has long stood with our veterans and first responders. It invests in young people through the Hoop Shoot Free Throw Contest and drug awareness programs, and it supports Texas Elks Children's Services and Special Grant Programs for children with special needs. In 2016, the Marshall Economic Development Corporation and the Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce honored the Lodge as Non-Profit Organization of the Year.

For 125 years, generations of members have given their time, their talents, and their treasure, guided by the four principles of Elkdom: charity, justice, brotherly love, and fidelity. That is the East Texas way of caring for a neighbor.

I thank every member, past and present, and their families. May God bless the members of Marshall Elks Lodge No. 683, and may He continue to bless East Texas and the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Noonday Baptist Church and its pastor, Scott Gorbett, as the congregation celebrates its 150th anniversary of faithful service to the Noonday community.

The congregation's roots trace back to 1866, when settlers in the Neches River area organized the Seven League Baptist Church in Christ. In 1876, several members withdrew to form a new congregation at the crossroads of the Seven League area, naming both the community and the church Noonday. On October 10, 1876, the Cherokee Baptist Association formally received Noonday Baptist Church into its membership--the beginning of a legacy that continues to this day.

In 1888, the congregation purchased the land on which the church still stands, and the original building was constructed soon after. Since 1912, the church has been remodeled and expanded many times over, reflecting the growth and resilience of a congregation deeply rooted in its community.

For a century and a half, Noonday Baptist Church has remained a steadfast presence in the lives of its members and neighbors offering Bible study, worship, and fellowship for children, youth, and adults alike. Under the leadership of Pastor Scott Gorbett, the church continues to embody its founding philosophy: that faith is more than what happens on Sunday mornings, but a part of who its members are, inside and out.

Noonday Baptist Church has faithfully shared the gospel, served its community, and welcomed all who walk through its doors for 150 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chief Justice James T. ``Jim'' Worthen of the Twelfth Court of Appeals in Tyler, Texas, as he concludes nearly three decades of distinguished judicial service to East Texas and our great state.

Chief Justice Worthen is a seventh-generation Texan who grew up in Big Sandy, and he has spent his entire professional life dedicated to serving the region he calls home. He earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from The University of Texas at Tyler, his law degree from South Texas College of Law, and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Virginia. Before taking the bench, he practiced law in Tyler for nearly two decades, building a strong and respected reputation within the East Texas legal community.

Chief Justice Worthen was first elected to the Twelfth Court of Appeals in 1998 and has served as Chief Justice since January 2003. Over his 27 years on the bench, he has provided steady, principled leadership and has earned the deep respect of his colleagues and the broader legal community for his integrity, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to the title of law. His service has extended well beyond the courtroom, including his tenure as Chairman of the Council of Chief Justices and his longstanding involvement in the Texas legal community.

Chief Justice Worthen's career represents the very best of public service; a profound respect for the law, a deep sense of responsibility to the office he holds, and an unwavering commitment to the people of East Texas.

I am proud to join Chief Justice Worthen's family, friends, colleagues, and fellow East Texans in thanking him for his exceptional service and congratulating him on a well-earned retirement. I thank him for his dedicated service to East Texas and the State of Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jeremy and Brandy Jenkins, who tragically lost their lives on August 15, 2026. The Jenkins leave behind three sons and countless family and friends devastated by their loss, but grateful for the lives they dedicated to teaching, coaching, and loving so many around them.

Jeremy served as head football coach and athletic director at East Bernard ISD, with previous coaching stops at Harmony, Tenaha, and Mount Enterprise ISDs. Brandy had just begun her career at East Bernard ISD as a junior high teacher. They were extraordinary parents to three sons, and were examples of service and commitment to their community and the schools they served.

Through Jeremy's football coaching career and their work in education, they influenced countless students, athletes, coaches, teachers, families, and communities. They weren't simply teaching lessons in a classroom or coaching a game on Friday nights--they were pouring into people, building relationships, shaping young men and women, and leaving an impact that will continue long after their time here.

On behalf of a grateful, but heartbroken community, we recognize with deep appreciation the lives of Jeremy and Brandy Jenkins, their years of service and devotion to East Texas, and the legacies they leave behind. And, we pray that our Lord above would watch over their sons, comfort them, and be with their family and friends as they mourn this tragedy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Heart Gallery East Texas on being named a 2026 Angels in Adoption Honoree by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, an award accepted on the organization's behalf by its Director, Gillian Sheridan.

Heart Gallery East Texas serves children in foster care across 23 counties in Region 4 of East Texas using portrait exhibits and storytelling to connect the roughly 100 children in our region awaiting adoption with families willing to welcome them home. Gillian has led that mission with a personal conviction for it--she has been a voice for children in foster care since her days as a television news anchor, she helped build local ministries to raise awareness of their needs, and she is an adoptive mother herself. Her prayer, in her words, is that every child in foster care finds a forever family. That conviction runs through the organization she leads.

Each year, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute selects individuals, families, and organizations across the Nation who have shown an extraordinary commitment to helping children and permanent, safe, and loving homes. The work of Heart Gallery East Texas, on behalf of those children has set it apart in our community and earned it this national recognition.

I am proud to welcome Heart Gallery East Texas to the distinguished group of organizations that have carried the title Angels in Adoption Honoree. The people of East Texas are grateful for its tireless work on behalf of children who are waiting for a family to call their own, and I join the Institute in thanking Heart Gallery East Texas, and Gillian Sheridan, for helping make that dream a reality.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Heart Gallery East Texas on this well-deserved honor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor John Adams, chief meteorologist at KETK/FOX 51, who is celebrating 50 years in the broadcast meteorology industry.

John is a native of East Texas, born and raised in Henderson. He attended the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, continued his studies at Sam Houston State University, and graduated from Texas A&M University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in meteorology.

From there, John built a career spanning television and radio stations across our state, delivering the forecasts East Texas families have relied on for half a century--through calm mornings and severe storms alike.

Today, John is back home, serving the community that raised him. There is something fitting about that: a career that started with a young man from Henderson watching the skies has come full circle, with that same man now giving East Texans the information they need to plan their days and protect their families.

Fifty years is a long time to show up, night after night, and earn people's trust. John Adams has done that, and East Texas is better for it. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating John Adams on this milestone, and in thanking him for five decades of faithful service to the people of East Texas.

May the years ahead be as blessed as the ones behind him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7432, the Fostering the Future Act. This important piece of legislation is a reflection of months of hard work by the members of the Committee on Ways and Means and staff.

These much-needed reforms to the Chafee program in this bill will empower current and former foster youth as they transition into adulthood.

At a recent Committee on Ways and Means roundtable with First Lady Melania Trump focused on foster care, I had the privilege of hearing from Jayden Martinez, a student at Stephen F. Austin State University who came out of the foster care system. Hearing directly from Jayden reinforced something many of us already know: These young Americans are capable of extraordinary things when they are given the tools and the support they need to succeed.

The Fostering the Future Act makes several significant reforms.

First, it includes the Foster Youth Postsecondary Education Access and Success Act, legislation I co-lead with Congressman Judy Chu. This will increase the maximum Education and Training Voucher amount from $5,000 to $12,000, which will allow foster youth to access education and skilled programs. It helps provide grace periods when foster youth are struggling at the collegiate level. Right now, States like Texas are returning more than a million dollars each year of unused funds intended for foster youth in this program.

Second, the Fostering the Future Act broadens use of Education and Training Vouchers to apprenticeships, workforce credential programs, and remedial education.

Third, it also simplifies the application process so that foster youth can more easily access the resources that Congress has already made available.

Last, the Fostering the Future Act codifies several priorities included in the President's executive order Fostering the Future for American Children and Families.

Championed by First Lady Melania Trump, as President Reagan often reminded this Nation, America's strength is found in the promise of opportunity. This legislation will allow current and former foster youth the opportunity to pursue education, meaningful work, and the American Dream.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Fostering the Future Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6506, the Taxpayer Due Process Enhancement Act, bipartisan legislation introduced alongside my colleague Congresswoman Terri Sewell to strengthen procedural protections for the American taxpayer.

This bill addresses a simple problem. Under current law, taxpayers who challenge an IRS collection action can lose important other rights and remedies simply because that process takes too long. That is not the result we want for taxpayers.

Congress has a duty to ensure that when Americans dispute a tax liability, the rules are clear, consistent, and taxpayer-friendly.

H.R. 6506 makes three important reforms to do just that.

First, it suspends the statute of limitations on refund claims while collection disputes are pending. Under current law, a taxpayer can spend years pursuing a legitimate challenge at Tax Court only to discover the clock ran out on their ability to recover an overpayment. This legislation will fix that.

Second, the bill prevents the IRS from automatically applying taxpayer overpayments against disputed liabilities during collection proceedings without the taxpayer's consent. Americans should not lose access to their own funds before receiving a full and fair review of the dispute and having that dispute settled.

Third, H.R. 6506 expands the jurisdiction of the Tax Court to ensure that taxpayers can obtain judicial review, even if the IRS later abandons the collection action. The courthouse doors should not shut out taxpayers because of procedural maneuvering and gamesmanship by the

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Brenda Kays.

Since 2016, Dr. Kays has steadfastly served as President of Kilgore College. She brought more than three decades of experience in community college education to Kilgore. Dr. Kays has always led with heart for students and a vision for the future of education in East Texas.

Dr. Kays served as the first female president in Kilgore College's history. In this role she worked to bring students' dreams to life. Under her leadership, our community saw innovative programs launched, new facilities built, partnerships strengthened, and enrollment reach record numbers.

At the heart of her work is the people. Dr. Kays worked tirelessly to help students discover their potential, assist faculty members to find new ways to inspire, and support the staff who made all of the details come to life.

For nearly a decade, she has led with integrity, vision, and an unwavering commitment to student success.

I am grateful for Dr. Kays' leadership, her dedication, and her forty-plus years of service to community college students. And, especially these last few extraordinary years with us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rolin McPhee for his service and dedication as City Manager of Longview, Texas for 25 years.

This remarkable milestone represents a quarter of a century of unwavering commitment to our community and exemplifies the best of public service. Rolin has shown up for our community day after day with a servant's heart, placing the needs of our citizens above all else.

His knowledge of operations within our community is unmatched. The skill, wisdom, and experience he has brought to this position have been instrumental in guiding Longview through periods of growth and transformation.

Most importantly, Rolin leads with vision, strength, and grace. This approach has fostered collaboration among diverse stakeholders, built bridges across varying perspectives, and created an environment where solutions emerge from respectful dialogue.

The impact of Rolin's 25 years of service cannot be overstated. Longview is a better community because of his steadfast service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 909, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act. I thank Congresswoman Ann Wagner for her leadership on this legislation because it reflects a principle this body has long shared: When the justice system holds wrongdoers accountable, those resources should help rebuild the lives of the innocent victims of the wrongdoers.

Congress created the Crime Victims Fund through the Victims of Crime Act

of 1984 to support victims of violent crimes through counseling, advocacy, and recovery services.

Importantly, this fund is financed by fines and penalties paid for by those convicted of Federal crimes. It is not taxpayer dollars. That structure reflects that simple, but powerful, idea that accountability should serve justice.

Today, however, that promise is under strain. According to the Office for Victims of Crime, the Crime Victims Fund ended fiscal year 2024 with a balance of just $1.2 billion, a 90 percent decline since 2017. As a result, victim assistance programs nationwide face a $600 million funding shortfall. For organizations serving survivors of domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault, including programs across northeast Texas, where I represent, this means fewer services and, in some cases, the risk of shutting the doors of organizations who are helping to bring restoration and healing to victims and families.

H.R. 909 reflects a straightforward principle: The justice system can both punish lawbreakers and support victims. There are no new taxes, no new spending, and no cost to the taxpayer, only a responsible use of fines collected in judicial proceedings to ensure victims are on a pathway to healing. The bill temporarily redirects unobligated funds collected under the False Claims Act into the Crime Victims Fund through 2029. Over the past 2 years alone, False Claims Act settlements have totaled nearly $5 billion, and after defrauded agencies and whistleblowers are made whole, remaining funds currently sit unused.

This legislation is bipartisan because the need is bipartisan. Victims of crime are not defined by geography or by party, and neither should our response. H.R. 909 provides stability, preserves the original intent of the Crime Victims Fund, and ensures that those harmed by crime continue to receive the support they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to strongly support this commonsense legislation.

I, again, thank Representative Wagner for her years of leadership and dedicated work to make this a reality and for all those on both sides of the aisle who are ardently supporting this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I want to point out before I get to my prepared remarks that Leader Jeffries just said

that we need to fix our broken healthcare system. It is a healthcare system put into place by the Democrats. It is a healthcare system extended by the Democrats. The proposal today will do nothing to extend anything but the failures of the past. It will not fix the broken system they put in place.

Mr. Speaker, that is why I rise today in opposition to this Democratic discharge petition. It is fiscally irresponsible and fails to address the waste, fraud, and abuse of ObamaCare while ignoring the real problems in our healthcare system and ignoring the fact that these temporary COVID-era enhanced subsidies have done nothing but pad the profits of big insurance companies and drive up the very premiums that they purport to reduce.

Mr. Speaker, let's look at the facts more closely. First, ObamaCare has yet to deliver on the promises made to Americans over a decade ago. Since the ACA was enacted, premiums have increased by roughly 80 percent. Guess what. Ninety percent of that increase has been paid for by the taxpayers.

It is important to note that these premium tax credits are sent directly to insurance companies, not the taxpayers, and it is no secret why. The ACA was written by insurance companies to benefit insurance companies, and it has served to drive up the stock price for those insurance companies by more than 1,000 percent since the ACA came into existence.

Meanwhile, families face out-of-pocket costs exceeding $20,000 a year and a 95-percent increase in their premiums over that same time period. This is hardly a coincidence in a system designed to reward the insurers, not the patient.

Let's not forget that today's proposed extension of these pandemic- era tax credits only relates to the 7 percent of Americans who are actually enrolled in the ACA, not the other 93 percent of Americans who are not participants in the failed ACA exchange. Of those 7 percent, roughly one-half did not even use their coverage once last year. Yet, the Democrats want to pour more money into a failing ACA program at a cost of $400 billion.

Far too often, Mr. Speaker, taxpayers have been left paying the bill for a broken system that lacks proper guardrails and has been grossly mismanaged. The ACA is just another example of this, and we should not spend more money to prop up a failing program, certainly not a COVID- era, temporary program that they put in place and they, the Democrats, set to expire this year.

Waste, fraud, and abuse in this program cannot be ignored. My fellow colleagues have gone over that today in large measure, but today, Congress is being asked to pass a clean 3-year extension and to continue to prop up this madness and to prop up the waste, fraud, and abuse. This cannot stand. The Democratic-backed Big Insurance business model is clear: charge excessive premiums to get excessive profits, deny coverage to patients, and shift costs onto both patients and providers.

This has to end, and I urge my colleagues to oppose this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Kilgore, Carthage, and Joaquin school districts for their participation in the UIL State Football Championships in Texas this week.

Kilgore will face Stephenville in the 4A Division I Championship, and Carthage will face West Orange-Stark in the 4A Division II Championship. Both of these football organizations are East Texas powerhouses. Both have demonstrated incredible resilience, grit, and determination throughout the season.

Kilgore is eyeing its second State Championship, after its first championship came in 2004. Head Coach Clint Fuller is ready to lead the team to a win this week.

Carthage has appeared in the State Championship 12 times, 11 of those under the leadership of current Head Coach Scott Surratt. All 10 championship wins in those games came under his leadership as well.

Last night, Joaquin played in the 2A Division I Championship against Hamilton. Head Coach Jared Jones led the team to a historic first State Championship appearance. Making the game is an incredible accomplishment in the football program's history.

Each team has incredible leaders who help shape their players on and off the field. I am grateful for their work ethic and dedication to the game.

I wish good luck to Carthage, Kilgore and congratulations to Joaquin. What excellent football dominance from Texas' 1st District.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor five veterans who were presented with Quilts of Valor: Marine Corps veteran Ben Gallagher, Air Force veteran Bill Presson, Texas National Guard veteran David Baker, Army veteran Dick Wood, and Air Force veteran Mike Mathea.

These five veterans from Arabella of Longview Senior Living received blankets made just for them by members of Longview's Country Patches Quilt Guild, in conjunction with the Quilts of Valor Foundation. This is a small way to honor their service and sacrifice. As they are wrapped in this quilt, I hope they feel wrapped in the arms of a grateful Nation.

I thank the Arabella Military Veterans for creating a space where veterans and their families can gather, support one another, and be recognized.

I also want to thank the Longview Country Patches Quilt Guild for the time, care, and love stitched into every one of these quilts. These are not simple blankets; they are symbols of appreciation from a thankful community to those who have answered the call to serve.

The Quilt says unequivocally, ``Thank you for your service and sacrifice in serving our Nation.'' Their service is remembered by East Texas--a place that is stronger because of them.