Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my good friend, the gentlewoman from Arizona, Debbie Lesko, Representative Debbie Lesko.

Representative Lesko has served Arizona's Eighth Congressional District with distinction and honor. She has fought for Arizonans and all Americans and has been a champion for the people she represents.

It has been my honor serving with Representative Lesko in the Arizona delegation. As a colleague, we frequently collaborated as advocates on behalf of communities in Arizona.

It is an honor to stand here tonight before you and tell my friend Debbie Lesko how much she means to me and how much I am going to miss her in these hallowed Halls of the House of Representatives.

However, I am heartened. I know she won't be too far away, and you can bet I am going to continue to phone her whenever I need her advice or just to talk.

More importantly, I am confident her character, demeanor, and principles will continue to serve her well in Maricopa County, where she has been recently elected to the Board of Supervisors. However, I am worried about it. In Congress, Debbie represented 800,000 people with full-time staff, but now she will represent over a million people with just one full-time employee. DOGE should learn something from you.

Congress' loss is Maricopa's gain. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve with her. I applaud her for her service and wish her all the best. Arizona is a better place because of Debbie Lesko.

May God bless her and her husband, Joe.

Mr. Speaker, on November 14, 2024, I missed vote No. 462, on passage of the Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2024. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 462.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of my amendment No. 13 to the fiscal year 2025 State-Foreign Operations bill.

This amendment prohibits funds for the TechCamp public diplomacy program within the State Department's

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

If you believe its website, the TechCamp ``creates connections, sparks innovation, and empowers civil society to solve the world's most pressing challenges through technology.''

In reality, the actual purpose of the TechCamp program is to spread progressive ideology around the world. What is even more shocking is that the TechCamp is linked to Anatoly Bondarenko, and he is a trainer for the taxpayer-funded program. Bondarenko is a founder of the Texty.org.UA, which placed me and 116 Representatives on a hit list for not supporting Ukraine.

Americans should not have to fund efforts to propagandize foreign countries with progressive ideology. Neither should they have to fund programs that have taxpayer-funded organizations that create hit lists that potentially threaten the security of American leaders.

Let's defund the wasteful TechCamp program. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I find this priceless, that it is hindering violent extremism. I just indicated that over 100 of my colleagues were listed on a hit list. Talk about extremism. That is the key component of this.

If everybody has to suffer, I don't think that we will have any problems when we hang these people out to dry that have actually abused this program, and maybe we will have some more civil society in that regard.

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

Mr. Chair, once again, I ask everybody to vote for this amendment because it is hypocrisy at its finest. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of my amendment No. 14 to the fiscal year 2025 State-Foreign Operations bill.

My amendment prohibits funds for foreign military sales to Ukraine. The Foreign Military Sales, or FMS, Program is a form of security assistance authorized by the Arms Export Control Act.

As of June 7, the United States has spent nearly $600 million in active government-to-government sales cases with Ukraine under the FMS Program. The United States should not approve of foreign military sales to authoritarian foreign countries like Ukraine.

Ukraine has arrested priests, raided a monastery, suspended 11 opposition political parties, and consolidated all television platforms into a single state channel. The country does not even allow Presidential elections.

Even more shocking is that the FMS Program may be used to supply Ukraine with American weapons that can be used to strike inside Russia.

Last May, the State Department approved a possible emergency foreign military sale to Ukraine of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS. Concerningly, just last month, an American-supplied HIMARS rocket system was reportedly likely used in an attack inside of Russia. I, for one, would rather not have American weapons being used on the territory of a country we are not even at war with.

President Eisenhower once said: ``A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment.''

We cannot keep the peace when the weapons of our military establishment are being wielded against a third party, against another great power. If you truly support global democracy and liberty, end the foreign military sales to Ukraine.

Mr. Chair, I ask that my colleagues vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, yes, we are very good friends.

I will tell you once again, saying this out loud and putting it in writing is very important, because this is going to go to the Senate, and the Senate is going to have an objective. When you put something down on a piece of paper, they are going to have to take notice of this. From that standpoint, that is why I want this in this bill. It may not have a place yet in this bill, but the Senate also has to know the intentions of this House. The House has its own independent inclinations.

I have got to tell you: We are a third party in an unending war. You have got to be kidding me. I thought we were the only ones who could declare war, the House, the Congress. I have to object to my dear friend and say, listen, I would like this to be put in there.

Mr. Chair, I would ask everybody to vote for this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of my amendment No. 15 to the fiscal year 2025 State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill.

Amendment No. 15 prohibits funds for the Bilateral Security Agreement between the United States of America and Ukraine. The Bilateral Security Agreement between the United States and Ukraine was signed this month by Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The agreement erroneously implies that Ukraine is a democracy, despite being an authoritarian country that does not even allow Presidential elections.

The agreement also reaffirms that ``Ukraine's future is in NATO,'' even though the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO is one reason the Russian-Ukraine conflict escalated, on top of other things.

While war hawks and neocons are further provoking conflict with Russia, they are also cheapening their golden calf, NATO, by advocating for Ukraine's admission into the alliance.

The agreement further states: ``It is the policy of the United States to support providing sustainable levels of security assistance for Ukraine in support of the objectives outlined in the Bilateral Security Agreement and associated implementation arrangements.''

By putting pen to paper on an executive agreement, Joe Biden is doubling down on billions more of future taxpayers' support for Ukraine. The United States has given $175 billion in emergency support to Ukraine so far while the invasion along our southern border goes ignored by this administration.

When is enough enough? Only Congress should have the power of the purse.

Under the National Emergency Act, we see that the President and the executive branch actually share that power with us. We should not be strong-armed by an executive who wants to drag America into another forever war. Let's put this administration in check.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, there is a great message that this sends. It says this is the time for peace.

When are we going to stop these forever wars? Why don't we get out on top of this aspect and really come clean with the American people?

How do wars even start? Does anybody say that Russian President Putin actually went to the U.N. twice to say: Listen, there was an invasion in my country where 14,000 of my citizens were killed?

I have no fond respect for Vladimir Putin, but he has a right to protect his people. I say that this sends a very clear message that it is time for peace. In fact, I was one of those people who actually offered that. The Cactus League in Arizona is a great time to have people out in Arizona to watch baseball games, and you can talk peace afterward. It is time for peace, not war.

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

Mr. Chair, I ask everybody to vote for this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of my amendment No. 16 to the fiscal year 2025 State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill.

My amendment prohibits funds for the Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery. Think about that: Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery.

The purpose of the Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery is to work with various actors to ``help forge Ukraine's future as a prosperous, secure, European democracy.'' A European democracy, that is pretty interesting.

It is a slap in the face of hardworking Americans that we are wasting taxpayer dollars to pay for this Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery, but there is no such position for America's economic recovery that has been so ravaged by this administration's Bidenflation.

Our national debt is approaching $35 trillion, with $1 trillion being added to that debt every 100 days. The national debt is the leading cause of Bidenflation, the downgrade in credit rating, and overall poor economy.

Since this administration took office, the price index for food consumed at home increased by 21 percent. Energy prices have shot up by more than a third since Biden assumed office.

The U.S. economy is hurting, and American families are struggling. While Americans find it difficult to afford energy and healthy food because of this administration's disastrous domestic economic policies, this administration is giving Ukraine a blank check. This is unacceptable.

Let's defund the wasteful Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery and commit to putting America first.

Mr. Chair, I ask for a ``yes'' vote on my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, European democracy: There is an oxymoron right there.

How about Europe handling this person?

How can there be economic recovery in Ukraine when we can't even do it here at home?

That is sick. That is absolutely sick.

Our taxpayer dollars, $36 trillion, how well are we going to have the establishment in this world bearing $36 trillion in debt, soon to be $50 trillion?

I find this unacceptable that this should be flying right through because this is unbelievable. We are in a proxy war that we never condoned.

We are over here funneling money right and left, and we can't even support our southern border?

Give me a break. Give me a break. Give the American taxpayers a break.

It is time for us to get serious about this. It is time for peace. It is time for us to show our power in the fact that we can mitigate peace, and everybody can honor their promises to each other.

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

Mr. Chair, I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2925, the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act, offered by the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Amodei).

H.R. 2925 would resolve harmful permitting uncertainty and litigation delays caused by a harmful 2019 rogue court decision known as the Rosemont decision. This decision revoked a previously approved mine plan in my great State of Arizona, ignoring 40 years of Federal permitting and land management regulations.

The uncertainty caused by Rosemont threatens to add years of delays to any proposed mining project on Federal lands in the United States.

Congress should act to remedy the fallout created by Rosemont and must work to expedite mine permitting and build up domestic mineral supply chains.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill that will provide much-needed certainty for domestic mining projects.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3397, the WEST Act offered by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis).

Only Congress has the authority over lands and territories in the United States and we have already spoken out on the BLM 2.0 rule that mimics, and we have defeated it.

Unfortunately, the Bureau of Land Management continues to sidestep congressional authority and has finalized a new rule to further restrict Federal lands for multiple use, including outdoor recreation, ranching, mineral development, and energy production.

Since his first day in office, Joe Biden has abused his authority to add large swaths of acreage to the Federal estate, ignoring the concerns of local communities and stakeholders, even to the point that last year, they were caught trying to amortize our public lands on the New York Stock Exchange.

Arizonans don't want another rule that blocks access to public lands. This new rule represents the latest rush to lock the gates on Federal lands by the Biden administration and directly threatens every aspect of American life.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of the life and legacy of Patrick Daniel Tillman, Jr., of Arizona. April 22, 2024, marked the 20th anniversary of Pat's tragic and untimely death at only 27 years old.

As a scholar and a football star, Pat led Leland High School to the division championship and earned a football scholarship to Arizona State. His time at ASU was spent studying business and marketing and in athletic achievement as the Sun Devils' starting linebacker.

In 1998, he was drafted to the NFL by the Arizona Cardinals. Again, he was a star, breaking the Cardinals' tackle record with 224 tackles in 2000 as a linebacker.

After the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, Pat and his younger brother, Kevin, answered the call to service and enlisted in the United States Army. He was first deployed to Iraq with his brother in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom but returned to Fort Benning, Georgia, to complete Ranger School. In 2004, Pat embarked on a second deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

On April 22, 2004, in Spera, Afghanistan, Pat was tragically killed by friendly fire. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart for making the ultimate sacrifice.

Let us never forget his patriotism, leadership, and call to service. May we all be so eager to answer that call in our own lives for this wonderful country.

My prayers are with the Tillman family and our Nation's Gold Star families and all United States servicemembers overseas. May God be with them all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of my dear friend, Andrew Groseta. Today, Andrew needs our prayers, and I ask the Lord's healing hands land upon him.

Andrew Groseta is a third-generation rancher from Cottonwood, Arizona. He and his family have been ranching in the Verde Valley along the Verde River in Arizona since 1922.

Ranching and raising beef are more than just a business. It is a way of life for Andrew. He is a member of the Arizona 4-H Hall of Fame and a past Arizonan Agriculturist of the Year.

As the former president of the Arizona Cattle Growers' Association and the past president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Andrew Groseta has been the voice and brains of the cattle industry for decades.

Andrew has dedicated his entire life, time, and energy to mentoring young people interested in the field of agriculture while simultaneously leading the effort to ensure Arizona's cattle industry thrives in the face of many challenges. He has always been a great steward and emphasized the importance of being a good steward of our land.

Over the years, if I ever had a question about water conservation, forest and land management, food safety, or anything related to ranching, Andrew Groseta was the first person I would seek to call for advice.

It is often said the best people in the world are in the cattle business, but none are better than Andrew Groseta. I am very proud and blessed to know Andrew and Mary Beth, his wife, and to call them my friends.

Mr. Speaker, it is my high honor to recognize Andrew Groseta today. God bless my friend, Andrew Groseta.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the good work of a Phoenix-based veterans care facility called Phoenix Oasis. Phoenix Oasis, headed by its Director Anthony Pfeffer, demonstrated its commitment to our veterans and offered key assistance to U.S. Vets- Phoenix. When U.S. Vets lost its lease, but did not yet have a new facility ready, Phoenix Oasis stepped in and allowed U.S. Vets to continue serving veterans. U.S. Vets stayed and offered services to veterans for months after the lease had expired, and in that way, Phoenix Oasis allowed veterans in need to have continuity of care in a stable and supportive environment.

Indeed, Mr. Pfeffer prioritized providing assistance to U.S. Vets notwithstanding the needs of his own program at Phoenix Oasis. The veterans served by U.S. Vets benefitted tremendously by this compassionate effort and the sacrifices made by Phoenix Oasis and Mr. Pfeffer.

It is commendable that Mr. Pfeffer and Phoenix Oasis take their responsibilities to our veterans so deeply and personally. It is rare these days to see that level of commitment and I applaud them in so doing.

It is also the 10th anniversary of the founding of Phoenix Oasis. The dedicated staff at Phoenix Oasis have provided a decade of service delivering safe housing and substance abuse treatment services to thousands of veterans during that time. And they did so with dignity and respect to our veterans.

Our veterans helped America when we needed them. When our veterans need help, people like Mr. Pfeffer and Phoenix Oasis step in. I thank them on behalf of everyone they have helped in the last decade.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of the 34th anniversary of Azerbaijan's Black January, During this horrific January 1990 event. Soviet troops marched into Baku, Azerbaijan to suppress the freedom and the sovereignty of the Azeri people. This condemnable action by the Soviet Union during Black January contributed to the deaths of 147 civilians and the injuring of 744 more.

The desires of the Azeri people were fair and reasonable, but to Soviet ]eaders, these desires were unacceptable and had to be crushed. Despite the savage Soviet opposition on Black January, the Azeri people remained steadfast in their strong dedication to freedom and self- determination. This dedication contributed to Azerbaijan ultimately gaining its independence in 1991.

Black January is a striking reminder of communism's horrors. The death and despair caused by the Soviet Union is shocking example of this destructive ideology's violent response to dissent and free thought. Such a reminder is important not only for America, but the whole world. We can never let the odious forces of communism prevail against the honorable ideals of liberty and individualism.

Today, the Republic of Azerbaijan is a key ally of the United States, Azerbaijan's economic and security partnership advances American interests in Eurasia. It is in the best interest of the United States and Azerbaijan to maintain close bilateral ties with each other. Because of this, I hope the friendship between our two countries will flourish for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in somber remembrance of Black January and the lives tragically lost during this saddening event. I also urge my colleagues to join me in strong condemnation of the evils of communism, as well as in recognition of the stalwart friendship between the United States and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Mr. Speaker, I honor Rudy Jehle who will retire from the Mohave County Sheriff's Search and Rescue after five decades of exemplary dedication to his community. Rudy truly personifies the patriotic virtue of service. From 1962 to 1964, he served his country in the Army and was honorably discharged. After moving to Lake Havasu City, Arizona in 1973, Rudy served as a Mohave County Sheriff's deputy and then as a reserve officer in the Lake Havasu Police Department.

Rudy also served in the Mohave County Search and Rescue program. Anyone who has traversed the sweeping wilderness of western Arizona can appreciate the lifesaving importance of this work. Through his time with the Search and Rescue division, of which he was a founding member, Rudy has been recognized with greatly deserved accreditations and awards. His work and service for the Mohave County community merits the utmost commendation.

On behalf of myself and the great people of Arizona's ninth district, I extend my sincere gratitude to Rudy for his service, and I wish him the best as he moves onto the next chapter of his life.

Mr. Speaker, Officer John A. Schwamm was the U.S. Customs and Border Protection area port director for the San Luis Port of Entry in my state of Arizona. After nearly 50 years of work in law enforcement. John decided to bring his 47-year career to an honorable conclusion on December 31st of

2023. Thirty-eight of those years were in service to the great state of Arizona. He started his law enforcement career in 1977 in Nogales, Arizona and worked at the local police department for 9 years. He started work for the U.S. Customs Service in 1985, then transitioned to the CBP in 2003.

During his 20 years in CBP, Officer Schwamm overcame many challenges and loyally served his Nation. During the COVID pandemic, he kept a cool head and faithfully did his duty in the middle of the chaos. He also frequently helped my team by hosting briefings and personal tours for myself and my staff so we could better combat the border crisis and the COVID pandemic. Officer Schwamm has earned a long retirement, and I wish him the absolute best.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Eugene Butler.

Eugene Butler was recently appointed to be a judge in Virginia, for the 24th judicial district. He will be focusing on Juvenile and domestic relations.

As impressive as that is, he now is the first black judge to hold that position in that district.

Originally from Washington, D.C., where he attended Patrick Henry High School, he later graduated from Washington & Lee Law School. Judge Butler has been practicing law for 20 years and is the former president of the Lynchburg Bar Association. Judge Butler is the son of a Methodist minister, and the brother of D.C. resident Brian Butler.

I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Judge Butler and his family and I wish him continued success in his legal career.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, as recently as fiscal year 2023, the National Institutes of Health has spent more than $10 million in taxpayer dollars to fund virology research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. The funding continues through 2027.

This is in direct violation of policy barring funding for such risky research known as gain-of-function research.

Despite being dismissed as a conspiracy theory, mounting evidence proves that the coronavirus originated from a leak at the Wuhan lab. It is estimated that 7 million people across

the globe have died from the coronavirus.

Nearly 3 years have passed since the first case of COVID-19 was detected, yet the NIH continues to fund experiments in the China lab that created the deadly virus. The fact that the United States continues to fund dangerous experimentation in the country of our greatest foreign adversary is unacceptable.

My amendment No. 99 would prohibit funding for virology research by the National Institutes of Health in Southeast Asia. Not another dime of Federal taxpayer dollars should be used to create a bioweapon for our enemies. Even Barack Obama wanted a pause on this.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I find it absolutely fascinating in regard to the science. I am not a scientist, but I do deal in science quite a bit.

In fact, the Wuhan virology lab didn't even qualify for what it was doing with virology. Didn't even qualify by the standards set by international standards, and yet we are still going to do that. I have got to tell you something is wrong with this deal.

Barack Obama--I want to reiterate this--Barack Obama actually stated that this should take a pause, but he was overrun by people at NIH at the time. Now, I believe that we ought to be looking all the time at different things but gain of function is totally different. This is building a bioweapon. We have got to stop this.

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

Mr. Chair, once again, I find it very fascinating.

Keep my head in the sand?

What about the science? Hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin weren't going to work. Are you kidding me? The other side has got their head in the sand.

This is very important that we stop this. We shouldn't be dealing with somebody else. If we are going to do something like that, it ought to be done here not in Southeast Asia where we can't control it.

Mr. Chair, once again, I ask for all my colleagues to support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of a fellow patriot and beloved editor of the Republican Briefs, Mrs. Florence ``Frosty'' Taylor.

Two weeks ago, Arizona lost a dear friend. With two beautiful children, two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and a husband of 68 years, Frosty lived a life full of love, service, and passion for adventure. She would never lie idle when there was more work to be done for our country.

Born on April 7, 1937, Frosty grew up on her grandfather's cattle ranch in South Dakota and married her high school sweetheart. In 1964, she won the Mrs. Nebraska pageant and subsequently embarked on a career in public media. Beginning as a columnist, she quickly advanced to the position of editor and earned the titles of first female reporter to ride in a Phoenix Police helicopter and honorary Phoenix firefighter.

After great success in the media industry, Frosty worked in the Arizona Attorney General's office and the Arizona Game and Fish Department Heritage Fund.

But Frosty's true service was performed within her community. She served as President of the Wickenburg Republican Club and was one of her district's precinct committeewomen and state committeeman, while reporting Arizona news as editor of the Republican Briefs, a role from which she retired only this past August.

She had a thirst for knowledge, but not for her own benefit. Whether it was working for the media or humbly publishing a 500-page family cookbook, Frosty strived to share all she learned with others.

Every time we met, she amazed me. She knew politics through and through, from the local to the national level. If you visit the Republican Briefs website, you will find countless testimonies to Frosty's advocacy on behalf of Arizonan Conservatives.

On November 4, 2023, Frosty passed away at the vivacious age of 86. Although this is a time of mourning, her life and legacy will be celebrated for years to come.

She will be remembered as a woman of principle, but most of all, a long-time supporter and friend of mine. When you have a friend in Frosty, you have a friend indeed.

Mr. Chair, these tours are very important. In fact, the gentleman from Texas talked about the technology. In the Grand Canyon, they have this quiet technology where you can barely hear them on the ground.

There are limitations on these tours already in many of the parks. The problem here is the bureaucracy can't help the private sector. I love the gentleman's aspect about no limitations because that is going to make it happen. It is going to make it happen because they are going to try to put limitations on them.

This makes sure that everybody has the opportunity to experience these. On top of that, air tours require no ground-based infrastructure at the park, which expands accessibility without the need for roads, trails, signs, bathrooms, garbage cans, or other services. These are important.

They also generate a sizable amount of money because every tour generates some kind of fee back to the Federal Government. At $34 trillion and growing, I think we could all use a little bit of that extra money.

If you look at it from the eyes of a businessman and allowing these air tours to help out, you are going to find out that America is singing ``Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah'' all day long, seeing the beautiful landscapes.

Mr. Chair, I join with my friend from Texas and say please vote for this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I participated and went up to New York to see this site. There are 2,200 men in a camp right next to soccer fields, right next to ice-skating rinks. There is going to be a problem here. In fact, just a couple weeks after that, it flooded. This whole area flooded.

So New York City is going to take a national park--this is the first time this has ever happened or occurred--they don't do a NEPA; they don't do full evaluations, but they are going to turn 2,200 military- aged men into this shelter.

They are higher than a kite if they think that there are not going to be problems. That is what the gentlewoman wants. She wants to have the same things done at this time, at this place as any other place it would be done, such as a NEPA. This is not a good idea to do this in this area. It is going to have a harmful effect on those kids, those children that participate there.

So I agree with the young lady from New York. This is a bad idea. Bad timing. Bad place. Let's follow the rules.