Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a person who was born with disabilities, but no one ever told him. His photo exemplifies what this man represents.

His name was Terence Ratchford, they called him ``Boo Boo,'' and he passed away on July 26, 2024. I rise to recognize his years of incredible dedication and exemplary work for the Fifth District of South Carolina.

Terence was raised in Gaffney, South Carolina, by his parents, Ruby Hemphill and Warren Ratchford, who was a star running back for Clemson University years ago.

Boo Boo always felt a deep connection with his community. He began volunteering his time at a young age and was known to be willing to help whenever, wherever.

As a child, he attended Limestone Missionary Baptist Church and later joined the Greater Hope Ministries. He loved his church, his church family, and he displayed a deep commitment to serving it very well. He was a leader in religious programs, the choir, and Bible studies. His impact on the churches he attended will last for generations to come.

As an active member of his community, Boo Boo volunteered his time at many chamber events, community service projects, and at the Gaffney Hospital. He served at the Peach Festival and played a large role ensuring that the great city of Gaffney was celebrated each and every year.

Boo Boo coached football at Gaffney High School for over 20 years. He was referred to as the ``Get Back Coach'' because when the coaches got too hot and were pressing the line and getting on the referees, he stepped in and said to get back. He was beloved by coaches and players alike.

He also volunteered for the Blacksburg Middle School girls' basketball team and sponsored a wrestling event for the middle school.

Boo Boo wore many different hats. He was a God-fearing man, a leader, a friend, a son, and a coach. He served in each of these roles with kindness and with joy.

He will be deeply missed. During his funeral services--I have been to a lot of them--but I have never been to a gymnasium, in which the service had to be held, because of all the friends and people who just respected him came.

Please join me in expressing my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the life of Terence ``Boo Boo'' Ratchford.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Steil and Congressman Morelle for leading the charge on this.

Like many things, the public does not know the dollars that are going to politicians who corrupt the system, game the system, and then get paid for it, as Congressman Steil and Congressman Morelle mentioned.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Senate companion to my legislation, the No CORRUPTION Act. This legislation gives us an opportunity to rectify the abuse of taxpayer dollars.

Under current law, Members of Congress who have been convicted of various crimes related to public corruption remain eligible to receive a taxpayer-funded pension until all avenues have been exhausted. This can take years, and it has taken years. Even if the appeal is unsuccessful, there is no clawback on the funds that have been wrongly paid. It is in the hands of the politician who violated their oath when they came to Congress.

The No CORRUPTION Act fixes that loophole by immediately stripping a Member's pension upon initial conviction rather than final conviction. If an appeal was successful, the money halted by this legislation would be paid back fully so the Member is not out the money.

With this simple reform, taxpayer money is not given to criminals, and the interest of taxpayers is balanced with the rights of the accused.

Americans would be outraged if they knew about the various perks that former Members of Congress, many who have been in the news recently, receive. Pension payments to those who have been convicted of a crime is yet another example of wasteful spending that needs to be terminated, and it needs to be terminated now.

It is time for Members of Congress to start acting like everyday Americans, not elite politicians sheltered by their own rules.

Those who serve in Congress--and it is such an honor to serve in this body--should be held to the highest of standards in order to instill trust and confidence in our government. Anyone who does not measure up should not receive a taxpayer-funded pension, which for some Members can surpass $70,000 per year.

The Speaker pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Senators Jacky Rosen and Rick Scott for their bipartisan work in getting this legislation passed by unanimous consent in the Senate, and I urge my colleagues to do the same and pass it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this hallowed House of our Nation's Capitol to recognize and honor a man who has served his community well for a long period of time, Chief William ``Bill'' Mobley, a remarkable individual whose lifetime of service and dedication to his community, his State, and his country have earned him the great honor of being inducted into the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame.

This agency was formed back in 1797, and it exists today in 2024. In 227 years, only 400 people have met the standards to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in South Carolina.

Chief Mobley's career is a testament to his unwavering commitment to justice and public service. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Chief Mobley distinguished himself early in his law enforcement career, earning the JP Strom Award from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. This recognition is reserved for the very best, and Chief Mobley embodied this excellence throughout his 43-year tenure with the York Police Department. From 2000 until his retirement in 2010, he served as chief of police, leading with integrity, professionalism, and a steadfast commitment to protecting the citizens of York.

Chief Mobley's public service extended beyond his work in law enforcement. For 18 years, he volunteered with the York Rescue Squad and York Fire Department, demonstrating a willingness to serve whenever and wherever his community needed him the most.

His professional affiliations, including the South Carolina Law Enforcement Association, the South Carolina Police Chiefs Association, and the York County Fraternal Order of Police, reflect his longtime dedication to advancing the law enforcement profession and mentoring those who followed in his footsteps.

Chief Mobley's sense of duty began long before his career in law enforcement. He proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps from 1964 to 1970 where he achieved the rank of lance corporal. His commitment to the ideals of service, sacrifice, and leadership that define the Marine Corps carried over into every aspect of his life.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Chief Mobley has been a pillar of his community. He has served as president of the Clover Optimist Club, coached Dixie League youth baseball for over 20 years, and he has contributed to organizations such as the Catawba Bow Hunters Club, the National Rifle Association, and the VFW Post 66. He is a man of deep faith, and he is also a devoted member of the Union Baptist Church.

Chief Mobley's life of service is even more extraordinary by the unwavering support of his loving wife, Emily. They have been married since 1966.

Together, they have raised four daughters, instilling in their family the same values of faith, service, and community that has defined Chief Mobley's life.

Chief Mobley represents the very best of South Carolina. His introduction into the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame is a fitting tribute to a life lived in service to others. His legacy of leadership, compassion, and commitment to justice has and will continue to inspire generations to come.

On behalf of the people of South Carolina's Fifth Congressional District, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Chief Mobley on this well-deserved honor. May his remarkable achievements remind all of us the difference one dedicated individual can make.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that you will join me in saying a big thank you to Chief Mobley.

Mr. Speaker, before I got into the political arena, I was in the family construction and development business. It was seldom that I ever heard of or witnessed a company that stayed in business for 20, 50, or 70 years, and especially not 100 years.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate United Infrastructure Group, a South Carolina company that has done just that. It has been a successful business

for 100 years, performing outstanding work in engineering, construction, alternative project delivery, and service.

United Infrastructure Group, or UIG, was founded in 1924 by Frederick Triplett as a partnership named Small and Triplett Construction Company. The company began construction of its first bridge in Morristown, Tennessee, then continued in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and the two Carolinas.

The company completed its first major bridge project in 1926 in Chester County, South Carolina, carrying SC-9 over the Catawba River to replace the existing ferry. For the next 20 years before his death, Frederick served as a pioneer in the bridge construction industry. His legacy continues in his two sons, Fred and Tom.

An innovator and inventor, Fred graduated from Clemson College in 1948 with a civil engineering degree and began working in his father's business. He was known for designing and building overhead gantry cranes used on bridge projects during the 1950s and the 1960s.

In 1976, he was named Employer of the Year for South Carolina for modifying a crane with hand controls to assist a disabled veteran and a former crane operator.

His other son, Tom, like his father, was respected by his contemporaries for his contributions to the construction industry and local, State, and Federal organizations, but one of his most memorable characteristics was being an avid American patriot. His legacy lives on with his son, Jim Triplett, who is an American patriot in his own right and is the current chief executive officer of the United Infrastructure Group, Inc.

Many in the industry regard Jim as a top professional in his field and one who has had a major impact on the highway industry in the Carolinas as a leader in bridge construction and design-build delivery for over 30 years. He began working for his father at age 9 in 1974. He received his bachelor of science in computer engineering from Clemson University in 1986. He practiced structural engineering with Ralph Whitehead & Associates until 1992, when he returned to work at United Contractors. In 1995, Jim acquired the majority interest of the company and later acquired several other former Triplett companies to unify the companies into a single entity.

The United Infrastructure Group prides itself on fostering growth and diversity in resources and disciplines by developing and motivating exceptional leaders in a Christian environment to achieve excellence by every standard of measure. Their commitment to not only producing excellent work but excellent people has left a lasting impact on South Carolina. The growth of their family business represents the heartbeat of the American Dream.

On behalf of the Fifth District of South Carolina, it is my most sincere pleasure to recognize the United Infrastructure Group for 100 years of outstanding service. The United Infrastructure Group and the Triplett family have set the gold standard, a century of dedicated service and commitment for which they will long be remembered. For that, I hope you will all join me in celebrating this momentous occasion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Terence Ratchford, BooBoo, who passed on July 26, 2024, and his years of incredible dedication and exemplary work for the 5th District of South Carolina. Raised in Gaffney, South Carolina by his parents Ruby Hemphill and Warren Ratchford. BooBoo always felt a deep connection with his community. He began volunteering his time at a young age, and was known to be willing to help ``whenever and wherever.''

As a child, he attended Limestone Missionary Baptist Church and later joined Greater Hope Ministries. He loved his church and his church family and displayed a deep commitment to serving it well. He was a leader in religious programs, choir, and Bible studies. His impact on the churches he attended will last for generations. As an active member of his community, BooBoo volunteered his time at many Chamber events, community service

projects. and at the Gaffney hospital. He served at the Peach Festival and played a large role in ensuring that the great city of Gaffney was celebrated each year.

BooBoo coached football at Gaffney High School for over 20 years. He was referred to as the ``Get Back Coach'' and was beloved by coaches and players alike. He also volunteered for the Blacksburg Middle School girl's basketball team and sponsored a wrestling event for the middle school.

BooBoo wore many different hats. He was a God-fearing man, a leader, friend, son, and coach. He served in each of these roles with kindness and joy. He will be deeply missed. Please join me in expressing my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to BooBoo.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the River Hills and Lake Wylie Lions Club for its continued record of service to the 5th District of South Carolina, and to congratulate the club for their celebration of their 50th anniversary.

The River Hills and Lake Wylie Lions Club was chartered in 1975 and since its inception, has been a force in the Lake Wylie and Clover communities as the largest and most effective Lions Club in the state of South Carolina. The club's 142 members have raised over $200,000 annually. Each year, the entire amount raised goes directly to support over 20 charities and services.

The Lions Club has created several of their own projects and organizations that focus on supporting and serving South Carolina. The River Hills, Lake Wylie Community Foundation was established by the Lions to receive funds and distribute the proceeds to charities in tandem with the organization's goals and with the needs of the community. The foundation's motto is ``For Good. For Others. For Ever'' and that sentiment can be felt in the impact of this program throughout South Carolina.

The Lions Club also created a partnership with Clover Schools that led to the establishment of Roaring Readers, which provides books for elementary school classrooms, helped start the Roaring Eagle Newspaper, and donates annual scholarships for Clover High School seniors. In addition, the club supports the youth throughout York County and Clover through Kidsight, an eyesight program that screens over 13,000 annually and helps pay for new glasses, eye surgeries, and hearing aids as needed.

The motto of the Lions Club is ``we serve.'' The River Hills and Lake Wylie chapter carries out this mission daily and their impact can be seen and felt throughout our great state. Each of the people that make up this great organization lead with honor, joy, and compassion. They are the people who help make our Nation the greatest in the world. The Lions Club members willingly give up their time, tithe, and talent and live out the South Carolina motto, ``While I Breathe, I Hope.'' Please join me in expressing my heartfelt gratitude for all of their great work and celebrating 50 years of exemplary service.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for leading this Special Order hour. The pictures, the posters of what Congressman Biggs is showing demonstrate the horror that people are going through on an activity that this administration not only is condoning, they are encouraging it.

When you think about the last 3\1/2\ years, what this administration has subjected this country to, it is beyond comprehension. With the invasion at our border, he is basically changing the landscape of this country in a way that is going to take a long time to come back and recover from.

Yes, we are going to deport them when President Trump takes office, but look at the lost lives that Congressman Biggs is showing, the members who are brazenly killing Americans.

Let me read some comments by czar Harris that point out what I am saying about this being so intentional. She has not disavowed any of the statements I am getting ready to read.

Harris has called the building of a border wall stupid and useless, labeling it as President Trump's medieval vanity project.

In both 2020 and 2024 campaigns, she has stated that detention centers would be shut down if she became President.

In the Senate, Harris supported cutting ICE bed numbers, stopping border wall construction, and opposed all of President Trump's effective border policies, including the remain in Mexico policy and the title 42 expulsions.

In 2019, border czar Harris stated in an ACLU survey that she supports providing transgender surgeries for detained illegal aliens.

It is bad enough what she is saying in all of these comments, but the scary part about it is she could actually become our President and put this country into a further declining position.

The policy changes which she advocates, along with ending the border wall--let me say, on the border wall, you ask any Democrat that has not said one word about the illegal immigration crisis, their position is walls don't work. If they don't work, then why, every time we have a dignitary or any foreign leaders from other countries, guess what goes up around the Capitol to protect us? A wall, a fence. It is insanity that they are denying this.

She is for restricting immigration officers from arresting, detaining, and deporting aliens; she is terminating asylum cooperative agreements with Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras; she, as I stated, was for ending the remain in Mexico policy; and she is for removing the adversarial nature of the asylum process, making it easier to grant frivolous asylum claims.

Folks, this is outlandish. Over 200,000 Americans have died from fentanyl. Over the past 24 months, law enforcement has seized an average of 2,020 pounds of fentanyl per month. That is enough to kill 458 million people.

My issue that needs to be highlighted all across this country is to at least have mercy on the children. There are 300,000 plus children that have not been accounted for and are either dead or in sex slave activity, and this administration, the blood is on their hands.

I thank the Congressman for leading this charge and the pictures that he is showing, because it puts a face on what this administration is doing to America.

Mr. Speaker, I thank and appreciate Mrs. Houchin for putting forward these bills.

I am glad there are citizens up here listening to the two different points of view. We are totally different.

Some of the things that you said in Rules yesterday, Mr. McGovern, the last 3--well, 4 years under the Biden, czar Harris administration have wrecked this country.

You mentioned yesterday, and I brought this up in Rules, empathy for children. Where is the empathy for the 300,000 that this administration is letting in this country unaccompanied, God knows what is happening to them, of the 15 million that are coming in here? How is that working for America?

How is it working for America when you are taking the side of the criminal and putting handcuffs on the policemen through your defund police activity?

The actions of this administration on tax cuts--tax, tax, tax. You want the Federal Government to tell these people where to spend their money. We are not having it.

The reason the amendments aren't made in order, they are dumb. Some of them are good, but most of them are dumb, and they are antifreedom is the best word I can say.

I rise today in support of the rule to provide consideration for bills that combat the administration's woke policies that you are forcing on businesses.

I am thrilled the rule contained a package of financial service bills. You are right; we shouldn't have to protect them. It should be common sense, but it is not from the Democratic Party.

This package includes my bill, the Businesses Over Activists Act. As Republicans, we believe in limited government letting us spend our money and not letting unelected bureaucrats spend our money.

Under the Exchange Act, the ability of the Securities and Exchange Commission to oversee proxy solicitation is very limited.

Every regulation has been weaponized against the very businesses that are paying the taxes to support this country.

As far as my particular bill, Congress never granted the SEC authority to make it mandatory for companies to include shareholder proposals in their corporate proxy statements.

This legislation reaffirms the proper role of the SEC and ensures that it cannot exceed its authority by compelling companies to include certain shareholder proposals against their will.

A lot of things we are having to combat is per the Constitution that you are wanting to do away with. We believe in the Constitution. We believe in freedom. We believe in limited government.

This package of bills spells this out and protects our God-given rights that we shouldn't have to fight for that your party is wanting to do away with.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Austin Livingston and his years of incredible service and exemplary work for the Fifth District of South Carolina.

Austin was born in Texas. He was adopted as an infant and spent most of his formative childhood years raised in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

I had the privilege of him living in our neighborhood, and I took him on backhoe rides, along with other children, to the store and other places. He was known for his physical power on the high school tennis team and also served in our Nation's Capitol as Senate page for Senator Strom Thurmond.

This early experience left on him a lasting impression, and he was delighted when fate brought him back nearly three decades later to serve as a staff member for the House of Representatives.

He was head of the committee for the Fifth District. In between two congressional jobs, he proudly graduated from Clemson University with a B.S. in computer information systems. He also worked as a commercial airline pilot, where he flew for Continental Airlines for over 11 years. He was a leader in the commencement photography industry and started his own information technology consulting company, specializing in cybersecurity.

He has taught Sunday school at his local Presbyterian church in Rock Hill for years and helps as chair of the board of Westminster Catawba Christian School in Rock Hill.

Most importantly, Austin is an outstanding father to his son, Pierce, and he is a loving husband to his wonderful wife, Camille.

As communications director and later deputy chief of staff for my office, Austin spearheaded numerous initiatives, including extensive office renovations and building a TV studio from scratch, which I didn't have to ask him to do. He did that on his own initiative. This was during COVID, when restrictions to facilitate virtual interviews were rampant.

It is not only Austin's accomplishments that set him apart but his character. Throughout the years, colleagues and associates have consistently noted his integrity, humility, work ethic, humor, and levelheadedness in a crisis.

I can tell you he is one of the few people I have ever met who has never said a bad word about anybody. He is a leader among leaders, and it has been a true honor to have him on my staff.

His impact on the Fifth District of South Carolina and its 725,000 people will be seen for many years to come.

Madam Speaker, please join me in expressing my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Austin Livingston for his profound dedication and work. I wish him all the best in his new photography business, as he deserves the best of the best.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gregory ``GG'' Jackson, II for his outstanding leadership and service.

GG Jackson is a proud native of Camden, South Carolina, and attended the University of South Carolina after graduating high school in the 11th grade. During his freshman year at USC, he played basketball all while taking 18 course hours and making the Dean's list. Today, he is a long-standing member of the Jackson Ten Center and is a small forward for the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA. Mr. Jackson is a true example of how hard work and commitment will lead you far in life.

During his time at USC, Mr. Jackson was named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the week in the first week of the season after averaging 15 points and nine rebounds in his first two games. He would then go on to finish the season as the Gamecocks' leading scorer before entering the 2023 NBA draft with an average of 15.4 points per game and leading the Gamecocks with 25 blocks and 24 steals.

With Jackson's dedication, he was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies, becoming a major asset and leader to the team. During his debut, he would go on to score 30 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder. 10 days later he would score 35 points with seven three-point shots against the Golden State Warriors, which made him the youngest player in the NBA to make seven three pointers in one game. Mr. Jackson's achievements do not stop there, as during the regular season finale he would score his career-high with 44 points and 12 rebounds that would also set the record for the most points by a rookie in the Grizzlies franchise history. He now has a four-year contract with the Grizzlies. His story is one that demonstrates that the sky's the limit and that with hard work, you can accomplish anything.

On Tuesday, July 30th Gregory Jackson will be hosting a special community event at the Jackson Teen Center in Camden, South Carolina. This event is dedicated to preparing local youth for the upcoming school year while sharing and celebrating Jackson's remarkable journey that is an inspiration to kids across the area. At this event there will be a Jersey Raising Ceremony that will be honoring Mr. Jackson by raising both his college and professional jersey.

On behalf of the 5th District of South Carolina, it is my most sincere pleasure to recognize GG Jackson for his outstanding leadership and lifelong service to our state. I wish him the best of luck throughout his future endeavors and am confident he will continue to serve and will find great success in all he does.

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

Mr. Chair, my amendment is pretty simple. It prohibits

funding for the purchase of electric vehicles.

We have a Member here in Congress who owns a dealership who is burying his electric vehicle, which doesn't work, as a testament to how useless these vehicles are.

I rise in support of my amendment that prohibits funds for the purchase of electric vehicles. As part of the Department of Homeland Security's Climate Action Plan, whatever that is, the agency responsible for the safety and security of our Nation is wasting hard- earned taxpayer dollars on EVs.

DHS has set a goal to transition 50 percent of its vehicle fleet to zero-emissions vehicles by 2030 in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Where is DHS' goal to reduce the number of illegal immigrants entering this country?

DHS is proud to be the first Federal agency to debut electric vehicles for law enforcement. How does an electric vehicle help a law enforcement officer do his or her job better? How does an electric vehicle protect our Nation? The DHS' website says it is implementing a new approach to meet the climate crisis, whatever that is, which includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr. Chair, this is a joke. What about the real crisis that is threatening our Nation, the crisis at the border, the crisis that has resulted in many deaths that are reported daily?

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

Mr. Chair, the real crisis at the border is the invasion that is now taking place with over 9.6 million illegal immigrant encounters since the Biden administration took office 3\1/2\ years ago, over 1.8 got-aways who evaded Border Patrol since the Biden administration took office 3\1/2\ years ago, over 50 illegal immigrants with ties to ISIS infiltrating our Nation, and over 27,000 Chinese Communist nationals encountered in fiscal year 2024.

I don't know how much longer we are going to have to put up with the killings that are taking place. In one 2 days ago, a 13-year-old girl was dragged under a bridge, tortured for 2 hours, raped, and then killed.

How long will my friends on the opposite side of the aisle put up with this kind of insanity? Since the Biden administration took office, it has opened the borders to anybody from anywhere, any country, without any vetting.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to ensure DHS is focused on their true mission to secure the Nation from the many threats that we face and to keep America safe.

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

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

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment that prohibits funds for TSA's Inclusion Action Committee.

In August 2020, TSA announced the Inclusion Action Committee, which it describes as a coalition of diverse leaders focused on measuring the current state of diversity and inclusion at the TSA. The committee was instrumental in creating a gender-neutral option for the TSA PreCheck to serve nonbinary and gender nonconforming passengers and allow applicants to select their gender based on self-attestation, regardless of the sex assigned at birth.

This is flat-out insanity. Where else does this work in our society? Can I go to a bank and say I am Bill Gates and need a $10 million loan? Can I go to any NFL team and say I am a star football player and get automatically on the team? It is insanity. How does letting a confused man check a box calling himself a woman make our country any safer? Is this really what we should be focusing on?

The committee also came out with a report on best practices to support an inclusive, diverse environment. Where is the report on the best practices to secure our border, which has been open for the last 3\1/2\ years?

The Department of Homeland Security has utilized over 50 airports to process over 400,000 inadmissible aliens through this administration's unlawful Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan mass parole programs as well as any other country.

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

Mr. Chair, I would just say this is insanity. For those listening in the balcony, I am sure if they flew here, they had to present a valid ID, a valid verification, a valid ticket before they got on the airplane. With illegals, it is no photo ID, no verification or information, just a piece of paper provided by the illegal immigrant.

This is a blatant mockery of United States law. Instead of securing our transportation system, TSA is more worried about diversity and feelings.

As a side note, can I go up to the TSA agent and claim to be a pilot and get in the pilot seat? No, I can't. It is insanity to even say that. It is amazing this is even something we have to spend time debating.

As I explained with my last amendment, DHS' mission is to secure the Nation from the many threats we face and to keep America safe. TSA's mission is to protect the Nation's transportation system, to ensure freedom of

movement for people and commerce. How does an Inclusion Action Committee that advocates for a woke diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda make our Nation any safer? The answer is it doesn't.

Again, it is insanity to even have to debate this on the floor of the House of Representatives with all the other crises that we are facing.

Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Chair, the numbers of those willing to serve in the military are now down over 30 percent. The military's sole purpose is to provide for the defense of our great Nation. Our military's focus should be the protection of the American people and our freedoms, not liberals' feelings.

Therefore, my amendment would eliminate any offices of DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusion, in the Armed Forces and in the DOD. We should focus on diversity of ideas and opinions, not races and genders.

DEI programs tend to be ineffective and cost the taxpayers more money, and it has been a very real detriment to the recruitment of our military.

In short order, a woke military is a weak military. Woke ideology undermines military readiness in various ways. It undermines the cohesiveness by emphasizing differences based on race, ethnicity, and sex. It undermines leadership authority by introducing questions about whether a promotion is based on merit or quota requirements. It leads to military personnel serving in specialties and areas for which they are not qualified nor are they ready. It takes time and resources away from training activities and weapons development that contribute to readiness.

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

Mr. Chair, I agree with my friend across the aisle. We shouldn't even be dealing with this, to be honest with you. The fact that money is going to fund this--you don't go to politicians to find out what is wrong with your car. You go to the mechanic. I am in the real estate business. We build houses. If I have trouble with a house, I go to my carpenters.

I would remind my friends on the other side of the aisle that last year 160 retired flag officers wrote a letter to

the Armed Services Committee Chairman Rogers about the dangers of DEI and their opposition to it in the military. Mr. Chair, 160 retired flag officers--and I am sure it would be far more than this if you talked to the people that are serving--have pointed out why this is so detrimental.

The officers wrote this:

We respectfully request that Congress take legislative

action to remove all diversity, equity, and inclusion

programs from the DOD.

Secondly, our military must be laser focused on one

mission: readiness, undiminished by culture wars engulfing

our country.

Thirdly, the domestic cultural threat has an innocuous name

of diversity, equity, and inclusion, but in reality, DEI is

dividing, it is not uniting our military service, nor our

society.

DEI principles are derived from critical race theory which

is rooted in cultural Marxism where people are grouped into

identity classes, typically by race, labeled as oppressed or

oppressors and victims and pitted against each other.

Under the guise of DEI, some people are selected for

career-enhancing opportunities and advancement based on

preferences given to identity groups based on race, gender,

ethnic background, sexual orientation, et cetera.

It is unbelievable we are even talking about this or funding it. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I would just add that I think if you took a really diverse group and got opinions on the military, if it were doing so well, why are they 30 percent down in recruitment? Why are people not coming into it?

Less than a month after the appointment by President Biden of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, he directed commanding officers and supervisors at all levels to schedule a day to discuss extremism.

What do you think our foreign adversaries are doing upon hearing this? They are laughing their heads off.

I would just say that we need to support this amendment. Get DEI out of the military. Let's focus on building ships, focus on building airplanes, focus on building missions, not DEI and extremism that my friends on the other side of the aisle want to try to continue to highlight.

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

Mr. Chair, can I inquire as to how much time I have remaining.

Mr. Chair, I would just add, I don't know how long my friends on the other side of the aisle are going to keep mentioning the pandemic, COVID, but it is over with, and the shortage still exists.

The fact that, again, we are funding this, devoting a day to discuss it, we ought to be having a day devoted to how to fight and arm our brave men and women who are serving in the military.

Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Chairman, my amendment prohibits the provision of gender transition procedures, including surgery or medication, through an Exceptional Family Member Program.

I think I have heard it all, when my good friend on the other side mentioned that the medical profession was for the surgery. That is like saying the owners of a gas station or a petroleum company are for gasoline production. It is a given.

Everything has got a price tag up here, and when I hear Viagra, I hope and pray that Viagra is not included in what the other side is wanting to do. That is not the place for that, particularly now.

The Exceptional Family Member Program provides resources to military families with special needs. This program is designed for military spouses, children, or other dependent family members who require ongoing medical or educational services such as individuals with asthma, autism, chronic respiratory illness, intellectual disabilities, and much more.

The military has tried to politicize this valuable program in order to get transgender procedures passed. For example, the Air Force suggested using the Exceptional Family Member Program for families who want to help their child transition.

I would just say the other side is taking--and I will list some of the other things that are included in this that already exist that they are paying for--money away from the things I will mention, and I think that is unheard of.

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

Mr. Chair, I will just add to some comments made about medical doctors.

The medical doctors are making money on this. Gas stations make money. The free enterprise system does that, and for them to be in favor of it, they are doing the surgery, and they are getting paid for it.

The military is meant to defend this country, and it has gotten away from that. That is what the American people are so sick of.

In another amendment, I brought up the fact that 168 generals and people active in the military are saying that that is why the recruitment is down 30 percent. It is for just what the other side is trying to oppose.

On my particular amendment, you have to realize this program was meant to help families with special needs.

Now, Mr. Chair, if you don't know whether you are a man or a woman, that is fine, go figure it out, and you pay for it, not the government from money we don't have.

Mr. Chair, let me just name you some of the things that are included now but by providing transgender surgery that will take away from these programs.

I guarantee you, Mr. Chair, you can ask and do a poll of everyone in the balcony: Do you want to do away with funds for life-threatening conditions or chronic conditions for transgender surgery?

Do you want to take away asthma and respiratory-related diagnoses for transgender surgery?

Do you want to delay intellectual development by taking the dollars away for that for transgender surgery?

Attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, do you want to take that away?

How about chronic conditions that require adaptive equipment and assistive technology or environmental or architectural considerations?

That is everything that is included.

What the other side wants to do is take money for somebody who doesn't know whether they are a man or a woman. It didn't make sense then, and it doesn't make sense now.

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

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

Mr. Chair, in closing, what my colleagues are trying to do goes against what the intent for this program was, and I am offended that the gentleman wants to take dollars away from that cancer patient. If my colleague is telling me the cancer patient goes behind somebody who doesn't know whether they are a man or a woman, the gentleman and I just have a basic world view difference.

The price tag for individual gender-affirming surgical procedures and other medical treatments can range from $8,000 to $100,000. I am offended that the gentleman wants to take that from somebody who has a disability.

Mr. Chairman, the fact that we are having to debate this is amazing, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Chair, my amendment is pretty simple. It requires the Treasury Secretary in consultation with the CFTC and the SEC to complete a study and submit a report to Congress that identifies any digital asset registrants that are owned by governments of foreign adversaries.

The report will determine whether foreign adversary governments are collecting or trading personal data about American citizens in the digital asset markets and evaluate whether foreign adversary governments are misusing or stealing any proprietary intellectual property of digital asset registrants.

The GAO is required to complete a study and submit a report to Congress on the very same issues.

This amendment would promote transparency regarding how our Nation's strategic enemies may be exploiting the digital asset marketplace to invade the privacy of Americans and steal valuable intellectual property.

In June 2023, the Financial Services hearings that focused on the very bill that we are considering today, Aaron Kaplan, the CEO of, Prometheum, the first and only SEC/FINRA approved Special Purpose Broker-Dealer for digital assets, stated that Prometheum and its CCP partners entered into a joint agreement in December 2018 to develop a blockchain trading system where the Chinese partner took a 20 percent stake in Prometheum.

In case anyone has any doubts about the CCP ties, Prometheum's Chinese partner company was founded in 1969 by a former senior CCP official. In 2021, the party's central committee posthumously named him a ``National Excellent Communist Party member.''

In July 2023, several of my colleagues and I sent a letter to the SEC and the DOJ expressing our concerns with inconsistencies in Prometheum's public filings and the CCP's ownership of an entity that had the blessing of the SEC and FINRA to operate in the United States.

I followed up on this letter in a September 2023 hearing with the SEC Chair Gary Gensler, where he dodged my question and did not take my concerns of the 20 percent CCP ownership of Prometheum seriously.

The fact of the matter is that because Chinese companies are generally required by Chinese law to share data with the Chinese Government, these companies present substantial risks to United States individual privacy and our national security. Chinese-owned broker- dealers like Prometheum, Webull, and MooMoo operate as registered entities here in the United States, and the Biden administration and Chair Gensler do not seem to care, yet they attack American businesses operating in good faith with no regulatory clarity.

This is simply how the CCP and other foreign adversaries operate. They infiltrate our markets while the Biden administration looks the other way and punishes American companies who are only trying to operate in the United States but face endless regulation by enforcement of the Biden administration.

We need to pass FIT21 into law because the SEC's current regulation by enforcement is putting the United States at a disadvantage and allowing foreign adversaries to gain an advantage in our U.S. crypto markets, all while Gary Gensler attacks American public companies who have tried to work with the SEC and come in and register.

I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this amendment to protect Americans from having their personal data shared with the CCP and other foreign adversaries.

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

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining.

Mr. Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable individual, Marlene Mitchell, whose dedication to her family, her work, and to our great Nation continues to inspire and impact our community. Marlene was born in a small town in southern Illinois, raised by her grandmother, who instilled honesty, hard work, perseverance, and love of God, family, and country in her. Her commitment to these values can be seen in her own life, and the lives of those around her, still today.

Marlene married the love of her life, Gary Mitchell in January 1969. They moved throughout the East Coast while Gary served in the Navy. I want to thank both Marlene and Gary for their sacrifice in service to this Nation. She is also the loving mother to two daughters, Stephanie and Stacy, and grandmother to three grandchildren, Victoria, Alexandria, and Mitchell. Reverend Billy Graham said, ``only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of her children. Most of the noble characters and fine leaders of history have had good, God-fearing mothers. The influence of a mother upon the lives of children cannot be measured.'' Marlene is a living example of the value of having a strong, God-fearing mother. The power of her influence can be seen in the success of her children and grandchildren.

Marlene started out her career as a receptionist in an insurance agency and soon after discovered that she had a strong passion for insurance. In 1982, she opened an independent agency before opening her own independent agency in a partnership, and then became the sole owner in November of 1986. She retired in October of 2016 after years of successful, award-winning years of service. Marlene was regarded by her clients as one of the most honest and knowledgeable agents around.

Marlene has also served as the President of the York County South Carolina Republican Women's Party. Over the years, she has chaired and advocated for many important fundraisers, projects, and charities. Marlene has displayed great perseverance and courage in her work for what is right and beneficial to all Americans.

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

Mr. Chair, I applaud Congressman Van Drew and his leadership on this issue and am proud to support his legislation to detain illegal immigrants who assault law enforcement.

My amendment is really straightforward and I believe in line with the goals of the underlying bill.

My amendment simply ensures that campus police officers and school resource officers are considered law enforcement officers for the purpose of the bill's provisions.

In light of the increase in violent protests on college campuses, it is especially important that we show these brave campus police officers that we have their back.

Under President Biden's watch, nearly 4.7 million illegals have been released, and more than 1.8 million known illegal alien got-aways have escaped into the United States.

In South Carolina alone, we have over 175,000 illegal aliens in my home State. These include dangerous individuals who violate our laws and then assault the law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to protect our communities.

It is imperative that we fight back against the Biden administration's radical open-borders policy by mandating immigration detention for illegal aliens who assault law enforcement officers.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to explicitly ensure that our hardworking campus police officers and resource officers are afforded the same protections as other law enforcement officers under this legislation.

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

Mr. Chair, I think we have all seen the college campuses. The protests that you are talking about, many include breaking windows, knocking down doors. That is not protest. That is destruction of property. This has no place on the college campuses. To have the presidents and the tenured professors be quiet on this and to have students scared to go to class and to cancel exams, that is not what they paid money for. That is not what the taxpayers deserve.

This is very simple. If you are a resource officer, your job is to protect the students and the facilities. If you are in law enforcement on the campuses hired by the individual school, you are there to protect the campus and protect the students.

I am sick and tired of these liberals who keep saying peaceful protest. It is like the 50 cities that were burned a couple of years ago. That was not a peaceful protest. That is destruction of property and that has consequences.

All we are saying is: Give these officers the protection that law enforcement has. It shouldn't even have to be said for me to have to bring this amendment. It is a shame that we have reached this point in this country that we are having to define what a resource officer is.

I would ask all those who may be questioning this, you go out and volunteer to be a resource officer or sign up to be a resource officer. You go out and sign up to protect the campus, and let's see how the tables will turn.

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