Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 174, and YEA on Roll Call No. 175.

Mr. Speaker, on May 18, 2018, the Santa Fe community experienced a tragedy that forever changed families across Texas. Ten innocent lives were taken during those dark 30 minutes. Students and teachers who should still be with us today were ripped away from their loved ones in an act of unimaginable evil and violence.

Like so many neighbors of mine, I will forever remember that day and the tremendous weight it carried with it. I remember the heartbreak that swept across Santa Fe, the fear that parents felt as they tried to reach their children and the grief that settled over the entire community in the hours, days, and years that have followed since.

Eight years later, that moment is still very real for so many families. The memories of that day have never faded. The angels we lost will always be remembered by this community.

Even in the midst of the unspeakable tragedy, the people of Santa Fe showed extraordinary strength, faith, and love for one another. Churches opened their doors for prayer and comfort. First responders ran toward danger to protect innocent lives. Neighbors stood beside grieving families and carried one another through the darkest days. The people of Santa Fe came together as one community, and that spirit of unity continues to this very day.

Psalm 34:18 reminds us: ``The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.''

Today, Mr. Speaker, we honor the precious lives that were taken far too soon. We continue to pray for the families, the survivors, the teachers, the first responders, and every person whose life was forever changed.

May we never forget those that we lost. May God forever bless Santa Fe, the great State of Texas, and our country.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. He is on the right track. When I was in the Texas House, we were already being concerned about that.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on something that ought to go without saying, but here we are. In the United States of America, as my colleague so eloquently pointed out, there is one law of the land: the Constitution of the United States, period--not foreign law, not some imported systems, not, if I can be a little backward, not nothing else, Mr. Speaker, not anything else, period.

That is why I am proud to stand with my fellow Texan, Congressman Keith Self, and support the Sharia-Free America Caucus.

Let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, this is not new for me. I already said back in the Texas House in 2009 through 2012 that it was a problem. We knew it. I tried to get a bill in that actually the chairman of the committee wouldn't take, stating that no court in the State of Texas could use sharia law as a legal basis, none. Yet, he said: Oh, you don't need to fight that battle yet.

That was in 2019. I am afraid we have waited way too long. I led the fight against sharia law back then from ever taking root in our courts. I am so glad that Keith Self, along with Chip Roy, has put this caucus together.

I knew where it was headed back then, and here we are today. Now, we are seeing examples that should wake the folks up who claim to be woke.

In Irving, Texas, Mr. Speaker, you see a neighborhood developed by Hamra Homes with street names like Ali Akbar Court, Salma Jameel Court, and Hasina Drive, all built around a mosque.

Folks can live however they want to and however they choose. That is America. But hear me clearly: You don't bring a separate legal system into the United States of America, not on my watch, not now, not ever.

We are one nation under one Constitution with one standard of law that applies equally to every single American. That is what the Sharia- Free America Caucus is all about. It is about drawing a line, standing firm, and saying that we will not compromise on the foundation of this country--not now, not then, and not ever.

We are founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and that is what we are going to keep it on. We will defend our Constitution, and we will keep America America.

God bless Texas. God bless the United States of America. God bless our caucus.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1057, I call up the bill (H.R. 3617) to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act to secure the supply of critical energy resources, including critical minerals and other materials, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 3617.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3617, the Securing America's Critical Minerals Supply Act, introduced by Representative John James, my colleague and member of the Energy and Commerce Committee from Michigan's 10th Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation enhances the Department of Energy's ability to assess, to identify, as well as address vulnerabilities in the supply chain for energy resources that are absolutely essential to the economic and national security of these United States of America.

When the Department of Energy was organized in 1977, Mr. Speaker, the American people were suffering from the energy security fallout of OPEC's oil embargoes. You may remember prices went up, gas lines formed, and our Nation's economy was threatened because adversarial nations took advantage of U.S. reliance on energy imports for their own interests, Mr. Speaker.

Ultimately, the answer to energy security concerns was advancing United States' production and unleashing American energy dominance. Now the United States is the premier oil-producing nation on this planet.

Today, we find ourselves, Mr. Speaker, in a similar disadvantaged position. An adversarial nation controls the access to key resources, as well as retains the ability to restrict American imports at will, threatening to bring the American economy to its knees. Instead of oil, it is critical minerals. It is rare earth elements, and it is energy resources that are essential to the daily lives of the hardworking Americans as well as a linchpin to the next-generation economy.

These resources, Mr. Speaker, are absolutely required in virtually everything we need to compete as well as defend our country from foreign threats: semiconductors, nuclear reactors, oil and gas infrastructure, the transmission system, and military weaponry, just to name a few.

Make no mistake about it, Communist China knows this and is taking advantage of it. The numbers are absolutely staggering. Communist China produces 60 percent of the world's rare earths and 90 percent of the respective processing capacity, along with 80 percent of the processing capacity for critical minerals, and the vast majority, the production, for at least 50 more critical minerals.

The Chinese wield this authority through export controls to disrupt supply chains as well as market manipulation tactics to ensure no investments flow into these job-creating industries.

Almost 50 years later, the answer to this problem lies in our ability to reshore essential energy production as well as refining facilities that can absolutely compete with our adversaries.

Importantly, Mr. Speaker, the Trump administration has prioritized opportunities to combat undue influence from those same adversaries. For instance, last week, the United States and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding on strengthening cooperation between the countries on critical minerals, supply chains, and working to develop their critical mineral accessibility away from China.

In addition, the Department of Energy's recent organizational realignment established the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation to fortify American supply chains that are essential to a reliable, affordable, and resilient energy industry.

H.R. 3617, Mr. Speaker, will absolutely enhance the work being done by the Trump Administration by

leveraging the expertise of the Department of Energy, to secure our supplies of critical energy resources.

We know what is at stake with the next-generation economy: cutting- edge technologies, like AI and advanced manufacturing, hold tremendous promise to lift up communities across the country with stable, good- paying jobs, while lowering costs for hardworking families.

Mr. Speaker, the Securing America's Critical Minerals Supply Act takes an important step towards solidifying the U.S. position as a global leader in economies and technologies of the future.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. James).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Palmer).

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

Mr. Speaker, it is a shame. Instead of trying to score political points, the Democrats should support our efforts to address supply chain vulnerabilities that Communist China actively exploits to the detriment of these American people that we serve.

Mr. Speaker, the intent of this bill is for the Department of Energy to take a holistic view of resources that are critical to the economic as well as the national security of the United States, regardless of the application.

Mr. Speaker, this bill establishes DOE's overarching responsibility for the security of the supply chains of the energy sector. When the Department of Energy was organized in 1977, energy security was a core concern as a result of the oil crisis in the seventies.

I was a teenager back then. I remember waiting in lines to get gasoline. Now, we face similar threats amidst the development of next- generation industries like AI as well as advanced manufacturing.

Mr. Speaker, after decades of degrowth policies that drove energy production and refining abroad, our adversaries have exploited vulnerabilities and left American families susceptible to actions from places like Communist China.

We have already seen Communist China take steps to limit exports of minerals, such as antimony, that are essential to defense manufacturing for things like radar systems.

Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans are focused on all critical energy resources, including critical minerals. Similarly, the Trump administration has announced substantial

funding opportunities for critical mineral development touching every part of the supply chain, including mapping, mining, refining, and even recycling.

This bill mirrors the administration's momentum on critical mineral policy and will further focus the Department of Energy on developing that very sector.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3617 is important. You can't make this stuff up, what they are saying across the aisle.

H.R. 3617 is important to securing our critical energy resource supply chains and eliminating our dependence on foreign adversaries like we have been talking about, Communist Red China.

This bill takes a holistic approach, Mr. Speaker, in ensuring vulnerable supply chains, impacting absolutely every single corner of the United States' energy sector, are addressed by the Department of Energy, and its passage is vital to their success.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3617 and vote ``yes.''

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the courage and selfless service of Officer William Epperson of the Oyster Creek Police Department.

Mr. Speaker, on the night of November 17, 2025, Officer Epperson responded to a house fire with two residents trapped inside. Heavy smoke was pouring from the home, and the living area was only accessible by an exterior stairwell.

When the front door was locked and conditions were too dangerous to enter, Officer Epperson did not give up. Hearing calls for help, he broke a smoke-filled window and pulled a woman to safety. He then returned to assist her husband, who had limited mobility, helping him also escape the burning home.

Officer Epperson then ensured no one else was inside and went door to door, warning the nearby neighbors, all while suffering smoke inhalation himself.

Mr. Speaker, without Officer Epperson's bravery, lives would have been lost that night. His actions reflect the very best of law enforcement and the very best of Texas. God bless Officer Epperson.

Honoring Lieutenant Colonel Ian O'Sullivan

Mr. Speaker, today, we honor a leader whose service has left a lasting mark on the Texas coast and on the safety of millions of Texans. I am speaking about Lieutenant Colonel Ian O'Sullivan, who has been instrumental in advancing the Coastal Texas Project, what folks back home called the Ike Dike. Under his leadership at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Galveston District, this project moved from concept toward construction.

Just recently, the House included $5 million to advance pre- construction engineering and design for the Ike Dike. That funding moves the project forward, Mr. Speaker, as it heads to the Senate, and it supports a comprehensive coastal resiliency strategy that protects lives, restores ecosystems, and strengthens our economy.

Those numbers only happen, Mr. Speaker, because of leaders like Mr. O'Sullivan, leaders who understand the mission, discipline, and follow through on what they promised.

From combat deployments overseas to mega projects right here at home, he has served with honor and excellence.

On behalf of the people of southeast Texas, I thank Lieutenant Colonel O'Sullivan for his leadership, his service, and his commitment to protecting our coast.

May God bless Lieutenant Colonel O'Sullivan, and may his next chapter be as impactful as the one he leaves behind.

Mr. Speaker, January 10 marks the 125th anniversary of Spindletop, located in Texas' 14th District, which I am proud to represent.

In January 1901, the Spindletop gusher produced up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day and flowed for 9 straight days, making it the largest oil discovery in the world at the time and the first major oil field in the Gulf of Mexico. I should say the Gulf Coast, or should I say the Gulf of America?

That discovery launched the modern American oil industry and transformed southeast Texas into a national energy hub. Over the decades, Spindletop helped drive industrial growth, supported national defense, and built a foundation for the energy infrastructure that exists along the Texas Gulf Coast today.

My district is now home to some of the largest refineries in the U.S., three LNG export terminals, major ports, and thousands of energy workers whose labor keeps fuel moving across the country and to our allies.

That impact traces directly back to Spindletop: one discovery, one district, 125 years of American history.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 977, the combined rule for the consideration of H.R. 4593, H.R. 5184, and H.R. 6938.

Mr. Speaker, it gets fun listening to the fairy tales from the other side from time to time. I have to give them that.

This rule advances the combined appropriations package that includes critical investments for Texas' 14th Congressional District, which I am proud to represent. My district is home to some of the largest refineries in the United States, three LNG gas export terminals, numerous petrochemical facilities, and vital energy infrastructure that keeps our Nation running.

The energy produced in southeast Texas, Mr. Speaker, moves across America and to our allies through pipelines, trains, trucks, and even cargo ships. Federal provisions in this bill ensure that energy continues to flow reliably and securely.

Funding for the coastal Texas protection and restoration project, more locally known as the coastal spine project, is included in this underlying bill. This critical project focuses on flood damage reduction and environmental enhancement as well as economic resiliency. It could save $2.3 billion, with a b, annually by reducing flood damage and improving over 6,000 acres of coastal marsh and land to help mitigate storm surges.

Just as importantly, it protects 30 percent of the Nation's refining capacity, 42 percent of specialty chemical feedstock, and 80 percent of our military-grade fuel supply.

The bill also provides over $9 million to upgrade the Sabine-Neches Waterway, which moves over 194 million tons of cargo each year and is projected to exceed 210 million tons in the near future. This waterway supports approximately 375,000 jobs.

It is indispensable to America's economy and energy security.

Mr. Speaker, this appropriations package delivers real results not just for southeast Texas but for the Nation. I urge my colleagues to support the rule and this critical legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the SHOWER Act, led by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Fry).

Over the last several years, Americans have seen firsthand what happens when a radical regulatory agenda takes over Washington. The previous administration, it is sad to say, inserted itself into nearly every aspect of American life, raising costs and imposing rules that made no sense for American families.

One of the clearest examples is what they did, believe it or not, to our showers. They twisted the law to claim--you can't make this stuff up--that the 2.5-gallon-per-minute standard applied to the entire shower system instead of just each individual showerhead. You can't make this stuff up. Quite frankly, I think they were all wet. The result was weaker water pressure and daily frustration for homeowners, all in the name of government control.

For a year now, this Congress has worked to reverse the damage left behind by previous administrations, Mr. Speaker. The SHOWER Act is simply another step in that effort. It locks in the law's original intent and ensures that future leftist administrations cannot weaponize regulations against everyday Americans again.

This bill is one of many we must pass, Mr. Speaker, to reverse the harm already done and restore America to the one we once knew. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the SHOWER Act.

Madam Speaker, today we remember Coach Dan Hooks, a legend in Texas high school football and a man who just meant so much more to his community than just wins and trophies.

For nearly 30 years at West Orange-Stark High School, Coach Hooks showed up every single day for his players. He pushed them. He believed in them. He held them to a higher standard.

Yes, there were championships and unforgettable Friday night lights. What really mattered happened beyond the scoreboard: the lessons about teamwork, discipline, and doing things the right way.

Coach Hooks wasn't just preparing young men for football games. He was preparing them for life. Long after the cheers faded and the stadium lights went dark, those lessons stayed with them and carried on for generations to come.

Madam Speaker, his influence reached far beyond the field. It is why this community will always carry his name with pride. Coach Dan Hooks built men, built a program, and built a legacy that will live on in West Orange for generations.

Mr. Speaker, due to a family illness, I missed the following votes. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 335; YEA on Roll Call No. 336; YEA on Roll Call No. 337; YEA on Roll Call No. 338; NAY on Roll Call No. 339; YEA on Roll Call No. 340; NAY on Roll Call No. 341; and YEA on Roll Call No. 342.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 951, I call up the bill (H.R. 3616) to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to review regulations that may affect the reliable operation of the bulk-power system, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3616.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3616, the Reliable Power Act, sponsored by my colleague from Ohio's 12th Congressional District, Mr. Troy Balderson.

Put simply, this bill protects reliability that is critical to the economy as well as public health.

The bill protects the public from future Federal rules that would force the premature retirement of power generation that is absolutely essential to keeping our grid reliable.

Madam Speaker, our Nation today is confronting a reliability crisis. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation, which is the Nation's electric reliability organization, shows vast regions of our Nation are at risk for blackouts when weather events and peak demand collide. It is only going to get worse.

The Energy and Commerce Committee has repeatedly heard from grid authorities about the massive number of premature retirements of baseload power in our very own electric system.

These retirements take much-needed energy out of the grid system without adequate replacement of the types of baseload power needed to maintain reliability.

The numbers are staggering, Madam Speaker. Over the next decade, 115GW of power is expected to come offline while 151GW of demand is needed to come online. Do that math.

For too long, radical green activists in the Obama and Biden administrations were able to hijack environmental agencies with no authority over the grid to force shutdowns of power plants without regard to the impacts on that very reliability I said we depend on.

Madam Speaker, if the Biden EPA's radical clean power plan 2.0 had gone forward, it would have shut down most of the Nation's coal-fired power and threatened the closing of a substantial number of existing gas generation plants to disastrous effect.

We cannot--we must not--let Federal agencies with no authority over electric reliability undermine that very vital electric service. Congress already established the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as the reliability authority, but when FERC is needed most, there is no requirement that its expert views should be accommodated. This bill fixes that. Let me repeat: This bill fixes that.

During periods of increased reliability risks, FERC, informed by the technical expertise of grid operators and NERC, can require changes before a rule can be finalized. FERC will not stop agencies from pursuing their policy responsibilities effectively. It just protects reliable power.

The legislation is necessary to provide a mechanism to adjust Federal rules to ensure they protect electric reliability, which is so essential, Mr. Speaker, to the economy, our public health, and, yes, our safety.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3616, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Balderson), the author of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Onder).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio's 12th Congressional District, Troy Balderson, for sponsoring this important legislation.

H.R. 3616, the Reliable Power Act, provides a critical tool to protect the public from future Federal rules that would force the premature retirement of power generation that is absolutely essential to keeping our grid reliable.

The Reliable Power Act, Mr. Speaker, is about safety. It is about security. It is also, quite frankly, about affordability. There is nothing more expensive, Mr. Speaker, than a blackout, a rolling blackout. I know.

There is nothing more costly than green visions that drive out affordable power for expensive overbuilding of weather-dependent generation and backup power. That is why these electric bills are rising.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot afford to let radical rules destroy reliability in our great Nation. H.R. 3616 provides a way to adjust proposed rules to absolutely ensure good Federal policies while protecting electric reliability. A ``yes'' vote on H.R. 3616 is a vote for that kind of reliable power. There is nothing more important for our electric policy than that, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3616, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Gosh, Mr. Speaker, fairy tales begin ``once upon a time.'' You know how those begin. We are hearing one today right here in our very presence, saying that somehow the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has caused this problem.

Mr. Speaker, the plain and simple fact is that America's population is growing, our economy is growing, and natural gas already provides more than 40 percent of the electricity Americans rely on every day.

Mr. Speaker, during the time period of 2013 to 2021, several pipeline projects were canceled, leading to a pipeline capacity growth of only 26 percent. Let that sink in. Meanwhile, natural gas demand has increased by 49 percent. Do that math.

This trend will be compounded if there are not statutory reforms. It is absolutely dishonest to try to blame LNG for this. America can't run without energy, Mr. Speaker. Like it or not, a lot of that energy comes from natural gas.

Listen to this. When we stopped building pipelines between 2013 and 2021, over 25 million homes were put at risk. That is exactly what H.R. 3668 fixes. This bill clarifies that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is the leading agency for coordinating the environmental review process for interstate natural gas pipelines. It requires other Federal and State agencies to align their reviews with FERC's timeline.

It is written with a clear objective, reducing delays and approving coordination. Did I mention that gas has really needed to be given to a lot more American households?

Here is what we are going to do. We have already seen what happens when we don't build. Again, pipeline cancellations put over 25 million, with an m, homes at risk. Do the math. With the average 3.15 people in that household, that is nearly 79 million, with an m, 79 million people affected. Mr. Speaker, that doesn't even account for higher prices or the hit to our energy security or the actual possibility that our energy security will be severely damaged.

Mr. Speaker, if we want reliable power and lower costs, we have got to stop telling fairy tales, and we have got to start doing. That is exactly what my friend and colleague, Congressman Hudson's, bill does. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Chair, the things that make America great are the things that America makes.

How do we do that?

We have an electric grid, Mr. Chair, and that electric grid is under real pressure. Demand is climbing fast and driven by manufacturing, by technology, and the needs for a modern economy while large amounts of dependable thermal generation are scheduled to retire.

Mr. Chair, when you put those two trends together, you get a grid that must work harder than ever and cannot afford any weak links. That is exactly why the Electric Supply Chain Act is on this floor this day.

The bill directs the Department of Energy to regularly assess the supply chains for the components that keep our bulk power system running--not after a crisis, not after a breakdown, but proactively.

We know the risks are real, Mr. Chair. Our Nation's electric grid is the largest machine ever built, and it depends on thousands of specialized parts: transformers, inverters, control systems, many of which have long lead times or limited manufacturers.

Any bottleneck, any shortage, any compromised component puts reliability at risk and drives costs higher for families and businesses.

This legislation strengthens our posture. It gives us the visibility we need

to stay ahead of threats, support domestic production, and ensure Americans have access to secure, dispatchable, and reliable power.

The things that America makes are the things that make America great. We do this with dispatchable power.

Mr. Chair, this is exactly the kind of forward-looking policy Congress should be doing. I thank Chairman Latta and Chairman Guthrie for their leadership.

Mr. Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to support the Electric Supply Chain Act now.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle).

Mr. Speaker, I want to say that tonight I rise to speak as we continue to examine what is unfolding before us. It is important to remember that the fight for the Iranian people is not some distant, unfamiliar struggle. In many ways, it echoes the very heartbeat of our very own American story.

Long before America became the beacon of liberty it is today, we were a people under the heavy hand of those who believed power belonged to rulers, not citizens. Our Founders knew what it meant to challenge an authority that refused to listen. They understood what it meant to stand up, too often alone, and declare that sovereignty belongs to the people.

They risked their livelihoods, Mr. Speaker, their reputation, their families. They risked everything so that future generations might inherit a nation grounded in rights, not repression, but grounded in freedom.

Mr. Speaker, that spirit is alive today in the streets of Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, and more than 1,000 towns and villages across Iran.

We often talk about the American Revolution, but we rarely pause to recognize what it really was: a movement of ordinary people who refused to accept that their destiny would be decided for them by somebody else. They believed they had a God-given right to shape their future, and that is precisely what the people of Iran believe today.

The parallels runs deep, deeper than we sometimes see.

When America endured the Great Depression, it was a time of doubt, fear, and uncertainty. But leaders like Franklin Roosevelt reminded the American people that despair is never destiny. Let me repeat that. Despair is never destiny. He told them that courage, unity, and faith could rebuild an entire nation from the brink of ruin.

Mr. Speaker, today the Iranian people are living through their own era of hardship--economic collapse, political oppression, and constant fear. Yet, they continue to stand, continue to march, and continue to hope. When the free world faced aggression in the 20th century, voices like Winston Churchill refused to surrender to hopelessness. He spoke truth when others stayed silent. He strengthened resolve when others faltered. He understood that a single courageous leader speaking plainly, boldly, and without apology could ignite the moral energy of millions.

We are seeing that in Maryam Rajavi right now, and I will talk more about that in just a minute.

The same need exists today for the Iranian people: leaders like her who speak truth and nations that stand firmly with her and behind her.

Perhaps the strongest parallel of all comes from our own civil rights movement, a time when America confronted its deepest flaws, yet emerged stronger, more just, and more faithful to its founding ideals.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said: ``The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.''

That arc bends when brave people stand up. It bends when people refuse to be silenced. It bends when free nations lend their voices to those who have been denied one.

Mr. Speaker, that is what we are witnessing in Iran today: a movement not controlled by foreign powers, not directed by political elites, but born from the ordinary people of Iran, who simply want the dignity that God intended for them.

Mr. Speaker, I will say this plainly: The return of sovereignty in Iran will

come from the Iranian people themselves. They will write their own destiny. They will determine their own future. America must stand with them, not to orchestrate their path but to affirm it, and not to impose our own will but to support their right to express theirs.

That is why I am behind Maryam Rajavi. We know from our own history that when people rise for freedom, the greatest thing the free world can do is stand beside them.

Mr. Speaker, she has a 10-point plan. I will read that 10-point plan.

One, rejection of the velayat-e faqih, absolute cleric rule: affirmation of the people's sovereignty in a republic founded on universal suffrage, as well as pluralism.

Two, freedom of speech, freedom of political parties, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press and the internet: dissolution and disbanding of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC; the terrorist Quds Force; plainclothes groups; the unpopular Basij; the Ministry of Intelligence; the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution; and all suppressive patrols and institutions in cities, villages, schools, universities, offices, and factories.

Mr. Speaker, we heard the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle) speak about women getting their rights and girls getting their rights. Madam Rajavi is fighting for the rights of women, girls, and men, too, by the way.

Three of the 10-point plan is a commitment to individual and social freedoms and rights in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: disbanding all agencies in charge of censorship and inquisition, and seeking justice for massacred political prisoners, prohibition of torture, and the abolishment of the death penalty.

Four of the 10-point plan, separation of religion and state, and freedom of religions and faiths.

Five, complete gender equality in the realms of political, social, cultural, and economic rights, as well as equal participation of women in political leadership, Mr. Speaker; abolishment of any form of discrimination; the right to choose one's own clothing--figure that out, how simple that should be, the right to choose one's own clothing freely; the right to freely marry and divorce; the right to obtain education and employment; and prohibition of all forms of exploitation against women under any pretext.

Six, an independent judiciary and legal system, consistent with international standards based on a presumption of innocence, Mr. Speaker: the right to defense counsel, the right of appeal, the right to be tried in a public court, full independence of judges, abolishment of the mullahs' sharia law, and dissolution of the Islamic Revolutionary Courts.

Seven, autonomy for and removal of double injustices against Iranian nationalities and ethnicities consistent with the NCRI's plan for the autonomy of Iranian Kurdistan.

Eight, justice and equal opportunities in the realms of employment and entrepreneurship for all the people of Iran in a free-market economy: restoration of the rights of blue-collar workers, farmers, nurses, white-collar workers, teachers, and retirees.

Nine, protection and rehabilitation of the environment, which has been absolutely massacred under the mullahs.

Finally, 10 of her 10-point plan, a nonnuclear Iran that is also devoid of weapons of mass destruction: peace, coexistence, and international and regional cooperation.

Mr. Speaker, I can't say it any better than what Maryam Rajavi has said. This matters for even our security. It matters for regional stability, absolutely. Most importantly, it matters because America has always believed that human liberty is not a Western idea and not an American idea; it is a universal truth.

A sovereign Iran built by its people, powered by its people, and accountable to its people would be a force for stability, not chaos. It would be a force for prosperity, not destruction. It would be a force for hope, not despair.

The stories of the Iranian people today sound strikingly similar to the stories of the American people throughout our history: resilient, courageous, unwilling to surrender to tyranny, and determined to leave a better world for their children.

Mr. Speaker, history shows us this: When people demand sovereignty, and the free world supports them, the world changes. It happened in 1776. It happened throughout Europe in the darkest days of the 20th century. It happened in the movements for justice and equality on our own soil, and it can happen again for the people of Iran.

Mr. Speaker, that is our prayer. That is our thought for today. I yield back the balance of my time.