Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the Severn School sailing team.

This spring, these students made history by becoming the first team ever to win both the Baker and the Mallory National Championships in the same season, but these victories did not come easily.

In the Mallory competition, the Admirals made a critical comeback from third to first place, despite dicey wind conditions, to win their second title.

Four graduating seniors, Alex Baker, Charlotte MacDonald, Annie Sitzmann, and Annabelle Ulak, even missed their commencement ceremony to compete in the national championships.

These students' commitment to excellence, both in the classroom and on the water, is truly inspiring, and their accomplishments speak to the incredible coaches and mentors they have had along the way.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Coach Sitzmann, Coach Alexander, Coach Davids, and the entire Severn sailing team on an incredible season and this historic accomplishment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith, and Wendy Winters.

Eight years ago, on June 28, 2018, a gunman killed these five members of our hometown newspaper, the Capital Gazette. Eight years later, I rise to ask my colleagues a simple question: What progress have we made so that parents don't fear for their children's lives at school dropoff, so worshipers can pray without fear, and so journalists aren't killed on the job?

Congress has a responsibility to rise above thoughts and prayers. We can and we must bring action and solutions. We share a collective responsibility to ensure that not just Annapolis but every community is safe from the scourge of gun violence that has plagued our Nation for too long.

Eight years later, I urge us to return to that collective responsibility.

Madam Speaker, ahead of the 82nd anniversary of D-day this Saturday, I rise to honor a distinguished Marylander, Sergeant John Polyniak, a Ranger of the 29th Division, 116th Infantry, Company C, one of the first units to land on Omaha Beach.

While he didn't know it then, that day would lay the foundation for the Allied victory on the western front.

But it didn't come without heavy loss. Mr. Polyniak was severely wounded and left behind as his unit moved forward. It was only hours later when he heard the voice of a medic that he thought he might make it.

He would later undergo three operations and endure pain for the rest of his life. When asked if he was scared, he said that everybody was scared, but he figured that he had a job to do.

To honor their extraordinary sacrifice and heroism, the Army Rangers veterans of World War II were recently awarded a Congressional Gold Medal.

Mr. Polyniak's story reminds us of the unwavering bravery of our men and women in uniform, the importance of learning and preserving our past, and the undeniable strength of our global alliances like NATO.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today supporting Congressmen Deluzio and Nehls' bipartisan Railroad Retirement Fairness Act.

This legislation eliminates outdated provisions of Federal law that unfairly reduce railroad retirement payments for certain retirees and spouses who continue to work in non-railroad jobs after retirement.

This is really important because we shouldn't be penalizing rail workers who choose to or sometimes have to continue working after retirement.

Mr. Speaker, this is also a deeply personal issue for me. My father was a proud member of BLET Local 71 out of Philadelphia and drove trains for SEPTA for decades. He provided for our family, working mostly nights and weekends, and now relies on that hard-earned railroad retirement.

I know firsthand the long hours and grit these jobs take from both railroad workers and their families, which is why I support this legislation to level the playing field and ensure hardworking rail workers keep their rightfully earned retirement benefits.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2252 would allow the State of North Dakota to relinquish parcels of State land within the boundaries of a Tribal reservation in exchange for one or more parcels of unappropriated Bureau of Land Management land of substantially equivalent value.

All relinquished State lands will be held in trust by the Secretary of the Interior on behalf of the Tribe whose reservation includes those lands.

The process established by this legislation will help make reservations whole and fulfill obligations made to the State of North Dakota when it was entered into the Union in 1889.

The chair mentioned a win-win, and I want to reemphasize that here. This bill will help fulfill our Tribal treaty responsibilities and will benefit North Dakota schools, with the land acquired managed as school trust lands.

I commend and thank my friend, Representative Fedorchak, for her work on this bill, which includes updates to ensure that the land exchanges are transparent and fair.

The bill also includes important safeguards for land with wilderness characteristics and other important conservation designations. Most importantly, Mr. Speaker, this bill is supported by the impacted Tribes, including the Spirit Lake Tribe and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

H.R. 4684 would authorize the Forest Service to issue a permit authorizing the maintenance of a flagpole at Kyhv Peak Lookout Point in Utah.

This peak is located near Provo, Utah, in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. It is a popular hiking destination that is used to feature the prominent flagpole displaying the American flag, which was first installed in 2000 by a Boy Scout troop.

However, U.S. Forest Service regulations prohibit the construction, placing, or maintaining of any structure on National Forest System land. The initial placement of this flagpole did not receive a permit, and consequently, the agency ordered the removal of the flagpole.

These agency policies are vital for the proper stewardship of our resources, and the support for this bill should in no way be seen as an attempt to undermine or weaken that very crucial standard.

We must continue to promote the simple but important principle of ``leave no trace'' to continue to minimize the impact of our visits on the plants, animals, and ecosystems we all hold dear.

To be clear, the agency should be able to resolve this situation on their own. The Forest Service has testified before the Committee on Natural Resources that they are working to issue the necessary permit without congressional action. However, this patriotic display, especially in our 250th year, as the chair said, is important to the local community and visitors alike.

I support the moving of this legislation today to resolve this issue promptly and return the flag to Kyhv Peak.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1352 would designate the General George C. Marshall House in Leesburg, Virginia, as an affiliated area of the National Park System. This is a fitting tribute to a man who left an enduring mark on our national and, dare I say it, world history.

George Marshall is the namesake of the Marshall Plan, a strategy that helped rebuild Europe after World War II. He understood that American leadership isn't found in the vacuum of isolation. It occurs from the steady, selfless work of building relationships to achieve global stability. He gave us a blueprint for a world held together by shared prosperity and common interests.

The Marshall House preserves and celebrates the historic contributions made by George Marshall throughout World War II and during the postwar economic recovery.

The property currently holds a collection of over 6,000 objects related to George and Katherine Marshall. It was found to be a worthy site for increased affiliation with the Park Service through a survey completed in 2023.

This bill is the next step in that process and will help forever cement the legacy of George Marshall.

This preservation of history also stands in stark contrast to the foreign policy of the Trump administration, which, unfortunately, continues to shoot first and aim later at the expense of decades of thoughtful diplomacy and alliances.

The bill before us today is also an important reminder of the need to support our national parks and the agencies tasked with protecting them.

Affiliated areas are vital public-private partnerships, as this bill establishes between the National Park Service and the George C. Marshall International Center, but they are just one component of our system. They are not a replacement.

Real stewardship requires the courage to designate new, fully funded national parks, not just when it is easy or convenient, but where the land and our history demand it.

H.R. 1352 ensures that the legacy of George Marshall and his significant contributions to American history are preserved, protected, and publicly accessible for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam), who is the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge my colleagues to support this critical piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of amendment No. 12 included in this en bloc package and thank the committee for their hard work.

For over 180 years, the United States Naval Academy has educated and trained our Nation's finest sailors, marines, and even some Members of Congress.

But the academy faces a very real and ongoing challenge of stormwater flooding impacting the readiness of America's midshipmen.

In 2024 alone, there were 85 days of flooding on the yard. My amendment highlights the key part of the academy's installation resilience plan by raising Congress' bipartisan support for the Lejeune cistern, a stormwater management system, to address this flooding and ensure midshipmen continue to receive the highest quality, uninterrupted education needed to serve our Nation.

I am thankful for my cosponsor, Congressman Deluzio, and Naval Academy alums Ellzey and LaLota who have also expressed support for this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this Police Week, I rise to honor the 20 members of the Annapolis Police Department who received the Life Saving Award and the Meritorious Service Award for their heroism on June 11, 2023.

On that afternoon, Paddington Place in Annapolis experienced a heartbreaking mass shooting at a birthday party that took the lives of three of our neighbors and injured three others.

In the face of an unfolding tragedy, these officers worked quickly to stabilize the scene and provide lifesaving aid to the gunshot victims.

The officers met the families and victims with extreme professionalism, compassion, and composure--working with extraordinary teamwork under challenging circumstances.

That night was just one example of how first responders rush to the scene and show up for our loved ones on their hardest days.

I thank the officers for their unwavering service on behalf of our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Alfred Frank Bucci,

whom I had the pleasure of meeting last year and who we lost just 2 months before his 103rd birthday, in Catonsville, Maryland.

In World War II, Mr. Bucci served in the 99th Infantry Division during one of the war's most pivotal battles, the Battle of the Bulge.

Following the victory, Mr. Bucci and his division helped liberate three POW camps and one Jewish Holocaust concentration camp.

Mr. Bucci was awarded the Purple Heart for his injuries sustained during his service, and decades later, the French Government honored him with the Legion of Honor medal, France's highest military award.

Mr. Bucci continued his lifetime of service by working to improve the quality of life for all veterans at the VFW Post 7472 in Ellicott City. He also told his story to students around the world in the spirit of keeping history alive.

Today, we honor his sharp wit, his big heart, and his immeasurable devotion to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, he leaves behind a historic legacy and is survived by his daughter, Joyce; his son-in-law, George; his grandson; many nieces and nephews; and friends who were like family.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 2709, the Save Our Sequoias Act, offered by my colleague, Representative Fong from California.

The Save Our Sequoias Act establishes a framework to support the ongoing restoration and recovery of giant sequoias, an iconic keystone species found only in the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California.

Sequoias are the largest trees on Earth. Some of them grow to be more than 300 feet tall. They are some of the most fire-resilient species, even evolving to need frequent, low-intensity fires to reproduce and survive, but climate change, drought, and historic fire suppression have led to catastrophic wildfires that are burning hotter and more intensely than ever before. These climate change-driven wildfires are posing an existential threat to giant sequoias, which are struggling to survive.

Over the past decade, nearly 20 percent of the entire population of giant sequoias has died. H.R. 2709 is a targeted bill that would codify existing emergency response efforts by the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and partners to promote reforestation and reduce future wildfire risk in giant sequoia groves.

These efforts are working. The Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition reported that 2024 was a landmark year for conservation work, with restoration and fuels-reduction efforts successfully completed across nearly half of the total sequoia growth acreage.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my Republican colleagues sincerely for their willingness to negotiate in good faith with us on this bill. In our shared commitment to protecting these iconic trees, these national treasures, we came together to address many of our outstanding concerns, ensuring that new authorities provided by the bill prioritize ecological integrity and science-backed decisionmaking without undermining core environmental standards.

The bill was strengthened by that very legislative process. It is a clear, old-fashioned example of how bipartisan negotiations can produce balanced, strategic approaches to forest, wildfire, and public land management. It is an approach I urge the Natural Resources Committee to continue to take.

Looking at the bigger picture here, Mr. Speaker, this bill is just one piece of the puzzle. Our Federal land management agencies, including the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service, require funding and staffing to fulfill their congressionally mandated missions. These agencies cannot protect the giant sequoia without Congress giving them the necessary tools to carry out that work. New authorities alone will not save the sequoia.

The survival of one of America's most extraordinary national icons is at stake, and I urge Congress to take seriously its responsibility to support and steward our national parks, forests, and public lands from coast to coast.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4467, a bill offered by my colleague, Representative Thompson of Mississippi.

H.R. 4467 authorizes the National Park Service to convey two small pieces of property within Vicksburg National Military Park to the State of Mississippi. This partnership will enhance the visitor experience at the park by facilitating the construction of a new visitor center, built and eventually staffed by the State of Mississippi.

Strategically partnering with the State will empower our Federal park rangers to provide visitors with a deeper understanding of such a sacred and important place.

The siege of Vicksburg was a crucial moment in the Civil War. Positioned on the Mississippi River in central Mississippi, Confederate President Jefferson Davis called the city of Vicksburg the nailhead that holds the South's two halves together. As President Lincoln saw it, Vicksburg was the key to winning the war.

Eager to capture this important city, Union General Ulysses S. Grant ordered the siege of Vicksburg in 1863. By July 4 of that year, the Union Army finally had full control over the Mississippi River. Coupled with the defeat of the Confederate troops at Gettysburg, the siege of Vicksburg was a turning point in the war, paving the way for Union victory.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of our Nation, we must reflect on all parts of our history--the good, the bad, and the ugly; the lessons we need to learn; and the mistakes we cannot afford to repeat.

Sites like Vicksburg Military National Park are where Americans can learn about our past, and sanitizing these hallowed sites is a disservice to our Nation's history. H.R. 4467 is an opportunity. My hope is that the new visitor center will convey the full weight of the painful battle and the context of the Civil War to share the uncomfortable truth rather than perpetuate, unfortunately, this administration's erasure of history.

I thank Representative Thompson and the entire Mississippi delegation for introducing this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4467 and to

join me in the preservation of our Nation's past.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4284, the Small Cemetery Conveyance Act, introduced by the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez).

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4284 amends the Small Tract Act of 1983 to allow States, local governments, federally recognized Tribes, and land-grant mercedes to request small conveyances of cemetery land. As the chairman said, this is an important update that sets out to fix a deeply personal problem for many rural communities, particularly in the West.

Land grant and Tribal communities have existed long before the United States of America or the Forest Service were around. Today, many of these communities find their cemeteries located on Forest Service land, and this bill will enhance access and improve stewardship of these important tracts.

While H.R. 4284 waives the need to pay for or exchange land for these sites, this does not signify a giveaway or sell-off of these public lands. This is, rather, about dignity and respect.

Importantly, this bill requires all conveyed lands to be managed as a cemetery in perpetuity, and this ensures an ongoing public purpose and allows communities to take care of their ancestors for generations to come.

I thank the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hurd) for their efforts to return these important burial sites to their constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, again, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1665, the DIGITAL Applications Act, sponsored by my colleagues, Representative Cammack and Representative Matsui, which would promote accessibility and transparency in the permitting process for communications use authorizations.

While many agencies are working to modernize their systems, application processes too often continue to rely on

snail mail or email, which can lead to delays and challenges in submitting and processing.

H.R. 1665 complements ongoing agency efforts to modernize the Federal permitting system by requiring the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to establish online portals for processing applications to locate or modify communications or broadband equipment and infrastructure on Federal lands.

This is a bipartisan solution to address delays in the permitting process appropriately, while also supporting expanded digital connectivity across our public lands in the year 2026.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Representatives for bringing this commonsense solution. It is about time we bring internet access to every corner of our country. I also thank the bill's sponsor.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of H.R. 1665, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to support H.R. 2294, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act, or IOOS, a commonsense, science-based solution that brings together my colleagues on both sides of the aisle around our shared commitment to protecting our coastal communities.

I am proud to work with my colleague, Representative Ezell, as one of the bipartisan group of 25 cosponsors on this critical issue.

Timely ocean and coastal data is essential to keeping our coastal economies, like the one I represent, running and to protecting our communities.

H.R. 2294 reauthorizes the IOOS program that delivers that invaluable data and that helps us with everything from our emergency preparedness to our fisheries management programs in the States that we represent. IOOS helps to track changing ocean temperatures, measure wave activity, predict harmful algal blooms, monitor sea level rise, and improve storm surge forecasts that help emergency managers make lifesaving evacuation decisions.

IOOS provides data to States, ports, the Coast Guard, FEMA, and any other business or agency that needs real-time access to ocean conditions.

With natural disasters causing an estimated $12 billion in average annual damages, sustained investment in IOOS remains essential to ensure accurate weather and climate forecasts that protect our infrastructure, public safety, and economic resilience.

This bipartisan bill extends IOOS through 2030, strengthening partnerships with regional ocean observation systems and ensuring that critical ocean data continues to flow to Federal, State, and local decisionmakers who depend on it.

From the Gulf Coast to the golden coast of the Chesapeake Bay, when Republicans and Democrats work together on science-based solutions, we can protect both our natural resources and the communities that depend on them.

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

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

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