Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to longtime Memphis society columnist and entertainment reporter Jane Sanderson, who passed on December 13, 2025, at the age of 100.

Ms. Sanderson interviewed many of the biggest stars of the late 20th century as the society writer for The Commercial Appeal from 1950 to 1958, when she had her first daughter. She then worked for The Delta Review, covering Southern culture, then returned to newspaper journalism in 1971 as an entertainment and lifestyles reporter at The Memphis Press-Scimitar until it closed down in 1983. After that, she was the Memphis-Nashville entertainment writer for People magazine. Among the bold-face names she interviewed and wrote about were comedians Jack Benny, Phyllis Diller, and Lucille Ball; movie stars Ginger Rogers, Audrey Hepburn, Burt Reynolds and Jack Nicholson; and Memphis music giants Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Isaac Hayes. Ms. Sanderson went to Memphis public schools and graduated from Central High School before attending the University of Alabama and graduating with a journalism degree in 1947. She married Robert Wright Sanderson, a gallery owner, who passed in 1999.

I extend my condolences to her daughters, Laura Sanderson Healy and Lisa Sanderson, her two grandchildren, and her many admirers. She lived her life in the limelight, and will be missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise sadly today to remember one of my constituents, Breggie Lejuane Gilkey--a lifelong servant to the city of Memphis, a musician and the devoted father of my outstanding former staffer with a bright political future, Kyler Gilkey--who passed on December 13 at the age of 54.

Mr. Gilkey was born September 24, 1971, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Lilly R. Faulkner and Everett Gilkey. He attended Vollentine Elementary and Snowden School in Memphis, and graduated from Overton High School in 1989. He was a member of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church. On September 23, 1995, he married his high school sweetheart. Roniece N. Gilkey, and they were together for 36 years, raising five sons: my former staffer Kyler and his brothers Bryson, Carson, Conner, and Bre'dyn. For years, he served the City of Memphis as a skilled mechanic. He was someone friends could rely on, not just for his expertise, but for his honesty, generosity, and willingness to help anyone in need. Beyond his work, Breggie had a deep love for music and played a meaningful role in Memphis' rich musical heritage. He worked with such legendary artists as The Bar-Kays and Shirley Brown and was a vocalist for Unexpected and The Temprees, contributing quietly but significantly to the sound and soul of the city he loved. He was also a volunteer with the STAX Music Academy and his sons' education while being an influential father figure to other young students who affectionately called him ``Pops.'' Above all else, Breggie was a family man. He found his greatest joy in spending time with his loved ones and was known for his warmth, laughter, and calm presence. His compassion and love left an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know him.

Breggie L. Gilkey leaves to cherish his memory, his loving and devoted wife Roniece; his five sons, Kyler Gilkey, Bryson Gilkey, Carson Gilkey, Conner Gilkey, and Bre'dyn Lovett; his parents, Lilly Gilkey, Everett Gilkey (Margree) and his siblings, Brandon Gilkey, Marvin Pride, Tinica Mitchell (Brandon), and Daphane Tyms (Eldon) and his many friends and colleagues. I extend my profound condolences to them all. Breggie Gilkey was a proud Memphian whose life was defined by hard work, creativity, and compassion. His was a life well lived.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Memphis native, African cultural ambassador, and five-time world heavyweight karate- kickboxing champion Anthony ``Amp'' Elmore, a resident of the historic Orange Mound neighborhood in Memphis, which was the Nation's first subdivision planned specifically for African Americans.

Mr. Elmore gave President Obama a custom-made African Mudcloth Tuxedo from Ghana for his inauguration in 2009. Mudcloth is a traditional handmade cotton fabric with geometric patterns made with dyes from fermented mud. I had the honor of delivering the suit to the White House at Mr. Elmore's request. The White House said at the time that the tuxedo would be displayed at the Obama Presidential Library on the South Side of Chicago when it opened, which is now scheduled for next year. In a note to Mr. Elmore dated July 14, 2009, President Obama thanked him for the gift. ``Your thoughtfulness and generosity are much appreciated,'' the president wrote. Earlier this month, Mr. Elmore learned that a digital picture of the tuxedo is now on display at the National Archives and Records Administration. Mr. Elmore traveled to Africa for the first time in 1998 and became familiar with its traditional clothing making. He now operates Elmore African Imports from Memphis, selling African artifacts and rugs.

He is also known for ``The Contemporary Gladiator,'' a film about kick-boxing that Mr. Elmore wrote, directed, and starred in. I have long appreciated Mr. Elmore's efforts to bridge Africa and African Americans with commerce and made a speech from the House floor in 2009 praising those efforts. I have visited him at his home where African artifacts are on display. I plan to visit the Obama Presidential Library soon after it opens and look forward to being reacquainted with the historic Mudcloth Tuxedo.

Mr. Speaker, today, I learned that the Kennedy Center board asked or said that the Kennedy Center would be renamed the Trump- Kennedy Center.

That is a sacrilege to a martyred, heroic, historic American President whose name was attached to the Kennedy Center for his support for cultural excellence in America and because he was an assassinated President who we all mourned on November 22 through November 25 and thereafter because he gave his life for our country.

The idea that Donald Trump would want his name to go before Kennedy's or even with Kennedy's is a sacrilege. It should not be changed ever, and it should go through this Congress, who named it the Kennedy Center, on a bill in this House and signed by President Lyndon Johnson.

Stop this, Mr. Trump. If you have any sense of dignity and honor, you will renounce this. Don't say that you are honored. You should renounce it. John Kennedy's name stands before all others, and the Kennedy Center should not be renamed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise and include in the Record a Proclamation congratulating my longtime Chief of Staff, Marilyn Dillihay, on her retirement:

Whereas, on behalf of the citizens of the 9th Congressional

District of Tennessee, I

recognize and celebrate the extraordinary career and service

of Marilyn Dillihay, who has dedicated more than forty years

to public service in the Tennessee General Assembly, the

United States House of Representatives, and a brief stint at

the Tennessee Lottery; and,

Whereas, forty years ago, on December 3, 1985, Marilyn

began working for me in my Tennessee State Senate office, and

I had little idea then how blessed I would be; she

immediately became a valued staffer, a close friend, and an

advisor on a multitude of subjects quickly proving

indispensable not only to our work, but to me personally;

and,

Whereas, Marilyn was integral to the passage of the

Tennessee Education Lottery, a landmark effort that took

years of dedication, negotiation, and leadership; she was

with me on that fight from the beginning, a partnership

forever captured in our ``victory celebration and lottery

headquarters'' hotel photo; and,

Whereas, the lottery would later be recognized as one of

the most meaningful legislative achievements in recent state

history; and has provided over eight billion dollars in

unprecedented educational opportunities for Tennessee

students; and,

Whereas, when I was elected to Congress, Marilyn came with

me to Washington, established my congressional office from

day one, and initially served as my Press Secretary and

Legislative Director before becoming my Chief of Staff, a

role in which she has done a marvelous job; and,

Whereas, Marilyn has been the heart and soul of our

operation mentoring generations of staff and cultivating an

office culture defined by loyalty, kindness, and hard-work;

her personality has attracted exceptional staff and

colleagues over the years, enhancing our productivity, our

reach, and the spirit of our team; and,

Whereas, Marilyn possesses a knowledge of me and my career

that exceeds anyone else's, a continuity and institutional

memory that has been invaluable to me as a legislator; and

her sound judgment, historical insight, and understanding of

government have made her a trusted counselor that I have

respected and relied upon; and I appreciated her tenacity and

perseverance in securing us an office with a Capitol View;

and,

Whereas, Marilyn's sense of humor, her love of the arts,

her passion for animal welfare and prohibiting the soring of

horses, and her command of history and international affairs,

have enriched not only our work but our friendship, reminding

us daily that public service is not only serious business but

also a labor of joy, humanity, and heart; she is one of the

best things to come out of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky; and,

Whereas, the 9th Congressional District is profoundly

grateful for Marilyn's unwavering devotion to public service,

to her colleagues, and to the people of Memphis, and we

gather today in celebration of her achievements, her

leadership, and her well-deserved retirement; and

Now, therefore be it resolved that, I, Steve Cohen, Member

of Congress, along with the citizens of the 9th Congressional

District of Tennessee, do hereby honor Marilyn Dillihay, for

her more than forty years of distinguished public service,

express our deepest appreciation for her immeasurable

contributions, and extend our warmest wishes for a joyful and

fulfilling retirement.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the PERMIT Act. For over 50 years, the Clean Water Act has protected rivers, streams, and wetlands that our communities rely on. This bill undermines these protections by shielding polluters from responsibility for toxic waste like PFAS, lead, mercury, and arsenic, and by limiting Federal review and community input when drinking water is at risk.

I filed three straightforward amendments to protect public health: One to require cumulative impacts and groundwater reviews for projects near community drinking water aquifers, like the one that supplies Memphis; a second one to restore oversight and public participation for nationwide permits, protections that would have prevented the Byhalia pipeline from being rushed through my district; and a third one to require the EPA to certify that this bill will not increase exposure to harmful contaminants.

Unfortunately, none were made in order. Therefore, I oppose the bill and urge a ``no'' vote.

Permitting reform should not come at the expense of children's and seniors' health, clean drinking water, or communities with a history of industrial exposure. I do this because of a commitment to the safety of the people.

Looking at my dear friend, Mr. Graves, I hate to speak against one of his bills because he was such a good ally when I was on Transportation, and I have great respect for him, but nevertheless I am against the bill.

Mr. Speaker, at the end of last week, President Trump published his national security strategy. It could have been called his national insecurity strategy.

To say it is bad is a misstatement, understatement. It is disastrous. During Europe's largest land war since World War II, the strategy saves its harshest criticisms for our allies rather than Russia, with war criminal Putin, who started the war.

The document elevates strongman leadership models over democratic values, something unheard of in America. It is focused on spheres of influence and suggests that the strongest person in the region gets to decide the rules. These are not American values.

Previous national security strategies upheld America's commitment to democracy and human rights, strengthened our alliances, and countered powerful first adversaries like Russia and China.

This strategy abandons that tradition in favor of a narrow transactional approach. Notably, the word ``corruption'' is absent from the entire strategy. It is well known that global corruption fuels instability, weakens governments, and its absence is extremely dangerous and allows bad actors to flourish.

The national security strategy abandons our allies, our principles, and the values that have guided American leadership for decades.

Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity late last month to spend some time with a delegation of high-level officials from the leadership of Libya.

Sent to Washington by the Libyan Prime Minister, the group presented solid evidence that a new Libya is in the making.

The new Libya is focused on creating circumstances that will make free and fair elections a reality. The new Libya is taking concrete steps to lessen long-standing tribal animosities that have divided the country. The new Libya is committed to a unified country without the internationally recognized transitional government in Tripoli being held hostage to a would-be regime in the east.

These profound changes and commitments were well-reflected in an article from Newsweek published during the delegation's visit. I asked unanimous consent that the article be included in the Record: Libya Has a Deal for Trump That Could Reshape Africa and Europe: https:// www.newsweek.com/libya-deal-trump-could-reshape-africa-europe-11063123.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Tennessee, the Honorable Matt Van Epps, be permitted to take the oath of office today.

His certificate of election has not arrived, but there is no contest and no question has been raised with regard to his election.

Mr. Speaker, the United States Institute of Peace was created

by the Congress of the United States. It is in a beautiful building, and it served the function of trying to bring people together.

In February, President Trump issued an executive order dismantling the United States Institute of Peace. Subsequently, law enforcement removed the president of the United States Institute of Peace forcibly from his office, and then the Trump administration fired every employee and dismantled the office.

A district court has ruled that he acted improperly because the Congress created the United States Institute of Peace and the President didn't have the authority to dismantle it.

Today, I have learned that President Trump has had his name in massive letters put over the United States Institute of Peace calling it the Donald J. Trump Peace Institute, none of which is legal.

Will his ego stop staining this city by putting his name and his picture all over banners contemporaneous or similar to Teddy Roosevelt at the Department of Labor and others?

Mr. Speaker, I rise to include in the Record the following article titled Libya Has a Deal for Trump That Could Reshape Africa and Europe by Tom O'Connor of Newsweek on how important it is for Libya to return to stability:

As a divided Libya lies between two deepening crises in

Africa and the porous southern flank of Europe,

representatives of the

nation's internationally recognized government told Newsweek

they were looking to President Donald Trump to strike a deal

that could have profound effects across two continents.

The appeal from the Tripoli-based Government of National

Unity that controls much of Libya's northwest involves

seeking U.S. support in pressuring countries--namely Russia,

the United Arab Emirates and Egypt--accused of aiding the

rival Government of National Stability that controls much of

the rest of the nation, including Libya's second city of

Benghazi, and is backed by the military support of

influential Libyan National Army chief Field Marshall Khalifa

Haftar.

In exchange, the Government of National Unity envisions

boosting business and investment ties--particularly regarding

Libya's vast reserves of oil--with an administration known

for its deal-based transactional foreign policy. The Libyan

authorities also aim to solidify security ties that may

bolster NATO's position in the Mediterranean, curb the free

flow of fighters and arms to conflicts raging in the

neighboring Sahel region and Sudan while also easing the

large-scale migration of African refugees to Europe.

``We would like to have the involvement of United States.

And, especially with this government, they are always looking

for deals, there are a lot of deals that we can do, and we

keep mutual interests,'' Mahmoud Ahmed Alftise, economic

adviser to Government of National Unity Prime Minister Abdul-

Hamid Dbeibah, told Newsweek. ``Of course, we have our

sovereignties, but we would like to have a good friend, a

strong friend.''

``We would like to have a friend's mutual interest, so we

can go ahead and move, so people have their prosperities.''

Alftise said, ``because the Libyan people are really

suffering from this regional interference in Libya.''

Libya's Fracture

The roots of Libya's schism can be traced back to a 2011

rebellion against longtime leader Muammar al-Qaddafi.

Qaddafi, who had ruled the nation since seizing power in a

1969 coup against the monarchy and later adopted the titles

of ``brotherly leader'' and ``King of Kings'' of Africa, had

for decades molded a seemingly invincible cult of personality

bolstered by grand infrastructure projects and iron-fisted

suppression of dissent until widespread unrest swelled around

the Arab Spring movement.

As Qaddafi's forces attempted to extinguish the uprising,

NATO intervened directly with a crushing air campaign in

support of the rebels, leading to the Libyan leader's

downfall and ultimate slaying at the hands of opposition

fighters.

Libya's initial post-Qaddafi steps appeared hopeful as the

temporary National Transitional Council handed the reigns to

the elected General National Congress in 2012, marking the

nation's first-ever peaceful transfer of power. But new

elections held in 2014 produced the first major crisis as

political feuds and opposing interpretations of the nascent

constitution led to the establishment of the House of

Representatives to rival the General National Congress as

Libya's legislative body.

Haftar, a former close Qaddafi confidant and commander who

fled to the U.S. in the 1990s to begin orchestrating efforts

to oust his ex-ally, emerged as a powerful military figure in

support of the House of Representatives. As head of the

Libyan National Army, he declared a military operation

against the General National Congress, and Libya thus

devolved into a second civil war, this time with no clear

victor.

The conflict continued for six years until a 2020 ceasefire

that once again inspired cautious optimism toward a political

solution, with the establishment of the Government of

National Unity as the new Tripoli-based authority aimed at

unifying the nation. But the House of Representatives

rejected the Government of National Unity's mandate the

following year, leading to the creation of the Government of

National Stability in the east and entrenching the dual power

system that continues to divide Libya to this day.

Sporadic clashes also persist, sometimes among internal

factions of the two major governments that claim legitimate

authority in Libya, such as occurred between military and

militia units in Tripoli in May. Without a mutually agreed

framework for Libya's unification and a United Nations road

map left sidelined, both parties remain locked in their feud,

though Alftise argued the Government of National Unity

remained more open to a negotiated solution.

``Our government is more flexible, there are even some

thoughts that maybe we can merge the two governments in order

to have an election, and then we will have, of course,

parliamentary elections, and then we have a presidential

election, or maybe together,'' Alftise said.

``But what happened is the House of Representatives is

under the control of Mr. Haftar,'' he added. ``They cannot

say something that he does not like.''

Foreign Intrigue

While a return to large-scale fighting has thus far been

avoided, fears loom over such a scenario plunging the country

into another period of civil strife. Alftise suggested the

decision of peace and war may ultimately be influenced by the

whims of foreign powers, who have increasingly spread their

influence in Libya.

For the Government of National Unity, this includes Turkey,

which deployed personnel and drones among other assets to aid

the Tripoli-based administration against the Libyan National

Army's advances in 2020. Ankara's role is defended by the

Government of National Unity as a necessary bulwark against

the presence of Russia's Wagner Group private military

company--largely since rebranded and reorganized under the

Russian Defense Ministry as the Africa Corps--among the ranks

of Haftar's forces.

Ibrahim Sahad, a member of Libya's High Council of State

that succeeded the General National Congress in 2016, stated

that Russian personnel had established ``three or four air

force bases in Libya,'' including in ``very sensitive

areas,'' such as the central district of Jufra, Benghazi's

Benina International Airport and in Tobruk, where the

Government of National Stability and Libyan National Army are

headquartered. He warned such maneuvers should raise alarms

in Europe and the U.S., though warnings have thus far gone

unheeded.

``When we talk about the Russian presence and involvement,

I see there is lack of sensitivities from the American side

with that regard, as if it is something we can live with,''

Sahad told Newsweek. ``No we cannot live with that.

``And even the future, not for us, also for the West, for

NATO,'' he added. ``Libya used to be the flank of NATO.''

And elsewhere on the continent itself, he predicted that

inaction on Russia's projection of influence through the

deployment of personnel in regions like the Sahel could

precipitate a broader geopolitical shift for Africa at a time

when many nations have already abandoned ties with Europe.

``The Russian presence in Libya is not only controlling

Libya. No, they are controlling Africa,'' Sahad said. ``They

are sending troops to other African countries, and they want

to be in control of them. And if this continues, if we allow

that to continue, they will find one time that Africa will

come to the other side.''

The Kremlin's interest in Libya is deep-rooted as NATO's

intervention prompted a severe backlash from Russian

President Vladimir Putin. who went on to double down on back

for another Soviet-era ally facing an Arab Spring revolt,

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Assad's downfall at the

hands of an Islamist-led rebel offensive last year has

reportedly been followed by an uptick in contacts with

Haftar, who met Putin in May at Russia's 80th anniversary

World War II Victory Day parade.

It's not just Moscow or even adversaries of Washington that

the Government of National Unity suspects of seeking a

lasting piece of Libya. Sahad argued that the United Arab

Emirates had thrown its weight behind Haftar in a bid for

port access and other shares of the country.

``The UAE has this sickness of wanting to control harbors.

They came to buy New York Harbor one time,'' Sahad said.

``The control of the Libyan harbors, some of them is to be

part of the Libyan oil industry, and to be part of the

financial sector, especially the banks, and there are other

things, and I have no doubt that they have this ambition, and

I have no doubt that Haftar agrees with that.''

Egypt, too, has expressed its ambitions to stake control

over parts of eastern Libya, according to Sahad, who cited

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's 2020 remarks

calling any attack by the Government of National Unity's

forces against the Government of National Stability-held

coastal city of Sirte a ``red line'' that would result in

direct Egyptian military intervention.

Russia and the UAE have rejected allegations that they

provided direct support for the Libyan National Army during

its westward offensives, while Egypt has framed its stance as

necessary for maintaining security along its border with

Libya.

Still, Sahad argued that addressing runaway foreign

influence was key to unlocking progress on other fronts,

including reconciling the split nature of Libya's governance

and paving the way for U.S. investment in Libya's resource

industry.

``If we put an end to this interference, our situation will

be better,'' Sahad said. ``Maybe it will be easier for us to

reach an agreement and unify the institutions. A lot of

things could happen by then. But with this interference we

have, we have real big problems in that regard. The U.S. can

help a lot.''

``Another sphere is our oil industry faces a lot of

problems because of a lack of experts,'' he added. ``The

American companies started the oil industry in the 50s, now

we have a lot of fields not explored yet. I think United

States companies have a big interest there. And it's not only

oil, we have other minerals.''

To address the growing presence of foreign actors, Sahad

called on the U.S. to crack down on the nations suspected of

playing destabilizing roles in Libya. While he said he was

encouraged by moves such as the Libyan Stabilization Act that

passed the House of Representatives in 2021 but was never

signed into law, he argued he has not ``seen any real effort

from either this administration, nor the administration

before, to put some pressure on the United Arab Emirates or

Egypt to stop their interference in Libya.''

Attention to foreign influence in Libya has also sparked

some acknowledgment within the Government of National Unity

regarding Turkey's growing role, particularly after Ankara

began fostering closer dialogue with the House of

Representatives as part of what Turkish President Recep

Tayyip Erdogan referred to in August as a step in line with

his

nation's ``multidimensional diplomatic efforts.''

``Of course, the Turks always like to have some existence

in the area, because they feel they are a power in the area.

And nowadays they are,'' Alftise said. ``They were, of

course, in the Ottoman Empire, and now they are trying to

have a new history there.''

At the Crossroads of Crises

Risks posed by Libya's fractured state and the presence of

foreign actors are compounded by instability in neighboring

nations--some of which can be traced back to the initial

shock of Qaddafi's sudden downfall and the subsequent vacuum

of power.

The collapse of Libya in 2011 sparked a major influx of

arms and fighters through the Sahel, with ethnic Tuareg

fighters who once fought on both sides of the Libyan Civil

War staging a 2012 uprising in Mali. This was followed by an

explosion of Islamist insurgency, including groups linked to

Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, that is spreading across the

region today.

To the southeast, Haftar's troops have been accused of

aiding the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces against the

Sudanese Armed Forces in the civil war that first erupted-in

Sudan in 2021. The Government of National Unity has further

alleged that Haftar supported the Rapid Support Forces with

fuel transfers backed by the United Arab Emirates, though UAE

officials have repeatedly rejected direct involvement in

Sudan's civil war.

The conflict in Sudan is considered to be the world's worst

humanitarian crisis today, driving millions of people out of

the large African nation. Many of these refugees from Sudan

and others fleeing conflicts and harsh conditions elsewhere

in Africa find their way to Libya, taking advantage of the

country's disunity and unpatrolled borders to embark on a

treacherous trip across the Mediterranean to Europe.

Nearly 60,000 people survived the journey and another 1,500

are known to have perished in 2025 alone, according to the

European Union's Frontex border security agency, which

identifies Libya as the primary departure point. The total

number of those who fled from Libya by sea since 2011 is

believed to at least be in the hundreds of thousands, with

potentially more unreported.

``Europe has a big problem with the immigrants who come

with ships,'' Sahad said. ``Why do we have these immigrants?

Because we could not control the borders, our southern

borders. We cannot control them. We need help in that regard.

We need technology.''

``We cannot control the vast borders in the south, but with

technology, you can, and Europe is not giving us that help,''

he added.

Yet there's hope Washington may be able to step in here, as

Sahad believes this is another thing the United States can

help us with,'' and do so with a promise of reciprocal

benefits.

``We're not saying that we are demanding or asking, but

also Libya will give the United States the energy, and we

will give their states the stability of that region,'' Sahad

said. ``If Libya is stable, then there are big advantages for

Northern Africa, for Africa.''

Alftise reiterated this point, arguing that, while the

Government of National Unity has so far been able to keep the

threat of Islamist militant resurgence in the west at bay,

the lack of control over the southern border and growing

jihadi infiltration of nations such as Mali, Burkina Faso and

Niger meant U.S. support was necessary not only for

safeguarding Libya, but far beyond as well.

``It's not only for the sake of Libya,'' Alftise said,

``it's the sake of Africa and the sake of southern Europe.''

Unity First

As the 15th anniversary of the uprising that toppled

Qaddafi nears in February, uncertainty prevails over the

nation of roughly 7.5 million people once considered one of

the richest nations in Africa that has still yet to rebound

from its pre-2011 economic performance.

Alftise said that ``there is still a big hope that things

will be okay,'' though he acknowledged a wave of nostalgia

for Qaddafi's rule, fueled largely by social media and

foreign outlets. In response, he said, ``we're trying to tell

the people that era has more bad things than good things.''

And while the cautious calm that continues to hold has

produced some positive growth in the economy and social

development in recent years, so much potential is hindered by

the stillunwavering splitAnd while the cautious calm that

continues to hold has produced some positive growth in the

economy and social development in recent years, so much

potential is hindered by the still-unwavering split between

the opposing governments.

In the east, Haftar continues to entrench his position,

promoting at least two of his sons, Saddam and Khalid, to

senior military positions and a third, Belqasim, as his top

political adviser. Critics accuse of him emulating Qaddafi in

his dynastic tendencies and strongman persona that

overshadows Government of National Stability Prime Minister

Osama Hammad.

In the west, Dbeibah faces not only the rival government in

Tobruk and its foreign backers but also a complex array of

internal factions, including Islamist forces who seek to push

their own vision of Libya in backing the Government of

National Unity. His leverage is further challenged by

incessant clashes over Libya's oil and gas infrastructure, a

backbone of the national economy that has been sapped by the

dual power rivalry and rampant fuel smuggling.

Nevertheless, Dbeibah's administration continues to enjoy

international recognition and his outreach to the White House

has not gone unnoticed. Trump's senior adviser on Africa

affairs, Massad Boulos, traveled to Tripoli in July to hold

talks with Dbeibah that reportedly included a Libyan offer to

forge a $70 billion economic partnership with the U.S.

But Libya has also caught the eye of the administration on

another matter often tied to Trump's diplomatic efforts in

the Middle East and North Africa. In April, Trump's special

envoy to theMidiile East, Steve Witkoff, named Libya as among

six nations that could potentially join the Abraham Accords,

a series of agreements through which the United Arab

Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco established diplomatic

ties with Israel in late 2020 and early 2021.

The deals marked the first Arab-Israeli normalization pacts

since those struck by Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994, save

for Mauritania's short-lived recognition offered in 1999 and

rescinded amid a war in Gaza a decade later. Like the rest of

the Arab world and many Muslim nations, Libya has never

recognized Israel and has consistently expressed support for

Palestinians, once constituting a major source of Palestinian

militia funds and arms throughout the Qaddafi era.

Even years from Qaddafi's ouster, the Israeli-Palestinian

issue remains a sensitive one for Libya. Both Alftise and

Sahad said unifying and stabilizing the nation remained the

first order of business before such decisions could be taken.

``The important thing for us at the moment is to revive

Libya as a as a country with a civil government, with

democracy, so we can have our country in a sovereign

situation, and it could take whatever decisions built on,

one, the sovereignty of the nation, and, two, the agreement

of the people, because that's democracy,'' Sahad said. ``So,

this is what we are facing.''

Mr. Speaker, I got on this bill when it was first introduced, I think, last spring. Representative Roy and I have served on the Judiciary Committee for quite a while, and I respect his intellect. I certainly hope that he gets to be Attorney General of Texas. That would be great for him, and I think it would be great for Texas, too.

I will miss him in working on this act, Article I bill. We agreed to work on that just as a kind of a legislative check on Article I executive actions. That is something we may be able to bring up again next year, although I think it was more popular in certain places when President Biden was the President, but it is still an important bill.

This is a commonsense bill. It is bipartisan, and I am happy to be a cosponsor. I look forward to the gentlewoman from South Carolina, the gentlewoman from Georgia, the gentlewoman from Colorado, the gentleman from Illinois, and all the other people who have been highlights of our last week of legislation to vote with us in unanimous passage.

Mr. Speaker, I am here to talk about two incidents that shame me as a Member of this House and as an American citizen.

Today, President Trump signed the Epstein documents release bill. Lots of women were up here who were victims of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual felonies, and they celebrated when the House passed it and the Senate passed it, but it is clear today that classified documents therein will not be released and documents that might relate to an ongoing investigation which President Trump authorized going after Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, and others on the Democratic side which are false and improper investigations where Ms. Bondi said there was nothing there, will not allow for material to be disclosed.

The Senate said the House shouldn't get involved with the $500,000 that each Senator should get for simply having a phone call noted--not listened to, not documented, but noted. It is $500,000 for nine Senators.

That money should go to the Epstein victims. Truth spoken. Justice should be required.

Mr. Speaker, I had a community meeting this weekend and met with some folks in Memphis. The issues that they were most interested in were immigration, ICE. They were very concerned about the people from ICE with masks on their faces mistreating people. They were dragging them out of cars, stomping on their heads, and arresting them.

We have seen oftentimes they have done that to American citizens, and they did it in error.

They were also concerned about the immigrants who were taken out of our community who do so much good in our community.

I am writing a letter to Kristi Noem and reminding her that she said they were going to get the worst of the worst: the murderers, the rapists, and the sexual offenders.

She is not doing that. They have decided they are going to get anybody who is in the country improperly, and that is wrong.

I will write the Trump administration and ask them to take ICE out of Memphis. It shouldn't be part of this surge they have to help us with our crime problem.

Hispanic immigrants are not part of our crime problem. If they were, he would go after one or two of them and not so many.

Get to the business of taking care of Memphis and not eliminating and deporting people who help our society and our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the outstanding public service performed by Memphis' first female Fire Chief, Gina Sweat, who retired last month after more than 33 years with the department. Ms. Sweat joined the Memphis Fire Department in May of 1992, one of two women in her recruiting class of 84, after receiving a bachelor of business administration in 1988 from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee, where she played collegiate basketball. After joining the department, she continued her education by receiving a bachelor's of professional studies in fire administration in 2000 and a master's of professional studies in strategic leadership in 2013 from the University of Memphis. She rose through the ranks as a driver, lieutenant, battalion chief and division chief, deputy chief of logistics and deputy director until she was appointed Fire Chief by former Mayor Jim Strickland on January 1, 2016. In interviews through the years Chief Sweat said she learned to ``over- prepare'' for each new assignment. As chief, she undertook initiatives to improve the Insurance Services Office, made multi-million dollar renovations of the 911 Communications Center, the Office of Emergency Management building and built three new state-of-the-art fire stations and a new fire administration building. Chief Sweat's tenure also saw the department expand into responding to medical emergencies. It also included the Covid epidemic period when the fire department was the lead local agency conducting vaccinations. In my contacts with Chief Sweat, she was always pleasant. She was easy to communicate with and she certainly had a professional demeanor, which inspired my belief that the Fire Department was in good hands. Sweat had ``the most appropriate name for the job'' joked a local columnist, and her tenure as chief led to significant advances. I wish her well in retirement.