Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution to stop the administration's illegal and ridiculous boat strikes. It is hard to overstate how pointless and performative these strikes really are.

The administration is trying to sell their military kill campaign by saying they are targeting drug traffickers who are selling fentanyl and hurting Americans.

Fact: Fentanyl and fentanyl precursors do not come to the United States through Caribbean sea routes.

Fact: The drug boats that the administration is blowing up are mostly carrying cocaine to Europe.

Fact: President Trump just pardoned a known Honduran cocaine kingpin.

Fact: Most smugglers that bring drugs into the country are U.S. citizens.

Fact: The real national security threat is selling our AI chips to China, not blowing up fishermen.

American taxpayers are spending millions of dollars to stop the Europeans from partying. What is in it for us? Normalization of extrajudicial killings, a total lack of due process, evidence, or congressional authorization. We need to stop this madness.

I authorize and tell--just tell my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained, and unable to vote on Roll Call No. 334. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 334.

Mr. Speaker, I want to just say that Republicans have endured a rather lopsided relationship with Donald Trump this year--dare I say, abusive. I hope you will consider this a Republican intervention. For the record, these are not attacks. They are just facts.

Healthcare: Republicans cut $1 trillion from Medicaid with their big, ugly bill, threatening their own vulnerable constituents, when three- quarters of Medicaid enrollees are in red States, and rural hospitals across this country are struggling to stay open.

Republicans then shut down the government to avoid a vote on extending ACA subsidies, only for Trump to later come out in support of extending these subsidies.

A recent Navigator poll shows that Americans blame Trump and congressional Republicans for rising healthcare premiums by a 26-point margin. Surprise: Americans also overwhelmingly blame Republicans for the shutdown. I see tread marks everywhere.

Redistricting: The drama started when Trump called Greg Abbott and demanded five more Republican seats in Texas, triggering California's redistricting efforts that could cost California Republicans five seats. It is funny how my Republican colleagues were, are, and remain silent when Texas, Ohio, Missouri, and North Carolina gerrymander, but throw a tantrum when California punches back.

Chip deal: I don't mean nachos or potatoes. I mean the AI, computing, and national security kind. For years, my China-hawk Republicans warned about the competition with the CCP, only for Trump to ignore them and green-light Nvidia H200 chip sales to China in exchange for a 25 percent fee. What happened to tough on China?

Boat strikes: Republicans have abdicated their constitutional war powers authority, allowing the Trump administration to carry out extrajudicial killings off the coast of Venezuela under the guise of stopping drug trafficking. Meanwhile, Trump just pardoned the President of Honduras, who was convicted of helping to move 400 tons of cocaine into the United States. My colleagues need to square the circle for me. Please do it.

Deficit: Republicans who call themselves fiscal hawks stayed true to President Trump and got rewarded with $2 trillion added to the national debt, bringing us to a whopping $38 trillion. How many zeroes are in that number? Far too many for Americans to afford.

Then, there was the mighty whiplash of the Epstein files. Trump and Republicans spent an entire year trying to block the release of the Epstein files, only for Trump to reverse course at the

last minute when he realized the release was inevitable.

Tariffs and affordability: For a full year, Republicans said nothing while Trump rolled out illegal, arbitrary, and chaotic tariffs that raised prices across the board. In just 8 months of Trump 2.0, the average American household spends $700 more on basic necessities. This season's most popular holiday gifts are up 26 percent since last year. During the affordability crisis, Trump banned the word ``affordability'' from Republicans' vocabulary, but ``affordability'' is still in the dictionary and still on people's minds. The economy is an A-plus-plus-plus hot mess.

Farmers: Earlier this year, Republicans watched quietly as Trump destroyed USAID, an agency that bought crops from American farmers, many of whom backed Trump and the Republicans in 2024. When beef costs reached record highs in October, they watched again as Trump proposed buying beef from Argentina rather than American farmers. Last month, Republicans forced a vote denouncing the horrors of socialism. This week, they are applauding Trump for using it to bail out the farmers that his administration failed.

Please consider this an intervention and get out of this lopsided relationship now.

Mr. Speaker, with the NDAA before us, we had an opportunity to do right by the Afghan allies who risked their lives to protect American servicemembers throughout our 20-year involvement in Afghanistan.

After months of bipartisan work and real progress, a key provision of my Enduring Welcome Act, legislation that passed the Foreign Affairs Committee with strong bipartisan support, was set to be included in the

Mr. Speaker, if we fail to uphold that promise, we put the future safety of our servicemembers at risk by sending a dangerous message to the world that the United States cannot and should not be trusted.

I will be voting ``no'' on the rule for many reasons, but chief among them is the cowardice my colleagues have shown when they place blind loyalty to the President above American principles, obligations, and safety. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Chans Chiv with the CA-37 Public Service Honor Award for his exemplary service to the Los Angeles Passport Agency. His unwavering commitment to improving the accessibility and reliability of passport services has had a profound impact on the Agency and on residents across Southern California and Nevada, ensuring that communities of every neighborhood and background receive the support they deserve.

Mr. Chiv began his career with the Los Angeles Passport Agency in 2004 as a Passport Specialist. His talent, professionalism, and dedication quickly distinguished him, leading to his promotion in 2011 to Customer Service Manager.

Driven by a deep commitment to serving his community, Mr. Chiv has excelled in strengthening essential partnerships with Passport Acceptance Facilities, including post offices, public libraries, and municipalities. Through these collaborations, he has expanded access to passport services throughout the region, helping countless residents obtain the services they need with dignity and ease.

Mr. Chiv is widely respected for his ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders, often visiting sites personally to better understand community needs and enhance service delivery. He brings that same dedication to his family, making time each day to pick up his children from school--a testament to the care and commitment that define both his personal and professional life. Outside of work, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife and two children, sharing a love of sports and exploring their favorite local restaurants together.

I am proud to recognize Mr. Chans Chiv for his exemplary service, his unwavering dedication to the public, and the lasting, positive impact he has made on countless individuals throughout our region.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Immigrant Defenders Law Center with the CA-37 Community Champion Award. Their steadfast commitment to justice has made them an essential voice for some of the most vulnerable individuals navigating our Nation's immigration system.

The Immigrant Defenders Law Center, widely known as ``ImmDef,'' stands among our country's preeminent immigrant-rights organizations. Founded in 2015 by a team of dedicated immigration lawyers and advocates, including Co-Founder and Executive Director Lindsay Toczylowski and Director of Legal Services Mickey Donovan-Kaloust, Immigrant Defenders Law Center has led with the belief that a more just and humane system is not only possible, but necessary to protect the due-process rights of immigrants facing deportation.

Day after day, they work with unwavering dedication to defend the 5th Amendment rights of detained immigrants and asylum seekers, ensuring that due process is not merely a promise, but a lived reality.

Earlier this year, ImmDef played a crucial role in organizing a congressional oversight visit to Adelanto Detention Center. Their initiative allowed Members of Congress to witness firsthand the conditions detainees were forced to live in. That visit sparked renewed calls for reform and strengthened the resolve of lawmakers to pursue greater protections for immigrants across our Nation.

ImmDef is currently assisting my office with an extremely troubling case involving a constituent who has gone missing in ICE custody. Their legal expertise has been indispensable as we work to uncover what occurred, locate our missing constituent, and draw attention to the potential violations he may have endured while in federal custody.

The organization's record of service is both distinguished and deeply consequential. ImmDef helped halt the unlawful deportation of 76 Guatemalan children, unaccompanied minors, who were at imminent risk of being removed from the United States without regard for their safety or their rights. Because of ImmDef's swift action, these children were afforded the due process guaranteed to them under our Constitution.

Today, ImmDef continues to stand on the front lines, pushing back against harmful federal policies and practices. They have fought in the courts, in our communities, and through rapid-response efforts that address unlawful ICE raids in real time. Their work remains a beacon of justice, compassion, and constitutional integrity in the face of tremendous challenges.

ImmDef's work keeps families together and protects communities from discriminatory practices and legislation. Their dedication reminds us to continue standing up for those with no advocates.

I am honored to recognize the work of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center. Today, we recognize ImmDef not only for their work, but for the impact they continue to make in shaping a more just and humane immigration system. I thank them for their service and look forward to continuing our work together on behalf of our vulnerable communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to award Mr. Tyrone Nance with the CA-37 Changemaker Award for his dedication to uplifting underserved and marginalized communities in Los Angeles.

Through unwavering commitment to his community, Mr. Tyrone Nance has become one of South Los Angeles' most trusted crisis-response organizers. Tyrone founded It's Bigger Than Us (IBTU) in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning with a simple act of service: making sure students had backpacks, supplies, and support during a moment of profound uncertainty. What began as a small, urgent response quickly grew into a citywide movement defined by dignity, essential resources, food access, and a deep belief that communities can rebuild when someone shows up for them.

That same spirit guided Tyrone in 2025 when Los Angeles was devastated by the Palisades and Eaton wildfires. Under his leadership, IBTU mobilized one of the largest community-powered disaster relief efforts in the region. Over just three weeks, IBTU delivered meals, emergency supplies, and coordinated support to thousands of displaced individuals, deploying more than 3,500 volunteers and forging over 180 new partnerships to meet the overwhelming need. Tyrone then launched IBTU Relief, transforming an emergency operation into long-term recovery for families across more than 90 ZIP codes. This work culminated in the opening of The Hub--IBTU's weekly-open, trauma- informed recovery center--providing verified intake, case management, mental-health services, and high-touch distributions to families navigating the long road to stability.

Tyrone's commitment to community extends far beyond crisis. As a proud Crenshaw High School alumnus, he led the full renovation of the school's outdoor basketball courts--an investment in youth and community pride. In 2025, he joined students, families, and local leaders at the Crenshaw Court Dedication. What began as a pandemic-era backpack drive came full circle: a symbol of renewal, built at the very school that shaped him.

Across disaster relief, youth programming, and community empowerment, Tyrone has remained a national voice for equity and service. His work, which is rooted in lived experience, research, and collaboration, demonstrates what is possible when leadership meets compassion. Tyrone Nance embodies the spirit of collective care, and his impact continues to strengthen families, schools, and neighborhoods throughout California's 37th District and beyond.

It is my honor to recognize Tyrone with the CA-37 Changemaker Award. He demonstrates a high standard of commitment to service and I thank him for his impactful work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Eugene Ogasawara with the CA-37 Public Service Honor Award, a dedicated public servant whose commitment has made a significant impact on the U.S. Department of State.

Eugene, a native of Los Angeles, began his career with the federal government in 2004 with the Department of State as a passport specialist at the Los Angeles passport agency. By 2008, just four years after his first day, Eugene's dedication had carried him upward--he was promoted to Supervisory Passport Specialist, marking the first of many milestones in a career defined by integrity, growth, and the respect of those around him.

From 2010 to 2019 Eugene served as a passport specialization specialist in Tucson, Arizona overseeing the passport printing contract and ensuring compliance with department standards. In 2019, the road led him home to Los Angeles once again. This time, he returned as the agency's Customer Service Program Manager, a position he has now held for more than six years. In this role, Eugene serves as both guide and bridge--shaping the agency's customer service initiatives, coordinating closely with congressional offices, and bringing the Department's work directly to the community through a wide array of outreach events.

Eugene's decision to pursue federal service was inspired by his father, who dedicated over 35 years to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. His legacy instilled in Eugene a deep appreciation for public service and the importance of serving the community with integrity.

Each step of the way, he has continued to build on a legacy rooted in service, connection, and the belief that meaningful work touches real people. Eugene's career reflects a dedication to public service and to the people of Los Angeles. His commitment ensures that the Department of State runs efficiently.

I honor Mr. Eugene Ogasawara for his exceptional service and commitment to his community and recognize the lasting impact he has made on countless individuals.

Mr. Speaker, on October 7, my constituent, Vicente Ventura Aguilar, was snatched off the street by Federal immigration agents.

According to a friend who was detained alongside him, Vicente was last seen on October 8 when he suffered a medical emergency and was separated from the group to receive care. Today, he is nowhere to be found. He has been missing for 8 weeks.

Homeland Security claims he was never in their custody despite multiple credible eyewitnesses who say otherwise.

Mr. Speaker, Vicente has lived in the United States for 17 years. He is not a criminal. He has a family that loves him and is now desperately searching for answers about his well-being and whereabouts. We should not have to chase down Homeland Security, call hospitals, or even the morgue just to get them.

This is not about immigration status. This is about humanity. The United States cannot simply disappear

people. If this can happen to Vicente Ventura Aguilar, it can happen to anyone who calls this Nation home.

I demand answers on Vicente's disappearance, and I will not stop until I get them.

Mr. Speaker, one in three women and girls around the world are physically and sexually assaulted each year. Of the 152 women in this body, that means 51 women. It includes your daughters, your sisters, your nieces, your mothers.

With the Epstein files, we have a chance to change that. However, real talk: The administration doesn't need a discharge petition. It has not complied with the subpoena, and it has the power to release the files today.

Instead, the man in the most powerful position in the world has used the full weight of the government to block, obfuscate, and deflect the full release of the files. It is the same person who intimidated female Members of Congress to withdraw their names from the petition, who responded ``Quiet, piggy'' to a female reporter who asked about the files, and who nominated an alleged sexual predator to be our AG. It is the same person whose name appears more than any other in the Epstein emails.

In the pantheon of violence, a sexual predator is the worst of the worst, so why protect him? It is also curious that the Judiciary Committee is managing this debate and has not even had this come before the committee. I wonder why. Release the files now.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of Chuy Garcia and against this resolution. I am, in fact, appalled at the hubris behind all of this.

If this is not a question of legality, if this is not a question of State law, then what is it a question of?

I was in Chicago with Congressman Chuy Garcia when hearings were held about the inhumane and barbaric

treatment of Chicagoans across his district and other districts by this administration and ICE. I saw his conviction, his commitment, his love for not just his district but the city in which he was raised and lives.

This is a man who is a legend. He is a legend to his district, and he is a legend in this Congress. I don't understand why we are having to debate him. This is character assassination.

My question is this: Is this the most significant subversion that has happened this year? We have an administration that is starving poor children. We have an administration that is involved in unauthorized strikes in countries around the globe. We are in the midst of fighting for survivors by getting the Epstein files released. We are in the fight of our lives to make sure that Americans can afford the healthcare that they deserve. That is what we should be debating. Those are issues that are far more pressing and critical to Americans.

I was home in my district this weekend. Not one person asked me about Chuy Garcia, not one person in my district or in my State. We have to worry about our own districts. Isn't that what people say, ``What is happening in your district?'' Worry about your own district.

I would just ask that we get back to that.

I am going to have to say this Democratic intraparty fighting is not what any of us want, and it is not what the American people deserve. I would hope that we would get back to focusing on the issues that are most critical. If any of us have an issue with what is going on in somebody else's district, we should have the decency and respect to go to them and ask them about what is going on in their district before we do all of this kind of character assassination on this House floor.

Mr. Speaker, as Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, I rise today alongside my colleague and Chair, Mr. Huizenga of Michigan, to honor and congratulate the people of Kazakhstan as they mark the Republic Day of Kazakhstan, which commemorates Kazakhstan's declaration of sovereignty independent of the Soviet Union on October 25, 1990. The United States has remained committed to Kazakhstan's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. Now, as a valued strategic partner of the United States, our nations work together to advance security, peace, and prosperity.

Kazakhstan inherited a massive nuclear stockpile and legacy sites for chemical and biological weapons research following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The voluntary commitment to rapidly remove these weapons from its territory and accede to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and other key arms control measures was a model for the region and the world. Kazakhstan has also made significant contributions to UN peacekeeping missions, including independent deployments of peacekeepers from 2024. These efforts support stability and security in both Central Asia and the wider world.

U.S. companies remain the largest source of foreign direct investment in Kazakhstan, helping build resilient supply chains driving Kazakhstan's economic diversification, supply chain resiliency, and sustainable economic development. Last month, Wabtec Corporation and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy announced a $4.2 billion locomotive deal, reflecting deepening cooperation between Kazakhstan and American firms.

We reiterate our commitment to advancing repeal of the outdated Jackson-Vanik Amendment, which will allow us to fully realize the potential of this relationship. We also applaud Kazakhstan's efforts to position itself as a key Eurasian transit hub. We believe it is in our shared interest to improve Central Asian connectivity with global markets to boost the resilience of supply chains, and will seek ways to support the realization of the Trans-Caspian ``Middle Corridor.'' In addition to continued dialogue to safeguard critical technologies and improve the investment climate, we hope that the ongoing process of constitutional and political reform in Kazakhstan initiated in 2022 will strengthen governance and human rights.

On the occasion of Kazakhstan's Republic Day, we can reflect on our enduring friendship and the bright future of our strategic partnership. We look forward to continued high-level engagement with Kazakhstan, both bilaterally and in multilateral fora. In particular, we believe the anticipated [EA5] C5+1 Leaders' Summit in Washington, D.C. would be a pivotal opportunity to strengthen longstanding United States cooperation with Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

Mr. Speaker, please join me and Representative Huizenga in honoring Kazakhstan's Republic Day.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3486. Let's be clear. This bill is not about border security. It is about pouring gasoline on a prison system that is already bloated, broken, and unjust.

While American families are begging us to release the Epstein files, to lower grocery prices, to keep doctors' offices open, to confront mass shootings, Republicans have chosen to waste our time and taxpayer dollars on a bill that criminalizes what is already a crime under Federal law.

This legislation would impose draconian mandatory minimums, even life sentences, for nonviolent acts like returning to reunite with loved ones. That is not justice. That is cruelty. We should be investing in humane immigration policies, not building more cages. Expanding prisons has never made us safer. It rips families apart, disproportionately targeting Black and Brown communities, and it deepens cycles of poverty and punishment that we should be dismantling, not expanding.

Mandatory minimums don't deter migration. They tie judges' hands, treat every case the same, and devastate communities. We don't need

harsher prison sentences. We need pathways and solutions that actually work.

H.R. 3486 is punitive, expensive, and unnecessary. It is waste. It is fraud. It is abuse. I urge my colleagues to stop scapegoating immigrants, stop playing politics with people's lives, and vote ``no'' on this cruel and cynical bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise as the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia to sound the

alarm about the deterioration of our strategic partnership with India at the hands of Donald Trump.

As two major democracies and economies, U.S.-India cooperation is essential to advancing our mutual interests and confronting our shared competitors.

President Biden took the relationship to new heights, strengthening collaboration on defense, strategic technologies, and the Quad.

In mere months, Trump's reckless foreign policy style has unraveled decades of progress, suddenly slapping India with 50 percent tariffs because his fragile ego was so triggered.

Republicans have refused to go to bat for the U.S.-India relationship when it really matters, beholden to their MAGA isolationist base.

This partnership is too important to be sacrificed by Trump's ego and Republican complicity. Trump must reverse course, make a deal, and fix the damage that he has caused. He needs to get his act together on behalf of this country and our relationship with India.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my illustrious colleague of the great State of New Jersey for being the lead for tonight's Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour to talk about the government, money, funding, keeping this government open, and about why we come here every single day of each week and why some of us are fighting for the American people while others of us are fighting for Donald Trump.

This is a great time to share that Republicans don't care about you-- you, all of you. Trump doesn't care about you, none of you. They don't care about your safety. They don't care about your freedom. They don't care about your voice. They don't care about your vote. They don't care about your pocketbook.

Why does the Congresswoman from California say this? Because I have receipts, and I am going to share them.

Earlier this year, Republicans voted on a $4.5 trillion tax cut for the richest of the rich. In order to pay for that, they passed a honking series of cuts to all the services that you need to help you survive and thrive.

What kinds of services? It is things like shutting down or threatening to shut down Social Security offices in high-rent districts, which would include all of Los Angeles. They are cutting funding to SNAP, which helps young mothers who are looking for baby formula for their babies and folks who need help buying food so that maybe their children's bellies aren't empty when they are going to school. Services by farmers who actually produce goods that are sold into this agricultural program would be cut.

They are cutting funding to the Small Business Administration. Most people in my district are interested in their hustle, their small business that they are trying to get off the ground. I thought that was why the SBA was developed, designed, and created: to help start businesses. Now, we have a President who wants to cut that, maybe because he wants all the money.

We have a President, supported by the Republican Party, who is sending in the National Guard and militarizing soldiers against citizens in those cities and States. They are right here at Union Station in Washington, D.C. The taxpayers are footing a million dollars a day for these National Guard members to pick up trash. They are doing the job that sanitation workers would be doing in the District of Columbia.

We are talking about $770 billion for Medicare. I talk to young people in my district, Mr. Speaker. They say: ``I am not on Medicare.'' I say: ``That is right. Maybe you are not, but your grandmother is, your elderly aunt is, and the doctor you see is able to see you because of the reimbursement they are getting from a Medicare patient.''

With these cuts, we are hearing from community clinics. We are hearing from hospitals. We are hearing from doctors and other healthcare providers. They are trying to see if they are able to stay open to help you when you get sick, but that has been cut.

In the last administration, President Biden said that he was going to forgive student loans. This President says: Oh, no. Everybody pays except me. Everybody pays but me.

Not only are we doing away with that forgiveness, but we are actually capping the amount of money that you can get in student loans and in grants to maybe go to medical school because Lord knows we need more doctors, especially in rural communities, willing to help Americans as they search for healthcare.

One place, though, that didn't get cut is ICE and Homeland Security because this is an administration that wants his own personal militia to go after folks who ask for the truth. These cuts also mean and include cuts to Federal jobs. California is a State with the second largest number of Federal workers. These are workers who have been answering the phones when you call, checking on your application when you submit it, and getting back to you about your benefits. Those folks are being terminated, but this is the President who is all about workers first, which is why I had to drive down to the city to the Department of Labor and see the President's face on the big, old banner.

Why are we spending money on these banners but cutting money to farmers? Because dismantling USAID and cutting USAID is more than just what is happening in other countries. You are actually also cutting contracts to American farmers who produce goods and products that we then sell to other countries. This is all about hurting all of us.

They are cutting funding to the National Institutes of Health. They are cutting cancer research.

In my State of California, we were on the cusp of clinical trials because a cure had been found for breast cancer. We were on the cusp of clinical trials for a cure for prostate cancer. All of that has now stopped because of cuts to the National Institutes of Health.

That is what we are talking about. The party in power has a responsibility to make sure that those basic services--because nothing I talked about was not basic--are not cut.

I am trying to find out why we have a President who is chair of both the World Cup and the Olympics. These are events that will be happening in my district and in my State. The World Cup festivities will be happening in cities across this State. How can you have cities that are preparing for the World Cup and the Olympics when they are being attacked by the Federal Government and when we are not providing them the support that they need to get ready?

Here we are on the verge of the third set of receipts, a funding shutdown, which is imminent and can be stopped by the party in power, the Republicans.

The Republicans have to make a decision. Are they going to prioritize the American people, or are they going to prioritize the President of the United States?

I don't know about you, but the Congresswoman from New Jersey talked about hosting townhalls in her district. I did, too. I didn't meet a constituent who said they wanted the Rose Garden paved at the White House. I haven't met a constituent who said they want to see more gold candelabras in the White House. I have met constituents who said: What is going to happen to my health insurance? When is ICE going to get out of the kindergartens in Los Angeles?

I hope we don't have a government shutdown, but that would require Republicans to make some decisions about who they are going to support. On top of that, which people like to forget, the last thing we did before the beginning of August was that Republicans voted on a rescissions package, which was essentially giving the President back money that Congress had already voted to appropriate to go to the American people.

Some Republicans said let's do this once a month. That is not an exercise. It is like going on a diet once a month. Let's cut more money out of the hands of the American people. It is not funny.

I know people think that Congress is drama and theater, but it is not theater when you talk to a constituent who says, ``Thank God you called the agency on my behalf so I could get my benefits back.'' It is not theater when you have a constituent who is older and is going to get evicted, and they say, ``Thank God you called HUD to

make sure that my grandmother doesn't get evicted from her house.''

I thought that was what the government was supposed to do. How come no one answers my calls? How come this President doesn't care about me?

This is not theater. We have farmers in trouble. We have young children who are hungry. We have elders who are concerned if they are going to be able to go to the doctor when they get sick. We have young people who don't even know if it is worth going to college because they don't know if they will find a job. We have partners and friends who have opened up businesses in our cities across this country who are afraid to show up to their jobs because they don't know if they will be snatched and deported, even though they are legally allowed to be here.

What is going on? We read these headlines. It does not sound like anything that should be happening in the United States of America.

It is one thing to talk about policy, but it is another thing to cut the benefits of a veteran who put their life on the line to protect us.

It is one thing to debate policy. It is another thing to vote to shut down a hospital.

It is one thing to talk about foreign policy and where we should be and what we should be doing. It is another thing to cut jobs, folks who are building things that keep us safe.

I had a gentleman come into my office a week ago. He is not even from my State. He has a business in Mississippi, and they make the thermostats that we put into refrigerators. They have investments in another country. They have American people, American workers working in Mississippi and in that country, and you know the money they make comes here.

He said: I am going to have to fire all those people and shutdown because of these cuts on top of these tariffs.

Now, that man didn't vote for me. That man probably didn't even vote for my candidate, but he came in my office and said: Can you help? What is going on? What is going on?

My answer was: You have got some people up in here that ain't got no courage. They don't have no courage. I don't owe you nothing, you are not from my State. However, you are trying to create jobs to help American people, give young people an idea about how they can start their own business and be an entrepreneur and come up with a product they can patent that is good for business, that allows them to earn some money, save some money, start a family. All that is in jeopardy because of these cuts, because of these rescissions, and because of this potential government shutdown.

I don't know about you, but when I am in trouble, I don't call somebody and say, hey, are you a Republican or a Democrat? I just call and say: Can you help me?

My dad has got health issues right now. I was on the phone. I wasn't saying: Hey, who did you vote for? I said: Hey, can you help my dad?

That is what Americans across this country are asking, like, are you, the people in power, the people with the gavel, are you going to help me?

Make me drop my notes.

I want the party in power to say: Yeah, I am going to help you. I am going to prioritize you. I am just not going to prioritize you in March of 2026 before my name is on the ballot, I am going to prioritize you right now because American companies, American students, American innovators, American researchers, American veterans, American farmers, American students deserve all of us fighting for them and not for one person who is only looking to hang more banners up and put up more gold candelabras at 1600 Pennsylvania.