Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 10545) making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 10545.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 10545, the American Relief Act of 2025. This bill provides continuing appropriations to keep the government open and operating through March 14, 2025.

When the House Appropriations Committee began our process of drafting bills for fiscal year 2025, we knew we had to work quickly to put the House in the best position possible. To that end, we successfully reported all 12 of our annual appropriations bills out of committee and succeeded in passing five of them across the floor of the House by the end of July.

Unfortunately, the House does not act on its own, and I am sorry to say that, whether we like it or not, our colleagues in the Senate have input into the process. To date, the Senate has yet to pass a single fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill across the floor.

As time has gone on, we have reached the deadline of December 20, meaning another extension is necessary.

Today's bill extends government funding through March 14, which will grant Congress the needed time to reach a final agreement on our FY25 spending bills. It will also give President-elect Trump an opportunity to participate in the process.

Governing by continuing resolution, Mr. Speaker, is never ideal, but Congress has a responsibility to keep the government open and operating for the American people. The alternative, a government shutdown, would be devastating to our national defense and our constituents, and would be a grave mistake.

Today's bill, Mr. Speaker, avoids such a self-inflicted error. Today's bill will also provide much-needed relief to Americans struggling to recover from recent natural disasters.

This includes destruction in my own district, which faced tornados that ripped through Oklahoma, and it will especially provide support for communities ravaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

The devastation caused by these storms and other disasters is heartbreaking. Congress must act. In this bill, we provide $100 billion in supplemental emergency disaster funding. This will provide the necessary disaster recovery aid for States and communities as our fellow citizens rebuild and restore.

Finally, the bill also provides $10 billion in economic assistance for our farmers and ranchers. In the wake of many natural disasters and a difficult farm economy, our farmers and ranchers are in dire need of economic assistance.

While there is still a long road ahead for recovery efforts and rebuilding, this aid will mark a vital step forward and will help preserve family farms and ranches across the country while also continuing to ensure food and agricultural security for our Nation.

For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 10545 today.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber), my very good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Alford), my very good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I advise my friend I am prepared to close whenever she is, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would inquire as to how much time is remaining on each side.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to take a moment to address something the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), my very good friend, had to say about what is not in the bill. Again, as another speaker referenced, I always believe you look at legislation according to what is in the bill and don't worry about what is not in it. Make the judgment on what is there.

The reality is, in this bill we keep the government open. My friends favor that. I hope they vote that way tonight. In this bill we provide badly needed aid to Americans that are suffering in a disaster. I know my friends favor doing that. I hope they vote accordingly tonight.

As several speakers have mentioned, we provide much-needed assistance to America's rural economy. I hope my friends actually support that as well with a positive vote tonight.

I also want to point out, and I speak now not as a Republican or a Democrat but as an appropriator: I for one think these very good ideas that people have ought to generally move to the floor as separate bills. One of the reasons people distrust this institution is because we quite often pile things on bills that are totally unrelated.

Everything that my friends on the other side and I negotiated in the appropriations area is actually in this bill and actually as negotiated. I think it is unfortunate--and we do this on both sides, so I am not trying to score political points, but as I said, I am speaking as an appropriator. I hope we get back to doing what we should do and that is move legislation through this body appropriately, as narrowly focused as possible, and these end-of-the-year or end-of-the-session or just before breaks massive bills I don't think serve the American people well. I don't think they serve this institution well.

I know many of my friends on the other side actually agree with that. Let's look at this as an opportunity to step back and actually focus on what our job here is. We have no more important job than funding the government, helping Americans in disaster, assisting folks over a long- term crisis in rural America and then closing down our business and going home. These other matters can and should be dealt with next year, and as has been indicated if they are generally bipartisan in nature, they ought to move through on their own. That is just my thought, my reflection.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to begin and reiterate a point that I made earlier. I know my good friend from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) and I may disagree tonight on this particular instance, but I think as a broad principle we probably do agree that it is much better, honestly, that as appropriators, we are not carrying everybody else's weight. Sometimes the mule finally breaks down.

I would just tell my friends, working in good faith, particularly on bipartisan bills like we had in WIOA reauthorization and some of the health issues that were mentioned earlier, please bring your bills to the floor under your own time. Don't try to catch a ride with us right at the end. People hate that.

Our own Members don't get a chance to read the bills in some cases. The public doesn't get a chance to hear a full debate on the issue. It is simply not good governance. I would actually argue that this legislation is focused and easy to understand and easy to read.

The parts that are important to it are really only about 130 pages. Those are the things that the Appropriations Committee did, and we did it in a bipartisan fashion and in good-faith debate. All of those things are in this bill.

I tell my friends on both sides of the aisle, and I say this, again, not in a partisan sense at all. Remember that if you vote ``no'' on this bill, you are effectively voting to shut down the government.

If you vote ``no'' on this bill, you are effectively voting to deny assistance to Americans who suffered enormously from natural disasters.

If you vote ``no'' on this bill, you are effectively voting ``no'' to help rural America in a time of crisis on our farms and ranches all throughout the country.

The stakes are pretty clear here. I am hopeful we agree on all these things. We don't have any partisan disagreement. These are things that we agree on, and there is nothing in this bill certainly that my friends on the other side disagree with. There may certainly be some other disagreements here or there. Broadly speaking, this is something we should do.

None of us or most of us do not want to shut down the government. It is not a good thing for the country. I can go on, and we can get into a debate. I would like to be, you know, in a give-and-take of debate as much as anybody else. It is, after all, the holiday season. I know I have Members that are anxious to get home and be with their families and their friends in the holiday season.

I simply want to conclude by wishing everybody a merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, or whatever would be appropriate in their faith or tradition. I hope my colleagues have a wonderful and blessed New Year and that we have a great year for America in store ahead of us.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 10515) making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 10515.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 10515, the American Relief Act of 2025.

As the 118th Congress draws to a close, it is natural to use these final days to reflect on our work. Though we have accomplished much over the last 2 years, there is more to be done.

Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, we need to ensure that the government remains open and operating to provide needed services for Americans. It is why I stand before my colleagues. With government funding running out, it is our duty to act.

When the House Appropriations Committee began our process of drafting bills for fiscal year 2025, we knew we had to work quickly to put the House in the best position possible.

To that end, we successfully reported all 12 of our annual appropriations bills out of the committee and succeeded in passing 5 of them across the floor.

Unfortunately, the House does not act on its own. I am sorry to say, whether we like it or not, our colleagues in the Senate have input in this process.

To date, the Senate has yet to pass a single fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill across the floor. As time went on, it became clear that we would not conclude the FY25 process by the deadline of December 20, meaning another extension is necessary.

I know there is great frustration that a second continuing resolution is necessary. Quite frankly, I share in that feeling. A government shutdown is never a good alternative.

Today's bill funds the government through March 14. This will allow Republicans to engage President Trump as we negotiate a final funding bill of the year that fulfills the mandate of the American people and our America First agenda.

Further, this route ensures that there are no undue disruptions to our national security and the vital programs that our constituents rely on.

Today's bill also extends out the debt limit for a further 2 years to January 20, 2027. This will allow President-elect Trump to begin his term without needing to immediately address our national debt limit, allowing us to move forward on the many other pressing concerns of the American people.

Finally, the legislation also provides much-needed relief to Americans struggling to recover from recent natural disasters. This includes destruction in my own district which faced tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma. From floods and droughts to wildfires and other storms, communities across the United States have suffered.

These realities have been grim. I recently visited North Carolina at the invitation of my good friend and fellow Appropriations Committee member, Chuck Edwards, and saw with my own eyes the devastation and damage caused by Hurricane Helene's catastrophic flooding. Months after the storm, countless people remain without the basic necessities of life, and the region will remain affected for years to come.

My takeaway from these experiences is clear. Congress must act. We need to provide the necessary disaster recovery aid for States and communities as our fellow citizens rebuild and restore. Though relief efforts are ongoing, it will be months, if not years, before life returns to normal.

Additional investment is necessary to provide needed assistance to our fellow Americans. Today's measure fully funds our existing relief requirements, ensuring that help and resources get to those who desperately need them.

Rural communities, particularly our farmers and ranchers, are facing a tough farm economy in the aftermath of multiple disasters. These are prioritized in this legislation. While there is still a long road ahead for recovery efforts and rebuilding, this aid will mark a vital step forward.

Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 10515, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards), a member of the Appropriations Committee and a good friend and valued colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Alford), who is my very good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Luna).

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

Mr. Speaker, we have had a lot of talk about what is not in this bill. Maybe we ought to talk a little bit about what is in this bill.

It keeps the government open, which my friends say they want to do, and I think they are sincere in that. This bill does that.

It provides relief to people in the various disaster areas around the country, in an amount that they agreed to and that we agreed to. We share that in common.

It provides aid for farmers who suffered through several years of droughts and disaster and the systemic prices that, as the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Alford) mentioned, is costing us farms.

It extends important healthcare provisions into the next year.

There is nothing in here you are against. There is not a single thing in this bill that you oppose. If you can't vote for what you are for, please don't lecture us about, if I had this and this, you would vote for it.

If you vote ``no,'' you are voting to shut down the government. If you vote ``no,'' you are voting to deny aid to people who suffered through a disaster. If you vote ``no,'' you are voting against helping American farmers and ranchers at a difficult time. If you vote ``no,'' you are voting to strip important provisions that are being extended into next year.

Why? It is because you don't want to give the next President enough time to get organized and you want to use the debt as leverage.

The extension of the debt ceiling is what we have done for the last 2 years. It is what you supported 2 years ago. There is no change in that whatsoever.

If you want to fight about other things and other battles, that is great. I welcome that debate. I think it is a legitimate debate, but you are voting against a bill that everything in it you support, every single thing. You are doing that for political purposes.

Please don't lecture us about that. We presented something that keeps the government open, that provides aid to people, that provides support for farmers, and that extends important provisions, and you are not opposed to any of that. Yet, you are going to oppose the bill.

If a government shutdown comes, and I sincerely hope it does not, please don't tell those of us who voted to keep the government open, while you voted to let it close, that we are somehow responsible. That is just not the case.

I have a rule as a legislator. I never vote against a bill because of what is not in it. I vote on the basis of the bill that comes here, and then I fight for the other things that I think are important.

Extending a debt ceiling, which we have done for 2 years in a bipartisan fashion, so you can use it as leverage against a new President is something you ought to reconsider as a political tactic.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, this is a great debate. It is nice to have the discussion, but we are here to consider a specific piece of legislation.

This keeps the government open. What my friends want to do by voting ``no'' is effectively to shut it down. This provides relief to people in need. What my friends want to do by voting ``no'' is to keep that from happening.

This provides aid to farmers and ranchers. What my friends want to do--and they actually favor the amounts and what have you. There has been no change in that regard--ends that. This extends important protections for the American people.

If a bill has got something in it and you support everything that is in it and we continue the debt ceiling that we have had the last 2 years, then I am mystified as to how you can go home and explain that as I wanted to keep the government open, so I voted to shut it down. It is amazing to me.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan), my very good friend and distinguished chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler), my good friend.

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

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

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

It has been an interesting debate. It has been a good debate. There have been a lot of interesting points made, but the fact is, there is nothing in this legislation that Democrats oppose. They don't oppose keeping the government open. This keeps it open until March 14. We will be voting for that in overwhelming numbers.

Democrats support aid to people in distress. This bill does that. Democrats are going to be voting ``no.'' We will be voting ``yes.''

We think the rural economy is in crisis. There is important aid in here for it, aid Democrats supported. We are going to be voting for it. Democrats are going to be voting against it.

Those are just the facts. You consider legislation one piece at a time. There is not a single thing in here that the other side opposes except maybe the debt limit extension, which is the same debt limit extension they supported 2 years ago.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and keep the government open, help people in need, help the rural economy, and let us move forward with our work.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I vote in favor of S. 4199, the Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act of 2024, to allow for the creation of additional judgeships in under resourced district courts across the country. However, this is not the version of the bill I would have preferred due to the temporary nature of the additional judgeships slated for the State of Oklahoma. As the only state to receive additional temporary judgeships in this legislation, I believe this not only ignores the ongoing need for more longstanding, dependable resources across the state but also jeopardizes the longevity of these essential positions and creates uncertainty in the judicial system. Temporary judgeships will not satisfy the long-term need for judicial resources following the permanent jurisdictional shifts in criminal and civil proceedings in the state and subsequent backlog of cases pending in the justice system. Any new judgeships should be made permanent to reflect the drastic expansion of federal jurisdiction and to enact swift justice on behalf of the people of Oklahoma.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sara Peters, an exceptional staff member of the House Committee on Appropriations, whose decade-long service in the federal government exemplifies the hard work and dedication of an esteemed public servant.

Sara's career in government began in 2010 as Legislative Counsel to Senator Thad Cochran. In that role, she advised the Senator on budget, banking, finance, trade, justice, and ethics issues. Her contributions were particularly significant in the vetting of judicial nominees and the development of landmark legislation such as the Dodd-Frank Act and the Budget Control Act of 2011. Additionally, Sara managed all justice- related appropriations issues for the influential Senator.

In 2011, Sara brought her talents to the House Committee on Appropriations as a Professional Staff Member for the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. Her portfolio included the Federal Highway Administration and transportation safety agencies, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the United States Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. She also managed vital programs supporting Native American housing, homeless assistance, and community development.

Following her initial tenure with the House Committee on Appropriations, Sara expanded her expertise in the private sector as a Senior Associate at the King & Spalding law firm. Sara specialized in environmental, energy, transportation, and consumer product safety law. She then served as Assistant General Counsel at the Volkswagen Group of America, with a specific focus on emissions, regulatory, and settlement oversight.

After five years in the private sector, Sara's commitment to public service led her back to government as the Deputy Director of Government Affairs, Policy, and Strategic Planning for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Focusing on transportation safety initiatives and technologies, Sara bridged the gap between the agency and Congress, managing key policy initiatives and preparing agency leadership for congressional hearings, budget rollouts, and briefings.

In November 2020, Sara returned to Congress where her extensive expertise and knowledge earned her the position of Counsel and Senior Advisor on the House Committee on Appropriations under then Ranking Member Kay Granger. It was in this role that Sara successfully advanced House Republican funding priorities in the Minority. When Republicans took control of the House in 2023, she was rightly promoted to Deputy Staff Director of the full committee. Her understanding of the complexities of the federal budget has fostered crucially important reforms in the appropriations process. She has demonstrated remarkable skill in managing complex budget data, coordinating between the twelve Appropriations subcommittees, and facilitating communication with leadership offices, authorizing committees, external stakeholders, and support agencies such as the Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office. Sara played an invaluable role in crafting and negotiating full-year, supplemental, and continuing appropriations legislation.

Throughout her career, Sara has consistently demonstrated an extraordinary ability to navigate complex political landscapes and achieve meaningful results on challenging policy issues. Her deep understanding of government processes and her strategic approach have been instrumental in securing important policy victories, even in times of a divided government.

After countless early mornings and late nights of devoted work to our country, I know Sara is looking forward to a change of pace that allows her to spend more time with her family. Sara will be greatly missed, and I extend my deepest gratitude for her exemplary service to the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, everyone knows the saying ``nobody messes with Texas.'' Well, the same could be said of Chairwoman Kay Granger. She's as ``Texas Tough'' as it comes, an unwavering force evident in her nearly three decades of faithful service to our Nation.

As someone who has sat at the leadership table alongside her and worked hand-in-glove with her on the Appropriations Committee, I can attest that she is one of the best legislators I have ever had the honor and privilege of working with. Throughout her career, she has fiercely fought for the people of Texas' 12th district. She is the definition of a defense hawk--steadfast in her commitment to ensuring our Nation remains the number one military power in the world. And she is a conservative stalwart that masterfully negotiated Republican priorities in a gridlocked government.

Her trailblazing career was characterized by historic firsts. She was the first woman mayor of Fort Worth, the first Republican woman to serve in Congress in the Texas delegation, the first woman to serve on and chair the Defense Subcommittee, and the first Republican woman to chair the full Appropriations Committee.

More importantly than her impressive list of accomplishments and superb leadership abilities, she has been a dear friend to me, who showed me the ropes and whose invaluable wisdom I will dearly miss here in Congress. Texas was lucky. America was luckier.

Chairwoman Granger leaves behind a towering legacy of grit and grace that will continue to inspire this institution for decades to come and it is a privilege to honor her on the House Floor.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 478.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 9747) making continuing appropriations and extensions for fiscal year 2025, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield one-half of my time to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the distinguished ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, and ask that the gentlewoman be allowed to control that time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 9747.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025.

In a matter of days, funding for the fiscal year 2024 will run out, and it is Congress' responsibility to ensure that the government remains open and serving the American people. We are here to avert harmful disruptions to our national security and vital programs our constituents rely on.

Before I discuss the underlying bill, I would like to note the progress this body has made so far on the appropriations process. After a late start due to the delay of the fiscal year 2024 process and a late Presidential budget request, the Appropriations Committee succeeded in passing all 12 of our fiscal 2025 bills out of committee, all of which were within the bounds of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which is enshrined in law. The House then passed five of those bills across the floor, representing nearly 71 percent of overall discretionary spending.

Despite House Republicans' strong momentum, time is drawing short, and our colleagues in the Senate--who have yet to pass all of their bills out of committee or to pass a single fiscal year 2025 bill across the floor--have not kept pace with the House. It is clear we are unable to complete the full appropriations process by September 30. That means that a continuing resolution is needed.

The bill before us is narrow in scope and continues government operations through December 20. It includes extensions for critical programs that must remain in place, such as WIC, TANF, and the National Flood Insurance Program. It also includes additional resources for the Secret Service to ensure candidates and government leaders are protected while also guaranteeing the full cooperation of the Secret Service with congressional investigations.

Mr. Speaker, governance by continuing resolution is not ideal. Like most, my preference would be to pass full-year individual appropriations bills through regular order, but we are out of time. We cannot afford a shutdown, which would be greatly damaging to our national security, to critical government programs, and to the American people, not to mention the enormous cost of government shutdowns.

I commend the Speaker for his efforts to find a path forward. He was dealt a very difficult hand and has delivered once again for the good of the country. This path ensures Americans aren't needlessly punished with a costly shutdown and allows the people, and, importantly, the next President, to have a say in the appropriations process.

Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 9747 today. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

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

I would like to begin just with a quick personal reflection and tell both my colleagues what an honor it is to share this floor with them today, and I mean that quite sincerely. These are two of the most principled people that we have in Congress.

They don't always agree with one another. We don't always agree with one another, but I have had the privilege of serving with my good friend, Ms. DeLauro, the distinguished ranking member on the Appropriations Committee for many years. There is nobody that I like to debate with, bargain with, and eventually come to an agreement with more than my friend.

I have had the great privilege of serving with Mr. Roy on the Rules Committee in this Congress, and I have enjoyed every minute of it, quite frankly, because like my friend on the other side of the aisle, he approaches things with a great deal of passion and a great deal of care and always enriches the debate.

It is true that my friend, Mr. Roy, and I have worked on a lot of stuff together. We are on the same side more times than not. I was very proud to work with him last week when we tried to submit a little bit longer CR and tried to get the SAVE Act done. I liked the short one, but I could accept the compromise that the Speaker offered to get the SAVE Act. We didn't quite get that done. Frankly, I have often worked with my friend, and I think he is right on the spending issues.

I am proud of this Congress because we have pulled that back. There is no American Rescue Plan coming out of this Congress thanks to the Republicans. There is no Inflation Reduction Act coming out of this Congress because we are in the majority in the House. Frankly, even this year we did have the Fiscal Responsibility Act overall governing our spending, but as my friend from Texas knows, there were ``side deals.'' Those are not the law of the land. We literally were operating by things that honestly many of our Members didn't know about.

My Democratic friends like to still talk about that, why aren't we honoring that deal. Maybe we should have kept the guy that made the deal, Speaker McCarthy, but the reality was it was not in law. We appropriated to what was in the law. We lived that way, and I am proud that we did that.

I am proud of the progress we made on the Appropriations Committee: the fact that we got all the bills out of the committee when the Senate has not, the fact that we got five of them constituting the great majority of spending across the floor when the Senate has yet to do a single bill. This committee, and frankly, this institution, is not the reason why we face the challenge we face today.

Let's be honest, too, about the challenge we do face. It is a binary choice. We are either going to shut the government down without achieving anything by shutting it down or we are going to keep it open and keep working on our problems, and frankly, give the American people an opportunity in the election through their votes and their voice to decide who is coming back here and who the President-elect is going to be, and I suspect that will clarify a lot of the decisions in front of us.

I agree with my friend from Connecticut. I am not for shutting down the government. It is a disservice to the American people. We inconvenience them. We endanger them.

Our responsibility, if we can't come to an agreement, is to still keep the country safe, still keep it operating, and frankly, continue to work on and allow the American people to intervene and tell us what they want us to do.

Mr. Speaker, it is pretty clear to me the right thing to do is to join together in a bipartisan sense, and later we hope in a bicameral sense, and pass this bill. Let us keep the government open and functioning, let the American people make a decision a few weeks from today, and in return--and I agree with my friend from Connecticut, I would like to finish our business before the end of the year. I don't know if that is possible, but I agree very much the next President and the next Congress should not be forced to do the work of this administration and this Congress. They should be able to start--they are going to have plenty of problems. They

are going to come here in a dangerous world. The President-elect is going to create a budget, get their people in place, and rewrite the tax code. Let's not throw a potential government shutdown in front of them as well. That is more than enough to deal with.

Mr. Speaker, I sincerely urge the passage of this legislation, H.R. 9747, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1430, I call up the bill (H.R. 9494) making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2025, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 9494, the Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act of 2025.

Today's bill arises at a particularly challenging time for our country. For 4 years, President Biden and Vice President Harris' self- inflicted border crisis has caused chaos in communities across our country. Our national debt has risen to over $35 trillion, threatening the future financial stability of our country.

Across the world, America's adversaries continue to march forward, threatening our friends and democratic partners, and now we are facing a looming deadline to fund the government and keep it serving the American people.

Given the state of the world and our approaching election, this is no time to shut the government down. That means Congress needs to act, and we need to do so today.

The appropriations process is one that is never easy. It requires time and hard work to complete. Frankly, I am proud of what this body has accomplished this year. Even after a late start due to the delay of the fiscal year 2024 process and the President's late budget request, the Appropriations Committee succeeded in passing all 12 of our fiscal year 2025 bills out of committee.

The House also passed five of those bills across the floor, representing nearly 71 percent of overall discretionary spending. Unfortunately, time is drawing short, and our colleagues in the Senate, who have yet to pass a single fiscal year 2025 bill across the floor, have not kept pace with the House.

It is clear that we are unable to complete the full appropriations process by September 30. That means that a continuing resolution is needed. The bill before us extends government funding through March 28, 2025, ensuring that the government remains open and providing critical services to our constituents.

This extension will not only give us the time we need to complete our appropriations process for 2025 but also will allow the American people to have a say in the appropriations process.

The bill includes certain key extensions, including essential programs like flood insurance, WIC, and TANF. It also provides needed funding for disaster relief, helping communities across the country that have faced natural disasters this year or that will face them in the coming months.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, in just 2 short months, Americans will go to the polls to elect a new President of the United States. This is a critical time for American democracy, and it is more important than ever that our elections are secure.

That is why H.R. 9494 includes the text of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act, which will ensure that only American citizens may vote in Federal elections. This commonsense legislation is necessary to protect the sanctity and security of our elections, making sure that it is American citizens alone who will choose the future direction of our country. This is as the Founding Fathers intended and as it should be.

Mr. Speaker, governance by continuing resolution is not ideal. It is always better to pass full-year appropriations bills through regular order, but we are out of time and we cannot afford a government shutdown, which would be greatly damaging to our national security, to critical government programs, and to the American people.

The stakes could not be higher. That is why I urge all of my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 9494 today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would quickly make a point to my very good friend, who knows quite well I hold her in very high regard.

On the veterans issue, I just point out that we actually appropriated more to the VA than the administration asked for. We are certainly willing to sit down and have a discussion over any additional needs. Nobody wants veterans to be shortchanged.

Approaching Congress at the last minute, when it gave you more money than you asked for, suggests a high level of incompetence in this administration's management of the Veterans Affairs Department.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), my very good friend and the chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.

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

I just remind my friends, for the VA, which we both support, we offered more money than the administration asked for. It is pretty notorious for not doing a very good job of budgeting. That hasn't changed over the years. That is why we took away their ability to build hospitals.

Finally, I agree with my good friend from Minnesota about the importance of trying to get things done for the military, but I would remind everybody here that there has been a long history of CRs on both sides of the aisle. These aren't that unusual.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Higgins), my very good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan), who is the distinguished chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser).

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bean), my very good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, as usual, these debates, particularly at these moments, get a little overheated, and I think we have seen a lot of that. I think the essence of what we are talking about here is pretty simple, and I think some of the charges that have been made against my colleagues in the majority are pretty ridiculous.

We are told we want to shut down the government. Really? What we are proposing actually keeps the government open longer than anything my friends on the other side are proposing.

We are told we didn't get our work done. Really? The United States Senate hasn't passed a single bill. It has not passed all of its bills out of committee. To be fair to my friends, and I have been around here a long time, when Democrats were in the majority, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle never got 71 percent of the bills passed in time, the money spent because Democrats couldn't pass a defense bill. My Democratic colleagues have never been able to do that. Once my colleagues on the other side of the aisle do that, the minority, frankly, will exceed whatever the Democratic target was.

All of this stuff about not getting our work done or whatever, or we are not taking care of veterans, we gave this administration more money than it asked for, for veterans. At the last minute, we come back. I am for the Honoring our PACT Act. I voted for the Honoring our PACT Act. I am anxious to make sure it is appropriately funded, but if my colleagues think I am going to take the word of this administration's Department of Veterans Affairs at face value, no, I am not.

Frankly, that agency has a long history of surprising administrations at the last minute, and this one is particularly bad.

We are more than happy to deal with this. It doesn't have to be dealt with in a CR. It ought to be dealt with in the full bill during the final negotiations, and that is true for most of the things my friends have brought up. My colleagues like to talk about a clean CR and then give us a list as long as our arm of what is not in it.

Mr. Speaker, a clean CR is a clean CR. It is not full of all these other things that you are requesting and demanding. My Democratic colleagues need to decide which one it is.

Mr. Speaker, let's talk about what this bill does. It is pretty simple. It keeps the government open until the end of March, or roughly, March 28, about 6 months. If we can get our business done faster, I am with my friend, the ranking member. I would prefer to do that. Looking at the record of Congress, I wouldn't hold my breath. Having some extra time is not a bad idea.

Second, I am extraordinarily perplexed that the idea of reaffirming, in a time of unmitigated disaster at the southern border, that you have to be an American citizen to vote in an election is somehow controversial. That is mystifying.

Frankly, we have every reason to be worried given the disaster on the immigration front this administration has allowed to unfold. As colleague after colleague of mine have pointed out, they can talk to local supervisors in their district who tell them, yeah, we have some people here who are illegal, and they are registered, and they voted.

What is the big deal about saying we want to make sure, in what we know is going to be a close election, that only American citizens participate. That is incredible that that is a controversial thing.

Mr. Speaker, I conclude by, number one, thanking my friends who participated in the debate and worked so hard to present this. All we are trying to do is what my colleagues are asking us to do: Keep the government open. This bill will do that.

The controversial poison pill, as it is called, is simply saying: If you are going to vote in a Federal American election, you have to be an American citizen, and we are asking for proof to be provided.

I still get carded when I order a drink at a bar in some places. It is pretty flattering, but the requirement is there that I have to pull out my driver's license. I think it is a lot more important when we are talking about somebody voting in a consequential election that they be able to do that, so I think that is a perfectly reasonable thing.

If my friends want to go on record opposing that, that is up to them. I hope my friends on my side of the aisle see the wisdom of keeping the government open, particularly a few weeks before an election, and see the importance of reaffirming that only American citizens can vote in American elections.

We put those two things together. I think that is a very sensible thing to do, and I urge the support of this legislation.

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

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

Mr. Chair, I was unavoidably detained during the recorded vote on agreeing to the Cline amendment to H.R. 1516. Had I been present, I would have voted AYE on Roll Call No. 406.

Mr. Chair, I thank my good friend, the distinguished subcommittee chairman from Tennessee, for yielding.

Today's measure provides funding for energy and water development initiatives for fiscal year 2025 which are crucial to the prosperity and security of our great Nation.

Rising geopolitical threats show that readiness can never be taken for granted. It is exactly why this legislation bolsters our Nation's nuclear capabilities, particularly our nuclear deterrence posture.

This bill includes significant funding to continue modernizing America's nuclear weapons stockpile and supports the operational nuclear naval fleet. It also directs resources to programs that prevent hostile nations and terrorist groups from acquiring nuclear devices, materials, and expertise.

Today's bill also supports cutting-edge research and development functions, including an increase for the Office of Science in the Department of Energy and an increase in funding for nuclear energy innovation. I have long said that America must maintain an all-of-the- above energy policy in order to ensure our continued energy independence, and research and development efforts will help us uncover and utilize the energy sources of tomorrow.

The Army Corps of Engineers, which conducts projects to maintain and improve American waterways, is robustly funded. From port improvements and hardware maintenance to flood control and hurricane protection, the Corps' work is critical to our Nation's economic vitality.

I thank Chairman Fleischmann for his strategic approach in putting this bill together, and I urge all Members to support it.

Madam Chair, the United States boasts many natural wonders and resources, and the bill before us broadly supports our Nation's rich natural and cultural heritage.

The basis of this year's Interior and Environment appropriations bill is good stewardship. We thoughtfully manage our public lands and conservation efforts, and direct fiscal resources where they are needed most. With one-fifth of the land in the United States under the purview of agencies within this legislation, responsible governance is critical.

As the first Native American to chair this Committee, I am proud that this measure continues to uphold our sacred obligations to Tribal communities. The bill provides critical increases for tribal programs, including those covering tribal justice, the Bureau of Indian Education, and the Indian Health Service. Delivering on our trust and treaty commitments is of crucial importance to my home state of Oklahoma and to all people of Indian Country.

We also implement vital investments to support wildfire response and our federal wildland firefighters. A permanent pay fix for these emergency responders ensures needed certainty for those protecting our communities.

Importantly, the bill also reins in the Biden Administration's overreach, ensuring that misguided Green New Deal-style rules and regulations cannot be implemented. We take important steps to reverse misguided policies that have made us more reliant on foreign energy and resources. House Republications know that strong domestic production supports our national security and American jobs.

All in all, there is much to champion in today's measure. I thank Chairman Simpson for his hard work in producing this bill, and I urge all members to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Chairman Graves for yielding to me.

Like many of our colleagues, I recognize the critical importance of the biennial Water Resources Development Act. I also appreciate the need to move the House version as quickly as possible.

However, I must raise serious concerns with the bill presented on suspension today. These concerns are shared by my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee on a bipartisan basis.

Certain sections of the bill would cede Congress' Article I authority to fund and oversee Federal agencies. This should not only concern the Appropriations Committee, but all Members of Congress. Allowing agencies to become self-funded is a terrible idea. This is true whatever form it takes, whether allowing agencies to spend incoming fees without congressional approval, accept funding from other sources including non-Federal sources, or transfer funds across agencies without congressional oversight. Such actions make the Federal bureaucracy far less accountable and embolden unelected officials to overstep their congressional mandates. The requirement that agencies receive appropriations from Congress each year is one of the most important checks on their authority and is critical to preserving the separation of powers under the Constitution.

Creating self-funded agencies also removes them from the top-line spending caps on appropriations, thereby increasing total spending and taking another piece of total spending outside of fiscal controls. Finally, it is the Appropriations Committee's exclusive jurisdiction to determine how much funding each Federal agency must work with, by carefully balancing the needs of the entire Federal Government. Putting certain agencies or activities outside of appropriations makes comprehensive budgeting more difficult, as agencies evade congressional controls.

Without much time to review this text, we were not able to have a meaningful dialogue and fix these serious issues before today's vote. Giving this much power to agencies is not an action we should take lightly.

The gentleman has provided his commitment to work through these issues before a final product is presented to the House. Because of that, I will not oppose the measure today. As we move forward, I expect that we as a conference will have an opportunity to thoroughly discuss this issue.

Mr. Chair, today's measure provides funding for the Legislative Branch for Fiscal Year 2025. Although this is the smallest of our twelve annual appropriations bills, it carries an outsized importance for our democracy.

Each member of Congress has been entrusted with the solemn duty of representing the voices of their district, and this bill provides resources to serve the American people. It ensures we can assist our constituents and keep the government working for them. We also uphold resources to support our Article One lawmaking responsibilities prescribed by the Constitution--and the national institutions that contribute to this work.

The measure provides funding to maintain vigorous oversight over the Executive Branch. It allows us to continue critical committee work that serves as a check to the other branches and funds institutions like the Congressional Budget Office, which has a key role to play in supervising our national budget and appropriations work.

The safety of the Capitol complex for visitors and the good work of the U.S. Capitol Police are also reinforced. As the citadel for freedom and democracy, we sustain maintenance for the Capitol Building. More than just a meeting place, this chamber stands as a proud symbol of our constitutional form of government and our way of life, and it must be preserved for generations to come.

This is a very strong bill, and one that champions our capacity to effectively represent the public in a fiscally responsible manner.

I thank Chairman Valadao for his hard work in assembling this measure, and I urge all members to support its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained during the vote on the motion to recommit H.R. 7637. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 340.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Clerk be authorized to make technical corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 8752, H.R. 8771, and H.R. 8774, to include corrections in spelling, punctuation, section numbering and cross-referencing, and the insertion of appropriate headings.