Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduced the No War Appropriations Through Reconciliation Act, or the No WAR Act, which would prevent the partisan process from being used to fund military action in Iran.

We cannot normalize using reconciliation as the vehicle for every party-line priority when the drafters of the Congressional Budget Act designed it to be used to quickly resolve issues with the budget.

We have already spent $45 billion on this illegal, immoral war in Iran, and this administration is asking for $1.5 trillion more after already requesting $350 billion in mandatory defense spending that was passed through the last reconciliation.

On something as serious as this, where we are putting American lives on the line, we need strong bipartisan support and a transparent process with clear authorization from Congress because that is what the American people deserve. I am very proud to put this forward.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the ALERT Act, and I thank Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, Air Line Pilots Association, International, the Association of Flight Attendants, Jennifer Homendy and the NTSB staff, T&I members, and mostly the families who put such passion and advocacy into getting this bill right.

It was not easy, but it is so very important that we made progress to align the bill with the NTSB's recommendation. Again, I just acknowledge that without the family members advocating on behalf of the loved ones they lost on January 29, we wouldn't be here today.

They should not have to keep coming back into this room. They should not have to listen to Member after Member say what everyone knows, that this was preventable.

The NTSB found that the ADS-B In system could have provided up to 59 seconds of warning. That is what makes it so hard to hear that the Board has been ambiguous about this. It has been recommending this kind of requirement for years, 17 times since 2006.

The requirements here should be clear: ensure all aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out carry ADS-B In with cockpit display of traffic information, and ensure that happens on a firm, enforceable timeline without any carve-outs. We should write that into law and not leave it to some later process, delay, or direction.

Members on both sides of the aisle recognize we have a duty to all Americans to put aside our differences and keep them safe. That means the House and Senate need to work together to enact the strongest possible safety requirements. This bill is an important step, and I want to acknowledge how hard everyone worked to get here. Again, it wasn't easy, and everyone worked to get us to where we are.

Madam Speaker, we owe it to every victim, every family, and the American people to finish that work so these families don't have to keep coming back.

Mr. Speaker, after 35 years PeaceHealth Hospital, the only level 2 trauma center between Corvallis, Oregon and Crescent City, California, abruptly ended its contract without the local emergency room staffing and the group of Eugene Emergency Physicians.

With little notice and significant local opposition, PeaceHealth has awarded the contract to a Georgia based management and medical staffing firm. Beyond losing locally based physicians who have met or exceeded performance standards in a hospital that has refused to address the lack of adequate patient care rooms, Apollo group appears to be a shell company set up to get around Oregon's ban against corporate practices in medicine law.

Apollo group bills itself as ``physician owned'', however their office houses around 40 ``local'' groups in Atlanta which is also housed in the same office as Valor Bridge, a venture capital fund managed by the same person who manages the Apollo staffing firm. When my office asked PeaceHealth CEO Jim McGovern about this obvious conflict he said--and I quote--``that's just a side hustle. A side hustle.''

Allowing venture capital firms and hedge funds to siphon off money from our healthcare systems instead of providing quality, affordable and appropriate care to our communities is what's wrong with our healthcare system. We need to follow Oregon's lead and make this practice illegal. And I assure you, we will fight to keep local providers caring for our community.

Mr. Speaker, for 35 years, PeaceHealth Hospital, the only level II trauma center between Corvallis, Oregon, and Crescent City, California, abruptly ended its contract with our local emergency room staffing group, Eugene Emergency Physicians.

With little notice and significant local opposition, PeaceHealth has awarded the contract to a Georgia-based management and medical staffing firm, Apollo.

Beyond losing locally based physicians who have met or exceeded performance standards in a hospital that has refused to address the lack of adequate patient care rooms, the Apollo Group appears to be a shell company set up to get around Oregon's law to ban the corporate practice of medicine.

The Apollo Group bills itself as physician-owned; however, their office houses 40 local groups in Atlanta, which also houses ValorBridge, a venture capital fund managed by the same person who manages the Apollo staffing firm.

When my office asked PeaceHealth CEO Jim McGovern about the obvious conflict, he said: ``That is just a side hustle.'' Uber is a side hustle. Corporate practice of medicine is not a side hustle.

Allowing venture capital firms and hedge funds to siphon money from our healthcare system instead of providing quality, affordable, and appropriate care to our communities is what is wrong with our healthcare system. We need to follow Oregon's lead and make this practice illegal.

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

Mr. Speaker, the community of Wintergreen, Virginia, is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, next to the popular Wintergreen Resort. It has a year-round population of 500 and a seasonal peak of almost 10,000. However, Wintergreen has only one road that leads in and out of the community and in an emergency situation, this is a major safety risk that could be catastrophic for Wintergreen's residents and visitors.

H.R. 6365 addresses this problem by allowing a 400-foot-long single- lane gravel road connecting Wintergreen to the Blue Ridge Parkway, providing a secondary exit route in the case of an emergency.

After completing the relevant environmental reviews, the National Park Service will be authorized to issue a right-of-way for the road.

This is a commonsense bill that will improve public safety and make minimal changes to the surrounding and natural area. I extend my gratitude to Representative McGuire and the Senators from Virginia for introducing this legislation to help Wintergreen's residents and visitors.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 6365, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government has a long history of restricting the autonomy of Tribal nations, and it is reflected throughout Federal Indian law. Many laws on the books, even if they were well intended, have created barriers to Tribal sovereignty and self-determination.

The Long-Term Leasing Act is one of these laws. It authorizes Tribal nations to enter into lease agreements for up to 25 years, with the option to renew for an additional 25 years.

A 25-year lease is often too short to provide the certainty necessary for development in Indian Country, where long-term investments in housing and infrastructure are critical to supporting Tribal communities.

Congress has repeatedly recognized this problem and addressed it piecemeal, passing individual bills for over 50 Tribes to authorize lease terms of up to 99 years.

H.R. 5910 would extend the authority to enter into 99-year lease agreements to all federally recognized Tribes. This will provide a uniform standard that better respects Tribal sovereignty.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3903, a bill to address the longstanding split-estate challenges in the Chugach region of Alaska.

Under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, Alaska Native corporations, including the Chugach Alaska Corporation, were promised lands of cultural and economic importance. However, Chugach only received a fraction of their traditional lands along with the subsurface rights beneath lands conveyed to the village corporations.

Following the devastating Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, which released more than 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska's coastline, the Federal Government established the Trustee Council to manage settlement funds. These funds were used to purchase surface lands from the village corporations for conservation purposes.

While the Federal Government acquired surface rights, the Chugach retained the subsurface rights for approximately 230,000 acres, creating a split estate that has complicated land management and restricted Chugach's ability to manage their resources and land.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3903 would authorize a land exchange between Chugach and the United States, allowing Chugach to exchange their current subsurface rights for surface and subsurface rights to approximately 65,000 acres of Federal lands within the region.

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was enacted to resolve Alaska Native land claims and support self-determination. This bill would advance these goals by consolidating land ownership, improving conservation management, and providing Chugach greater control over their lands and resources.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5419 directs the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to evaluate policies, rules, and regulations related to the siting and permitting of broadband infrastructure on public lands. This bill is a commonsense step to help update and modernize our broadband infrastructure.

Public lands host a lot of communications infrastructure that Americans rely on every day to connect our smartphones, laptops, and televisions. Broadband isn't just for entertainment. It is what people use to do their jobs, access healthcare, and file their taxes.

Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Oregon recently received Federal approval to move forward with the largest broadband infrastructure investment in our State's history. This will connect over 100,000 unserved and underserved Oregonian households and businesses to affordable, high-speed, and reliable internet services.

However, in States like Oregon and in districts like the one I have the honor to represent with large amounts of Federal land, broadband infrastructure projects often require additional levels of permitting and coordination across local, State, and Federal Government.

H.R. 5419 will help us look for opportunities to address any broadband permitting barriers and update the rules in a measured and responsible way.

This bill will help balance two critical obligations: building out the infrastructure we need for vital technology and upholding our commitment to the health and stewardship of our public lands. We can and must meet both obligations.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Kean) for introducing this bill. I urge my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 5419, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

Congress codified the critical minerals list in the Energy Act of 2020 to identify which minerals are most important to our economic and national security and at risk of supply chain disruption.

The United States Geological Survey was required to create and update that list, following a transparent, science-based process.

At the same time, Congress directed the Department of Energy to create its own list focusing on critical minerals and materials for energy needs.

Both lists provide crucial strategic direction for Federal decisionmakers to secure our most critical and vulnerable supply chains.

H.R. 755 provides administrative clarity by creating a unified critical minerals and materials list, which incorporates the lists from both USGS and DOE, while allowing the agencies to maintain the scientific integrity of their individual processes.

I thank the bill's sponsors and my colleagues across the aisle for working with committee Democrats to incorporate changes to the original bill to better coordinate agency analyses without fully losing the individual purposes of the two lists.

Unfortunately, a lot of careful policymaking and scientific work to identify critical minerals and materials is actively being undone.

First, these lists are only useful if they are unbiased, and the current administration has blatantly violated the law by including metallurgical coal and uranium in the 2025 USGS critical minerals list, despite the Energy Act of 2020 explicitly prohibiting the inclusion of fuel minerals on the list.

They provide no public data or analysis to justify these inclusions or prove whether they meet the Energy Act of 2020's criteria for critical minerals.

Political interference in the critical minerals list undermines the United States' economic and national security. We should target Federal investments and interventions toward the most important at-risk minerals and materials and supply chains.

Additionally, designating minerals and materials as critical only matters if we can actually use these lists and designations.

Much of the latest critical minerals legislation that has passed on a partisan basis this Congress actually makes no distinction at all about prioritizing critical minerals. These bills have often provided deregulation across the board to every industry, from gold to coal.

Again, I thank the majority for working with us on this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1945 will designate America's National Churchill Museum as a national historic landmark. It would also direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine whether the museum is eligible for inclusion in the National Park System.

This museum is located on the campus of Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, where former Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered his famous ``Iron Curtain'' speech at the outbreak of the Cold War. It contains exhibits about Churchill, his life, and his impact, all of which play a role in our story here and in London.

The museum exhibits include a continuous section of the Berlin Wall, the gymnasium where Churchill delivered the ``Iron Curtain'' speech, and the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, a historic building which survived the air raids in London during World War II and was moved to Fulton in the 1960s.

These are wonderful exhibits and a truly significant historical location that is worthy of national recognition. I am proud to support the designation of this museum as a historic landmark.

However, I also want to mention my deep concern about how this administration is working to rewrite and whitewash history throughout the National Park System. We must provide the Park Service with the resources and autonomy it needs to preserve, protect, and share our Nation's stories, warts and all.

Winston Churchill himself once famously told the House of Commons, ``Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.''

We cannot learn from history if we erase history. We cannot see how far we have come if we erase the things that don't fit into the current idea of the way things should be. We can't sit idly by as this administration selectively edits our country's past.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the National Park Service in this bill and beyond, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of Mr. Keating's bill to amend the Long-Term Leasing Act for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).

Under the Long-Term Leasing Act, Tribes are generally limited to lease terms of 25 years with an option to renew for an additional 25 years.

This restriction, as we mentioned earlier, often has hindered economic development in Indian Country where growth is essential to providing services and opportunities for Tribal citizens.

To address this barrier, Congress has repeatedly passed bipartisan, noncontroversial bills allowing individual Tribes to secure long-term leases, just as H.R. 681 seeks to do.

Representative Keating's bill would authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) to enter into lease agreements for up to 99 years, providing parity with other Tribes that already have that authority.

Extending lease terms from 25 to 99 years will provide certainty that lenders, investors, and development partners need to make meaningful, long-term investments with the Tribes, helping promote economic stability and address the Tribes' ongoing housing challenges.

This bill respects Tribal sovereignty and advances self- determination. It removes barriers to the Tribes' housing and economic development efforts.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton).

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3692 will reauthorize the Young Fishermen's Development Act through fiscal year 2031, ensuring the next generation of commercial fishermen has the support they need to enter and sustain careers in this vital industry.

The Young Fishermen's Development Grant Program addresses challenges by providing competitive grants of up to $200,000 to support training, education, and technical assistance programs.

Since its implementation, the program has delivered nearly $2 million in direct support to workforce training programs nationwide, successfully lowering the barriers to entry and enabling practical apprenticeship programs.

This bipartisan legislation maintains the $2 million annual authorization and is supported by Democrats and Republicans in both Chambers of Congress.

I have the honor to represent two-thirds of the Oregon coast. Commercial fishing is a very important part of our community and our traditions.

I urge my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 3692 and investing in the future of America's commercial fishing industry.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act would codify existing Bureau of Indian Affairs procedures for reviewing and processing mortgage packages on Indian lands. The bill seeks to improve access to homeownership in Tribal communities.

Homeownership rates in Tribal communities continue to lag behind the national average due, in part, to administrative delays in the Federal review process.

In Oregon, State lawmakers have worked to address this challenge by creating a flexible grant program that Tribes can use to address their own local housing needs, but it is still the responsibility of the Federal Government to provide sufficient resources.

Years of underfunding and understaffing at the BIA have reduced agency capacity and slowed down the review and approval of mortgage and leasing packages. Given the urgent housing needs in Indian Country, it is essential that the BIA conduct these reviews in an efficient and timely manner.

S. 723 would help expedite the mortgage review and processing procedures and, ultimately, help to promote Tribal ownership.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the America the Beautiful pass is an annual interagency pass that covers entry fees to over 2,000 recreational sites across the country.

In 2024, an update to the pass program had the unintentional effect of reducing the number of motorcycle riders covered under a single pass from two motorcycles to one.

H.R. 4386 reverses that unintended consequence and reestablishes a fair policy for motorcyclists, allowing one America the Beautiful pass to cover the entry for a second motorcycle and its guest. This bill corrects a bureaucratic error and improves public access to Federal recreation sites.

I do have concerns that this administration is unnecessarily politicizing the America the Beautiful pass by putting an image of the President directly on the pass. Federal law requires a competition open to the public to determine the image used on the pass, which has traditionally showcased America's landscape or wildlife. These popular and nonpartisan passes should celebrate our shared natural and cultural heritage, not prop up political leaders.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Michigan and co-chair of the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus, Representative Walberg, for his work on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 4386 and to support access to recreation on our public lands. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New York, Representative Espaillat, for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I stand in memory of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, who were murdered for standing up for what is right and exercising their constitutional First Amendment right to speech and assembly, and in the case of Mr. Pretti, his Second Amendment right to carry arms. I also stand in honor of the 38 people who have died in ICE custody since Kristi Noem became the head of DHS. Although they are not household names, their lives are no less valuable, and we cannot forget them just because we didn't see it happen.

Being detained in an ICE facility should not equal a death sentence.

I recently conducted an oversight visit in Tacoma, and I met with four of my detained constituents. One detainee had lost over 12 pounds since November. He achieved up to a Ph.D. here in the United States. He has four United States citizen children. His wife is a United States citizen. Because of a paperwork error, he will be deported to a country he has never been to and he does not speak the language. He is a deacon in his church. He is a good member of our community, not the worst of the worst.

Another one of my constituents just turned 18 and was so terrified he couldn't even answer questions. He was afraid to say anything. He will be deported because he is caught up in a broken immigration system.

We will not let them disappear into the system. We will not stand by and let ICE bring more violence to our cities and open detention facilities in rural communities like Newport, Oregon, that I represent. We will not normalize cruelty as public policy.

While innocent people continue to die in detention centers and on our streets, we must continue to speak up and fight for real change.

The Constitution is clear. It guarantees due process. It guarantees the right to assembly. It guarantees the right to bear arms.

I took an oath to uphold the Constitution. I would ask that my colleagues do the same and uphold the oath that they are obliged to stand up for.