Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1550 redesignates Saratoga National Historical Park as the Saratoga National Battlefield Park.

The site in Stillwater, New York, marks the location of a critical pair of battles known as the turning point of the American Revolutionary War.

American forces defeated the British in the Battle of Saratoga in October 1777, which the National Park Service notes renewed the patriots' hope for independence and helped secure foreign recognition and support for the American Revolution.

This truly was a turning point that helped invigorate the fight for our independence.

As a testament to the importance of this monument, Congress has on permanent display in the Capitol rotunda, just steps away from here and to the left of the monument of three great suffragists, a famous oil painting by John Trumbull of the surrender of the British General Burgoyne at Saratoga.

The State of New York began efforts to preserve the battlefield in 1927, establishing a park known as the Saratoga Battlefield Park. However, the site's name changed to the Saratoga National Historical Park when Congress designated it as part of the National Park System in 1938.

Today's bill would restore the use of the term ``battlefield'' in the park's name to reflect the site's significance in the American Revolution. This is a fitting tribute as we prepare for next year's 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Mr. Speaker, I support 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 rise today in strong support of H.R. 1829, the Apache County and Navajo County Conveyance Act of 2025, a commonsense bill that will help rural Arizona communities meet an essential public service need.

This legislation would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey small parcels of land within the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest to Apache County and Navajo County for the expansion of existing cemeteries.

These cemeteries are running out of space. Without this bill, local families face serious barriers in accessing burial services close to home.

This bill would ensure the land remains dedicated to cemetery use. It also protects Federal interests through a reversion clause and places the costs of surveys and environmental review on the counties.

This is a respectful, efficient solution that reflects both local priorities and responsible Federal land management.

Mr. Speaker, I support 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, H.R. 531, the South Pacific Tuna Treaty Act of 2025, will help sustain American tuna fisheries and the conservation of marine resources in the South Pacific.

This legislation would implement the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, a multilateral treaty between the United States Government and the Pacific Island states.

This treaty authorizes the small U.S. purse seine vessel fleet to fish in specific and exclusive economic zones in the Pacific Island countries that are part of the treaty. These parties include Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, and many more island nations.

The exclusive economic zones of these nations are very close together and not far from American Samoa. There is little international water between them.

Purse seine fishing often uses fish aggregating devices, or FADs, which are large, circular nets that drift independently through the water for hundreds of miles until they catch fish. They have sonar and GPS, so the fishing boat knows where they are and when the net is full.

The nature of this fishing method, combined with the proximity of these countries, means that FADs can be released in international waters but float through other countries' EEZs while catching fish along the way. Without access to these EEZs, the U.S. purse seine fleet cannot retrieve the fish that they catch.

The South Pacific Tuna Treaty provides the U.S. fleet with access to these lucrative tuna fishing grounds and facilitates cooperation on various issues. It has been vital for almost three decades, fostering a mutually beneficial, strategic, and economic relationship between the United States and the Pacific Island countries.

The treaty was entered into force in 1988, was extended in 1993, and then again in 2002. Most recently, the parties began renegotiating the treaty and its annexes in 2009 and reached agreement in 2016.

The bill today proposes adjustments to the South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988 to implement the amended treaty, mainly providing more flexibility for U.S. vessels and the Pacific Island countries to negotiate access levels

while ensuring a stable operating environment.

This legislation will enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to implement annual access and fee agreements and new operational requirements efficiently, provided we still have enough staff to operate NOAA efficiently.

It will allow the United States and its vessels operating under the treaty to better utilize these benefits. This bill will benefit U.S. fisheries and help maintain a strong U.S. presence in the South Pacific region.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote 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 rise today in support of H.R. 249, a bill that would ensure that the name of Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr., will forever be etched into the landscape of the city that he so passionately served.

This legislation would rename two beloved landmarks within Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, the Scenic Overlook Trail Bridge and Overlook Park, as the Bill Pascrell, Jr. Scenic Overlook Trail Bridge and the Bill Pascrell, Jr. Overlook Park.

These places offer sweeping views of the Great Falls, a symbol of American ingenuity, labor, and power.

There could be no more fitting a tribute to a man whose career reflected those same qualities. For decades, Bill Pascrell fought for the people of Paterson and the State of New Jersey. Anyone who visited Paterson, as I have on many occasions, knew that he lived, ate, and breathed Paterson. That man loved Paterson and was Paterson.

Mr. Speaker, it is also fitting that, on the week that we honor police officers, who put their lives on the line to protect and serve us, this is the time that we will pass this bill honoring Bill Pascrell. He never backed down from standing up for working people and for first responders. From the halls of city hall to Congress, he was a tireless advocate for working families, veterans, public health, and local infrastructure. Yet, what defined him was his unshakable belief in the potential of his hometown, a city that helped build America and the city that he never stopped believing in.

By renaming these park features in his honor, we are not just commemorating his public service. We are linking his legacy to a history of American industry, immigration, and a resilience that Great Falls represents.

Bill Pascrell deserves this legacy. He was a legacy. He had a great sense of humor, and when he walked in, everyone knew he was in the room. We miss him dearly here, and his name belongs in this place not only in the official record, but in the very landscape of the community that he loved.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to help ensure that this legacy stands as strong and enduring as the Great Falls themselves, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Ms. Pou).

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.

I rise today in strong support of H.R. 618, the Apex Area Technical Corrections Act, a forward-looking bill by my colleague Representative Horsford that will strengthen economic opportunity and improve land management in southern Nevada.

This bill would update the Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act of 1989 to provide the city of North Las Vegas and the Apex Industrial Park Owners Association with improved access and management authority in the Apex Industrial Park.

The Apex Industrial Park is a critical driver of job creation, logistics, and advanced manufacturing in southern Nevada and the critical update provided by this bill would open the door to more efficient growth, infrastructure investment, and regional coordination.

This bill reflects how modern public-private partnerships should work, by empowering local governments and stakeholders to align Federal resources with local needs.

The bill would maintain full compliance with Federal environmental standards, including NEPA and FLPMA, ensuring that responsible growth and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.

Finally, the bill would simplify mineral sales during land grading, cutting delays when competition is not feasible while protecting Federal interests and upholding transparency.

This is exactly how Congress should tap into the potential of utilizing Federal lands and resources to support local communities. There has been a transparent process with multiple hearings and significant stakeholder engagement.

This is the way the legislative process should work, and I thank Representative Horsford and Representative Lee for leading the effort, along with the support of Representative Titus. I know their constituents back home in Nevada appreciate all the hard work and effort that has gone into this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford), the sponsor of the bill.

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 the Reversionary Interest Conveyance Act, introduced by my colleague from California, Representative Matsui.

This legislation would authorize the conveyance of certain reversionary interests in approximately 8.43 acres administered by the Bureau of Land Management in Sacramento.

Development at this site is currently hindered by reversionary interest that dates back to the 19th century. The original conveyance of this land from the Federal Government stipulated that it must be used for specific stated purposes or ownership would revert back to the United States.

Lands with reversionary interests like these have what is called a clouded title, which limits allowable uses and development. In this case, the reversionary interests originate from the initial conveyance that provided public land for railroad purposes in the 19th century.

Making matters worse, the land changed hands over the years eventually without the knowledge of this requirement.

This bill would finally clear up the landownership by resolving the Federal Government's ownership claims in

these parcels. Under the sale authorized by this bill, the current landowners would be given an opportunity to purchase the reversionary interests from the Federal Government so the landowners may pursue development or future conveyances of the land.

The bill will allow the city of Sacramento and Sacramento State University to move forward with the development of an innovative and dynamic research park.

This bill includes standard conveyance language, including the requirement to sell the reversionary interests at fair market value. The conveyance is supported by the Department of the Interior.

This transparent and targeted land conveyance would be a win-win for the Federal Government and the community in Sacramento.

I thank Representative Matsui for her leadership. She has been working on this bill for several years. I know her constituents appreciate the hard work and perseverance.

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. 2492, the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025, introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Carbajal).

This bill would authorize the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to permit electrical utilities to remove trees and vegetation near power lines on National Forest System and Bureau of Land Management lands without the need for a timber sale.

This bill addresses a critical public safety issue, preventing wildfires caused by overgrown vegetation near electrical infrastructure, particularly in high-risk areas of the West.

Current requirements for timber sales can delay essential maintenance and fire prevention efforts. This legislation would streamline that process while maintaining environmental safeguards under existing land management plans and Federal law.

Importantly, the bill would ensure taxpayer fairness. If utilities sell any of the removed material, they must return the net proceeds to the Federal Government. Altogether, this bill provides a commonsense, bipartisan solution to reduce wildfire risk, improve grid safety, and enhance coordination between Federal land managers and utility providers.

The bill respects environmental protections, avoids unnecessary bureaucracy, and promotes responsible land stewardship. I thank Representative Carbajal for his hard work on this bill. It will support community safety in his district and throughout the country.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Carbajal), the sponsor of this bill.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Salem Maritime National Historical Park Redesignation and Boundary Study Act introduced by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton).

This bill would redesignate the Salem Maritime National Historic Site in Salem, Massachusetts, as the Salem Maritime National Historical Park, and it would require a study into including additional sites and resources.

The Salem Maritime National Historic Site preserves more than 600 years of our history, documenting the development of international maritime trade and the journey to American economic independence following the Revolutionary War.

Due to the importance of preserving the maritime history of New England, Congress chose to designate a piece of the Salem waterfront as the country's first national historic site in 1938. The site has since grown to nine acres of land, 12 historic structures, and a visitors center hosting an average of over 300,000 visitors per year.

The bill before us today would redesignate the site to more accurately reflect the scope, scale, and significance of the resources managed there by the National Park Service.

Mr. Speaker, this is an important update to an important historical resource, and I thank Representative Moulton for his leadership on this bill. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton), the sponsor of the bill.

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

Madam Speaker, 2 days ago I got a text from a firefighter in my district saying: Get a rare blood cancer and find out there is no firefighter cancer registry. The cancer registry is hosted by NIOSH, and on April 1 and last week, the agency was gutted.

In Gresham, Oregon, there was an investigation because we had a firefighter who spent months in the hospital after surviving a flash fire, and the investigators were fired in the middle of the investigation.

I come from a family of firefighters, one of whom just got diagnosed with Parkinson's after spending months at the World Trade Center.

The fact of the matter is, on 9/11 my Republican colleagues will fall all over themselves to thank firefighters and say how they will never forget. I will tell you something, we are going to never forget the deafening silence and the inaction as these investigators and protections for firefighters who put their lives on the line, they did nothing and let them die. We will never forget.

Mr. Speaker, my district has more Social Security recipients than 87 percent of the congressional districts nationwide. Back home I heard a clear, urgent message from seniors. They are scared because Social Security and Medicaid are not luxuries. They are lifelines.

They are earned benefits, not handouts, and now they are at great risk because DOGE-led staff cuts are making it impossible to get through and are breaking the agency.

I introduced the Social Security Expansion Act with Representative Schakowsky, Senator Sanders, and Senator Warren because we believe in protecting the promise of Social Security is our duty.

Our bill would increase benefits by over $2,400 a year and extend the life of the program by 75 years, all without costing 91 percent of Americans one cent more.

We owe that to the seniors who built this country and to future generations who deserve the same dignity in retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, when we took office, we swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. It was a promise to the American people that we would uphold the law, protect their rights, and defend our democracy.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was living legally in the United States, was wrongfully disappeared to a horrific prison in El Salvador because of an administrative error.

This week, U.S. citizens in Oklahoma were dragged out of their home while ICE agents, with no warrant for them, took their phones, laptops, and life savings, even though they weren't the suspects in question.

One of the most basic rights guaranteed in our Constitution is the right to due process. The Due Process Clause in the Fifth Amendment and 14th Amendment demands that you cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without the due process of law. That means a fair hearing, a chance to be heard, and a chance to defend yourself in court. That is the standard.

Mr. Speaker, our immigration system is broken, and I will work with anyone in a bipartisan way to fix it. Yet, that is not what is happening here.

Weaponizing fears and frustrations as a justification for interning innocent people in a foreign prison is unacceptable and unconstitutional. Everyone deserves due process in court with evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. If we don't defend these rights now, who is next: our neighbor, our family, or us?

Affording due process is not being soft on crime. It is the very foundation of American justice to ensure that the rights enshrined in our Constitution are guaranteed, as the Founders intended. Standing up for the Constitution is not partisan. It is patriotic. It is our duty, and we need to do it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I am Val Hoyle, and I represent the central and south coasts of Oregon. I am a proud third-generation union member with a background in sales and international trade, and I came to Congress to fight for working people.

My family's path to the middle class was made possible because of the labor movement. My grandfather emigrated from Ireland and worked as a union laborer building bridges. It was hard work in unsafe conditions. Those conditions are significantly better because of the building trades unions.

My father was a firefighter and became president of his union to fight for better wages and safer working conditions. The contract that he and his team negotiated while management tried and failed to break his spirit took his members from poverty wages to a family-wage job. IAFF Local 789 is still working under that contract 40 years later.

Mr. Speaker, I grew up going to union halls and picket lines and with my father fighting to elect proworker candidates. Naturally, I became a member of UNITE HERE Local 26 as a union waitress during the AIDS crisis, where fellow union members had the dignity of healthcare and death benefits when they needed them because we belonged to a union. I am proud to say that my son is a Teamster.

I understand what is at stake for the working people of this country and my district because it is my story, too, and I came to Congress to fight for everyday people to have a fair shot, live in dignity, and make a fair wage while they work hard to provide for their families.

That is why I believe in economic populism, which is not just about talking at people. It is about listening to them and truly representing them. The fact is that workers feel left behind and that the two-party system doesn't represent them.

Republicans have tied in with billionaires and restricted the rights of workers to organize and have union representation wherever possible while they are telling them that their enemy is their neighbor.

Too many Democrats show up on a job site seemingly from a sense of noble obligation with wonky academic explanations about why everything is fine, even when everyday Americans can't make ends meet. I had an operating engineer tell me last week that he thinks that both parties are pissing on his leg and telling him that it is raining.

We have to understand that working people do not want a handout. They want a good job, a pathway to the middle class, and a comfortable retirement. Those opportunities have slipped away for too many people.

When people tell us that they are struggling to afford prescription medications, we can't turn around and tell them that they are wrong. We need to listen to them and hold Big Pharma accountable.

When people tell us that they see government as overly bureaucratic and complex, we can't dismiss that experience and say that it is all fine. We need to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.

Of course, addressing waste, fraud, and abuse is important. We also need to make sure that our veterans, our seniors, and the most vulnerable among us receive the benefits that they have earned and not break government under the guise of efficiency.

Democrats are the party that champion and protect the things that working people rely on, like the Affordable

Care Act, Social Security, stronger unions and workplace protections, the 40-hour workweek, overtime pay, public education, and strong consumer protections. However, we need more Democrats whose filter for what they do in Congress is: Will this help working people, as opposed to giving lipservice in some disconnected way?

We should all be fighting hard against corruption and for a real path to the middle class. Young people want to be able to work one job and afford to buy a home and raise a family, and that is not the reality for too many Americans.

That is what Democrats should stand for and be working for every day. Our party must embrace economic populism and fight to revive the American Dream, standing up for working people and giving them a chance to succeed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our Nation's Federal workers.

As a member of the Labor Caucus, I am proud to stand with these public servants who have dedicated their careers to delivering for the American people.

This administration has relentlessly attacked these nonpartisan expert workers who make sure our food is safe to eat, our water is safe to drink, and our air is safe to breathe.

As a third-generation union member, I am particularly outraged by the obvious intimidation and union-busting tactics that this administration has used on these essential workers. However, these actions are not just an attack on Federal workers. They are an attack on the services that these hardworking people of my district and this country rely on every day.

Let's be clear. Firing Federal workers means delays in receiving Social Security checks and fewer law enforcement officers keeping our communities safe.

If the Department of Labor doesn't have sufficient personnel, it will be easier for employers to commit wage theft and workplace safety and rights violations.

Whom does that benefit?

It is not the American people and not working people. In my district, we know Federal workers are not lazy or ineffective. They are our friends, our family, and our neighbors who support us every day. They get up and they go to work to work for the people of this country and not for a political party.

Federal workers have had our backs, and I assure them that we have theirs.

Mr. Chair, after the House considered the Fix Our Forests Act last fall, I led a multi-member letter to Senate leadership urging them to pass comprehensive wildfire legislation and adopt the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission's consensus recommendations. Today's version of the Fix Our Forests Act addresses more of the Commission's recommendations by expanding on the purpose and role of the interagency fireshed center. It also includes a new provision to ensure that local fire departments receive timely wildfire reimbursements from the federal government.

I applaud House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman and Congressman Scott Peters' work on this bill, but this Congress must do more--more to ensure that federal wildland firefighters are paid fairly, more to prioritize the stewardship of our public lands, and more to ensure our communities get the help they need after disaster strikes.

Federal wildland firefighters deserve pay and benefits that reflect their service and sacrifice. I've supported every effort, including joining as a cosponsor of Tim's Act, to permanently increase firefighter pay. I will do everything in my power to get this done.

Additionally, the wildfire crisis cannot be solved without funding the stewardship of our public lands. I have co-led efforts to secure full funding for Forest Service staffing and tribal forestry programs, and I will continue to do so. I also plan to re-introduce my bill, the Wildfire Resilient Communities Act, which would provide consistent funding for hazardous fuels reduction.

Following the ongoing wildfires that are devasting the Los Angeles area, I am gravely concerned by the new administration's threats to withhold disaster aid from Americans who've lost everything just because of who they elected. I believe that Oregon could be in a similar situation if disaster strikes. Proactive forest management is our best chance to stop these disasters and avoid that kind of political cruelty. We must also continue our longstanding commitment to all American communities and provide federal aid after a disaster strikes.

While imperfect, the Fix Our Forests Act takes meaningful steps to protect our forests, our communities, and my constituents, and that's why I will vote yes.

Mr. Speaker, last week, I voted no on H.R. 30, the so-called ``Preventing Violence Against Women By Illegal Aliens Act.''

Let me be clear: none of us are interested in protecting domestic abusers or predators. We all want to keep our communities safe from those who seek to inflict harm on vulnerable people.

H.R. 30 does nothing to strengthen existing law and risks putting survivors at greater risk.

In reality, this bill is more about House Republican messaging than providing meaningful solutions to keep our communities safe. Current law already ensures that perpetrators of these heinous crimes can be swiftly deported if they are here illegally and bars them from reentering the United States.

Worse, it makes it easier to deport survivors who have acted in self- defense or who have been falsely accused by their abusers. The violent predators who commit these crimes know how to use the law to further victimize their targets.

I have heard horrific stories from law enforcement about women who are threatened with deportation if they report rape or torture, with their children being held hostage as leverage. An immigrant here legally on a student visa who fights back against her abusive boyfriend, or a hardworking mother lawfully present on a work visa who defends herself and her children against a violent partner, could face deportation if their abuser reports them ahead of their testimony. Predators will lie. Victims need protection. H.R. 30 hands criminals the ultimate tool of coercion to silence survivors--fear of deportation.

Some simple, common-sense proposals could have strengthened the bill, including offering greater protections to victims or providing law enforcement with additional tools to prosecute offenders. Unfortunately, these were not included.

If my colleagues across the aisle truly wanted to protect women, this bill would expand funding for victim services and ensure survivors could testify without the threat of deportation. It also would have given law enforcement more resources to get violent criminals out of our communities and out of country. But they didn't do that because this bill is not about keeping women safe. It is instead a performative political stunt to further an anti-immigrant agenda.

And let's not forget that 172 House Republicans, including this bill's sponsor, previously voted no on legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which included expansions of aid and services to support survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse. VAWA had been strongly bipartisan because it meaningfully protected vulnerable women.

We must do everything in our power to protect survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. We owe survivors real solutions--not fear, not cruelty, and not empty posturing. For these reasons, I voted NO.

I remain committed to working with my colleagues to pass legislation that will genuinely protect survivors, hold abusers accountable and make our communities safer for everyone.