Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, September marks National Children's Emotional Wellness Month.

Depression and anxiety impact far too many children and teenagers. One in five Americans ages 3 through 17 suffers from an emotional, mental, or behavioral disorder, according to NIH.

Pediatricians, therapists, and mental health care providers work around the clock to support the emotional needs and well-being of our youth.

Local nonprofits, such as the Extraordinary Lives Foundation in California's 40th District, can also play a role in addressing the emotional and mental health challenges among young Americans through unique approaches such as therapeutic resources and educational opportunities.

Madam Speaker, I thank our mental health care providers for equipping children and families with tools to adapt to difficult circumstances and express emotions in a healthy way.

Together, we will create a better future for our children.

Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman Westerman for yielding.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8790, the Fix Our Forests Act.

The fear facing many of my constituents during California's peak wildfire season, especially in the canyon communities close to the Cleveland National Forest, became a reality in recent weeks as multiple wildfires burn simultaneously in southern California, including the Airport fire in my district.

The Airport fire has burned over 23,500 acres, and still counting, in Orange and Riverside Counties.

I am grateful to the first responders who are working day and night to keep our communities safe. Times like these also show us that first responders need all tools available to protect our communities and respond to the ever-changing threat that wildfires pose.

The Fix Our Forests Act includes legislation that I introduced called the Wildfire Technology Demonstration, Evaluation, Modernization, and Optimization, or DEMO, Act, that would address this need.

I introduced the DEMO Act after hearing from firefighting agencies and companies developing innovative technologies.

This bipartisan legislation aims to deploy more emerging technologies to fight wildfires by allowing private entities to partner with Federal land management agencies to test wildfire technologies in a 7-year pilot program.

This is a win-win for private entities looking to test their technologies at scale and Federal land management agencies working to deploy emerging technologies to help combat wildfires.

I thank my friend, Representative Crow, for his partnership on the DEMO Act, as well as Chairman Westerman and Representative Peters for including my legislation in this important and timely bill to keep our communities and forests safe from wildfires.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 8790.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7438) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the FIFA World Cup 2026, and for other purposes.

Madam 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 this bill.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7438, the FIFA 2026 World Cup Commemorative Coin Act. This is a bill that will direct the Department of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Madam Speaker, as you drive around almost any American town on a Saturday morning in the fall or spring, there is a good chance you will drive past a youth soccer match in action. Young boys and girls are giving it their all, dreaming of becoming the next Christian Pulisic or Alex Morgan.

The popularity of the sport of soccer has been on the rise in the United States since the 1960s. The biggest boom came after our country hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 1994.

The excitement of that tournament led to the creation of Major League Soccer, which has grown from 10 teams in 2005 to its current 29 teams.

One can only imagine the excitement that will be generated by hosting our second World Cup tournament. The 23rd FIFA World Cup in 2026 will be the first time that 48 teams will participate. That is up from 32.

Along with 5 cities from our neighbors in Canada and Mexico, 11 U.S. cities will have the chance to showcase to the world the brilliance and diversity of our great Nation.

The United States will host matches in Dallas, Kansas City, Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, Miami, and, in what is sure to be a thrilling final match at MetLife Stadium, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026.

Little boys and girls all over the country will have the opportunity to watch these international superstars compete, a memory that will be sure to last a lifetime.

This bill will allow the United States Mint to produce a commemorative coin, which will provide Americans a physical keepsake. An added benefit of the Mint's Commemorative Coin Program is that there is a surcharge within the cost of the coin that helps raise money for important causes. In this case, the cause for this coin benefits soccer programs and activities around the United States. This will inspire the next generation of soccer stars in our country.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), my good friend, and his over 290 cosponsors for introducing this worthy legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7438.

Go Team USA.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood).

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7438, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2825) to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the United States Army Dustoff crews of the Vietnam War, collectively, in recognition of their extraordinary heroism and life-saving actions in Vietnam.

Madam 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 this bill.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2825, the Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act, the Senate version of H.R. 1015, led by the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Kilmer), the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers), the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks), and the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann).

Madam Speaker, we lost too many American soldiers during the Vietnam war. That number would be dramatically higher if it were not for the bravery shown by the pilots of the Dustoff crews.

During the Vietnam war, American helicopter rescue crews, known as the Operation Dustoff crews, evacuated some 900,000 people to safety, the equivalent of the populations of Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Orlando combined.

They did so under extremely perilous conditions. The Dustoff missions left the crews unarmed, often flown completely at night, frequently under enemy fire, and even after having to fight for permission to fly because of the dangers.

Madam Speaker, the United States needed the Dustoff crews during the Vietnam war because of the battle landscape. The stealthy, dispersed enemy occupying the dense jungles of Vietnam meant American soldiers had to push far from stationed medical support. Without a speedy exit from combat, a wound during the Vietnam war meant almost certain death.

The brave men of the Dustoff crews rescued American soldiers, civilians, and Vietnamese soldiers. When a call came in for Dustoff to pick up wounded day and night, they went.

The Dustoff crews flew over 495,000 missions from 1962 to 1973. Sadly, of the 1,400 pilots, 90 were killed, and roughly 380 were wounded. These evacuation flights were some of the Army's most dangerous missions.

The heroism, valor, and tenacity displayed by these young air crews provided a gift of life that few consider or even think about today. For each person saved by a medical evacuation air crew, whether it be a man, woman, or child, those individuals went on to enjoy their life beyond the strains of war. These young men voluntarily put their lives on the line every day to save another human being.

Madam Speaker, I will leave my colleagues with the pledge of the Dustoff crews: ``No hesitation. No reservation. No compromise. You get the wounded out.''

This pledge speaks volumes. The pilots of the Dustoff crews deserve to be honored by this Congress with a Congressional Gold Medal.

Madam Speaker, I thank the bill's sponsors for bringing forward this important legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, echo all the comments that were said about honoring the Vietnam war-era veterans. I take the challenge that our ranking member has spoken about, identifying and recognizing other Vietnam war veterans, and that is why I have done this.

As I am sure many of my colleagues do, too, in their respective districts, we take the time to identify the Vietnam-era war veterans, and every time we have a community event, we invite them and present them with a token of a lapel pin to show our appreciation. It is a small token of saying thank you. We can never say enough about how we are happy that they are home, so we welcome everybody home, especially from the Vietnam war.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 2825, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2861) to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Billie Jean King, an American icon, in recognition of a remarkable life devoted to championing equal rights for all, in sports and in society.

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 this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2861, a bill that would award the Congressional Gold Medal to an American sports icon and champion of women's rights, Billie Jean King.

I will start by thanking Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick and Mikie Sherrill for leading the House version of this bill, H.R. 1831.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be here today to celebrate the historic accomplishments of Ms. Billie Jean King.

Billie Jean is a tennis legend. She was introduced to tennis at 11 years old and dominated the game until her retirement from competition in 1983. She reached number one in the world with 39 Grand Slam singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles.

We are in awe of her athletic achievements and impact on the game. However, we are not here today just to talk about her accomplishments on the court.

Mr. Speaker, Billie Jean used her notoriety and platform to fight for equal rights and equal opportunities for all, not just in sports, but in American society, as well. She became an advocate for female athletes at a time when female accomplishments were not celebrated or rewarded in the same way as her male counterparts.

Billie Jean had an instrumental hand in shaping the opportunities in education and sports for girls and women. Without her efforts and dedication to the passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, America would look very different today.

After that legislative win, Billie Jean focused her efforts on lobbying for equal prize money for both men and women at the 1973 U.S. Open Tennis Championships. Although it would take another 34 years for the other three major tennis tournaments to offer equal prize money, she started a conversation that continued to push through barriers with her actions.

That same year, Billie Jean did something unprecedented and played a tennis match against former world number one player, male tennis star, Bobby Riggs. She defeated Riggs, and this match became a firm declaration of women's roles in sports.

Through her leadership, bravery, and activism, we owe her a huge debt of gratitude. I can think of no person more deserving to earn this distinguished honor.

S. 2861 would recognize Billie Jean King's tireless efforts to make the world a better and more equitable place. It is only fitting that she be the first female athlete to receive a Congressional Gold Medal for those efforts. It is my hope that her courage will continue to inspire Americans today and every day.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New York, (Ms. Malliotakis).

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank all my colleagues who spoke in support of this legislation. I believe this was a wonderful time where we got to understand much more than what we knew from the news articles about Billie Jean and her accomplishments, and her legacy will continue on. She will continue to be an inspiration to all of us, especially to girls and women and future athletes.

I urge my colleagues to support S. 2861, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank our first responders who are working day and night to contain the Airport fire that has spread across more than 23,000 acres in Orange and Riverside counties, which I represent, and injured at least five firefighters and two civilians.

Federal, State, and local first responders, community organizations, and individuals stepped up to help their neighbors by providing food and shelter, supporting animals, large and small, and being there for one another.

I have been in close contact with our fire, law enforcement, and community leaders on the ground, and I led a bipartisan letter to request Governor Newsom to declare a state of emergency to support our community's response and unlock Federal resources.

My team and I will keep doing all we can at the Federal level to keep residents safe and ensure our first responders have the tools they need.

Together we will get through this.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Moore for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, last month marked 3 years since the Biden-Harris administration's catastrophic withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

This administration rushed the withdrawal of troops, playing politics instead of preparing a plan to get Americans and Afghan partners to safety and to ensure stability in the region.

The results were horrific. The Taliban pulled the rug out from under the Biden-Harris administration, quickly taking control of Afghanistan, and undoing the gains Americans and our allies made over years in just a matter of days.

Meanwhile, 13 American servicemembers were killed in the line of duty, Americans and Afghan partners who supported our troops were stranded, and girls and women were swept under the rug.

The President said he owed no apologies.

The American people, our Gold Star families, and veterans beg to differ.

As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I am working to conduct congressional oversight, demand accountability, and restore America's leadership on the world stage. The world is watching us. Xi Jinping, Kim Jong-un, Vladimir Putin, and the Ayatollah are all watching us, and our allies and partners around the world are watching us. We must promote peace through strength.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 403.

Stated against:

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 510) to require the United States Governor of, and the United States Executive Director at, the International Monetary Fund to oppose an increase in the weight of the Chinese renminbi in the Special Drawing Rights basket of the Fund, and for other purposes, as amended.

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 this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of the Chinese Currency Accountability Act sponsored by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Davidson).

In 2016, the International Monetary Fund included the Chinese renminbi, RMB, in the currency basket that determines the value and interest rate for Special Drawing Rights, known as SDRs. SDRs are both reserve assets and an accounting unit for the IMF, so they play a central role in the Fund's lending throughout the world.

It was premature for the Fund to let the RMB influence the SDR, whose value had previously been determined only by the dollar, euro, yen, and pound.

The PRC has failed to make the serious reforms that would justify labeling the RMB a major currency. In addition, the People's Bank of China was and remains a tool of the Chinese Communist Party, not an independent central bank.

The Treasury Department knows this all too well. Every year, it reports to Congress that China's currency management is so opaque that it is difficult for the outside world to even understand Beijing's policy toward the RMB.

In addition, Beijing's lending policies abroad, including through the Belt and Road Initiative, have saddled developing countries with so much debt that the IMF faces difficulties designing rescue programs.

It is difficult to know how much debt these countries are in. The CCP refuses to play by the multilateral rules of the road to not only be transparent about the debt but to significantly restructure it. This has become one of the most acute threats to the mission of the Fund.

Nevertheless, in 2022, Treasury signed off when the IMF voted to increase the weight of the RMB in the SDR currency basket. As a result of this shocking decision, the RMB has now become the third most important currency in the basket, behind the dollar and euro.

This is why Mr. Davidson's bill is critical. H.R. 510 will prevent future increases to the RMB's weight at the IMF until China starts playing by the rules.

This is a commonsense measure that was unanimously supported when the Financial Services Committee marked it up last year.

I commend Mr. Davidson for his clear-eyed piece of legislation to hold Beijing accountable, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 510, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 554) to deter Chinese aggression towards Taiwan by requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to publish a report on financial institutions and accounts connected to senior officials of the People's Republic of China, to restrict financial services for certain immediate family of such officials, and for other purposes, as amended.

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 this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 554, the Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act, authored by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).

The Financial Services Committee has repeatedly pressed administration officials to devise a plan that imposes real costs on the Chinese Communist Party in the event it invades Taiwan. The time to formulate those measures is now. We must publicly communicate what we intend to do so that Beijing thinks twice before launching an attack against our friends on the island.

This is why Mr. Hill's legislation is so important. If Beijing chooses to invade Taiwan, this bill requires the

Treasury Secretary to publish the ill-gotten gains of the Chinese Communist Party's top leadership no matter where they may be held around the world.

It would also require Treasury to expose the financial institutions that maintain accounts for those officials while prohibiting U.S. banks from letting their immediate families benefit from any of the funds.

Too often, Washington chooses to be reactive when it comes to our adversaries, scrambling to develop sanctions and other measures after the fact. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a case in point. Mr. Hill's legislation is proactive. It signals what is at stake to the Chinese Communist Party before Beijing goes too far.

I also point out that this legislation underscores an important point that Republicans and Democrats alike have made. Our problem lies with the Chinese Government, not the people of China, many of whom suffer daily under the thumb of Beijing's dictatorship. The Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act recognizes this.

By promising to publish the corrupt assets of PRC's top leadership, the bill would force CCP officials to face the ire of their own people, so many of whom are fed up with the illicit wealth of the CCP insiders.

I again commend Mr. Hill for his leadership in crafting this measure, which received unanimous support from the Financial Services Committee when we marked it up last year.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 554, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from California, for his support of this very important bill, and I thank Mr. Hill for his outstanding leadership and for introducing this thoughtful legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 554, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank Mission Viejo City Manager Dennis Wilberg for his decades of service to our Mission Viejo community and to Orange County.

His work in the public and private sectors of civil and transportation engineering, including 20 years as City Manager, has left an enormous impact across Mission Viejo and the County.

From helping create the second-largest animal shelter in Orange County and building a water treatment facility, to increasing public safety and maintaining the City's transportation network, there's no question how he has become the longest-tenured city manager in Orange County.

I thank him for his dedication to keeping our communities safe and connected.

We are grateful for his leadership, and I wish him a wonderful retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank Mission Viejo City Manager, Dennis Wilberg, for his decades of service to our Mission Viejo community and to Orange County.

His work in the public and private sectors of civil and transportation engineering, including 20 years as City Manager, has left an enormous impact across Mission Viejo and the County.

From helping create the second-largest animal shelter in Orange County and building a water treatment facility, to increasing public safety and maintaining the City's transportation network, there's no question how he has become the longest-tenured city manager in Orange County.

I thank Dennis for his dedication to keeping our communities safe and connected.

We are grateful for his leadership, and I wish him a wonderful retirement.

Mr. Speaker, July 27 marks 71 years since the Korean Armistice Agreement.

The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., reads: ``Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met.''

We will never forget the sacrifices of the American and Korean soldiers who gave everything to defend them and to defend freedom. As a Korean American who grew up in South Korea after the Korean war, I know I am here because of them. I am a proud American serving in Congress, and this is not something I take lightly.

While the war ended 71 years ago, we must remain clear-eyed on the threat that is posed by North Korea. I will do my part as chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank the Mission Viejo assistant city manager, Keith Rattay, for his 29 years of dedicated service to our Mission Viejo community.

As a landscape architect, he etched his artistic mark across the city, including at the Oso Creek Trail and at all city parks, facilities, and recreation centers. Keith also helped with the Civic Center, Animal Services Center, amazing holiday lighting displays, and business designs. Literally, Keith's fingerprints are imprinted all over the city.

He has been a great resource to me, my office, and Mission Viejo at large. I thank Keith for making Mission Viejo as beautiful as it is today. I wish him a very happy and wonderful retirement.

Madam Speaker, I just got back from the U.S.- Mexico border in San Diego, and that was my sixth trip to the southern border since I have been in Congress.

Communities I represent are hurting from this border crisis that has become worse than ever before under the policies of this administration. It is a national security crisis, a humanitarian crisis, and a public health crisis.

My bipartisan amendment to force the Biden administration to finally create a strategy to secure every mile of southern border was added to the Homeland Security appropriations bill that was passed today.

President Obama signed into law in 2016 a bill to require a northern border strategy, but no similar law exists today for our southern border. This will change that.

We must secure our southern border, and I will keep fighting to get this done.