Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition, even though I am not opposed to it.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this bipartisan amendment to provide much-needed resources to the FEMA Operations and Support account for the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System, or US&R.

This increase is offset by the management directorate for operations and support account.

US&R has been critical in disaster response efforts in the aftermath of the major wildfires, hurricanes, and tropical storms across the country, including in California.

We are reminded of the importance of this program as communities in our area face a scorching heat wave and a threat of devastating wildfires, and I am grateful to Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy's leadership as the Western representative for nine US&R task forces in our region.

Unfortunately, costs associated with operating the task forces have increased with higher labor and equipment costs and more deployments. My amendment ensures US&R's task forces are equipped with the tools needed to protect our communities.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Blaine Moeller, who passed away at 60 years young and dedicated his career to protecting our community.

He grew up in Orange, attended Peralta Middle School, and graduated

from Villa Park High School. He attended the police academy at Golden West College and served in the Santa Ana Police Department for 31 years.

A lover of motorcycles, Blaine then became a California Highway Patrol motorcycle rider instructor and opened a motorcycle school in Anaheim. An avid sports fan, he could be found cheering on his favorites: the Green Bay Packers, Florida State, and the Lakers.

He was a devoted father, son, brother, and uncle. Blaine leaves behind two children, Taylor and Courtney; his mother, Marsha; and siblings, Lorie, Darin, and Todd.

Mr. Speaker, I join his family in mourning his passing and honoring his legacy.

Honoring the Life of Otto Warmbier

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Otto Frederick Warmbier as we approach the seventh anniversary of his tragic death at the hands of the North Korean regime on June 19, 2017.

Otto was a dedicated young man, graduating as salutatorian of his high school in Ohio before attending the University of Virginia.

While on a school tour in North Korea in 2015, Otto was imprisoned and tortured by the North Korean regime. He died a few days after his release at just 22 years old.

Mr. Speaker, Otto experienced what no human being should ever have to go through. While he is no longer with us, his family carries on his legacy with their advocacy and strength.

``We remember and honor Otto always.'' ``Uri-neun Otto-leul young- wonhi giukhal geos-ibnida.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Bilirakis for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my legislation, H.R. 6543, the No Hidden Fees on Extra Expenses for Stays Act, or No Hidden FEES Act.

Hidden fees on short-term lodging stays, such as hotels, inns, and resorts, make budgeting for a trip much harder for families who are already struggling from persistent inflation and rising living costs.

Customers often find themselves paying more for their overnight stay than what was advertised online. These unexpected, deceptive fees hurt families' bottom lines.

According to a 2023 Consumer Reports survey, 37 percent of Americans found themselves paying an extra hidden fee, with more than half expressing that this additional cost took them over budget. The No Hidden FEES Act requires hotels, motels, and travel and lodging sites to disclose upfront the full cost of a short-term stay, including all mandatory and resort fees.

Currently, the way prices are advertised across the lodging industry is fragmented and not uniform. My bill would require all stakeholders in the lodging and booking industries and third-party distributors to clearly display the final price. This provides clarity for consumers and improves the quality of the American hospitality and tourism industries.

I thank Chairwoman Rodgers from the Energy and Commerce Committee for her leadership and the rest of the House Energy and Commerce staff for their tireless work on this bipartisan and commonsense legislation.

I thank Representative Castor for making this a bipartisan bill.

I also thank all the outside stakeholders and consumer advocacy groups who worked with us on this pro-consumer initiative.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to lead this commonsense bill and urge my colleagues to vote in support of it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor William ``Bill'' Herbert Hinds III, a longtime Saddleback Valley Unified School District educational leader from Trabuco Canyon, who recently passed away at 64 years young.

Hinds served Saddleback Valley USD for 29 years as a middle school history teacher, activity director, and assistant principal at Mission Viejo High School, a middle school principal at Alisos Intermediate, and principal of Laguna Hills High School for the past 9 years. He was also a Saddleback Valley USD graduate himself, graduating from Mission Viejo High School in 1988.

I know Principal Hinds was a pillar of our Saddleback Valley USD community, and I join in mourning his passing and in recognizing the tremendous impact he has made in the lives of so many students.

My heart is with his children, Nathan and Alice, and his loved ones during this time.

Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Grothman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3608, my bipartisan bill to honor U.S. Marine Corps Major Megan McClung, a local fallen hero from my district who was the first female marine officer to be killed in the Iraq war and the first woman graduate of the Naval Academy to be killed in the line of duty.

H.R. 3608 will designate a post office in Mission Viejo, California, as the Major Megan McClung Post Office Building.

Major McClung grew up in Orange County and graduated from Mission Viejo High School before attending the U.S. Naval Academy and joining the Marines.

Her headstone reads: ``Be Bold. Be Brief. Be Gone.''

While she left us too soon, she left a lasting impact on all those who knew her and embodied the Marines' core values of honor, courage, and commitment.

She bravely served several tours in Iraq, demonstrating an unwavering devotion to her mission and to her fellow Marines. She received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.

An avid marathon runner and triathlete, Major McClung competed in seven Ironman distance triathlons. She won the first military female award in Kona in 2000, and she organized the first Marine Corps marathon in Iraq to coincide with the 2006 Marine Corps marathon. She placed second out of the female runners, despite having an injury.

Her leadership, tenacity, and selflessness were evident, and she earned the respect and admiration of everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.

Although we cannot repay fallen heroes or their families, dedicating this post office honors her legacy and preserves her story in the hearts of the community she knew so well for future generations. I thank the McClung family for working with me on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I urge support for this bill to honor Major McClung's legacy in Mission Viejo and reaffirm our commitment to never forget the sacrifices made by our brave men and women in uniform. May Major McClung's life continue to inspire us all.

Mr. Chair, millions of Americans from all backgrounds see digital assets as one of the many options to take wealth creation into their own hands. Unfortunately, the U.S. is falling behind compared to other countries, and we have yet to establish a viable regulatory framework for digital assets.

H.R. 4763 establishes a much-needed digital asset market structure framework that provides clear rules for digital asset firms while providing robust consumer protections. Thus, I believe this bill is very fit for the 21st century.

FIT21 would enable innovation to flourish and the United States to lead the world in the development of digital assets. The EU, the U.K., Hong Kong--and the list goes on--have established or are in the process of establishing a regulatory framework.

The development of technologies and new financial services tools should be taking place here, not elsewhere. Mr. Chair, I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 4763.

Madam Speaker, with California's peak wildfire season approaching, many of my constituents are weary of the increased threat of wildfires. First responders' ability to detect wildfires and share information rapidly and securely during a wildfire is a matter of life and death.

That is why I am thrilled that the House this week passed the Fire Weather Development Act, which I helped introduce with Representatives Garcia and Caraveo. This bipartisan bill includes two bills I worked on that boost fire weather forecasting technologies and public safety communication standards, which I introduced after hearing from local, State, and Federal first responders.

I am proud to co-lead this commonsense bill, and I will continue to fight to get this across the finish line so we can improve wildfire readiness and protect our communities.

President Ronald Reagan said: ``We cannot play innocents abroad in a world that is not innocent, nor can we be passive when freedom is under siege.''

The free world is under attack as Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, the ayatollahs, and Kim Jong-un are teaming up to destroy any glimpse of freedom and democracy in their path.

Deterrence is not divisible, and history has shown that when the free world wavers, adversaries see a green light.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said recently that the United States' failing to support Ukraine would embolden Xi Jinping and support Beijing's propaganda that the United States is not a reliable partner.

We want our allies and partners to turn to the United States, not to the Chinese Communist Party, which wants to replace the American Dream with its authoritarian vision in a quest to become the world's top economic and military superpower by 2027.

If Xi Jinping is successful in his ambitions to take Taiwan, it will directly hurt our economy, our national security, and our leadership globally. We know he won't stop there. That is why we need to give Taiwan the weapons that it has paid for to defend itself and support other partners in the region.

This bill reaffirms our support by increasing foreign military financing and revamping our submarine industrial base as we implement Pillar 1 of the AUKUS agreement, which allows for the sale of nuclear- powered submarines to Australia and the United Kingdom.

For America to continue to shine as a beacon of hope and freedom, we need our allies and partners to trust us and our adversaries to respect us.

This is about freedom versus authoritarianism. This is about maintaining a world order that is safe for future generations.

History will judge this institution and our country based on how we vote today. The world is watching us, and we need to deliver.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to meet this critical moment and pass H.R. 8036, the Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bipartisan bill, H.R. 6323, the Iran Counterterrorism Act.

Israel is confronting a critical moment as it fights for its right to exist. Iran and its proxies continue to attack our greatest ally in the Middle East and the lone democracy in the region.

As a key financial supporter of Hamas, Iran has sought to indirectly wage war against our Israeli allies. This was demonstrated by Hamas' barbaric attack on October 7.

Now, Iran's hostility has become direct. Last weekend, Iran attacked Israel with drones and missiles launched from Iranian soil. This shows how the ayatollahs are seeking to open up another front as Israel fights for survival.

Iran's aggression underlines the need for greater congressional oversight when the executive branch waives U.S. sanctions on Tehran. That is the focus of H.R. 6323.

Under current law, the United States imposes secondary sanctions against foreign financial institutions that do business with blacklisted Iranians. However, using the law's waiver authority, President Biden eased some of these sanctions last September.

Just as Hamas was preparing its assault, the Biden administration greenlit the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian funds in exchange for the release of five American hostages. The waiver did nothing to deter Iran from its continued attempts to destroy Israel.

H.R. 6323 does not affect past waivers, but it will help ensure that waiver authority cannot be abused. This bill would require Iran to end its support

for international terrorism before another waiver could be invoked.

If Iran continues to fund terror and the White House seeks a sanctions waiver, this legislation will give the Congress a period to review that action. It will also give Congress an opportunity to reject a misguided waiver. That is common sense.

This bill does not discriminate between Republican and Democratic administrations. Any President who wishes to facilitate Iran's access to the global financial system will have to notify Congress 30 days in advance, so contrary to the ranking member's assertion, this is a reasonable measure that puts on guardrails.

Right now, the President has to notify Congress 15 days before waiving the sanctions. With this bill, we are extending that to 30 days and 60 days if we are in an August recess.

The review period will allow Congress to examine the merits of the waiver and pass a joint resolution of disapproval under expedited procedures, which would prevent the waiver from taking effect. Alternatively, Congress can choose to support a waiver or not to act at all. In both of those cases, the waiver would go forward.

Some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle said yesterday that they will not be supporting because they don't trust Congress to act. I will emphasize that if there is inaction from Congress, the President will be able to proceed with that waiver.

Additionally, some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle say that this bill does nothing to counter Iran and its growing aggressiveness. Well, I have to disagree with those of my colleagues who say that. Certain actions by the administration have paved the way for Iran to not fear the consequences of its actions.

H.R. 6323 does not prejudge future waivers. It simply gives Members a say before Tehran can get its hands on any additional funds.

This congressional review process is taken from an existing law targeting Russia, the Countering America's Adversaries through Sanctions Act, which passed the House in 2017 by a vote of 419-3. We can all agree that Tehran deserves as much scrutiny as Moscow.

I will finish with this. Nothing in H.R. 6323 affects existing sanctions exemptions for food, medicine, and medical devices. These are blanket exemptions that Congress has already built into the sanctions laws that we are discussing today, and nothing in this legislation would change that.

The Financial Services Committee passed this legislation in November in a bipartisan vote of 30-19. I am confident that it will receive support from Members on both sides of the aisle if it is considered on the House floor.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Democrats and Republicans, to take action to confront Iran, stand with our greatest ally, Israel, and support H.R. 6323.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank Dr. Stephen Stambough and Dr. Valerie O'Regan upon their retirement from Cal State Fullerton after years of dedicated service as political science professors.

Drs. Stambough and O'Regan led the Cal State DC Scholars program, offering students interested in politics and government the unique opportunity to live and learn in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Stambough was the founding director of this program in 2006. More than 650 students have since participated in this program. Dr. O'Regan personally recruited one-third of the students.

Their important work has inspired many, including my own daughter, Kelly, who attended Cal State Fullerton and was a Cal State DC Scholar.

I thank them both for their tireless work to teach the next generation of public servants and leaders, and I wish them both the best in their retirement.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 111.

Mr. Speaker, this week marks 45 years of the Taiwan Relations Act, which has strengthened our partnership with our friends in Taiwan and shaped U.S. foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific.

Taiwan is a trusted partner in freedom, democracy, trade, security, and global health.

As chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Indo-Pacific, I have been working to ensure the United States supports Taiwan. I led the Taiwan WHO Act to support Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization and the World Health Assembly, and the Taiwan Nondiscrimination Act to give Taiwan a seat at the table in the International Monetary Fund.

I also led the Arms Exports Delivery Solutions Act, which became law through the NDAA, to track and ensure delivery of backlogged arms sales to Taiwan.

Our partnership with Taiwan is more important than ever.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the rule and the underlying bill, H.R. 7160, the SALT Marriage Penalty Elimination Act, to allow families to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets.

I thank my colleague, Representative Lawler, for his leadership to introduce this bill and push for its consideration.

H.R. 7160 would eliminate the so-called marriage penalty on the State and local tax deduction for families who file their taxes jointly. Under the current tax code, married couples filing jointly are penalized and have the same SALT cap of $10,000 as single filers.

H.R. 7160 doubles the SALT deduction cap for married couples to $20,000 and does right by them.

Limited housing supply, high mortgage rates not seen in decades, and high housing costs are making it impossible for many first-time homebuyers to purchase a home and reach the American Dream.

The SALT cap is not and should not be a blue versus red issue. We are simply advocating for our constituents who want us to consider progrowth, profamily values and policies.

In my district, the median price of a home is over $1 million. However, we can pass this rule today to allow us to provide much-needed tax relief and stop discriminating against families through the tax code.

H.R. 7160 will not mark the end of our fight to provide full SALT tax relief for our constituents. This is only the first step to get us there. I will always fight to make life more affordable for my constituents.

I also encourage my colleagues to consider the underlying resolution to condemn the Biden administration's disastrous energy policies and promote affordable sources of energy. I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bill and resolution. I urge my colleagues to support all of these measures.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2766) to support the human rights of Uyghurs and members of other minority groups residing primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and safeguard their distinct identity, and for other purposes, as amended.

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 measure.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of my legislation, H.R. 2766, the Uyghur Policy Act of 2023.

The Uyghur Policy Act of 2023 comes at a critical time. Chairman Xi is trying to rebrand Xinjiang as a business and tourist destination and seeks to erase Uyghurs from the international community's memory.

The Chinese Communist Party continues to deny carrying out genocide against the Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities, and we have verified reports of forced sterilization, forced labor, brainwashing, and gang rape in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Despite the CCP being exposed for these crimes, Chairman Xi is doubling down. In a visit to the region recently, he called for stricter regulations on the practice of religion and protection of ``hard-won stability.''

We are running out of time to act.

The Uyghur Policy Act of 2023 will help us lead from a position of strength and will address several shortcomings in our existing approach in responding to these human rights abuses.

It authorizes the State Department to appoint a special coordinator for Uyghur issues, which will consolidate the State Department's diplomatic strategy to ensure that department-wide resources are better coordinated to respond to the Uyghur genocide.

The United States must show, through words and through actions, that we will have Uyghurs' backs in their fight against the CCP's tyranny.

H.R. 2766 mandates Uyghur language instruction at the Foreign Service Institute and requires the State Department to station a Uyghur-fluent officer at mission China locations.

The bill also authorizes support for Uyghur human rights activists and directs the U.S. Agency for Global Media to disseminate news and information regarding the Uyghur genocide.

We must act now to leverage U.S. soft power, garner international support for Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and equip the State Department with the tools it needs to better respond to Xi Jinping's genocidal campaign.

I thank Ranking Member Ami Bera of the Subcommittee on Indo-Pacific for leading this legislation with me and the 106 bipartisan cosponsors who helped me get this legislation to the House floor.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Ami Bera for co-leading this legislation with me. I thank Chairman McCaul, Ranking Member Meeks, and Representative Kathy Manning for their support and the many human rights organizations who helped build support for this bill.

Madam Speaker, I urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4039) to prohibit the use of funds supporting any activities within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, as amended.

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 measure.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support for H.R. 4039, the No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act.

The Chinese Communist Party is engaged in a terrible genocide against the Uyghur Muslims. Through their Belt and Road Initiative, the CCP fuels these atrocities by trapping nations in debt and by exploiting their weakness to finance the CCP's nefarious activities.

We must not stoop to the level of the Chinese Communist Party. America and our values are better than that.

The No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act ensures that no American taxpayer dollars may be used to give the CCP profit for goods or raw materials produced using forced labor in the Xinjiang region in China.

Many basic goods such as bricks, cotton, and hair products are being produced in the Xinjiang region. These are all fundamental resources to commerce.

However, the U.S. has strength in our companies and global partners to build robust supply chains free of this forced labor that is being used to bankroll genocide.

I thank my colleague from Texas (Mr. Moran), for introducing this bill, of which I am a proud cosponsor. The bill received unanimous support from the Foreign Affairs Committee at our markup last year.

Madam Speaker, I urge strong support of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Moran), a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the author of this bill.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Moran for his leadership on this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 4039, and I yield back the balance of my time.