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Virginia Foxx

Republican

“I want to give my time to the other side so we can debate. I'm yielding 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts for debate only.”

Virginia Foxx

Republican

“I want the government to condemn socialism. I want the government to ensure secure elections for American citizens only. I want the government to support domestic mining. I want the government to prohibit colleges from boycotting Israel if they receive taxpayer money. I want the government to protect whales and fishing communities. I worked on this legislation. I want these bills to pass. I think these bills are good for America.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Committee on Rules met and produced the rule, House Resolution 1499, providing for the House's consideration of four measures: H.R. 1501, H.R. 9436, H. Res. 1490, and H.R. 4795. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1501, the Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025, and H.R. 9436, the Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act of 2026, under closed rules. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate on each bill, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources or their respective designees and provides each bill one motion to recommit. The rule further provides for consideration of H. Res. 1490, providing for the condemnation and denouncement of socialism in all its forms, and for other purposes, under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on House Administration or their respective designees. The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 4795, the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026, under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Education and Workforce or their respective designees and provides one motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, we have a strong slate of bills contained under this rule here today, bills that are as substantive as they are impactful. H. Res. 1490 makes clear the House's strong disapproval of socialism and reaffirms our ironclad support for free, fair, and secure elections that the American people can trust. These are issues of monumental importance, Mr. Speaker. We have all seen how socialism continues to encroach upon our society, our constitutional Republic. It is not some sort of ominous figure on the horizon. It is a threat standing directly upon America's doorstep. Some will argue that socialism is a good thing and that it is steeped in benevolence, fairness, and righteousness. Tell that to the millions of men, women, and children throughout history who have died because of socialism. Tell that to the people who lost their freedoms under socialism, the people who lost everything. History reminds us that socialism has always been used as a cudgel against free people, as a cudgel against individual liberty and prosperity. It must be denounced by this body in the strongest terms. This resolution also makes clear that our system of elections here in America should remain secure, and participation should be limited to only American citizens. Noncitizens have no right whatsoever to cast a vote in our elections. We saw the failures uncovered in New Jersey, where thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote in that State. Votes cast by noncitizens negate legal votes cast by Americans who exercise their civic duty at the ballot box. Why in the world would we ignore this issue? This is an issue that the American people care deeply about. They deserve the utmost confidence that their votes count and that our system of elections remains as secure as it could possibly be. H.R. 1501, the Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025, would work to preserve streamlined permitting eligibility for domestic mineral production right here in the United States. We are blessed to live in a country that is teeming with resources that we can harness and use to our benefit. Energy security and the resilience of our Nation's supply chain will always be issues that we can make good progress on and build upon. We can do so by passing this legislation and adding to the progress that we have made thus far in this Congress. H.R. 4795, the bipartisan Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act, prohibits institutions that distribute hardworking taxpayers' dollars to students in colleges and universities from engaging in nonexpressive commercial boycotts of Israel. To be crystal clear, this legislation does not dictate viewpoints, and it does not prohibit anyone from expressing their opinions. Individuals remain free to advocate, protest, or engage in political speech protected by the First Amendment. Students can still choose to abstain from products made in Israel if they so choose. This legislation extends deference to the First Amendment by applying a successful model established by the State of Arkansas that has been validated by the Federal Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. What Congress cannot and should not tolerate is taxpayer money being used to marginalize Jewish people and undermine Israel's major strategic partner status enshrined in law. This bill addresses conduct that is unacceptable to a majority of Americans and sends a simple message: American taxpayers should support institutions that foster academic opportunity and international collaboration and not institutions that erect barriers and engage in discriminatory boycotts. I am proud to author this legislation and to have worked in a strong spirit of bipartisanship alongside my colleagues to help it come to fruition. Confronting anti-Semitism is an issue of our time, and we cannot afford to place it on the back burner for even a second. Finally, H.R. 9436 would allow for a more thorough review of protections for one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world. It would allow scientists, fishermen, and government agencies the necessary time to study and refine protections for the North Atlantic right whale that could better protect fishing communities and the vitality of the species. I will note that this is an issue that has received bipartisan support here in the people's House. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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James P. McGovern

Democrat 11:30 a.m.

“You promised prices would go down. They didn't. It's been almost two years. When will you take responsibility? You control everything. Prices are high because of your wars and tariffs. When will you stop blaming others? You failed. People are sick of your lies and corruption. Farmers suffer from high costs. But the rich and powerful do great. You give them tax breaks and favors. You waste time on silly bills and culture wars. But people struggle with high prices and inflation. You condemn socialism. But that includes popular programs. Where is your condemnation of fascism? You live in an alternate reality. People are hurting. They want real help. Not this.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for yielding me the customary time, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, how long should the American people have to wait for our prices to come down? Republicans promised that prices would come down on day one. That was 589 days ago, coming up on 2 years. Mr. Speaker, I ask my Republican colleagues again: How much longer do we all have to wait? Are they going to tell us, or is it a big surprise? Is it another week, another month, another President? Mr. Speaker, when are my Republican colleagues going to take responsibility for the fact that they are in charge of everything? Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the executive branch. Hell, Republicans even control the Supreme Court. Mr. Speaker, because of Republican policies, the affordability crisis in the United States of America is getting worse. It is getting worse, so how long until they acknowledge that their stupid tariffs and their illegal war with Iran are driving up prices and making life harder for people? Mr. Speaker, how long until the Epstein files are fully released? Some of us still haven't forgotten about that one or the fact that the files remain hidden and that Trump's involvement is being covered up despite congressional laws to the contrary. How long does America have to wait until Republicans stop blaming everybody else and acknowledge that they have failed? I, for one, am sick of the gaslighting and the projection. I am sick of the broken promises. I am sick of the lies. I am sick of the corruption, the grift, and the greed. The people who I represent are sick of it, too. Mr. Speaker, I do a farm tour every year. I represent a lot of rural communities and hundreds and hundreds of small- and medium-sized family farms that have been on the same land for generations. I heard a story about one farmer who is being asked to pay an extra $25,000 for a single piece of essential equipment because of Trump's tariffs. On top of that, the price of diesel is ruining their livelihood. That is what this administration is doing to rural America, to small towns, and to the family farms that I represent. This President and this Republican Congress are destroying them. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle are destroying them. It is just as bad for consumers because Trump's tariffs, trade wars, and higher gas prices are getting passed along to us, as well. Gas is still over $4 a gallon. Ground beef is up 9 percent. Tomatoes and apples are up over 10 percent. Turkey is up 8 percent. Fish is up almost 8 percent. Cars are more expensive. Clothes are more expensive. Utility bills are more expensive. Everything is more expensive. Inflation is killing people, and this Republican Congress has a bunch of bills today which will do nothing, nothing, nothing to lower prices. I am going to talk about those bills in a second, but first let me say: Do you know who is not getting destroyed, Mr. Speaker? It is the rich, the powerful, and the well-connected. Those people who hang out in Mar-a-Lago are not getting destroyed. They are doing better than ever. The multimillionaires and the billionaires are doing great, thanks to all the tax breaks that they got. Big Oil, Big Ag, and Big Tech get massive giveaways from Republicans. Some of those giveaways are in the bills we are considering today, one of which is a giveaway to the mining industry, and I am sure their lobbyists will get a nice, big bonus for getting that one across the finish line. It is really gross. It is really gross. The rich and the powerful are doing better than ever while everyone else is seeing double-digit price increases, but don't bother trying to get Republicans to do anything about it. Let's look at their priorities so far this Congress. Here is what they have been doing while gas is $4 a gallon. Let's see what they have been doing. They have been pretending to rename the Gulf of Mexico, pretending to rename Lake Ontario, pretending to rename The Kennedy Center, introducing a bill to put Donald Trump on Mount Rushmore, introducing a bill to make his birthday a national holiday, introducing a bill to put him on the $100 bill, introducing a bill to name Dulles International Airport after him, and introducing a bill to name the Washington Metro after him. I mean, you can't make this stuff up. These are actual bills that Republicans have introduced; and let us not forget letting the President pilfer taxpayer money to build a tacky ballroom, a stupid arch, and fix the airplane that Qatar bribed--I am sorry, excuse me, donated to him. That is the focus of this Republican Congress. That is what this Republican Congress is obsessed with: worshipping Donald Trump, while you stress out about how you are going to pay your mortgage or your kid's tuition or your parents' medical bills. So, I mean, while they worship Donald Trump, the American people have to struggle with how they are going to make ends meet. And they are not getting any help from anything that is going on in this Chamber. The big Republican push this week is repassing a nonbinding resolution that condemns socialism. They already passed it, and it already does nothing. So I am not sure why they need to pass it again, but that is their big, important bill this week. You just heard it from the chairwoman of the Rules Committee. What is their definition of ``socialism,'' you ask? What exactly are they condemning? I actually asked Republicans last time around in the Rules Committee to define what they are condemning. To define socialism if you will. You all might be shocked. Social Security? Republicans condemn that as socialism. Medicare? That is socialism. Medicaid? That is socialism. Public schools? That is socialism. Food safety inspections? That is socialism. National parks? That is socialism. Public transit? You guessed it. You guessed it. They must really think Americans are stupid. This is the same old Red Scare bs. By their definition, anyone in the United States who supports Medicaid is a socialist sympathizer. I mean, is Joe McCarthy coming back from the dead? This is insane. It is literally crazy that this is the garbage that we are talking about while people are seeing their costs going through the roof. People can't afford to make ends meet, and this is what this Congress is focused on right now? I mean, come on. While we are on the topic of condemning political ideology that we disagree with, let me ask: Where is their condemnation of fascism? I mean, the Trump administration weaponizes the government to silence opposition. It attacks the free press, wants to invade our allies, shoots innocent people in the streets, dehumanizes immigrants by saying that they ``poison the blood of our country,'' calls political opponents ``the enemy from within,'' and let's not forget they tried to overturn a free and fair election in 2020. Is that not fascism? Where is their condemnation of that? Silence. Silence. Nothing. Mr. Speaker, I don't envy the gentlewoman's task today. She has to defend a pretty lousy agenda, and I think she knows it. But I just wish we could get some acknowledgment from the other side that things are not all fine and well in America right now. Prices are up. Inflation is up. Bills are higher. Life is harder, and it is because of this President's policies. Instead of acknowledging it, it is like Republicans are living in an alternative reality. I mean, it is like what happened to the Republican Party? It doesn't exist anymore. It is like a cult. We do have an affordability crisis. That is just a fact. Instead of working with us to address it, Republicans are pretending like it doesn't exist. Instead, we get more culture war nonsense and more giveaways to special interests. But November is coming soon. Mr. Speaker, November is coming very soon, and I think my Republican colleagues are getting desperate. I think they know that the jig is up. I think they know that the American people are about to hold them accountable for all of their broken promises. I think that is why you are seeing this last-ditch attempt to throw the kitchen sink of culture war issues at the wall to see what sticks. This is a lousy, awful, rotten rule. And by the way, it is totally closed. Nobody can offer any amendments to anything in this rule. It may even fail because we had a bipartisan vote yesterday in the Rules Committee against this rule, so we will see what happens on the floor. But, come on, people are hurting. I would say to my Republican friends: Your constituents are hurting. They want us to do something to help them. They don't want this. They don't want this. They want something real. So if you can give tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires and you can bail out the Mar-a- Lago class, how about helping the average person, the hardworking men and women who are trying to make ends meet. That is what they want. That is what they expect. I urge a ``no'' vote on this, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Virginia Foxx

Republican 11:40 a.m.

“I want to talk about our government spending your money. I like our policies. These policies will help young Americans. Our government will pay businesses to train young workers. We will give more money to students so they can borrow more. Our government will spend money on housing and food for children. Families will pay less for some things. This is good for the economy. Our government has many plans to spend money. We need workers. Our country has many resources. Other countries want to buy them. We need more investments. Our government has a plan. This plan will be good for Americans.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in the 119th Congress, the House has been the most aggressive, successful, and productive since the 80th Congress in 1949. Total measures passed by the House are 899. Tax relief was $82 billion across all filers this tax season with 97 percent of all tax filers receiving a tax cut last year, and the 3 percent who didn't were the highest earners in the country. Regulations lifted by Congress are 23. When you place these three points within historical context, they reveal that this Congress is the most successful and productive since 1949. Now, obviously, the House cannot control the actions of the Senate. The statistics demonstrated by the House of Representatives this Congress are truly historic. I would put them up against the abysmal record of sleepy Joe Biden and his enablers every day. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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James P. McGovern

Democrat 11:40 a.m.

“I talk a lot but say very little. I want to blame the other party for high costs. I don't like the war. I want Congress to debate the war. I want to say that this Congress is bad. I want to talk about data centers. They are bad. Republicans supported them before. That's bad. I want to spend money on other things instead.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentlewoman from North Carolina's explanation, and I know that those are the Republican talking points, but I have got news for you. Nobody is buying it. I mean, I don't know whether my friend was home talking to her constituents over the break, but I was home talking to my constituents. I was in other States talking to voters, as well, and do you know what? Life has gotten harder for them. Prices of everything are through the roof. And to the extent that any working person got a small tax cut while the rich got these big tax cuts, millionaires and billionaires got all these big tax cuts, to the extent that they got that, any little tax break they received has been totally erased by the cost of living and by high gas prices because of this illegal, reckless war. By the way, wouldn't you think that Congress would want to exercise its constitutional prerogatives and actually debate the war in Iran and actually vote whether to authorize it or not? We have been forced to try to bring privileged resolutions to the floor to try to get any kind of a debate on this. There should be hearings. There should be a full vote on whether to authorize this and whether or not people want to go on record as saying we are going to spend over $100 billion on this stupid, reckless war in Iran. By the way, that resulted in the Strait of Hormuz being closed, which was open before the war began. We are going to spend the money on that, but we are not going to spend it on helping alleviate the high cost of living on people in this country. This Congress is the least productive Congress in history. This has been a total failure, a total failure. I would just encourage my Republican colleagues, don't take my word for it. Look at every public opinion poll, including those coming out by FOX News and rightwing influencers. They will tell you: Nobody is buying it. One of the things that I have heard over and over again during the August work period was that the American people are rightfully outraged that an out-of-control AI data center buildup is wreaking havoc on their communities. Data centers are driving up utility costs and polluting water supplies, all while Big Tech reaps record profits. Yet, now with November on the horizon, some House Republicans are acting as if they did not turbocharge the data center buildup. I mean, a year ago, Republicans were bragging about giving tax breaks to Big Tech in order to build data centers across rural America. You can check it out yourselves. It is section 70421 of the big, ugly bill. According to the Republican chairman of the tax writing committee, this provision would: significantly reduce barriers for large-scale, capital-intensive projects in rural areas, most notably, hyperscale data centers. That is the Republicans. That provision alone cost the American taxpayers $40 billion. That is money that is going to Big Tech to build unpopular data centers instead of lowering the cost of healthcare and housing or groceries. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record an article titled, ``Big, Beautiful Success Story: Rural America Rebound on the Horizon with New Opportunity Zone Incentives.''

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Virginia Foxx

Republican 11:50 a.m.

“I want to talk about all the good things my party has done. We passed a big tax cut. That was good. We did many other things. We expanded accounts. We helped farmers. We helped small businesses. We gave money to seniors. We changed the child tax credit. We changed many taxes. We ended some taxes. We repealed some subsidies. All of these things are good. There are too many good things to list. My party did a lot to help people.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I will continue to talk about the accomplishments of the 119th Congress. House Republicans, so far in the 119th Congress, have passed the Working Families Tax Cut Act, which delivered the largest middle- and working-class tax cuts in U.S. history. That cannot be refuted, Mr. Speaker. It cannot. Anyone who tries to do that is themselves living in an alternate universe. We expanded 529 education accounts. We saved American farms by allowing farmers to spread tax payments on sales over 4 years if the land continues to be used for agriculture purposes. We doubled the small business expensing limit. We permanently extended the small business deduction. We delivered a $6,000 bonus deduction to seniors on Social Security. We eliminated the tax on auto loan interest for American-made cars. We permanently increased the child tax credit to $2,200. We eliminated the tax on overtime. We eliminated the tax on tips. We created Trump accounts to help children begin saving for their future. We permanently allowed businesses to immediately deduct domestic R&D expenses. We permanently doubled the death tax exemption. We permanently increased the standard deduction. We ended taxation of suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns. We repealed the green corporate welfare subsidies. Mr. Speaker, we don't have enough time in the time allotted for this rule debate today to list all of the wonderful things that this House of Representatives and this Congress have done to improve the lives of the American people. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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James P. McGovern

Democrat 11:50 a.m.

“You say this Congress helped people. But people still struggle with bills. People can't afford homes. Your party did not help them. When my party was in charge, we passed more laws. Our laws helped children and families. Our laws protected the environment. This Republican Congress is not doing that. They added a new tax that hurts families. But the rich still benefit. The truth is in this article I want included.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me just say to my friend, the chair of the Rules Committee: You can't fool people. You just can't. I mean, people go to the supermarket. They have to pay their utility bills. They have to pay their rent. People are trying to see where they can afford a home. I mean, they know what the reality is. To somehow say they are being beautiful, I mean, come on. That is ludicrous. That is assuming that people don't believe their real-life experiences every day. She talks about the most productive Congress. I mean, 104 laws were passed in this Republican Congress. When the Democrats were last in charge, we passed 365 laws. The issue is what do these laws do. We passed bills to try to expand healthcare for people. We passed bills to try to make sure that children had access to Head Start and to daycare. We passed bills to actually protect our environment. We passed bills to try to keep the world out of war. That is a big contrast to what we are seeing in this Republican Congress. I would just say this: What Donald Trump has done with the acquiescence of the Republican majority is they have added a new tax on average people, close to $4,000. There is a $4,000 Trump tax on almost every family in this country. The people who don't feel it are the ones who benefited from the trillions of dollars in tax cuts given to millionaires and billionaires and big corporations. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent also to include in the Record an article from Politico titled, ``Amazon's tax bill plunges after GOP tax cuts.''

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James P. McGovern

Democrat 11:50 a.m.

“I don't like that Trump wants to make voting by mail harder. He voted by mail. But he doesn't want you to do it. We should make voting by mail easier. I have a bill that does that. If we vote down the previous question, I will offer an amendment about it. I want my amendment put into the Record.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I am going to also urge that we defeat the previous question. If we do, I will offer an amendment to the rule to provide for consideration of H.R. 738, the Universal Right To Vote By Mail Act, which would ensure that all eligible voters in America have the option to vote by mail. Mr. Speaker, President Trump has issued an executive order to undermine the credibility of our elections and to make it harder or even impossible for millions of Americans to vote by mail. We learned today from a whistleblower that Trump officials are defying court orders and pushing ahead with these unconstitutional plans. Mr. Speaker, let me remind you, President Trump personally loves voting by mail. He voted by mail in Florida as recently as 2 weeks ago. To everyone listening, Trump wants to vote by mail, but he doesn't want you to be able to do so. Voting by mail has been proven to increase turnout and reduce barriers to voting, such as bad weather, illness, disability, and long lines. We should expand mail-in voting to make it easier for Americans to participate in our democracy, which is what this bill would do. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record along with any extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question. I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Salinas) to discuss our proposal.

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Andrea Salinas

Democrat 11:50 a.m.

“I don't like that Trump wants to make voting by mail harder. He is trying to suppress votes. I don't like that. We should make voting by mail easier. Trump lost before and he can't stand that. I have a bill that would make voting by mail easier. Every eligible voter should be able to vote by mail. We should make it easier for people to vote, not harder. I want my bill to pass. Let us vote on it.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, President Trump knows that the only way Republicans can win this midterm election is to lie and cheat. Trump has failed to address the affordability crisis. Now, instead of fighting to lower costs, he is fighting to suppress votes and prevent Americans from holding him and the GOP accountable this November. Over the past year, the American people have watched as Trump has tried to suppress votes in any way he can. He has pushed for the SAVE America Act, helped undermine the Voting Rights Act, and most recently has urged the courts to restrict mail-in voting, even though the President himself votes by mail. We all know why. Trump can't stand the fact that he lost the 2020 election. He pushed the big lie, claimed the election was rigged, and without proof, blamed mail-in voting. President Trump can't stand that he lost in 2020. He can't stand the thought of losing again, and that is why he is trying to prevent Americans from voting by mail. Let me be clear. Our elections are free, fair, and accurate. Take it from my home State of Oregon. We have been an entirely vote-by-mail State for nearly 30 years, and our elections have been safe and secure. Oregon consistently has some of the highest levels of voter turnout in the country, and research has shown that voters from both sides of the aisle vote by mail at similar rates. The right to vote should not depend on your State, your marital status, your access to a passport, or whether you can make it to a polling place on election day. Every eligible American deserves a fair and accessible way to make their voices heard. We should be removing barriers to vote, not increasing them. That is why I introduced the Universal Right To Vote by Mail Act. My bill would give every eligible voter in America the right to vote by mail in Federal elections without requiring a specific excuse. It would also require States to give voters a chance to fix a simple mistake or discrepancy on their ballot before that vote is rejected. This is not about helping any one party or the other. It is about making sure every eligible American has a fair opportunity to participate in our democracy. President Trump is trying to take that opportunity away. He is attacking vote-by-mail because he is afraid of the results when voters make their voices heard this November. Congress must reject the attacks on vote-by-mail. I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question and support my Universal Right To Vote by Mail Act so every eligible American can cast their ballot safely, securely, and conveniently. The answer to Republicans' fears that they will lose the upcoming election is not to make it harder for people to vote, the answer is to earn their votes.

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Virginia Foxx

Republican 12:00 p.m.

“We passed a lot of bills. I like them all. We made it harder to be an immigrant. We made it easier to deport people. We stopped fentanyl. That's good. We stopped people from coming here. We saved money. We stopped sex trafficking. I don't like gender-affirming care. I want you to know that's bad. We also protected kids online. We did a lot in Congress. I want you to know that.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, in order not to allow Americans to be misled by statements being made here on the floor, I am going to continue to list items among the dozens that were in H.R. 1 that could have been stand-alone bills but for efficiency's sake were included in H.R. 1. We permanently secured our Nation's borders, funded the construction of the border wall, and provided funding for additional Customs officers and Border Patrol agents. However, in addition to that, we passed the Laken Riley Act as a stand-alone to require detention of illegal aliens who commit theft. The Working Families Tax Cuts included provisions that make illegal immigrants who are convicted of or who have admitted to sex offenses or domestic violence inadmissible and deportable. The Working Families Tax Cuts creates a new criminal offense for operating a vehicle within 100 miles of the southern border while fleeing Border Patrol agents. The Jeremy and Angel Seay and Sergeant Brandon Mendoza Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act makes driving while intoxicated or impaired grounds for deporting an illegal alien. The Kayla Hamilton Act requires background checks for criminal history or gang affiliation before unaccompanied alien children are placed in American communities. Not a single illegal alien has been released into the U.S. in 16 months. Four hundred thousand illegals who were charged with and convicted of a crime have been deported. Emergency rooms have reported significant reductions in illegal immigrant visits, freeing up critical resources to better serve American citizens in need of urgent medical care. Fentanyl trafficking at the southern border has been reduced by 56 percent in FY 2025. The HALT Fentanyl Act permanently schedules fentanyl and fentanyl analogues as schedule I drugs. More than 146 migrant children have been rescued from sex trafficking and child labor. We hear about this every week on the news. Another act, the SUPPORT Act, reauthorizes support and treatment programs for opioid use disorders and other substance abuse disorders. We lowered costs by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse in our country. We protected children by passing legislation that would end gender- affirming care--gender-affirming care, what a distortion of the American language--for minors, and we banned biological males from girls' and women's sports. Mr. Speaker, if we have done nothing else, that is a huge accomplishment, but we have done so many other things. We passed the KIDS Act that protects children online by holding Big Tech accountable and requiring stronger safeguards to protect kids from predators, exploitation, and harmful online contents. Again, we could go on and on, and I will, to correct the record of what we have done in this Congress. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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James P. McGovern

Democrat 12:00 p.m.

“I want to put an article in the record. It says people are not confident. Gas is over $4. That's bad.”

James P. McGovern

Democrat 12:00 p.m.

“I don't like the other side's talking points. I want you to blame Republicans and Trump for high prices. I want you to say that things are bad and it's their fault.”

Official Congressional Record

I say to the gentlewoman that I appreciate her reciting the RNC's talking points, and I would encourage her to keep on reciting them and bring that message home, to go home and tell the American people that things are great, that things are unbelievably wonderful, and that you should thank the Republicans in Congress and Donald Trump for raising the prices on everything. Go home and sell that message to the American people. I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, we won't have to do anything. The bottom line is that things aren't good for people. As I said, there is a Trump tax of $4,000 on average Americans. That is what they have to pay in additional costs for everything, from rent to healthcare to groceries to you name it. That is the Trump tax. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Kamlager-Dove).

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Sydney Kamlager-Dove

Democrat 12:00 p.m.

“I want to praise Republicans for condemning Trump's socialist actions. But I think Trump is a really big socialist. He makes the government own parts of companies. That's bad. Democrats want to help families. But Trump helps his friends instead. He gives them contracts and tax breaks. That's socialism for the rich. I want Republicans to denounce Trump too. Don't lecture people about socialism. People know what they feel. Public services are being cut by Trump. If you really hate socialism, then join us against Trump. Otherwise your words are just gaslighting. I want you to vote no.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I rise to applaud my Republican colleagues for condemning President Trump's socialist actions, but they won't admit that the President is the biggest socialist in America today. President Trump has turned the Federal Government into a shareholder in private American companies, taking ownership stakes in companies and putting Washington directly into the business of picking winners and losers. So let's get into it, Mr. Speaker. Democrats want to make sure American families can put food on the table. Donald Trump has taken a 10 percent stake in Intel Corporation. Democrats want clean water. Donald Trump wants his friends to have drilling contracts on public lands. Democrats want families to pay less for prescription drugs, while Trump wants to give his billionaire friends and family another tax break. His socialism is about his social circle getting more while the American people get less. Denounce that, but don't lecture the American people about socialism. They are not stupid nor confused about what they are feeling in their pocketbooks. County hospitals, emergency rooms, police, fire, roads, stoplights, public schools, libraries, public pools, and parks are all funded by socialism and are getting squeezed by this administration's cuts and shenanigans. If my Republican colleagues truly oppose government ownership of private companies and truly condemn socialism, then I invite them to join us in denouncing Trump's own policies. Until then, save the gaslighting for the convention and miss me with this nonsense. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

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Melanie A. Stansbury

Democrat 12:00 p.m.

“I'm upset we are debating a mining and lobster bill. I don't like these bills. They would hurt the environment. I went to the beach and saw whales. Now I want to protect the whales. There are not many whales left. I think protecting whales is more important than passing other bills. I want the government to help people. But this bill will not help. I will vote no on this bill. I want the government to do other things to help people. I want people to have better lives. I think this bill is bad. It will not help people. It will only help some businesses. I want the government to protect the environment and help people. That is why I am here. I want people to know I care about the environment and whales. I will vote against this bill.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, welcome back. It has been a wild ride this Congress. After 5 weeks of being out for the August district work period, a war is raging in the Middle East; the economy is in shambles; working people of this country cannot afford food, housing, and healthcare; the President is raiding the Venezuelan oil reserves and lining his own pockets; and what are we doing on the House floor after 5 weeks of break? We are hearing bills to basically gut environmental protections, including protections for one of the most endangered species on planet Earth. Just a few years ago before my mother passed away, I had the extraordinary opportunity to visit the Cape Cod National Seashore, and on that day, which was an unusually warm day, we went down to the beach, and there were literally hundreds of right whales right off the shore. Today there are 380 right whales still in existence on planet Earth. Only 70 are considered able to breed. What is before us today is a decision about whether or not to let one of God's great creatures continue to exist on planet Earth. With all of the things that are happening in this world and in this country, this body under this Republican majority is choosing to advance a bill on the first day we come back in the middle of global turmoil and economic chaos to decide whether or not a species that has existed on this planet longer than the United States has even been an idea should be able to continue. It is disgraceful. The American people did not send us here to gut environmental laws. The American people sent us here to save our democracy, to defend our institutions, and to ensure that they can get a fair shake. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this bill, and I will vote it down on the floor today.

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James P. McGovern

Democrat 12:10 p.m.

“You are bad. The other side is bad and mean. I want the government to help people pay for things. I want the government to make things cost less. We should spend time on real problems. These bills won't help real people. The other side is not helping people. People are sad. They need help. They want lower costs. I think the other side is not doing enough to help. I think people should vote against the other side. This is a waste of time. We should do better.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Let me, first of all, respond to something the gentlewoman from North Carolina said about Republicans trying to protect our children. I would just ask, where the hell are the Epstein files? We have forced resolutions on this floor to be passed, to demand a release of these files. Congressman Massie came to the floor. Again, he has another resolution. Still, we have no compliance with the law. We know that this administration is up to their eyeballs in the Epstein files. When is that going to happen? When is that going to be released? I mean, talk about protecting children. Mr. Speaker, you know when Republicans send us home this week, what exactly will be cheaper? Will groceries cost less? Will rent go down? Will anybody's electric bill shrink? Will health insurance premiums come down? The answer is no. Not one damn thing on the agenda this week will address the affordability crisis. Nothing. Congress will have condemned socialism again. Mission accomplished, I guess. You know that tells you everything about the priorities of this Republican majority. Whenever the conversation gets uncomfortable, they change the subject. Why are groceries so expensive? Socialism. Why are healthcare costs so expensive? They showed socialism. Why did Trump start another new war in the Middle East? You must be a Socialist for asking the question. When are you going to release the Epstein files? When is that going to happen? Socialism, socialism, socialism. It is literally insane. It is Trump derangement syndrome. Meanwhile, the President's big win this week is pretending to rename Lake Ontario after getting into a trade war with our closest ally and neighbor. This is nuts. This Chamber ceases to be a serious body when we don't call this stuff out and when we don't actually bring bills to the floor that address the real needs of the American people. The American people are not stupid. They know who is focused on listening to their problems and who is focused on playing political games. We should be working to lower costs, period. Contrary to what Trump says, affordability is not a made-up word, and it does have a definition. People cannot afford to pay everyday expenses. They can't afford their groceries. They can't afford their rent. They can't afford to fill their gas tank up. They want lower healthcare costs. They want lower housing costs. They want lower energy costs. They want lower grocery bills. They want an end to the corporate giveaways and tax loopholes that let big companies jack up prices and gouge consumers. You know, they want an end to giving these corporations the ability to cheat on their taxes and to avoid accountability. That is what people want us to do, not fight absurd culture wars and debate far-right fringe garbage. If our Republican colleagues want to have another debate about socialism, fine, let's have it. Waste more time passing more nonbinding resolutions. At the end of the day, people are going to vote based on their bank accounts, pocketbooks, grocery bills, and gas prices. People look at life through their kitchen window. They are tired of all of this bs that is being talked about in this Chamber. They are sick of a Congress that debates trivial issues passionately but important ones not at all. They want to know when we are going to care about them. They are sick and tired of a Congress that gives tax breaks to entities, that gives big donations to political parties and political candidates. They want to know when they come first. My friends, you have failed miserably to deliver on your promise to make life more affordable for people. People are counting on us. They want us to do better. You have a chance. We will work in a bipartisan way to try to deal with some of these high costs the people are faced with right now. No, we come back after a recess, and this is what we are dealing with. This is garbage. This is a waste of time. This is an insult to this Chamber. It is an insult to the American people. They will remember in November. Vote ``no'' on this rule. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Virginia Foxx

Republican 12:10 p.m.

“I want to talk about socialism. I don't like it. The other side likes it. I think that is bad. Their ideas are bad. I think people should look at the manifesto. It has bad ideas. I don't want those ideas. I think those ideas are dangerous. I want people to vote for my bill. My bill is good. It will help people.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are saying we are wasting our time here when we talk about all that we have accomplished in this session of Congress. They especially don't like it when we talk about socialism. I encourage the American people to go online and look at this manifesto from the Democratic Socialists of America. It is out there for all the world to see. This is an expanded version from the first one that I saw that looked like it was written by a seventh grader. This one really fills out what these people want to do, and it is why we are bringing one measure today, under this rule, to condemn what these people want to do. It is abhorrent to all Americans. Its goals are repugnant to the principles that form the foundation for American constitutional liberties that benefit all Americans. There is simply no way to reconcile what the DSA envisions for America with the Constitution that protects us all. For example, the DSA's stated long-term goals, to completely replace the Presidency and the Supreme Court, threaten the foundation of separation of powers and the stability of American democracy. The DSA seeks to centralize State power. We all know that expanding State control crowds out civil society and individual choice. Even under a ``Democratic'' banner, hyper-centralized authority diminishes opportunities for dissenting views and personal freedoms. The DSA seeks to abolish national boundaries. Think about that. The chaos we experienced when President Biden allowed millions of illegal immigrants to enter the U.S. will seem like child's play in comparison. We know of the security risks caused by President Biden's open borders. Murderers, child rapists, and other criminals were granted carte blanche to terrorize American communities. Think about the implications of a permanent absence of borders. We know the financial costs caused by President Biden's open borders. In one sanctuary State alone, emergency housing for illegal immigrants surpassed $1 billion in FY 2025. Providing such services on a permanent, ongoing basis would bankrupt every State. Let me just quote from a few pages of this manifesto. They want to have ``publicly owned energy and transit infrastructure. Phase out the use of fossil fuels. Reclaim and repair our Earth's resources for all.'' This sounds like free buses in New York that have been promised. ``Feminism for All: Socialist feminism fights for queer liberation and the freedoms for all working-class women.'' ``Healthcare for All: Guarantee universal healthcare at no cost to individuals, including complete access to reproductive and gender- affirming care.'' What does that mean, Mr. Speaker? That means abortions at any point in the child's life. They want housing for all: ``Build new, publicly owned social housing, strictly regulate investment properties, establish universal rent control, and guarantee right to counsel for all tenants.'' Mr. Speaker, this is dangerous. There are people who are going to be in this Congress in the next session who support these programs. Again, I encourage the American people to look at this manifesto from the DSA. They are called Democratic Socialists of America. That is what they are called. That is what is asked for here, Mr. Speaker. As I said at the outset of the debate, we have a solid slate of bills contained under this rule. They are substantive, impactful, and address pertinent issues occurring across the Nation like this manifesto. We can and should pass this rule and each of the underlying bills to continue our work in service to the Nation and to the American people. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule. The material previously referred to by Mr. McGovern is as follows: An Amendment to H. Res. 1499 Offered by Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts

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