Gus Bilirakis

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1479, the Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2025, led by Representative Kim. This bipartisan legislation aims to prohibit unfair and deceptive advertising of prices for hotel rooms and other short-term lodging by requiring that all mandatory fees, including resort fees, be included in the advertised price. Hidden fees can significantly inflate the cost of accommodations, leading to consumer frustration and eroding trust in the hospitality industry. By ensuring transparent pricing, we empower consumers to make informed decisions and promote fair competition among lodging providers. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this particular bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote. I thank, again, Representatives Kim, Mullin, Fry, and Kathy Castor of Florida, my good friend, and others who worked for this particular bill, a good consumer bill. Again, let's get this done as soon as possible. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Salazar), the House sponsor of this particular bill, who is my good friend and a very effective Member of Congress.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie), the great chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and a good friend of mine who is doing an outstanding job, in my opinion.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2480) to require SelectUSA to coordinate with State-level economic development organizations to increase foreign direct investment in semiconductor-related manufacturing and production.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close after Mr. Pallone. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this particular bill. Again, I commend Representatives Trahan and Carey. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1442) a bill to ban the sale of products with a high concentration of sodium nitrate to individuals, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record on this particular bill.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1442, the Youth Poisoning Protection Act, led by Representative Trahan. Since 2017, the United States has experienced a troubling increase in self-poisoning cases involving sodium nitrite, many of which stem from easy online access to high-concentration products. This bill aims to confront that threat by implementing a narrowly focused prohibition on the sale of consumer products containing sodium nitrite at concentrations above 10 percent. I thank Representative Trahan for her strong bipartisan leadership on this piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of H.R. 1442, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 866) to direct the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, to conduct a study of the national security risks posed by consumer routers, modems, and devices that combine a modem and router, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

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

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I encourage a ``yes'' vote in the memory of Bill Pascrell who did such a wonderful job on this particular issue. I am glad we are getting it across the finish line. Mr. Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the remarks of the gentlewoman from Illinois. I just want to say it has been great working with Representative Schakowsky on a number of bills over the years. She has really been very cooperative, and we are doing good things for the American consumer. I will also say that this is a very profamily bill. We have got to get our kids out to some of these ball games and some of these concerts together as a family, but it is very difficult to budget when you don't know exactly what the price is going to be ultimately. I want to commend some of the artists such as Kid Rock. He will buy the tickets and give them to people that deserve those tickets that otherwise would not be able to afford them. My good friend Tony Orlando, as well, does this. They are just wonderful artists that do so much for our country, particularly our military and our veterans. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1402, the Transparency In Charges for Key Events Ticketing Act, or the TICKET Act. I am proud to lead this bill alongside the ranking member, my good friend, Ms. Schakowsky. This legislation is about empowering consumers and ensuring fans can enjoy live events by improving ticket price transparency. H.R. 1402 requires all platforms selling event tickets to show the complete price, with all required fees, right from the start. People budget, Mr. Speaker, for these games, concerts, or what have you. They need to know up front what the price is going to be. It also guarantees customers can get their money back if an event is canceled or rescheduled. It also cracks down on misleading ticket sites. It is a great bill. This bill further prohibits the sale of tickets the seller doesn't yet have, a practice known as speculative selling. Eliminating this tactic helps level the playing field so more fans have a fair shot at attending events. They deserve that. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this very good bill, H.R. 1402. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

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

Mr. BILIRAKIS

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

Mr. BILIRAKIS

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

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1721, the Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act, led by Representative Miller-Meeks, my good friend. She is an outstanding Representative. We are very fortunate to have her on the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Mr. Speaker, manufacturing is vital to the United States, not only for economic stability and job creation but for maintaining our global leadership in emerging technologies. To sustain this leadership, it is crucial that we identify and address barriers to making critical products here at home. Otherwise, we risk becoming reliant on countries like China. This legislation will advance domestic manufacturing while safeguarding our economy and national security. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this particular bill, a very important bill, very critical, H.R. 1721, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on this particular bill.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding contributions that Carol Berti has made on through her work with Oasis Pregnancy Centers. Carol is a rare gem in the volunteer world; dedication is her middle name. For 16 years, Carol has served Oasis with warmth, compassion, and dedication to the families of Oasis. Carol was an integral part of the start-up of Oasis in 2009 and continues to be a cornerstone of the ministry at the Land O' Lakes center. Her unwavering desire to be a light to each woman who walks through the door of Oasis is a shining example of her obedience to Christ and His call on her life. Carol helps vet new volunteers and works with Center Directors to find the right fit for each volunteer and for Oasis. Carol is an inspiration to the staff and the team she serves with. Additionally, Carol has served for years as a Sunday School teacher each week and Poll Captain of elections in her area. She truly is a Hero in the community. It is clear Carol Berti has made a profoundly positive impact on our community, and I am grateful for her service. May we all strive to serve our communities with the same dedication and humility.