Byron Donalds

Mr. DONALDS

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 1676, the Make SWAPs Efficient Act. This year marks the 20th anniversary of State Wildlife Action Plans, a major milestone for fish and wildlife conservation. Statewide action plans serve as a vital blueprint for identifying the unique conservation needs of each State and territory and are required for States to take part in the State and Tribal Wildlife Grant program. These plans play a leading role in helping to prevent and recover endangered species and guide the conservation of over 12,000 species in the greatest conservation need. Currently, there is no deadline for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to approve a State-submitted wildlife action plan, with most taking over 18 months to simply get an approval. This is something that is unacceptable, and my legislation seeks to change that. The bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to approve a State's SWAP within 180 days, once the Secretary determines the SWAP complies with the requirements of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act. If the Department of the Interior fails to authorize the SWAP within 180 days, the SWAP is deemed approved. It is time to take a real swipe to unnecessary red tape, minimize self-induced delays, and streamline the regulatory process for the allocation of much-needed conservation funding to our States. Mr. Speaker, this is a very good piece of legislation. It was my pleasure to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle on this. I recommend that the body approve this legislation.

Mr. DONALDS

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 4922, the DC CRIMES Act. Now, in reference to what the gentleman was just talking about, Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 of the United States Constitution is quite clear. It grants Congress the power to exercise exclusive, exclusive jurisdiction over the Federal District, which all Americans know now is Washington, D.C., and it is the Nation's Capital. That is in the Constitution that was ratified by several States. Congress does have the constitutional authority to regulate activities within the Federal District. When it is said that somehow Congress is now eroding local control, that is simply not true. Any local powers by the D.C. Council have been granted to the D.C. Council by Congress, and Congress is the seat of authority when it comes to the Federal enclave. He also talked about Florida's laws. Let's be very clear: Florida has established itself as a beacon of law and order, making sure that our citizens are safe throughout all of our jurisdictions. If there are some abilities for some measures of flexibility, Florida has proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it knows how to keep its people safe, which is very different with respect to the D.C. Council and with respect to escalated crime here in the Nation's Capital. Our great Nation's Capital has been plagued by violence, destruction, disorder for far too long, and decades of weak, pro-crime leadership has turned this once great city into a dystopia. I will remind my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that some of their colleagues have been victimized by the crime here in Washington, D.C. Rather than prioritizing the safety of law-abiding citizens and protecting the lives of innocent residents and visitors, District officials have actively facilitated dysfunction and chaos through their progressive, soft-on-crime policies. Instead of addressing the clear epidemic of youth crime in this city, the D.C. Council increased the age of youth offenders to individuals 24 years old and younger. Meaning fully grown, legal adults in the District of Columbia can receive sentences meant for children. This is simply insane, and that is why I introduced the DC CRIMES Act, which lowers the definition of youth from under the age of 25 to under the age of 18, removes the ability of judges to sentence youth offenders below mandatory minimum guidelines, and requires the D.C. attorney general to establish a public website containing much-needed statistics on juvenile crime in D.C. The Trump administration's efforts have shown that lawlessness is a choice, and it is time for Congress to step up, adhere to our constitutional duty, and firmly address crime in the Nation's Capital. For the citizens of D.C., I would say, we wish your Council did this the right way, but they did not and we will act.

Mr. DONALDS

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 137 to rename the House Press Gallery the Frederick Douglass Press Gallery, in honor of a man whose life and work embodied the very best of American ideals and shattered through glass ceilings. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in 1818 and courageously escaped bondage in 1838. He built a life dedicated to truth, liberty, and justice. He became a journalist in Rochester, New York, and launched The North Star using his own money, giving voice to the voiceless in the years before the Civil War. He fought fiercely against slavery, championed equal rights and women's suffrage, and became one of the most forceful orators in American history. During the Civil War, Douglass recruited Black soldiers, met with President Lincoln to advocate for equal pay and treatment, and worked to assist those escaping slavery. After his Rochester home was destroyed in a suspected arson attack, he moved to Anacostia here in Washington, D.C., and became the editor, and later owner, of the New National Era, which chronicled Black progress throughout the Nation. Douglass was the first Black reporter admitted to the Capitol press galleries. From 1871 to 1875, he reported on the House and Senate action, keeping the African-American community informed during Reconstruction after the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. He spent countless hours writing and studying right here in the House Press Gallery. Even after his tenure in the gallery, he often would return to the Capitol. Congress has honored Douglass with a portrait and plaque in the gallery and a statute in Emancipation Hall. This resolution permanently renames these famous offices off of the House floor for all Americans today, and years to come, to honor his work for freedom in this hallowed Chamber. I thank Speaker Johnson, Chairman Graves, Representatives Andre Carson, Burgess Owens, Stephen Horsford, Wesley Hunt, and John James for their leadership on this resolution. I also thank my former staffer, Luke Diel, for all of his hard work and dedication in this effort. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 137.

Mr. DONALDS

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss without thanking Chairman Comer for the time on the floor today, and I might have to ask the chairman to introduce me everywhere going forward. I greatly appreciate that. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, the Safe and Smart Federal Purchasing Act. For background, lowest price technically acceptable is the source selection method outlined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation, or FAR. Simply put, the LPTA FAR standard prioritizes price above everything else. Focusing on price, instead of other technical or operational factors in Federal procurement, can result in agencies cutting corners, long- term value being sacrificed, or in its worse aspects, even potential risks to America's national security. In my view, the use of the LPTA may not always be appropriate when Federal agencies purchase innovative technologies and technical services, and agencies should have the flexibility to pay more for a superior solution if the circumstances are appropriate. I will say to the American people that, obviously with all of the things that we are talking about in Washington around the Department of Government Efficiency, better known as DOGE, going through and trying to cut costs, we do have to be mindful that we are getting the best products for the Federal Government to use because that actually does yield great results for the American people. Moreover, we, as Congress, have an obligation to fully understand the impacts of utilizing the LPTA. One example of when the LPTA may not be appropriate relates to the procurement of Chinese drones. Chinese drone maker, DJI, is the world's largest manufacturer of personal and professional drones, and Federal agencies to this day utilize DJI drones, which present a large national security risk. Why would Federal agencies procure Chinese drones when there are higher-quality American drones currently available on the market? That is when the lowest price technically acceptable FAR standard may come into play. To provide some additional context, Chinese state-backed DJI aggressively dropped its prices in 2015 and now DJI drones account for more than 75 percent of the global drone marketplace, offering its products in over 100 countries. While a wide range of innovative American drone products are available, in many cases, the LPTA slides the Federal procurement preference scale away from American drones in favor of these Chinese drones merely because they are cheaper. To emphasize, all companies in China are required by Chinese law to give the Communist Chinese Party access to all their information upon request. In fact, in August 2017, Homeland Security Investigations issued an intelligence bulletin warning that DJI was providing critical infrastructure and law enforcement data to the Chinese Government. Today, the lowest price technically acceptable does not account for national security implications, so my bill would simply require an evaluation of potential national security concerns associated with the LPTA FAR standard. Instead of just looking at the initial price tag and procuring the cheapest product and service, it is vitally important that the United States Government understand the national security implications associated with its own Federal procurement policies. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, Mr. Connolly, for co-leading this bipartisan initiative with me, and I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense piece of legislation.

Mr. DONALDS

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, the FISHES Act. I represent Florida's 19th Congressional District in southwest Florida, which has a significant coastal presence. In southwest Florida, hurricanes are common, which often bring about significant damage to critical infrastructure, businesses, and communities alike. When people think about disaster relief, FEMA and the SBA often come to mind. However, we must not forget about the critical disaster relief that NOAA provides in the aftermath of a federally declared fishery disaster. For background, during the fishery disaster relief process, States must submit a spend plan to NOAA which lays out how the State will spend disaster relief it receives from the Federal Government. Currently, the Office of Management and Budget can voluntarily decide to insert itself into the Federal fishery disaster relief process, which it often does, to review a State's spend plan. Unlike most other aspects of the process, OMB has no deadline to review a spend plan. Predictably this has led to unnecessary delay in allocating crucial Federal relief post disaster. For example, the State of Florida alone has requested fishery disaster relief on seven different occasions since 2012, however, for each occasion, over 2 years had lapsed from the time of approval to when fishery disaster relief funds were ultimately made available. This is simply unacceptable. We must throw coastal communities and businesses a life raft to help them stay afloat post disaster. As we saw firsthand in southwest Florida, time is of the essence once a disaster hits. We, as legislators, must continue to find ways to cut self-induced red tape and streamline the disbursement of relief to communities devastated by a natural disaster. That is where the FISHES Act comes in. This simple bill expedites the allocation of Federal fishery disaster relief by requiring OMB to review a State spend plan concurrently with NOAA, while also requiring that funds be distributed to grantees within 90 days after a complete spend plan is received. Time is of the essence when it comes to disbursing relief post disaster. This isn't just a Florida issue. It is a nationwide issue. This fact is illustrated by the diverse coalition of nationwide organizations that endorse the FISHES Act, along with the vast number of bipartisan Members across the country who have decided to cosponsor this bill. Specifically, the FISHES Act is cosponsored by 48 of my colleagues, and this bill is currently endorsed by 107 organizations of all kinds representing the environmental community, fishing community, boaters, hospitality industry, retail and restaurant industries, and so on. The overwhelming support my bill has received speaks for itself, and it really highlights how vital it is for the FISHES Act to be signed into law as soon as possible. Time is of the essence once a disaster hits, and we as Congress have the ability to expedite the disbursement of Federal relief to communities in need. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this commonsense bill and pass the FISHES Act.

Mr. DONALDS

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Value Over Cost Act. This is a simple, commonsense piece of legislation that modernizes the antiquated Federal procurement process. Specifically, this bill provides the General Services Administration with additional contracting flexibility by allowing for the consideration of best value in addition to the lowest overall cost alternative. Instead of just looking at the initial price tag, the Federal Government should be fiscally responsible and also consider the contractual value of products and services over time, if it is in the best interest of the Federal Government. Ultimately, my bill increases contractual flexibility and contracting competition, provides clarity for acquisition stakeholders, maximizes the Federal Government's ability to procure modern technology, and helps the small business community by reducing regulatory burdens associated with Federal procurement. In sum, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this commonsense piece of legislation.

Mr. DONALDS

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 219.

Mr. DONALDS

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7530, the DC CRIMES Act. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability has held three hearings with D.C. officials. Many members of the committee have met privately with various D.C. officials to discuss the crime crisis in our Nation's Capital. Throughout this work, one thing has been made abundantly clear: The progressive policies of the District of Columbia City Council are simply not working. Last year, the Congress successfully blocked the D.C. Council's Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022 by passing the bipartisan H.J. Res. 26, the first law passed by the 118th Congress. That was a great first step toward addressing the rising crime in D.C., but that only kept the problem from getting much worse. The bill we are considering today expands upon that work. The DC CRIMES Act overturns targeted portions of the D.C. Council's Youth Rehabilitation Act by amending the definition of a youth offender from a person under the age of 25 to under the age of 18. Let me restate: The DC CRIMES Act overturns the targeted portions of the D.C. Council's Youth Rehabilitation Act by amending the definition of a youth offender from somebody under the age of 25 to under the age of 18. Currently, D.C. Code allows a criminal under the age of 25 to be given the same leniency that is afforded to minors. This bill requires that we treat adult criminals as adults like the rest of the country does. As juvenile crime soars throughout the District, the bill also requires the D.C. attorney general to create a publicly available website that tracks juvenile crime data. This data will inform Congress, the District's elected officials, the Metropolitan Police Department, the public, and others about the severity of juvenile crime in the District of Columbia. Finally, the bill prohibits the D.C. Council from amending its sentencing and criminal liability laws, locking into place the current D.C. criminal law and leaving Congress as the sole authority to amend such laws in the future. The D.C. Council would have succeeded in implementing radical soft- on-crime policies if it were not for the bipartisan effort of this Congress to disapprove of the D.C. Council's legislation. Even Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser vetoed the progressive criminal reform package, only for her veto to be overturned by the D.C. City Council. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is committed to its constitutional responsibility to oversee the District of Columbia. We cannot allow further pro-crime policies to be put into place while this crisis continues. Citizens of D.C. and the visitors of our Nation's Capital deserve to feel safe. This bill is a great step toward ensuring our Capital City is going to be safe. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1227, I call up the bill (H.R. 7530) to limit youth offender status in the District of Columbia to individuals 18 years of age or younger, to direct the Attorney General of the District of Columbia to establish and operate a publicly accessible website containing updated statistics on juvenile crime in the District of Columbia, to amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to prohibit the Council of the District of Columbia from enacting changes to existing criminal liability sentences, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I always appreciate the fact that the ranking member thinks so much about my future. What I think about these days are actually the people of Washington, D.C., and all the people who come to visit the Nation's Capital. I also find it very interesting that, yes, the D.C. City Council finally did something on March 11 after the Oversight Committee started working on solutions because the District of Columbia City Council refused to actually address the crime issues in D.C. until very recently. That is important for people to understand. Secondarily, we do have a constitutional obligation to the District of Columbia. The ranking member is well aware of that. Congress does have the authority to execute that authority if the council will not do it. They have refused until very recently, and so Congress is going to assert its authority to make sure that we try to secure the District to the best of our ability. Last thing, to my friend on the other side of the aisle, I doubt anybody will confuse me with King George. I don't think we look alike. With that being said, it is very different when you are talking about a far-off capital across the ocean versus the Nation's Capital sitting in the Federal enclave, which is the District of Columbia. Congress has a responsibility to the District, and Congress should assert that authority with this language. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina.

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to reassert that the Constitution is clear on this matter, that Congress does have responsibilities and that the District of Columbia is under the jurisdiction of the United States Congress. That has been clear since the beginning of the Republic. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Burchett).

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I find that we are at this point in the debate where my friend from Maryland has lost the debate because now he is going back talking about other things that are not about the merits of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Bishop).

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, could you please advise on how much time is remaining.

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, the only thing I would say in response to the gentleman from Maryland is that the D.C. Council has had ample opportunity to fix these issues in D.C., and they have refused until very recently, so it is just a matter of simple logic that unless Congress actually decides to use its authority, what would make us think that the D.C. Council will actually act in the interests of the citizens of the District? The citizens of the District, I am quite sure, would love to have a safe city. The issue is that the Council has not acted toward actually having a safe city, and that is a significant problem for the Federal enclave because, I will state again, D.C. is a Federal enclave. Article I, Section 8, Clause 17, the Federal enclave is under the jurisdiction of the United States Congress, and we are acting under this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Timmons.)

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from South Carolina.

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

Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. The District of Columbia thinks that you are to be tried as a minor if you are 23 years of age. Nowhere else in the United States does that exist--nowhere--except in the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia Council has been derelict in its duty to actually provide for safety and security for the residents of the District of Columbia and the 19 million-plus Americans who come to the Federal enclave to visit the Nation's Capital. For all the talk of political points that have been made in this debate, that has only come from my friend on the other side of the aisle. He has talked about everything from President Trump to political talking points to political futures. He has talked very little about the reality that exists here in the Nation's Capital. It doesn't take much for anybody to just see, whether it is on the nightly news, or frankly, just walking down the streets somewhere in the District of Columbia that something has gone very, very wrong. Even here in this very building, Members and their staffs have experienced that. Our colleague from Minnesota (Ms. Craig) was assaulted in an elevator in her own apartment building. Our colleague on the other side of this building, Senator Paul, his staffer was stabbed when walking home from work. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar), a Democrat Member of this Chamber, he was robbed and carjacked with guns pointed at his head blocks away from the United States Capitol. You see, Mr. Speaker, these are not political talking points. This is real life. It is easy for the Members to come in and out of this building when we have security apparatus around us every single day but not take seriously what is happening in the streets of the Nation's Capital. This legislation takes that seriously. I will end with this: It is not a time for election-year stunts. I agree with that 100 percent, which is why this legislation is about having structural reforms to what has happened in the District of Columbia. This is why the age for being tried as a minor is being decreased to under the age of 18, which mirrors what happens in every other part of the United States and should also occur here in the Nation's Capital. This is a good piece of legislation. I encourage Members on both sides of the aisle to vote for this. We have a responsibility to provide for a safe Washington, D.C., that the citizens can enjoy and that the people of the United States can enjoy. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. DONALDS

Mr. DONALDS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Mr. DONALDS

Mr. DONALDS. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. DONALDS

Mr. DONALDS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3947) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 859 North State Road 21 in Melrose, Florida, as the ``Pamela Jane Rock Post Office Building''.

Mr. DONALDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bean).

Mr. DONALDS. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.