Rosa DeLauro

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr Speaker, I rise to honor and celebrate the work of an extraordinary organization, Trust for America's Health, which for 25 years has served as a preeminent voice for public health advocates in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Trust for America's Health, or TFAH, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026. Formed with a vision to advocate for environmental and public health, it has since broadened its mission to envisioning ``a nation that values the health and well-being of all and where prevention and health equity are foundational to policymaking at all levels of society.'' The first chairman of TFAH's Board of Directors was former Connecticut Senator and Governor Lowell Weicker. His work leading TFAH's Board of Directors helped establish and strengthen the organization as a voice for public health in the decade after 9/11. Today, TFAH's extensive body of research includes pivotal reports on issues such as obesity prevention, public health funding, emergency preparedness, and addressing the epidemics of deaths from overdose, suicide, and alcohol. Every four years, TFAH also publishes a Blueprint for the incoming presidential administration and congress. Each of these reports translates evidence into policy action, helping to inform key legislation and funding priorities. TFAH's research and advocacy have been integral in building our Nation's health security, advocating for the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act and its reauthorizations and strengthening foundational public health preparedness programs like the Public Health Emergency Preparedness program. TFAH was also an essential voice in preparing for and responding in times of crisis. Their work during health emergencies from H1N1 to Ebola to Zika to Covid-19 always focused on supporting the underlying infrastructure to keep our country safer in future emergencies. As an appropriator, I have relied on TFAH's trusted voice and coalition-building to support significant and innovative investments in public health, such as the Prevention and Public Health Fund, public health infrastructure funding, and support for addressing adverse childhood experiences and funding suicide prevegion programs. As someone who has been fortunate enough to employ several former TFAH employees, I can say firsthand that their expertise has always been valued. Today, TFAH's work matters more than ever, as public health faces major headwinds, workforce challenges, and unstable funding. I join the extended public health community in celebrating their accomplishments. It gives me hope about the next 25 years knowing that TFAH can continue to be a bridge to the future of public health, promoting and protecting it for generations to come.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purposes of closing. Mr. Speaker, I support this measure, as I have indicated. It makes important improvements over the bill that was put forward by House Republicans before the August break. It received broad bipartisan support in the Senate. It freezes a White House budget policy that would take substantial power over Federal funding away from Congress and claim it for the President, and it allows us to complete our work on the 12 full-year funding bills for fiscal year 2027. The House has completed its work, and now the Senate must complete its work. Continuing resolutions are imperfect tools. They are not replacements for full-year appropriations, but they can be useful under certain limited circumstances like those we currently find ourselves in. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the distinguished ranking member of the Subcommittee on Defense.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the measure we are considering today, which would extend government funding through December 11. This bill, which passed the Senate by a vote of 90-6, is a marked improvement on the measure House Republicans forced to the floor before the district work period. We had three main objectives to that piece of legislation. It did not address a proposed rule from the White House Budget Office that granted unprecedented authority over Federal spending to political appointees in the Trump administration. It did not include spending adjustments known as anomalies that prevent interruptions or reductions of certain services during a temporary funding extension. It created a loophole that would have allowed certain funds within the Department of Homeland Security to be diverted to the Border Patrol in violation of the bipartisan agreement struck earlier this year. I am pleased that the measure that we are considering today corrects these issues with the House Republican legislation. It prevents cuts to wildfire suppression, election security, economic development, and infrastructure investments. It supports the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, allows the FBI to continue planning for the 2028 Olympics, facilitates preparations for the 2030 census, extends the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Whistleblower Program, supports the launch schedule for NOAA's weather satellites, and much more. The bill contains no funding for ICE and prevents the Department of Homeland Security from using any money in this bill for the Border Patrol. The Trump administration has provided tens of billions of dollars in advance funding for these agencies already. We will not support a single cent in further funding without substantial reforms to protect our communities from abuse. Additionally, the bill denies the administration's request for vanity projects, like the $1 billion Trump-class battleships. These are all welcome provisions. This measure also freezes a White House budget policy that would put President Trump's political appointees in charge of virtually all of Federal funding. This is an important first step, but more must be done to permanently block this policy before it is allowed to take effect. Federal funding must be awarded as Congress intended based upon genuine need and objective merit. Funding for cancer research should not be blocked because of partisan politics. Whether a community receives disaster relief should not depend on who they voted for in the last election. Recently, the Department of Energy admitted in court that they had canceled certain grants solely because they were awarded to communities represented by Democrats. If this proposed policy is allowed to come to fruition, this kind of political weaponization will become the norm. It is an extraordinarily dangerous precedent, one which will harm all of our constituents in the long run. I know there is bipartisan opposition to this policy, but I am optimistic that we can work together to prevent it from taking effect, to protect Congress' constitutional prerogative over Federal spending, and protect our communities from being starved of sorely needed Federal resources. To be clear, the continuing resolution we are considering today is in no way a substitute for the full-year funding process. It is merely a means to complete this important work while averting a lapse in government funding. I remain committed to negotiating bipartisan agreements for all 12 appropriations bills for fiscal year 2027 before the conclusion of this continuing resolution. I believe Chairman Cole, Vice Chair Murray, and Chair Collins share this commitment. There can be no replacement for the appropriations process, not continuing resolutions, not reconciliation, not empowerments, nor pocket rescissions. The power of the purse resides in the Congress. It is our exclusive responsibility. We do a disservice to this institution and the American people when we forfeit our authority over Federal spending to the executive branch. The first step in exercising that authority is passing this bill today. The next step is enacting full-year bills that protect our constituents' interests and make sure that Federal investments are delivered to the American people without the interference of unelected political appointees in the White House, at the Office of Management and Budget, or throughout the Trump administration. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation while we continue the difficult but necessary work of crafting full-year funding bills that rein in this reckless administration, reassert Congress' power of the purse, and provide relief to the American people struggling with the high cost of living. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO

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

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I might add, with all this concern about the folks who were out of work, who were waiting in long lines, about our folks in the Coast Guard and others, it was my proposal that said: Let's fund those agencies. Since there is difficulty about ICE and about Border Patrol, let's fund the agencies and move forward. It took Republicans 79 days to decide that that was the good fix, and, therefore, we could pay those people. They kept them dangling in the wind for those 79 days, all because they would like to continue to fund rogue agencies that are lawless, that are putting at risk people in our communities--and more than at risk with, most recently, two people killed, one in Maine and one in Texas. The Homeland bill passed--I am going to mention it again--unopposed in April, a voice vote, because it included the provision to remove all funding for the Border Patrol. This continuing resolution doesn't continue that agreement. As I said, we viewed that there was an error that was made because it would allow Homeland Security Secretary Mullin to transfer billions of dollars to the Border Patrol, the same agency responsible for harassing and killing American citizens. Again, what we tried to do was to reach out to our colleagues on the other side of the aisle in good faith. We crafted the language, informed them of the error, and shared the language to fix it. They have refused to do so and continue to refuse to do so. One has to ask the question: Why? Who wants to shut down a government? I certainly don't. Democrats do not want a government shutdown. If I had my way, we would be able to fund the government on a bipartisan basis through the appropriations process, one bill at a time. Unfortunately, it seems increasingly likely that, at some point, a continuing resolution will be necessary. That does not mean we must rush through an incomplete, hastily constructed, one-sided stopgap measure that fails to adequately meet the government's funding needs. Agencies only came up with their needs yesterday afternoon, over 50 of these needs. I admonish my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: Read it carefully because something that may affect your community and something you care deeply about, and seeing that agency move forward during a period of a continuing resolution, may be in here, but not on what you will vote on this afternoon. I am disappointed that the apparent error in this measure--which, again, allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to transfer billions of dollars, in direct contravention of the agreement--has not been corrected. I would much rather be standing before you to tout a bipartisan agreement that, in fact, moves us forward through the appropriations process on a bipartisan basis. It is a partisan path that my colleagues have taken us on here, without all the information necessary to draft an adequate funding extension and without consulting anyone else on their proposal. This is a go-it-alone approach. You know what? That is not a way to govern. We know that, especially those of us who sit on the Committee on Appropriations. It is not a go-it-alone approach. My colleagues have to engage. They have to be involved in a negotiation, which is what we were involved in in April, and we came to a conclusion. That is what we should be doing now: engaging in a negotiation, coming to a conclusion, and fixing what is an error in the drafting of the language of the continuing resolution. Don't hold us up and pass a bill that doesn't meet the needs of the American people. I strongly urge my colleagues to take the time. Let's get it right the first time. Let's come to the table. Let's negotiate an agreement we can all support. Let's work together to fully fund the government for fiscal year 2027. That is what we can do. There isn't any question in my mind that we can do that. All of these obstacles that you want to put forward with arguments about who wants to shut the government down, let's get real: Fix the error that was made. Fix the error that was placed in that bill. We said no money for Border Patrol unless there would be the protections. There is an open door to Border Patrol, and there are no protections. I believe the American people have sent us here to do the work on their behalf, to make sure that we address the issues that we care about. We can do that, and it wouldn't take very long. I don't know what the reluctance is to fix the error that would be made and set us on a path to be able to pass bipartisan bills and a continuing resolution that we can all support. It is what I am committed to doing. Mr. Speaker, I encourage a ``no'' vote on this legislation in its current form. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, for those of you who may not know and have not been following this process closely, I would like to bring you up to speed on how we came to consider this piece of legislation before us today. On Friday afternoon, after everyone had gone home for the weekend, Republicans released a bill to extend government funding from September 30 through December 4. Republicans introduced the measure with no bipartisan negotiation, little advanced notice, and without any information from the government agencies as to what funding they will actually require to continue their operations for the duration of the bill. The final Homeland Security bill that passed unopposed in April was bipartisan, and it was by a voice vote. And it was in that direction because it included a provision to remove all of the funding for the Border Patrol. Chair Cole's bill does not continue that agreement. That prohibition is removed by this continuing resolution, which would allow Homeland Security Secretary Mullin to transfer billions of dollars to the Border Patrol. We assumed that the removal of this language was a mistake--no harm, no foul--so before the bill was introduced, we reached out to our colleagues across the aisle, informed them of the error, and shared language to fix it. Yet, they refused to do so. Instead, they chose to introduce a bill that would allow Secretary Mullin to transfer billions more taxpayer dollars to the Border Patrol without implementing any of the protections that Democrats have sought since the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good earlier this year, a clear line in the sand that Democrats have drawn for months. The American people support these protections, protections like mandating the use of body-worn cameras, not just taking the money for them and then refusing to turn them on; prohibiting operations at sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, and houses of worship; requiring agents to get a warrant from a judge before kicking in someone's door; allowing independent investigations into misconduct; ending racial profiling; and taking off the masks. The need for these protections is as urgent as ever. In recent weeks, immigration agents have shot and killed residents in Maine and in Texas, neither of whom were targets of enforcement operations. We cannot in good conscience allow billions of dollars to flow to these agencies without major reforms to keep our constituents safe from further violence. I want to say clearly and plainly that Democrats do not want a government shutdown. There would be no need for one. There are still 2 months before the funding deadline. There is no need to rush through an incomplete extension. We ought to take the time to gather the information we need to get it right the first time. I might add that yesterday afternoon we received a list of the programs that have been compiled by the Federal agencies detailing the additional provisions the agencies believe are necessary to sustain their operations through December 4. Mr. Speaker, we received this late yesterday afternoon. There are over 50 programs listed by the agencies to take some action so they can be protected during a continuing resolution, and many of these provisions are not included in the bill that we are considering today. I asked my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to look through the list. There may be something in your community, in your district, that is very important to you, and it is not in this bill which you are going to potentially vote for today. Among these efforts, there are changes to support wildfire suppression operations. They provide public housing agencies with funding to maintain housing assistance for tens of thousands of households, and they continue programs that provide utility assistance for rural communities. If you ask people today what are the highest costs they are paying for today in an affordability crisis, it is the cost of utilities. That assistance is not in this bill. It is no surprise that the measure that we are considering failed to include these provisions. After all, the bill was introduced 3 days before we had this information, but that is the problem. Rushing this bill to the floor haphazardly without carefully considering the various needs that must be met is no way to govern, and it is irresponsible. This resolution was dropped on us on Friday afternoon without any bipartisan negotiation. Had we been consulted, there are several provisions we would have pushed for to strengthen the measure and to protect congressional prerogatives, including the reversal of a proposed Federal rule from the Office of Management and Budget that allows political appointees--political appointees in the Trump administration to unilaterally block or terminate grant funding if they deemed it not sufficiently in line with the President's policy priorities. If we had taken the time to negotiate this measure, we could be here touting a bipartisan agreement with a plan to fully fund the government for the next fiscal year before the end of this Congress. Instead, we are scrambling--scrambling to jam through a one-sided, stopgap measure 2 days before everyone leaves for the August recess. At minimum, I cannot support this bill without the inclusion of the technical language regarding the Border Patrol that was agreed upon in April. Beyond that, the decision to pursue this path without any bipartisan negotiations gives me serious reservations moving forward. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I thank Ranking Member Frankel for her leadership and work on this bill. I also extend my appreciation to Chairman Diaz-Balart and Chairman Cole for their partnership. I also thank the subcommittee staff: Erin Kolodjeski, Ed Etzkorn, and Laurie Mignone on the minority side, and their counterparts on the majority: Susan Adams, Craig Higgins, Jamie McCormick, Trey Hicks, John Muscolini, Gabriella Zach, Erin McMenamin, and Clelia Alvarado. I thank them all for their work. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this bill. It undercuts humanitarian assistance, undermines global health programs, threatens women's health, and breaks promises to our partners and our allies, while surrendering influence to our adversaries. After failing to bring this bill to the floor for several weeks, Republican leadership has decided to attach an entirely unrelated measure that would restrict voting access for American citizens. President Trump has insisted on this measure, despite opposition from members of his own party. He is afraid the American people will voice their vehement disapproval of Republican-led government and the failed policies of this administration at the ballot box in November. The President's war with Iran has been a catastrophic failure. It has cost Americans more than $130 billion in higher prices so far. President Trump began this war with no plan, no strategy, no objective, no goal, and no understanding of the consequences. Nearly 6 months into the war, and the Iranian regime is still in place. The Iranian people are not free. Their ballistic missile program is intact. Their nuclear ambitions are unchanged. Their proxies are emboldened, and gas prices are rising. Their leverage is greater than it has been before, and President Trump has not articulated any course of action to bring this conflict to a close that is even remotely intelligible. The Trump Doctrine is failure followed by failure, chaos abroad, and high costs at home. The bill that we are considering today will only set us up for more failures in the future. This bill cuts funding for global health programs, particularly in the areas of reproductive health and global health security, making us more vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks that originate abroad. We are seeing the consequences of this administration's decisions to dismantle the USAID, withdraw from the World Health Organization, and decimate our global health systems in real time, as the current Ebola outbreak in Africa threatens to become the deadliest in history. Because it took so long to detect and due to the challenging conditions, we will likely be working to contain this outbreak for more than a year. Aid workers are working in active combat zones, putting their own lives at risk from both infection and violence to stop this disease from reaching our shores. Here we are debating a bill that would further choke off resources they desperately need to keep all of us safe. Let us not forget the Trump administration's choice to dismantle USAID is a moral tragedy. More than 500,000 children have died as a result of these cuts. It is unconscionable. This bill does not provide any funding for the U.N. regular budget, abandoning one of the longest standing institutions devoted to global peace. Undermining the U.N. only erodes our influence. It also shortchanges American businesses who receive upwards of $2 billion in U.N. contracts both here in the United States and overseas, which is more than our dues. The bill threatens women's health around the globe, blocking any funds from going to the U.N. Population Fund, which is dedicated to reducing maternal mortality and violence against women and extending family planning to women and girls everywhere. This includes work to eliminate obstetric fistula, a traumatic childbirth injury that leads to incontinence, infections, kidney disease, and infertility. By failing to provide any funding for UNFPA, the conditions under which millions of women around the world live will only become worse. Approximately 260,000 women around the world died during or shortly following pregnancy in 2023. That is 700 maternal deaths every day, one maternal death every 2 minutes. Eliminating this funding is a moral failure. This bill also eliminates funding for the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Inter-American Foundation, and the U.S. African Development Foundation. Each of these programs strengthen our influence abroad, helping to cultivate relationships with the next generation of global leaders, and prevents crises before they arise. This bill surrenders American influence to our adversaries. For every step backward we take, they take a step forward. Continually defunding the institutions that support America's international presence will have serious, lasting consequences. In less than 2 years, the Trump administration has squandered decades of American influence, undermining our ability to persuade other countries to support our values and interests without resorting to the use of force. This bill reduces our ability to reclaim any of that influence for years to come. Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to oppose this bill.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I am honored and grateful for this opportunity to put forward this legislation. It is legislation that honors a man who embodied the highest ideals of service to his country, his fellow soldiers, and his community, Captain Paul W. ``Bud'' Bucha, a longtime resident of Ridgefield, Connecticut, and a Medal of Honor recipient. The bill would rename the West Haven Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Haven, Connecticut, where Captain Bucha received care for PTSD after his service and neurological care for Alzheimer's disease before he passed away on July 31, 2024. Captain Bucha received the Medal of Honor in 1970 for his heroic service while on Active Duty during the Vietnam war. He distinguished himself with extraordinary heroism while leading 89 men on a reconnaissance mission in Vietnam under heavy enemy fire from about 1,500 soldiers. He fearlessly directed our defenses, personally destroyed a machine-gun bunker, and sustained a shrapnel wound. Using flashlights in complete view of enemy snipers, Captain Bucha also directed the medical evacuation of three air ambulance loads of seriously wounded personnel. The captain's dedication to serving others continued after his time in uniform. He served as president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society from 1995 to 1999. He advised President Obama on foreign policy during his 2008 Presidential campaign. He served on the board of directors of Homes For Our Troops, a veteran service organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes for severely injured 9/11 veterans. He also served as chairman of the Advisory Committee on Veterans' Employment, Training and Employer Outreach Services at the United States Department of Labor. Even after his death, Captain Bucha's selflessness lives on. His brain was donated to the Center for Human Brain Discovery at Yale University for research. Naming the West Haven VA Medical Center in his honor is a deserving tribute to a hero who fought for this country. He earned this highest military distinction and then continued to fight for veterans throughout his life. His legacy, a legacy of courage and compassion, will live on through the care provided to each and every veteran who walks through its doors. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to propose this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support it. I hope that we can move it quickly, with the Senate, and bring it to the President for signature.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Deborah Weinstein for her extraordinary career dedicated to advancing the well- being of low-income and vulnerable people across the United States. For more than four decades, Mrs. Weinstein has been a tireless advocate for policies that reflect our Nation's highest ideals, those of fairness, opportunity, and shared responsibility for our shared prosperity. Her leadership has helped shape national conversations about poverty, economic security, and the role of government in ensuring that all Americans can meet their basic needs. Since 2003, Mrs. Weinstein has served as the Executive Director of the Coalition on Human Needs, where she has led a broad alliance of civil rights, labor, faith-based, and service organizations. Under her guidance, the Coalition has become a respected and indispensable voice in federal policy debates, providing clear-eyed analysis and principled advocacy on behalf of those too often left behind. From fighting for the expanded, monthly Child Tax Credit which lifted half of U.S. children out of poverty, to helping organize a broad cross-section of society to advocate for working families in the annual appropriations process, Mrs. Weinstein has been an irreplaceable champion of federal anti-poverty investments and the broader social safety net. She fought to protect Food Stamps, guarantee equal pay for equal work, increase access to paid leave, and invest in our country's health and education, not because it was easy but because it was just. Long before her national leadership, Mrs. Weinstein's work was grounded in a deep commitment to human dignity and the belief that public policy should expand opportunity and reduce hardship. Her efforts have consistently emphasized that economic security is not an abstract goal, but a moral imperative that strengthens communities and the Nation as a whole. Throughout her career, Mrs. Weinstein has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to collaboration--bringing together diverse voices to pursue common purpose. She has worked across sectors and with leaders at every level of government, always guided by the belief that effective policy must be rooted in human dignity and real-world impact. She brings together advocates, service providers, and community leaders to speak with a unified voice for those struggling to make ends meet, helping to ensure that the lived experiences of families and children were reflected in policy decisions. Mrs. Weinstein also served during the Obama Administration as a member of the President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, where she worked with the other Council members to make recommendations related to preventing lead poisoning in children in HUD-assisted housing, and to encourage finalizing new child support regulations. This work exemplifies her efforts to strengthen collaboration between government and community organizations in addressing poverty and human needs. At a time when economic inequality and hardship continue to challenge our Nation, Mrs. Weinstein's work stands as a testament to the power of informed, persistent, and principled advocacy. On behalf of a grateful Nation, we thank Deborah Weinstein for her lifetime of service and her enduring commitment to ensuring that America lives up to its promise for all its people. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing her remarkable contributions and in celebrating her legacy of leadership and compassion.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to defend our ally Ukraine, who has bravely resisted Vladimir Putin's invasion for over four years. It is our job in America, as the leader of the free world, to continue to support our ally when they need us. Only the Ukrainian people can decide when it is done fighting--no one else. History teaches that aggressors never stop on their own accord. They are never satisfied with appeasement. If Vladimir Putin's war is rewarded with Ukrainian land, he will try again for more. I will continue to advocate for our ally Ukraine--for their defense, for the civilian and military resources they need, and for allowing them to control their own destiny. That is our obligation as an ally and as the world's strongest democracy. The Ukraine Support Act would show the strength of our commitment, authorizing additional loans to Ukraine and NATO allies while also providing additional funds for reconstruction, Baltic Security, and Radio Free Europe, which is vital to countering Russian propaganda. This legislation includes tough sanctions on Russia, and to hold Putin accountable for this unjustifiable war. I will continue to stand with our ally Ukraine for as long as it takes, until its people are safe and free once more.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Chair, I thank the ranking member for yielding. I want to begin by commending Ranking Member Bishop for his leadership on the Agriculture Subcommittee and thank him for his efforts on the legislation. I want to acknowledge the hard work of Chairman Harris on the committee and also my friend Chairman Cole. Let me also say a thank-you at the outset to the staff: Martha Foley, Alex Swann, and Marie Gualtieri on the minority side; and their counterparts on the majority side: Pam Miller, Elizabeth Dent, Judd Gardner, Nick Seelinger, and Sykes Connell, as well, for all of their work. I rise in opposition to the bill before us today. It will raise costs for farmers, cut aid for families, and reduce crucial support for rural communities. In 2025, nearly 7 million women, children, and infants received support through the WIC program. These are families who are struggling to put food on the table, who are doing all that they can to stay afloat while costs for everything from groceries to gasoline continues to go up. WIC is not fully funded. That includes cuts to the fruit and the vegetable voucher program. Specifically, vouchers, again, for fruits and vegetables have been cut. Denying women, infants, and children full access to nutritious fruits and vegetables is hardly a way to Make America Healthy Again. WIC works. Multiple studies have found that WIC participation reduces the risk of adverse birth outcomes like premature birth or low birth weight, that it lowers infant mortality, and that it leads to a healthier overall diet for young children. But this bill does not allow participants to recertify or enroll in the program remotely by failing to extend this option beyond the September 30, 2026, deadline. This is just another cut in disguise. This option has been invaluable in helping more eligible Americans access their benefits. It has allowed working people to be able to certify without having to travel long distances or take time off from their work. Virtual recertification is a proven process. It eliminates barriers to access for so many people. It allows more efficient use of taxpayer dollars and making sure that people can feed their families while maintaining program integrity. The American people deserve programs that work to support them and do not impose unnecessary burdens. This bill also cuts the Food for Peace program by $300 million. That is about 25 percent. This will take money out of the pockets of the American farmers who grow the food that sustains the program while taking food out of the mouths of hungry children around the world who rely on it for their next meal. This is a lose-lose proposition. It is both immoral and irresponsible. More than 2.2 million Americans do not have access to basic plumbing and running water in their homes, and this problem is even worse in rural areas. Yet, this bill cuts funding for waste and water development programs in rural communities by $62 million. Instead of solving the problem, this bill makes it worse, leaving more Americans without access to basic necessities that we should all expect in the United States. This bill cuts funding for ReConnect Broadband by 20 percent, a program that is designed to expand internet access in rural communities. Broadband access is not a luxury. It is necessary to participate in the 21st century economy. As I mentioned a moment ago about hurting farmers and rural communities, the cuts to rural water and waste disposal grants are about 4 percent. Rural business development grants have been cut by 28 percent. The Rural Energy for America Program, or the REAP program, has been cut by 50 percent. And I would just say to my colleagues that we have a document here that gives you a State-by-State impact of Republican cuts. So it is in black and white. We are not making up the numbers. It drives growth, the programs that we are talking about. The internet program, it drives growth. It connects people to job prospects and career training. It improves access to medical care. It is crucial at a time when more and more rural hospitals are closing down thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It expands educational opportunities, helping to ensure that every child is equipped to succeed in the economy of the future. This bill also eliminates protections for small meat and poultry producers. It is a gift to their larger corporate competitors, which the American Farm Bureau, I might add, is opposed to. It brings back partisan culture war provisions that have been stripped out of previous Agriculture-Rural Development-FDA bills. In its current form, this bill raises costs for American farmers. It takes food away from hungry families. It cuts off support for rural communities, and it loudly bangs the divisive culture war drums once more. I want to encourage my colleagues to oppose this legislation and also encourage my Republican colleagues to work with the Democrats to fix the many serious problems that this piece of legislation contains.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the congregation of Saint Joseph Church in Ansonia, Connecticut in honoring the celebration of their 100th Anniversary. Throughout its history, the church and its congregation have demonstrated a unique commitment to serve the community and ensure that the most vulnerable of our citizens can find comfort and resources in their time of need. Founded in 1925, St. Joseph's has been a spiritual home for Polish immigrants and their families and is one of the Polish American Roman Catholic parishes in New England in the Archdiocese of Hartford. In June 1925, Bishop John J. Nilan appointed Vincentian Fr. Aloysius Zielenznik, C.M., as pastor of the new St. Joseph Parish. With the church itself under construction, the first Mass for the Polish congregation was celebrated on July 12, 1925. at a Central Street Hall rented from an Italian society. Upon its completion the church, which still stands today, was dedicated on September 6, 1926. Ten days later, St. Joseph School opened, staffed by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. As the parish grew in membership, so too did their desire for their church to have a church bell to summon the faithful to church services. In 1950, then church leader Father Casimir Kwiatkowski was passing through Winchester, New Hampshire when he noticed a bell for sale in front of a Protestant church. He immediately made an inquiry and was able to purchase the bell on the spot and for a great price at just under five hundred dollars. The bell was brought back to St. Joseph's and on the occasion of administering the sacrament of Confirmation in the parish on October 14, 1950, Bishop Henry J. O'Brien, D.D., blessed the century old bell and named it Casimir. The bell was rung for the first time on November 1, 1950, the day the dogma of the Assumption was solemnly proclaimed in Rome by Pope Pius XII and it has been fixture at St. Joseph's ever since. Saint Joseph Church has not only been a center for religious worship, but a vehicle through which their members could give back to the community. Our churches play a vital role in our communities--providing people with a place to turn to for comfort when they are most in need. For the last century, Saint Joseph Church has been a treasured landmark in Ansonia. Through their ministry and outreach efforts, they have left an indelible mark on the community and continue to make a difference in the lives of others. Saint Joseph Church gives its members a place to find their spiritual center and to solidify and support their values--a beacon of light and hope for their members and the community. I am proud to stand today and extend my very best wishes to them as they mark this milestone in their history. Happy 100th Anniversary and as we say in Italian, to another hundred--C'ent Anni.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to The Honorable Martin M. ``Marty'' Looney on the occasion of his retirement. As the Connecticut state legislative session closed earlier this month, so too did the legislative career of a remarkable public servant and someone I am honored to call my friend, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney. Over the course of his forty-six years in Connecticut's General Assembly, six terms in the House and seventeen terms in the Senate, he has left his mark on our state government, our communities, and the people of Connecticut. For nearly fifty years, Marty has been a close friend, a confidant, and co-conspirator--and it all started in 1975, when we began our journey together in government and local politics. I happened to knock on his mother's door in Fair Haven, along with Frank Logue who was running for Mayor of New Haven. She told us that it was her son, Martin, that we should talk to. She brought Marty out and we asked him if he was interested in helping to get Frank elected. Marty said yes, he would help--and Connecticut has never been the same. Five years later, I had the privilege of helping to elect Marty to the General Assembly. I have celebrated this decision every day since. My parents both served in elected office, and I learned from them that government should work for people. I took that vision with me when I ran for Congress, and Marty Looney embodied it every day of his forty-six years in the state legislature. Throughout his tenure as the longest-serving Senate President Pro Tempore and Senate Majority Leader in our state's history, Marty has been the conscience of the Connecticut legislature. He fought for workers, for families struggling to make ends meet, for those who have no lobbyist and no seat at the table. He championed a higher minimum wage, expanded access to healthcare, and stood firm against every effort that would have made life harder for the people of Connecticut. What makes Marty extraordinary was not what he passed, but how he governed--with quiet patience, principle, and an unshakeable belief that government, done right, can lift people up. Some would say he would rather take the slice than hold out for the whole loaf. That wisdom is how he changed people's lives. He worked to make things better, one day and one bill at a time, while never losing sight of the bigger goals. Marty is one of the finest public servants I have ever had the honor to call a colleague, and one of the dearest friends of my life, Connecticut--is better measurably and materially better--because of him. A graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law and partner in the law firm of Keyes and Looney, Marty has also enjoyed a successful career as an attorney. A mentor, advocate and educator, he is also a practitioner in residence with the Criminal Justice Program in the Department of Public Safety at the University of New Haven as well as an adjunct faculty member in the Political Science Department at Quinnipiac University and the Quinnipiac University Law School. Marty has left an indelible mark on state politics, the halls of Connecticut's Capitol, and in the lives of so many where he has made a difference. His leadership and political savvy will be missed, but he has inspired a new generation of leaders who will follow his example. Today, as he marks his retirement from public service, I am honored to join family, friends, and colleagues in paying tribute to Martin M. Looney and his extraordinary career. I wish Marty, his wife, Ellen; their son, Michael; as well as their three grandchildren, Matthew, Anna Katherine, and Isabel Grace, all the best for many more years of health and happiness.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the Wallingford community in celebrating the career of my good friend, State Representative Mary Mushinsky, as she retires after serving more than forty years in the Connecticut General Assembly. A legislator, mentor, community leader, and friend, Mary has served the Town of Wallingford, its residents, and the State of Connecticut with integrity and compassion, leaving a legacy of public service to which we should all strive. Mary's passion for public service is rooted in her deep interest in and commitment to environmental activism, consumer advocacy and improved energy policies. A biologist, Mary has been the leading proponent in the Connecticut legislature of major environmental legislation since she was first elected in 1980. Mary has served on the legislature's Environment Committee since she was first elected and in that time she has focused much of her energies on developing and implementing public policies that have put Connecticut at the forefront of the debate on environmental protections. Over her first two decades in the General Assembly, she headed legislative efforts that resulted in mandatory recycling, packaging reduction, open-space preservation, global warming mitigation and endangered species protection laws. Mary's work became the cornerstone of both statewide and local environmental policy, which is still being built upon today. Over the years, Mary and I have worked together on numerous projects to preserve and protect habitats here in Connecticut, but I clearly recall her staunch advocacy for the Quinnipiac Linear Trail--a multi- town recreational trail that follows the original route of the Meriden, Waterbury, and Connecticut River Railroad. Through Mary's efforts and engagement with this project, we were able to secure federal funding to move the project forward. Now complete, it runs from Community Lake Park to Fireworks Island, is a paved and mostly level trail through cedar junipers and red maples that offers views of a stone labyrinth, and one of the state's largest Red Oaks. Mary's involvement in this effort has continued to this day and she is currently serving as co- chair of the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail Advisory Committee. Mary's commitment to environmental stewardship extends well beyond her work in the Connecticut General Assembly. She has dedicated both her professional and personal time to these efforts. When not fulfilling her roles as a legislator or Executive Director of the Quinnipiac River Watershed Association, she can often be found guiding canoe trips or taking in the beauty of Connecticut's nature trails. She also served on the Wallingford Energy Conservation Commission, which promoted the energy audit and energy management recommendations now implemented by the Town of Wallingford school system. Mary is also a member and the legislative liaison for the Coalition for a Better Wallingford, which seeks to reduce drug and alcohol abuse. During my tenure as the United States Representative from Connecticut's 3rd Congressional District, I have had the opportunity not only to work with Mary but to build a valued friendship with her as well. Mary is an advocate, mentor, teacher, and steward like no other-- spending countless hours educating, training, and inspiring the next generation of environmental advocates and leaders. I am honored to stand today to join her husband, Martin, their two sons, Martin and Edward as well as the Wallingford community to extend my deepest thanks, sincere appreciation, and heartfelt congratulations to Mary Mushinsky as she marks the end of her legislative career. Mary's tenacious advocacy will certainly be missed in the halls of Connecticut's capitol building as well as by the thousands of people and families she served.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, I thank the ranking member for yielding and for all of her hard work on this bill. Again, I congratulate Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz and Judge Carter for the work they have done on this piece of legislation. I thank the committee staff, Farouk Ophaso and Tyler Coe for the minority side, Justin Masucci, Jason Wheelock, and Arianna Delgado for the majority, for all the good work that they put in here. We began with a bill that fell short. It did not provide adequate support for our veterans, but after some tough negotiating by Democrats on the Appropriations Committee, especially Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz, our colleagues across the aisle agreed to make some much- needed improvements. Through these negotiations, Democrats were able to secure more than $50 billion in advance funding for the Toxic Exposures Fund, enabling us to keep our commitments to our veterans when we passed the PACT Act. We were also able to reach an agreement on the provision to withhold 25 percent of the budget for the Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs until he comes to testify before both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, reasserting Congress' power of the purse. With these improvements, we were able to arrive at an agreement that passed out of the Appropriations Committee by a vote of 58-0. That is a testament to the exceptional work of the members of the subcommittee and the committee, and it demonstrates that when Republicans are willing to work with us to address our concerns, we are more than happy to support reasonable proposals that meet the needs of the American people. This bill in its current form increases funding for suicide prevention and treatment programs, rural health and substance use disorder programs, and women's healthcare, helping to ensure the women who have served our country can get the care that they need. It boosts funding for the VA by more than $4 billion and increases our investments in veterans' medical care by $6.5 billion. These are important resources that will go a long way to supporting the men and women who have served our country in uniform. It is not a perfect bill as it stands, but it is a good bill. It is the product of good-faith, bipartisan negotiations. It is evidence that even in an era of division, Congress can still find common ground to deliver for the American people. However, several amendments have been offered by Republicans who do not sit on the Appropriations Committee. They are attempting to inject hyperpartisan culture-war provisions into the bill and upend the bipartisan agreement that we made. Despite hours of painstaking but good-faith negotiations by members of the committee to find common ground on a bill to deliver for our veterans, these amendments, which are an exercise in political bomb- throwing, not serious legislating, would undermine the real work of the committee, the committee which has done so much to support our Nation's veterans, our servicemembers. These are partisan theatrics the American people are tired of. People want to see the Congress work together to solve their problems, and on the Appropriations Committee, we did just that. Last-minute intervention from Members who do not sit on the committee is counterproductive and only serves to sour the process for the future. Why would we agree to anything in committee moving forward if we know that as soon as it comes to the floor, it will be loaded up with poison pills designed to punch up a press release rather than serious provisions meant to solve the problems facing the American people. I encourage my colleagues to stick to the strong agreement that was forged on a bipartisan basis by the members of this subcommittee and the members of the committee and reject a shallow, toxic partisanship that has infected so much of our politics today. I thank the chair and ranking member and all of my colleagues on the committee for their hard work.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I will just say that those armed, masked agents marauding our streets are terrorizing people in our communities. We have from the outset wanted to negotiate how we deal with that in a separate way and fund everyone else in DHS, including Coast Guard, FEMA, Secret Service, cybersecurity. It has been the Republicans who have been intransigent and not willing to do that, but there we go. Today, we are going to do it. It could have been done 76 days ago. I will take it today. The men and women who are honorable, who are working every single day to defend this country, are not going to be held hostage any longer by my Republican colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me just say that this is a victory for the hardworking men and women whose lives were put on hold by Republicans for 76 days, but these hardworking men and women continued to work while Republicans shut down this government and held them hostage. It is about damn time that you come forward and do this. We proposed this, I proposed it, 79 days ago. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, we had unanimous consent not once but twice. I think I read that the Speaker of the House had agreed that this is what they would do, but that was turned around. That was upended. We know, and I have said a moment ago, that rank and file would support it, as well, if we were allowed to receive a vote. The only people who do not want to reopen this government and this Department are House Republican leadership, who continue to block the bill. The madness must end, and if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up the Senate bill that passed unanimously so that we can end the shutdown. Let's get back to work for the American people, and I encourage my Republican colleagues to join us in this effort.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding. Madam Speaker, it has been more than 20 days since the United States Senate reached a unanimous agreement to all but end the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Yet, Republican House leadership refuses to bring the measure up for a vote on the House floor. It would pass overwhelmingly here, without question. Without question. The White House has only recently decided to start paying workers throughout TSA, FEMA, Coast Guard, and our cybersecurity agencies after refusing to do so for weeks. They claim they have the authority to do this. Madam Speaker, if the administration believes that they have the authority to use this money, then every paycheck that a TSA worker was forced to miss was because the White House made an active choice not to pay them. Imagine. Imagine the turmoil in people's lives due to no paycheck at the end of the week or at the end of 2 weeks. How do you pay your rent? How do you buy groceries? We know the stories of people being evicted, sleeping in their cars, and donating their plasma for money. This is reality. The White House had the authority to pay them so that they didn't have to go through this. A number of people left their jobs because they were not getting paid. It really defies imagination that people's lives and economic security was being held up for purely political reasons. Madam Speaker, I will just add that this money will probably run out at some point, and our job and the job of the Appropriations Committee is to make sure that these agencies are funded through the end of the year. That can be done because there is no disagreement on both sides of the aisle on funding Coast Guard, TSA, FEMA, cybersecurity, and the Secret Service. The issue is what we do in our cities and our towns nationwide with the terror that ICE--and there will be a lengthy debate on dealing with this. That is going to be a lengthy debate about the reforms and the overhaul, as it should be. In the meantime, everyone should continue to be paid. Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, they made an agreement. The public wants to know why you can't get together. I will generally say that we can't get unanimous consent on whether or not the sky is blue in this institution.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the bill we are debating tonight will never become law. It is dead on arrival, doomed. The Senate has gone home. They did their job. They worked together in a bipartisan way to negotiate, deliberate, and strike an agreement that passed unanimously out of the Senate Chamber. Imagine, Democrats and Republicans said ``yes.'' How often does this happen? House Republican leadership refuses to bring it up for a vote because they know if they did, it would pass overwhelmingly. By blocking the Senate's agreement from receiving a vote, Republican leadership extends the shutdown, and that means another missed paycheck for Federal workers. What is the Republican leadership position? Let us continue to withhold paychecks from TSA agents. Let us continue to force them to sleep in their cars, to continue to have to sell their plasma, to stay frightened to death of evictions. Republican leadership is doing this because they do not want to enact even the most fundamental constraints on ICE, a rogue, lawless, and reckless agency. They want to allow them to continue harassing, beating up, and, yes, even killing American citizens. They would rather prolong this shutdown, continue withholding paychecks from TSA workers, and keep extending the lines at airport security than enact a requirement that Federal officers obtain a warrant from a judge before they kick in your front door or they pick you up on the street. They do not want to require independent investigations into egregious misconduct by ICE officers. They want to allow them to continue to detain and deport American citizens, allow them to go to sensitive locations, like churches and hospitals and schools. They side with out-of-control Federal agencies over the responsible, dedicated workers who keep air travel safe. Only yesterday, President Trump decided that he has the ability to pay these workers. If the White House believes they have the authority and the funds to pay these workers, then they have had this authority all along for the past 42 days. However, what they chose to do was withhold the paychecks from TSA workers for political gain. It is shameful. ICE is funded. Don't listen to them. They have $75 billion plus another $10 billion in a slush fund, and they can do whatever they want with it. Customs and Border Protection have $65 billion and another $11 billion in the Senate bill. Spare us the lies. The American people know exactly who is responsible for prolonging this shutdown. The TSA workers, putting in yet another shift with no pay, will know when they see Republican Members hightailing it home to enjoy their spring break.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity to end this shutdown. If we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up the bipartisan bill passed unanimously by the United States Senate. If the House passed the bipartisan Senate agreement, I sincerely doubt, my friends, that the President of the United States would veto it. We can stop the madness tonight. Instead, Republican leadership is choosing to continue it for politics and political gain. It is shameful.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Before I make my remarks on the bill, I would like to take a moment to praise the work of one of our staff who is leaving the committee next week. Jocelyn Hunn is a trailblazer. In 1983, she became the second woman to ever work as a professional staff member for the House Appropriations Committee. In her career, she fought to preserve our natural and cultural resources, ensure access to clean air and water, and provide services to all Americans to advance their well-being and help them to achieve a better life. Jocelyn is retiring from a career in government service on Tuesday. The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee and the entire House of Representatives owe her a debt of gratitude for her tireless work, and that began more than four decades ago. I wish my friend Godspeed. It has been a pleasure to work with her. It really has. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this twice-doomed legislation. Madam Speaker, what is the definition of insanity? It is doing the same thing over and over and over again, expecting a different result. This is not a serious effort. It is just more political theater. Here is the truth: The President has given up on funding DHS. He said earlier this week that any deal Congress makes, ``I am pretty much not happy with it.'' Then, he said to Republicans: Don't make a deal with the Democrats. Does that sound like someone who wants to end this crisis and pay TSA workers? Madam Speaker, the Congress is on its own. The only way we are getting out of this logjam is if we work together to exercise our power of the purse. The talks in the Senate have all but fallen apart. The President is refusing to get behind anything. Tomorrow will mark the second full paycheck that TSA workers and others across DHS will miss. I might just make a note here, because I think it is important to say something about this. In fact, at this moment, 85 percent of ICE and CBP are being paid; Secret Service, 75 percent; and Coast Guard, 85 percent. TSA workers are being paid zero, but the TSA Administrator confirmed yesterday that the Department made the decision not to pay TSA workers. The Department made that decision, I am sure in concert with the President of the United States, that these are folks who are expendable. We don't have to pay them. Let's pay the others and leave them on their own. Again, this is not someone or some Department that cares about TSA workers. I have put forward a proposal that I honestly believe is a reasonable middle ground between the two sides of this discussion. Democrats do not want to provide more funding for ICE or CBP without legally binding policy changes that protect our communities. Republicans are opposed to many of these changes and want to fund ICE and CBP without any new protections. Neither side disagrees over funding for TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, or other parts of DHS. What we are caught up on is whether or not we can deal with ICE and CBP separately, or if we have to fund everything all at once. I do not believe that it must be all or nothing. My proposal, which I introduced over 1 month ago, funds the parts of DHS, the Department of Homeland Security, that we all agree on. It funds TSA so that these workers can get paid--they can pay their bills, they can stop sleeping in their cars, and they can avoid evictions--and so that we can put an end to the long lines at airport security. It funds FEMA so that we can replenish the Disaster Relief Fund and ensure that our communities are prepared for the next natural disaster. It fully funds cybersecurity so that we are equipped to prevent or respond to any threat that comes our way. It separates out the funding for ICE and CBP for the time being, just for the time being, so that we can negotiate on that issue without holding the rest of the Department hostage. I have been listening to the debates over this impasse. I believe some of my Republican colleagues are under the impression that my proposal is designed to permanently shutter ICE and CBP. That is not true. That is not the case. We will have to pass a bill to fund those agencies, and we will do so when we have come together on an agreement that establishes reasonable protections against abuse, reasonable protections, I might add, that the vast majority of Americans support. We cannot have masked, armed Federal agents roaming our communities, breaking down doors with no warrants, arresting people with no explanation, and, yes, even murdering Americans in the streets. In the meantime, there is no reason to keep the rest of the Department shut down. Madam Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. My amendment would have replaced the text of the doomed Republican proposal with the text of my bill to fund the parts of DHS over which there is no disagreement. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, let me just make a couple of quick points here. I think I said earlier it was the TSA Administrator yesterday who confirmed that the Department made the decision not to pay TSA workers. In addition to that, the Department of Homeland Security has a $10 billion slush fund that comes from the Republicans' big, beautiful bill. They could dip into that slush fund to pay TSA screeners if the Trump administration chose to do so. By the way, this is the same account that former Secretary Noem used to buy two luxury jets for her use and to rent a horse for $20,000 so she could ride atop it in her ads. If she can do that, then the new Secretary could use this $10 billion slush fund to pay TSA screeners. They have chosen not to do it. They are not shedding any tears for those workers. It is false. It is politics. It is a cudgel, and they are using them and playing them for political reasons. Again, they choose not to pay them, and so it falls to us. Yes, it falls to us. Everyone in this room wants to pay TSA employees and Coast Guard and FEMA. My bill does that. It actually does it. The bill before us does not do this. Let's be reasonable. We have done this before when parts of the government were closed and we thought that some should open. We did it for food inspectors because our food should be inspected so that people can get access to it. We have done it for military pay. Why aren't we doing it for TSA employees? We could do that today. Do you know what. We don't need a discharge petition. We need a Speaker of the House to take this bill and bring it to the floor, and I would bet you dollars to doughnuts that, in fact, we would have overwhelming support from Democrats and Republicans in passing it. Then TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, Cybersecurity, and Secret Service can get paid for the jobs that they are doing. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.