Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, my colleague on the other side of the aisle is saying: What is the emergency? Why are we here today? Dare I say I agree with my colleagues on the other side. We should not have to be here debating about providing funding for the agencies that secure the borders of the United States of America. Since their creation in 2003, neither ICE nor CBP has ever gone an entire fiscal year without congressional funding through the regular appropriations process. We should not have to be here right now providing operation funding for two of the most critical agencies in securing our national security. So, what happened? Congressional Democrats made this an emergency. The only reason we even need this reconciliation legislation is because of Democrats' reckless extremism in completely defunding our ability to secure our Nation's border. Democrats broke the appropriations process because they want to reopen the southern border, defund Federal law enforcement, and leave American communities vulnerable to violent criminals, potential terrorists, illicit drugs, and deadly contraband. By expediting the process to pass the Secure America Act, Republicans are proving our top priority is to provide for the public safety and security of American citizens. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Rules Committee met yesterday and produced a rule, H. Res. 1336, providing for same-day authority when the House considers the forthcoming reconciliation measure from the Senate. Granting same-day authority will allow the House to advance this legislation to President Trump's desk for his prompt signature and fulfill our commitment to fully fund CBP and ICE so that they can continue their mission of defending the homeland. Yesterday at the Rules Committee, we heard all sorts of chapter and verse that funding ICE and CBP isn't an emergency. We heard that we should focus on all sorts of other things besides funding law enforcement. It doesn't surprise me given the pitiful record on both backing the blue and securing the border. As opposed to listening to the rhetoric on the other side, let's look at their record. During the Biden administration, CBP recorded more than 2 million got-aways. That is almost double what was tracked during the previous decade. That is 2 million people who were able to cross into our Nation without any record of who they are. The Biden administration granted more than 1.3 million inadmissible aliens mass parole. Under the Biden administration, more than 150,000 children went missing, likely due to trafficking. Thankfully, it was the Trump administration that located more than 120,000 of these children. The record of Republicans in standing for border security, national security, and the rule of law is crystal clear. Republicans understand the threats posed by our Nation's adversaries, and we are the ones leading the charge to confront those threats, protect the homeland, and protect the American people. Following the joint military action against Iran and the subsequent regional attacks, there is significant increase of potential threats and retaliatory terror attacks on U.S. soil. We know terrorists are in our country. That isn't rhetoric. It isn't hyperbole. It is a fact, a fact made even more real when more than 380 individuals on the terrorist watch list crossed the open border under Joe Biden's watch. As Americans face increased threats, it is as important now--more than ever before--to fund ICE and CBP so that the Nation remains safe. Funding these two agencies is a mandate on the part of Congress, not some sort of suggestion that we are to take lightly. Fund ICE. Fund CBP. Protect the homeland now. That is what Republicans will do. That is the mandate that we will uphold. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1336 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, it is wonderful that we are celebrating our 250th anniversary. We need to be constantly reminded of what sacrifices were made at the beginning of our country to allow us to be the freest, greatest country in the world. Many men and women sacrificed their way of life and their lives themselves in that effort. We need to keep them in mind, always. In support of that idea, I rise to recognize the Overmountain Victory Trail Association for its continued work to preserve, protect, and interpret the route to the Battle of Kings Mountain, one of the most significant battles in the Revolutionary War. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of meeting with David Doan, the president of the association; his wonderful wife, Jane; and Tom Vaughan, the association's treasurer. All three were immensely passionate about the work they engage in, and it is easy to see why. They all care deeply about sharing one of the greatest stories of the American Revolution. The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail spans approximately 300 miles, and patriot militia, known as the Overmountain Men, traveled along it to the Battle of Kings Mountain. In Newland, North Carolina, there is a beautiful mural depicting the Overmountain Men crossing the Yellow Mountain Gap en route to this battle. What makes their story so unique is that these men did not come from rarefied backgrounds. They came from the Carolina backcountry and Appalachians, and they picked up arms, made the hike of 330 miles, and unleashed liberty upon British forces. The Battle of Kings Mountain was a pivotal American victory, one that dealt a serious crushing blow to British forces as they tried to gain control over the Southern Colonies. Mr. Speaker, we ought to recognize the dedicated work of organizations such as the Overmountain Victory Trail Association in helping preserve and share the history of our Nation with generations to come. We are grateful for all they do and salute their efforts.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of a milestone for women: to congratulate my Alpha Delta Pi sisters on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the founding of our sisterhood. Established as the Adelphean Society on May 15, 1851, at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia, Alpha Delta Pi is the oldest secret society for college women, founded at the first college chartered to grant degrees to women. The sorority encourages its members to ``Be the First'' and counts among its members the first female attorney to practice law in Missouri, the first woman to pass the Georgia bar, the first female president pro tempore in any State's senate, the first woman to lead the Marine Corps band, the first woman elected to executive office in Colorado, the first female inspector general for the 82nd Airborne Division, the first woman to join the United States Navy Blue Angels, the first female Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, and countless other firsts in the fields of medicine, education, science and technology, athletics, business, journalism, and the arts. Founder Eugenia Tucker Fitzgerald encouraged sisters to ``never forget the unselfish devotion to service that our motto expresses.'' For more than 45 years, the sorority has partnered with Ronald McDonald House. Chapters, alumnae associations, and individuals support their local Ronald McDonald House chapters through fundraising and volunteering, and collectively, Alpha Delta Pi has contributed more than $25 million and countless hours to the organization. Alpha Delta Pi recognizes that not all women participate in sororities as collegians. Therefore, the sorority encourages the proactive recruitment of alumnae initiates who exemplify the high ideals upon which the sisterhood is based. It was a great honor for me to be invited to be an alumnae initiate of Alpha Delta Pi 5 years ago and to count these trailblazing women among my sisters.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Officer Chase Sawyer of the City of King Police Department who retired on April 29, 2026, after six and a half years of service. In 2022, Officer Sawyer sustained injuries in the line of duty while conducting a traffic stop in the early hours of the morning. By the grace of God, and through the prayers of his colleagues, family, friends, neighbors, and community, he survived and has made positive strides in his recovery. Mr. Speaker, every day, the men and women of law enforcement put their lives on the line to defend their communities, confront criminality, and protect broader civil society. We are all immensely blessed that they keep watch over us in all hours of the day and night. We are eternally grateful for Sawyer's service and sacrifice. May God bless him as he enters retirement.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and doing such a great job in handling this rule and being on the Rules Committee. Mr. Speaker, I also thank the staff of the Rules Committee for their great work under very difficult circumstances almost every day, but especially this week. Mr. Speaker, I am going to share with you and with all of our Republican colleagues an observation about the behavior of Democrats in the Rules Committee yesterday evening. Please listen carefully. Rules Committee Democrats put on a real master class in how to sell fake altruism. Really, it was quite the spectacle, maybe even worthy of an Academy Award. What a performance it was. Mr. Speaker, our Democratic colleagues offered a handful of amendments authored by Republicans and proclaimed that they were standing up for these Republicans and their ideas. They could have fooled me. What the Democrats were doing was weaponizing the ideas of our Republican colleagues for their own gain. Their goal the entire time was never altruistic. It was never about supporting Republican amendments or even fighting for them. Their goal was to waste our time. Democrats treat time like they treat the tax dollars of Americans: with disregard and utter contempt. Their words and actions are always steeped in a vat of hypocrisy. Look at today, and they know it, too. To those Members of our Conference who the Democrats used so callously last night and who are thinking about opposing the rule on the floor today, I simply say this: You are far better than falling for the fake altruism of those across the aisle who never supported you or the solutions you bring to the table--not once. Mr. Speaker, I support the rule and its five underlying measures, and I encourage all of my colleagues to do the same.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Vance Patterson, an exemplary North Carolinian and someone I consider myself very fortunate to call a friend. Vance describes himself as a ``serial entrepreneur,'' and when you come to learn of his story, that description matches him perfectly. He is someone who embodies the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit that is interwoven within the fabric of our Nation. It is what makes our Nation the greatest on the face of the Earth. In 1989, he founded the Patterson Fan Company that manufactured industrial fans for national and international markets. Soon thereafter, Vance went on to start two dozen other companies. He is a serial entrepreneur, indeed, Mr. Speaker. However, that is not all, Mr. Speaker. There is a lot more to Vance's story and work. For over 50 years, he has been married to his lovely wife, Mary Jo, and they are parents to four wonderful children and grandparents to over a dozen grandchildren. In 2011, Vance and Mary Jo traveled to Washington and visited the National Archives, where they witnessed the Charters of Freedom, the three original documents that are the cornerstone of our Republic. After seeing the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, Vance says that he experienced a deep emotional experience and had goose bumps. Many Americans travel to the National Archives every year to see the documents that are so ingrained in our heritage and our society. Unfortunately, in the past, not every American who wished to see our Nation's founding documents in person were able to. Vance remained so inspired after seeing the Charters of Freedom that he and Mary Jo decided to make this emotional experience one that should be available to students and citizens across the Nation. Like so many others, Vance felt inspired and a renewed sense of patriotism after seeing the Founding Fathers' names on the Bill of Rights. Unlike many others, Vance channeled that feeling of patriotism into tangible monuments. Upon returning home to North Carolina, Vance and Mary Jo established Foundation Forward, Inc. Foundation Forward, Inc., has a worthy goal of educating the public on the contents of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. This goal is accomplished by Vance's group, which builds monument displays that showcase the Charters of Freedom. These displays are often located near courthouses, in county squares, and are made accessible to all. In total, there are 73 completed settings across 17 States, with 25 more that are currently in the works. What a wonderful and worthy endeavor, indeed, Mr. Speaker. To top it all off, Vance is now on the cusp of completing a book about his life so that others can come to learn from his own vast experiences, the successes and the failures. It is one thing to go through life, become successful, and reap all the positives of what you have sown, but it means far more when you do exactly that and then share your story so that others may gain the perspective and wisdom that led you to where you are today. I believe that many who will come to read Vance's book will be inspired and moved within their own lives and with their own endeavors, whether it be personal, professional, or both. Recognizing Frances Laterman

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Frances Laterman and The Antisemitism Studies Laboratory at Baruch College in New York. Through generous contributions made by the Laterman Family Foundation and AddressHate, a not-for-profit organization that uses new technological methodologies to disrupt the spread of online hate, this wonderful laboratory was made possible. Frances Laterman, one of the original founders and current president and trustee of the foundation, is a wonderful human being. Aside from her entrepreneurial and artistic spirit, which are incredibly strong, she holds a solemn commitment to give back to her community through meaningful social impact. There is no doubt in my mind that the communities she has served and continues to serve have benefited greatly from her passion. The mission of The Antisemitism Studies Laboratory is to educate, create understanding, support research, and address the pressing challenges of anti-Semitism locally, nationally, and globally. With the abhorrent rise of anti-Semitism across the United States and the world, this laboratory, as well as its dedicated members and educators, are needed now more than ever. When I served as chair of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, I exposed to the world how anti-Semitism had infiltrated college campuses across our Nation, and I am still calling attention to it to this very day. I continue to meet with countless Jewish students who are concerned for their well-being, and the well-being of their friends, who are facing anti-Semitic harassment. I continue to meet with countless advocates who are calling attention to this issue and are dedicating their time and efforts to educating others about it, as well. This is certainly an issue of our time, Mr. Speaker. I thank Mrs. Laterman, her family, the members of the Foundation, and many others for their continued support of the Jewish community, and for helping accelerate an educational endeavor that will go on to make tremendous strides in combating anti-Semitism. May they all continue to be blessed. Mr. Speaker, I am very much looking forward to the positive progress that the Antisemitism Studies Laboratory will make in the coming months and years. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Georgia for yielding time, and I thank him for the yeoman's work that he does as a member of the Rules Committee, a member of the Agriculture Committee, and a member of the Intelligence Committee. He knows what he is talking about here tonight because of the work that he has done over the years, particularly on the Intelligence Committee. Mr. Speaker, I don't think anybody in this country can deny that we are living in a very dangerous world. We are dealing with terrorism and narcoterrorism constantly. I want to compliment all the segments of our Conference. Many people don't realize the range of ideas and talents that we have in the Republican Conference. It does sometimes take us a while to consider all the ideas that Members have, but we have some very strong people in our Conference whose reason for being here is to protect the American people. It takes a while sometimes for the Conference parts to come together to do what we are elected to do: use the agencies of the Federal Government to protect the American people. The people's House is doing its job tonight by reauthorizing FISA 702 with the excellent reforms that my colleague has outlined. This is not incompetence. It is responsible legislating, Mr. Speaker. FISA 702 expires on Monday night, April 20, at 12:01. We must pass a reauthorization of that so it can go to the Senate, be passed by the Senate, and signed by the President before it expires. We are doing our job, Mr. Speaker, as the people's House. I commend my colleague from Georgia for the work that he and all of my colleagues who came together have done to come up with a very good bill that we are going to pass later tonight. Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to vote for the rule and to vote for the underlying bill.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9:30 p.m. today.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, our colleague who says they want us to bring down the high cost of living is like the arsonist who sets the fire and then comes out to help put it out. Mr. Speaker, the Senate's funding proposal is not worth the paper it is printed on. Frankly, it would be better used as kindling in a fireplace. I said it in the Rules Committee, and I will say it again here on the floor: We will be darned if we go down the road of undercutting the progress that our Republican majorities and President Trump have made in securing the border: a record low of encounters of illegal aliens, a dramatic reduction in fentanyl trafficking, and a return to law and order that was robbed from the American people for 4 years under the previous administration. Those are the things that would be sacrificed if we passed the Senate's proposal that is nowhere near being up to scratch. The people's House will not bend itself into submission by acquiescing. Let me make one other point very clear, Mr. Speaker. Our Democrat colleagues love to dust off the same withered line that Republicans are the ones responsible for DHS being shut down because we control the House, the Senate, and the Presidency. If we had a dollar for every time they trotted out that line, DHS could be funded multiple times over. What Democrats never acknowledge is that the Senate operates under an entirely different set of procedural and vote thresholds than the House, but the American people aren't fooled. They are far smarter than the Democrats believe they are. As time goes on, Mr. Speaker, one thing becomes clearer and clearer: Democrats are the carnival barkers for narratives that the American people aren't interested in buying. But that is their prerogative. Republicans, meanwhile, are the ones who are governing and will continue to do so by passing this rule and the underlying continuing resolution. Our 8-week CR will afford us the time to deliberate, build consensus, and advance a solution that is far greater than the Senate's jerry- built proposal, all while ensuring the 100,000-plus DHS employees get paid. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the rule and the underlying measure, and I yield back.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I wasn't going to say anything during 1-minute speeches today, but I really get irritated when people stand up on this floor and tell half-truths to the American people. One of our colleagues just talked about the fact that wealthy people pay small percentages of their income on taxes, but what he didn't say is that they pay over 50 percent of all the taxes paid in this country and that working-class people don't pay nearly as much as they do. Mr. Speaker, don't buy the empty rhetoric of congressional Democrats. They ran on affordability in the Commonwealth of Virginia, but they just recently slapped on a regressive payroll tax that will squeeze billions of dollars out of workers' paychecks. Congressional Democrats are on record voting against tax relief for tipped workers, Social Security recipients, working moms, and the working class, when they voted against the Working Families Tax Cut Act. Don't listen to what they say. Watch what they do. They are lying in wait to vote for higher taxes on working families yet again if they have the opportunity, but what they don't understand is that the government doesn't have a tax flow problem. We have a spending problem.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1115 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, last night, the Rules Committee met and produced a rule, House Resolution 1115, providing for the House's consideration of H.R. 556, H.R. 1958, and H.R. 4638. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 556, the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act, under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources, or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit. The rule further provides for consideration of H.R. 1958, the Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026, and H.R. 4638, the Federal Working Animal Protection Act, both under closed rules. The rule provides each 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees and provides for one motion to recommit for each bill. Additionally, when considered under suspension of the rules, the rule provides additional debate time to 1 hour of general debate for H.J. Res. 139, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring a balanced budget for the Federal Government. Mr. Speaker, the three measures that underpin this rule all share a singular, defining characteristic: They are in alignment with the priorities and demands of the American people. What do the American people want, Mr. Speaker? I will tell you what they want. They want a restoration of law and order so that illegal aliens are deported, especially when they are convicted of having committed criminal acts. Republicans are answering that demand by putting forth H.R. 1958 and H.R. 4638. These two pieces of legislation zero in on criminal aliens who have defrauded the government and criminal aliens who commit violent acts against law enforcement working animals in the line of duty. Mr. Speaker, when I say that we back the blue, I am talking about the men and women of law enforcement and the trained animals that stand alongside them in the line of duty. Those who choose to oppose this legislation, I can guarantee, are members of the same party that has voted to keep the Department of Homeland Security shut down and has voted in the past to defund the police. You and I both know, Mr. Speaker, which party it is that I am referring to here. It is obvious. Americans want a Federal Government that respects consumer choice and the exercising of our freedoms, not a Federal Government that seeks to regulate every single aspect of our lives. That is why Republicans are putting forth H.R. 556, which would tear down regulations that have dictated how men and women across the Nation can hunt and fish on select pieces of land under the control of the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, respectively. These are two essential parts of life that Americans are incredibly fortunate to engage in and enjoy. I believe all should respect that, but the Federal Government, under Democratic control, has time and again viewed these activities as nothing more than a target to overregulate. Is anyone surprised by this? I don't believe so. Now, Mr. Speaker, I will guarantee that our colleagues across the aisle won't spend their time debating this slate of bills with us today. I would be pleasantly surprised if they actually chose to do that. Instead, they will do the same thing they always do: stomp their feet, huff and puff, and yell about unrelated things until they are blue in the face. It is like muscle memory for them at this point. Meanwhile, Republicans will be focused on the task at hand, like they always are. They stand ready to deliver, and they intend to do so, yet again, with these three pieces of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Massachusetts for his kind comments. I send them back to him and wish him a happy St. Patrick's Day. I appreciate him making my prediction in my opening remarks come true. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McDowell).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1\1/2\ minutes. Mr. Speaker, I am a huge animal rights lover too, and I have a dog I say that owns me. My colleague just talked about one example that worked out well, but we know lots and lots of examples where these things don't work out well, and that is why we need this legislation. It is because acts of cruelty toward animals who are working often fall between the cracks. My colleague also just said that no one will see any benefits from the Working Families Tax Cut, yet thanks to this important legislation, Americans could receive nearly a $4,000-tax refund this year. The average take-home pay boost is $10,900, and the average tax cut for middle-income Americans is 15 percent. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Taylor).

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I will point out to my colleague that, yes, gas jumped in the last month, but it is still a lot less expensive than it was under President Biden. Thankfully, under President Trump, gas prices were cut almost in half. The number one role of the Federal Government, Madam Speaker, as we all know on our side of the aisle, is defense of this Nation. Madam Speaker, the need for legislation like H.R. 1958 is not hypothetical. Fraud is a serious crime, and it is essential we ensure foreign national fraudsters cannot continue to exploit the American taxpayers. While my colleagues will argue that there is no fraud currently, here are just a few recent examples: ``A 3-year-old girl's Social Security number had been used for `two credit cards and two auto loans, with an outstanding balance of more than $25,000.'' The second example is: ``Fraud by illegal immigrants destroying children's lives.'' These are quotes, Madam Speaker. Including the life of: ``A 9- year-old boy who was denied Medicaid because wages were reported on his Social Security number. A 13-year-old girl who was denied as a dependent on her family's tax return because she supposedly made too much money.'' These are because illegal aliens are stealing Social Security numbers and using them. In 2019, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Mississippi announced the prosecution of 119 illegal aliens for crimes, including ``misusing Social Security numbers of American citizens.'' I have the sources for all of these, Madam Speaker. In June 2020, the Justice Department announced that an illegal alien from Guatemala was sentenced to 3 months' imprisonment for ``[using] another person's Social Security number to get a job and for tax purposes.'' In October 2023, an illegal alien who was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol near Hidalgo, Texas, in September 2022 and then released by the Biden administration, pleaded guilty to illegal use of a Social Security number. In November 2025, The New York Times highlighted the case of Daniel Kluver, a Minnesota man whose identity was stolen by a Guatemalan illegal alien with a criminal history and multiple deportations. Because of the identity theft, Kluver lost thousands of dollars through garnished wages and increased taxes. He spent years unsuccessfully trying to untangle the mystery of his stolen identity. The stories go on and on, Madam Speaker, so there is a real reason for this legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First, let me say, we know what the role of the Federal Government is. It is outlined in the Constitution of the United States. Many of the things that my colleague wants us to be involved in--and we have been involved in--are the things that have caused us to have a $38 trillion debt at the Federal level, and so doing everything that we can to reduce fraud is really very important. Let me say, if we have people who are here legally, as Americans have done for Americans, we will do for them. But those who come here illegally--and the term is illegal alien--then we do not have any truck with them. We want them to obey the law, just like we want everybody else to obey the law. If they commit fraud, then we want them gone, out of this country. They shouldn't be here to begin with because they come in illegally. If we want to address the high cost of living in this country, we must confront fraud. We must confront fraud. Democrats should be joining us, not opposing the commonsense effort. Let's talk about the rhetoric from our colleagues on our record of fiscal soundness this Congress and the Democrats' record of spending addiction. We just finished the FY26 appropriations package--of course, minus the funding for Homeland Security. We saved nearly $14 billion compared to last year's appropriated levels. Let's not forget that comes on the heels of cutting $9 billion of waste and fraud through a rescissions package just months earlier, and that came on the heels of cutting $1.4 trillion of waste, fraud, and abuse through Republicans' reconciliation effort. Democrats are lying in wait to vote for higher taxes on working families yet again if they have the opportunity. What they don't understand is that the government doesn't have a tax flow problem. We have a fundamental spending problem in Washington. Again, that spending is not on what the Federal Government should be spending it on, which is the defense of this Nation, but is on spending on things that are not outlined in the Constitution for us to be doing. When Democrats had full control of the levers of power and passed their reconciliation packages, they expanded the Federal Government with an unprecedented $11 trillion in spending. Yes, Madam Speaker, I said $11 trillion in additional spending, $6 trillion of which has been added to the national debt. There is simply no comparison between what Republicans have accomplished this Congress and the Democrats' spending addiction. We have lowered the deficit. We have cut trillions in waste. We have secured tax relief for working families. Democrats opposed us on every front. Guess what. Our deficit is finally being addressed. The Federal Government's cumulative deficit for fiscal year 2026 at the end of November was 19 percent lower than the year prior under Biden. Be it by reconciliation, rescission, or through the regular-order annual appropriations process, this Congress is cutting spending, driving down inflation, and returning money to taxpayers. Madam Speaker, that is really the fundamental difference between Democrats and Republicans. We believe that the public should hold on to as much of its money as possible, not turn that money over to bureaucrats to spend. Don't buy the empty rhetoric of congressional Democrats. They ran on affordability in the Commonwealth of Virginia, but just recently, they slapped on a regressive payroll tax that will squeeze billions out of workers' paychecks. Congressional Democrats are on record voting against tax relief for tipped workers, Social Security recipients, working moms, and the working class when they voted against the Working Families Tax Cut Act. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.