Maxwell Frost

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, if the esteemed chair from Wisconsin would indulge me, he brought up a set of laws in Georgia, which I thought was very interesting, talking about what we need to do. However, I would yield 30 seconds to the chair if he could let me know who voted for those laws that were enacted in Georgia.

Mr. FROST. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. FROST. Reclaiming my time. I am curious what body wrote the legislation, voted on the legislation, and sent it to the Governor's desk?

Mr. FROST. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. FROST. Reclaiming my time. The reason I ask the gentleman is he brings up a law in Georgia that was written by the elected representatives of the legislature voted into office by the people of Georgia. My Republican colleagues would have us believe that today a lot of Democrats are going to vote for a bill to give noncitizens the ability to vote in D.C. That is not what we are voting on. We are not voting on a bill to do something. We are voting on a bill to allow something to stay in place which was voted into action by the elected representatives of the local government of D.C. That is what we are doing here today. We are not voting to give noncitizens the ability to vote. We are just saying: Let D.C. make their own local laws just like they did in Georgia, just like the esteemed chair brought up earlier. The other thing I want to mention that was brought up has to do with the length of residency to vote. D.C.'s length of residency requirement is not a unique thing. To vote in D.C., yes, a person has to be a resident for at least 30 days before an election, but to vote in Kentucky, for example, a person has to be a resident for at least 28 days. I haven't heard our esteemed chair of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform complain about the laws in Kentucky. In fact, under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, States cannot set a voter registration deadline for Federal elections more than 30 days before an election. In closing, Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned here today, no matter what my Republican colleagues say, they want to frame this as the Democrats voting to do something here today. We are not voting to let noncitizens vote in D.C. today. What we are voting to do is allow D.C. to make their own decisions. That is something my Republican colleagues used to talk a lot about, home rule, the ability for localities and people to elect their representatives to a body and those representatives to do something. If my friend has a problem with local D.C. laws, then pick up a damn clipboard, go knock on doors, and try to change it in D.C. To do it from this institution, I think is shameful. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, this is a moment I am never going to forget because, tonight, hundreds of Republican Members of Congress are wanting to line up to vote for the biggest transfer of wealth from the working poor and the working class to billionaires and megacorporations that we have seen in this country's history. This is a deep moment of betrayal, a complete absence of loyalty to the people that we represent, and an abandonment of the values of hard work and a dignified life. Mr. Speaker, I am 28 years old. My generation already expects that we will never be able to afford a home, to get out of debt, to retire, or to live comfortably. No, it is not because we have lived beyond our means, but it is because we have been denied the means to live. Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are making it worse by gutting Medicaid and food assistance to give tax cuts to billionaires and special interests. Mr. Speaker, out of all of the things that you could give tax breaks for, this bill will cut taxes on silencers for guns. For those who don't know, gun silencers can be attached to a gun to muffle the sound of a gunshot. In mass shootings, these silencers make it harder to identify and respond to the source of the gunshots. Earlier, I put forth an amendment to strip this tax cut for the gun lobby, and House Republicans wouldn't even let it come up for a vote. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans then made the bill worse in their manager's amendment by making silencers completely unregulated. In 2023 alone, the ATF recovered over 400 silencers from violent crime scenes. For this reason, silencers have been highly regulated for nearly 100 years. In May of 2019, the Virginia Beach shooter attached a silencer to his .45-caliber handgun that he used to kill 12 people on three floors of a city building. Survivors of the attack said that they weren't even aware that a mass shooting was going on due to the silencer. My question is: Why did this get added to the bill just a couple of hours ago? Which congressional Republican just couldn't stand to vote for the horrible bill until it promised even more death to people? Mr. Speaker, I will yield to hear a name. Point of Order

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I reclaim my time. Mr. Speaker, I will yield just to hear the name of the Republican that couldn't vote for this bill.

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I am just curious which Republican couldn't vote for the bill until we completely deregulated silencers. My generation isn't just defined by a bleak financial future. We are also defined as the mass shooting generation. We have done more active- shooter drills than fire drills. We have grown up watching classes of our students die a brutal death, helpless inside classrooms, on our blocks, and in our churches again and again and again. Mr. Speaker, I say to America, we have to be very clear and truthful about this budget. Laws for gun manufacturers to make more money off the deaths of children and our people? Yes. Food for children to eat? No. Healthcare for seniors, disabled Americans, and millions more? No. Resources to help working families fight to make ends meet? No. This is why they have been told to not host any townhalls back in their districts. That is why this debate is happening in the middle of the night. It is nothing short of theft. Congressional Republicans are really helping me understand why half of this country doesn't vote. It is because they will look people in the eyes and make promises only to come here in the middle of the night to advance a bill that will take away the benefits that they have earned. Republicans would have us believe that the person most likely to steal from you is a Black person in a hoodie or an immigrant with tattoos.

Mr. FROST. This is to distract from the fact that, at least here tonight, the people stealing from Americans are not folks with tattoos and hoodies. It is people wearing suits, ties, and congressional pins, sitting in this Capitol right now, not in some random alley wrapped in darkness, but in the United States Congress wrapped in the flag. It is disgusting, and we will never forget this.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I think it is really interesting that one of my colleagues from Florida just brought up a terrible mass shooting that happened at Florida State University, which is horrible. Part of the reason I ran for Congress is to end gun violence. When he brought up the shooting, I thought it was interesting because he left out one of the most important parts. He brought up that he never wants to see one of these shootings happen again, but he left out how the shooter got his gun. The shooter got his gun from his stepmother, and it was a retired service weapon that was not kept in a safe way. He stole the gun, the retired service weapon, from his stepmother, and then he went to Florida State University and murdered two people and wounded six others. Mr. Speaker, I bet you that that same gentleman who talked about that shooting is going to vote ``yes'' later on H.R. 2255 which I deeply oppose. Just 1 month later, after this former service weapon was used to carry out a mass shooting and kill people at Florida State University, Republicans here in Congress are pushing the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act, which would flood the gun market with even more former service weapons without any additional precautions, zero safe storage and zero background checks. In every State, a police officer would be able to purchase an older gun from their department at a discounted price. House Republicans would not even consider my amendment to encourage caution by letting people hold law enforcement agencies accountable with what is done with the weapon. The United States already has the highest number of mass shootings in the world, and gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in this country. So I am glad that one of my Republican colleagues from Florida wants to make sure that the shootings don't happen again. Let's start by ensuring that we block this bill, H.R. 2255, so that way police officers don't even have to respond to a mass shooting in the first place. I am done with talking about how we are going to handle these things after they happen. Let's talk about how we are going to prevent these shootings from happening in the first place.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Florida's 10th Congressional District, I want to recognize the exceptional Hispanic leaders of Florida's 10th congressional district who have shown outstanding dedication to the Hispanic community. These individuals have worked tirelessly to uplift and empower our communities, contributing to the preservation and advancement of Hispanic culture, values, and traditions. Their commitment to service and advocacy has had a profound impact on our community and beyond, their names are: Yesica Ramirez General Coordinator, The Farmworker Association of Florida Tatiana Quiroga Executive Director, Come Out With Pride, Inc. Stephanie Loraine Pineiro, MSW Executive Director, Florida Access Network Sonia Ledger Former Local Group Lead, Moms Demand Action Nancy Rosado, MSW Community Advocate, UCF RESTORES and Alianza Center Melissa Marantes, Esq. Executive Director, Attorney, Orlando Center for Justice Karla Radka President and CEO, Senior Resource Alliance Cyndia Morales Muniz, Ed.D. Senior Director, Hispanic Serving Institution Initiatives, University of Central Florida Andrea Guzman, Ed.D. Vice President for Access and Community Engagement, University of Central Florida Laudi Campo Florida State Director, Hispanic Federation William J. Diaz Founder, Casa de Venezuela Orlando & Made in Venezuela Business Club Marco Antonio Quiroga Founder and Executive Director, Contigo Fund Juan Pablo Santa Luna Director of Strategic Business Development, Mills Gallery Arts and Multicultural Foundation Juan Marcos Vilar President and CEO, Alianza Center Fernando I. Rivera. Ph.D. Professor of Sociology and Director, Puerto Rico Research Hub, University of Central Florida Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet Executive Director, Hope Community Center Eric Camarillo President & Founder, SALT Outreach Inc. Rev. Dr. David Maldonado Bishop of Christ International Church and Co-Founder for Hablamos Espanol Chief Charlie Salazar Fire Chief, Orlando Fire Department Rev. Dr. Jose Rodriguez Rector, The Episcopal Churches of Christ the King and Jesus de Nazareth

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, Black History is American History. The annual observance of Black History Month is more than a chronological account of our past, it is that of our present and our future. It's about the joy, the culture, the resistance, the fight, and how far Black Americans have come in this country. Celebrating our Black communities and Black history is so important, especially now, in times like this where values of diversity, equity and inclusion are under attack. But despite that we move forward in the steps of our ancestors and in the steps of joy and resistance. That is why it is my honor to recognize the 2025 Black Luminaries of Florida's 10th Congressional District who have transformed lives and inspired generations, these luminaries are: Dr. Laine Powell--Founder and Executive Director of Tech Sassy Girlz. Ms. Eloise Abraham--Executive Director of Guardian Care Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Lashea C. Reaves--Executive Director of 8 cent in a Jar. Inez Long (posthumously)--Long-time President and CEO of the Black Business Investment Fund (BBIF) Florida, and co- founder of the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs. Dr. Jeffrey Redding--2019 winner of the prestigious Grammy award, The Music Educator Award and a UCF Director of Choral Activities. Mr. Omari Jones--Boxing Bronze medalist from the 2024 Olympics. Alvin Cowans--President/CEO at McCoy Federal Credit Union. Gene Martin--Founder & Executive Director--Route 7. Retired Elder/Reverend Henry L. Postell, II.--Owner of Postell Mortuary.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor this year's Orlando Sentinel's Central Floridians of the Year, JJ Holmes and his mother, Alison Holmes. Together, they are a force, not just in central Florida but across the entire State and country. JJ has a severe disability, but he hasn't allowed that to stop him from speaking out and advocating tirelessly for our disability community. His mother, Alison, shows up every day to care for JJ and to stand up for families across the country just like theirs. Their advocacy and their continued work started 10 years ago when JJ was just 12 years old and was removed from a Trump rally in 2016, after protesting the President's mockery of a reporter with a disability. For over a decade, they have continued to speak out at the local, State, and Federal levels, advocating for expanding Medicaid, closing coverage gaps, quality healthcare, and affordable healthcare for everyone. The way that they lead with love and courage should stand as a testament to their strength and the amazing work they do. Central Florida is stronger because of both of them. I congratulate both JJ and Alison on this honor. I thank them for never giving up on the fight to build a more inclusive world for everybody, no matter who you are. I am so proud to be in this work with them.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the extraordinary service and sacrifice of Army Major General John C. Raaen, Jr., who dedicated his life to serving our great Nation. At 22 years old, he was captain of the Army's 5th Ranger Battalion during the Normandy invasion. General Raaen led his unit up the steep bluffs of Normandy Beach, helping liberate prisoners from Nazi concentration camps and marking the beginning of the Allied victory in World War II. His bravery and that of his fellow soldiers on D-day remain a powerful symbol of courage, unity, and the ongoing fight for a more just and peaceful world. For his heroism, he was awarded the Silver Star and went on to serve in Korea and Vietnam, rising to the rank of major general before retiring after 36 years of service. It is an honor to represent such a remarkable hero in Congress. Mr. Speaker, in 2022, Congress passed a bill to honor the brave Army Rangers of World War II with the Congressional Gold Medal, but at 103 years old, General Raaen has yet to receive this award. I urge the Speaker and my colleagues to take swift action to ensure he receives the recognition he deserves.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I think it is interesting that anytime my colleagues want to defend horrible moves by the Trump administration, whether they are trying to cut Medicare or cut Medicaid, they keep saying the people have spoken, without realizing that the people are speaking. That is why they continue to cancel their townhalls. They don't want to hear what the people are saying right now. Costs are at an all-time high. I came down here to tell people that if you are struggling to afford food, can't pay rent, or the medical bills are stacking up, this bill will make your life worse. Why? To give tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations. This bill sets up major cuts to Medicaid, which 60,000 children in my district rely on for healthcare. It steals from veterans, ripping away benefits. It steals from working people and families. It gives even more unchecked power to president Elon Musk and DOGE. Recently, Musk said that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. Every vote in favor of this bill endorses those words. If my colleagues on the other side vote for this, go to your constituents and be loud and proud. Tell them that the program that they have paid into and worked on their entire life so they can retire with dignity is a Ponzi scheme. Republicans have been told by their leadership to stop doing townhalls. Why? The people are pissed off. They are scared. Many have been sold this BS lie that if we just give all the power to billionaires like Elon Musk, we will all be okay. I have breaking news: The billionaires have always had immense power in this country, and it hasn't worked out for us. I am opposing today's rule so we can stop the House from voting on the Republican Party spending bill that works to cut Medicaid and Medicare, Social Security, veterans benefits, and school lunches, all in favor of the ultrarich. I know what it is like to not be able to pay for housing, to go into debt to just survive. We are not in this because people have lived beyond their means but because we have been denied the means to live. Vote ``no'' on this rule.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, what we are seeing right now is nothing short of a great betrayal. Donald Trump, president Elon Musk, and every single Republican in this Chamber who voted to advance the Republican budget resolution last night have been looking their constituents in the face and lying. They want to make cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP. These are programs that millions of Americans rely on to survive. They want to tear apart the safety net that millions of seniors, veterans, disabled folks, working people, and over 38 million children rely on. They are willing to leave you and your families to suffer. After they voted for the bill, they clapped about it. Why? It is because, in a few months, they want to pass massive tax cuts for billionaires and mega-corporations, and they want your children and your grandparents to pay for it. This isn't just about politics. It is an attack on everybody who has to clock in and out every day for work. Yesterday, House Republicans wanted to forcibly remove me from a committee for calling out this administration's grift, but they don't have a single damned thing to say when it comes to protecting healthcare for children and seniors.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise with a heavy heart to honor the loss of a giant, Florida State Senator Geraldine Thompson. She was a trailblazer, historian, and fierce advocate who worked every day to uplift Floridians, ensuring that nobody was left behind. For nearly 20 years in the Florida Legislature, she broke barriers and created opportunities, especially for Black communities and those often overlooked. Senator Thompson was unapologetic, courageous, and a force for good like no other. She paved the way for people like me to be in a job like this. She believed in the promise of this country and fought to make it a reality for everybody. Senator Thompson's contributions to Florida and really to this country will never be forgotten, and her spirit will live on in the work she championed and in all of us who she inspired. May she rest in power. Thank you so much, Senator Thompson.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of a great man, who just so happened to be my high school Principal, Mr. Mytron Lisby. As a kid, I was a bit of a troublemaker. One day I played a prank at school that landed me in Mr. Lisby's office. Honestly, I should've been expelled that day. But he told me: ``Maxwell, I'm not expelling you. I think you can be great and I see something in you.'' He believed in me. And he gave me a second chance, and honestly I think that the second chance is one of the reasons I'm here today. He came to know Jesus Christ as his savior at a young age and served Him faithfully. He served as a teacher and administrator for 43 years. And so on behalf of the thousands of students--tens of thousands of students--across this Nation you've inspired, I thank Mr. Lisby. I have to think that at the gates of Heaven, God greeted him with that administrator's school radio, Cause maybe even heaven, sometimes needs help keeping things on track, just like a great Principal does. May Mr. Lisby rest in peace.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of a great man who just so happened to be my high school principal, Mr. Mytron Lisby. As a kid, I was a bit of a troublemaker. One day I played a prank at school that landed me in Mr. Lisby's office. Honestly, I should have been expelled that day, but he told me: Maxwell, I am not expelling you. I think you can be great, and I see something in you. He believed in me, and he gave me a second chance. Honestly, I think that second chance is one of the reasons I am here today. He came to know Jesus Christ as his Savior at a young age and served him faithfully. He served as a teacher and an administrator for 43 years. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the tens of thousands of students across this Nation he has inspired, I thank Mr. Lisby. I have to think that at the gates of Heaven, God is going to greet him with that administrator school radio because maybe even Heaven sometimes needs help keeping things on track just like a great principal does. May Mr. Lisby rest in peace.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise for every American whose life has been made better because of the work of Federal civil servants. President Donald Trump and his power-crazed posse of billionaire bosses are firing our Federal workers. Our quality of life is degraded and diminished because of that. They are moving to install their unqualified followers to do the dirty work of a hostile takeover of every facet of our lives, like Medicaid, the National Weather Service, and the Department of Education. Their deferred resignation plan is a scam. Firefighters, nurses, TSA agents, park rangers, and foreign aid workers are refusing to go quietly in the face of an authoritarian. I commend them. America is indeed at a fork in the road. Do we want a qualified, respected workforce serving us, or do we want an army of clueless yes- men working to serve the selfish? I know what I want, what the American people want, and what the American people deserve. It is a government that works for them. I thank our Federal workforce and our civil servants.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I oppose this bill for many reasons, but I really want to get to the heart of the problem for me. On day one, President Trump started his project to deport thousands of our neighbors, even legal immigrants, asylum seekers, and people who were born here in the United States. The Laken Riley Act is another piece of that tragic project. Laken Riley's death is a tragedy. She should be alive today, and I am glad that that killer is facing accountability, as should anyone who harms an innocent person. However, we have to be really clear about the bill in front of us. This bill does not make our communities safer. It gives this extreme President the authority to do something that actually most Americans don't agree with. Changing our laws so that any immigrant is detained if they are accused, not convicted, of a crime undermines due process. This bill requires the government to detain people who pose no risk to our communities. It is a shameful bill that will result in the violent detention of innocent people and children. Many are going to regret enabling Trump's brutal agenda, and the question is when. When abusive boyfriends trap women in violent relationships by threatening to falsely accuse them of a crime, will you think back to this day? When ICE raids kids' classrooms or goes into the Sunday school service to lock up some classmates, will you feel shame then? When there are no more resources because we have been prioritizing looking at promising young DACA students and rounding them up for no reason, will you regret voting for this bill then? Our country has failed to ensure that every American has the resources they need to live a good life. It is because of the greedy and richest 1 percent of corporations and spineless politicians that you don't have healthcare, that you need multiple jobs, that your check isn't big enough for those bills, and that you can't afford to rent or to buy.

Mr. FROST. It is not the fault of our fellow Americans who might be undocumented. The solution here is not violence. On its face, this is an evil bill meant to empower a violent man who is not interested in solving the problems of working people but interested in power. It seems that any bill that gives him power he and his party will ruthlessly pursue, but not I. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on this bill.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, last year, I was so proud to be one of the people to help lead an effort to create the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Since its establishment in 2023, this office has helped reduce gun violence by 20 percent and delivered the lowest violent crime rate in over 50 years. The office wasn't about politics. It was about saving lives and even had bipartisan support from Members in this Chamber. On day two of the Trump administration, something happened. That progress was recklessly dismantled by President Donald Trump. Just today, one day after the office was shut down, students were shot at a high school in Nashville, and one was killed. While lives are stolen daily by gun violence, this administration is busy signing executive orders that have nothing to do with helping working families and keeping our communities safe. After every mass shooting, the cries of grieving families begged us to do something over the last 4 years, and we did, by making this office. Here we are again, though, forced to abandon the efforts that have saved lives. Leaders on both sides of the aisle need to come together to pass commonsense gun reform, and we can't stop fighting until we have another Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, never did I think that my first debate of this new Congress would be debating a Republican bill that empowers pedophiles and predators. Republicans say it is about protecting women, but that is a damned lie. This bill puts all girls, all children, at risk in our school systems and across this entire country. We have a bill like this in my State of Florida, and I will tell this quick story of a high school student, who was student government president of her entire school. Now she is forced to take classes online after authorities published a 500-page report where they forced her classmates to share whether or not they have seen her naked in the locker room and seen her genitalia. Strangers, adult men, could ask girls as young as 4 years old personal questions about their body. My question is, Republicans say it is about protecting girls, for people listening at home: Is it protecting girls to empower strangers to question your daughter about what is in their pants? No. It is disgusting. Is it protecting girls to empower adult men to ask your daughter to inspect what is in her pants while you are not around? No. That is pedophilia. It is predatory behavior. The hate on the other side of the aisle for trans Americans is so much so that they are willing to put all of our children, all of our daughters, at risk of a serious problem in this country. Mr. Speaker, to protect our kids, we have to vote ``no'' on the Republican child predator empowerment act.