Shomari Figures

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I too rise in support of S. 216, the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act. Mr. Speaker, before I express support for that, I will associate myself with the comments of my colleagues for the previous resolution, condemning the violence against members of the National Guard from West Virginia and condemning that horrific act that took the life of Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and has left Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe gravely injured. Mr. Speaker, as it relates to the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act, this bill will improve the administration of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine Debris Program and the Marine Debris Foundation so that it can respond more effectively to the growing threats facing our coastal regions, of which I represent one in Mobile, Alabama. Each year, more than 11 million tons of plastic debris enters the oceans, endangering the livelihood of communities, small businesses, fishermen, and our food chain that rely on healthy waterways. Along Alabama's coastal communities, we understand how critically important reliable waterways are. This legislation takes practical steps to support the Federal programs responsible for removing debris and protecting the safety and resilience of our coastal communities. The bill improves NOAA's Marine Debris Program by giving the agency clear authority to use new and existing tools to address pollution more effectively and allowing NOAA to work faster and in closer partnership with State and local governments, as well as Tribal nations, nonprofits, and regional organizations. The bill requires the Marine Debris Foundation to develop and implement best practices for engaging with Tribal Governments to ensure that they are included in the programs and funding designed to protect the water resources. Finally, this legislation extends vital funding for marine debris removal efforts through 2029. It keeps programs running, supports long- term planning, and gives communities confidence that Federal partners are committed to protecting our waters and natural resources. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support my colleagues who have worked on this important bipartisan legislation both here in the House, as well as the Senate. I look forward to seeing it passed into law, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, in closing, passing this bill is an important step that we can take right now to help address the health and resilience of coastal communities like those that I represent. I support S. 216, the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise in support of H.R. 4183, the Federal Maritime Commission Reauthorization Act of 2025, as amended. This bill updates and strengthens the authorities of the Federal Maritime Commission, or FMC, an agency that plays a critical role in ensuring an efficient, competitive, and economical maritime shipping system. As my colleague from South Dakota indicated, it ensures that we have the resources necessary to level the playing field. The past several years have shown how essential it is to safeguard our shipping. Disruptions in global shipping, port congestion, and fluctuating freight rates have created serious challenges for American businesses and consumers alike. This legislation authorizes funding for the Federal Maritime Commission for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, ensuring that the agency has the consistent resources it needs over the next several years to continue its core oversight and enforcement work. The bill strengthens the FMC's ability to address anticompetitive behavior, which is vitally necessary throughout the shipping industry. It will also authorize the FMC to investigate complaints against shipping exchanges concerning market manipulation and other anticompetitive practices. The bill creates a National Port Advisory Committee and a National Ocean Carrier Advisory Committee which will provide critical informed insight to ensure a more fair and efficient international ocean freight system. I support this legislation, and I thank my colleague from South Dakota, Congressman Johnson, as well as the Democratic cosponsors of this bill. Mr. Speaker, this is an important piece of legislation that will strengthen our Federal Maritime Commission and ensure that we have a competitive, effective, and efficient maritime transportation system. I support H.R. 4183, as introduced by my colleague from South Dakota, as amended, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3962, as amended, the Enhancing Science, Treatment, and Upkeep of America's Resilient and Important Estuarine Systems Act, more simply known as the ESTUARIES Act. I am proud to be the lead on this bipartisan bill. I thank the co- chairs of the Estuary Caucus, Ranking Member Rick Larsen, as well as Representatives Bonamici, Haridopolos, and Mast, all of whom are original cosponsors of this bill. The National Estuary Program, or NEP, is an important resource for supporting locally led efforts to restore and protect the health of our coastal estuaries nationwide. This bill reauthorizes the NEP for 5 years and adds the Mississippi Sound to the list of estuaries for priority consideration. Reauthorization ensures continued Federal support for this critical program, which has protected vital habitats, improved water quality, and fostered regional resilience since its creation in 1987. Protecting and restoring Mobile Bay, which is in the heart of my district, is essential to Alabama's environment, flood protection, and seafaring economy as well. Mobile Bay is now home to the deepest port in the Gulf, so protecting its surrounding estuaries is critical not just to our local economy but to our regional and national economy as well. I will take a moment to recognize Roberta Swann, who has led the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program since 2009 and is calling it a career at the end of this year. Ranking Member Larsen and I had the privilege of meeting with her in Mobile this past August, and her dedication to building partnerships and advancing science-based solutions is a big reason the program has been so successful in Mobile. It could not be more fitting that, in the same year in which she celebrates 16 years of leadership and her retirement, that her Congressman has the honor of leading this reauthorization and advancing it through the House of Representatives here today. This year, the Association of National Estuary Programs' fall meeting was held in Mobile, which is my hometown, a powerful reminder of Mobile Bay's national significance and how this program brings people together to share solutions across the country. This program funds partnerships between the EPA, States, local governments, and community stakeholders. It is very successful in leveraging not just Federal dollars, but on average the local NEPs raise an additional $17 for every $1 in Federal funding, as my colleague Representative Johnson also noted. These non-Federal dollars come through in kind, local, State, and private sources, which are utilized by the local program leaders in accordance with their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans. The NEP allows the locals to lead and address the water quality issues because they know best. Projects carried out using NEP funds cover a wide range of possibilities but always keep the locals in the driver's seat. They may include protecting shoreline habitats, increasing the ecological integrity of estuaries, or building coastal resilience. Projects may also aim to improve water quality or encourage community access to coastal ecosystems. In other instances, funds may support estuaries in a broader scope, such as supporting adjacent land acquisitions or upgrading nearby wastewater or stormwater infrastructure. Regardless, these decisions are made locally and based on the specific NEP program and its unique location and specific needs. Currently, there are 28 active NEP initiatives nationwide. This includes all corners of the country, from the Puget Sound in Washington to Santa Monica Bay in California, my home in Mobile, Alabama, all the way up to Casco Bay in Maine. I will always champion efforts like the National Estuary Program, which protect and restore our critical natural resources while utilizing local knowledge and ensuring the efficient use of Federal funds. This is a program that is working. It is popular, and it deserves our support. I urge passage of the ESTUARIES Act, as amended, and ask all my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, to date, the National Estuary Program has restored more than 2\1/2\ million acres of coastal habitat nationwide. The 28 programs, soon to be 29 with the addition of the Mississippi Sound, and partnerships will work hard to address challenges we are all familiar with, like harmful algal blooms, coastal erosion, and runoff pollution. Keeping our estuaries healthy means keeping our coastal communities strong. Estuaries protect these communities from flooding, store clean water, support commercial fish habitats, and provide recreational opportunities. Let's keep working together to restore and protect these essential ecosystems. Reauthorizing the national estuary program will allow us to do just that. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3962, as amended, the ESTUARIES Act, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I rise with the Alabama delegation, including one of our U.S. Senators and many others here on the House floor, to pay respect to the end of an era. One of the most improbable, inspiring, and truly remarkable chapters in American history quietly closed during our most recent break. Lieutenant Colonel George Hardy, a veteran of Vietnam, Korea, and World War II, passed away. This is not a name most of us know in isolation, but we all know the story of the Black men who were trained as pilots on airfields in the backwoods of Macon County, Alabama, who would go on to become what the world knows today as the Tuskegee Airmen. Lieutenant Colonel George Hardy was the last surviving Tuskegee Airman who flew combat missions in World War II. He was born in Philadelphia at a time when the military was not integrated, but by the age of 19, he was flying combat missions over the skies of Europe, defending and liberating rights and freedoms abroad that we all know that he did not enjoy even back at home. Despite that, Lieutenant Colonel Hardy kept the mission first, front and center. With the other Tuskegee Airmen, they exceeded expectations, and they left behind a spectacular record of service and accomplishment. Though these men took off as the unlikeliest of American heroes, they landed as what is possibly the greatest, most well-known, most well-decorated fighting force in this Nation's history. As a young man now that has the privilege to represent Tuskegee, it is my honor, my obligation, and my duty to stand on this House floor and acknowledge the life and the legacy of Lieutenant Colonel George Hardy and the Tuskegee Airmen and all of those who have served this Nation. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my colleague from Alabama (Mr. Palmer).

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I, too, support H. Res. 782 to express condolences and support for the victims of the July 4 flooding in Texas and also to honor the acts of heroism and commit to stand with those impacted by the floods through the rebuilding. The floods that tore through the Texas Hill Country were devastating beyond words. There were 135 lives lost, and many, many lives changed forever in terms of having to endure it, some of whom we had the privilege of seeing here in this House last July. Three souls are actually still missing. Families have been shattered, communities submerged, and more than 200 homes damaged. Businesses and infrastructure were crippled. Before I go any further, I will take a moment to acknowledge a heartbreaking loss that my district felt with this that has touched the Mobile, Alabama, community deeply. We are grieving the tragic deaths of four members of the same family, the Santana family, a family of military veterans: Eddie, Sr., aged 69; Ileana, his wife, aged 66; Camille, their daughter-in-law, aged 38; and Mila Rose, just 5 years old. While visiting the Hill Country, they were caught in the floods on that tragic evening. Only one member of that family, Eddie Santana, Jr., survived. I ask that we continue to hold him in our hearts and include his entire family in our prayers as they now face a future with unimaginable sorrow. To all those grieving, I offer my most sincere condolences. The horror of this disaster is truly hard for any of us to comprehend. Yet, in the face of tragedy, we saw extraordinary courage. First responders across Texas, the U.S. Coast Guard, and volunteers from across the country sprang into action, risking their lives to save countless others. We are eternally grateful for their service and sacrifice. Though the water has receded in Kerr County, the work is far from over. We must rebuild homes, restore infrastructure, and revive local businesses. However, we must also analyze our Federal response and ensure we ask the necessary questions and make the necessary changes. We know now, in light of the tragedy, that the highly specialized search and rescue teams were delayed by over 3 days in getting there. Members also inquired recently about why some call center contracts had lapsed in the days leading up to and following the flood, leaving some survivors' calls unanswered. Subsequent reports have indicated that a policy at DHS is a contributing factor, a policy that required the Secretary to personally approve any expenditures over $100,000. This is something that we have to analyze, and we must make the necessary changes. Reports have also revealed that payments for vital disaster recovery projects beyond this one, in North Carolina, have been indefinitely delayed. This is not something we can tolerate in response to this tragedy. If we are going to rebuild the Hill Country with the urgency Texans deserve, the bottlenecks must be eliminated. Without this change, we cannot stand here and say that we are doing everything in our power to help Texas. I am encouraged by the bipartisan efforts on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. We recently passed the FEMA Act with a 57-3 vote. This legislation would dramatically overhaul FEMA and deliver swift resources to disaster survivors. I urge House leadership to bring this bill to the floor without delay. Before I close, I will take a moment to acknowledge that when it was brought to my knowledge that the family from Mobile, Alabama, was impacted by this flood, I, being a freshman Member of Congress, reached out to some of my Republican colleagues and asked for the number of Chip Roy. Chip Roy and I had never really had a conversation before that, but I texted him and I called him. Chip was understandably busy, and he responded back to a text message. I said: Chip, we have got a family of five missing from my hometown. Chip didn't ask questions. Chip just said: Send me their names and send me where they were. I did. Unfortunately, the results were what they were. However, I appreciate Chip's response. I do. I know the families impacted by this appreciate his diligence here as well. I will close saying I support H. Res. 782 and urge my colleagues to do the same. Let's honor the victims, support the survivors, and ensure our Nation responds better and faster in the future. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, again, I support House Resolution 728, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Again, I express my sincere appreciation to Congressman Chip Roy for helping out my district and the citizens of my district during this critical time. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge that September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month. It is a time to recognize the challenges faced by those living with this debilitating genetic disease. This disease is one that disproportionately affects Black people who make up 90 percent of those diagnosed with this terrible condition. One person is a young man that I had the opportunity to meet down in Mobile, Alabama, my hometown. He is a 5-year-old gentleman named Dakota Williams. He a student at Council Traditional School of which I am a proud alum myself. The only known cure for sickle cell is a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. It is risky, and it is often inaccessible, especially in certain communities. That is why urgent investment in research, treatment, and equitable care is critical. That is why we need to pass the Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Care Act, introduced by my Republican colleague out of Florida, Representative Neal Dunn. I am a proud cosponsor, and I thank him for his leadership on this issue. We need this so we can better understand and improve how we track and understand care for patients like Dakota and so we can better identify where resources and support are most needed. Mr. Speaker, this month and every month, we must stand with those living with sickle cell disease and fight for a future where they have hope and health.

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3427, as amended, a bill which I am co-leading with my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Taylor). I thank Congressman Taylor for his leadership on this issue and for recognizing the importance of this issue. This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to review the technical assistance programs created to help underserved, rural, and Tribal communities obtain critical investment for their water infrastructure needs. In March, the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment heard testimony from witnesses across the country on how these programs are critical to economically disadvantaged communities and rural communities. Without the seed money and discretion provided by EPA, many underserved, rural, and Tribal communities simply do not have the staff, the resources, or the capacity to even apply for Federal assistance when it is available. Unfortunately, in its fiscal year '26 budget request, the administration proposed to virtually eliminate funding for clean water- related infrastructure projects, but it also proposes to cut the Technical Assistance for Treatment Works Grant Program by over 60 percent. These cuts ignore the water infrastructure needs of our most vulnerable communities, which includes a large part of the communities that I have the privilege of serving in Alabama. Rural communities, Tribal, and economically distressed communities in every State need this sort of assistance. The message from the administration to these communities is: We will no longer help you meet your critical infrastructure needs. You are on your own. I don't think that should be the case. Mr. Speaker, many of the communities that I have the privilege to represent historically have been passed over for critical infrastructure investments, and they need these investments, communities like Prichard, Alabama, and Greenville, Alabama, who are struggling with clean water issues and infrastructure issues as we sit here today. The technical assistance provided by the EPA to be able to affordably meet their basic clean water and drinking water needs is something that they must have. This GAO study will help identify how EPA implements the technical assistance programs established in the Clean Water Act, as well as any essential services for economically distressed, rural, and Tribal communities that continue to go unmet through these programs. My hope is that these findings will, again, demonstrate how critical clean water infrastructure and technical assistance investments are to struggling American communities, especially to our rural communities. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3427, as amended. I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3426, the Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency Act of 2025, or CASE Act. I thank my colleague from, I almost want to say Louisiana because of his familial ties to the naming of Shreveport, but my across-the-hall neighbor in the Cannon Building, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Shreve), I thank him for his leadership and support on this issue. This bill develops space-sharing guidelines to prevent overbuilding of new Federal courthouses. As a former Department of Justice staffer and a former Federal law clerk myself, I have had the privilege to see many beautiful courthouses and courtrooms across this country, and so I have seen how empty and underutilized many of those spaces are. By implementing these standards into the design guide for Federal courthouses, the GSA will be able to reduce construction costs and ensure that existing spaces in courthouse complexes are being fully utilized. Over the last 45 years, the GAO has compiled a large body of work on Federal courthouse construction, much of it at the request of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. GAO has found that the judiciary has requested and received courthouses that are larger than the size authorized by Congress, more expensive to build, and more expensive to operate than Congress was aware of. The judiciary has tried, however, to meet the concerns of Congress over the last several years. Recently, the judicial conference revised its courtroom allocation planning assumptions. New courtroom construction projects are to be designed to facilitate courtroom sharing for senior district judges, magistrate judges, and bankruptcy judges. There is still some cause for concern. This legislation, by establishing sharing guidelines for active district court judges, will certainly help. I support this legislation because this is about making the American taxpayer dollar go further and making more sensible investments. I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3426, the CASE Act, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, this is one of those speeches that I wish we did not have to give and one of those moments in our history that I wish we did not have to acknowledge in the first place. By acknowledging it, we are reminded of its occurrence. This is one of the more tragic acts in American history: the bombing of four little girls, made worse by the fact that it happened in a place of worship, that it happened in a church, and that it happened in an African-American church. When you grow up Black in Alabama, this is one of the seminal events that you hear about in our State's history that you cannot ever forget. It is important to me that we sit here in this Chamber today to acknowledge this disastrous event and to remember the names of the little girls who were killed and one who was injured. As a son of Alabama and a Representative of the birthplace of the civil rights movement today, which is the city of Montgomery, I know the names of Carole Robertson, Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, and Cynthia Wesley. These are names that you have to know. They are names that all of America should know, and they are names that all of us should recognize and appreciate and honor here in this House. They are names that must be said. They are names that must be said repetitively. They are names that must be ingrained into the fabric of this Nation: Carole Robertson; Denise McNair; Addie Mae Collins; Cynthia Wesley; and Sarah Collins Rudolph, who took from that day not only the loss of her friends and family member but also injuries that she still carries with her to this day as she advocates for justice. Let us not forget that this was merely one example of tragic violence that was used as a means to suppress the greatest movement that this world and that this Nation has ever seen, which is the civil rights movement. Though these are names that we know and names that we speak of in one of the more noteworthy or notable or well-known events that happened, there were several others who were the victims of such violence, and we also cannot forget them as we sit here today and honor the four little girls in Birmingham. These are names, some of which you know and some of which you don't. These are names like Medgar Evers, who was assassinated in his fight for equal access to the ballot box; and Rev. James Reeb, who was a minister who was beaten to death while standing with the marchers in Selma. These are names like Viola Liuzzo. These are names like Jimmie Lee Jackson and Jonathan Daniels. These are people who put it all on the line and whose deaths are the reason that I am able to stand here today. Whenever we have the opportunity, we should always sit here in this Chamber and recognize these individuals. I cannot close without quoting the speech that Martin Luther King gave in his eulogy of these four little girls. Speaking at a time when racial tensions in the country were enormously, enormously high and never did anyone think that those tensions would result in such a cowardly act as a bomb being placed in a church and set to detonate on a Sunday morning as four little girls were down there getting ready for Sunday school, but he took to the pulpit and he gave these powerful words that I will quote, in part. He said: ``These children--unoffending, innocent, and beautiful--were the victims of one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetuated against humanity. ``And yet they died nobly. They are the martyred heroines of a holy crusade for freedom and human dignity. And so this afternoon in a real sense, they have something to say to each of us in their death. ``They say to each of us, Black and White alike, that we must substitute courage for caution. They say to us that we must be concerned not merely about who murdered them but about the system, the way of life, the philosophy which produced the murderers. Their death says to us that we must work passionately and unrelentingly for the realization of the American Dream. ``And so my friends, they did not die in vain. ``God still has a way of wringing good out of evil. And history has proven over and over again that unmerited suffering is redemptive. The innocent blood of these little girls may well serve as a redemptive force that will bring new light to this dark city.'' Those are the words of Martin Luther King as he eulogized these four little girls. I think a lot of what he references is still true to this day, that we have to, by all means, continue to be unrelenting in our pursuit of the realization of the American Dream for everyone. These four beautiful little girls, who unknowingly became one of the galvanizing symbols of the civil rights movement, these are names that we must know. These are names that we must continue to say: Carole Robertson, Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, and Cynthia Wesley. I obviously never had the opportunity to meet any of them. I have had the privilege to meet several of their family members throughout my life, but to them I owe an enormous debt of gratitude because without acts like this, as violent and as vicious and as terrible as it was, without moments like that, there would not have been a Civil Rights Act. There would not have been a Voting Rights Act. There would not have been the progress in this Nation that we saw in terms of rights being secured for African Americans, and all people for that matter, the same rights which led to the possibility of myself and many others being able to stand here in Congress. This is about more than an anniversary of celebrating the lives of those that were killed in the explosion. This is about celebrating the galvanizing force for progress in this Nation. This is about celebrating the lives of people who are responsible for many of us being here. Whether you like it or not, the civil rights movement embodied everything that America should be, and it is because of these four little girls that I am able to stand here today. It is also worth noting about this tragic event, to add insult to the injury of four little girls being murdered in a church, justice was not served immediately. Justice was not served a year late or 5 years late or even 20 years late. It took nearly 40 years, nearly 40 years, for all of the perpetrators involved in this case to be brought to justice. Let's think about that. Mr. Speaker, 40 years after four little girls were killed in a church and the leaders at the time knew not only that it was the Klan that was responsible but they knew the individuals who were responsible, but for lack of courage, for lack of cooperation, for lack of willingness, that justice was delayed for nearly four decades, 39 years. It took the involvement of the Federal Government to finally make that happen. That story, both the viciousness of this crime, the delayed justice, that story is a story that is not uncommon, especially during acts of violence during the civil rights movement, but despite there being the delay in justice, what was not delayed was the impact that they had on the broader realm of justice and the broader realm of rights that we were able to secure. Though unfortunate and certainly unnecessary, certainly unwarranted, their deaths shine a bright light on the injustices that were happening across this Nation in how Black people were being treated in the South, especially in the State of Alabama, and we were able to get through this body and the Senate and across the President's desk the biggest and most beautiful piece of legislation that this Nation has ever seen, and that is the Civil Rights Act and that is the Voting Rights Act. As I close, I will again thank Carole Robertson, Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, and Sarah Collins Rudolph.

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Chair, during Roll Call Vote number 246 on H.R. 3838, I mistakenly recorded my vote as Aye when I should have voted No. Amendment No. 15 Offered by Ms. Mace

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Chair, during Roll Call Vote number 247 on H.R. 3838, I mistakenly recorded my vote as No when I should have voted Aye. Amendment No. 16 Offered by Ms. Mace

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2591, the Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025, a bill that would modernize the Federal Aviation Administration's outdated policies and remove barriers to lifesaving mental health care for the aviation workforce. As we continue to navigate the aftermath of traffic aviation accidents and harrowing near misses across this country, we must support the mental health of the dedicated women and men on the front lines of ensuring the traveling public reaches their final destination safely every day. For far too long, many aviation professionals suffer in silence. That silence is because of the fear that disclosing a mental health diagnosis or treatment could derail their careers, possibly ending it. Many of us in Congress have heard from our constituents about the FAA's difficult aeromedical process. We have spoken to overworked air traffic controllers about the consequence of mounting job pressures. We have seen qualified airline pilots grounded for months, in some cases even years, due to delays with FAA medical clearance reviews. With the 2024 FAA reauthorization as a blueprint, the Mental Health in Aviation Act will do several things. It will direct the FAA to annually review and update its mental health-related policies for pilots and air traffic controllers, in consultation with key stakeholders. It requires the agency to implement recommendations from the aviation workforce mental health task group established under the 2024 FAA reauthorization law. It will make significant, robust investments in the FAA's recruitment and training of aviation medical examiners, particularly those with mental health expertise. Finally, this legislation will establish a public information campaign to help destigmatize mental health in U.S. aviation, among other key reforms. The FAA's mental health protocols must evolve to foster an environment where the aviation workforce feels supported to seek the resources and care that they need, and the Mental Health in Aviation Act will do just that. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Casten, Stauber, and Mann for their leadership on this, as well as their staff for their hard work on this important issue. H.R. 2591 was unanimously approved in the T&I Committee in June, and it is endorsed by several key stakeholders, including U.S. airlines, air traffic controllers and pilot unions, the general aviation and business aviation industries, first responders, and many others. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join us to support H.R. 2591, and I urge the Senate to quickly take up this bill to help provide the resources our aviation workforce desperately needs and deserves. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Casten).

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I support the Mental Health in Aviation Act, and I recommend my colleagues do the same. It is an important piece of legislation that will work to better the lives and better the safety of our aerospace professionals. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support, too, of the Transitioning Retiring And New Service Members to Port Ocean Rail and Truck Jobs Act, as amended, which was introduced by my colleagues, Representatives Barrett, Scholten, Bost. This legislation requires the Secretary of Transportation to develop an action plan that identifies supply chain job needs at port, railroads, and trucking companies in consultation with the Secretaries of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Labor. Veterans are trained for hard and dedicated work. I understand why supply chain employees want to hire more veterans. One of the lightest lifts that we can do in this body is to ensure we are exhausting every possible resource we can to ensure that those who have signed up to risk their lives for this country can find employment when they leave the armed services. It will be helpful for veterans to know about additional job opportunities at ports, railroads, and trucking companies. Many of these jobs are solid, middle-class, family supporting, union jobs. They require an understanding of the safety-sensitive nature of the work that tends to be particularly well-suited to the training military veterans have received. Mr. Speaker, I support the TRANSPORT Act, as amended, to provide options for veterans during preseparation counseling, and I recommend my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support, also, of H.R. 3423, the Facility for Runway Operations and Safe Transportation Act, the FROST Act, a bill that would make it easier for U.S. airports to store certain critical safety equipment. I thank Representative Wied for introducing this bipartisan bill as well as his Democratic cosponsors, Representatives Scholten and Representative Gillen. Deicing an aircraft is a vital part to maintaining safe flight operations, particularly during takeoff. As ice and snow accumulate on an aircraft's surface, particularly its wings, it can make the aircraft much harder to control and fly. That is why operators are federally mandated to use deicing equipment when ice and snow accumulate to ensure that the plane can be operated safely. This equipment is so important that improper use has been cited by the National Transportation Safety Board, or failure to have it at all, as a cause of multiple aviation accidents, including a very famous one right here on the Potomac River, a flight that took off in 1982 from Ronald Reagan Airport. Moreover, with climate change contributing to more extreme weather across the country, deicing fluids and equipment have become even more of a necessity. The ability for airports to store this equipment on property is essential to safe and efficient flight operations. Unfortunately, as my colleague has mentioned, current law only allows airports to use their AIP funding, the Airport Improvement Program funding, toward aircraft deicing equipment and structures but not the storage facilities that house that equipment. It is almost comical, but this is a serious issue and something that we have to resolve. This is a commonsense piece of legislation that we have gotten together in a bipartisan way here to address. H.R. 3423 would address this oversight by clarifying that airports can use AIP funds on storage facilities for aircraft deicing equipment and fluids. Bolstering airports' ability to enhance aviation safety is a commonsense solution that we should all support. I thank Representative Wied, Representative Scholten, and Representative Gillen for sponsoring this important bipartisan bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3423, the FROST Act, and I urge my colleagues to do the same with this commonsense piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3424, the Shared Property Agency Collaboration and Engagement Act of 2025, the SPACE Act. This bill requires the Administrator of the GSA to develop new criteria to help expand the use of office space sharing for Federal agencies. By sharing amenities, space, and services, Federal agencies can use shared-space arrangements to make the most effective use of government-owned real estate. This bill is about efficiency. A pilot program conducted by GSA allowed six offices across the country to provide ready-to-use spaces conducive to cross-government collaboration while saving taxpayer dollars by reducing operational costs for Federal agencies. This legislation will allow GSA to expand on these efforts by establishing standards for shared office spaces and measuring the success of this initiative. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill to ensure that we are good stewards of taxpayer funding when it comes to Federal real estate, and I encourage all Members to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3424, the SPACE Act. I encourage my colleagues to do the same, and I yield back the balance of my time.