H. Griffith

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. 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

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 916 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and work of Bedford County icon Lucille Hoback Boggess, who passed away on November 19, 2025, at the age of 96. On June 8, 1929, Ms. Hoback Boggess was born into the Hoback family. The Bedford County family would eventually consist of 7 children. While Ms. Hoback Boggess was attending Bedford High School, some of the Hobacks were serving the United States Armed Forces during World War II. Unbeknownst to her, as Ms. Hoback Boggess was preparing to celebrate her 15th birthday in Bedford, Virginia, her brothers Bedford and Raymond were preparing for a heroic mission to break Fortress Europe and push back against Nazi tyranny. Two days before her birthday, Bedford and Raymond stormed Omaha Beach as part of Company A, 116th Regiment, 29th Division. They were at the point of the sphere of the Allied D-Day landings in Normandy. While Allied forces would prevail over their enemies, Bedford and Raymond would lose their lives that day on Omaha Beach. Her brothers were two of the 20 lives lost from Bedford, Virginia. The Bedford community suffered the most deaths per capita than any other American community on June 6, 1944. Today, these patriots are better remembered as the Bedford Boys. Ms. Hoback Boggess and their family would not learn of their brothers' deaths for weeks. While enduring this family hardship, Ms. Hoback Boggess sustained her educational progress. She graduated from Bedford High School and later attended Lynchburg's Phillips Business College. Following these experiences, Ms. Hoback Boggess pursued a lengthy career with the Bedford County Commissioner of Revenue's office. She developed great institutional knowledge from working for the Commissioner of Revenue, helping prepare state and federal tax returns and eventually running much of the daily office activities. Thanks to this work, Ms. Hoback Boggess believed she could serve the County in an enhanced role. And the people of Bedford County believed in her. In 1967, Bedford County residents elected Ms. Hoback Boggess as Commissioner of Revenue. She was the first-ever woman elected to countywide office in Bedford County. As a popular official, Ms. Hoback Boggess continued to earn the trust of Bedford County residents. Her leadership as Commissioner of Revenue continued for decades. In 1991, Bedford County entrusted Ms. Hoback Boggess with a new office. She was elected to the Board of Supervisors with a resounding 3-to-1 margin. Ms. Hoback Boggess once again made history, becoming the first female to serve the Bedford County Board of Supervisors, eventually becoming Chairman. A 1997 Roanoke Times article credits Ms. Hoback Boggess as Bedford County's most popular and skilled elected official with reputations as a compassionate listener, moderator and peacemaker. Ms. Hoback Boggess' service to Bedford County spanned over 60 years. While her public service alone would be worthy of commendation, one of her most cherished and celebrated roles was her help in remembering the sacrifices of her brothers. Ms. Hoback Boggess dedicated significant attention, time, and effort to engage, memorialize, and pay respects to those who served on D-Day, including her two brothers. Her help along with Bob Slaughter culminated in the founding and creation of the National D-Day Memorial, located in Bedford, Virginia. It was during this time that I had the honor of meeting Ms. Hoback Boggess when my friend Delegate Lacey Putney introduced me to her while she was lobbying Virginia's General Assembly to support state funding for the National D-Day Memorial. The National D-Day Memorial is a significant symbol for Virginia. It represents service, grit, honor, sacrifice and much more. Not only did Ms. Hoback Boggess cherish her brothers, but she dutifully tended to and cared for her family. Her loving marriage to Ralph Boggess lasted nearly 60 years, cut short by his death in 2007. Ms. Hoback Boggess is survived by her children: Carl (Lynn), Ann (Dwayne), John (Ryan), and David (Robin). She is also survived by grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, former tax customers, and fans around the world. Today, we celebrate the inspirational legacy of Ms. Lucille Hoback Boggess. Her remarkable tenure as an elected official and National D- Day Memorial advocate are to be commended. I join Bedford County and Virginia in mourning the loss of this beloved figure.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as Americans celebrate National Rural Health Day. According to the Virginia Department of Health, 88 percent of Virginia is rural, including much of Virginia's Ninth District. As a result, communities face numerous barriers in the rural areas to receive adequate access and opportunities for healthcare. Our rural healthcare providers do our country and our healthcare system a tremendous service, tending to the healthcare needs of rural communities. I am committed to working to improve rural healthcare access in my time here in Congress. Today, let all of us honor the profound contributions of these healthcare providers. I thank the doctors, nurses, advocates, and others who strive to make rural healthcare a possibility in America and to make America a truly healthy America in all regions.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the remarkable legacy of the Grundy High School wrestling program, a program which has proudly served as a cornerstone of Buchanan County athletics for decades. With most of the county's high schools set to consolidate into a single school next year, this year marks the final chapter for Grundy's historic wrestling program. Grundy's wrestling program leaves behind an extraordinary record, which includes 27 State championships and countless individual State titleholders, including nine winners for State titles just last season. Year after year, these impressive athletes have demonstrated remarkable discipline and determination that reflect the very essence of southwest Virginia. The wrestling program at Grundy High School has not only gotten the attention of regional athletics in southwest Virginia. Its renowned success has become a national phenomenon, receiving press and attention from all over the United States. In fact, Mr. Speaker, when I was first elected to Congress, an Ohio Congressman, Jim Jordan, who is a two-time wrestling NCAA champion, came over to me and asked if I now represented the great wrestling school from Virginia, Grundy High. Student athletes from all Buchanan County high schools have contributed to a legacy that will inspire future generations of student athletes, and I look forward to watching them build on to their proud tradition. Southwest Virginia, as a whole, congratulates Grundy High School on its historic wrestling achievements and extends a heartfelt thank you to the athletes, coaches, families, and extraordinary fans who made this legacy possible. They made it possible with their time, their dedication, and their donations. A special nod goes to the Grundy Wrestling Club, a 501(c)(3) charity, that happens to support wrestling in the area. Mr. Speaker, I hope that we recognize that as we come to the end of this chapter, it is not the end of the story for wrestling in the Grundy region and in Buchanan County but the beginning of a new one, rooted in the same values that carried Grundy High School to wrestling greatness. National Rural Health Day

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, the 9th Congressional District of Virginia and the entire Commonwealth of Virginia mourn the loss of Virginia Department of Corrections Officer Jeremy Hall. On Monday, November 17th, Officer Hall was working a morning shift at the North River Correctional Center in Independence, Virginia. Just before 8 am, an inmate at the facility attacked multiple officers, including Officer Hall. As a result of the inmate attack, Officer Hall suffered serious injuries and died. Our communities depend on the incredible sacrifices of corrections officers to keep our communities safe. These officers are trained to respond to, supervise and effectively tend to inmates under state custody. Accordingly, our corrections officers must be willing to put their own well-being on the line to handle stressful, challenging and even dangerous circumstances. We rely on figures like Officer Hall, who made the selfless choice to serve the Virginia Department of Corrections since April 2024. Officer Hall carried out his corrections work with professionalism, integrity and strength. But he is also remembered for showing up to every shift with a smile and with pride in his work. The attitude that Officer Hall carried to work can be attributed to his deep love for his family. Like so many of our corrections officers, Officer Hall received great support from his family and community. He is survived by his wife Dawn Marie Hall, of the home; daughter, Amaya Hall (Bland, Virginia), mother, Mary Susan Richardson (Wytheville, Virginia); father, Michael L. Hall (Debra) Elk Creek, Virginia; Mother-in-law, JoAnn Bollin (Dorchester, South Carolina); brother, Drew Hall (Wytheville, Virginia); maternal grandmother, Edna Ruth Burcham (Galax, Virginia); paternal grandmother, Ruth Hall (Elk Creek, Virginia); stepchildren, Felix and Sophi Johnson (Durham, North Carolina) beloved dogs, Chia and Willow; and several loved aunts, uncles and cousins also survive. Jeremy is proceeded in death by paternal grandfather, James Hall. Officer Hall was about to celebrate his 41st birthday at the time of his death. While our region grieves his loss, River North Correctional Center and the Virginia Department of Corrections remain resolute in providing protection, safety and care to our communities. They will continue to operate according to the very same mission that Officer Hall supported and they will remember his service and sacrifice.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and longtime service of a dedicated public official, Jack McCrady, Jr., who passed away on Thursday, October 2, 2025. Councilman McCrady called Damascus, Virginia, home for much of his life. His love for his community and its progress inspired him to seek elected office. Over the years, Mr. McCrady was a worthy representative of the Damascus community. His experience in local government continually won him praise and recognition from his fellow peers and the voters of Damascus. As a result of building trust and experience with the local community, Mr. McCrady served as Mayor of Damascus for 20 years. In addition, he served on the Washington County Board of Supervisors. Most recently, Damascus elected Mr. McCrady to the Damascus Town Council. Moreover, Mr. McCrady served on various boards during his life. One such body was the very first Appalachian Trail Days committee, which is responsible for organizing the very popular festival that attracts thousands of people to Damascus every year. When I visit the annual festival, I see the true fun and spirit of the festival and how much it means to the local community. Mr. McCrady's influence on his community was noticed by many. In a public announcement, Damascus described Councilman McCrady's loss as a presence that will be missed. It surely will be. Councilman McCrady is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Connie; son, Kris and wife Danielle; daughter, Valerie; sister, Patty and husband Harvey Clark; brother, Charlie McCrady; and sister-in-law, Shelby Blevins. He was preceded in death by his father, Jack Richard McCrady, Sr; his mother, Dorothy Virginia Berry; and stepfather, C.C. Cowan. Through his various roles in public office, Mr. McCrady provided strong and experienced leadership that benefitted his Southwest Virginia community. I am proud to recognize and honor a local public servant whose impact helped his peers, neighbors and the Damascus community.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the exceptional dedication and service of legendary coach Phil Robbins, a dedicated football coach in Southwest Virginia who helped build legacies across the district. As a student-athlete, Coach Robbins played both college football and baseball at Emory & Henry College. His time at Emory & Henry made an impression on him to continue in the world of sports as a leader, mentor, and coach. His coaching career started as an assistant coach at Washington County's Patrick Henry High School for four years. In 1971, Coach Robbins took over the football program at John Battle High School in Washington County. Later in 1977, Coach Robbins led Christiansburg High School in Montgomery County. He helped lead the Blue Demons to the program's first playoff game in 1981. Coach Robbins then went to Powell Valley High School in Wise County, where he would build a strong foundation for a storied football program that achieved monumental success. From 1983 until the school's final football season in the fall of 2010, Coach Robbins helped Powell Valley claim seven state titles. During that time frame, his teams accumulated more than 260 wins. According to Tim Hayes of the Bristol Herald Courier, the 1998 Powell Valley team under Coach Robbins is considered by many as the best prep football squad to play in the coalfields of Southwest Virginia. His coaching not only produced NFL running backs Thomas Jones and Julius Jones, but countless college standouts over the course of his career and many who followed in his coaching footsteps. Coach Robbins contributed to other programs, including Powell Valley's track and field program. Under his tenure, Powell Valley's track and field team produced two state titles. After his tenure with Powell Valley, Coach Robbins remained in the coaching community. He spent the past few years helping with the football team at the University of Virginia's College at Wise. Southwest Virginia communities appreciated all the hard work and dedication that Coach Robbins put into the development of student- athletes in the region. Last year, the Phil Robbins Field was christened at Wise County's Bullitt Park, where Union High School plays its football games. With this, we honor Coach Robbins in the most memorable way. Players and coaches should be inspired by his legacy, defined by a deep personal calling to coaching and athletics in communities across Southwest Virginia.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. James W. ``Jim'' McGlothlin who passed away on August 6th, 2025, at the age of 85. Mr. McGlothlin was born on June 18, 1940 in Richlands, Virginia. His subsequent upbringing in Buchanan County, Virginia, influenced his growing love for rural Appalachia and Southwest Virginia. His affinity for our region lasted the rest of his life, no matter where he and his family lived. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree and Juris Doctorate from the College of William & Mary, Mr. McGlothlin began a distinguished law career. This career track shaped his quick return to Buchanan County where he became cofounder of a law firm. One of Mr. McGlothlin's greatest achievements was the founding of the United Coal Company, which became the building blocks for the United Company. Over time, the company specialized in coal, oil and gas, real estate, hospitality and finance. The company grew into a well-known and influential privately owned business in the Commonwealth which helped fuel economic growth in regions like Southwest Virginia. Known for his generous philanthropy, Mr. McGlothlin supported many communities in Southwest Virginia, particularly children. His charitable efforts included his support of the Mountain Mission School in Grundy, Virginia, an institution where at-risk children can access special educational opportunities. Mr. McGlothlin's tenure as a business leader and community spokesman are credited for the legalization of commercial casinos in Virginia and the subsequent founding of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Bristol, Virginia. Other significant accomplishments and pursuits of Mr. McGlothlin included the creation of the William & Mary McGlothlin Teaching Award in 2016. He also continued to mentor students over the years, along with speaking about business, leadership and ethics. In 2015, he was granted with the Citizens-Lawyer award, the highest alumni distinction at William & Mary. Besides his accomplishments at William & Mary, Mr. McGlothlin and his family have generously invested in the arts, education and health care. The McGlothlin American Art Galleries and McGlothlin Wings, well known for its beautiful artwork, were established in Richmond, Virginia. Mr. McGlothlin is survived by his loving wife, Frances, and his children, Martha Bowman (Mark), Tara Verkuil (David) and Gibson Verkuil (Dena); his six grandchildren, and his siblings, Michael McGlothlin and Tom McGlothlin. I join my friends and public figures across Southwest Virginia in mourning the loss of a titan. Mr. McGlothlin leaves behind legacies of riches, friendships and inspirations that span much of Southwest Virginia. Through his actions as an entrepreneur, public servant and family man, he will be remembered as a leader, mentor and friend to many.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to welcome to America one of our world's significant religious leaders--Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Spiritual Head of Orthodox Christians, the second largest Christian Church in the world. Around the world there are over 250 million Orthodox Christians. In America there are well over a million Orthodox Christians with Churches in all 50 states. Even in low population states there are numerous churches--like for example, four Orthodox Churches in the state of Wyoming. After his visit in Washington, D.C. with our President at the White House and with the bipartisan leadership of the Congress, he will be traveling to New York City to receive the Templeton Prize. That Prize is one of the world's leading recognitions of world leaders who make an exceptional contribution to the deepest questions regarding the universe and humankind's place and purpose within it. Previous winners of that Prize have included Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa. and Billy Graham. His All-Holiness is also a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest Congressional Award. That Gold Medal had also been awarded to George Washington and to Abraham Lincoln. The Congress emphasized that Gold Medal by having more Members of Congress asking to have their names added as co-sponsors of that legislation than any other bill introduced during the 105th Congress. The Congressional Gold Medal recipients who were presented with the Award immediately before and immediately after Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, were Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela. Within Christian Orthodoxy, an over 2,000-year-old religion, His All- Holiness is the longest serving Ecumenical Patriarch. He is the 269th direct successor of Jesus Christ's first Apostle, Andrew. Andrew's brother Peter carried his mission to what is today the Vatican. Today's Pope Leo is the 266th direct successor of the Apostle Peter.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is a necessary amendment. It addresses the importance of all types of energy research and development, R&D, funding at the Department of Energy, DOE, specifically, the energy research being conducted at the Office of Fossil Energy. Any effective plan to handle increased energy demand must take into account our Nation's vast supply of coal and natural gas and our talent for technological innovation. Artificial intelligence and the data centers to support it are going to require a boatload of additional power. While we don't know the exact amount of electricity we need, we know it is going to be a lot more than we have today because our country is facing increased electricity demand for the first time in 10 years. The appetite of AI and data centers is enormous. AI needs to be developed, controlled, and led by the United States of America, not an adversarial or competitive nation like China. China is projected to increase its emissions for the foreseeable future and reportedly began construction in 2024 on coal units equivalent to 94.5 gigawatts of power. That is a lot, Mr. Chairman. Additionally, China is financing a number of coal-fired plants in Africa and other countries with emerging economies. China is responsible for 93 percent of new coal power plant construction, and I don't believe that we should let our expertise and our vast amounts of coal in this country, good, clean coal, wither. As I have said before, in the developing world, more energy means more hope and less poverty, and that helps us, as well. We take for granted, in this case, that our lights are going to come on when we hit that switch and turn it on. That is not always going to be the case if we don't continue to use all-of-the-above energy strategies. Developing countries don't want to force their people to live in poverty because of a lack of energy, so they are going to use coal. What we can do is produce that coal. We can help them if we unleash our technological advantages and help find better ways to use coal and natural gas more cleanly. We should use our expertise in finding ways to control emissions with carbon capture and other pollution control technologies. That is why DOE funding for fossil and renewable research is vital. We need to produce and then export the best, cleanest, and efficient energy technology to the world. It helps us, and it helps places like India and sub-Saharan Africa, where many of their people don't have a steady supply of electricity. Nobody can blame them for using dirty coal and those Chinese technology plants, which are not as good as the U.S. plants, because they want to make sure their people have a chance at prosperity, as well. DOE plays an important role in this R&D, but we can do a lot more for fossil energy innovation and exploration. That is what the amendment does. In the past few fiscal years, the delta between renewable energy research and fossil energy has really widened for the research that we are doing. I am advocating with this amendment that we shouldn't ignore our fossil fuel efficiency and carbon mitigation research. My amendment increases the fossil energy account by $6,875,000, or 1 percent, with an offset from the departmental expenses account. To be clear, I am not against renewable energy research. I just believe we shouldn't be putting all of our eggs in one basket. I urge my colleagues to support an all-of-the-above energy policy and, more importantly, an all-of-the-above research policy at DOE so that we can expand our ability to deal with the energy demand increases and that we can have research for a commodity that we have the world's greatest supply of, coal and natural gas. We ought to use it. God blessed us with this resource. We ought to use it. We ought to use it cleanly. We ought to use it responsibly. We ought to be able to export our technologies to the rest of the world. If we don't do the research, we can't do it. I ask everybody to support this all-of-the-above policy plan and support my amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk, amendment No. 8.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, this rule covers a number of topics, and we have been over them--energy, water. We didn't get much into the full funding of the Army Corps so they can help take care of flooding problems in my district and other districts, take care of water problems, et cetera. We have argued for over an hour, most of it being the same repetitive things. This rule gives that extra oomph. It shows the support for the work that the Oversight Committee is doing regarding the Epstein files. It moves us forward on energy and water. It moves us forward on energy production in the United States. It moves us forward on nuclear power and making sure that we are using it in a responsible but effective way so that we can continue to be the world's leader when it comes to energy production, instead of handcuffing our capabilities. We have gone over a lot of serious issues. The American people who are paying attention to this have already heard all of those arguments. Mr. Speaker, I will simply say that I hope that all the Members of this House will support the passage of this rule. It is important for a number of reasons, and I hope they will pass the underlying bills and resolutions when those come up.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I am.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in regard to energy, I can tell you that I represent a region of the country where when we were using our coal resources, which God has blessed us with abundantly, we had the third or fourth lowest electric rates in the country. Then suddenly fossil fuels became a bad idea. Even natural gas, oh, my gosh, we can't use it, and the electric rates keep going up and up and up. My district is not a wealthy district, and the people in my district are complaining because their electricity rates are going up. One of the major drivers are prior Democratic policies, Mr. Speaker, that said we are not going to be doing any more coal-fired power plants. We are not going to encourage natural gas to be used to create electricity, and we stranded the assets. Now, as you know, Mr. Speaker, what that means is that they are paying for the electricity generated by wind and solar, and they are paying for the electricity that was there for plants that were opened which have not met their full expectation or life cycle. For example, there is a facility in my district that I went to the ribbon cutting on in 2012 that Democrats in the Commonwealth of Virginia, including some of my esteemed colleagues on the other side from that great Commonwealth, thought it was appropriate to say: Let's close that down early. It opened in 2012 with a 50-to-60 year life expectancy, and they wanted to close it down somewhere around 2035 or 2040, well before its life expectancy is up. What that does is that pushes the power companies to have to find different and more expensive ways, as it turns out, to create that electricity. What this bill does is, it pushes us on nuclear, which if you don't want to use fossil, that is the only way you can get the baseload power to supply us and make us competitive with the Chinese in the field of AI. Yet, somehow, once again my colleagues on the other side of the aisle cannot realize that it is the policies of their prior Congresses and their prior administrations which, in large measure--not exclusively, but in large measure have caused the spike--not a general increase, not inflation level, but a spike over and above your general inflation--on the cost of energy in this country. If we get back to the basics, if we pass this rule--we have three CRAs and the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, all of which help make the United States of America more viable when it comes to energy and makes those electric prices that my colleagues said was one of the bigger concerns that she heard when touring around the Commonwealth--the cost of those energy prices will go down if we pass this rule and pass the underlying bills. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, this Epstein situation is very serious, and I take it as such. We have victims whose lives can never be made whole, and this debate has taken on a life of its own. In many ways, it is illogical. On the one hand, we have the resolution included in the rule that has subpoena power and has broader authority than the Massie-Khanna piece of legislation that my colleagues on the other side want. It gives us the ability to subpoena banking records, estate files, and depositions, none of which are required in the Massie bill. Further, I find it interesting, because ours is a resolution that gives the endorsement of the House, gives more power in the oomph behind the Oversight and Government Reform Committee's hard work. The opposing piece of legislation, Mr. Speaker, should it pass the House, goes over to the Senate. Should it pass the Senate, it requires the signature of the very President who they say wants to block it. I submit to you, Mr. Speaker, and to the American people, it would only be logical to go with the one that can get voted on in the House and have action going forward and have action taking place that deals with these serious issues and brings to light every piece of information that we can put on the table with the rare exceptions of a few redactions, which have to be explained and some of which are necessary to protect some of the victims themselves because they don't want to have their names out there in the public. Mr. Speaker, I don't understand it. If what we want is the information, we should pass this rule and move forward, and not have to rely on passage in the Senate and signature by the President. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me state up front that I make no apology for being pro-U.S. energy. I make no apology for saying that the United States needs more electric power. I make no apology for saying we can get that electric power with things like these bills that are in this rule today. It works on small modular reactors. It works on nuclear. It works on fusion. It works on coal. It works on making sure that we have the ability to mine the coal in the United States. It makes sure we have the ability to extract our oil and our natural gas resources. If we want to compete with the Chinese, Mr. Speaker, we are going to have to up our game on producing electric power. It is fascinating to me that when we hear these debates, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will often point out--in fact, they did it last night--that the Chinese are doing so much more with wind and solar. They never mention that the Chinese are building dozens of new power plants, as we speak, powered by coal. If we are going to use the Chinese as the model that we are supposed to follow in generating electricity, we should, therefore, not be closing down all of our coal power plants. Mr. Speaker, as you know, the coal in the United States and the way that we burn it is much cleaner than the way the Chinese burn it in their plants. We need to be working on making sure that we have new energy development, which the energy and water bill does, and ways that we can burn that coal and our natural gas even cleaner than we are doing today, even though we produce electricity cleaner with our fossil fuels than any other country in the world. Guess what we can do, Mr. Speaker. If we can continue to move forward and build new plants and show how this new technology can be used, we can then be the ones who are exporting it to sub-Saharan Africa and India instead of having the Chinese exporting facilities and the technologies that are from the 1960s and 1970s, instead of the technologies that are available today. When you talk about the air on the planet Earth, Mr. Speaker, I have to tell you that the air is shared by all of us. In fact, there is a NASA study that I often cite that says it takes air 10 days to get from the middle of the Gobi Desert to the eastern shore of Virginia. That is why a majority of the mercury in California comes from Asia and not from the plants in California. It comes from overseas. Mr. Speaker, the more that we can do with our fossil fuel plants and our technologies to make our processes cleaner and then export it to the rest of the world, the more we can do to clean up the air in the world as a whole because the air is not something that uniquely belongs to the United States. It doesn't sit over one town very long. Sometimes we get a little inversion in the Roanoke area and it sits there for a few days, but it doesn't sit there for weeks and months and years. We need to be looking at the worldwide issue in regard to that. Mr. Speaker, I make no apology for supporting bills that will take care of making sure that we can, in this Nation, as a nation, all of us, profit and have the AI needed and have the electricity needed for data centers instead of giving it and ceding it to the Chinese because we don't want to work on oil, natural gas, and coal because somehow my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have decided that those resources are not appropriate to be used in the United States. If we want to be a second-rate country, have at it, but that is not what I stand for, Mr. Speaker. I stand for us being the leading energy producer in the world and making sure that we do it as clean as possible so that we can export our clean coal technology, our clean natural gas facilities, new fusion if we can get there, new modular reactors, and export that technology to the world and be the leader in the world when it comes to energy production; but, number one, making sure that we take care of our needs in the United States as we are looking at not having enough electricity going forward to keep our economy as the number one economy in the world. Mr. Speaker, I often tell people back home that this is important not just for today but for the generations to come because when you look at the powers in the economic sphere in the past, some very small nations have reached into the future and benefited their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. In fact, I often talk about Royal Dutch Shell Group, Shell Oil, which was a derivative. Mr. Speaker, you can attack how they got the money because it was all part of colonialism, and I get that. Yet, because they were the number one economic nation in the world from roughly 1650 to 1700, there are still people and families in the Netherlands who are benefiting. Notwithstanding the fact that they moved their headquarters to London, they are benefiting from the fact that, at one time, their nation was the number one economic nation in the world. I want that for the United States. I want us to be the number one economic nation as long as possible so that children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren out 10 generations will benefit. Mr. Speaker, I make no apologies for supporting these bills that we have in this rule today and supporting the fact that American energy is predominant and should remain a major force in the world instead of ceding everything to the Chinese. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I believe that would apply to Members of Congress being called names, would it not. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is so fascinating how facts don't seem to matter sometimes on the floor. The only administration that has ever released anything on the Epstein files is the Trump administration. Last night, the House Oversight and Reform Committee released over 33,000 files. Now they say that 97 percent of it had already been released, 33,000 files. That is a lot of files. Let's take that 97 percent and say that it is accurate for argument and for argument only. That means that of 33,000 files, 3 percent of that is new. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I will tell you, as I was going through clips this morning, I noticed one conservative news source that said: Eureka, the missing minute surrounding Epstein's death is in the material that has been released. There has been a lot of controversy about that. A lot of people want to know about it, and there it is. More and more information is coming out, and it is coming out because of the Trump administration and because of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. However, somehow if we don't adhere to the exact demands of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, then we are not doing it right. I submit to you, Mr. Speaker, that the House Oversight and Reform Committee is doing it right. They are going through it. As I pointed out in my opening, Mr. Speaker, if they decide to use one of the limited areas that they could do a redaction, then they have to explain why. If the administration doesn't turn over some information, if they redact information before sending it to the House, then they have to explain why. Of course, some of the information that you want to protect, Mr. Speaker, is information related to victims that has not yet been in the press. Why would we want to take young women who were victims of Epstein and his colleagues and who don't want to have their name in the press, why would we suddenly expose them to that? Of course, we don't want to do that, so there has to be some limited areas where redactions have to occur, but all of that has to be explained. Then they bring up the President's comments this morning about a hoax. They are trying to mislead, in my opinion, some are trying to mislead the American people into thinking that the President said that Epstein and the investigation was a hoax. It is not what he said. Mr. Speaker, if you look at what he said, it was the controversy over the Epstein files that was a hoax because they have been releasing more data than any other administration. I say that because the Biden administration had all this information, and they didn't release it. They had 4 years. They could have released it all. They didn't choose to do it, and now my colleagues on the other side of the aisle somehow want to claim that it is a conspiracy by Trump to hide information that was in the hands of their party's President and their party's Department of Justice. It was in their hands, and they didn't release it, but somehow it is our fault. Mr. Speaker, it is the Republicans' fault that the Biden administration didn't do what they now claim that the Trump administration should be doing. It is hard to understand that logic, but somehow we are at fault, Mr. Speaker, for them not doing the job that they think we should have made their President do. It is fascinating. It is absolutely fascinating. Then, of course, we get to all the consternation about this January 6th Committee. This is an outgrowth of an investigation that started as a part of the House Administration Committee. I served on the subcommittee that was doing that investigation. It is really interesting. That group, and I was a part of it, found that there was more than one terabyte of missing data. Based on the inventory of the digest and statements from Chairman Thompson, there should have been four terabytes turned over, and there were only three. That is equivalent to 6.5 million document pages as PDFs or office files, 500 hours of high-definition video, or 250,000 photos. The depositions were not filed properly or they weren't filed at all and archived as they are supposed to be, and as the rule that set up the prior committee said, they were supposed to be there. I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, that as a former member of this preceding group, we are just trying to get the data that is missing. We are trying to make sure we put all the information on the table. We want the files released that were out there. We want to find that missing terabyte of information. Some of it has been recovered, but not all of it, and that work needs to be continued. Further, the House Administration subcommittee didn't have the power to subpoena records. I would submit that it is necessary just to get all the information out. As I said last night to my colleagues, as a person who loves history and has a history degree, I need to get all the documents on the table, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and let history determine what occurred on that day. There is no point in trying to hide it. I don't understand why my colleagues on the other side want to hide a terabyte. A fourth of what the prior committee did was never properly turned over to the House. That information belongs to the House and to the people of the United States. It does not belong hidden somewhere in a drawer or destroyed. Unfortunately, because of that lack of turning over the records in a proper manner to the House, we have to continue the work that was not done by the previous Democrat-controlled--I know they had two Republicans on it, but they weren't the Members picked by the House Republicans, and it wasn't in the numbers usually allocated or originally called for, for a select committee. We are going to do it right, and we are going to put the information on the table. We are going to let the American people make a judgment now, and let the historians argue over what happened on that day as time moves forward. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Rules Committee met last night and reported out a rule providing for consideration of four measures. Those measures are H.R. 4553, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act; H.J. Res. 104, providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management related to ``Miles City Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment''; H.J. Res. 105, providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to ``North Dakota Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan''; and H.J. Res. 106, providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to ``Central Yukon Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan.'' House Resolution 672 provides for consideration of H.R. 4553, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act under a structured rule, making in order 36 amendments. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees and provides for one motion to recommit. The rule further provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 104, H.J. Res. 105, and H.J. Res. 106, all under closed rules, with 1 hour of general debate each equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources and provides each one motion to recommit. Finally, the rule provides that H. Res. 668 and H. Res. 605 are hereby adopted and House Res. 598 is laid on the table. Today's rule, House Resolution 672, allows for debate on several measures including H.R. 4553, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026. This appropriations bill funds many programs at the center of helping to assert our country's energy dominance. The bill cuts $766.4 million, when compared to last year's funding bill, by focusing our efforts on energy innovation and water infrastructure. This appropriations bill provides funding to numerous scientific energy endeavors from nuclear fusion research, small modular reactors, nuclear fuel production, electric transmission system enhancements, energy storage, and traditional fossil fuel research. At a time when energy demand from data centers and new manufacturing is increasing, these research efforts will greatly contribute to meeting the new normal. Our example is the increase of funding for nuclear energy projects, which will make more advanced nuclear fuel available and accelerate small modular and advanced reactor testing. The Department is also essential to our national security. This appropriations bill has over $20 billion in funds for the management of our nuclear weapons stockpile and over $2 billion for our nuclear Navy. This bill also funds numerous Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation projects to provide dredging to maintain navigable ports and rivers and water storage projects to increase the water supply in drought-ridden sections of our country, as well as helping to forestall flooding in areas from coastal regions to mountainous valley regions such as the area I represent. The rule also provides for debate on H.J. Res. 104, H.J. Res. 105, and H.J. Res. 106, all of which are Congressional Review Act Resolutions of Disapproval. These resolutions overturn the Biden administration's Bureau of Land Management plans that were aimed at restricting gold mining and oil and gas drilling on Federal lands. H.J. Res. 104, sponsored by Congressman Downing of Montana, overturns the Montana Resource Management Plan, which would prohibit new coal mining on about 2.75 million acres of Federal land in Montana. This Bureau of Land Management rule would stop an estimated 30 percent of our country's coal reserves from being mined, even as electricity demand is increasing in the United States for the first time in over 10 years. H.J. Res. 105, sponsored by my Energy and Commerce colleague, Congresswoman Fedorchak, would overturn a similar Bureau of Land Management Resource Management Plan for North Dakota. Under this Biden- Harris administration rule, 4 million acres of Federal land in North Dakota would not be available for coal mining or oil and gas extraction. Additionally, the rule allows for debate on H.J. Res. 106, sponsored by Congressman Nick Begich of Alaska, which would nullify the Central Yukon Resource Management Plan. Under this rule, which affects 13.3 million acres of Federal land in Alaska, millions of acres would be barred from energy development. Disallowing energy development on these lands will also hamstring efforts to get more American liquid natural gas onto the international market and improve our country's standing as the leading energy producer in the world. We will also be considering a resolution that would direct the House Oversight Committee to continue their investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell files. The Committee has already undertaken important steps in their investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Just this week, the committee met with the victims of Jeffrey Epstein. They have already issued subpoenas to the Department of Justice related to the Epstein records. Further, they have already received over 33,000 documents from the Department of Justice with more on the way. Those 33,000 documents, Mr. Speaker, were released last night to the public. The committee already has transcribed interviews scheduled and have other subpoenas out, as well. They are also doing this work in a bipartisan manner, and we must give them all the tools necessary to continue this important investigation. This resolution will bring transparency into all the documents and records related to Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, flight logs, any individuals referenced in connection to Epstein, any entities with ties to Epstein, any agency internal documents, documents related to Epstein's detention and death, and other areas. Mr. Speaker, there are strings attached to this resolution, as well, to ensure that we have full transparency, such as requiring written justification requirements for certain documents that are redacted, unless they fall under certain sensitive categories. This is a critical step forward in providing transparency into the Epstein files and will give the public all the necessary information. This vote will show the American people we are committed to full transparency and cooperation when it comes to Jeffrey Epstein and the investigation thereof. Lastly, this rule is standing up a new select committee to continue investigation of the events surrounding January 6. They will bring more transparency and continue to investigate what happened that day so the American public is aware of the facts involved. I believe this new subcommittee is another critical step forward to bringing more transparency to everyone about the events and details surrounding that day. I hope Members of this House support the passage of the rule and the underlying bills and resolutions. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, for the purposes 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