J. Hill

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, today is the 141st day since Putin commenced his illegal, brutal invasion of Ukraine. Vladimir Putin continues to direct his gang of thugs to target Ukrainian civilians. We have seen this play from Czar Putin before, with the mass murder of 25,000 souls in Grozny and the leveling of biblical Aleppo. To date, the United Nations High Commission has verified nearly 12,000 civilian casualties across Ukraine since February. This number is understated. In the words of Nazar Havryliuk, a 17-year-old from Bucha: ``They were not able to defeat our Army, so they killed ordinary people.'' Both his uncle and father, innocent civilians, were murdered by Putin's invading Army. Russian military strikes continue to target Ukrainian resources, including grain storehouses responsible for feeding over 400 million people worldwide. The World Food Programme estimates that 47 million people across the globe are suffering from acute hunger as a direct result of Putin's targeting of Ukrainian stores. Since February, almost 2,300 schools, Madam Speaker, have been damaged or destroyed, and 290 healthcare facilities have been attacked. No place in Ukraine is safe for civilians. Currently, 12.1 million people in Ukraine are estimated to need health assistance. That is 12 million individuals who are unable to get the help they need, the help they deserve, all due to Putin's invasion. Madam Speaker, as my friend from Wisconsin just told this House, leadership from the United States is essential now more than ever. President Biden must step up and ensure that Ukraine has the lethal weapons and supplies to achieve a prompt and decisive victory over the invaders. Only America's President can stand in the breach and lead. That leadership of our transatlantic partners and our critical allies, like Japan, are essential, essential in assisting the Europeans in crafting help for the people of Ukraine, including supporting humanitarian and critical and necessary and essential military support. The United States can support Ukraine directly also by supporting the U.N. Secretary General's efforts to open the Black Sea. It is essential that safely exporting Ukrainian grain, currently trapped, is a must-do. The world is waiting for that grain. The world is starving without it. Helping alleviate that hunger crisis requires American leadership. While Putin's puppets are in Istanbul sitting at a table talking about opening the Black Sea, his military is systematically bombing and burning all the fields of wheat across Ukraine. America must also lead in planning for reconstruction in Ukraine once the invader has been ejected. We must also hold Putin and his cronies accountable for the war crimes that they are committing daily in Ukraine. The targeting of schools, hospitals, places of worship, and civilians is unacceptable, illegal, and immoral. Russian leaders will be held accountable. I was pleased to see the National Defense Authorization Act continued to set that out as a basic tenet of American foreign policy, that we will hold these war criminals accountable. I will continue to voice my support for the brave people in Ukraine fighting against an illegal invasion to protect their homeland, their freedom, and their sovereignty. I urge all my colleagues to join me in working to craft the right way to support those Ukrainians in the distribution of needed resources worldwide and holding the Russian leaders accountable for their crimes. This we must do, and this House must lead. Again, I must close, Madam Speaker, by saying it is American leadership that unites the world that can eject Putin from Ukraine. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas, and I am grateful for the time.

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from East Texas, Judge Gohmert, with whom I have had such a great association over these past several years and thank him for his leadership in this people's House. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life of a Vietnam veteran and leader in our Arkansas community, R.D. Kinsey, a great personal friend of mine, taken too suddenly last week. Following Kinsey's honorable discharge from the United States Air Force, he worked to serve his fellow Vietnam-era veterans by working alongside them and the VA to ensure that those heroes could obtain the benefits they had earned during their time in service. Over time, R.D.'s mission expanded, and he worked with local veterans and their families to ensure that they had the healthcare and benefits that they had rightfully earned. R.D. dedicated his life to his fellow service heroes. In 2004, R.D. worked to establish the Michael Vann Johnson, Jr., American Legion Post 74 of North Little Rock, Arkansas, where he held the commander position for 14 years. Under his leadership, Post 74 became known for their tremendous work in assisting veterans across the State. Let me say personally, no one was more shipshape than Post 74. In 2018, R.D. became the first African-American State commander in the history of the Department of Arkansas when he assumed the leadership of the American Legion's command for that 1-year term. While serving in this capacity, R.D. led nearly 15,000 Arkansas military veterans and their families in serving God and country. Up until R.D.'s passing, he served the National Legislative Commission, presenting the National American Legion's agenda to the United States Congress on behalf of our Nation's beloved veterans. R.D. dedicated his life to those veterans and to their families. My sincerest condolences go out to his wife of 37 years, Dianna; his daughters, Meredith and Allison; and all who were honored to know him and call him a friend. R.D. and his life of service had a profound impact on me, our veterans, our State, and I am honored to recognize him here today on the floor of the people's House. Congratulating Colonel Nate Todd

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I rise to wish a happy retirement to Kirkley Thomas, the vice president of government affairs for Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. Early in his career, Kirkley served as a professional staff member in the United States Senate and subsequently worked for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Mr. Thomas accepted his leadership post at Arkansas Electric Cooperatives and served for 8\1/2\ years. His service to our State and his contributions to the important progress in building badly needed infrastructure for power and broadband services is deeply appreciated. Our families have benefited by his leadership. Madam Speaker, I thank Kirkley Thomas for his years of service, and I wish him a very happy retirement.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 281. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Allred (Takano) Bonamici (Manning) Bourdeaux (Correa) Bush (Takano) Carter (LA) (Williams (GA)) Carter (TX) (Weber (TX)) Cohen (Beyer) Connolly (Beyer) Costa (Correa) Crist (Wasserman Schultz) Davis, Danny K. (Gomez) DeSaulnier (Beyer) Garcia (IL) (Takano) Gosar (Boebert) Guest (Fleischmann) Hayes (Neguse) Huffman (Gomez) Jayapal (Takano) Jeffries (Kelly (IL)) Johnson (GA) (Manning) Johnson (TX) (Stevens) Katko (Meijer) Keating (Neguse) Kirkpatrick (Pallone) Lawson (FL) (Wasserman Schultz) Long (Fleischmann) Moore (WI) (Beyer) Nadler (Pallone) Newman (Beyer) Palazzo (Fleischmann) Payne (Pallone) Porter (Neguse) Price (NC) (Manning) Rice (SC) (Meijer) Rogers (KY) (Reschenthaler) Rush (Neguse) Salazar (Diaz-Balart) Scott, David (Neguse) Sires (Pallone) Stansbury (Stevens) Strickland (Neguse) Suozzi (Neguse) Swalwell (Correa) Tlaib (Gomez) Walorski (Baird) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Amendments En Bloc No. 2 Offered by Mr. Pallone of New Jersey

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Pallone and Mrs. McMorris Rodgers for their excellent bipartisan leadership in bringing these bills to the floor. It is the way Congress is supposed to work. Mr. Speaker, I didn't know anyone who died of a drug overdose when I was in high school or college. But my two sweet kids can count five or six of their peers who have been lost to suicide, drug overdose- related. It is heartbreaking. Everybody in this House knows the horrifying 107,000 losses we have seen from opioid deaths last year. So I do, in fact, rise in support of H.R. 7666, and to discuss my co- prescribing legislation that was included in this mental health package. My bill seeks to prevent opioid overdoses through co- prescription. This effort was inspired by my home State of Arkansas, which is one of 14 States that has co-prescribing now. Co-prescribing is when a doctor prescribes an opioid overdose reversal drug like naloxone along with the prescription. My legislation encourages co-prescribing when medically appropriate. It also supports existing standing orders to increase laypersons' access to opioid overdose reversal drugs like naloxone. Statistical modeling reported to the International Journal of Drug Policy suggests that high rates of naloxone distribution among laypersons and emergency personnel could avert 21 percent of opioid overdose deaths. The majority of overdose death reduction would be as a result of that increased naloxone distribution to patients. Mr. Speaker, in 2021, 551 of our citizens of Arkansas are alive today because of a co-prescription legislation. Mr. Speaker, the data is clear. Co-prescribing saves lives, and that is why I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7666.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Oklahoma (Mr. Hern), the chairman of our task force, and all of the members of the task force, for coming together and showing the American people that Congress can debate, analyze, think through, and consider what it takes to balance our budget. Kevin Hern has delivered that leadership. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of the Republican Study Committee's budget proposal for fiscal year 2023. I am proud to be a contributing member of the Republican Study Committee. This RSC budget would not only rein in reckless spending, but it would also balance the Nation's budget over the next decade. By making President Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent, this budget would provide hardworking American families with immediate relief, something we desperately need amid Joe Biden's highest inflation in four decades. This budget also works toward strengthening our national security, starting with the crisis at our southwest border. Last month, Mr. Speaker, Customs and Border Protection reported that 234,416 illegal migrant encounters occurred along our border, the highest 1-month total ever recorded. This budget would restore the Trump-era policies that secured our border and kept our communities safe, preventing startling statistics like that one I just noted. This budget is sensible, it is realistic, and it is beneficial for all of our American families. I am pleased that two of my legislative items that I have placed priority on in this Congress were included in this budget package: The Price Stability Act and the Social Security Disability Insurance Return to Work Act. First, the Price Stability Act, which I was pleased to introduce earlier this year alongside my good friend and colleague, Byron Donalds, from Florida. At a time when the American people are currently spending an additional $460 a month, Mr. Speaker, nearly $5,000 more this year than people were spending last year to keep up with President Biden's inflation, the rising cost of gas at the pump, and groceries at the store, this bill would have the Federal Reserve focus on a single mandate, that of price stability, concentrating on keeping prices down, and preventing inflation from stealing from American families. The second bill, the Social Security Disability Insurance Return to Work Act, which I reintroduced this year, would restructure the Social Security Administration's disability classification system to provide further opportunities to individuals with disabilities who can and want to get back to work. That is important, because too many people go on our Social Security disability system and don't get back to the workforce. This provides them financial incentives, training, and opportunity to go back to work, something our workforce and our employers desperately need. It gives dignity to those who can get back into the workforce. These policies would both reduce government spending while ensuring that we put the needs of the American people first. I thank the Republican Study Committee chairman, Jim Banks, Task Force Chairman Hern, for their hard work and leadership in developing this budget. This commonsense legislative agenda combats inflation while supporting a healthy economy. It works for the betterment of our families long-term. I am proud of the provisions that were included in the budget. I am happy to express my support for the budget and for the work of the task force.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H.R. 5828.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the ranking member on the House Financial Services Committee, Mr. McHenry, for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit. It addresses the core flaw that House Republicans believe presides today. We hear the voices of those 80 percent of Americans who say that $5,000 extra coming out of our pockets is what is hurting the working families, Black, White, and Brown, in my home State of Arkansas. We know inflation is the top issue facing this House and facing our families that we represent. That is why if we were to adopt my motion to recommit, we would instruct the Committee on Financial Services to adopt my amendment to H.R. 2543. This amendment, Mr. Speaker, is straightforward. It would simply focus the Federal Reserve, as Representative Byron Donalds so eloquently outlined, on a single mandate: price stability. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include the text of my amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I do rise in opposition to H.R. 2543. I thank my friend from Houston, Texas, and our colleagues on both sides of the aisle that worked on many of the bills that are in the package today. It is a shame that that package was not put together in such a way that we could be here in a bipartisan visit about the ones that we actually support and that we think could be enacted into law. Instead, Democrats have put together a partisan package of bills that politicize our central bank and do nothing to address the insidious inflation that is hurting all American families and workers--Black, Brown, and White. Mr. Speaker, one thing I know is that H.R. 2543 will not become law. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, Arkansans woke up and as they went to work and filled up their tanks for the week, they had to pay $5 for gas. That is not as high as it is here in Washington, but $5 is hurting all of the hardworking families in my State. While Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is still toeing the economically illiterate party line on inflation, even economists from the left of center admit that government spending was too much and not targeted. Don't believe me? Listen to President Biden's key advisers. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers predicted, a month after President Biden took office, that the proposed American Rescue Plan would ``set off inflationary pressures of a kind we have not seen in a generation.'' Now Larry Summers is forecasting a recession. Steve Rattner, Mr. Obama's former economic adviser on his staff, said Mr. Biden was ``wrong to omit the important contribution to inflation from excessive fiscal and monetary stimulus.'' The truth is, after the CARES Act and the December appropriations bill of 2020, there was plenty of COVID money left over, and the economy was well on its way to recovery with vaccines being distributed. But House Democrats supercharged demand-side stimulus by adding another $2 trillion in unpaid-for spending in that so-called American Rescue Plan. Mr. Speaker, Americans aren't feeling rescued. They are feeling like hostages--hostages to the daily theft of the Biden inflation. Now, Mr. Speaker, the President fashions himself as a budget hawk, saying last month that he personally reduced the deficit last year, and he is complaining that we on this side of the aisle aren't giving him any credit. But what he doesn't tell you, Mr. Speaker, is that he is taking credit for deficits that were falling due to those expiring COVID programs. The facts are, Mr. Biden has not reduced deficits. In fact, he has increased them. The Congressional Budget Office's latest numbers project $16 trillion in additional debt between now and 2032. So I hear a lot of talk about deflection on our House floor today, and the deflection of this bill, Mr. Speaker, is the deflection from the insidious inflation that our families are facing. If House Democrats were serious, then they would target and spend less money. They would stop blaming Putin and accusing American companies of price gouging. They would stop cutting off capital to American energy companies through ESG mandates and intimidating banks, and they would stop threatening trillions in more taxes. While government spending and supply chain constraints have contributed to higher prices, this inflation also stems from the Fed's loose monetary policy--too loose, too lax, and for too long. Just as House and Senate Republicans worked to tailor and end the COVID funds at the end of 2020, we also urged the Federal Reserve to end zero interest rates and begin shrinking their balance sheet. Instead of doing anything to address these root causes of inflation, H.R. 2543 on the House floor would instead expand the Fed's mandate to address socioeconomic disparities. Two weeks ago, Mr. Biden met with Fed Chair Jerome Powell in the Oval Office where Mr. Biden said that he embraced the Fed's independence. Apparently, House Democrats didn't get the memo. At a time when our central bank has failed to carry out its current mandate for sound money and price stability, Democrats want the Fed to not only be a climate regulator but also to end racial inequity. Expanding the Fed's mandate to address socioeconomic disparities would further inject uncertainty and risk into the Fed's monetary policy and politicize our historically independent central bank. House Republicans believe Congress should return to pre-pandemic debates on our spending priorities, abandon economic pop science fads like modern monetary theory, and urge our Federal Reserve to return to its core mission. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this bill, H.R. 2543.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

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

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from Texas for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the continued death of freedom and personal rights occurring in greater China. Last week, Cardinal Joseph Zen, 90 years old, the former cardinal from Hong Kong, was arrested by the Chinese Communist Party in Hong Kong for speaking out for democracy. This arrest threatens the fundamental freedoms of all individuals with the courage to speak out against the Chinese Communist Party by demonstrating the extent of the regime's aggression, threatening these advocates with life in prison or worse. For years, Cardinal Zen has advocated for democracy and religious freedom for the Chinese people. I have had the opportunity to meet with Cardinal Zen and have heard his pleas for freedom and advocacy for citizens in Hong Kong and Roman Catholics in China. Next week, we will recognize a week of global prayer for China. During the week, we will pray for all suffering under the Chinese regime, including Cardinal Zen. I urge my colleagues to take a moment to pray for religious tolerance and individual rights, to pray for a bright and safe future for the Chinese people, a future without persecution, a future with the fundamental freedoms we all deserve. We must keep Cardinal Zen and the other brave individuals advocating for freedoms that we enjoy here today and every day in our prayers today, tomorrow, next week, and until the Chinese people are no longer under the boot of Communist persecution. Preserving Peace and Stability in Taiwan

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation that I have introduced with the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman). Our bill, H.R. 7704, the Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act, is a necessary step to help deter the Chinese aggression or the potential aggression, I think we should all hope, against Taiwan. In 1979, Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act to preserve and promote a close relationship between the United States and Taiwan. For 43 years, the United States has been committed to the preservation of human rights, peace, and stability for the people on the island of Taiwan. Unfortunately, the Chinese Communist Party has been growing more comfortable in taking coercive and aggressive actions toward Taiwan. Our bill will ensure that the financial consequences for CCP officials and their immediate family members are immediate if they are tempted to get any ideas from their brutal, repressive, murderous friends in Russia. Under my bill, if the President reports to Congress any threat to the security or social or economic system of Taiwan made by China, as required under the 1979 act, the Treasury will report on all illicit and corrupt assets of senior CCP officials and their immediate family members and will take steps to prohibit these officials from benefiting from these funds at U.S. financial institutions. We cannot risk any lack of clarity regarding the U.S. commitment to Taiwan. Aspiring global strongmen must know personal consequences are in store for any aggressive behavior. Madam Speaker, I urge quick consideration and adoption of our bill, the Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Foxx for her work and leadership on these important issues and for visiting my home State of Arkansas many times in support of a better workforce. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 7309 due to its lack of innovation and lack of opportunity that I think is embedded in this legislation. It is a shame we are on the floor, yet again, debating a bill that the Democratic majority crafted to please unions and bolster them at the expense of American workers, small businesses, and nonunion entities. Most employers want to provide work-based upskilling, but they are already hesitant to apply for Federal funds. This bill will make that process even more complex and burdensome. In my home State of Arkansas, we are a right-to-work State. This bill is harmful to my home State. There are many bad policies embedded in the bill that will harm the American workforce. This bill will expand Federal control over workforce standards, limiting the rights of jobseekers. It will do this while mandating that union representation on State and local workforce development boards be expanded by 10 percent. Most importantly, this bill will fail to expand opportunity access for jobseekers. It is clear that this bill was written to favor unions, not the full and diverse American workforce. This bill is deeply flawed and another example of the Democratic majority being out of touch with working Americans.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, let me conclude the discussion on H.R. 935 by thanking my friend from Michigan for his persistent leadership over many Congresses on this topic. I urge my colleagues to support him in this effort, putting it over the goal line, and getting a great result out of the Senate in the days ahead. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the committee in support of H.R. 935, the Small Business Mergers, Acquisitions, Sales, and Brokerage Simplification Act. I particularly want to thank the bill's sponsor, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga), for his leadership on this issue on behalf of small businesses across our country. The importance of small businesses to our economy, our job creation, and the innovation across our Nation cannot be overstated. They are the backbone of all of our communities. In October 2020, the SBA, the Small Business Administration, reported that there were 31.7 million small businesses in the United States. Yet, too often Democrats' heavy-handed approach to business regulation in this country can put that success at risk. A one-size-fits-all regulatory approach disproportionately burdens small enterprises. For those looking to grow through merger and acquisition, they often face additional costs, the expense of that transaction. The committee has found that merger and acquisition brokers provide crucial services to small businesses whose owners desire to sell the business or merge with another firm. However, certain of these brokers face significant compliance costs, including SEC registration fees, which, of course, are passed on to their clients, the small businesses. H.R. 935 helps to alleviate these costs by amending the Exchange Act to create a simplified registration system for these kinds of merger and acquisition brokers. The Securities and Exchange Commission, the SEC, agrees with the premise of this bill. In fact, back in 2014, the SEC issued a no-action letter to exempt certain M&A brokers from registration, and that no- action letter, Madam Speaker, is relied upon today. Without a change in law, the regulated community is left in a state of uncertainty when it comes to Federal securities laws. The gentleman from Michigan's bill will clarify, simplify, and provide much-needed certainty as to that process without compromising important investor protections. I also remind my colleagues that this bill has passed the House in previous Congresses. Therefore, our committee urges our colleagues to support H.R. 935, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Illinois for managing the bill. It is also good to be on this House floor again talking on an issue that we share in common, and that is the importance of sanctions being successful as a part of our strategy to get Mr. Putin out of Ukraine. So it has been very good to partner with my friend from California (Mr. Sherman) on H.R. 7066, the Russia and Belarus Financial Sanctions Act. Madam Speaker, U.S. financial institutions are already prohibited from engaging in transactions with sanctioned Russian entities, but H.R. 7066 extends that prohibition to entities owned or controlled by U.S. financial institutions as well. This is a commonsense provision, and it has helped other sanctions programs be more successful, and I cite particularly the efforts to isolate Iran and North Korea. Under the President's ongoing Russia measures, anyone providing support to a sanctioned person runs the risk of being sanctioned themselves. We know that U.S. financial institutions are fully aware of us. Congress expects their full compliance and to be watchful on their affiliates that may also do business with Russia. As the U.S. continues to pressure the Putin regime, we must seek and prevent opportunities for Russia to find loopholes for non-U.S. financial institutions. I am glad to see that our current sanctions on Russia are making it more difficult for Moscow to find alternatives to Western banks. However, opportunities remain for us to tighten these multilateral sanctions and increase pressure on Russia, particularly in Russia's energy exports. Both the United States and Europe continue to provide carve-outs for energy transactions, and the next step on the sanctions ladder is to close these loopholes so that Russia cannot receive hard currency by selling oil and gas. I hope that Republicans and Democrats can work together to pursue this kind of policy and continue to collaborate on how to tighten the financial noose around Putin. Just as we worked on this bill together, I hope Members on both sides of the aisle will come together and support the work of my friend from California. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I thank my good friend, Mr. Sherman, on this bill, and let me remind the leaders of the Kremlin that Americans on both sides of this aisle are unified in our efforts to cut off the economic flow to the Kremlin, and we share that objective with our friends in Europe. When I was in Europe a few weeks ago, just before Easter, leaders in both Poland and Romania reiterated that they are prepared to go further in economic sanctions against the Putin regime and Moscow. So it needs to be clear that Americans, while we are fully on board with our transatlantic friends in constraining Mr. Putin, the announced sanctions by President Biden and the sanctions that we are talking about today are just a beginning point as this Congress works to provide lethal assistance with 31 countries to help the Ukrainians defend themselves. This Congress helps provide humanitarian assistance, along with countries from all around the world and the United Nations, to help the Ukrainians have the medicine, food, and material that they need to survive in this really outrageous and unprecedented attack by the Russians on the sovereign nation of Ukraine. So it is important to note here that we are here not for the last time to talk about how to fine-tune, how to tighten, and how to direct our economic sanctions more successfully. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from California for our collaboration on this. I encourage all Members on both sides of the aisle to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 5914, the Empowering States to Protect Seniors from Bad Actors Act. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer), my friend, for his work on this important legislation. Protecting investors, especially the most vulnerable to financial crimes and fraud, is a bipartisan effort. In the great State of Arkansas, our seniors make up 17.4 percent of our population and, across the Nation, with 54 million seniors over the age of 65, senior investors are a frequent target of investment fraudsters. It is especially important that we protect this population against fraud and punish bad actors, especially since these investors are largely on fixed incomes, living on their savings. H.R. 5914 better equips State securities regulators and their enforcement and investigative arms to pursue, punish, and deter financial crimes and fraud committed against our seniors. With this being a new grant program, important provisions have been included that require an interim and final report to the Congress. This will allow us to determine the effectiveness of this program before it is renewed. I urge colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, let me again urge our colleagues to provide support for this bill. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I reiterate my thanks to my friend from Illinois for his work on this bill as one key component of helping Ukraine have the financial wherewithal, the financial resources, to fight back against Putin's illegal invasion. I remind my colleagues that this debt suspension has a 7-year sunset in the bill, that this is in no way a panacea, but it is an absolutely critical element in the cash flow conservation for the Ukrainians as they attempt to deliver the important services that they have to in their country of over 40 million people while a war wages on their domestic and sovereign ground. Madam Speaker, let me urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill. I thank the gentleman from Illinois, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7081, the Ukraine Comprehensive Debt Payment Relief Act. Last month, Ukraine's President Zelenskyy gave a speech about rebuilding a free, sovereign, and democratic future for his sovereign nation of Ukraine. While it seems distant now, with Putin's war raging, we, in fact, must start to think about the country's eventual rebuilding, recovery, and rebirth. The United States and our allies must support Ukraine to ensure that its debt repayments don't overwhelm the country while it continues to confront Russia's invasion and keeps up the fight every day, not only on the war front but on the home front in trying to keep its domestic operations functioning. In fact, Madam Speaker, Ukraine is spending roughly some $5 billion a day in its core functions for government. So while Putin is pulverizing villages, plazas, parks, and ports, the Ukrainian Government presses on, serving its citizens. But when this war is over, Ukraine will face an enormous financing need that will require international financial institutions to step in with support. I am pleased to support this legislation, which calls for a suspension of Ukraine's debt service payments and urges debt relief from multilateral and bilateral creditors. When you think of the hundreds of billions and certainly possibly trillions of dollars of long-term reconstruction that faces Ukraine, you have to recognize the need now for conserving cash flow and conserving its resources. That rebuilding is going to take immense good government; investment in the country's municipal, health, and education infrastructure; energy resilience; and energy independence. That will be a special opportunity to strengthen democracy and the rule of law in Europe. Prior to the war, Ukraine's economy had stagnated for too long. Therefore, international financial institutions should assess how best to foster Ukrainian industries that can expand exports, earn hard currency, and move forward. This bill is an important step in our bilateral and multilateral efforts to help Ukraine mush on, get through this war, maintain its services to its citizens, and fight Putin to the end with his leaving the country. This legislation was reported out of our committee unanimously, and I look forward to its passage today. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I urge that our friends across the aisle and on this side of the aisle support this important bill to recognize those few Army Rangers who are still living and recognize the work of the establishment of the Ranger Corps in our Nation. Madam Speaker, I am so grateful that Warren Davidson was here today. Because of Warren's work on the House Committee on Financial Services and in this body, truly he is the embodiment of ``Rangers Lead the Way.'' His reflection on the formation of the regiments makes us all think back to that historic anniversary of D-day and President Reagan's speech at Pointe du Hoc when he paid tribute to those Rangers, ``the boys of Pointe du Hoc.'' Madam Speaker, there were, at that time, at the 40th anniversary, a whole row of Rangers, still living at Pointe du Hoc, who sat in front of President Reagan to hear him pay tribute to these brave men who scaled the cliffs at Normandy. Now, so many years later, we have lost so many more. Madam Speaker, I thank my friends in the Senate for this bill and for my friends in the House who worked on it. I urge all of the House to vote unanimously to support this Gold Medal to recognize the Greatest Generation of Army Rangers. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5911, the Fair Hiring in Banking Act. I appreciate the hard work of Congresswoman Beatty from Ohio in its preparation and passage. This bill is an important step toward continuing to expand employment opportunities for all Americans, including ex-offenders. This bill is bipartisan. In fact, this bill codifies rules promulgated under the previous administration. The FDIC rules struck a balance between allowing qualified individuals to obtain employment through the waiver process with the need to protect the safety and soundness of our banking system. Republicans and Democrats worked together on this bill to ensure that both of those objectives were met. In fact, I am proud to say that one place where we worked together to improve the bill was on the question of rehabilitation. Just because an individual once committed a crime does not automatically mean that they can never be trusted, nor does it mean they are unqualified to work in our financial system. Madam Speaker, it is our responsibility as lawmakers to ensure that our banking system is safeguarded against bad actors, but it is also our responsibility to ensure that those who are qualified to work in America's financial institutions have that opportunity to pursue happiness in that manner. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill and support those who have repaid their debt to society as they begin that important journey of shifting back to society, building a new life, and pursuing happiness. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.