Erin Houchin

Mrs. HOUCHIN

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, apparently the only people the Democrats want to mandate that they not wear masks is ICE and CBP. These are very challenging times, but the gentleman from Massachusetts said it himself: We have already funded ICE and CBP in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which makes their vote against fully funding DHS as an entire Department entirely performative. They are not standing on anything. This is political theater, and the American people are suffering from it. Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleagues again they will have an eighth opportunity to vote in favor of funding our TSA agents, FEMA, Coast Guard, and cybersecurity. They will have an eighth opportunity to do that this week. I hope they will vote in favor of the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act when it comes to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I will clarify a few things. The gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) made a claim about ICE raids in schools. Contrary to fear-mongering by the media and sanctuary politicians, ICE does not target schools or children. Media is force-feeding the public stories, causing people to be scared, but there are no raids occurring at schools and no raids targeting schools. My colleagues across the aisle also want to decry the tolling of days for resolutions of inquiry, but when the roles were reversed, they seemed completely content with then-Speaker Pelosi's iron grip on floor procedure. For over 600 days in the 116th and 117th Congresses, resolutions of inquiry were blocked from coming to the floor by the Democratic majority. In fact, every Democratic member of the Rules Committee voted to extend such provisions, despite protests from Republicans. While they may contend that this was during the COVID pandemic, the reality is that committees were working and operating for quite some time. We have operated this Congress without the use of resolutions of inquiry, and it has had no impact on the minority's ability to conduct oversight of the administration. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. As was done under the Democratic majority, we will utilize this tool as necessary. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I note that the Department of Homeland Security is composed of several agencies, not just TSA, not just FEMA, not just the Coast Guard, and not just ICE and CBP. When my colleagues on the left are defunding or not funding, refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security, they are refusing to fund the agency in its entirety, which includes U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency protecting our critical infrastructure from cyber and physical threats, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Secret Service, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, and the Federal Protective Service to protect our Federal buildings and our employees. Those are just some of the things under the Department of Homeland Security. Yes, Mr. Speaker, it is true, we don't want to partially fund the Department of Homeland Security. We want to fully fund every part of it. That is why we are not going to do this in piecemeal. The people who are working at the Department of Homeland Security, whether they are working for ICE to try to rid this country of criminal illegal aliens, or they are working for TSA to protect our airports, or they are engaging in protections for the cybersecurity of our homeland, they deserve to be paid for their work. I hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will again, this week, have the opportunity to vote an eighth time to fully fund DHS, and I hope they will join us on behalf of all of the Federal workers that work under that agency. Mr. Speaker, these four bills that we are going to consider in the rule have a common thread. They protect Americans at home and abroad. They stand behind the personnel who keep this country safe. They enforce agreements we have made and defend the values we have built. They reflect a simple principle: the United States Government exists to serve the American people. I look forward to moving these bills out of the House this week, and I ask my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule.

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

Mrs. HOUCHIN

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Republican Conference, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. HOUCHIN

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of the 15-0 Indiana University football team for their historic season, winning the Rose Bowl, then the Peach Bowl, and now advancing to the College Football Playoff National Championship. This team rose to the occasion when few expected it. Without a roster full of five-star recruits, they were often underestimated, but they responded again and again with discipline and toughness. Week after week, they proved that hard work and preparation still matter. Under the leadership of Coach Curt Cignetti, this team has put Indiana football on the map. A perfect regular season, a Big Ten Championship victory over Ohio State for the program's first conference title since 1967, and Indiana's first Heisman Trophy reflect what can be accomplished when a team fully commits to the standard set before them. On behalf of Indiana's Ninth District, the home of our Indiana University Hoosiers, I commend Coach Cignetti, quarterback Fernando Mendoza, and players on the team like Charlie Becker, D'Angelo Ponds, Pat Coogan, Elijah Sarratt, and the entire Indiana football program for the achievement that has made our State so proud. I am rooting for the Indiana Hoosiers in the national championship this weekend. I hope they bring it home from Miami, and I have no doubt they will. As Coach Cignetti has said himself: This would make one heck of a movie. Good luck to the Hoosiers on Monday. Congratulating Indiana State Fair Queen Presley Hampton

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Presley Hampton of Jackson County on being named the Indiana State Fair Queen. Presley represents the very best of Indiana. She has shown dedication to agriculture, leadership in her community, and a strong work ethic that reflects the values so many young people across our State are raised with. The Indiana State Fair is more than a tradition. It is a celebration of farming, youth leadership, and the families who work every day to feed our country. Presley's achievements highlight the importance of programs like 4-H and FFA that prepare young leaders for the future. I know Presley will represent Indiana with integrity and pride. I congratulate her family, mentors, and everyone who helped support her along the way. Southern Indiana is immensely proud of Presley, and we wish her all the best as she takes on this role. Recognizing Starlight Distillery

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Starlight Distillery, an outstanding family-owned business in southern Indiana. Operated by the seventh generation of the Huber family, Starlight earned global recognition when its Japanese Mizunara Reserve finished bourbon was named the best overall bourbon at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. That is right, Kentucky, Indiana's bourbon is the world's best. This prestigious award reflects the family's dedication to hard work and a commitment to quality that has guided their business for generations. Starlight is more than just a distillery. It has put southern Indiana on the map. The Huber family has built a business that supports local agriculture, creates jobs, and showcases what family-run enterprises in rural Indiana can achieve on the world stage. I am proud to represent the Huber family and the many hardworking people behind Starlight Distillery. Their success is a testament to the strength of family businesses and the communities that support them.

Mrs. HOUCHIN

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, the American Dream starts with owning a home, but today families are being priced out by unnecessary Federal regulations. The Affordable HOMES Act fixes a simple but costly mistake in Washington: two Federal agencies regulating the same homes in different ways. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has regulated manufactured housing for decades. It knows the market, and it understands how these homes are built and the families who live in them. However, in 2022, the Biden administration layered on a new Department of Energy rule that raised costs on manufactured housing without regard for any of these factors. The rule raised costs by $5,000 to $10,000 per door, with little to no environmental benefit. It simply made homes harder to afford. I ask my Democratic colleagues: What difference does it make if a home is more energy efficient if you can't afford to buy it? For families looking to buy a manufactured home, affordability comes down to one thing: whether the monthly payment fits their budget and whether they can actually qualify for a loan. Even a few thousand dollars in added up-front costs can be the difference between owning a home or being shut out entirely. When a policy raises costs and locks families out of homeownership without improving outcomes, it is a failure. The Cicero Institute said it well in a 2021 article critical of the Biden-era rule. It stated: ``The government isn't magically providing consumers `savings'; it is merely forcing them to buy more expensive things.'' The bill restores clarity and common sense. HUD sets the standards as Congress intended while the Department of Energy maintains and continues to provide technical expertise. The bill eliminates overlapping mandates that drive up prices and slow construction, which is why it passed the Energy and Commerce Committee with strong bipartisan support. We aren't aiming to weaken standards. We are ensuring as standards are enacted they work for the people they are meant to serve. When regulations price families out of homeownership, Congress has a duty to step in.

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, the Affordable HOMES Act does exactly that by cutting red tape, restoring clarity, and helping builders build and families buy. Despite claims made by my Democratic colleagues about the Affordable HOMES Act, it does not raise existing rates for homeowners. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 5184.

Mrs. HOUCHIN

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Republican Conference, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. HOUCHIN

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 977 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. HOUCHIN. 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

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

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, earlier this morning, the Rules Committee met to produce a rule, H. Res. 977, providing for the House's consideration on the following three bills: First, the rule provides for H.R. 4593, the SHOWER Act, to be considered under a closed rule. It provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, or their respective designees, and provides for one motion to recommit. Second, the rule provides for H.R. 5184, the Affordable HOMES Act. H.R. 5184 would be considered under a closed rule. It also provides for 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, or their respective designees, and provides for one motion to recommit. Third, the rule provides for H.R. 6938, Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026. H.R. 6938 would be considered under a closed rule, and it also provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations, or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit. The rule provides for separate votes on division A and divisions B and C. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the underlying legislation. These bills reflect a simple governing philosophy: freedom of choice, fiscal responsibility, regulatory clarity, and a government that focuses on the American people, not bureaucracy. Let me begin with the appropriations package. Beginning with H.R. 6938, the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act of 2026, these bills make targeted, disciplined investments to strengthen American energy dominance, reinforce our nuclear deterrent capabilities, support law enforcement, and expand access to critical minerals. These policy priorities are shared by President Trump, congressional Republicans, and millions of Americans. Importantly, this appropriations package ends Biden-era policies enacting a more conservative vision, all while cutting fiscal year 2026 spending by nearly $2 billion, delivering significant savings for taxpayers. Let me repeat that: Passing full year appropriations ensures we are not defaulting to Biden-era spending levels or radical priorities. It allows Congress to reset funding levels in support of the conservative policies aligned with President Trump's agenda. The Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act of 2026 provides $78 billion in discretionary funding, including resources to stop the flow of fentanyl, and provides critical funding to support State and local law enforcement. It increases funding for the Drug Enforcement Administration to combat the fentanyl crisis, supports the Department of Justice grant programs that target opioids and child exploitation, and facilitates immigration enforcement. It protects the Second Amendment by keeping long-standing safeguards in place that prevent Federal agencies from restricting lawful firearms, ammunition, and sporting equipment without congressional approval, and decreases funding for the ATF. It also maintains pro-life Hyde protections to ensure taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortions. The Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act directs $58 billion towards national security and strengthens America's energy independence. These investments are essential to restoring American leadership in nuclear energy and achieving the administration's goal of dramatically expanding nuclear capacity by mid-century. At the same time, they eliminate wasteful Biden-era offices that prioritize ideology over outcomes. The Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act provides $38 billion to expand access to public lands, reverse harmful regulatory overreach, and rein in agency budgets. It increases funding for responsible onshore and offshore energy development in oil and gas, exempts farmers and ranchers from burdensome greenhouse gas emissions reporting schemes, and reduces funding for the EPA. In addition to these wins for the American people, I am proud that my office was able to secure $8 million in community project funding for Indiana's Ninth Congressional District. This funding will support projects, including a riverbank stabilization plan for the Ohio River shoreline in Clarksville, Indiana, and support booster pump stations that are needed to increase water capacity to serve constituents in Bloomington, Monroe County, and the home of Indiana University football and students at Indiana University. Funding in this package will also provide residents and businesses in Brown County with long, and greatly needed, sewer services and support for the city of Madison's stormwater mitigation project to reduce flooding and improve water quality. These investments will support critical infrastructure and local priorities that communities themselves identified, bringing improvements from shoreline protection, to water systems, to supporting economic development that will directly benefit residents across the Ninth District. Together, these bills reflect a disciplined approach to governing by investing in community priorities, cutting unnecessary spending, and reducing good governance. Turning next to H.R. 4593, the SHOWER Act, this is a simple bill with a simple goal: end the regulatory whiplash and return consumer choice and common sense to a basic household product. A showerhead should not require extensive regulation. Yet, under the Obama and Biden administrations, bureaucrats redefined a clear term to advance an ideological agenda creating confusion for manufacturers and frustration for consumers. This was the status quo under the leadership of Democrats--regulate everything in our lives right down to our showerheads. It is incredible if you think about it. This may seem like a ridiculous bill to be considering by our Democrat counterparts. Believe me, it is ridiculous that their policies would require legislation to prevent this kind of government intrusion, but here we are. The Biden administration regulated every nozzle in every American home individually, reducing water pressure and frustrating homeowners, all while increasing costs for compliance. Ending this rule will permanently save Americans billions of dollars, reduce regulatory bloat, and restore a workable standard. The Department of Energy estimates that eliminating this rule, along with dozens of related inflationary standards, will save consumers $11 billion and will cut more than 125,000 words from the Code of Federal Regulations. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I turn to H.R. 5184, the Affordable HOMES Act, which I was proud to author with Congressman Mike Flood. This bill addresses a real problem in the housing market, one that affects our most vulnerable homebuyers. It reduces the upfront costs of buying a home, making it easier for Americans to achieve the dream of homeownership. The Affordable HOMES Act restores clarity by placing manufactured housing standards back under the Office of Housing and Urban Development where they belong and eliminating duplicative regulatory authority by the Department of Energy. It overturns a 2022 Biden administration rule that increased manufactured housing costs, again, without regard for what consumers want or how the market actually works prioritizing energy efficiency under the Green New Deal and directly contributing to the housing affordability issues we see today. The objective here is clarity so manufacturers can build more homes and families can afford them. Mr. Speaker, this rule moves legislation that reflects fiscal discipline, regulatory sanity, consumer choice, and a commitment to affordability and growth. I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bills. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am not sure if the gentleman from Massachusetts heard my opening, but this is about housing. We literally have a bill called the Affordable HOMES Act, and it addresses the cost of housing. He also commented that we are only appropriating and considering our appropriations bills yet today, but we weren't the ones who shut down the government for 41 days, preventing us from doing our appropriations work. They did this. The Democrats shut down the government to fight for taxpayer-funded healthcare subsidies that would go to the wealthiest ObamaCare enrollees across the Nation. Think about that, Mr. Speaker. They shut down the functioning of the government, preventing us from appropriating on the very good things that we talked about in the opening comments, meaning millionaires would be eligible to receive tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayer- funded subsidies for their ObamaCare plans. This would give $350 billion in taxpayer bailouts not to the American people, but to big health insurance companies, all while they are receiving record profits. This incentivizes bad actors to manipulate individuals to sign up for coverage through the ACA marketplace, oftentimes without people even realizing that they had been enrolled. This is government waste, fraud, and abuse at its worst, and I am proud the House Republicans stood up against that. The gentleman from Massachusetts also referenced the SHOWER Act that we have here today. I would just like to say that I will stand up here every day of every week to restore freedom of choice and freedom of movement back to the American people. You have to start somewhere, Mr. Speaker, from electric vehicle mandates to prohibitions on gas stoves and heaters. Showerhead efficiency and efficiency standards in affordable homes and manufactured housing will cause the cost of homeownership to go up and void American Dream opportunities for millions of Americans, but that is business as usual with Democrats in Congress. Closing businesses and demanding quarantine is Big Brother knows best, and that is what the Democrats are best at. House Republicans are going to fight back to restore that personal choice, all while ensuring fiscal responsibility. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber).

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman.

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague on the other side of the aisle that House Republicans did pass a funding mechanism out of the House of Representatives to the Senate, and because of the 60-vote rule in the Senate we did need the help of Democrats in the Senate to fund the government. They held out, again, for the purpose of funding taxpayer- funded healthcare subsidies to benefit the wealthiest ObamaCare enrollees in the Nation and fat cat insurance companies. I would also note that much of what the gentleman has been referring to, the deflection is like a magic trick. You can say words, just like he accused me of saying many words, but the facts outweigh the deflection, which is that it took much of 2025 to rid ourselves of the sleepy Joe, America last, Biden economic hangover, but Republicans in Congress and President Trump have delivered. America is now reaching new milestones under Republican leadership, turning the tide back to American greatness. Let's just look at the economy. Quarter three GDP growth was a roaring 4.3 percent, the fastest growth in years. The deficit is being addressed. The Federal Government's cumulative deficit for fiscal year 2026 at the end of November was 19 percent lower than the same time last year. Core inflation is at 2.6 percent, the lowest we have seen in 4 years. Rents are falling month after month, and shelter inflation is at a 4- year low. Gas prices are down to their lowest levels in 4 years. Stocks were at near highs by the end of the year, with the S&P climbing by 17 percent in 2025. All of this occurred before the gains of the Working Families Tax Cut Act are realized, and we are just getting started. It will take us a while to recover from the years of inflationary policies of the Biden administration, but the facts show that House Republicans under President Trump's leadership are delivering on promises to reduce costs for American families. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Ciscomani).

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let's just review some of the wins in the Working Families Tax Cut Act because taxpayers are expected to take home an additional $91 billion in refunds and keep an additional $30 billion in their paychecks from reduced withholdings. Taxpayers are set to continue to receive support in tax years to come through a double standard deduction and lower tax rates, making the 2017 tax cuts permanent, an increase in the standard deduction by up to $1,500 per family in 2025, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security, a boost to the child tax credit of $2,200 while indexing its value to inflation, expanding access to childcare and paid leave tax credit permanently, expanding the 529 savings accounts to help families choose education that best fits their needs, and expanded health savings accounts so American families can control their own healthcare. That doesn't sound like benefits to millionaires and billionaires. It sounds like benefits to hardworking American families. Also, I note that the subsidies that the gentleman from Massachusetts so wants to support, the American people would not see a dime of that. It would go directly to insurance companies who, again, are seeing record profits. The one thing we can do is continue to support health savings accounts, continue the Trump-era tax cuts from 2017, making them permanent, and continue to promote the tax provisions in the Working Families Tax Cut Act that received no Democratic support, by the way, that really will help American families. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Taylor).

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Utah (Ms. Maloy).

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Haridopolos).

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Alford).

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, this rule is very straightforward. We are here to cut burdensome red tape and regulatory overreach that leads to higher energy costs for Americans. Commonsense reforms like these are simple and long overdue. We are also here to move an appropriations package that provides critical funding and returns us to more responsible spending levels while delivering for the American people. One thing we have noted is that there is fraud in government programs, including in Medicaid and SNAP. Republicans have sounded the clarion call to try to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse, while Democrats want to minimize it. We have known about it for decades, even when we went after some of the waste, fraud, and abuse in ObamaCare, and guess what. After we passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the CBO stated that healthcare premiums would go down as a result of our work. We went after Medicaid fraud, especially involving illegal immigrants. By the way, a Federal court recently ordered officials to turn over Medicaid information to ICE enforcement. If illegal immigrants weren't accessing Medicaid on Democrats' watch, as they tirelessly asserted, then why would a Federal court provide such an order? We went after waste, fraud, and abuse through our rescissions package, and once again, Democrats refused to acknowledge that that premise ever existed. Mr. Speaker, we are cutting out waste, fraud, and abuse. We are becoming fiscally responsible. We are putting the American family first by reducing burdensome regulations that increase costs. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to moving these bills out of the House this week. I ask my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule.

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

Mrs. HOUCHIN

Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Fuzzy Zoeller, a legendary PGA golfer and a beloved figure in southern Indiana. Born in New Albany, Fuzzy never forgot where he came from. He remained deeply connected to our community throughout his life, and southern Indiana was always home. Fuzzy made history by winning the Masters Tournament in 1979, one of only a handful of golfers to capture this title in their first appearance. He went on to win the U.S. Open in 1984, cementing his place upon the greats, but Fuzzy's impact reached far beyond golf. He has been a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. Through his generosity, his local businesses, and his support for community events and charities, he strengthened southern Indiana in countless ways. His willingness to invest in people, especially young athletes, reflected the kind of leader he was. Fuzzy Zoeller showed that excellence and humility can go hand in hand. His legacy will continue through his children and grandchildren who loved him dearly. Congratulating Trinity Lutheran Cougars