Brad Knott

Mr. KNOTT

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, it is my high privilege to rise today in order to pay a well-earned tribute to a special lady from eastern North Carolina: Ms. Barbara Hinton. Ms. Barbara Hinton will celebrate her 90th birthday in just a few days. Ms. Hinton is one of those people who has been a force for good and a source of profound blessings to many people throughout eastern North Carolina and beyond. I am proud to represent her in Congress and rest assured that everyone in the 13th Congressional District of North Carolina is proud of her also. Mr. Speaker, Barbara's life is one that is built on a firm foundation. The simple and profound ingredients in her life have enabled her to serve, to teach, and to love many people in her 90 years on this Earth. Important to Ms. Hinton's story, she is a lifelong North Carolinian, and while life was not always easy for her, from an early age, Barbara saw the Lord's faithfulness. She learned the values of deep faith, hard work, and good stewardship that would remain with her for her entire life. Barbara married her high school sweetheart, Mr. Jimmy Hinton, and their relationship would last more than 70 years on this Earth. Together they served their country while Jimmy was in the Air Force. Together they served their community. They served their family, and they served their church. The two of them had a far-reaching and long- lasting impact. Barbara earned her degree in elementary education from Atlantic Christian College and went on to teach in the Wayne County School System. She did this for an astounding 32 years. After retiring, she, of course, was not finished. She spent 27 more years teaching preschool at her church. Across nearly six decades in the classroom, Barbara has touched thousands and thousands of children and families across eastern North Carolina. For over 68 years, Barbara has served Princeton United Methodist Church as a lay leader, a speaker, a choir member, a Sunday school teacher, and leader of the ladies ministry sharing her love of Christ with everyone she meets. She raised a family there. She built a legacy there. Her faith and service will compound for years to come. In short, Mr. Speaker, and perhaps most relevantly, Barbara Hinton has lived out the words of Psalm 121, which says, in part: ``I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where will my help come from? My help surely comes from the Lord.'' Through the Lord's work and grace, Ms. Barbara has been a mighty force for good for her nearly 90 years on Earth. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my district, I say a collective happy birthday to Ms. Barbara. We are grateful for her.

Mr. KNOTT

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to recognize and salute the Little League Softball World Series champions from my district, specifically in Johnston County, North Carolina. Recently, they won a rigorous contest to become champions, making all of North Carolina's 13th Congressional District proud. These are North Carolina girls, and they are all from around the Archer Lodge community. Many of them are classmates, neighbors, friends, and family. In this season, they worked, competed, and improved together. On August 8, they took the field against Kentucky in the championship game of the Little League Softball World Series, and they did not just win. They won convincingly. Pitcher Anna-Lynn Clark threw a complete-game shutout. Additionally, in the first inning, second baseman Sophie Catarrozzoli injured her ankle, and she displayed unbelievable resilience. Not only did the team continue, they continued with excellence. They rallied. They dug in, and they recorded their second straight shutout of the tournament for the World Series crown, the first in Johnston County's history. Again, I congratulate these champions, their coaches, and the Archer Lodge community. All of North Carolina was watching, and we are proud of them.

Mr. KNOTT

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to recognize and salute the Little League Softball World Series Champions from Johnston County, North Carolina, today. Earlier this month, they won a rigorous contest to become the champions, making all of North Carolina's 13th Congressional District proud. The team is out of Clayton, North Carolina, and all of these girls and their coaches are from the greater Johnston County area. Many of them are classmates, neighbors, friends, and family. For the entire season, they worked, competed, and improved together. On August 8, they took the field against Kentucky in the championship game of the Little League World Series. They did not just win. They won in dominant fashion. Pitcher Anna-Lynn Clark threw a complete game and also completed a shutout. The team's defense allowed one Kentucky runner to reach scoring position for the entire game. The final score was 2-0. This was, remarkably, their second straight shutout of the tournament. But the scoreboard is not the whole story. In the first inning of that championship game, the girls from Johnston County lost their starting second baseman to a serious injury. Her team did not fold. They rallied around her, dug in, and secured the victory. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate these champions, their families, their coaches, and the greater Archer Lodge community. All of North Carolina is proud of them.

Mr. KNOTT

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, due to an unforseen conflict, I was unable to cast my vote for H.R. 8823 and H.R. 4541. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 250 and YEA on Roll Call No. 251.

Mr. KNOTT

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6955, the Main Street Capital Access Act. For the vast majority of our Nation's history, community banks were the primary artery into progress for all Americans. That reality is being threatened today by sloppy and ineffective policies that originate right here in Washington, D.C. Whether it is the Dodd-Frank regulatory structure or the millions of rules and regulations that are in existence today, community banks have been choked out by these all-encompassing regulations. With administrative costs rising every year, local banks simply cannot afford to operate. We can see this most clearly in 1980 where there were more than 14,000 community banks in the United States. Now because of the regulatory structure of the current market, there are roughly 4,000 community banks. This stifles lending, reduces competition, and makes it harder for Americans, especially in rural communities, to access capital. Put plainly, the current regulatory climate punishes community banks, and it benefits larger international banks. My home State of North Carolina has long had a proud history of vibrant community banks. Today, there are very few exceptions to this, but there are really only two choices for community banks in today's market if they want to survive. That is to grow large enough to be acquired or to merge with another institution. Whether it was Wachovia, First Citizens, BB&T, or Bank of America, each of these began in North Carolina as a local community bank before growing and becoming a key player in our economy through a merge or an acquisition. It is time to restore a market that welcomes and protects community banks, a market that encourages competition, and most importantly, one that serves the American citizen. H.R. 6955 does just that. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Hill for his important work on this legislation, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill today.

Mr. KNOTT

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government has been too big, powerful, and unaccountable to the American people for far too long. This is most clear in our Federal agencies, which have spent years acting as the investigator, prosecutor, and judge simultaneously and all without any accountability. Put plainly: If a Federal agency wishes to stop a particular project or activity, it may do so at any time without regard to the cost that such actions incur on the parties who are being stopped. All leverage and power rests with the regulator, and there is no real recourse for the regulated. This week, I introduced the Limiting Excessive Government Obstruction Act, also known as the LEGO Act, to stop this overreach. My bill is part of a broader effort to rein in the administrative state, to protect constitutional rights, and to eliminate the Federal bureaucracy that burdens so many Americans through restricting the creative genius that comes from real liberty. Right now, administrative enforcement cases start and end inside the very agencies that write and enforce the rules. Government officials decide both who to target and then sit as judges over those very people. Very few, except for specialized and expensive lawyers right here in Washington, D.C., have any idea of how to navigate a challenge to an agency action that halts a project. As an example, let's say a farmer is visited by the EPA and instructed to stop farming, simply because the EPA alleges that the farmer is violating a specific rule. Right now, the farmer cannot challenge the order to stop farming in a court of law down the street from his home. He cannot continue farming. His only recourse is to file a challenge here in Washington before a ``judge'' that is funded by the EPA. Before the challenge can be dismissed, the farmer must exhaust all administrative remedies before the EPA to show that the EPA overstepped its bounds. Not only is this unfair, but it can take years and cost millions of dollars. That is not how our government is supposed to work. Whether a farmer on their land or a local municipality building a bridge in a small town, we do not work at the mercy of a Federal agency or a nameless Federal bureaucrat. My bill changes this broken system by giving the regulated party the power to proceed quickly when stopped by a governing agency. To continue with my example, a farmer is stopped by the EPA for farming the exact same way that he has farmed for decades. Rather than having to wait on the EPA's timeline, my bill empowers the farmer to pursue the agency order in an Article III court in front of a jury of his peers and then continue on with their livelihood. There, the farmer can seek to dismiss the regulatory effort simply by showing reasonable compliance with the law and/or the subject regulation. The effects of this bill are all favorable: Regulated parties will no longer be bound by the whims of the regulators. Harmless and sound economic activity cannot be stopped by a whim. More certainty in economic activity and projects will increase efficiency and lower costs. The bill will compel the regulating agencies to focus only on unreasonable activity. The farmers, contractors, builders, and States will develop many more ways to design, build, and advance in a compliant and reasonable manner. Lastly and perhaps most importantly, it will restore the balance needed between the regulator and the regulated. If unreasonable activity is occurring, the government should be forced to prove it in an independent court, rather than a regulated party being forced to prove the government acted unreasonably in an agency forum. Mr. Speaker, the economic miracle that we have enjoyed in the United States was never achieved by a centrally controlled planning and regulatory force. The miracle of the United States' economy was conceived by private individuals and entities who had the freedom to build, experiment, farm, and progress in a system rooted in freedom. When the government can stop free people on a whim without any consideration of the cost, we will solidify the decline that so many of us in this country feel today. Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve a government that works for, not against, them. It is time that we rein in the bureaucracy and eliminate excessive regulatory burdens imposed by our Federal Government. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. KNOTT

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, due to an unforeseen conflict, I was unable to cast my vote for H.R. 7757, the KIDS Act. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 228.

Mr. KNOTT

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Donna Lynne Eaton, who passed away on June 1, 2026. She was only 58 years old, and she went home to be with the Lord she loved. Born in Canada, Donna immigrated to the United States in 2003, became a naturalized citizen in 2023, and visited all 50 states, completing that milestone the same year she took her oath of citizenship. She was proud to be an American, while remaining proud of her Canadian heritage. Donna was a devoted wife to Doug and a dedicated mother who homeschooled all four of her children: Ashley, Katie, Amy, and Eric, She volunteered alongside them to earn each child the Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award, and she gave her time faithfully to TeenPact and the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association, investing in the next generation of Christian leaders and citizens. Even before she could vote herself, she worked to bring others to the polls, believing that every citizen's voice mattered. Mr. Speaker, Donna Lynne Eaton lived a life of faith, family, and service to this great Nation. We are grateful she was one of us.

Mr. KNOTT

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1251) calling on elected officials and civil society leaders to counter antisemitism and educate the public on the contributions of the Jewish-American community.

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to submit extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this month we celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month. First proclaimed by President George W. Bush and by each President since, this month recognizes the contributions of the Jewish community to our country. We celebrate this month amidst a persistent increase in anti-Semitism in our country and around the world. Anti-Semitic incidents and attacks against Jews and those who are perceived as Jewish in the United States have reached record highs. According to the American Jewish Committee, 91 percent of American Jews say that they feel less safe in the United States due to violent attacks against American Jews in the past year. According to Hillel International, 83 percent of Jewish college students have experienced or witnessed some form of anti-Semitism on their campus. Mr. Speaker, these are not just numbers on a page, but these are a lived experience of all Jewish Americans. As you may recall, on May 21, 2025, tragically, two Israeli Embassy staff members were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum right here in Washington, D.C. On June 1, 2025, a man in Boulder, Colorado, approached a crowd of demonstrators, who were calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas, and threw Molotov cocktails, killing one person and injuring more than a dozen in addition. These and countless other incidents targeting the Jewish people are unacceptable. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Armed Services, Washington, DC, May 7, 2026. Hon. Jim Jordan, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Jordan: H. Res. 1251 was referred primarily to the Committee on the Judiciary with an additional referral to the Committee on Armed Services. H. Res. 1251 contains provisions within the Committee on Armed Services' Rule X jurisdiction. As a result of your having consulted with the Committee and to expedite this bill for floor consideration, the Committee on Armed Services will forego action on the bill. This is being done based on our mutual understanding that doing so will in no way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the Committee on Armed Services with respect to the appointment of conferees, or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or similar bills. I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming this understanding, and would request that you include a copy of this letter and your response in the committee report or in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of this bill. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Sincerely, Mike Rogers, Chairman.

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I thank the gentleman from Maryland for his remarks. I am continuing on in the same spirit that was referenced by my colleague: ``To bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.'' Mr. Speaker, all of us as elected leaders and the leaders around this country, we do have a solemn responsibility to confront anti-Semitism wherever it is. Jewish Americans, as has been discussed on the floor today, have contributed immeasurably to the United States throughout our history, some by serving in the Armed Forces and laying down their lives, as recounted in this resolution. I hope that we may honor their service and sacrifice for their fellow Americans. I urge support of this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. KNOTT

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1252) resolution memorializing law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to submit extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1252 introduced by my colleagues, Representative Guest, Representative Letlow, and Representative Pappas. It is National Police Week, and countless men and women who serve in law enforcement at every level of government have come here to our Nation's Capital, Washington, D.C. While we gather to recognize their courage, we must also confront a very troubling reality: Every day, law enforcement officers across this country are facing increased threats to their safety and well-being. We know that law enforcement officers answer every call for help regardless of who the person is, what they believe, and regardless of the threat to their own lives. Tragically, many of those brave men and women who answer the call of duty do not return home. As of April 26, there are nearly 25,000 names of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial here in Washington. Each name represents a life lost in the line of duty, a family forever changed, and a sacrifice that can never be fully repaid. According to the Fraternal Order of Police, 347 officers were shot in the line of duty in 2025 alone. This marks the sixth consecutive year in which over 300 law enforcement officers have been shot. Mr. Speaker, words alone cannot capture the depth of our gratitude for the service and the sacrifice offered by these brave men and women. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Maryland (Mr. Raskin) for his thoughtful remarks. In the same spirit that he just articulated, we, as elected officials, must take a stand against these attacks and honor our fallen law enforcement officers. This resolution takes an important first step, and we collectively will never forget those who made such high levels of sacrifice in the line of duty. It is up to us in Congress to honor their memory and to stand up to protect those who do so much each and every day to protect each of us here. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KNOTT

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2853) to combat organized crime involving the illegal acquisition of retail goods and cargo for the purpose of selling those illegally obtained goods through physical and online retail marketplaces, as amended.

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I first would like to begin by commending my good friend and colleague from Ohio (Mr. Joyce), for the hard work that he has put into not only drafting but ushering this legislation to where we are today. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, colloquially known as CORCA, was the biproduct of collaboration of Members on both sides of the aisle, law enforcement, industry leaders, shipping and transportation companies, and small business owners throughout this country. I was proud to be an original cosponsor of this effort. H.R. 2853 is an answer to the significant and persistent increase in organized retail crime that we have seen ballooning in recent years across the United States. Often misunderstood, organized retail crime is a broad category, including everything from theft offenses such as stealing items from convenience stores to cargo theft, gift card theft, and stolen or cloned credit cards. While this may seem isolated or even miniscule when looked at alone, this problem has been escalating across the country at a vast scale. While precise data on the losses to businesses from organized retail crime is hard to specify and difficult to quantify, it is estimated conservatively that up to $100 billion annually is the direct cost to businesses across the country. Organized crime is forcing businesses to close. It is endangering the public. It contributes to the rise in prices for consumers wherever it is. Many organized retail crime rings operate across State and, of course, international lines. While preventing local retail crime is properly left to the State and local governments, the cross-border nature of organized retail crime makes it difficult for State and local law enforcement agencies to fight these crimes, even if just on a resource level alone. To be clear, this bill is not about going after the occasional shoplifter who steals an item of food or some small item that is of little consequence. Rather, this bill is going after the professional thieves, those who are repeat offenders who steal for profit and do so on a large scale. H.R. 2853 provides Federal prosecutors with additional tools to prosecute these and other instances of organized retail crime. For example, the bill amends title 18 to allow Federal prosecutors to charge receipt of stolen goods or transportation of stolen goods when the stolen property reaches an aggregate value of $5,000 or more over a 12-month period. It also expands the definition of monetary instrument in the Federal money laundering statute to include general-use prepaid cards, gift certificates, and store gift cards. Over the past several years, organized retail crime groups have been increasingly utilizing gift card schemes to defraud stores and consumers. These groups record the gift card data in the store, receive notifications when the funds are loaded onto the same card, and then drain the balance before the consumer has the opportunity to use those funds. This bill further expands the ability of Federal judges to order criminal forfeiture of assets from convictions related to the interstate shipment, transportation, or sale of stolen goods. Finally, Mr. Speaker, it establishes a center to combat organized retail and supply chain crime within the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. The center will be tasked with coordinating Federal law enforcement activities related to organized retail and supply chain crime, including investigations of transnational criminal organizations. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Joyce).

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Again, Mr. Speaker, I commend my friend and colleague (Mr. Raskin) from Maryland for his considerable scholarship and efforts in getting this bill to the floor. We certainly wouldn't be here without his assistance, and I am grateful for it. Mr. Speaker, as a Federal prosecutor in my previous career, I worked many years in the organized crime space. I investigated crimes like these. I spoke with the criminals. There is, as we have already discussed, a very deep need for this bill that the general public does not often see. I am not talking about shoplifters. I am not talking about the individual acts of random crime. I am talking about the more proficient domestic and international actors that have a real effect on every business and every customer in this country. This bill is highly targeted in its scope. It addresses an important issue that is ongoing within our country, and it does not usurp local authority. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. It is an important measure that will protect consumers. It will protect businesses, and it will protect employees all over the United States. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the CBO cost estimate for H.R. 2853. H.R. 2853, COMBATTING ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME ACT OF 2025, AS REPORTED BY

Mr. KNOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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