Nancy Mace

Ms. MACE

Ms. MACE. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. MACE. Mr. Chairman, we should not be paying people to come here illegally. This is not part of the founding of our Nation. If we are going to talk about growing our economy, and I think a lot of us know that there is a lot of value there, then we should be talking about work visas and other programs, not using taxpayer dollars to pay illegals to come here in caravans illegally across our southern border. Let's face it. A Nation without borders is not a Nation at all. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MACE. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MACE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MACE. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. MACE. Mr. Chair, protecting America and her citizens isn't mean. It simply means that we are putting our Nation and her people first, as we should, because we have sworn an oath to our Constitution. Putting our citizens and our Nation's sovereignty above any other is what we should be doing right now to combat what Joe Biden and his administration have done to the United States of America. We are literally using taxpayer dollars, paying people to come here illegally who are then infiltrating into our communities, who are raping women and killing children. We read story after story on the news of violence happening in our communities, fentanyl drug overdoses. In fact, 10 years ago, I didn't even know what fentanyl was; but, in fact, last year I knew two people personally who died of a fentanyl overdose. Joe Biden and his administration are allowing this to happen right in every one of our communities today, and we have to put an end to it. That means moving money around, cutting funding to the programs that are allowing this to happen, and stop funding what is coming across our southern border. If we really, truly care about America, then put your money where your mouth is and protect her citizens. When we talk about threatening security, the videos this week of southern California where Gavin Newsom said he was going to send the Guard down to the border because, by golly, he was going to protect the State of California. The next day there was a video of hundreds and hundreds of Chinese nationals coming into southern California illegally. It is just completely absurd, and this body needs to do something about it. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MACE

Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend special recognition to Thomas McNeil, Director of Dorchester County Emergency Management, Tristan Proctor, Deputy Director of Dorchester County Emergency Management, and Mario Formisano, Deputy Administrator for Public Safety for Dorchester County. Their leadership and vision have been instrumental in addressing the challenges faced with the old facility, which was not built to withstand significant tropical storm force winds or seismic activities and lacked adequate space.

Ms. MACE

Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of one of my constituents, Joe Coates, who passed away late last month after a hard- fought fight and battle with cancer. Joe was a true public servant. As the director of the Charleston County Emergency Management Department, Joe dedicated his life to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community. Joe's commitment to public service goes far beyond that. For nearly two decades, he served Charleston County in various roles, including as a coordinator for the Sheriff's Rural Search and Rescue Team and as a secretary for the Disaster Recovery Network following the devastating floods of 2015. His leadership as the planning section chief under the Lowcountry Incident Management Team was instrumental in guiding our community through times of crisis. On May 16, 2024, during a special meeting of county council attended by Joe and his family, friends, and colleagues, members of the council voted unanimously to rename the emergency operations center the Joe Coates Emergency Operations Center. My team and I extend our deepest condolences to Coates' family, friends, and colleagues. May we all strive to embody the selflessness, compassion, and leadership that Joe exemplified throughout his life. His legacy and his impact on Charleston County will be remembered forever. Harriet Tubman Monument

Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the unveiling of the Harriet Tubman Monument in Beaufort County and to highlight Beaufort's rich history in the fight for freedom and equality. This monument stands as a powerful tribute to a remarkable woman whose courage and dedication to liberty continue to inspire all of us today. Harriet Tubman's legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of our Nation's history and even in Beaufort County. She led countless enslaved individuals to freedom through the Underground Railroad, embodying the very essence of bravery and resilience. Beaufort County is steeped in history from the establishment of the Penn Center, one of the first schools for freed slaves, to its strategic importance during the Union occupation. This area became a sanctuary for those seeking freedom and education, and it continues to be a symbol of resilience and progress. The monument in Beaufort County not only honors Harriet Tubman's extraordinary achievements but also serves as a reminder of the enduring fight for justice and freedom. I commend the efforts of the local community historians, artists, and activists who have worked tirelessly to bring this project to fruition. Their dedication ensures that future generations will learn about Harriet Tubman's incredible contributions and the profound impact she had on our country. In fact, one night during the Civil War, Harriet Tubman rescued over 700 slaves in Beaufort County. Harriet Tubman has had an extraordinary impact on South Carolina. Congratulating Dorchester County Consolidated Dispatch Center

Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Dorchester County Consolidated Dispatch Center on its remarkable strides to improving 911 response times amid our community's rapid growth, particularly this week when we had a tornado hit Dorchester County. This state-of-the-art facility is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our local officials and emergency services personnel who tirelessly strive to ensure the safety and well-being of all of our residents. I would like to extend a special recognition to Tristan Proctor, director of Dorchester County Emergency Management, and Mario Formisano, deputy administrator for Public Safety for Dorchester County. Their leadership and vision have been instrumental in addressing the challenges facing the old facility, which was not built to withstand significant tropical storm-force winds or seismic activities, and it also lacked adequate space. I commend the leadership of Dorchester County for their vision and their commitment to public safety. Honoring the Life and Legacy of Johnny Wactor

Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life and legacy of Johnny Wactor, who has sadly passed away. Johnny was a beloved actor known for his compelling performances on ``General Hospital'' where he touched the lives of many with his talent and his dedication. Johnny's portrayal of Brando Corbin resonated deeply with fans and brought joy, drama, and depth to the show. His ability to convey complex emotions and connect with audiences was truly remarkable, making him a cherished figure in the world of daytime television. Beyond his on-screen presence, Johnny was known for his kindness and generosity off the set. He was a friend to many, always willing to lend a hand or a listening ear. His passing is a profound loss to all who knew him and to the countless fans who admired his work. Today, as we remember Johnny Wactor, we are also reminded of the incredible talent that emerges from the Lowcountry in South Carolina. Johnny's success story is a testament to the creativity and dedication that thrive in our region. His journey from the Lowcountry to the national stage serves as an inspiration to many aspiring artists in our community.

Ms. MACE

Ms. MACE. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. MACE. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to protect Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, and ensure we are making marines in Beaufort County long into the future. My amendment would prohibit funds authorized or otherwise made available to the Department of Defense for any fiscal year to be used for the closure or realignment of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island or to conduct any planning activity related to closing or realigning Parris Island. The Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island in South Carolina's First Congressional District has been making marines since 1915. Since opening over a century ago, over 1 million marines have been trained at Parris Island, between 17,000 and 22,000 every single year. The Recruit Depot at Parris Island is not just critical to the fabric of Beaufort County and the Lowcountry, but it is vital to our national security. The marines trained at Parris Island have served our country bravely in every conflict since World War I. Parris Island is the perfect location to make marines. Beaufort County is an exceptionally supportive community with outstanding infrastructure to support the base and close access to multiple major airports, including Charleston International Airport and Savannah- Hilton Head International Airport. Parris Island is an ideal environment to allow recruits to focus on training without external distractions, given that it is an island and is almost completely self-sufficient, with its own power generation via solar power. The recruit depot is collocated with the marine recruiting command responsible for half of the entire United States and is located just 11 miles from the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, creating additional training opportunities for the Corps. Partnerships via intergovernmental service agreements are extensive, offering the ability to train other government entities. Unfortunately, over the last several years, there have been climate change extremists--and you can see it in article after article--including some Members of this body who have used junk science to raise the prospect of closing the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island. These individuals could not be more wrong. Parris Island is exceptionally well positioned for resiliency due to environmental improvements that have been made there today. The waterside plain on which Parris Island is located makes damage from waves and extreme weather events much less likely. This topography is far different than the waterside cliffs of both Savannah and Charleston, where the tidal gauges and tidal data collection devices on water levels are actually placed. Due to this, the data being pushed by those who seek to end Beaufort County's centuries long tradition of making marines is not based on actual data, but extrapolation from cities miles away subject to significantly harsher conditions based on their own individual topography. Over a century of history shows us, Parris Island is here to stay. Data shows instead of sinking or eroding, Parris Island is actually seeing an increase in marshland. This is important. In fact, the Army Corps of Engineers is actually considering dredging the Port Royal Sound to allow larger draft vessels to enter, showing the coast and waterways around Parris Island are actually not in peril. I urge all of my colleagues to follow the science and the facts that show Parris Island is the ideal location to train marine recruits. We have been making marines in Beaufort County for over a century, and this amendment seeks to ensure we continue to make marines long into the future. Mr. Chair, I strongly urge the passage of this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MACE. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I my consume. It is interesting because the left always likes to say that there has been no determination, there is no risk per se. However, in this article in Marine Corps Times, the title is ``Parris Island in Peril: Rising sea levels threaten historic Marine base.'' When we talk about data and science and climate change, they are not even using tidal gauges to measure sea level rise at Parris Island. At Parris Island, they are actually using data from Savannah and Charleston, miles and miles away, so that data is not even accurate because the environment and the topography is so different. In fact, we are seeing vast improvements in the environment on Parris Island today, as I mentioned earlier. In this military.com article, it says: ``The Marine Corps is considering moving some of its bases to other locations, including the iconic Parris Island Training Depot in response to growing effects of climate change, Navy officials said.'' My colleagues want to say, well, we have to do a study and make a determination and follow the science, but they are not actually using real science at Parris Island. If you look at the way that they have built out resiliency at Parris Island, whether it is the solar farms, whether it is the grading they have done with some of the roads to raise them up a foot or two, whether it is the Tesla batteries, whether it is their ability to produce their own energy and be self-sufficient, and produce energy for those surrounding areas, Parris Island is a beautiful example of resiliency when we are talking about environmental challenges that our bases face today. Lastly, Mr. Chairman, I wanted to point this out in this article: ``Well, then, we better plan on moving'' Parris Island ``because it is not going to get better, it is only going to get worse. The seas are going to rise higher and higher.'' Nothing could be further from the truth, Mr. Chairman. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MACE

Ms. MACE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5527) to amend section 1078 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 to increase the effectiveness of the Technology Modernization Fund, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. MACE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Ms. MACE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5527. The Technology Modernization Fund, or the TMF, was established by the bipartisan, Republican-led Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2017. The TMF was established because it can be difficult to plan and budget for Federal legacy IT upgrades through the annual appropriations cycle. The TMF addresses this problem by acting as a self-sustaining funding mechanism to assist agencies with legacy IT modernization projects that span multiple fiscal years. The Federal Government depends on IT systems for everything from national defense to the administration of benefits programs. Over the course of this Congress, the House Oversight Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation has heard from current and former government officials about the risks and costs associated with Federal legacy IT systems. These risks include cyberattacks targeted toward highly vulnerable legacy systems that house sensitive public data. These half-century-old IT systems are prime targets for malicious actors and enemy nation- states. My bill, the Modernizing Government Technology Reform Act, enhances the Technology Modernization Fund by ensuring a sustainable financing tool for fixing costly and risky legacy IT systems. The TMF has strayed from the original congressional intent established by the bipartisan law Congress passed. It does not consistently require agencies to repay their awards, an operational policy decision made by the administration which has put a strain on TMF's resources and hindered the fund's ability to help address future legacy IT modernization projects. With this legislation, we will refocus the TMF on the longstanding need to replace legacy IT systems and address our cybersecurity risks. The reforms made to the TMF by H.R. 5527 also prioritize fiscal responsibility and are common sense. Let's run through some of them quickly in the bill: This will require TMF awards to be reimbursed at a rate sufficient to keep the fund operational through 2031. It requires the TMF to recover all administrative costs that projects incur. It requires the TMF to suspend or terminate project funding if fraudulent or misleading statements were used to obtain funds. It provides agencies more flexibility to repay the TMF. It increases the visibility into TMF awards by requiring written agreements governing each award to be made publicly available. This legislation also requires each agency to conduct an inventory of its legacy IT systems, creating a new oversight tool to ensure the Federal Government is addressing the problem of legacy IT systems. Reforming the TMF is necessary to ensure it remains a sustainable, revolving fund that can be used to address the costly challenge of modernizing legacy IT into the future. This is smart and timely reform. This is a fair and balanced reauthorization. I am grateful to my colleagues Representatives Connolly and Khanna for their support and collaboration on this effort. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MACE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy).

Ms. MACE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Madam Speaker, H.R. 5527 helps ensure the TMF can continue to address the legacy IT modernization efforts reducing Federal cyber risk and inefficiencies in Government operations. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues, again, across the aisle for their support. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this very necessary legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MACE

Ms. MACE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5887) to amend chapter 3 of title 5, United States Code, to improve Government service delivery, and build related capacity for the Federal Government, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. MACE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Ms. MACE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5887. Outdated bureaucratic government processes make it challenging and costly to deliver government services. This wastes taxpayer dollars and creates opportunities for fraud and abuse. These processes do not change because Federal agencies lack a single, designated official that Congress can hold accountable for program service delivery, including agency-wide backlogs, unprocessed applications, or improperly delivered benefits. Many agency officials, program managers, policymakers, and human resource managers, are responsible for specific parts of the problem, but developing solutions to poor government service delivery will require someone to be responsible for agency-wide coordination. The Government Service Delivery Improvement Act addresses this problem by requiring the Office of Management and Budget and Federal agencies to designate a senior official accountable for improving government service delivery and facilitating process reforms. The government-wide official will develop standards, policies, and performance metrics to ensure agency progress. Also under the bill, senior agency officials designated to be responsible for improving government service delivery will also be required to coordinate with other existing agency officials, such as the chief information officer, chief procurement officer, and program managers as they work to improve agency operations and implement policy reforms. H.R. 5887's expansion of the Bipartisan 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act of 2018 will improve congressional oversight over the administration's government service delivery reform efforts. I am thankful for the work of my colleagues, Representatives Khanna and Timmons, for their work on this important legislation. Of course, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MACE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Timmons).

Ms. MACE. In closing, Madam Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to support this bill which will improve Federal Government programs service delivery for the American people, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MACE

Ms. MACE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.