Brian Mast

Mr. MAST

Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).

Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I remind my friends across the aisle that Americans are being held and tortured. Get with the American team, and get in the way of those that are getting in our way. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Miller).

Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman across the aisle is right. We need everybody working to get hostages home to get this resolved. That means not giving an iota of recognition to kangaroo courts, like the ICC, who are trying to prevent Israeli military success, who are conducting their brand of anti-Semitism against Israeli leaders, preventing Americans and our allies from being returned home. Again, Israel is the tip of the spear in bringing American hostages home, and anybody who gets in their way is getting in our way. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining. THE SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bost). The gentleman from Florida has 10 minutes remaining. The gentleman from Massachusetts has 16\1/2\ minutes remaining.

Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, since I have 10 minutes remaining, I am going to sit here in silence for 2 minutes and see if my colleague from Texas shows up. THE SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman must remain behind the mike.

Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, that is a good lesson. Thanks. I will remain standing here. Mr. Speaker, it appears we will have no more speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, this bill sends an incredibly important message across the globe when we make this law: Do not get in the way of America or our allies trying to bring our people home. Do not get in our way. You will be given no quarter. Again, you will certainly not be welcomed to American soil. This bill is even more urgent today than when it was first passed back in June of last year. In June, the ICC's prosecutor had only just requested warrants. The warrants had not yet been issued or approved. There was still time for the ICC to abandon this shameful effort. Instead, the ICC's attempt to obstruct Israel's right to defend itself has only prolonged the war and prevented the release of American hostages by boosting the morale of Hamas. If you are boosting the morale of Hamas, you are on the other team. In November, the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber approved the arrest warrants. We have to pass this bill today to prevent this travesty from moving any further and to deter any more illegitimate actions by this kangaroo court to halt or stall the military success of our allies trying to bring hostages home, American, Israeli, and others. Mr. Speaker, for that reason, I call on every single one of my colleagues to put America first by voting for this legislation today, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler), a patriot.

Mr. MAST

Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, my community lost three brave Palm Beach County Sheriff's Deputies in a very tragic crash: Deputy Ignacio ``Dan'' Diaz, Deputy Ralph ``Butch'' Waller, and Corporal Luis Paez. I did know these men. I can't pretend that I knew them well, but we shared a handshake at various Veterans Days parades throughout the years, nods as we were in the same motorcade routes, and camaraderie as we fired up our Harleys and hit the road on motorcycle runs during times like the holidays, just like now. These men, they were always present. They were always on watch because it was their calling to protect every person in our community from danger, whether they knew them well or not. They knew the hazards of their chosen profession. All day, every day, they patrolled inches away from death. Yet, these men, they never hesitated. They never stepped aside and asked somebody else to face the danger. Each day, they woke up, they put on their badge, their body armor, they holstered their pistols, they left their families, and they went to work. Courage for them was as natural as breathing. Plain and simple, they were warriors, strong, selfless, committed to protecting others. We thank God for these men. We thank God for their families who shared these patriots with us each and every day, and we thank God for their dedication to duty, which was a beacon of selflessness. I ask that my colleagues rise and join me in a moment of silence to honor these brave men for their sacrifice. I would ask that the gallery rise as well since they are here listening and let us honor these deputies in a moment of silence. I ask that my colleagues rise to honor these deputies in a moment of silence.

Mr. MAST

Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues for their work and support on H.R. 8234. It is a bill to reduce the passport barriers that American travelers face with just a few commonsense solutions to help make it a more seamless process for Americans and a more intuitive process for when their passport might expire. It would help prevent the emergency situations that all of us as Members of Congress face for our constituents to get the passports they need. Getting a passport, for many, is the closest that Americans will get to seeing the work of our State Department, and when they see delays and backlogs, that shakes their confidence in what they believe the State Department and many of our other institutions can do. The backlog is especially troublesome for our citizens who live in rural areas without easy access to the few passport agencies or centers that we have around the country. If the State Department can't get those small things done right now in a timely fashion and competent way, then it is hard to convince the American people that the State Department can handle bigger things-- except a passport is not a small thing for most people, most families, and most individuals. For our constituents, that is a business trip, family vacation, wedding, or, God forbid, funeral. We urgently need reforms to address the passport backlog and prevent any future backlog from occurring. H.R. 8234 enhances U.S. passport applicants' customer experience in three ways that have been mentioned already. First, it authorizes the Secretary of State to allow qualified notaries to accept and certify the relevant paperwork. Certify doesn't mean that they are issuing a passport. It means they are identifying that all the t's have been crossed, the i's have been dotted, and the blanks are filled in so that the application doesn't get kicked back by the State Department. Currently, citizens who live in rural areas need to mail in their paperwork or try to get to a certain employee in a place like the post office. They have few or inconsistent hours to actually go see those individuals, and it delays their application process. By expanding the number of people who can accept and certify the paperwork to include these qualified notaries, we greatly expand the options for Americans who do not live near these passport acceptance centers. Second, my bill requires the State Department to devote more resources to nontraditional applicants--again, often from rural areas-- who utilize private courier services for emergency passport services. Since 2007, the number of slots these private courier services have to process Americans' applications has decreased, while the number of Americans who live at least 250 miles away from a passport acceptance office has substantially increased over that same period of time. These services are an effective alternative for Americans who need urgent passports and don't live near those offices, and expanding these resources will help serve the citizens by adjusting to population migration patterns that we have seen over the last two decades. Finally, my bill would make it easier for Americans to remember to renew their passports by changing the passport expiration dates to coincide with their birthdays, just like most of us do with our driver's licenses. This simple change in awareness will make it so that many people remember to renew their passports early instead of realizing it at the last second because it is not on an intuitive date, which leads to the surges in applicants in the system and creates those backlogs. Mr. Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues for their work on this legislation, and I urge adoption of this bill.

Mr. MAST

Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I rise to condemn the September 15, 2024 attempt on Former President Trump's life and to honor the Martin County Sheriff's Office for their bravery in apprehending the would-be assassin. The attempt on Former President Trump's life was a cowardly act aimed at the very heart of our Republic. We are nearly a month away from an election where tens of millions of people will decide the next commander-in-chief. Yet, this would-be assassin was selfish enough, deluded enough, and cowardly enough to try and rob us of that opportunity. But in that moment of darkness, courage blazed through. The heroes of the Martin County Sheriff's Office acted with incredible speed and bravery, risking their lives to apprehend the would-be assassin before he could harm others. Their valor turned a potential national tragedy into a story of triumph over evil. Let's honor these men and women for their valor. They stand as a beacon of what it means to protect and serve. Let's also reaffirm that political violence has no place in our discourse. We should always stand united in the face of those who seek to divide us.

Mr. MAST

Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and ranking member for recognizing an amazing man. I wish we could do this for every single veteran. Every single veteran deserves far more, but today is a victory, doing it for this veteran. I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 7333, to name the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, as the Thomas H. Corey VA Medical Center. I am going to speak about him as a friend because he was a friend. I would say this about him: He exhausted himself in the most worthy cause that he could find, and the most worthy cause that he could find was veterans. Every veteran that he could find from every conflict, every war, not just his war, but anybody that put a flag on their shoulder, that put on a uniform on behalf of the United States of America, it gave him a sense of joy, a smile. He was a cheerful giver. Whatever he could do for one of our brothers and sisters in arms, that is how he lived his life every day. Tom Corey served during the Vietnam war as an Army combat infantryman with the 1st Air Cavalry Division, 1st Battalion, and 12th Cavalry. While engaged in an assault against enemy positions during the first day of the Tet Offensive, he was shot in the neck, leaving him permanently paralyzed. Although he had injuries for the rest of his life, he did not let his injuries define him. He overcame his injuries to advocate for others in local, regional, and national veterans' organizations every single day going forward during his life. Tom Corey was a longtime member of Vietnam Veterans of America, founding the Palm Beach County chapter at home in my district. He held multiple leadership roles in organizations, ultimately serving as the president of Vietnam Veterans of America from 2003 to 2005. Mr. Corey was a tireless advocate for our veterans' healthcare, particularly Vietnam veterans suffering from illnesses attributed to Agent Orange. He worked for 15 years at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center as an ombudsman, ensuring that veterans received the highest quality of care day in and day out. Despite all of his efforts advocating for veterans here at home, he never forgot his brothers-in-arms who were still missing in action. Mr. Corey returned to Vietnam 16 times leading delegations to meet up with top Vietnamese and Laotian officials focused on locating and repatriating the remains of those he served shoulder to shoulder with. Along with multiple service medals, including two Purple Hearts, Mr. Corey was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts and his work. Tom Corey has shown the world that no injury was big enough to eclipse his mission to serve others. Naming the West Palm Beach VA in his honor is the least we can do to honor his legacy of service and his passionate advocacy for veterans. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Florida delegation for their support on this effort, and I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. MAST

Mr. MAST. Madam Chair, as I mentioned, I rise on behalf of my good friend, House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington to present his amendment that would prevent funds from this bill going to transport Palestinian refugees to the United States of America. The primary mission of the Department of Defense is to ensure the defense and the security of the United States. Allocating resources to transport Palestinian refugees does not align with the mission of protecting the United States. The Department of Defense budget is already stretched thin with numerous global commitments and responsibilities. Diverting funds and resources to humanitarian efforts outside of its core mission could undermine the readiness and the effectiveness of our Armed Forces. The Defense budget is finite and must be prioritized towards enhancing our military capabilities, maintaining our military defense infrastructure, and supporting our servicemembers in uniform. The transportation and resettlement of refugees involves significant logistical and financial burdens that could detract from critical defense initiatives. According to recent reports, the U.S. military faces ongoing budgetary pressures, including modernization needs and addressing emerging threats. Any diversion of funds could exacerbate these challenges. There are valid security concerns associated with the resettlement of refugees from conflict zones. The vetting process for refugees is thorough, yet it is not infallible. Ensuring that individuals with potential ties to terrorist organizations do not enter the United States of America is paramount. The U.S. has a responsibility to its citizens to prevent any risk of infiltration by hostile actors. Historical precedence has shown that even with rigorous screening, security breaches can occur posing significant risks to national security. While the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian refugees are undeniable, these should be addressed through appropriate channels, such as international aid organizations specifically designed for such purposes. These entities are better equipped and experienced in handling a refugee crisis and can operate without compromising the primary mission of the United States military. In conclusion, the transportation of Palestinian refugees by the Department of Defense is not strategically sound, financially prudent, or a secure course of action. I urge my colleagues to consider these points carefully and to ensure that the Defense budget remains focused on its essential purpose, which is the defense and the security of the United States of America. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MAST. Madam Chair, as the designee of Mr. Arrington, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. MAST. Madam Chair, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. MAST. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. MAST. Mr. Chair, there was an argument made by the opposition just now that what we are saying is there should be no rebuilding of Gaza. That is not what we are saying at all. Gazans can rebuild Gaza. Any other country that wants to participate in rebuilding Gaza at some point can participate. What I am saying is not $1, not 1 ounce of gold bullion, not 1 euro, not one anything coming from the taxpayers of the United States of America. They should not be burdened with rebuilding Gaza. Americans should not have to pay for rebuilding infrastructure in Gaza. When do we get to rebuild American infrastructure? Why don't we prioritize that? Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MAST. Madam Chair, may inquire how much time I have remaining.

Mr. MAST. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment, which would prevent funds from being used to build or rebuild anything inside the Gaza Strip. Let me say that in a couple of simply plain ways. Americans should not be funding the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip whenever this war should come to a conclusion, which we don't have any indication of when that will be. We should not be paying to build new infrastructure within the Gaza Strip should this war come to an end--not a port, not a building, certainly not a terror tunnel that has been used, certainly not a building which could be used to house those who are held captive by the various terrorist organizations there, not just Hamas but Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Lions' Den, and Fatah. It is very likely that any group that should take control of the Gaza Strip following any military operations there still has ties to terrorism and still believes there should be no existence of a Jewish Israeli State. I will say one more time that I rise in support of my amendment, which would prevent any funds from being used to build or rebuild anything inside the Gaza Strip, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MAST. Madam Chair, I rise today with an urgent plea: Vote to safeguard the freedom of expression in the United States from the Chinese Communist Party. My amendment aims to curb CCP censorship of American films. Hollywood isn't only a time capsule of American culture. However, it is a place that, quite often, takes what is going on in the world and portrays it to the entire globe for many years to come. When the CCP demanded that the Taiwanese flag be removed from the iconic jacket that Tom Cruise's character, Maverick, wears in ``Top Gun,'' the studio initially capitulated. That was forever emblazoned in time. The studio initially capitulated on that, but eventually stood its ground and kept the flag. That was a result of patriotism. It was one of the highest grossing releases of 2022 with a list of accolades a mile long, including an Oscar. We need more studios like that willing to put Beijing in its place. We see that there are Uyghur Muslims held in concentration camps, and Disney decided to film the live-action version of ``Mulan'' in Xinjiang. Also, at the behest of CCP film censors, Disney changed a Tibetan character in ``Dr. Strange'' to a Celtic character. This basically profits from something that I would call being pathetic. However, that is why I am fighting to pass this amendment, just like we did in last year's NDAA, to make sure that Hollywood tries better to show the patriotism that the United States of America has always been known for. I guess that would be the best way that I could put it: be the Hollywood that has the back of the United States of America. If Hollywood had given dictators the ability to censor films over the past 80 years, then we would be short of many of the classics that America has come to love. We may not have the same outcomes in some of the conflicts. So, Madam Chair, I would say if movies are one of our greatest exports, then they should represent American principles and principles that unite our country. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MAST. Madam Chair, I reject the idea that because we should not allow Palestinians into the United States of America that there is no hope for them. America has a great history of addressing any problems within our country and building and rebuilding and fighting to make our own country great, and I believe that the people of any other country should work to do that within their own borders as well. I would also encourage this body to very much remember that the term ``innocent Palestinian civilians'' is very loosely thrown around. Of course, there are innocent Palestinian civilians. However, we live in a world where so much of the media, Hamas, and others want us to believe that because somebody is under the age of 18, or over the age of 45, or a female that we should assume they are an innocent Palestinian civilian just because they are not wearing a black hood and the green bandanna of Hamas, and that is not the real world. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MAST. Madam Chair, I rise as the designee of the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green), and I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. MAST. Madam Chair, it was brought up by the opposition that there are no plans as of yet--as of yet--to transport Palestinians back to the United States of America, but there was a long speech that was given outlining how this could potentially happen in the future and we shouldn't prevent it from happening. I believe that, again, we are just on opposite sides of this issue. We should prevent this from taking place on the dime of the American taxpayer, transporting those that voted for Hamas as their popular government, and that if Hamas was not likely to be their government then it would probably be another terrorist organization such as Fatah or Palestinian Islamic Jihad or al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade or another group that is dedicated to not seeing Israel as a Jewish state, and in turn, quite dedicated to the destruction of the United States of America and our ideals. I will go back to something, since the previous debate was brought up, that I brought up in the previous debate. I have not heard anybody in this body as of yet say that the people of Gaza are an ally of the United States of America. As such, we should stand strong, stand firm with our ally Israel, not transport our non-ally who is at war with our ally into our country, and make sure that no resources are being used to do so. Madam Chair, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MAST. Madam Chair, there was an accusation just made by the opposition that we should rebuild Gaza because if it is in the interest of America to support the Israeli military, then it must, in turn, be in our interest to rebuild those that the Israeli military is fighting against. That, to me, seems very nonsensical. It seems very counterproductive, especially as much of what is being spoken of is going on in the midst of war. Madam Chair, I ask this body of Representatives--and of course, not all Representatives are present in this room--does anybody in here want to say that Gaza is America's ally? I don't hear anybody speaking up. I have asked this question before. I have not heard anybody on the floor of the House say that Gaza is America's ally. I doubt the opposition will stand up and say that Gaza is America's ally. They are absolutely at war with one of our major and best allies anywhere across the globe. The idea of rebuilding or building, even as we speak or in the future, our non-ally that is at war with our great ally, to me, is nonsensical, especially as our non-ally is currently holding Americans hostage and was very active and participating in killing Americans, killing Israelis, and killing others on October 7. This didn't begin on October 7. It has gone on for years and decades, and it is not likely to end anytime soon. Madam Chair, I say in closing that American tax dollars do not need to go to Gaza to rebuild it. American tax dollars need to stay in the United States of America for Americans. I urge support of my amendment, which would prevent any funds from going to build or rebuild anything within the Gaza Strip. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MAST

Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I thank my pastor, Pastor Travis O'Neal, for coming to open the House with prayer this morning. He has pastored Christ Fellowship Church for roughly the last 8 years in Port St. Lucie, Florida. He makes sure that there is a home and a place for people to find the Lord and to grow in their walk with the Lord to make disciples. I thank the pastor for his prayer, and I ask that we heed the words that he said to us this morning that we seek the Lord's counsel. I ask that his prayer be granted that the Lord's hand guide us in our work here, and most of all, I ask that the Lord fulfill what the pastor prayed for, which is that God bless the United States of America.

Mr. MAST

Mr. MAST. Mr. Chair, I rise today to discuss this bipartisan amendment to ensure that veterans have access to every tool possible when it comes to healing from both the visible and the invisible wounds of war and service. That could be trouble sleeping. It could be physical pain. It could be some disease that you get from something you were exposed to in war, a cancer that you contracted. It could be an addiction. It could just be finding peace in your life. That tool that we are specifically speaking about today is cannabis. My proposed amendment, I believe, is common sense. It allows doctors in the VA, those who deal with veterans, to give advice to their veteran patients. That seems simple enough, but under the status quo, VA doctors are limited in essential treatment options that they can offer to their patients, treatments that patients who are not veterans can readily access in many States. This amendment would allow doctors to discuss cannabis as a treatment option with their patients. It would allow doctors to help those patients fill out paperwork that authorizes medical use of cannabis. It would allow those doctors to help weigh cannabis when choosing whether other medical options may be the best fit for that individual veteran. When I woke up in Walter Reed Army Medical Center after being injured in Afghanistan, I was on a laundry list of medications. It was a shock to me. I was on sleep sedatives, antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, and probably half a dozen different, very serious narcotic painkillers. When I woke up and became aware of all of this, I quit those things cold turkey. I was lucky that I was able to do that. Most veterans that I have encountered were not able to do that. Many, unfortunately, suffered addiction afterwards. A few years ago, I met a former member of Navy SEAL Team 6. He was in a helicopter crash that resulted in catastrophic injuries. After countless surgeries, he found himself addicted to opioids that he was prescribed for sleep and pain management. He was never given an alternative to those drugs, and, ultimately, it was cannabis for him that allowed him to break free of that addiction and manage his pain without opioids. However, he has never been able to discuss cannabis with his doctor at the VA for fear of repercussions. He couldn't talk to his doctor about it. His story isn't unique. There are tens of thousands of veterans for whom cannabis may be a better alternative if they could discuss it. According to a survey in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 50 percent of veterans who use cannabis said that they used it in place of prescription medication, but they are forced to hide their use and self-medicate because VA physicians are hamstrung from discussing it as a viable option. Beyond the veteran population, the Nation is turning the page on how we think about cannabis. It has become a key part of the medical system in more than 30 States. It offers law-abiding Americans a low-cost and safe option. I say we should not keep those who fought for our country from accessing what is proven to be a critical tool for pain management. It is time for change. Veterans deserve to have access to every possible tool and the best medical options available and the best possible medical advice by their doctors. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.