Addison McDowell

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Madam Speaker, today and every day the brave men and women of the United States Coast Guard carry out a critical mission: securing our borders, patrolling our waters, and saving American lives. As vice chair of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, I have seen firsthand how vital their service is to our national security and to our prosperity. The Coast Guard Authorization Act gives our guardsmen the tools, the resources, and the support that they need to meet today's threats, whether it is stopping fentanyl at sea, stopping illegal migrants, or responding to natural disasters. This bill is about backing the Coast Guard the same way that they back us every single day. I am proud to support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Madam Speaker, today, I recognize one of North Carolina's brightest young athletes, Coy James of Davie County, who now joins the ranks of great ballplayers from the Tar Heel State. Coy was selected by the Washington Nationals in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Known across North Carolina for his power at the plate and his elite play at shortstop, Coy is a force. He follows in the footsteps of other Davie County stars, including Carson Whisenhunt, drafted a few years ago out of East Carolina by the San Francisco Giants and three-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, who just retired after nine seasons in the majors. These men are a testament to the deep love Davie County has for the game of baseball. We are proud to have them representing our community on diamonds across the country, and we wish them all the best as they take on their next chapter.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, America is not a surveillance state, and under Republican leadership, it never will be. Today, this Congress has the opportunity to lay the foundation for a digital future that protects freedom and financial privacy. At the center of that effort is the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act. This bill ensures that no central bank digital currency will be created under the Federal Reserve. We have seen what that looks like in Communist China where the CCP uses it to track, monitor, and control their people, but not here, Mr. Speaker. Not in the land of the free because together with the CLARITY Act and the GENIUS Act, we will protect Americans' financial liberty and make the United States the crypto capital of the world. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, today we take another big step toward delivering a course correction for our country. The American people sent us here with a mandate, to fight back and deliver on a promise. That is what the One Big Beautiful Bill Act does. Americans should first know what my colleagues in opposition to this legislation are voting for and what they are voting against. Not passing this bill means a $1,700 increase in taxes for the average American family of four. Mr. Speaker, that might not be a big deal to the elites in Manhattan or San Francisco, but it does mean a lot to the people of my district in North Carolina. Not passing this bill means our Border Patrol officers and our Coast Guard won't have what they need to secure the border and stop the flow of deadly fentanyl. It doesn't stop there, Mr. Speaker. Opposing this bill also means protecting waste over purpose, fraud over fairness, and foreign interests over American strength. Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure voters in my district know what passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will mean for them. It means they get to keep more of their hard-earned money. It means that small businesses can spend more money on their employees instead of sending it to Washington. This bill will make our communities safer by making a historic investment in our border security. No more dangerous, illegal aliens parading around with no consequences. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is one of the most consequential items we will vote on. It is President Trump's agenda, and it is what we all told the people back home we would do. Now the House must get it done. I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this rule. Let's choose our country over comfort and get the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to the President's desk.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize an unparalleled figure within the city of Kannapolis, Mr. Wally Safrit, who will be retiring this summer, after more than 40 years of service. Wally has been involved in the city of Kannapolis since before its inception. In 1982, he joined with community members to begin the push for incorporation, spearheading the legal process of creating a municipality. By 1984, he had successfully helped to guide the city into incorporation, and in 1986 he officially became the city attorney. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to guide Kannapolis through complex legal opportunities. From the downtown revitalization to forming a minor league baseball team, Wally has been involved in just about every project in Kannapolis' history. His contributions have been irreplaceable, and his legacy is a thriving town that is home to more than 50,000 people. I thank Wally for his many contributions to the community. I wish him a long and joyous retirement.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, today we do what lifelong bureaucrats in this town fear most: We cut their funding. For far too long, Washington bureaucrats have taken advantage of the American taxpayer, sending their hard-earned money to fund the corrupt foreign aid complex, and pushing government funding for educational programs that groom our children. That stops today. The Rescissions Act of 2025 is not just a bill. It is a part of a much larger course correction. This bill rips back over $9 billion from the clutches of globalist NGOs, projects that fund radical gender ideology, and the green new scam. The great people of North Carolina didn't send me here to manage decline. They sent me here to help President Trump usher in the new golden age. Let the left scream. Let the media moan and grown, but today we are putting Americans first and looking out for their hard- earned tax dollars. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Ezell for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 2351, which will strengthen the ability of the United States Coast Guard to respond effectively to opioid overdose situations. The Coast Guard is on the front lines of the fight against fentanyl, working to stop traffickers at sea and saving lives in the process. This bill will ensure that they have the tools needed to do just that, because when an overdose happens, there is no time to wait. This bill will give the Coast Guard broader authority to prosecute cases where illicit drugs are discovered on unmanned vessels or smuggled onboard without the knowledge of the crew. This bill also ensures that Coast Guard facilities have naloxone and other similar medications on hand to treat overdoses, bringing the Coast Guard in line with other branches of the military. By giving our coastguardsmen and -women access to naloxone, we are giving them the ability to save lives at sea and protect themselves should they come into contact with these deadly drugs. Put simply, we have their backs, and they have ours. This commonsense bill will make it easier and safer for our servicemembers to protect our maritime borders with confidence when intercepting these poisons before they reach our communities. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, it comes as no surprise that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are afraid of the truth when speaking about the bill before us today. We now have extensive reporting that the last administration kept the American people in the dark about the health of President Biden. They refused to call the flood of illegals coming across our border a crisis. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle tried putting lipstick on their inflationary economy rather than changing course. It should come as no shock, Mr. Speaker, that these same folks are misleading Americans about the bill before us today. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will be a major course correction delivering massive tax relief, certainty for small businesses, a historic investment in border security, and we are unleashing American energy. Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that too many in this body live their own truth, not the truth. The truth is: This puts America first. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this rule.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have repeated the phrase ``budgets are about priorities'' a lot lately. Mr. Speaker, do you know what really signals someone's priorities? It is their actions. Just last week, we witnessed a group of elected officials storm an ICE facility, demanding sympathy for illegal aliens who are violent gang members, rapists, and murderers. Mr. Speaker, each of us is elected to represent our constituents and put American citizens first. The idea that someone could take the oath and then storm through law enforcement simply boggles the mind. If my colleagues want to talk about priorities, Mr. Speaker, here is one they should remember: The safety of law-abiding Americans is more important than the demands of foreign criminals.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, today is Fentanyl Awareness Day, a day meant to spread awareness of a ruthless poison that has stolen the lives of too many of our sons, daughters, sisters, and brothers. My family and I know this pain personally. My brother Luke was taken from us by a single pill laced with illegal fentanyl. Mr. Speaker, so many families across our country have experienced this same pain. It is a tragedy, but we cannot let heartache keep us down. Our family and this country, we do not weep in the wake. We rise, we fight, and we prevail. When America enforces her laws, we win. Fentanyl trafficking is down 54 percent. Border encounters are down 93 percent. Thousands of MS-13 thugs have been thrown out. This is no accident. It is the result of strong leadership, of resolve, and of putting America first. I will continue to do my part and fight for families against this poison.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution to overturn a ludicrous rule which imposes government price controls on financial institutions across the country. The Biden administration's CFPB issued this rule right before they left town, and they sold it as a defense of consumers. Mr. Speaker, you can say something a million times, and it still won't make it true. Instead of helping consumers, government price controls will simply lead to more denied transactions and less consumer freedom. Here is the reality, Mr. Speaker: Many local banks across the country already offer overdraft services that provide Americans a safety net on their financial services, and it is exactly these types of services that foster competition, giving consumers a choice in where to bank. This resolution would repeal the Biden administration's government price control scheme. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this resolution.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer a warning to college basketball teams across our country: The Panthers are coming. For the first time in history, the High Point University men's and women's basketball teams have both punched their tickets to the March Madness tournament. The men's team clinched their spot with a Sunday night victory over Winthrop, coming back from a 15-point deficit. The women's team punched their ticket by winning the Big South tournament against Longwood University. Together, these teams have made history, and they are not stopping now. To anyone unfortunate enough to be facing the Panthers later this month, good luck. You are going to need it. Mr. Speaker, I say to both teams that Guilford County and the entire Sixth District of North Carolina are with them. May they remember their values: God, family, and country. Let's choose to be extraordinary and bring it home.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Chair, while we may not agree on whose State has better barbecue, one thing we do agree on is that today is a momentous day; not for one party, but for all Americans. Today, we take a giant step toward fulfilling the mandate given by millions of Americans. For too long, the people's interests have been drowned out by an agenda pursued by elite, leftwing politicians. The elite, leftwing politicians don't feel the impact of their reckless policies. Whether it be pursuing open border policies or policies that fuel inflation, it is normal citizens who feel the impact. Today, we start the process of restoring America's strength. Rather than pursue a reckless, ideological joyride agenda, this resolution paves the way for historic investment in our country's border security, permanent tax relief for the middle class, getting rid of the inflation tax that has hit the working class, and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse throughout our government. Mr. Chair, Americans demand better. This resolution does that. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, this is the first time that I have had the honor of speaking on the floor of this great body, and it isn't by chance. It is because of how important this legislation is and how personal it is to my family and me. In 2017, we lost my little brother, Luke, to fentanyl poisoning. He was only 20 years old. It changed everything for our family, and there is not a day that goes by that we don't feel the pain of that loss. Days like tomorrow, February 7, which would have been his 29th birthday, will always come with an especially painful reminder that he should be here. Unfortunately, the pain that we feel is not unique to my family because tens of thousands of American families are being shattered by this crisis each year. Today, fentanyl is the leading cause of death among young adults. Enough is enough, Mr. Speaker. Enough is enough. This legislation before us today would make important changes. Right now, because of an emergency order, fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances are considered a schedule I drug, but this order is set to expire at the end of March. If it expires, it means that law enforcement will have no authority to seize many of these deadly drugs, that drug traffickers will be empowered to push deadlier drugs on our streets, and that our Border Patrol officials will lose the authority to seize these drugs coming across our border. This bipartisan legislation is simple. It is not window dressing, Mr. Speaker. It is simple. It would make this emergency order permanent. However, let's never mistake simple for insignificant. We have before us the opportunity to save many lives. Mr. Speaker, we lost my little brother to fentanyl, and I will not stop until we ensure that others don't lose theirs.

Mr. McDOWELL

Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man who has committed his life to public service and who deserves our appreciation and support. For more than three decades, James Shore has served his country and his community. His service began in 1989 when he enlisted with the United States Marine Corps. For four years, James served in some of the most challenging and dangerous regions in the world: from Somalia in the Horn of Africa to the Middle East during Operation Desert Storm. His time in the Marine Corps was recognized with numerous awards for his bravery, leadership, and dedication. James completed his military service in 1993, but his service to his community was just beginning. He started a career in law enforcement, where he earned recognition for his commitment to the safety of his community and the well-being of his colleagues. He took a leadership role in the Fraternal Order of Police by helping to establish the Davidson County Lodge 97, where he served as President until 2020. In 2020, James again demonstrated his commitment to public service when he took a seat on the Davidson County Commission. As a County Commissioner, he made significant contributions to the county's justice and public safety while expanding his public service by taking part in the National Association of Counties and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. In 2023, James was honored with the M.H. ``Jack'' Brock Outstanding County Commissioner Award for spearheading Operation Green Light for Veterans, an initiative to raise awareness and support for veterans in North Carolina. In October 2024, James was diagnosed with cancer, and he is expected to complete his treatment on February 6, 2025. Throughout this fight, James has inspired others with his perseverance and commitment to his family and his community. I thank James for his three decades of service. My thoughts and prayers are with him as he navigates this battle against cancer.