Andrew Ogles

Mr. OGLES

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the courage of Falun Gong practitioners, who for more than two decades have faced severe persecution in China because of their beliefs--beliefs centered on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance, and on a desire to revive traditional Chinese culture and values. According to documentation compiled by Minghui.org, at least 5,910 Falun Gong practitioners have died as a result of repression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The CCP has also subjected Falun Gong practitioners to arbitrary detention, torture, and forced organ harvesting--an atrocity that shocks the conscience. I also rise to recognize the Tuidang Movement--translated as the ``Quitting the CCP Movement''--and to commend the Global Service Center for Quitting the Chinese Communist Party, known as the Tuidang Center, for its work in support of freedom of conscience and human dignity. In December 2004, The Epoch Times published a report titled Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, an account of the Party's history. According to that report, the CCP has been responsible since 1949 for the unnatural deaths of 60 to 80 million Chinese people, and by now likely more. It also highlighted the hundreds of millions of abortions committed under China's coercive population control regimes, and in 2013, China's own health ministry corroborated this when it released data showing that more than 300 million abortions had been performed since 1971. Over the following two decades, according to organizers, millions of copies of the Nine Commentaries were reproduced and distributed within China by Falun Gong practitioners, often at great personal risk. That effort helped give rise to the Tuidang Movement, through which individuals can renounce their affiliation with the CCP, the Communist Youth League, and the Young Pioneers, frequently using pseudonyms to protect their safety. The Tuidang Center, based in New York, collects these withdrawal statements through volunteer networks and tracks the movement's growth. Its volunteers outside China also reach Chinese citizens by phone, message, and email to share information about withdrawing from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. In recent years, Chinese immigrants have publicly announced their withdrawals at Tuidang rallies in Flushing, New York, receiving certificates memorializing their decisions. According to the Tuidang Center's records, as of July 2026, more than 464 million people have submitted statements dissociating themselves from the CCP or its affiliated organizations. This movement of nonviolent resistance to totalitarianism represents an awakening of conscience, grounded in a desire to reclaim China's cultural and moral heritage. Such resistance helps lay the moral foundation for a future of greater freedom and justice in China, while also standing against the spread of communist ideology worldwide. The witness of those who participate in this movement should also remind Americans of the continuing dangers posed by communist ideology. The CCP has a well-documented history of transnational repression, and the Tuidang Center states that its own work has faced intimidation and disruption here in the United States. According to the Center, it received eight threatening letters between April 20 and 28, 2025, and its public booths in Flushing were vandalized on April 29, 2025. Transnational repression targeting advocates on American soil is a serious matter, and such conduct has no place in the United States. Mr. Speaker, the right to hold and peacefully express one's beliefs, and to associate or disassociate freely, is a fundamental human right. I honor the courage of Falun Gong practitioners and the volunteers of the Tuidang Movement, and I commend the Global Service Center for Quitting the Chinese Communist Party for its work on behalf of freedom of conscience. I urge my colleagues to join me in standing with all who peacefully advocate for human dignity and the freedom to believe.

Mr. OGLES

Mr. OGLES. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a son of Tennessee whose courage still echoes across generations, a man who represents the very best of Middle Tennessee and the very best of this country, John Harlan Willis. Born in Columbia, Tennessee, John Harlan Willis was one of those young men who didn't wait for history to call his name. At 19, before the United States had entered World War II, he stepped forward and enlisted in the United States Navy. He became a pharmacist's mate, a corpsman attached to the Marine infantry where his duty was clear and unforgiving. When others hit the ground, he got up, and he moved forward and went straight into the fire to keep his fellow Americans alive. On the black sands of the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the most brutal battles in American history, Willis stood shoulder to shoulder with Marines under relentless enemy fire. He moved forward when others were forced down, crossing open ground under artillery and mortar fire to reach the wounded. Even after he himself was struck by shrapnel, he refused evacuation. He did not step back. He went forward again. Then came the moment that defines him. As enemy grenades began landing among his fellow Marines, Willis did something almost impossible to comprehend. He picked them up, one after another, and threw them back toward the enemy, not once, not twice, but eight times. He chose the lives of others over his own. Eight times he placed himself between death and his fellow Americans. On the ninth grenade, there was no time left. It detonated in his hand. He was 23 years old. In that instant, John Harlan Willis gave everything he had so others might live, not because anyone ordered him to, not because anyone was watching, but because that is who he was. He left behind a widow, Winfrey Willis, and a young son, John Harlan Willis, Jr., a family that carried forward his name and his legacy. Today, that legacy belongs not just to Columbia, not just to Tennessee, but the entire Nation. We live in a time when words like ``courage'' and ``sacrifice'' are often used lightly. If we want to understand what those words truly mean, we should look to the men like John Harlan Willis. He reminds us that greatness is not found in titles or positions but in decisive moments when a person chooses others over themselves. Naming the United States Post Office in Columbia in his honor is more than a symbolic act. It is a statement about who we choose to remember. It is a commitment that future generations walking into that building will see his name and ask who he was. When they learn, they will understand what the country expects of its sons and daughters. John Harlan Willis is not just a hero of the past, he is a standard for the future. Madam Speaker, before I close, I would ask this body for a brief moment of silence for Pharmacist's Mate First Class John Harlan Willis; for his widow, Winfrey Willis; and for his son, John Harlan Willis, Jr., a man who had to grow up without his father; and for all of those who gave everything so that we may stand here today free.

Mr. OGLES

Mr. OGLES. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 5078, the Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act, known as the PILLAR Act. This legislation is about strengthening the first line of defense in our Nation's cybersecurity. While we often focus on Federal networks and high-profile national systems, the reality is that many of the services Americans depend on every single day are run by State and local governments. When a resident pays a utility bill online, when a police department dispatches an officer, or when a hospital connects to a county network, all of those activities rely on State and local systems that are now squarely in the sights of foreign adversaries and criminal groups. As a former county executive in Tennessee, I saw firsthand how limited budgets, aging systems, and staffing constraints can leave local governments struggling to keep up with modern cyber threats. Many smaller jurisdictions only operate with a handful of IT staff and, in some cases, with none at all. Yet, they are expected to defend against the same nation-state actors that target major corporations and Federal agencies. That is not a fair fight, and it is not a sustainable model for national security. The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program at the Department of Homeland Security was created to help close that gap by providing targeted assistance to those States, territories, and local governments so that they can assess the risk, modernize outdated systems, and build real cyber resilience. The PILLAR Act reauthorizes and strengthens this program so that it reflects the threat environment we face today and the technological landscape that State and local partners are actually operating in. This bill makes several important updates. It ensures that the program covers not only traditional information technology systems but also operational technology and systems that incorporate artificial intelligence. That means that we are recognizing the reality that cyber risk now extends to everything from industrial control systems at water treatment plants to connected devices at public safety networks to AI- enabled tools used by local agencies. The bill encourages the adoption of basic but powerful best practices, such as multifactor authentication and stronger identity and access management tools across State and local networks. It promotes continuous vulnerability assessment and monitoring so that jurisdictions can detect and mitigate threats before those threats turn into major incidents. It also emphasizes the importance of good cyber hygiene, modern configuration management, and alignment with frameworks developed by CISA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Importantly, the PILLAR Act recognizes that not all communities start from the same place. It directs outreach and support to rural areas and jurisdictions with small populations, which are often the least resourced but still operate critical services. It encourages partnerships with academic and nonprofit organizations, including cybersecurity clinics and other technical assistance providers that can help these communities develop and implement their cyber plans. This bill also guards against the use of Federal grant dollars on technology that introduces additional risk. It prohibits the use of funds to purchase software or hardware from foreign entities of concern when those products do not align with CISA guidance, and it directs grantees to follow secure-by-design recommendations so that public money is not spent on tools that undermine security. We also provide more predictability around cost share requirements so that States and local governments can plan over the long term. The legislation maintains a strong Federal commitment while encouraging jurisdictions to invest in sustaining the improvements they make. For those that implement multifactor authentication and related protections by a certain date, the bill provides additional flexibility in the Federal cost share to reward that proactive work. This is a bipartisan bill. I am proud to have worked closely with Chairman Garbarino and Representatives Swalwell and Evans on this critical legislation, and appreciate the support it has received from Members on both sides of the aisle. We share the same goal, which is to help our communities defend themselves against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats and to ensure continuity of essential services for the American people. Supporting the PILLAR Act is about more than technology. It is about public trust. When a local government falls victim to ransomware and emergency services are delayed, when a school district loses student records, or when basic services are interrupted, citizens lose confidence in those institutions. This bill helps prevent those outcomes by equipping State and local leaders with the resources and tools they need to prepare. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5078 and to stand with the State, local, Tribal, and territorial partners who are on the front lines of our cyber defense every day.

Mr. OGLES

Mr. OGLES. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 2659, the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act. Earlier this year, I introduced this legislation because the United States is facing an increasingly coordinated and persistent effort by malicious cyber actors linked to the Government of the People's Republic of China, the PRC. These groups represent one of the most serious national security challenges confronting our Nation today. Reports from Federal agencies and private-sector partners over the past several years have shown that Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors, including Volt Typhoon, Salt Typhoon, and other PRC-affiliated groups, have been targeting the systems and services that Americans rely on every single day. In committee, there has been testimony that 98 percent of our municipalities operate under cybersecurity poverty, meaning they don't have the resources to defend themselves. These intrusions have affected communication providers, energy operators, water systems, transportation networks, and other sectors that are fundamental to public safety and economic stability. What has become clear is that these actors are not simply trying to collect information. In many cases, they have attempted to position themselves inside sensitive systems for long periods of time, for years, in some cases, before being discovered. Their activity indicates preparation for the possibility of major disruption during a time of crisis, including potentially over Taiwan. This is a serious strategic concern, and it demands a serious national response. These groups often use advanced techniques that allow them to operate quietly within everyday system activity. They rely on legitimate tools and access privileges to conceal malicious behavior. This makes detection extremely difficult and allows intrusions to remain unnoticed until long after a compromise has taken place. While Federal agencies have taken important steps to respond, the overall effort has revealed significant challenges in the way our government organizes its cybersecurity responsibilities. Multiple agencies share roles in protecting critical infrastructure, but they operate under different missions, structures, and authorities. Through fast-moving or complex incidents, these differences can slow the exchange of information and create uncertainty about responsibility and response actions. H.R. 2659 addresses these gaps by directing the creation of a joint interagency task force led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, CISA, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This task force will bring together the agencies that serve as sector risk management agencies, along with the intelligence community and other Federal partners with responsibility for critical infrastructure security. The goal is straightforward: Federal actions must be aligned, coordinated, and based on a shared understanding of the threat environment. The legislation also requires the task force to provide Congress with a detailed initial assessment, followed by annual reports for 5 years. These reports will offer insight into the tactics used by PRC- affiliated cyber actors, vulnerabilities across sectors, the potential impacts of disruptions during a major crisis, and any additional tools or authorities Federal agencies may need. Classified briefings will ensure that Congress receives timely and accurate information necessary to evaluate our nationwide posture. This bill strengthens unity and effort. It improves coordination. It increases visibility and accountability. It ensures that the United States can respond to foreign cyber aggression with preparation rather than reaction. H.R. 2659 reflects lessons learned from real-world incidents. It elevates our national approach to cybersecurity, and it helps protect American communities from adversaries who are actively working to compromise the systems that support our way of life. We cannot let a bureaucracy stand in the way of defending our Nation's cybersecurity. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. OGLES

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, the definition of a ``foreign entity of concern'' in this bill would include any company subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a government like China's. While constructive, there is still nothing in the underlying text of this bill and nothing within the definition of a ``foreign entity of concern'' that would automatically refer to the section 1260H list of Chinese military companies. Since the section 1260H list is something that the Secretary of Defense is instructed to update, it is possible that there is a natural delay as to when Chinese military companies are designated as foreign entities of concern for the purposes of this act. This amendment provides clarity and ensures that any U.S. college or university entering into a contract with or receiving a donation from a section 1260H list company is required to first receive a section 117A waiver from the Department of Education. Again, the reporting threshold for foreign entities of concern is zero, meaning that a gift or contract of any size or scope has to be reported. Mr. Chair, this is about accountability. We know that they are here to steal our secrets. We know that they want to undermine us. As we go into the next phase of warfare that is not just on the battlefield but is cyber war and its capabilities therein, we know that China is aggressive in these spaces. They are in our universities. They are on our campuses. They want to steal this information. We have to have a mechanism of accountability and reporting so that we know who is doing what and where. It is that simple. It will require universities to pick their partners carefully and make sure they are safeguarding the very technologies that they are being entrusted to house on behalf of the U.S. Government and the U.S. people. We don't need to enable the Chinese military through modernization, weaponization, or their attack on us, our Constitution, or our way of life. All this does is require reporting. This isn't calling every Chinese individual a bad actor but is acknowledging the fact that they are our enemy and not our friend, and they want to supplant us as the sole world power. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, this amendment ensures that Chinese military companies are included as foreign entities of concern for the purposes of this bill, which would subject such companies to a strict zero- dollar threshold for gifts and contracts. The section 1260H list was established in the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act and has since been used as a blacklist for Chinese military companies that are directly or indirectly owned, controlled, or beneficially owned by the People's Liberation Army or the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party. Needless to say, these companies aren't here to be our friends. They hate us, and they want to harm us. They are here to steal our technology and advance China's military modernization efforts. Even so, there are going to be colleges in this country that get so captivated by a dollar figure that they would salivate at the chance to work with our enemies. Some of America's most sensitive property is housed or developed at our universities, and if there is a whiff of partnership between the institution of higher education and a Chinese military company, the American people deserve to know the details of every last gift and contract. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chair, I emphasize that we are talking about countries like Iran, Russia, North Korea, and China. Whether it is a bag of doughnuts or a bag of money, we know they are over here. We know they are doing it. It is not being fully reported. Mistakes are being made. They are trying to influence and brainwash our future leaders of this country. We need to be proactive. We need to send a message that enough is enough. The reference to doughnuts, so be it. Whether it is a bag of doughnuts or a bag of money, if they are over here with malign intent, the American people have the right to know about it. Those universities should be put on notice. If you are in bed with the enemy, you should be put on notice. If you are allowing subversion of our country on your campus, the American people should know it. I don't see why anybody would have a problem with this. It is clear. We are talking about national security at a time when our adversaries are on the move. I will note my sincere gratitude to both the chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee as well as the committee staff for working with my team on these amendments. This amendment ensures that special administrative regions of China, including Hong Kong and Macau, are covered under the definition of a ``foreign country of concern'' in this bill. Again, we know they are going to launder money through those areas. It is a commonsense edit that secures American colleges and universities against the number one existential threat to our way of life: the Communist Party of China. Mr. Chair, again, this is a no-nonsense amendment. This makes sure that we cover our flank, that we identify those areas where we know that other countries can launder money through to influence our campuses. We saw it in the spring. We saw it over this past year, the bad behavior on college campuses. We have to make sure that this money isn't getting through dark channels, back channels, and influencing our universities and our youth. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chairman, when mom and dad send their kids to college, they expect them to get a good education and a return on investment, not to be indoctrinated by our enemies. The DETERRENT Act does a very valuable service by requiring proper reporting and ensuring that four countries, Iran, Russia, North Korea, and China, who actively seek to undermine our sovereignty, are designated as ``foreign countries of concern.'' Think about that list. This designation means that, for these countries, the foreign gift reporting threshold is zero. Again, Mr. Chairman, I urge that if we know we have an adversary, we should have access to all of their influence peddling in our country that is targeting our youth so we have the full scale and scope of what they are doing. There is no country better than China at money laundering. If we ensure that their reporting threshold is zero for the People's Republic of China, that only solves one part of the equation. What happens when the leaders of the PRC attempt to continue their malign influence through Hong Kong or Macau? It could really marginalize the admirable intent of this legislation and could only temporarily, potentially, derail the PRC when we know they are going to try to get around it. We know they are going to launder money through other means. We have to clear this up, shore this up, and further clarify. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, America's enemies will stop at nothing to destroy us, and they don't care how they do it. These enemies would stoop so low as to target our young people. For years, countries like the People's Republic of China have used our own universities to advance agendas that hurt American security. Aside from the state of Qatar, there is probably no other country in the world that finances U.S. colleges and universities more than the People's Republic of China. They use this all-access pass to steal our intellectual property, abuse our student visa programs, and prop up Communist-inspired Confucius Institutes. This places the Chinese authorities in a real position of influence among our young people, all the more so because our own government doesn't try to hold our colleges and universities accountable to the basic disclosure standards. A 2019 Senate report found that up to 70 percent of all institutions failed to comply with what are called section 117 disclosure requirements. Those that do not comply with section 117 substantially underreport their foreign donations and contracts. Under current law, if gifts and contracts, either individual or combined, from an originating country meet or exceed $250,000, these donations must be reported to the Department of Education twice a year. By failing to enforce our laws, we are signaling to our enemies, especially China, that we don't care if they use and abuse the American higher education system. As a result, we really don't have a clear idea of the extent of China's influence campaign against the youth of America. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time. Parliamentary Inquiry

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

Mr. OGLES

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, the Liberty in Laundry Act, which defends the American people against rogue and out- of-touch D.C. bureaucrats. There might only be 41 days remaining in the current administration, but this administration is still doing its best to make household appliances unaffordable. If he wanted to limit consumer choice, undercut quality, and raise costs for Americans, then Joe Biden couldn't have done a better job. First it was gas stoves, then it was water heaters and HVAC. Go down the list. Now the Biden-Harris administration is going after your washing machines. When the government tries to micromanage something as basic as your laundry routine, including which washing machines you can buy and how much you will pay for them, my Republican colleagues and I will take a stand. The Biden Energy Department doesn't even believe in the value of its own rulemaking. As the chairman said, $9 over the lifespan of this device. The upfront cost of the machine is outweighed by this so-called savings. They are imposing energy standards that often mean higher costs on the appliances themselves, longer wash cycles, and perhaps even using more water. The American people pay more for their appliances upfront because of these efficiency standards. Worse, the Biden administration repealed better efficiency rules implemented by the Trump administration with the Fifth Circuit ruling earlier this year that DOE's repeal of President Trump's efficiency rules were arbitrary and capricious. The court found that the Biden administration failed to consider--now keep in mind, this is the court--failed to consider things like appliance performance and the fact that the standards were causing Americans to use more water, not less. Some Democrats may want to race down the world to serfdom, replacing the judgments of consumers with those of government commissars about what products best meet their needs. However, I will not allow them to drag millions of hardworking Americans, like in the rural parts of my district, who are going to go to their appliance store and pay more. My bill prohibits the Department of Energy from imposing or enforcing standards that would increase net costs to consumers. My bill requires them to include costs related to purchase, installation, maintenance, and replacement cost, forcing them to be honest about the true cost of the rule or the regulation. My bill safeguards the right of families to choose the appliance that best fits their needs and budget, again, without the burden of the Biden administration. Of course, we won't stop with laundry. We will continue pursuing legislation to stop bureaucrats wherever they choose to make life harder for hardworking Americans. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of my legislation.

Mr. OGLES

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

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from Iowa for yielding. Mr. Chair, there were 14,700 pounds of fentanyl seized in fiscal year 2022; 27,000 pounds of fentanyl seized in 2023; and 19,700 pounds of fentanyl seized so far in fiscal year 2024. Mr. Chair, 76,000 Americans died from fentanyl overdoses last year. Tens of thousands or more of Americans have died from fentanyl overdoses since this administration took office. Hundreds of thousands have died from drug overdoses in general. Chinese state-owned enterprises are seeing an opportunity to profit off of the deaths of Americans, and this administration is letting it happen. Americans are crying out for new leadership. Until they have their say on November 5, we should be sanctioning the daylights out of every single one of these Chinese Communist Party's genocidal thugs. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party is the highest organ of authority within the 2,000-member National Party Congress. The 205 full members of the Central Committee have critically important decisionmaking authorities and voting rights which include the selection of the general secretary, the politburo, and the politburo's standing committee. Thankfully, the underlying legislation leaves the possibility of not only permitting the U.S. President to sanction these 205 members but also 171 so-called alternate members of the Central Committee who do not have voting rights but are nevertheless members of the committee. This amendment provides both clarification that the legislative's punitive sanctions may also be used against these alternate members and also provides congressional support for blocking and prohibiting all transactions in property against these top Chinese Communist Party cadres. It further lends support for making these alternate members ineligible to receive a visa to enter the United States. There should be no confusion as to the nature of the threat posed by the PRC. The Chinese Communist Party seeks to destroy the United States. It is already actively involved in sending the fentanyl precursor chemicals necessary to kill our fellow Americans across our border. For context, 76,000 Americans died from fentanyl overdoses alone in 2023. This fiscal year alone, 35,400 Chinese nationals have taken advantage of our porous southern border and come into our country. The CCP has also co-opted every meaningful international institution to the point where our Nation is now funding organizations like the WHO and the wider U.N. to promote policies that are undermining our own national interests. The CCP engages in gray zone warfare against Taiwan and other Indo- Pacific allies, risking the start of another global conflict. Communist China steals hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of intellectual property from our Nation every single year, and it uses its diplomatic presence to engage in massive espionage operations. Our government opens a new China-related counterintelligence case every 10 hours, and approximately 50 percent of all of our Nation's counterintelligence cases are related to China. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, nothing? It gives the President of the United States, whether Republican or Democrat, the ability to defend our country, to create accountability when a bad actor engages in undermining our national interests. My colleagues say we need better communication, and when we were communicating to them that Americans were dying because of precursor chemicals, they did nothing. When we communicated that we needed them to stop because our kids were dying, they did nothing. This idea of communicating and appeasement did not work, and hundreds of thousands of Americans paid the price. I will not sit idly by and allow China to bully our country. Now, if others want to do that, then that is up to them, but this bill is permissive. It gives the President of the United States another tool, another opportunity to hold China accountable. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, I think it is shortsighted to allow Americans to die on our streets because the Chinese Communist Party is flooding our country with fentanyl. I think it is shortsighted that we allow the Chinese Communist Party to influence our foreign policy. I think it is shortsighted that we don't stand up for Taiwan and let them take full control over their own destiny. It is time that America stands up for its allies: Israel, Taiwan, and all of those beacons of democracy around the world. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, the underlying bill rightfully includes a robust set of preconditions prior to lifting any sanctions on members of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. However, when it comes to those who have been sanctioned for their role in the political oppression of minority groups in the PRC, the bar of accountability ought to be set even higher. The ones suffering in Communist China aren't just the people of East Turkestan. Over the years, the United States has demonstrated its solidarity with the people of Tibet and with the plight of the Tibetan people. Seven decades after the CCP began its illegal occupation of the country of Tibet, the Chinese Communist Party continues its policy of wholesale persecution of the Tibetan people. This amendment simply states that the sanctioned members of the PRC's Central Committee must also cease any and all oppression of the Tibetan people. The amendment references the State Department's 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, a report which details the numerous different ways the PRC authorities are oppressing the Tibetan people. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chairman, just to be clear, the persecution is rather stark: enforced disappearance, torture or cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment or punishment; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrests or detentions; serious problem with the independence of the judiciary, particularly regarding political prisoners; transnational repression against individuals located in other countries; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; punishment of family members for alleged offenses by a relative; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including censorship; serious restrictions on internet freedom; and substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly. This is the Chinese Government. This is whom some on the other side of the aisle seek to appease. It is important that we leverage every tool to stand firm as the dominant superpower in the world and that we continue to be the light of freedom and hope for our tired world. It is time we take a stand. It is time that we say no to China. It is time that we pass my amendment. Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OGLES

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, I will go back to the Eighth Circuit where it determined at the University of Iowa, that the student groups, the religious groups, had the right to choose their leadership. You can go back to the University of Wisconsin-Madison where the same type of ruling came down. That being said, in 2022, the law school at Madison decided to reject the initial application of a Christian Legal Society chapter because the group requires that its leader is Christian, which administrators claim was different than requiring believing Christian beliefs. They only relented after being challenged on the legality of their actions. The underlying bill already establishes that public universities cannot discriminate against religious groups for their leadership standards, but we all know that sometimes, like my previous amendment, you need to state the obvious. When we find an issue that public universities will persist in fighting, even after losing in court, it is important to spell things out clearly. My amendment does just that. It inserts the statement: `` . . . regarding religious identity, belief, or practice.'' It clarifies their right to choose their leadership based off of their beliefs. I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, my amendment adds a sense of Congress that acts of violence committed on the campus of an institution of higher education are not protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution. We cherish free speech in America. It is the foundation of our democracy, a beacon of liberty, and an essential right for every citizen. We must remember that the First Amendment draws a clear line. It protects peaceful expression, not violent acts. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for his comments. What we have seen is an alarming rise in incidents where protests on college campuses turn violent against Jewish students. This is not free speech. It is an assault on free speech, and it has no place in America, let alone in the institutions tasked with shaping the minds of the next generation. Since the horrific October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, we have seen an explosion of anti-Semitism on college campuses. Across the country, Jewish students have been harassed, assaulted, intimidated, and subjected to the hostile and sometimes violent environments of their campuses. Every Jewish student deserves the right to learn, to speak, and to participate in campus life without fear of being targeted. In the wake of anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses across our country, violence against Jews has even gotten worse. Since October 7, fewer than half of Jewish students feel physically safe on campus. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, again, I thank my colleague for his comments. I think in light of the October 7 attack, in light of the violence we have seen on college campuses, and the very fact that Jewish students say they don't feel safe, it is important to restate what is law. It is important to restate that they have a right to be free, to be safe, and to learn. Sometimes it is important that we state the obvious. Sometimes it is important that we stand and say what needs to be said, that anti- Semitism can't be tolerated. It can't be tolerated. It can't be tolerated. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.