Johnny Olszewski

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Suozzi), who is the co-chair of the Uyghur Caucus.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing. Madam Speaker, there is broad, bipartisan consensus as we heard today in this body that the U.S. must, once again, apply pressure and use leverage to hold China accountable for its human rights abuses, persecution of minorities, journalists, and Hong Kongers, and force it to release those whom they have been wrongfully imprisoned. This week is an opportunity for President Trump to press President Xi on these issues during their summit. This resolution calls on President Trump to make central in his negotiations the release of Pastor Jin; Pastor Gao Quanfu, and his wife, Pang Yu; Dr. Gulshan Abbas; and Jimmy Lei. Madam Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1259, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, every April, we recognize Fair Housing Month in honor of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, also known as the Fair Housing Act, legislation that prohibited discrimination in housing and expanded opportunity here in America. Yet, nearly 60 years later, the dream of homeownership is slipping away for far too many. As Members of Congress, we must act. That is why I have introduced legislation to establish, for the first time, a standardized national way to track housing loss. It is why I have introduced bipartisan legislation to help communities convert vacant buildings into affordable housing. There is much more that we can do, from supporting tax credits for first-time home buyers to expanding access to small-dollar mortgages. There are also things we should undo, like reversing Trump's tariffs on building materials and reinstating inclusionary borrowing programs that have been canceled by this administration. Every American deserves a safe roof over their head. This Fair Housing Month, let us all recommit to that goal.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember the six men who lost their lives and to commend the first responders whose courage prevented even greater tragedy when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed exactly 2 years ago. I grew up in the shadow of that bridge. Our entire community still feels the profound loss of our cathedral in the sky. Thanks to the efforts of Team Maryland and partnerships at the Federal, State, and local levels, the shipping channel has been cleared, the Port of Baltimore is again thriving, and funding for a new bridge is established law. However, we must keep going. The Key Bridge's absence is still deeply felt every day. Rebuilding it as quickly as possible is an American priority, and we must do everything we can to make it happen. Today, as we remember the souls lost and the heroism of that day, let us also recommit ourselves to the Key Bridge project with the speed, focus, and resolve this moment demands.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill. It is a solution in search of a problem, as the gentleman from Massachusetts just pointed out. My colleague pointed out earlier some polling numbers. Let me put another polling number out there. Mr. Speaker, 90 percent of Americans support universal background checks. If that is the standard, let's pass a universal background check right now. Let's save lives from senseless gun violence. Republicans say that this bill will stop noncitizens from voting, but as the ranking member from the Rules Committee pointed out, nonpartisan studies have found that over 24 years and out of hundreds of millions of votes cast, there has been proof of this happening exactly 77 times. To be clear, voter fraud should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. We welcome conversations to do that, but that is not what this bill does. Indeed, if my colleagues were serious about election integrity, we would include protections for American voters who are overseas, like the brave men and women of our military. We would provide free automatic IDs. We would allow same-day voter registration for eligible voters, and we wouldn't force married women to navigate even more bureaucratic obstacles. We wouldn't force States to turn over their voter rolls, and wouldn't actively discourage voting by mail. Mr. Speaker, I have a different challenge for my colleagues from the Republican side. They should join me in focusing on what Americans actually need: relief from the crushing cost of living crisis in this country. Let's stop pretending that this bill defends democracy and start helping the people we represent. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule and on this bill.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, despite Americans consistently identifying higher costs as their number one issue, today marks 369 days that this Republican-led Congress has failed to take any significant action to address the affordability crisis. Instead, chaotic trade policies, along with devastating cuts to healthcare and food programs by the President, have only driven up costs. The recent expiration of ACA tax credits makes things even worse. In Maryland, it is the equivalent of a $4,700 tax hike. I have heard from many constituents who are now forgoing insurance altogether, exposing them to risks and spiking premiums across the board. I am also deeply concerned about the chilling economic effect that this will have. If we aren't going to pass legislation to lower costs in this Congress, can we at least pass legislation to keep them from going up even more? I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the legislation before us. Extend these tax credits for struggling families.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to invite my colleagues to join me in strengthening two of our Nation's key founding principles: checks and balances and the rule of law. Join me in uplifting the idea that every person and institution within a government is subject to the same set of rules: rules established by, reviewed by, and enforced by three coequal branches of government. Join me because these principles are under assault. Mr. Speaker, none of us should accept it as normal practice that a President, any President, use their executive pardon power to absolve convicted drug kingpins, those found guilty of violently attacking law enforcement officers, and even a money laundering crypto magnate with ties to the President's family business. Yet, this is exactly what President Trump has done. On his first day back in office, President Trump pardoned 1,500 people involved in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Since then, he has pardoned or commuted the sentences of nearly 90 others. Just recently, he added former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez to that list. Hernandez was serving a 45-year prison sentence for conspiring to smuggle more than 400 tons, or 4.5 billion doses, of cocaine into the U.S. Hernandez was also convicted of accepting bribes from violent drug cartel members to fuel his political career, shielding them from prosecution in exchange for their bribes. Earlier this year, President Trump granted clemency to a drug dealer responsible for putting more than a thousand kilograms of cocaine onto Baltimore's streets. A Federal agent described the defendant as ``one of the largest cocaine and heroin dealers to be arrested by the DEA in recent history.'' President Trump is using the pardon power not to correct injustices but to absolve convicted criminals simply because he can. He has yet to offer a compelling reason for any of these clemency cases. These abuses are especially pronounced under this administration, but they are certainly not unique to one party. Throughout history, Democratic and Republican Presidents have used clemency to reward allies and shield those close to them. After the Civil War, President Johnson issued sweeping pardons for more than 13,000 former Confederates. President Clinton pardoned his half brother, who was also serving time for drug trafficking. President Biden pardoned his son, who was convicted on gun charges and had pleaded guilty to tax-related charges. Some Presidents, including Presidents Trump and Biden, have issued preemptive pardons before prosecutors even had a chance to present their case in court and before the public had any opportunity to weigh the facts. It has to stop. These abuses erode trust in our democratic system. They undermine the notion that all laws apply to all Americans. They lack the checks and balances envisioned by our Nation's Founders. They are now far too common and far too brazen. We must do something about it. That is why I am introducing a straightforward constitutional amendment, one that adds balance and accountability to the pardon system by giving Congress the ability to review and overturn Presidential pardons and commutations. Under my proposal, Members of Congress could petition for a review of pardons and overturn them with a two-thirds supermajority in the House and Senate. This amendment intentionally sets a fairly high standard. The goal is not to eliminate the President's pardon power but to encourage Presidents to think twice before issuing outrageous pardons. Should egregious cases persist, it gives Congress the ability to intervene. As ethically questionable pardons have become increasingly common, it is no surprise that public trust in government is near an all-time low. According to the Partnership for Public Trust, only one in three Americans has confidence that their elected officials are acting in the public's best interest. Two-thirds believe the Federal Government is corrupt. One way to improve public trust is to stop the most brazen abuses of clemency. No more get-out-of-jail-free cards for the wealthy and well- connected. The time to act is now. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in my efforts.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I necessarily missed the vote. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 284.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, this funding deal is why Americans have lost faith in Congress. It does absolutely nothing to address the crushing cost of healthcare, in what amounts to a massive tax hike on working families. It does absolutely nothing to stop President Trump from canceling the very funding we would provide, something he has already done again and again. Here is what it does: It allows Senators to write themselves, and only themselves, million-dollar checks because their phone records were legally subpoenaed, checks paid for by American taxpayers. It is corruption at a whole new level. With bribery and insider trading, someone breaks the law. Here, Congress is writing a law that protects and funds corruption. It is brazen and disgusting and an effort to legalize corruption. Anyone who votes for this CR is complicit in that corruption. If government still belongs to the people and not the powerful, then we must reject this self-serving scam.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, today marks 257 consecutive days that this Congress has failed to take meaningful action to address the cost- of-living crisis weighing heavily on struggling American families. Regrettably, the President and Republican leadership have made life more difficult and less affordable for hardworking families across our Nation through chaotic trade policies and devastating cuts to healthcare and food programs. The pending expiration of health insurance subsidies at the close of this year, in particular, threatens to impose a severe and unwarranted tax hike on the middle class. Allowing these subsidies to lapse will cause out-of-pocket premiums for enrolled Americans to soar by an astounding 93 percent. This drastic reduction in subsidies will also compel many healthy individuals to forgo insurance altogether, leaving a sicker population behind and forcing insurers to raise premiums across the board. As a result, even families who do not receive these subsidies will see their premiums increase by 18 percent. This single policy shift would strip health coverage from more than 5 million Americans, adding to the 10 million projected to lose insurance due to President Trump's Medicaid cuts. Those fortunate enough to retain their insurance will face a staggering cost increase. A family of four earning just $90,000 annually could see their premiums escalate by as much as 69 percent. That is an increase of over $3,000 per year, and that is crushing for a working family. The expiration of these subsidies will also inflict substantial harm on entrepreneurs and small business owners. These are people who comprise roughly 30 percent of marketplace enrollees. I am deeply concerned about the chilling effect this premium hike will have on business creation and job growth, both of which are already under significant strain in Trump's economy. Democrats stand ready to work collaboratively with our Republican colleagues to fund the government in a bipartisan spirit. We are eager to negotiate in good faith on a responsible budget that delivers for all Americans. Extending these vital tax subsidies is but one of many critical items on the table. Let me be unequivocal on one other issue. No budget proposal that permits additional rescissions is worthy of any serious consideration. Any long-term budget should be shielded against further rescissions because we have already seen this administration's willingness to rescind funds approved in a bipartisan fashion by Congress, canceling support for foreign aid and public broadcasting programs that enjoy broad bipartisan backing. The administration has also announced plans to exploit a little-known mechanism known as a pocket rescission to unilaterally cancel even more foreign aid. Of deep concern to myself and Marylanders, President Trump has threatened to rescind funding that is vital to the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, a project critical not only to our local economy but to the Nation as a whole. I urge my colleagues to insist that any budget we pass categorically reject any further illegal impoundments. The power of the purse rests solely with Congress. If the President seeks to cut funding, he must do so through proper channels: by coming to Congress and requesting a lawful change. Let's be sure to remember that in the days ahead.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Madam Speaker, it is now the fourth time I have come to this floor with a poster to count the days. We are now 200 days into this session of Congress and, sadly, I return with the same message. I wish it weren't so. I have scoured our voting record, trying in vain to find one vote, just one, that would lower costs for American families. The closest I found was a bill that would improve price transparency for concert tickets, but nothing to actually address price gouging. When it comes to the most basic of necessities, there hasn't been one serious effort from House leadership to lower costs. Instead, President Trump and this GOP majority are doing the opposite, driving up costs through tariffs. The big, ugly budget makes things even worse by ending food programs and causing both healthcare costs and utility bills to skyrocket. I again call on House leadership to bring legislation to this floor that delivers meaningful relief to all our constituents.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind my colleagues that this bill is more than words on paper. The policies we are debating today have real impacts on real people, people like 4-year-old Amir Rich, who visited my office earlier this month. Amir was born at just 2 pounds and spent 452 days in the hospital. Today, although he still depends on feeding tubes and oxygen tanks, he is thriving. He is walking and able to speak. He lit up my office with energy. That is thanks to the care he received under Medicaid. Christina was forced to leave her 16-year career in corrections to become his full-time caregiver, placing a significant financial strain on their family. In the face of rising costs for American families, Medicaid has become a vital lifeline helping to cover the kind of care Amir needs. The bill before us guts these lifelines like Medicaid and CHIP. These programs cover nearly half of all American children. For families like Christina and Amir, today's vote is a matter of life and death. I encourage my colleagues to look at Amir. Look at him and oppose this reckless bill. Protect the vital support systems that serve millions of Americans.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to amend the rule to make in order the amendment at the desk that protects against any cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from Massachusetts for the time and for offering this bill, which is simple. It would block any budget reconciliation language in the House or Senate that reduces Medicaid or SNAP benefits. In other words, it would block any legislation that would unnecessarily increase human suffering and that would harm fellow Americans. Mr. Speaker, this is day No. 152 of the 119th Congress, and American families have seen no relief. Instead, this Republican majority is poised to make things worse through the reconciliation process. In pushing $300 billion in cuts to food support, congressional Republicans will make groceries even more expensive for the 42 million families already struggling to put food on the table every day. Mr. Speaker, 80 percent of these households include a child, a senior, a disabled person, or a veteran. Let that sink in. SNAP provides $6 a day in food assistance to hungry Americans. It is a small amount, but it is enough, Mr. Speaker, to lift millions of Americans out of poverty and to create a foundation of health and well- being. Just $6 a day can create a pathway to opportunity. Republicans want to take food away from hungry people, not to balance the budget. We know the bill actually increases the deficit by nearly $3 trillion, and they are not doing it to better serve our veterans. The bill actually reduces funding for our vets, too. Republicans are doing this to fund tax breaks for the wealthiest of individuals and big corporations. If that is not enough, the House Republican bill slashes nearly every bit of Medicaid funding needed, $1 trillion, taking away healthcare from 14 million Americans, including children, mothers, seniors, and low-income families. Many will die. While a Senate colleague correctly pointed out this week that, yes, death is inevitable, we should not actively work to expedite it. I would hope and pray that we can all agree on that point. We are public servants. We are called to lead with compassion, to feed the hungry, and to care for the sick.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, there isn't a single Member of Congress who doesn't represent families who rely on SNAP or Medicaid to make ends meet. It is simple. These cuts will lead to suffering, and we must stop them. I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so that we can bring this important legislation to the floor.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank my colleague, Chairman Williams, for his leadership on a bipartisan bill that we passed earlier today to ensure that small businesses have access to information about career and technical education programs and that helps them, more importantly, hire both accomplished and competent CTE graduates. I am proud to co-lead this effort as someone who prioritized workforce development as well as career and technical education in my prior roles. As Baltimore County executive, I helped implement a $3.3 billion school improvement plan with a strong emphasis on CTE. I created the Public Health Pathways Program, connecting residents with high-demand nursing jobs. As a State legislator, I helped create the Maryland Employment Advancement Right Now Program, addressing the needs of workers by creating formal career pathways to good jobs. These efforts work. Countless Americans are hungry for employment and are seeking opportunities to improve their livelihoods by pursuing their passions. This bill is just one of many steps we need to take to build a strong pipeline of skilled workers in high-need industries. CTE graduates have the skills and dedication that Maryland and American small businesses need, and I thank my colleagues for supporting this commonsense bill.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous material into the Record.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus for their remarks on an issue that is pressing and timely for all of us. I really appreciate the ways in which so many of you have lifted your voices on the scourge that is gun violence in this country. Mr. Speaker, I rise for this Special Order because here we are, now 151 days since the beginning of this 119th Congress, and American families have seen zero relief. Nothing has been done to help them as costs continue to rise, despite promises from the administration and the GOP congressional majority to lower prices on day one. Instead, this Republican majority is poised to make things worse through the reconciliation process. Just one awful and cruel example is pushing $300 billion of cuts to food supports. In doing so, congressional Republicans will make groceries even more expensive for the 42 million households already struggling to put food on the table every day. Twenty thousand of those families live in my district. Eighty percent of those households include a child, a senior, a disabled person, or a veteran. Let that sink in. SNAP isn't a luxury. It is essential. It provides $6 a day in food assistance to hungry Americans, just $6. It is a small amount, but it is enough to lift up millions out of poverty and create a foundation of health and well-being. Just $6 can create a pathway to opportunity. Instead, Republicans want to take away food from hungry people, not to balance the budget, because we know this bill actually increases the deficit by nearly $3 trillion, and not to better serve our veterans, because this bill actually reduces funding for our vets. Republicans in Congress are doing this in order to fund tax breaks for the wealthiest of individuals and big corporations. Early in my career, I was a public school teacher. I know that a hungry kid cannot learn. That is why, when I became Baltimore County executive managing a $5 billion budget that I had to balance every year, I prioritized food security and especially prioritized food security for our children. We leveraged our very modest SNAP dollars and braided it with additional State and local funding to ensure that all kids in Baltimore County, regardless of income level, could now receive a free breakfast or lunch at every single public school--no stigma, no strident rules. We just feed hungry kids. We feed them in the summer, too, having expanded the summer SNAP program to keep kids fed even when school isn't in session. As a result, behaviors improved, and test scores went up, too. That was no surprise because research has proven time and time again that kids who receive SNAP benefits in school have higher graduation rates. Access to healthy foods helps develop memory, social skills, and emotional stability. All of these are critical to academic success. A quality education is the key to opportunity. It empowers our SNAP recipients to lift themselves out of the cycle of poverty. Under these Republican cuts, Maryland and our counties would take on 50 to 75 percent of the administrative costs of SNAP. The types of expansions we made in Baltimore County and expansions that have happened across this country will likely vanish overnight. In fact, the Urban Institute says that as many as 18.3 million children will lose access to free school meals under these cuts. Food banks will be overwhelmed. Children will go hungry, and it will have a domino effect: a domino effect on their education, a domino effect on healthcare costs and healthcare outcomes, and a domino effect on our economy. A Department of Agriculture report called SNAP an economic stabilizer. One billion in new SNAP benefits would lead to an increase of 1.54 billion GDP. In other words, 54 percent above and beyond the new benefits. That seems like a much better investment to me than borrowing $4 trillion to finance tax cuts for the ultrawealthy. I am so grateful to all of my colleagues who are joining me tonight who are speaking about the importance of SNAP and feeding our young people. We represent rural districts and urban districts, communities of means and communities without. There isn't a single Member of Congress who does not represent families who rely on SNAP's food supports to make ends meet. We all represent families that are getting squeezed by higher costs, who are too scared to check their retirement accounts, who are putting off having prescriptions filled, or who are falling behind on rent. It is simple: These cuts will lead to suffering and we must stop them. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan), who just co-anchored an incredible Special Order hour herself.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, for I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; for I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. What will this House do? How will we be remembered when our service here is done? I thank the gentlewoman for her comments. Before I yield to my next colleague, I wanted to point out one other interesting provision of this big, beautiful bill. Currently, anyone caring for a dependent child is exempt from SNAP work requirements. Under the proposed legislation passed out of this House, that exemption would apply to those responsible only for those caring for children 6 years and younger. That means that parents or a single parent with children aged 7 or older who are currently exempt would have to meet the work requirement in order to receive SNAP benefits. Is that how we want to treat our children, Mr. Speaker? As we ponder that, I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman).

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her remarks tonight. At this point, it is my privilege to yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Dexter).

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Representative and my friend from Oregon for her remarks tonight, Mr. Speaker, reminding us that, in fact, hunger is a choice. We are choosing to prioritize the ultrawealthy of this country over our seniors and our veterans, over those who have sacrificed so much for this country, and over the future of this country, over our children. We are not willing to spend $6 a day to lift up the most vulnerable among us, to spend $6 a day to feed people who are hungry and provide real opportunities for fellow Americans. I think it is time that all of us in this Chamber take a moment to reflect about what we are doing here and what our true priorities are. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to elevate this important issue. I thank my colleagues who have added their voice to this issue. I hope that as the Senate considers this reconciliation package, particularly around the issue of food security and hunger and feeding our fellow Americans, that we take a hard look in the mirror and think about what we are doing here. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, there is nothing beautiful about this bill, but at least the deficit growth is big. Maybe that is why my Republican colleagues are debating it under the cloak of darkness again. This bill is ugly. The bill is a scam. The nonpartisan CBO has confirmed that under the bill, the poor will get poorer and the rich will get richer. To fund tax breaks for the wealthy, the bill borrows trillions, while taking away food from hungry kids and healthcare away from hardworking Americans. My amendment to address the hypocrisy of the Medicaid work requirements imposed under this bill was not included. The amendment was simple. Before prying healthcare away from able-bodied constituents, make sure they actually have access to a job. Mr. Speaker, 14,000 will lose Medicaid coverage in my district alone. Thousands more will see their premiums soar, and 20,000 who rely on SNAP for their next meal could go hungry; nationwide, it is millions. It does nothing to lower costs for average Americans. It does the exact opposite. This bill is cruel. We should all vote ``no.''

Mr. OLSZEWSKI

Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, and I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga), for his leadership on this bipartisan and bicameral bill. I am proud to join his efforts and co-lead on legislation that will help safeguard our ports and boost our economy. I have seen firsthand how critical our ports are to our national security, to our economic strength, and to the resilience of our supply chains. In my home State of Maryland, the Port of Baltimore is an anchor. It provides more than 15,000 direct jobs, supports another 140,000 connected jobs and services, and it is a critical gateway for commerce. It is one of the largest ports in the country for automobiles and ranks in the top 10 nationally for total cargo. The Port of Baltimore, like so many ports across the country, is an economic lifeline for our communities. Today, however, these lifelines face a growing challenge. Namely, China is aggressively expanding its influence over strategic ports around the world. China is building, buying, and controlling maritime infrastructure critical to U.S. interests. They now control or have stakes in critical ports across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas, providing Beijing with unprecedented leverage over key maritime chokepoints and global trade routes. In the Western Hemisphere alone, Chinese companies have established ownership or operational control in ports spanning seven countries, including major terminals here in the U.S. Last year, the House select committee on China and the House Homeland Security Committee conducted a joint investigation into the operation of ZPMC at U.S. ports. ZPMC is a Chinese state-owned company and the world's largest manufacturer of cranes. At the Port of Baltimore, the FBI discovered intelligence-gathering equipment on board a vessel delivering ZPMC cranes to the Port of Baltimore. This allows China not only to advance its own economic interests but also to potentially disrupt shipping access and gather intelligence on U.S. military movements. The Strategic Ports Reporting Act is a necessary and timely response to this threat. It is not just about commercial competition. It is about transparency, preparedness, and safeguarding our national security so we can continue to project power, protect our economy, and secure our supply chains. This is a bipartisan and commonsense step to protect the American people. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and send a clear message. The U.S. will not cede control of our critical infrastructure to our adversaries.