Scott Perry

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Good Shepherd Catholic Church on the blessed occasion of its 75th Anniversary. Good Shepherd Parish in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, was founded on May 28, 1951, to help serve the rapidly growing Catholic population on the West Shore of Harrisburg. Sunday Masses began on June 10, 1951, at the Camp Hill Theatre, and were supplemented in the auditorium of Trinity High School as the first pastor, Father Simpson, was called to find a home for his flock. The pioneer spirit was not lacking. Given the challenges of humble beginnings, land was purchased on Market Street between 34th and 35th Streets by the Diocese of Harrisburg, and the growing parish worked vigorously to raise funds to build a church and school at the site. In July 1952, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at 34th and Market for the Good Shepherd Church and school. The attached school of four classrooms was opened September 1, 1953, with 121 students. The first Mass was celebrated by Bishop George Leech on the day of the church's dedication, September 13, 1953. As the Catholic community expanded through the 1950s and 1960s, additions and modifications to the school part of the Market Street campus were made to accommodate. Sunday Masses were held in the standing room only, even with an overflow to the school hall and additional Masses at Trinity High School auditorium. The need for a larger church was evident, and a 7.6-acre site was purchased 25 years after Good Shepherd's doors first opened. On September 11, 1977, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on Trindle Road for the construction of the new church--with a seating capacity of 1,100, an all-purpose room to function as a gathering and meeting space, an adrninistrative wing, and a new rectory. Construction was completed in the summer of 1978, and the church was dedicated by Bishop Joseph Daley on November 5, 1978. Beyond physical changes over time, the strength of the faith, determination, and dedication to the one Good Shepherd remains steadfast as the House of God, built with care and love. It continues its legacy with grace and gratitude for what was accomplished, and what yet remains to be done. The legacy of Good Shepherd Church, 75 years later, provides its faith family deep, strong roots that continue to flourish--with a membership of more than 1,750 families who serve God and our community with charity and fidelity. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 10th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, I am humbled and honored to congratulate the Good Shepherd Parish on this auspicious and blessed occasion of its 75th Anniversary. The church family's contributions to our communities-- spiritual, charitable, educational, and social--are immeasurable, and I pray for God's continued blessings on their continued call to serve and honor Him.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Senior Master Sergeant Jason W. Kerstetter upon the auspicious occasion of his retirement from uniformed service after 32 years of selfless service. Originally from Richfield, Pennsylvania, SMSgt Kerstetter first enlisted into the United States Army in January 1993. Shortly after his high school graduation, he attended Basic and One Station Unit Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, graduating as an M1A1 Abrams Armor Crewman. Over the course of his 16-year Army career, he was tasked with various assignments, serving on active federal service with the Pennsylvania National Guard in California, Kentucky, and South Korea. In 2009, SMSgt Kerstetter transferred to the 193d Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron, Pennsylvania Air National Guard--becoming one of the first senior Non-Commissioned Officers in the newly created Aerial Port. He deployed in support of myriad missions, including Operations Enduring Freedom and Spartan Shield. Most recently, he completed a tour with the 609th CENTCOM Combined Air Operation Center, serving as the Subject Matter Expert with the A3/4 Air Mobility Division. SMSgt Kerstetter currently serves as the Superintendent of the 193d Air Transportation Function, part of 193d Special Operation Logistics Readiness Squadron out of the Harrisburg International Airport, Middletown, Pennsylvania, which supports the Department of War's capability of moving passengers and air cargo worldwide. As superintendent, SMSgt Kerstetter plans, organizes, directs, coordinates, and controls ail transportation activities. Additionally, he determines and justifies personnel, equipment, and facilities required to accomplish air transportation functions. Outside of the military, SMSgt Kerstetter has been married to his wife, Krista, since 2022, and has served our youth for the past 20 years as a fifth grade teacher in the Lower Dauphin School District. He also is a licensed soccer official (since 2013) for both the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association and the United States Soccer Federation. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize, commend, and congratulate Senior Master Sergeant Jason W. Kerstetter upon the occasion of his retirement after more than 32 years of selfless service in the United States Military, and on a job extremely well done. His dedication, professionalism, and tireless devotion are a great credit to himself, our communities, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States of America, and set the standard by which all should be judged.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker. I rise to recognize Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt) Justin R. Baysore upon the auspicious occasion of his retirement from the United States Air Force and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. SMSgt Baysore entered the Air Force in 2004, completing Basic Training and Security Forces Technical Training at Lackland AFB, after which he became the Response Force Leader with the 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In 2006, he served as the Entry Controller with the 51st Security Forces Squadron at Osan AB, South Korea. He briefly returned stateside, serving as the Installation Patrolman with the 88th Security Forces Squadron at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, before deploying to the United Arab Emirates as the Security Response Team Leader with the 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. At the end of his active component enlistment in November 2008. SMSgt Baysore served with the 193d Special Operations Security Force Squadron in Middletown, Pennsylvania, where he served as the Fire Team Leader, and deployed to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, in 2009 and 2010 as a force protection specialist in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he ensured the security of a Special Operation Forces compound. During the deployment in 2009, he was selected to forward deploy to Fire Base Thomas at Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan, where he provided personnel security at an austere location. In 2013, SMSgt Baysore transferred to Air Transportation with the 193d Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron as an Air Transportation Specialist. While assigned to the Cargo, Ramp, and Passenger Services sections, he handled cargo and passenger processing, aircraft on and off-loading operations, fleet service functions, and special handling of hazardous materials. In 2019, he deployed to Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, where he was crucial to the redeployment of over 75 personnel and 175 short tons of equipment back to the United States. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Air Freight Section of the 193d Air Transportation Function. SMSgt Baysore has earned a multitude of awards, decorations, and recognitions, including--but not limited to: Meritorious Service Medal; Air and Space Commendation Medal; Joint Service Achievement Medal; and Air and Space Achievement Medal (w/1 OLC). Just prior to his retirement, SMSgt Baysore served as the Air Transportation Function Operations Supervisor with the 193d Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron in Middletown, Pennsylvania, during which he led a 46-member flight overseeing critical cargo, passenger, and special handling functions for global air mobility operations across the Department of War. In his civilian life, SMSgt Baysore enjoys camping at his river lot, fishing, and hunting. While he will continue to work as an FMS Program Manager with the U.S. Navy, he is retiring to spend more weekends with his wife and two sons. Mr. Speaker, I am honored and privileged to recognize Senior Master Sergeant Justin Baysore upon his retirement after more than 21 years of uniformed service to our Commonwealth and Nation in uniform. His tireless, selfless, dedicated, and honorable service to his fellow Airmen and the United States of America, set the standard by which all should be judged.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, since 2018, 11 VA facilities out of 170 have been using it, not studying it, using it. The study happened after that, and every day that the study is occurring, 20 servicemembers take their lives. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates between 11 and 20 percent of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom veterans have PTSD in a given year, 12 percent of Gulf war veterans, 15 percent of Vietnam veterans. Sadly, only 40 percent of these heroes will find relief with current treatments. I am tired of waiting on the VA and this study, which, quite honestly, is just prolonging the turf war between practitioners there. Some of them say they should have primacy and this shouldn't even be involved. Yet, again, it is an outpatient procedure, 15 minutes. Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, while the deliberative process is playing out, this treatment has been used for over 100 years, without any known side effects, without any damage to anybody. It is 85 percent effective for the users that have used it. I have witnessed it. If it is invasive, Mr. Chairman, it takes 15 minutes of lying down on the table and getting an injection, and oftentimes sitting up, standing up, and being relieved of your PTSD right then. While they are studying it, while they are fighting at the VA over turf about which treatment is best, which practitioners should have primacy, 20 veterans a day are taking their own lives while they can't get the treatment. While they are studying it, it is offered in 11 facilities out of 170. Why, while they are studying it, why are they offering it at 11? While they are studying it, all the other veterans have to fail every other paradigm before they can get it, and often they commit suicide before they ever get it. I am tired of waiting on the bureaucracy at the VA and the turf wars between practitioners to do something to save our veterans, and I am going to keep on fighting. I understand the gentlewoman's comments. I just completely disagree. It is time for us to act while they won't. It is our duty. Abraham Lincoln said it is our duty to take care of those who have borne the battle. We are not doing it. We are waiting on the VA, these different doctors and paradigms to discuss, well, maybe this works, maybe that works. These guys and gals are dying every day. We have got to do something about it. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment increases and decreases the amount appropriated in the medical services account in the MILCON-VA appropriations bill to furnish stellate ganglion blocks, or SGB, in every VA facility, not just some of them. SGB therapy is an outpatient procedure that has been used since the 1920s. It is safe, effective, and affordable, especially in cases where other treatments have failed, and is proven to alleviate common PTSD or PTSI symptoms, such as exaggerated responses and anxiety, with almost no known side effects. By injecting an anesthetic agent into the stellate ganglion, nerves in the neck that control the fight or flight reflex, it helps bring relief to regions of the cerebral cortex thought to be abnormally activated in sufferers of PTSD. SGB changes the paradigm of treatment from the failing perception of simply a mental disorder to that of a treatable injury. With traditional therapies as needed, that can bring long-term relief to the injured veterans. As of 2018, only 11 out of all of America's 170 VA facilities reported using SGB or making it available. Making matters worse, a veteran must fail all other traditional treatments before being considered for SGB therapy, which, anecdotally, is effective 85 percent of the time. The time, distance, and monetary burdens demanded from finding SGB elsewhere frequently prove too much. I have heard stories of servicemembers getting in a van and traveling from Alabama on their last dime to come up north to try to get the treatment. It leaves far too many of our veterans with options like self-medicating, self-harm, and, too often, suicide as the outcome. Our Nation suffers 20 veteran suicides every single day. Enough is enough. This has been way overdue way too long. Far too many of our veterans come home to find the war comes home with them. Our current PTSD treatments provide relief for only a fraction of our veterans, and some really encouraging treatments are either unavailable or offered at too few facilities. We have a moral duty to do everything possible to ease the suffering of those who risked all to protect our freedoms, our way of life, and our country. This is an incredible PTSD treatment, the results of which I have witnessed personally. This amendment increases and decreases the amount appropriated to furnish SGB in every VA facility, so you don't have to go to just some. You can go to any. It directs the Secretary of the VA to expand SGB access to veterans upon PTSD diagnosis by making it a covered treatment under Federal law. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, we support our farmers, but we also support our consumers. I appreciate my friends on both sides of the aisle for this position, but these two positions of being for farmers and being for consumers are not mutually exclusive. They are right that we should all have a choice of whether we buy E15 or not, but the problem is that we don't have a choice about the Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires us to produce more ethanol than we ever use. As a matter of fact, these folks up in the gallery here are paying about $750 a gallon to produce ethanol, about 2 to 4 gallons of water for every gallon of ethanol. Thirty cents of every gallon you currently buy of ethanol, after you pay the subsidy, is added to your gallon of gas price. This is going to raise prices. By the way, you already have the chance to do this. Twenty-two States already have the option to sell E15 year-round. Less than 14 percent of fueling stations in Iowa, where they grow a heck of a lot of corn, sell E15 because the consumer doesn't want it. You get less miles per gallon. First of all, you pay more, subsidize it, and then get less miles per gallon when you put it in your tank. This is craziness. As the price of fuel goes up because of Iran--not because of President Trump, but because of Iran--we are actually going to increase prices in this House if this bill is voted in favor of. Delta purchased the Monroe facility in Pennsylvania for $150 million plus $30 million from Pennsylvania, but they spent $2.3 billion on renewable fuel compliance. That is 20 times the purchase price. Where do you think the price goes, ladies and gentlemen? It goes in your wallet. You are paying for all of this stuff. I absolutely urge a ``no'' vote on this. Let's not raise everybody's gas prices. By the way, it doesn't help the environment, either. I have all of those numbers, too, but I am out of time.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Beth El Temple in Harrisburg on the auspicious occasion of its 100th Anniversary. For the last century, Beth El Temple has been a thriving synagogue and a vital part of our local community. Located on the banks of the Susquehanna River, Beth El Temple has provided a home for Jewish families across Central Pennsylvania. From the first services, which welcomed the rising sun at the ark and watched it set at the doors to the Sanctuary by the river, the Temple has been a place where all are valued, and which the staff has continued to create a sense of community and belonging for anyone who visits. Over the years, Beth El has significantly expanded its community outreach to a robust educational program, to include the Gersher Religious School, the Brenner Family Early Learning Center, and the PJ Library Program. Beth El also has a strong service and social action program, assisting and supporting service initiatives throughout the local community, and hosting food and essential service drives for the underprivileged. On May 15 to 16, 2026, Beth El Temple will celebrate its 100th Anniversary at the Centennial Gala. Guest rabbis, community members, and others whose lives have been positively impacted by Beth El's presence and impact will join. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Beth El Temple and commend its 100th Anniversary and vibrant work. Beth El's impact on the local community, service initiatives, and welcoming environment continue to bring a light to our region and residents.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the good gentleman from Texas for organizing this. Mr. Speaker, we sure appreciate our good friend Tim Reitz, and my good friend from Texas has laid out things about the Freedom Caucus that we have accomplished and the things that we stand for. Everybody comes to Washington--I don't care what side of the aisle you are on or what district you are from--you want to make a difference. You want to make your country better. That is what I believe, but Washington has a way of capturing everybody that comes here that maybe has a little bit of a shaky foundation, not really sure about how devoted to that cause they are. The Freedom Caucus, in my experience, are the individuals that came to save the Republic. That is what they came for and that is all they came for. They want to do the right thing even if it is at their own peril. As the gentleman from Texas said, we are respected and lauded by many people across the country like at airports or in different cities, even in my own hometown with thanks for the things that we engage on and in for the American people. We are not doing it for ourselves. We are doing it for the people that we represent. We are trying to make their lives better and save the Republic for them and their children and grandchildren. With that comes the ire of many of the people that live and work and count on Washington, D.C., to keep on doing the same thing, which is take money from all the people in the rest of the country and spend it on the priorities of the people in Washington, D.C., instead of the priorities of the people in the rest of the country that are paying their taxes. To be a member of this organization, you have to decide: Do I want to have zero friends in Washington, D.C., right? Oftentimes it is said that you can choose to have your friends in Washington, D.C., or you can choose to have your friends in your district. Well, a lot of folks don't like that decision and who can blame them. Nobody really likes confrontation, generally speaking. I remember when Tim came to the Freedom Caucus because he wanted to be part of that fight. We had a lot of good candidates as I recall, but Tim stood head and shoulders above all the rest. I found out some years later that Tim is an Eagle Scout and his organizational skills and the way he carries himself, his professionalism is indicative of that kind of person. I probably should have known that kind of coming into the job. Just like any other organization, we had our challenges. Not everything was perfect, but Tim dug right into those problems, those challenges that we had and made them right. Why that is important is because the organization has to continue, but the Members of Congress that are here, we didn't come to run an organization. We came to save the Republic, to fight for the things that need to be fought for. It is always easy to fight the other side, but it is hard to fight your own side. Mr. Speaker, I am a proud Republican. I have been since first grade, but we don't always get it right, which is why people like me and some of my other colleagues are here to make sure that we get it right, to make sure that the things we do here are the same things that we told the people at home who elected us they are the same things we told them we were going to do. Tim joined that effort. Of course, almost immediately upon joining that effort, getting some things right that needed to be dealt with in the organization, we found ourselves embroiled in this battle over the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It shouldn't be personal. It wasn't personal for us, but we just knew that if we kept doing the same things the same way with the same people, we were going to get the same outcome. We just knew that. Of course, we also knew that picking on your own team is frowned on by other Members of your team. Even though many of them wanted to see things change, they didn't want to go through the problems and the challenges of meeting that head-on. Tim was right there in the dark hours of that whole thing. He had faith in us, and our Members had faith in him. He kept the notes. He kept us on track. This is what was said. This is what was going to be done. This is what was agreed upon. This is still hanging out there. Tim, in his own right, became respected in this body among other staff members and other leaders as a person that they could count on for his work who knew the issues, who knew the process, and wasn't going to take a bunch of crap that, quite honestly, gets shoveled around here where they just expect you to take it because that is the way it has always been done. This organization and our successes are due in great part to Tim Reitz, which is why we are here because we want to honor him on his departure. We wish him well. This is not easy. This takes a toll on you personally, professionally, and it is a sacrifice every single day. The long nights, the time away from home, the extended heartache and trouble, the ire, unfortunately, sometimes of the people around you. They will be happy that it got done, but they won't like what they had to go through to get there. Somebody has to do that hard work. Somebody has to be willing to stand up and say, we are not going to keep doing the same old tired things, especially during the challenge for selecting a Speaker round after round after round in the public. Everybody was watching. Somebody had to make sure that we maintained the direction and the course, the little details along the way. That person was Tim. Since that time through the many, many battles all for the right reasons, all for the right things, there has been one person who has been at the epicenter of that unsung, behind the scenes, making sure that the details were recorded, making sure that we stayed on track, making sure that what was possible could be achieved, and that was our friend and our colleague Tim Reitz. While we are celebrating him and his future because this place has a way of grinding you down and using you up. We are also very sad for the loss of someone that is so skillful, so professional, so respected, and achieves results. That cannot be found just anywhere. We made the right selection then. He remains the right selection now. We are honored to have had him working side by side, shoulder to shoulder with us in these endeavors. We wish him well. We know he is not out of the fight, but he is going to change his battle position a little bit. We are here to say Godspeed Tim Reitz. God bless you. Mr. Speaker, I do have to say this, too, while Jody Hice is sitting here. We stole him from Jody. He was working for Jody and we stole him for a greater cause. Jody, of course, part of that cause, as well so he was gracious about it. It is painful when you lose somebody as competent as Tim. The accolades all around and the well wishes all around. It has been my honor and privilege to serve with you, sir.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Master Sergeant (MSgt) Jeffrey Pautz upon the auspicious occasion of his retirement from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard (PAANG) after more than 30 years of service to our Nation. MSgt Pautz enlisted in February 1996. After completing basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, he returned to Fort Indiantown Gap to join the 553d Air Force Band, now known as the Air National Guard Band of the Northeast, wherein he served as an Instrumentalist for a multitude of bands, including the Concert Band, Ceremonial Band, German Band, ``Guardsmen'' Big Band, and the ``Brass in Blue'' Brass Quintet, performing on trumpet and the French horn. MSgt Pautz also served in myriad other duty positions, including: Assistant Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of Supply; Additional Duty Unit Training Manager; Unit Information Systems Security Officer; Unit Equipment Custodian; Unit Computer Equipment Custodian; Assistant Director, Commander's Support Staff; and Director--Supply. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize and commend MSgt Jeffery Pautz upon his retirement from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and on a job extremely well done. His dedicated, tireless, and selfless service to his fellow Airmen, the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, the United States Air Force, and our United States of America set the standard by which all should be judged.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and recognize Mr. Nathanael Etzweiler on earning the Royal Rangers Gold Medal of Achievement with Merit. Nathanael has been a valued member of the Royal Rangers Outpost 242 for the past ten years, where, in line with the Four Gold Points on the Royal Ranger Emblem, he has grown mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. His time in the Royal Rangers has helped him focus on his physical health, grow his social network through the church and sports, and strengthen his relationship with God through prayer and scripture. Nathanael's service in the Royal Rangers has allowed him to give back to the local community in myriad ways; to name a few, he has served Christmas dinner and provided gifts to children and staff of the York Youth Development Center, he regularly serves meals at local Veterans' breakfasts, does yardwork/cleanup for elderly families in his area, volunteers at the Christian Life Assembly church as a greeter at concerts and holiday services, and is a part of the Food Bank Prayer Team. Throughout each level of Royal Rangers, Nathanael has received high honors, including the Ranger Kids Gold Trail, the Discovery Gold Eagle, and the Adventure Gold Medal. To earn these awards, he completed nine Leadership Merits, 232 Bible Lessons, and 35 various Skill Merits. He has read the entire Bible and, with the guidance of a mentor, has completed the Royal Rangers Capstone project--a self-evaluation and goal-setting study using Doug Marsh's book A Guy's Journey to Manhood. Outside of Royal Rangers, Nathanael enjoys studying God's Word and praying. He loves the peace of the outdoors and enjoys hunting and trail walking with his father. He plays football, and is a natural leader and teacher who is patient and thorough. Nathanael aspires to continue to serve and grow in honoring God with his life. On May 2, 2026, Nathanael will receive both the Gold Medal of Achievement and the Gold Medal of Achievement with Merit. These awards are a profound testament to his hard work, his passion for God, his ``service before self'' attitude, and his commitment to the Royal Rangers Code. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to congratulate Nathanael Etzweiler on his auspicious and impressive achievements thus far in his life. His service to our community and love for the Lord will have a profound and lasting impact, and I wish him Godspeed on his future successes and adventures.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank both my friends, the gentlemen from Texas, for having the guts to do this. Unfortunately, it is now acceptable. It is now acceptable. As we watched in Texas, it is amazing. If you built a community in any State, including Texas, and you said that only Christians need to apply, only Christians, can you imagine? Can you imagine? Our Constitution--I have it right here--very specifically says: ``Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'' Yet, this is what is literally being attempted in States like Texas. Mr. Speaker, sharia means the law. That is the definition of it generally, and it is all-encompassing. It is everything about your being, your spirituality, your actions. It means the law. There are Muslims in the world. There are Muslims in my community who are persecuted because they are the wrong kind of Muslims, because they don't agree with this one or that sect of the Muslim faith. They will come to me and say that they don't believe in sharia by the sword, which is comforting. It is comforting. I don't want to see my community and my country taken over in violent overthrow because I don't believe the same thing. Yet, they will say that they do believe in sharia by the pen--by the pen. So it is not violent, Mr. Speaker, but what they are talking about is conquering your nation one way or the other. We have to decide what we are going to do about this. I hear that there are sharia courts overseas in the U.K. and in Europe, but there aren't any where I live or maybe in the United States of America, but how would you know? I suspect that the gentleman from Texas will tell us that there are sharia courts in Texas and that the community is very tight-knit, so if they are going to adjudicate things in a sharia court, which is even against the law because it flies in the face of the Constitution of the United States of America and our laws, how can you prove that there has been an infraction of the law when you have no witnesses since there are no witnesses because they will not speak out against their own laws? Let's talk about what some of those things include. Leaving the faith, under sharia, is punishable by death. Things like theft, which is a serious crime--and we have punishments in the United States of America, but they don't involve removing your limbs, but that is true in sharia. If a woman is charged with adultery, the punishment is stoning to death. They have honor killings in sharia. For forced marriages, if a young lady barely out of her teens or still in her teens refuses to marry as she is directed by her parents, they are justified under sharia in killing her. This has no place in America. It just simply has no place in America. People will say that it is over there. It is not here. I want to remind everybody: Egypt was not always under sharia. Neither was Syria. Neither was Turkiye. Neither was Iran. These countries were all something else. We have just grown up in our lifetime thinking that that is what they always have been because that is what we have always known them to be. They were not always that way. Sharia is tolerated, I think, because it is characterized as a religion. It is characterized as a religion, but I would ask you this: If it is characterized as a religion, and there are many in this body who fight continuously for, as they call it, the separation of church and state, which, by the way, cannot be found in the United States Constitution, how is it that schools in some States are now forcing sharia-compliant meals in their schools? The schools are funded by the States. The schools are funded by the Federal Government. How is that possible? Yet, it is possible. It is possible, and it is happening. My friend from Texas mentioned the Holy Land Foundation investigation, the largest terror investigation in the United States' history, where it was laid out by the Muslim Brotherhood how they were going to conquer America. We have the plan. We know the plan, under sharia. Since 1991--it is 2026--their plan is, generally, to come not to be Americans but to be in America, to act as the underclass, to use the sympathy and guilt of the nation that they have come to and prey upon those who feel sympathy and guilt for them being in the underclass. They refuse to assimilate to that culture, whether it is America, Europe, or any other culture other than their own. They just live in that culture. Others around them, because they don't want to be a part of that, move away. Then, more sharia-compliant individuals move into the neighborhood. Once they reach a critical mass, they start instituting sharia law. That is how it goes. I am not saying, and I don't think either gentleman from Texas--we all know. I have upstanding, law-abiding, life-loving, freedom-loving, Constitution-loving Muslims living in my community. There are whole nations, believe it or not, of those kinds of folks. But I will tell you this: Once the local imam says that you are going to comply or become an apostate, and the wages and the penalty for apostasy are death, that is a very strong motivator to say that I know I live in America, or I know I live in the U.K., or I know I live in Ireland or Spain or France, but my religion says this. Sharia law has no place in America, and it is time for all of us to wake up and make sure that we have a righteous conversation with all Americans--with Christians, with Buddhists, with Muslims, with atheists, with everybody to preserve what we all love in America, which is the freedom to exercise our own beliefs. There is only one so-called law, sharia law, that disallows that for everyone else, and that is why it is not appropriate to have it. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding to me.

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to congratulate Master Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Pifer upon the occasion of his retirement from the United States Marine Corps after 26 years of selfless and dedicated service. A native of New Kingstown, Pennsylvania. Master Gunnery Sergeant Pifer enlisted in the Marine Corps in March 2000 and entered Recruit Training at Parris Island. After superiors noticed his professionalism, leadership, and promotions while serving under Marine Aircraft Control Group 24 in Hawaii, he was selected for the Marine Corps Embassy Group. Between 2003 and 2006, he served as a Marine Security Guard at the U.S. Mission in Switzerland and the U.S. Embassy in Russia, where he protected personnel and information crucial to our National security. Master Gunnery Sergeant Pifer later served as a J-3 Deputy Director of Regional Operations at the Pentagon in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During his illustrious career, he deployed to Japan with the Heavy Marine Helicopter Squadron and the U.S. 7th Fleet (2002 and 2009), to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (2011-2012), and to Qatar in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (2017). Master Gunnery Sergeant Pifer earned a multitude of awards and decorations, to include the: Defense Meritorious Service Medal; the Meritorious Service Medal; Joint Service Commendation Medal (2nd award); Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3rd Award); and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (8th Award). His administrative leadership at the squadron, battalion, regimental, and Marine Expeditionary Force levels has been instrumental in enhancing Marine air-ground task force combat effectiveness. In 2017, Master Gunnery Sergeant Pifer was selected for the Congressional Fellowship Program and served as a Fellow in the House of Representatives. He also completed a tour with the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, where he managed personnel requirements as a military liaison officer. At the time of his retirement, Master Gunnery Sergeant Pifer serves as the Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Installation Personnel Administration Center at the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona, where he oversees primary administrative operations and ensures personnel readiness for over 3,000 Marines and Sailors. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Master Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Pifer upon the auspicious occasion of his retirement from the United States Marine Corps after 26 years of honorable, tireless, and selfless service. His vast assignments allowed him to operate and engage in more than 20 countries, broadening his perspective and reinforcing the importance of service, diplomacy, and leadership at every level. The relationships he has fostered and the Marines he developed throughout decades of service guided by the Marine Corps values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment leave a legacy that will endure long after his retirement and set the standard by which all should be judged.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Senior Master Sergeant William Corl upon the auspicious occasion of his retirement after more than 37 years of service to our Nation in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. Senior Master Sergeant Corl enlisted in the Air National Guard on February 15, 1990, with the 193rd Special Operations Wing. For the first 26 years of his exemplary career, he served as a Section Chief with the 193rd Communications Squadron, wherein he monitored technical and administrative operations to guarantee communications readiness for the EC-130J mission. While Section Chief, he assisted in mentoring his fellow Airmen, managing cyber and communications equipment, ensuring cyber network security, and supporting secure communications for special operations. After his service with the Communications Squadron, Senior Master Sergeant Corl became a Flight Chief with the 211th Engineering Installation Squadron, wherein he led personnel in engineering, installing, and relocating critical communication-electronics systems to support U.S. Central Command deployments and missions, and strengthened technical compliance, quality control, and operational readiness of communications systems--both duty positions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Senior Master Sergeant William Corl upon his retirement from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and on a job extremely well done. His dedicated service to his fellow Airmen, our communities, the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, the United States Air Force, and our United States of America set the standard by which all should be judged.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Master Sergeant Armel Lovell upon the auspicious occasion of his retirement from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard after 23 years of selfless service. Master Sergeant Lovell served his entire career in 211th Engineering Installation Squadron. Some of his myriad job responsibilities within Cyber Transport Systems included deploying, sustaining, troubleshooting, and repairing standard voice, data and video network infrastructure systems, IP detection systems, and cryptographic equipment. Additionally, he managed devices and systems with the most current software tools and implemented and maintained all aspects of network systems, cryptographic equipment, and video services using technical data, voltage, waveform measurements, and block diagrams. At the time of his retirement, Master Sergeant Lovell served as the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Cyber Transport Unit. His work protecting and strengthening the Air Force's communications network helped keep his fellow Airmen and our Nation safe. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize, commend, and congratulate Master Sergeant Armel Lovell on his retirement upon more than 23 years of selfless service in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, and on a job extremely well done. His dedication, professionalism, and tireless devotion are a great credit to himself, his fellow Airmen, the Pennsylvania National Guard, the United States Air Force, and the United States of America.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Taylor) and also my colleague from Arizona (Mr. Stanton). I am extremely honored and humbled to once again introduce this resolution alongside the Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee ranking member, Representative Stanton, from Arizona. This year marks the 45th Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial event, which honors our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. According to the Fraternal Order of Police, over the past 5 years, more than 2,000 police officers have been shot in the line of duty. In 2025, there were 347 shot in the line of duty, 45 of whom were killed. It is completely unacceptable. Tragically, three of those deaths were my constituents, my bosses. On September 17, last year, a gunman ambushed police officers who were serving an arrest warrant. During the attack, three police officers were killed and two more were wounded. The officers who died in the line of duty were Detective Sergeant Cody Michael Becker, Detective Isaiah D. Emenheiser, and Detective Mark Edward Baker. All three officers were longtime veterans of the Northern York County Regional Police Department. Mr. Speaker, this memorial service is for them and those like them and all the officers that will come to attend and think about their fallen comrades. These are the people in our community who run to the danger, who run to the sound of gunfire. These are the people who get up in the middle of the night not knowing whether they are coming home. They do the shift work. They are underpaid and under-respected now in our society, even among some of their very own leaders, their own elected leaders. That is why this memorial service this year is more important than ever. It is my sincere hope that this memorial service will bring some level of comfort to the families of the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our safety and for the safety of their community. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues all to support this resolution. I thank Representative Stanton from Arizona and Representative Taylor from Ohio.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, welcome to bankruptcy theater. Mr. Speaker, I am fascinated by my good friend on the other side of the aisle telling me that they are the party of fiscal responsibility. Let me just say, as others have said, including the former majority leader, that this is an institutional problem because it is, indeed, that. Let me just make clear to the American people when they say there is not a dime's worth of difference between Republicans and Democrats on spending, to a certain extent they are right. However, the Republicans are using a handcart on this railroad and the Democrats are on some kind of bullet train on this train to hell. As much as we have spent, and there are many in this room who have fought against this spending, I can't imagine how much worse it would be if we had to go to the Democrats for a vote. That is the problem. Mr. Speaker, some say that, well, it is never going to become law. Why will it never become law, Mr. Chairman? There are seven Democrats in the Senate that refuse to vote to balance the budget ever. It is going to pass here maybe, but it definitely won't pass there. That is why it will never become law. All the people I know that I represent have to balance their budget. I will say I went to the President. I said: Mr. President, we are spending too much money. You ran on cutting spending. I ran on cutting spending. We are spending too much money. He said to me: You are right, Scott; but I can't get them to vote for less. He is right about that. My Democrat colleagues tax and spend and tax and spend, and our folks are willing to spend without taxing enough. I am not saying that we should tax more. The American people are taxed enough, plenty. We are overspending and continuing to overspend. When I got here, I think the individual debt per person was like about $40,000. What is it now, $130,000? Mr. Speaker, this place cannot control itself. The American people are going to have to step in. This allows them the opportunity. We ought to give it to them. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for offering the amendment. I thank leadership for honoring their promise.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and I am privileged to recognize Mr. Robert ``Bob'' Boyer of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, upon the blessed and auspicious occasion of his 102nd Birthday. Mr. Boyer was born on March 13, 1924, in Harrisburg, by the lock on the Susquehanna River. Sickly as an infant, he was sent to live with his grandmother in Carlisle, where he was nursed back to health. While he was in 10th grade, Bob's family purchased a farm near Middlesex, and he quit school to help get the farm going. While he enjoyed spending time with the cows and donkeys, money was tight--as it was for many Depression-era families--and for a time, they lived only off of goat's milk. In 1948, Bob and a friend were at the roller-rink, where he saw a beautiful girl--about whom he told his friend: ``I'm going to marry that girl!'' Well, ``that girl'' became his wife, Beulah (Be-Be), when they eloped six months later. Be-Be grew up on a farm and hated farm work; she vowed she would never marry a farmer, but not long after they married, Bob rented a farm from his father, and Be-Be helped by doing one of her least favorite chores--milking cows--and she kept the books for the farm. In 1959, Bob purchased his own farm in Carlisle, where he farmed for more than 30 years, raised their three daughters, and a foster child for four years. After selling the farm in 1967, Bob started his own business, Agriservice, in 1969, from which he would deliver farm supplies to local farmers. Amazing with numbers, Bob remembered everything he bought for the company, how much he paid for it, and how much profit he made. In 1988, Bob sold Agriservice and purchased a junkyard, where he sold scrap metal to the United States Military for Operation Desert Storm. It took him six years to clean out the property, after which he sold part of the land to his great-granddaughter. Bob and Be-Be love to travel and do so whenever they can. In 1967, Bob bought a sedan on a whim and took the family on a summer trip to California, stopping at every National Park along the way. On another occasion in Alaska, Bob and Be-Be slept in the back of their truck because there were no motels in the remote area they were visiting. Bob and Be-Be have been married for a blessed and astonishing 73 years. From their three daughters, they have seven grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and are expecting the imminent birth of their first great-great-grandchild this year. Before they moved into Silver Spring Personal Care Home, they lived in a small home from 1989 to November of 2025. Mr. Speaker, I am so greatly humbled and honored to recognize Mr. Robert Boyer on the blessed and truly amazing occasion of his 102nd Birthday. His life truly epitomizes that of ``The Greatest Generation'' and of a life done right--as evidenced by his wife, Be-Be, his family and friends who love him dearly, and the countless people whose lives he has touched and affected in myriad ways. He sets the standard by which all should be judged, and I wish him continued God's blessings.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the National Open- Source Intelligence Day, observed annually on February 26, and to commemorate the 85th anniversary of formal open-source intelligence activities in the United States. February 26 marks the 1941 establishment of the Foreign Broadcast Monitoring Service, created to systematically collect and analyze publicly available foreign information during a time of global conflict. This effort laid the foundation for what we know as open-source intelligence, or OSINT, to include the responsible use of publicly and commercially available information to support national security policymaking and informed decisionmaking. Over the past 85 years, OSINT has evolved alongside changes in media, technology, and global communications. In recent years, it has played a critical role in understanding Russia's invasion of Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East, and strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific. It has also been essential in enabling and cueing other intelligence collection and analysis. Its value lies not only in access to information but in the rigorous analytic tradecraft applied to it, including adherence to privacy and civil liberty protections. National Open-Source Intelligence Day recognizes the professionals, scholars, and organizations who advance the discipline and underscores the importance of transparency, accountability, and lawful practices. I am honored to recognize February 26 as National Open-Source Intelligence Day.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 61.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for his work on this, and of course the chairman of the full committee for the hard work on appropriations. Look, none of us wants to be on the road with drunk drivers. Of course, this was a solution intended to deal with them. All of us want them to be dealt with. I am going to remind everybody, as my friend from Kentucky just said, there is already legislation in multiple States, dozens of States, that deals with drunk drivers through the ignition interlock system. Probably in your family somewhere, someone you know, you have dealt with this. I know in my family and the people I know, I have dealt with it. Here is what I don't want to see in America: Everybody, including the ones who don't drink and drive, being punished for the people who drink and drive. I happen not to drink, but I am going to be forced to have this thing in my car. I am going to tell you what is next. After what Representative Massie has said, the car is going to be the judge, jury, and sentencer for your crime in the car. The next thing is going to be that we need to hook this thing up to the government so we can dispatch the police. I am just going to tell you what is going to happen next. They are going to be shutting your car off when they decide whatever they decide from wherever they decide it. I don't know what everyone thinks about due process, the Constitution, - the Fourth Amendment, and the right to not be imposed upon by illegal, unlawful search and seizure, but punishing everybody for this crime, whether they have committed it or not, whether they are going to commit it or not, should be unconstitutional. This shouldn't really be a question. We all want to get to the problem, and we are happy to work with everybody on all sides to deal with it, but you cannot punish and convict everybody in the country for the sake of the ones who do things that they shouldn't do.