Jimmy Panetta

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding me time, and I thank Chairman Guthrie and Ranking Member Pallone for their work on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1266, my bipartisan legislation, the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. This is a bill, as we have heard, that would provide an important tool for law enforcement to go after the illegitimate use of xylazine by scheduling it under the Controlled Substances Act. It would also protect the legitimate use of this animal sedative for farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, and other professionals. This is a bipartisan, bicameral bill that is a product of years of expert-driven work. This bill is not just about stopping the illegal use of xylazine on the streets. It is also about ensuring the legal use of xylazine on the farms. Mr. Speaker, xylazine is a veterinary drug used to sedate large animals. It is irreplaceable as a tranquilizer for horses and cattle, but it absolutely has no legitimate use for humans. Unfortunately, drug dealers are diverting it from legitimate uses to be combined with illicit drugs, especially fentanyl. That combination has become known on the streets as tranq, a drug that has become so popular that even the Emmy Award-winning series ``The Pitt'' portrayed the horrible effects of xylazine mixed with fentanyl. It is a zombie drug, Mr. Speaker, that makes fentanyl cheaper, easier, longer lasting, and deadlier. The mix has resulted in drug users, either knowingly or unknowingly, taking the drug, which turns out is also very dangerous to their health. The side effects of human ingestion include necrosis. That means, Mr. Speaker, deep wounds in which the skin and muscle simply rot away. It leads to ulcers and scabs. Mr. Speaker, when you see a picture of this stuff, you can't unsee it. They become infected and, in some cases, have been found to be filled with fleas or maggots. It has ultimately led to amputation. The drug also leads to miserable hangovers that makes users want more, making fentanyl more addictive. Tranq can also lead to a depressed heart rate, resulting in hours-long blackout stupors, which can make the drug users an easy target for assault or robbery. What is worse is that first responders have found that users of tranq who are overdosing were not responding to Narcan, or naloxone, which is the emergency treatment for an overdose of fentanyl. That means the users of tranq weren't able to come out of the overdose and were more likely to die from their drug use. Xylazine was first detected in the early 2000s in Puerto Rico. Although it stayed mainly in that area for the next decade, xylazine recently started to circulate in limited areas within the Northeast, especially in Philadelphia. However, the drug has now been detected in nearly every State in the Nation, including my State of California. In 2021, xylazine was in 12 percent of powdered fentanyl tested by the DEA. By the end of 2024, xylazine was in nearly 40 percent. Unfortunately, because xylazine is not regulated as a controlled substance, it is easily available to drug traffickers and can be bought for as little as $6 per kilogram on Chinese websites. The growing presence of xylazine complicates our difficult war against overdose deaths, and it risks making drug users even more vulnerable. To make things more difficult, xylazine cannot be scheduled through rulemaking without cutting off its access for legitimate users in animal health. Appropriately, controlling xylazine for those legal end users requires an act of Congress, and that is why we are here tonight. The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would thread the needle by adding xylazine to schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act and, yes, punish those who traffic this drug. Also, this bill would authorize the DEA, the Drug Enforcement Administration, to track xylazine's legitimate dispensing and change the definition of an end user to those allowed to possess xylazine, including those who rely on this drug to care for animals and feed our country. The bill offers a targeted and nuanced solution to overcome the devastating effects of tranq. It will prevent further trafficking of illicit xylazine while preserving its access to those who need it. That is why the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act is not just a bipartisan bill. It is a consensus bill that is supported by Democratic and Republican Presidential administrations, by 41 bipartisan attorneys general across the country, by law enforcement groups, by DEA and HHS, by veterinary medicine, and by more than 100 Members in this Chamber. I thank the leadership of August Pfluger and Gus Bilirakis. That is why this legislation passed unanimously out of the Energy and Commerce Committee. This bill also has bipartisan support in the Senate, led by Senators Cortez Masto and Chairman Chuck Grassley. It is a popular bill in the Capitol because, unfortunately, the use of tranq has become popular on the street. However, by passing the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, we are doing our job in Congress to prevent the illicit use of xylazine by drug dealers while ensuring its legitimate use for our farmers, ranchers, and veterinarians. That is why I authored this bill, and that is why I urge my colleagues to support this effort and to pass my Combating Illicit Xylazine Act.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Chair, the President made some simple promises to get elected: release the Epstein files, end forever wars, and reduce costs. Instead, as we have seen, the administration has done the exact opposite, which has led to corruption, incompetence, and to increase costs, all demonstrating that this President does not care. Yet, rather than pushback and prioritize the American people, it appears the majority does not care, as it has put forward a budget resolution that spends more and borrows more just to please the President and promote his pet projects. This third budget resolution allows for another $95 billion to support the President's war in Iran, paper over damaging trade policies, and pass legislation that will deter legally eligible voters. I remind my colleagues on both sides of the aisle that the purpose of the budget reconciliation process is supposed to be deficit reduction. Instead, this legislation expands long-term deficits and even violates legal requirements. I get that for over the past decade Congress has abandoned any sense of normal budgeting process and rejected any talk of serious deficit reduction, but this budget could have been an opportunity for this Congress to advance policies that reduce our debt and actually make life more affordable. Instead, the President, once again, pushed the Republican majority to put forward a purely partisan resolution that does nothing to lower costs, nothing to strengthen our economy, and in no way exercises fiscal responsibility. Mr. Chair, that is why I am against this reconciliation legislation. It not only shows that the President doesn't care about Americans, but it also shows that the majority doesn't care about our growing debt and deficit and that Congress' responsibility is to the future of this country.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bipartisan legislation to rename the San Jose veterans affairs clinic for U.S. Army Corporal Patrick D. Tillman. Mr. Speaker, this is more than about just a naming of a VA clinic. This is about patriotism. It is about passion, and it is about progression as a nation. Now, there is no doubt, as you have heard, Mr. Speaker, that Pat was a patriot. After 9/11, he gave up a $3.6 million contract playing professional football to enlist in the U.S. Army. Mr. Speaker, Pat had a storied football career, be it as a beast on the gridiron for the Chargers of Leland High School in Almaden Valley, San Jose; at Arizona State University as an Academic All-American who graduated summa cum laude in 3\1/2\ years; as an All-American who helped the Sun Devils to an undefeated season and a Rose Bowl berth in 1997; and then, of course, as a professional football player in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals, where he set a franchise record for tackles in the year 2000. Mr. Speaker, despite all of that, he felt he hadn't done a dang thing for this great country. Pat grew up in a family of service who had gone and fought wars. He grew up knowing that his great-grandfather served at Pearl Harbor during the attack in 1941. He grew up realizing that in our democracy, we have an obligation to give back to our country that gives a guy like Pat Tillman the opportunity to play professional football. He felt that he could fulfill that responsibility by joining the U.S. Army and becoming a U.S. Ranger. Mr. Speaker, I admit that I did not know Pat Tillman, but when we know about Pat Tillman, all of us--all of us--feel his passion. He did nothing half baked. He did everything with a full heart: academics, athletics, and of course, the service to our Nation. He said: ``You should be passionate about everything you do; if not, why do it?'' That was his attitude about life, a passion that is demonstrated by that iconic photo of Pat on the football field that became the foundation for the statue of Pat outside Arizona State Sun Devil Stadium at the entrance of Tillman Tunnel that depicts Pat running, yelling, and hair flying. That was the passion that drove his success on the football field. That passion drove his determination to do something after our Nation was attacked on 9/11. That passion led him to be all that he could be as an Army Ranger alongside his brother, Kevin, where they were subsequently assigned to the 2nd battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment. Now, as an Army Ranger, Pat deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and then to Operation Enduring Freedom in 2004. Mr. Speaker, it was on April 22 of that year that Pat was in Khost province in the southeast Afghanistan border region, and on that day he was part of two convoys on patrol in a narrow valley. As they were going down this valley, they came to a fork in the road where the first convoy was supposed to turn left and the second convoy was supposed to turn right. That was Pat's convoy. When Pat got to that fork in the road, they realized that it was impassable, and so they followed behind the first convoy to the left unbeknownst to the first convoy. A while later, the enemies started to ambush the first convoy. Pat's convoy behind a hill heard it, knew what they had to do, and responded. Pat and two other members of that convoy immediately exited their Humvees, got up to a ridge where they could see the first convoy, and then started firing at the enemies up on the hill. The first convoy, unfortunately, did not know that up on that ridge it was Pat Tillman. Pat's last words were: Cease fire. I am Pat f'ing Tillman. Now, at first, Mr. Speaker, the Army put out a standard statement saying that Pat Tillman was killed by enemy fire, but after four military investigations and numerous independent investigations, including one by his own mother, Dannie, the truth came out that Pat was killed by friendly fire. It was not just Pat's death that hurt. It was the sense of deception that made this story difficult. That is why the legacy of Pat Tillman should also be about progress, what we can do better as an Army, as a military, as a Congress, and as a country to ensure that this never happens again. Mr. Speaker, Pat was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart and was posthumously promoted to corporal, but something tells me, Mr. Speaker, he wouldn't want it. Similar to this legislation, something tells me that Pat Tillman wouldn't want this recognition. Well, Pat Tillman may not want this, but as a community and as a country, we want it, and, yes, we need it. In this day of division and dysfunction, we must always, always be reminded of the sacrifice of the service and the ultimate sacrifice of someone like Pat Tillman. We must always be reminded of his patriotism, of his passion. Mr. Speaker, yes, we must always be reminded that we must always progress as a nation. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this legislation renaming the San Jose VA Clinic the Corporal Patrick D. Tillman VA Clinic.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to state my intention to vote against H. Res. 1423, the rule for consideration of H.R. 8595, National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. I oppose the resolution as written so that the House of Representatives can advance my amendment to Massie Amendment No. 8, printed therein. Should the Rules Committee meet again, I would offer an amendment to the Massie Amendment that would read, ``After page 1 1ine 6 insert the following: (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority, or the broader region, nor shall it be construed to prevent support of Palestinian Security Forces in the West Bank, and nor shall it be construed to prevent the delivery of defensive weapons for the protection of Palestinians and Israelis.'' This would prevent the passage of the Massie Amendment from impacting the delivery of humanitarian aid and items critical for defense. However, without the opportunity to advance my amendment, I will oppose H. Res. 1423.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the distinguished career of Ms. Julie Packard on her retirement after forty-two years as the founding Executive Director of the globally renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium. She enters retirement as an international leader in the field of ocean conservation and as a leading voice for science-based policy reform in support of our oceans. Ms. Packard's commitment to the ocean began on California's Central Coast as an undergraduate at the University of California, Santa Cruz. After earning degrees in biology, she emerged as a leading voice for science-based ocean policy, translating research and advocacy into meaningful conservation outcomes. Her leadership guided the creation of the internationally recognized Seafood Watch program, supported California's network of marine protected areas, advanced efforts to end shark finning, and strengthened global action against plastic pollution. The Aquarium's field research has illuminated the conservation challenges facing sea otters, white sharks, and bluefin tunas in the wild. Since the Aquarium's opening in 1984, Ms. Packard set a standard of excellence that has influenced aquariums across the Nation and around the world. Under her leadership, the Aquarium has hosted more than 73 million visitors, and nearly 3 million students and teachers have benefited from its free educational programs. With its pioneering exhibits of living kelp forests, open-ocean displays, and extensive deep-sea galleries, the Aquarium has become a defining landmark in California's 19th Congressional District and a beloved gem for tourists and locals alike. Beyond the Aquarium, Ms. Packard has advanced deep-ocean science and philanthropy on an international scale through her role serving local impactful organizations. She is a tireless advocate for equity in science, supporting scholarships for underrepresented students and programs empowering young women and gender-fluid youth in STEM fields. Her contributions have earned her some of the most esteemed honors in conservation, including the Audubon Medal, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award, the California Coastal Commission's Coastal Hero Award, and the 2026 Peter Benchley Ocean Hero Award. In 2019, she became the second woman in the marine sciences and conservation to be the subject of a commissioned portrait for the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in honoring and celebrating Ms. Packard as she transitions from her executive role. May her legacy of leadership, integrity, and unwavering commitment to our ocean continue to guide conservation efforts for generations to come.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans' reconciliation bill gives a blank check again to ICE and Border Patrol. Instead of reining in and reforming these two agencies that brought chaos and controversy to so many communities across our country, this bill instead provides $70 billion more to ICE and CBP without any guardrails or safeguards for the American public. Now, in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, you already injected $140 billion into these two agencies. Money was used to rush agents through training, push them into the streets, to troll big-box store parking lots and target immigrants well beyond gang members and felons. They called themselves law enforcement. What we saw from many agents is they were acting like a lawless mob with impunity and with a disregard for our humanity. Now, I support a secure border. But before I give one more cent to ICE and Border Patrol, all we are asking for are commonsensical reforms, such as taking off the masks, turning on the cameras, identifying themselves, having independent investigations, staying away from polling places, and obtaining a warrant before going into our homes. Instead, your bill ignores bipartisanship reforms, ignores high prices, ignores the war in Iran, and hands over billions more to ICE and CBP without any guidance on how to spend it and without any way to pay for it. By voting for this reconciliation bill, you are not only giving a blank check to ICE and CBP. You are giving in to Donald Trump, and you are giving up on your responsibility to the stability of our economy, the debt of our country, and the safety of American communities.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to include in the Record a Commencement Ceremony speech by Senator Bill Monning, J.D. (Ret.), given to the 2026 spring graduates of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies: Thank you, Provost McCauley, Vice President Dayton-Johnson, Distinguished Guests, Faculty, and Graduates: thank you for the honor of addressing this year's graduating class. Congratulations to MIIS Graduate Student Speaker Julena Wuer on your Master of Arts in Translation and Localization Management and your amazing journey, so far! We look forward to hearing your remarks! To the graduates' families: thank you for your support of these graduates who today make you proud and who will continue to stand on your shoulders of love and support. To the faculty and staff of MIIS, we thank each and all of you for your dedication to this graduating class, and for all who came before. Thank you! I want to thank the City of Monterey and Mayor Tyller Williamson for your enduring support and partnership with MIIS through the years and for hosting us today in front of the Monterey City Hall and the historic Colton Hall. Thank you! Thank you to the staff and volunteers who have helped organize and coordinate today's ceremony; to the student interpreters; and to Mike Gillen on the bagpipes. Thank you. And, to the 2026 SPRING GRADUATES of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, CONGRATULATIONS! As we join in celebration of the 2026 Spring graduates, we also carry the memories of those who did so much to build the Institute who have left us, but who have also have left their marks: President Emeritus Dr. Robert Gard and professors Jan Black, Tsuneo Akaha, Edgard Coley, Glynn Wood, and all those who gave so much to so many. We carry you in our hearts. As a former professor of international negotiation and conflict resolution and as a director of the Graduate Program on Trade and Commercial Diplomacy founded by Geza Feketekuty, who joins us today, I can state that my seventeen years teaching at MIIS were among the most rewarding of my career. I had prepared to deliver a bit of a eulogy for MIIS based on the planned closure of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. We are thrilled today to be able to acknowledge the positive progress with Soka University and prospects for the continued operations, in some form, of the Monterey Institute of International Studies, Soka University, USA. Thanks to all of the MIIS and Soka University leaders who have worked hard to offer this encouraging public declaration of intention. Graduates, today many of you are joined by your families of origin. Some of you have family who are unable to join you here today, but they are with you in spirit as they have supported your pursuit of this special education and training. Today you join another family, the family of MIIS graduates. You now become part of a powerful force that has been recognized in Washington, D.C. and internationally as ``the MIIS Mafia''. While the term ``mafia'' may have a negative connotation--As used, it is intended to suggest an empowering connection among a family of graduates who bring recognized excellence in a number of professional skills. As we talk about the MIIS family, we are really talking about the power of human connections. In my experience at MIIS, we saw these human connections at work in the Middle East. For three years, Global Majority, a non-profit formed by MIIS students, organized training programs in Amman, Jordan, hosted by the United Nations Peace University that included Palestinian and Israeli students along with U.S. and international students. Each year, when the students first convened, there was visible tension--expressions of animosity and mistrust between the Palestinian and Israeli students--most had never talked to ``the other''. One of our program's leaders and instructors was a Palestinian student from Gaza who was also a student at MIIS--Ramiz Younis. Ramiz used his MIIS training and the MIIS family of support to help bridge the divides of historic mistrust between Palestinians and Israelis. He helped create a space for the students to share visions of a Middle East at peace. Global Majority's training programs were designed to impart some basic and practical skills in negotiation strategy and tactics. With MIIS students and graduates Cameron Hunter, Lejla Bratovic, Ramiz Younis, and Nick Tomb, we recreated a MIIS family environment in the heart of the Middle East, where mutual respect and open-exchange built bridges between cultures and those who had always seen ``the other'' as their enemies. While I like to think that our training imparted some value, I came to realize that it was often the time that students spent together in Jordanian nightclubs, dancing and socializing, that built the lasting human connections. These experiences helped participants discover their shared humanity. In fact, out of one of those Global Majority conferences emerged a romance and a marriage between a Palestinian and an Israeli! This Romeo and Juliet connection along with others have been called ``MIIS-matches''--those relationships that take shape with couples who met at MIIS. Similarly, MIIS family graduates will continue to intersect and network around the world. Graduates, you will bring a critically needed mindset to your future work. We have seen the power of MIIS-educated interpreters and translators where according to Professor and former Dean Laura Burian, high powered international negotiations have relied on interpreters for all parties who shared a common bond--they were all trained at MIIS. In the arena of nuclear non-proliferation, as certain world leaders have actually threatened the use of nuclear weapons, we have heard from the founder and director of the Center for Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies, Bill Potter, of high stakes meetings of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference where as many as one half of the members of national delegations are members of the MIIS family--those trained by Bill Potter, Jean Du Preez, and the Center's entire team. These human connections that you have helped to build can prove critical to the affirmation of existing and future treaties. Professor Potter and Professor Anna Vassilieva of the Russian Studies Program have served the MIIS family of students and graduates for decades. I think of them as the patriarch and matriarch of the faculty, staff, and students of MIIS who have worked for decades to build the international human connections that can lead to greater global understanding and the peaceful resolution of disputes. Thank you. Bill and Anna. Professor Mahabat Baimyrzieva has helped to build the MIIS family through long distance learning and cutting-edge educational technology as she has trained students in the art and science of sustainable organizational development that is also reliant on human connections. Professor Maha has shown students and others how to build organizations that can serve and heal our interconnected world. While our world is rich in natural resources, we are also living in a world that faces the ravages of climate change that threatens all life on land and sea. Professors Jeffrey Langholz and Jason Scorse have built a pioneering program in environmental and ocean policy, and management. They have relied on science and human connections to create pathways of possibility to save our planet. They look to you, MIIS graduates, to embrace the urgency of these threats to inspire and galvanize greater unity among nations and people and to demand that policy makers work together based on a fundamental respect for science, not its abandonment. Professors Robert Rokowsky and Wei Liang have continued to lead training programs in international trade and diplomacy, developed by Professor Feketekuty, grounded in practical professional skills. Their MIIS graduates have earned the respect of policy makers and academics in the field of international trade around the globe. And, among the MIIS family of graduates, we have seen leaders emerge internationally and in support of our local communities. Graduates Chris Devers and John Myers have helped to build the Rancho Cielo program in Salinas which is serving at-risk youth who have benefited from the work of MIIS student volunteers. Graduates, with the diplomas you have earned today, you also receive a life membership in the MIIS family. You will always be a MIIS graduate and now carry the privilege and responsibility of being ambassadors of the MIIS legacy and the MIIS family--a family that we are pleased to learn will likely continue to grow. As you embark upon today's troubled world, you will face the many challenges faced by the human family. But while many look at the world in desperation, you bring tools to a world that needs your skills now more than ever. The MIIS family, dedicated to critical global issues and making a difference, will grow with your contributions. It won't be easy. We are living in a new world paradigm where leaders speak of training more lethal warriors and ignore the Rule of Law and international law with impunity. And yet, in this time of such great need, we know that higher education is in a period of contraction. During this academic year alone, the U.S. government has dropped the number of international student visas by almost 100,000, representing a 36% decline in international student enrollments. Some have heralded the denial of visas to international students as an achievement, but they show their ignorance as they fail to recognize the value that international students bring to our nation and to the global commons. At the same time, immigrant workers are being targeted by ICE with no respect for their due process or basic civil rights. We must remember the critical contributions that immigrant workers and their families make to our economy, our communities, and our humanity. Professor William Arrocha has contributed greatly to the field of immigration and migration studies and has served as an expert on the current crisis. Mil gracias, Professor Arrocha! Internationally, we have witnessed the dismantling and dissolution of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which has resulted in the documented deaths of over 600,000 innocent civilians--the majority, women and children. These preventable deaths resulted from the drastic cut-off of nutritional support, medicines. and medical care. You and members of the MIIS family can be instrumental in reversing the tragic effects of these brutal decisions. As active wars continue to rage, the death toll remains highest among innocents, among women and children and non- combatants. Those who initiate these wars are failures. We must develop leaders who are measured on their ability to negotiate, to build diplomatic relationships, and to invest in the welfare and survival of people--not in their destruction. As you march with your diplomas today, you carry not only a lifelong professional credential--you also join the ranks of the MIIS family living around the world. You are now among the best trained on the planet to bring together experts in multiple disciplines to explore pathways to peace, global sustainability, cross-cultural communication, and public health. Graduates of the Class of 2026, the time is now. The world needs you more than ever before. My final word of advice to you as we speak of the MIIS family is how you will embark on your professional journey with your own families. As you pursue important and demanding jobs, at the end of the day, at the end of your career, the family with whom you live and create a life will be among your most important and valuable supporters. The family that supports you will not remember you for any piece of legislation, trade agreement, or international treaty that you might have helped to negotiate, or a high stakes meeting you helped to interpret . . . NO, they will remember the time you spent together! So, in your busy and important work calendars, remember to include and prioritize family time--time with your partners, spouses, children, parents and grandparents. These will be among the most important appointments in your calendar in your life's journey. Finally, my congratulations and best wishes to each and all of you! Go now, Members and ambassadors of the MIIS family. Make us proud by doing good, and by being good people. Our world needs you! Thank you.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise with appreciation for the students of California's 19th Congressional District who stayed quiet during the National Day of Silence so that they could stand up for our LGBTQ community. This year, I recognized Destiny Huggins for participating in our Day of Silence so that she could shine light on the past and present challenges and discrimination of LGBTQ students. Destiny attends Branciforte Middle School in Santa Cruz, California, and she worked hard to promote this year's Day of Silence by tabling and educating students about the importance of tolerance, control, confidence, and about our community of participation and allyship. As Destiny stated, her silence is about so much more than a single protest. It is about sacrificing one day of talking so that those in fear can find their voices to come out and speak out every day. I commend Destiny and all students who participated. Through their silence, they give courage to the LGBTQ community. Ultimately, they stand up for what it means and what it takes to live in our democracy.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, the Republican budget resolution does nothing to end the shutdown. It does nothing to reform ICE; yet it does everything to give ICE and CBP $70 billion more. Mr. Speaker, I support a strong and secure border, but the Trump deportation policy goes way beyond going after felons and gang members. The last Republican reconciliation bill injected $190 billion into DHS, leading to thousands of untrained ICE and CBP agents being injected into our communities. They called themselves law enforcement, but they acted with lawlessness, trolling big box store parking lots, causing chaos in our communities, deaths to American citizens, and they were allowed to act with impunity. I said: No more funding until they transform, reform, and retrain with commonsensical law enforcement protocols and procedures. Now, I hate shutdowns, but, Mr. Speaker, if you allow a vote on the bipartisan Senate bill today, we can open and pay the TSA, Coast Guard, Cybersecurity, and FEMA. However, Mr. Speaker, instead of working us across the aisle, the purely partisan resolution that just funds ICE without any reforms demonstrates, once again, you are going it alone. You are doing nothing to lower costs. You are adding to our debt and deficit. You are giving in to the President, and you are giving up on our constitutional responsibilities. I am voting ``no'' not just because I am for reforming ICE, but I am standing up to this administration, and I am living up to my oath of office.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to pass this commonsense legislation. As stated before, the NO BOSS Act would remove red tape and make simple, bipartisan updates to an existing program that works. By giving Americans the option to develop their skills and to go to work for themselves, we can improve our unemployment system and opportunities for all American workers. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the NO BOSS Act, legislation from my good friend and colleague, Representative Mike Carey. I also acknowledge his co-lead on the bill, Representative Greg Landsman. This bill is a demonstration of what neighbors and neighboring congressional Members can do together in a bipartisan fashion. The NO BOSS Act would give workers the choice to use their unemployment insurance weeks, as necessary, to build their businesses, rather than being locked into job searches that don't fit their skills, their needs, or their potential. Mr. Speaker, most businesses are small businesses. Nationwide, more than 80 percent, or nearly 30 million small businesses, are a solo venture, meaning they have no employees. The second most common type of business still has fewer than 20 total employees. According to a Census in 2022, those solo-venture businesses contributed more than $1.7 trillion, or almost 7 percent, to the U.S. economy. The one thing that all businesses have in common is that they are all started with a good idea and a founder with the time and commitment to develop that business. Under the Self-Employment Assistance program, Americans using unemployment insurance can use their unemployment insurance weeks to start a business. The cost is negligible to the government since it is offered in lieu of normal benefits. Unfortunately, there are only five States that offer such a program, and participants are unnecessarily restricted. That is why the NO BOSS Act would expand this program by doubling the number of people who can use it and let workers opt in earlier, instead of requiring them to wait until they have nearly exhausted their benefits. To be clear, Mr. Speaker, this is not a blank check. Participants must follow an approved training or business plan. There must be a feasibility study, and they must certify weekly so that States can verify their progress. The NO BOSS Act would simply make commonsense updates to a commonsensical program. It is a bipartisan effort, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to pass this commonsense, bipartisan legislation. The majority of child support, as we have heard, goes uncollected. Today, we have a chance to do something about it. The Ensuring Children Receive Support Act would expand existing bipartisan policy to ensure the law is enforced and children receive the support that they need. Representative Van Duyne understands that. I thank her for her leadership on this bill because a vote for this legislation is a vote to support children, and ultimately, it supports families. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Ensuring Children Receive Support Act, which I am proud to co-lead with Representative Van Duyne. I thank her for her leadership and thank the chairman for pushing this bill forward with overwhelming support out of the Ways and Means Committee onto the House floor for this vote. This bill would expand the existing bipartisan legislation and the universal commonsense values of taking care of our children. It addresses the somber issue when it comes to the services and protections that we can provide for children. We all know that parenthood is a privilege, but it is also a serious responsibility. Unfortunately, nationwide, there is more than $115 billion owed in child support arrears. As of fiscal year 2024, there were more than 8.7 million parents who hadn't made a payment in over 5 years. In 1996, Congress, in a bipartisan fashion, gave the State Department the authority to withhold passports and passport renewals from someone with unpaid child support. That is called the passport denial program. That program collects about $30 million a year in outstanding child support debt, but this is out of about $30 billion that we collect each year in total child support payments. That means that the vast majority of child support goes uncollected, single parents struggle, and, unfortunately, that means that, at times, children can go hungry. I believe we should be doing everything we can to close this gap and ensure child support is making it to the children who need it the most. The Ensuring Children Receive Support Act is part of that effort. It is legislation that builds on the existing law that I talked about by rescinding passports when someone is more than $2,500 in arrears for child support. When you don't pay, you must stay. Under this bill, people would get a notice that their case is being referred to the State Department. However, if necessary, there would be emergency passports if they urgently need to travel while in arrears. Moreover, they would also be eligible to have their passports reinstated once they pay their child support. With this bill, we are ensuring that the Federal Government plays its part to meet the urgency that so many single parents feel and finds practical solutions to ensure that child support gets paid. That is why I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time. I urge the House to pass this commonsense legislation. By expanding eligibility for the educator expense deduction to early-childhood educators, the bill will finally recognize the incredible dedication and work of these pre-K educators. This is one step toward supporting those who extend themselves day in and day out to help grow and educate all of our children. Again, I thank Representative Fitzpatrick for his support, and I thank the chairman for pushing this bill forward. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill with a vote of ``yes.''

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and, of course, I thank my colleague and classmate, Representative Brian Fitzpatrick for their support. I rise in support of my Supporting Early-childhood Educators' Deductions Act. We will just call it the SEED Act. This is legislation that would extend eligibility for the educator expense deduction to early-childhood educators, pre-K educators, who are currently excluded from that benefit. It is bipartisan legislation that I worked on closely with Brian Fitzpatrick, which was reported unanimously out of the Ways and Means Committee. I proudly say, it is the only Democratic bill that has been allowed out of the Ways and Means Committee this Congress, so I thank Mr. Chairman for that. It is a bill that finally recognizes the vital role early-childhood educators play in shaping the foundation of a child's development. These educators work with children during their most formative years, laying the groundwork for cognitive, social, and emotional growth. Yet, despite this enormous responsibility, these teachers remain excluded from basic tax benefits that acknowledge teachers' financial burdens. The SEED Act would correct this by finally extending the existing above-the-line educator expense deduction to early-childhood educators working with children 5 years old or younger. The $300 deduction, which will rise to $350 next year, may seem modest, but for educators who routinely dip into their own pockets to provide classroom supplies, it is a meaningful, impactful support. It is also Federal recognition of teachers and their professionalism, dedication, and commitment to the development of our children. Across the country, we are facing a severe shortage of early- childhood educators, a crisis that is driven by low wages and limited support, yet despite those challenges, early-childhood educators continue to extend themselves to ensure children have safe, enriching environments in which they can grow. They do this even when their paychecks fall short and even when they are forced to choose between personal expenses and classroom needs. By including early-childhood educators in the educator expense deduction, the SEED Act acknowledges both the economic hardship and the extraordinary dedication these educators bring to their work every single day. As a result, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Thompson and Mr. Steube for allowing me to speak on this topic. I support the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act. I am a proud cosponsor, co-lead of this bill with Representatives Greg Steube and Mike Thompson, a bill that would build on the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act which we passed last Congress, thanks to the leadership of Representative Steube, a bill that would ensure that those impacted by disasters nationwide have continued access to tax relief. This is one of those bills, as you are going to hear from Representative Steube, from Mr. Thompson, and from Ms. Tokuda, that is not a partisan topic when it comes to providing proper tax relief for our constituents who have been affected by natural disasters, disasters that don't just affect red States or blue States. They affect all American States. That is why this bill is so important. It would extend the provisions of the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act through 2026 to, one, ensure that those affected by fires and natural disasters can claim the personal casualty loss deduction to help in the recovery. Two, would exempt fire settlements from taxation to avoid devastating tax bills on wildfire victims. Unfortunately, after most natural disasters, there are limitations in the tax code that make it very difficult for survivors to claim the casualty loss deduction for uninsured losses. Specifically, losses must be attributable to a federally declared disaster and exceed 10 percent of adjusted gross income. That prevents many from qualifying for tax relief. In fact, the tax code ends up penalizing fire victims by treating settlements from fires as income for tax purposes. That can trigger a bill, as we have heard, as large as 37 percent of the settlement. Now, the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act that was signed into law last Congress addresses those issues by ensuring that those who received settlements for certain wildfires, including payments from the Fire Victim Trust, do not have to pay taxes on those payments. It also designates certain federally declared disasters as qualified disasters for the purposes of determining personal casualty losses. That ensures that families who incurred uninsured losses due to a natural disaster, be it damage to their home or property, can declare that loss and lower their tax bill. If we do not pass this bill, the thousands of people who survived the 2025 Los Angeles fires, who received settlements, risk a devastating tax bill and face limitations recouping uninsured losses. That is why Congress is acting in a bipartisan way to prevent the tax code from penalizing constituents who are trying to rebuild after such disasters. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill to extend the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act, to help families all across America, from Hawaii to California to Florida and those in between, who are struck by natural disasters and get the necessary tax relief to recover, rebuild, and move forward with their lives.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Just briefly, again, I thank Representative Steube and Chairman Smith for their leadership on this legislation, and I urge the House to pass this commonsense legislation. The Taxpayer Notification and Privacy Act will ensure that taxpayers are treated with transparency, with dignity, and with fairness that we all deserve. By giving Americans a clear chance to provide information to the IRS first, we can protect their privacy, their reputations, and their relationships. This will reduce unnecessary third-party probes, saving resources and protecting taxpayers. This strengthens trust between our constituents and the government while ensuring that taxes are properly collected. Mr. Speaker, that is why I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and Representative Greg Steube for their work together with me on the Taxpayer Notification and Privacy Act. It is commonsense, bipartisan legislation, passed unanimously out of the Ways and Means Committee, that would ensure that the IRS respects the privacy and the dignity of every taxpayer when collecting needed information. As you heard from the chairman, under current law, the IRS must notify taxpayers before reaching out to third parties, like banks, employers, or even neighbors, to gather information. Yet, these notices are often vague. They fail to specify exactly what they want. At times, they don't even give taxpayers any opportunity to defend themselves or for the taxpayers to provide the information themselves. The National Taxpayer Advocate Service has warned that the current approach falls short. It leaves honest Americans blindsided, and it can put people's reputations at risk in close-knit communities, where a whisper about IRS investigations can chill businesses and damage livelihoods. The Taxpayer Notification and Privacy Act changes that. It would implement a National Taxpayer Advocate's recommendation to mandate tailored notices in which the IRS clearly--clearly states what information it needs and from exactly whom. It then grants the taxpayer a full 45 days to supply that information. This empowers families. This empowers businesses to resolve issues privately with the IRS, protecting their reputation and relationships with local banks and other vendors. This bill also includes certain exceptions for circumstances where the information is determined to be necessary or when the information is sought specifically to collect tax liability. This strikes the balance we want in legislation creation between allowing taxpayers to resolve issues privately and ensuring that these notices cannot be used to avoid taxes. Ultimately, taxpayers who have followed the law should not have to fear the IRS soliciting sensitive data behind their backs. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I honor the life and the legacy of Lieutenant General Robert G. Gard, Jr. General Gard recently passed at 98 years young after a life dedicated to service, including a three-decade military career serving in Korea and Vietnam, leadership at educational institutions across the country, and advocacy to ban land mines and for our veterans. While he was a well-decorated soldier and well-renowned for his service to the country, General Gard's impact on our Monterey community was unparalleled. After serving as the commanding general of the former Fort Ord, General Gard spent more than a decade as the President of the Monterey Institute of International Studies. With his leadership, General Gard bolstered the institution's international reputation while connecting with students, faculty, and the greater Monterey community. He served at all levels, including helping us create the California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery. My heart goes out to his wife, Janet, and all those whose lives he touched. I am deeply grateful for General Gard's lifetime of loyalty, duty, and respect, and I am thankful for his legacy of service that affects everybody in the 19th Congressional District of California.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the 40th anniversary of the Saka Nakodar massacre where four unarmed Sikh students, Ravinder Singh, Jhilman Singh, Harminder Singh, and Baldhir Singh Multani, were shot and killed while peacefully protesting the desecration of the sacred Scripture of Sikhs. The killing, which took place in the Punjab region of India on February 4, 1986, was absolutely abhorrent, but the investigation was definitely deplorable. The victims' bodies were disposed of in secret. No perpetrator was ever brought to justice, and reports, commissions, and other inquiries on the massacre received absolutely no action. The Saka Nakodar massacre continues to be a dark day for Sikhs in Punjab but also for Sikhs right here in America. That is why I recognize the Saka Nakodar massacre and the justice that awaits not just for the four students and their families but for the Sikh communities at home and abroad.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, the military intervention in Venezuela left us with uncertainty, instability, and insecurity. As a veteran, I commend the military operation to remove Maduro on January 3, but as an American, it left uncertainty for the day after. By replacing one despot with another, we are uncertain as to the government, to the oil, to the cartels, and to the future of democracy in Venezuela. This type of military adventurism can also create instability not just in Venezuela, but in the region, and that creates insecurity for the United States. As we saw this week about Greenland, the President wants spheres of influence rather than stability from a rules-based order. Instead of standing up to China and Russia, the President just wants to impress them by acting like them, rather than being better than them. That is what happens when we have a President that doesn't just want his own sphere of influence, he wants his own sphere of governance, especially when it comes to putting boots on the ground. This War Powers Resolution would not only prevent that in Venezuela without further congressional approval, it will also demonstrate that this Congress can actually act like a coequal branch of government and fulfill our responsibilities under the United States Constitution.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, for the past year we have been talking about the damage done by not extending tax credits for the Affordable Care Act. Now this year, no longer is it theory. It is fact. It is no longer talk. It is pain. The fact is 20 million people are feeling the pain with their healthcare costs going up. Millions more are losing health insurance. In my district, tens of thousands are going to be paying more for healthcare. Today, the fact is that we can do our jobs and, rather than take healthcare away, we can actually help fix it. I commend all of my Democratic colleagues and, yes, even a few on the Republican side that signed the discharge petition and will vote for this bill today, a day in a week that has been absolutely hectic. Rather than constantly responding to the craziness from this administration, by voting ``yes,'' Congress can finally focus on the substance of fixing healthcare. The fact is this bill is a short-term fix for extending tax credits. It is also a vehicle for our Senate colleagues to use so that we in Congress can provide a long-term fix to provide people with affordable and accessible healthcare.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Ms. Norma Moye who passed earlier this week at the young age of 92. As a fourth-generation resident, Norma was Paso Robles, California, in the 19th Congressional District. She served her community in many ways: being on the boards for the Pioneer Day, the Historical Society, and, of course, as a leader in the Chamber of Commerce. However, where she was most impactful was due to her work as the founder and executive director of the Paso Robles Main Street Association. Under her leadership, downtown Paso Robles transformed from vacant storefronts to a bustling hub of community. She was a champion for local businesses, supporting her neighbors, helping them thrive, and transforming the local economy. Thanks to her commitment to service, she lives on in every person who visits downtown in the community and the energy that is Paso Robles. As we mourn her loss, let us celebrate Norma Moye, her legacy of service, and let us do that by enjoying the town of Paso Robles.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, if we don't extend the tax credits for the Affordable Care Act, costs for healthcare will go up for 20 million people and millions more will lose their health insurance. Three-quarters of those who rely on those tax credits live in Republican-won States. Yet Speaker Johnson and President Trump, who are in charge and had all year to do anything, to do something, on healthcare, did nothing. Rather than fulfill the President's promise to reduce prices, they gave tax breaks to billionaires, they gutted Medicaid, and they added trillions to our debt. I get that division and dysfunction define the Republican Party, but we can't keep letting it define Congress. Put the Democratic discharge petition on the floor, extend the tax credits, so that together we can actually do something to fix healthcare. By doing that, we do our job, not just in Congress but for all Americans.

Mr. PANETTA

Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a co-lead of the Studying NEPA's Impact on Projects Act. As we have heard, this is a bill that would require the Council on Environmental Quality to provide annual reports that evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the Federal permitting process. I thank Representative Yakym for his leadership on this issue and really appreciate his willingness to work in a bipartisan fashion to fix our government's permitting process. It is a process that, as we know, can be bogged down, burdensome, and brutally bureaucratic, leading to unnecessary delays that make it very difficult to increase affordable housing, improve our infrastructure, and advance important energy and transmission projects. People in California's 19th Congressional District, as well as I am sure people in the Second District of Indiana and communities all across the country, have a great amount of concern and consternation as the permitting process is stunting their will and ability to reduce their carbon output, to solve the affordability crisis, and to decrease the damage from natural disasters. Requiring an annual report is a commonsensical and practical way to use evidence to find the issue, fix the process, and affirm our energy and environmental values. It is a first step--we get that--but we know it is also a very big and impactful step so that, together, we can implement our efforts to protect our planet, increase clean energy options for our country, and reduce costs for communities. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye.''