Brad Schneider

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, we heard in the last half hour or so people talking about the rising cost of eggs. They talked about the fact that there is a bird flu epidemic that is devastating our flocks. The Centers for Disease Control is being cut by the Trump administration at a time when we need their work more than ever to try to make sure that this horrible epidemic comes to an end and that costs come down for American families. The thing is that Trump and the House Republicans are plotting cuts to a whole host of programs across our government, programs providing services to seniors and veterans with healthcare, programs feeding hungry families and their children and more. All of these cuts are simply to pay for tax cuts for their billionaire friends like Elon Musk and others. The New Dems will continue fighting on behalf of the American people to cut inflation, to improve the lives of hardworking families, and to make our communities safer and our national security stronger. If Trump's tax on American consumers with his tariffs goes through on Canada and Mexico, then American consumers are going to see a 25 percent increase on many essentials, as well as things like cars and appliances and just taking a trip to the grocery. While Trump is waging war on Americans' savings and bank accounts, the New Dems will continue to fight to lower inflation and cut costs for hardworking families. By giving Elon Musk and his minions unfettered access to American citizens' personal information, he is putting at risk Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, Head Start, and so much other information. The New Dems will continue to work with our colleagues in the Democratic Caucus on legislation to prevent unlawful access to this information. We are prepared to stand strong on behalf of the American people. We are prepared to stay focused on the economy and do everything we can to make peoples' lives easier, to make their future and their children's future better, and to preserve our dear country. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the great State of Virginia (Ms. McClellan), who is also a member of the leadership team for the New Democrat Coalition.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Again, Mr. Speaker, I thank Salud Carbajal from California. He touched on that critical thing. Republicans are literally trying to take money from hardworking families to pay for tax cuts for those who need it the least, for billionaires like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg or for the President's family. The President threatened to put tariffs on our trading partners, Canada and Mexico. That is a tax on American families. We are not going to let it stand. That is why the outcry is important, and that is why it is important we are here tonight. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Soto).

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I was listening to my colleague on the other side of the aisle as he was talking about how families want to be able to go to the grocery store and afford food for their kids; that they want to be able to put not just food on the table but put their kids in clothes and shoes and pay for their healthcare and for housing. I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to share much of the frustration and anger of our constituents watching as the new administration has come in and done a whole host of things, announced a whole litany of actions but failed to deliver on the key promise of working to lower costs for American families. Costs are going up. In fact, you may have seen the news today. Waffle House just announced that they are putting on a 50 cent surcharge per egg because the price of eggs have gone up so much. In fact, in my community in Highland Park, Illinois, a dozen eggs costs $5. A generation ago, President Clinton ran on a campaign built on a very simple axiom: It is the economy, stupid. What was true in 1992 is just as true in 2024 in the last election and is true today. The American people want their Representatives working and focused on the economy. They want us to be trying to create quality, well-paying jobs, provide more opportunities for themselves and a better future for their children. They want us to lower costs and raise the standard of living for all Americans. Beyond economic growth and opportunity, they want us to make sure that we are helping to keep our communities healthy and safe and that we are focused on a strong national security and a strong national defense. That is the charge voters gave us here in Congress and gave to the new President. It is hard to believe that we are only 2 weeks into the second Trump administration and already the early onslaught of chaos, confusion, and manufactured crises has been stunning. It is easy to feel overwhelmed. In fact, folks at home are telling me how they feel because this onslaught is nonstop, which I guess is the point of what the administration is trying to do. We are going to focus tonight on a couple of issues. I am joined by a couple of my colleagues. We are a part of the New Democratic Coalition. The new Democrats are the moderate Democrats, 110 strong, who are focused on serving our people an economy that is lifting up their lives. We are focused on lowering costs. We are focused on making life better for all Americans. Look at the last couple of weeks, just three things. I can't touch on everything, but I will touch on three specific things. A little more than a week ago, the administration issued a memo threatening to freeze $3 trillion of spending across the board. It was confusing. It had no clarity of what specifically or how specifically anything would be frozen, who would be included, who would be excluded. Our phones started ringing off the hooks. Preschools providing early education to our children, giving them that head start to get ahead in life, were saying they might have to close. Programs like Meals on Wheels for seniors were struggling. Infrastructure projects such as in my district, a project that was decades in the making and received a $19 million grant from the Department of Transportation, was threatened. Healthcare providers didn't know what they were going to continue to do. First responders were concerned. There was an extraordinary outcry from across the country. On Monday, the administration started backtracking. By Tuesday, they had pulled the memo back altogether. There is chaos, confusion, and manufactured crises. Just this past weekend, President Trump announced 25 percent tariffs on our two most important trading partners, Mexico and Canada, as well as 10 percent tariffs on China. This is across the board. The Wall Street Journal issued an op-ed titled: ``The Dumbest Trade War in History.'' This is not a Democratic rag. This is The Wall Street Journal calling it the dumbest trade war in history. Evidently, the President got the message because within just a couple of days he paused the threat against our trading partners in Canada and Mexico. For the past week, our phones have been ringing off the hooks again, this time talking about the fact that an individual who didn't receive a single vote, a billionaire who controls one of the largest social media platforms who would benefit from having access to data, classified, confidential personal data of Americans, was, in fact, given unfettered access to that confidential personal information of Americans. He was given access to their pay information, their Social Security numbers, healthcare information. All of this is now in the hands of Elon Musk, who no one in this country voted for. No one empowered him to try to control our government. A man who is positioned to reap billions of dollars off the personal information of the American people and gain his own personal power is now having access to that information. We need to make sure that this stops. Those are just three examples of the chaos, crisis, and confusion sown by this administration in just 2 weeks. Yet none of this has focused on bringing down the cost of eggs or the cost of living for the American people. That is why we are here tonight calling on this administration, calling on our colleagues in Congress to work together with the Democrats to focus on the economy, to make life easier for all American families, and to help families get ahead and lift their children up for a better future. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Carbajal).

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I missed votes today due to a medical emergency, a hemorrhage in my eye, that required me to travel back to Illinois to seek urgent medical attention. Had I been present, I would have voted: NAY on Roll Call No. 20, NO on Roll Call No. 21, YEA on Roll Call No. 22, and NAY on Roll Call No. 23. personal explanation

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, today I proudly rise to recognize the 40th Anniversary of the Metra rail system serving the people throughout Chicago and across the region. The Metra commuter rail system--specifically the Milwaukee District North, the Union Pacific North, and the North Central Service lines-- connects Illinois's 10th district to the city of Chicago and neighboring communities. From Winthrop Harbor through Zion, Waukegan, North Chicago, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Highwood, Highland Park, Glencoe, Winnetka, and Kenilworth; from Antioch through Lake Villa, Round Lake Beach, Grayslake, Libertyville, Mundelein, Vernon Hills, Vernon Township, Buffalo Grove, and Wheeling; and from Fox Lake through Long Lake, Round Lake, Deerfield, and Northbrook, Metra is literally a lifeline for the citizens of the 10th District. Metra began as an amalgamation of private rail services, some of which had existed for more than a century. Today, Metra is the fourth- busiest commuter rail system in the country and serves millions of riders throughout the region with eleven lines moving between 243 stations. Metra serves as a critical backbone for workers and families who depend on reliable, safe transportation through the frigid winter and sweltering summers. Metra is more than just a commuter rail system--it is an indelible feature of life in Chicagoland, serving workers, sports fans, students, the elderly, and many more. I have been honored to consistently advocate for Metra's priorities during my service in Congress, and proud to have secured funding for projects for station modernization, accessibility improvements, and platform rehabilitation. These historic investments in our transportation infrastructure--made possible under the Biden Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law--will help Metra flourish well into the future. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the accomplishments and service Metra, and the people who ensure the trains run, have provided for the past 40 years. To the engineers, conductors, planners, maintenance workers, advocates, and organizational leaders who dedicated countless hours over the decades to elevate Metra to where it is today--I thank and commend them for their vision and hard work. I look forward to continuing my work with Metra to promote its continued success--not just for the good of the Tenth District, but for all the people in the Chicago region.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today regarding votes I missed on November 20, 2024. Had I been present for Roll Call No. 474, on the North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2023, I would have voted yea. This is common sense, bipartisan legislation that will promote human rights activities in North Korea.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose H.R. 5179, the so-called Anti-BDS Labeling Act. Let me start with an observation. Since October 7, President Biden, the United States Congress, and the United States people have overwhelmingly stood in support of Israel as they fight an existential war on multiple fronts. President Biden has stood with Israel longer than any U.S. President in a time of war throughout Israel's 76-year history. Let me also be clear that the BDS movement is inherently anti- Semitic. It is a harmful, discriminatory effort aimed at delegitimizing Israel, the democratic Jewish State of Israel, and undermining Israel's right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state. I will agree with my colleague Chairman Smith, when he says there is no place for harassment or intimidation of Jewish students or, for that matter, any students on campus for what they believe in. The protesters are loud. They scream. They yell. They have yelled outside my house in the middle of the night. Being loud does not make them right. It just means they are loud. So while this body here, Republicans and Democrats, stands united in opposing BDS, today's debate is much less about genuine support of Israel and much more about political posture. I have consistently opposed BDS and worked to ensure U.S. policy does not endorse discriminatory aims. However, H.R. 5179 is a symbolic gesture with no real path forward in the Senate. It does little to combat the global BDS effort and distracts from the meaningful action required to strengthen our partnership with Israel and promote a peaceful future for the region and all the people in the region. This issue isn't just about geopolitics or trade. It is about consumer transparency. Americans want to know under what conditions their products are made. Whether it is Israeli law in a settlement, Palestinian Authority control, or formerly Hamas-controlled Gaza, consumers deserve to understand the governance and standards behind the products they buy. The lack of clarity of the current framework does not meet their demand for nuanced information about environment, labor, human rights, or the quality of inspections of their purchases on products from anywhere around the world including within Israel. H.R. 5179 fails to address these concerns. It is a short-term political move that ignores the complexity of the region and the demand for thoughtful policies. This bill won't help consumers make informed decisions, nor will it move the needle on the broader challenges facing Israel. More broadly, it doesn't help dismantle Hamas or rescue the hostages and restore a political horizon for a two-state solution. While I share the goal with my colleagues of countering BDS, H.R. 5179 does not achieve that. It is about showmanship, not about substance. We need real bipartisan solutions that reflect the region's complexities and offer the transparency consumers demand. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' and focus on actions that will make a real difference.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Madam Speaker, we are gathered tonight as the Ways and Means family to honor the memory of our friend and colleague, Bill Pascrell. Bill was a giant. He was a fighter. He was a champion. He was a mentor. He was our friend. He cared about each and every one of us just as he cared about each and every one of his constituents. What we know about Bill is he was caring. He was passionate. He was tenacious. He was funny. He was tough. He was honest. He was sometimes loud, but he was always, always beloved. Bill loved his own hometown of Paterson, New Jersey--Paterson with one T. He loved the people he represented. He loved this House--the House, not so much the Senate. He loved every one of us, and we loved him. In his absence, I suspect we are likely to ask a question that not one of us ever had to ask while he was alive. We will find ourselves asking: I wonder what Bill Pascrell would think about this? Bill always spoke his mind, and he always spoke his heart. His heart was always with the people of his hometown of Paterson and always with the best interests of the United States. We will miss Bill. We will forever remember Bill. May his memory be a blessing for his wife, his three kids, and his six grandchildren, for all of us who worked with him, and for our great Nation.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mark Pfister, a remarkable community leader and dear friend, for his 33 years of service to the people of Lake County and his lifelong dedication to public health. Our community celebrates the positive impact Mark has had on the health and quality of life of the residents of Lake County and beyond. Mark grew up in Denver, Colorado. Shortly after graduating from Augustana College in 1986, Mark embarked on a career focusing on service to others. As a Peace Corps volunteer, he taught biology, genetics, botany, and animal science in Bambili, Cameroon. Two months into his mission, Cameroon suffered the Lake Nyos Disaster (a limnic eruption killing more than 1,700 people). Mark immediately joined efforts to help survivors and participated in international initiatives to address the onset of food insecurity in the region. Mark's Peace Corps experience inspired him to pursue advanced degrees in limnology (the study of lakes) and ultimately brought him to the Lake County Health Department in 1991. He served 14 years as an aquatic biologist and project coordinator in the County's Lakes Management Unit before moving into senior leadership positions within the department. He was named Interim Director in June 2016 and officially made Executive Director in February 2017. Under his leadership, he led and inspired approximately 1,000 employees who are serving more than 700,000 county residents. Perhaps his biggest challenge as Executive Director was guiding the Lake County Health Department through the COVID-19 pandemic. In the thick of the crisis, Mark showed extraordinary vision, dedication, and grace. It is impossible to overstate the impact of his leadership to building community trust in the public health system in those trying times. Throughout his 33 years with the department, Mark's unwavering commitment to its mission of promoting the health and well-being of all who live, work, and play in Lake County resulted in the department's consistently being considered among one of the best local health departments in the country. I have no doubt Mark's legacy of public health leadership and his record of innovative accomplishments within the department will continue to inspire those at the Lake County Health Department and advance their mission for years to come. It is with great honor and respect that I commend Mark Pfister for his outstanding 33 years of leadership within our community. As Mark embarks on this new chapter of life, I wish him a retirement as wonderful as his career. May this be an opportunity to cherish time with his loved ones and savor the fruits of his labor.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate my dear friend, and a respected faith leader, Rev. Dr. Wade A. Stevenson, on the occasion of his 21st pastoral anniversary at Gideon Missionary Baptist Church in Waukegan, Illinois. For more than two decades Pastor Stevenson's leadership has helped further the spiritual well-being of not only his congregation at Gideon, but the entire surrounding community. Rev. Dr. Stevenson was invited to become pastor of Gideon Missionary Baptist Church in 2003. At the time, he was the Pastor for Farristown Baptist Church in Berea, Kentucky, the state in which he grew up and where he earned his degrees from the University of Kentucky and Lexington Theological Seminary. On October 19, 2003, Gideon held a formal installation service for Pastor Stevenson. As a man of faith, Pastor Stevenson's mission for leadership is: To Equip the Saints to Serve, True to this mission, he has empowered his congregation to support their families, their church and their community. I am honored to have personally observed, and experienced, the extraordinary leadership and powerful ministry of Pastor Stevenson for more than a decade. Across the year's, I have come to know Pastor Stevenson as an exceptional leader, teacher and friend. Pastor Stevenson is widely recognized in our community for his remarkable service and many accomplishments. He even had the honor of delivering an opening prayer as guest chaplain in this chamber in 2016. Yet, more than the accolades and awards, he is beloved as a beacon of hope, optimism and spirituality for all who know him. I congratulate Rev. Dr. Wade A. Stevenson, his wife Gloria, his three sons, and the entire Gideon family in honor of his twenty-first pastoral anniversary with Gideon Missionary Baptist Church, and in recognition of his 34 years in the pastoral ministry, I wish him and the entire congregation blessings of health, happiness and peace.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr Speaker, I rise today to recognize UL Solutions on the occasion of the 130th Anniversary of their founding. Throughout its history, UL Solutions has been an integral part of our Illinois community, consistently working for a ``safer, more secure and sustainable world.'' This remarkable anniversary is a testament to a proud tradition of ingenuity and innovation, and a wonderful moment of celebration for the entire UL Solutions community. I wish all UL employees and their families well as they mark this auspicious occasion. UL Solutions was founded in 1894 by electrical engineer William Henry Merrill, Jr. Since its founding, UL Solutions has dedicated itself to enhancing product safety and construction safety in America and around the world, becoming a trusted global leader in applied safety science. Starting from humble origins with a three-person staff, UL today is a powerhouse in championing safer and more reliable standards for consumer products, construction materials, and workplace safety. UL remains a pioneer in American industry, ensuring safety standards in diversified fields ranging from automotive to energy, health care to electronics. UL has improved safety in building construction, and even set the stage for the establishment of the Federal Aviation Administration by becoming the first national organization globally to certify airplanes for use. For decades UL has influenced American inventions, from kitchen appliances to electronics to automobiles, ensuring that consumers can safely use their toys, tools, devices and vehicles. Today, UL continues to expand safety initiatives while researching cutting-edge innovations, such as next-generation batteries, autonomous vehicles, and 3D printing technologies. UL Solutions is proudly headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois. It continues to serve as a major tech hub in the 10th District and employs thousands of Illinoisans in building a safer and more sustainable world. In honor of UL Solution's outstanding contributions to the state of Illinois and its 130th anniversary, the Governor of the State of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, has proclaimed June 3, 2024 as UL Solutions Day in Illinois. I congratulate UL Solutions on this anniversary and look forward to working with them as they continue to maintain the safety and integrity of our appliances and materials.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about the Affordable Connectivity Program, a critical program that helps millions access affordable internet. Families rely on the internet to do their jobs, go to school, meet with their doctors, and stay in contact with family and loved ones. Access to the internet is essential in the 21st century. ACP, the Affordable Connectivity Program, helps more than 23 million households afford internet access. In Illinois, more than 700,000 households, 1 in 7, enrolled in ACP, including 21,000 in my district. Despite this success, Republicans refuse to extend this program. We cannot delay. Through their inaction, Republicans are forcing millions of families to face higher internet bills, or worse, to have their internet access cut off entirely. If Speaker Johnson would bring the ACP extension to the floor for a vote, I know it would pass overwhelmingly. Instead, Republicans are wasting time voting on bogus messaging bills. I implore Speaker Johnson to save the Affordable Connectivity Program. Let's bring it to the floor for a vote for an extension. We can get this done.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and honor Pastor Eugene Roberson, an esteemed leader and dear friend in our community as he marks his 30th pastoral anniversary at First Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church in North Chicago. In 1994, First Corinthian named Pastor Roberson as the Shepard of their congregation, beginning a tremendous period of growth in faith and service to our community. Thirty years on, I am proud to formally recognize his service and dedication to his congregation, a truly remarkable achievement. Pastor Roberson's faith journey began in his home state of Mississippi, where he was the fourth of ten children born to John and Lula Roberson in Tutwiler. Educated in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Pastor Roberson earned his B.A. in Social Studies from Jackson State University. He entered into the ministry in 1979 where he ascended in service to his faith from Deacon to Assistant Pastor to the late Pastor Peter Goudeaux, Jr., and ultimately becoming his successor. I have the privilege of knowing Pastor Roberson as a friend, community leader, man of faith and servant of the community. His passion and leadership are consistently a source of inspiration for me and countless others. I am grateful to have joined Pastor Roberson and his congregation on many occasions. During each visit, I feel at home and leave with a renewed feeling of hope and determination. Pastor Roberson's work extends well beyond the doors of his church. Through his work on the Lake County Commission on Government Reform and Accountability, the Workforce Development Board, and twice as the elected President of the North Shore Baptist Ministers Alliance, he has had great impact lifting up the lives of Lake County residents. Pastor Roberson is a regular fixture at service initiatives that make our community stronger, such as back to school giveaways, annual Christmas food basket giveaways, weekly soup kitchens and assisting families in crisis. Pastor Roberson also holds the honor of being a guest chaplain for the House of Representatives, opening a session of Congress on October 24, 2001. Under Pastor Roberson's leadership the congregation at First Corinthian has built a strong and resilient community that has touched the lives of people throughout North Chicago and Illinois's Tenth District. Setting an example for many to follow, and I am honored to be his representative in Congress. Congratulations once again to Pastor Eugene Roberson, his remarkable wife, Sis. Geraldine Roberson, and his entire family. I am deeply honored to congratulate him and First Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church on their 30th pastoral anniversary, and I wish him only great success in his future. I look forward to sharing the Journey with him.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, today is the 223rd day since Hamas slaughtered more than 1,200 people, including 45 Americans. More than 250 people were taken hostage, and 132 are still held, including 8 Americans. After October 7, President Biden immediately stepped in to help the Jewish state. He traveled to Israel 11 days after the attacks, the first President to do so in wartime. He dispatched two carrier strike groups and has sent hundreds of shipments of weapons to Israel. When Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel, the U.S. worked with our allies to defeat that attack. President Biden and Secretaries Blinken and Austin have repeatedly clarified that U.S. support for Israel is ironclad, and they continue to match those words with action, this week approving another $100 billion in arms sales to Israel. While the administration is doing everything in its power to support our allies, Republicans in Congress play politics. In the early weeks of the Gaza war, the majority tried to condition aid to Israel on Republican cuts to IRS funding. It took fully 6 months after October 7 for Republicans to finally put the emergency security funding on the floor. It passed overwhelmingly with 366 votes. The delay was clearly partisan. Let me be clear: It is wrong to withhold even just one shipment of weapons to Israel in its fight as it fights an existential, multifront war. It is okay for friends to disagree, but we must not send mixed signals to Israel's enemy about U.S. support for the mission to end Hamas' reign of terror over Gaza, to eliminate the threat to Israel, and to bring the hostages home. Sadly, Speaker Johnson's approach is different. He drafted a partisan bill with no path forward. It didn't even go through the Foreign Affairs Committee, where we could have fixed it. I can't imagine anyone in this body believes that automatically zeroing out the budget for the Departments of State and Defense and the National Security Council in the case of delayed arms is a good idea. It is a terrible, dangerous idea, and it is the reason I must vote against this bill.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that the United States was the first country to recognize the newly declared State of Israel nearly 76 years ago, merely 11 minutes after its creation. I am also proud that, within 11 days of Hamas' barbaric attack on Israel that started this current war, President Joe Biden landed in Tel Aviv, sending two carrier strike groups and becoming the first U.S. President to ever visit Israel during a time of war. On October 7, at approximately 6:30 a.m., Hamas launched thousands of rockets at cities across Israel, sending millions of Israelis into bomb shelters and safe rooms while providing cover for a swarming army of Hamas terrorists who invaded the country and launched a genocidal attack, brutally murdering more than 1,200 people, wounding more than 3,000 others, and taking more than 250 hostages back into Gaza. In the 6 months since Hamas started this war, Israel has been fighting for its existence on many fronts, facing attacks and threats from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Iran. It is more than just the mortars, rockets, missiles, and drones threatening Israel. Israel's enemies have two key strategies in their campaign to destroy and delegitimize the Jewish state: One, distort the truth with canards and libelous accusations against Israel and the Jewish people; and two, isolate Israel in global forums and in the world of public opinion. South Africa is perversely accusing Israel of genocide in the International Criminal Court of Justice. Of course, when you lift the veil of this grotesque distortion of the truth, you see that Iran is also behind South Africa's actions, just like Iran finances and fuels Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Meanwhile, in cities around the world as well as here in the United States, anti-Israel protests are replete with calls for the elimination of the Jewish state, most clearly manifest in the chant ``from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.'' And look no further than the rally just last Friday in Dearborn, Michigan, where the crowd chanted not only ``death to Israel,'' but ``death to America.'' I am grateful for the leadership and moral clarity of the Biden administration as well as the mayor of Dearborn when they roundly condemned this hateful rhetoric. Israel's enemies, from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, to groups here in the United States like SJP, AMP, and JVP are doing everything they can to demonize, delegitimize, and ultimately destroy the only Jewish state on Earth. But let's be clear: The war Hamas started on October 7 is not just a war against Israel. Iran's vision is not just the destruction of Israel, but the conquest of the entire Muslim world and the defeat of the West. The Houthis are not launching rockets at just Israeli ships in the Red Sea. They are targeting global commerce in general. In this war, Israel's allies must do everything we can to fight the lies and ensure Israel and the Israeli people know that they are not alone. This is why I traveled to Israel with Jewish lay leaders from Chicago in February and last month traveled with several of my colleagues from here in Congress. This is why I oppose the Republican resolution we are considering this week. The text of this resolution plays loose with the truth, and the intent is not to help Israel, but to win political points and further weaken the bipartisan support Israel has long enjoyed in this body. Don't take my word for it. This is how Axios described the resolution: ``It is the latest in a series of Israel-related wedge votes House Republicans have held since Hamas' October 7 attack.'' If my Republican colleagues want to help our ally and protect our national security, we shouldn't be debating this partisan resolution. Instead, we should be voting on the essential funding bill to help Israel fight its war against our common enemies, as well as ensuring Ukraine defeats Russia, and Taiwan remains secure. The Senate passed this bill 2 months ago. The House should have passed it in February as well. It is as shameful as it is dangerous that we still have not voted on this desperately needed assistance yet today. Mr. Speaker, Iran understands that diminishing the bipartisan support for Israel in Congress only hurts our ally and advances our enemies' agenda. Why are Republicans so willing to play into the hands of Iran and Israel's other enemies? The U.S.-Israel relationship is being tested. Congress is being tested. It is up to us here today to pass this test. I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution and instead vote for the essential funding bill coming over from the Senate.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Baird), my colleague. I am proud that support for Israel and the call for bringing the hostages home is something that we work together collaboratively on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, last week there were 19 Members of the Republican freshman class who were in Israel. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Yakym), one of those 19 Members.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, with your indulgence, I would like to read into the Record the statement from our colleague from Maryland, Mr. Steny Hoyer. ``Mr. Speaker, I rise today''----

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Yes, if that is allowed by the rules.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, it has been 186 days since the barbaric Hamas attack on October 7, in which more than 1,200 people were brutally murdered and more than 250 taken hostage. It has been 186 days, and still 133 people, including 8 Americans, are being held hostage in Gaza. Many of the 133 are known to be dead, including 3 of the Americans. Some were murdered on October 7, and their bodies taken into Gaza. Some, known to be alive in captivity, have been murdered by their captors, like Elad Katzir, whose body was recovered just last week in Khan Yunis. It has been 186 days, more than 6 months, and there is no indication of their medical status, no visits from the Red Cross, no word of when they might come home. For the families, 186 unbearable days of wondering if their loved one is dead or alive, is being tortured, or is a victim of sexual violence. Mr. Speaker, 186 days is unconscionable. For many weeks, negotiations facilitated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar have sought to achieve a cease-fire and bring hostages home. Israel has accepted the terms. Hamas has, to date, rejected them. The world waits for Hamas' response. As Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted earlier today: ``It is astounding to me that the world is almost deafeningly silent when it comes to Hamas.'' Mr. Speaker, I rise today to once again bring urgent and necessary attention to the hostages still held in Gaza. All deserve to be named, but I will list the Americans, many of whose families are with us in the gallery here today: Edan Alexander, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Omer Neutra, Keith Siegel, Judi Weinstein and Gad Haggai, and Itay Chen. My heart goes out to the families and friends of those hostages who have yet to be released, who have no information about the well-being of their loved ones, whether they are alive, injured, or dead. I refuse to let the hostages be forgotten. We must bring them home. Mr. Speaker, tonight, with my colleagues, we stand on the House floor imploring Congress to work to save the hostages. We also honor the families of those who were killed or taken hostage on October 7. Tonight, a number of these families present in the House gallery continue to call for our government to do all it can to bring the remaining hostages home including: Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old Chicago native who attended the Tribe of Nova music festival on October 7. Jonathan Dekel-Chen, father of Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 35-year-old husband and father who was 200 yards from his kibbutz when Hamas terrorists invaded the area on October 7. After sounding the alarm for his neighbors, he joined the kibbutz' security team to push back on Hamas. His mother was also taken captive but escaped when an IDF helicopter shot at the vehicle taking her away. Ronen and Orna Neutra, parents of Omer Neutra, a 21-year-old member of the IDF who was in a tank defending the Gaza border on October 7. He grew up in New York and was living in Israel before attending university in the United States. Adi and Yael Alexander, parents of Edan Alexander, a 19-year-old member of the IDF who was stationed near Gaza at the time of the attack. Andrea Weinstein, sister of Judi Weinstein, who was killed on October 7. Judi, age 70, grew up in Canada but was born in New York. Liz Hirsh Naftali, the great aunt of 3-year-old Abigail, who was kidnapped and taken alone to Gaza after her parents were murdered in front of her eyes by Hamas terrorists. We honor the memories of those who have died, and we pray for those who are still in captivity. I thank all my colleagues who have joined me here today as we work to make sure that we bring those hostages home. General Leave

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on the subject of this Special Order.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida, (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), my good friend and colleague who joined me in Israel just 2 weeks ago on a mission to understand what Israel was going through and how we can make a difference.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Manning), my friend, who also traveled with us to Israel 2 weeks ago.