Bryan Steil

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6019, introduced by my colleague, Congressman Austin Scott of Georgia. Before I dive into the substance of this bill, let me highlight some good news. The government is open and funded. SNAP benefits are being funded. Air traffic controllers, TSA agents, and hardworking people are getting paid. Of course, Mr. Speaker, if the Democrats had their way, the Federal Government would still be shut down. People wouldn't be receiving their SNAP benefits. Law enforcement officials at the Federal level wouldn't be receiving payments. Air traffic controllers and TSA agents also wouldn't be paid. The good news is, Mr. Speaker, by passage of the underlying legislation that we are going to be discussing today, the government is open and operational for the American people. Mr. Speaker, no bill is perfect, and the bill we passed to reopen the government is just that. It had a provision that needs repair, which we need to go in and remove out from that bill. The legislation by my colleague, Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia, does just that. The troubling provision grants Senators a private cause of action against the United States. If a Senator's data, either official or personal, is retrieved without their knowledge, they can sue the government. It also included a provision to allow Senators to receive a minimum of $500,000 per instance of data retrieval. That policy, in my opinion and in the opinion, I think, of all the Members of this institution, is unacceptable. No one should be able to enrich themselves because the Federal Government wronged them--no elected official should be able to. Without question, there are far better ways to handle this. The legislative branch should correctly address the Biden administration's weaponization of the FBI to spy on United States Senators in its operation, Arctic Frost. The abuses, Mr. Speaker, by the Biden administration are completely unacceptable, and I am committed to holding those involved accountable. No one benefited from the failures of the Biden administration. However, that does not mean that elected officials should be financially benefiting from those failures now. These provisions are not the right path to address the concerns, true concerns, over the separation of powers. Remember, Congress serves the American people, not the other way around. Today, we have an opportunity to take a good bill that reopened the Federal Government and make it better by repealing the provisions that were slid into the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 6019 to repeal this legislation. I thank my colleague, Congressman Austin Scott, for bringing this legislation forward. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott) to speak on his bill.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy) to speak on this bill.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Hageman).

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Rose).

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining on the majority.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Kiley).

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, before we close, I just want to wrap up a few things that have been discussed today. We were closed as a Federal Government for 43 days because Democrats in the House of Representatives voted against a clean CR and then cheered on their Democratic colleagues in the United States Senate to keep the government closed as people suffered, as individuals who were showing up to work weren't receiving payment, including law enforcement officers and Border Patrol officers. SNAP benefits weren't being paid, and that pain was getting quite real. Finally, after 43 days, eight Democratic Senators came to the table and said we should reopen the government. Those eight voted for this bill. I didn't hear my colleagues critique those eight Democrats in the United States Senate who were involved in drafting the final legislation. In fact, my suggestion the whole time was that the Senate should have passed the clean CR the House sent to them. If we look at the record, time after time after time, Democrats in the United States Senate refused to pass the clean CR, which would have avoided this mess in the first place. If we are curious as to who caused this problem, I think the answer, Mr. Speaker, is quite clear. Democrats in the House of Representatives voted against the clean CR and then cheered on their Democratic colleagues in the United States Senate to keep this government closed. As this came to the House, this provision was buried in it, but we had an obligation to reopen the Federal Government to make sure that law enforcement officers were getting paid, air traffic controllers were getting paid, and SNAP benefits were flowing once again, so we voted for it. Today is the opportunity to clean up this provision. There are far better ways to address the abuses of the Biden administration, and those abuses do need to be addressed, just not in this mechanism. I encourage all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to vote ``aye.'' I hope we have a unanimous vote tonight, as we pass H.R. 6019. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I kindly ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Derek N. Harley for his 25 years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives. Derek began his career on Capitol Hill as a Legislative Assistant with Representative Walley Herger of California, later serving as his Legislative Director and then his Chief of Staff. Following Congressman Herger's retirement, Derek served as Chief of Staff to Representative Brad Wenstrup of Ohio. As Chief, Derek was known for prioritizing first-in-class constituent services, a focus he has maintained throughout his career in the House. After a short time off the Hill, Derek returned to the House as the Republican Staff Director of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. In this position, he saw an opportunity to strengthen Congress's Article I obligations and create positive and lasting institutional change. The Select Committee had what Derek called ``squeaky wheel authority'' to call attention to longstanding problems and challenges for the House, and he used that authority to relentlessly pursue solutions. His insistence on working with House partners and colleagues across-the-aisle to forge change and strengthen this institution for the better will benefit generations of Members and staff to come. We can all learn a lot from his example. At the start of the 118th Congress, the Committee on House Administration turned to Derek to Lead the newly constituted Subcommittee on Modernization. Quite frankly, there was no one better suited for this position than Derek. His institutional expertise, his proven leadership skills, and his unwavering dedication to the House and the people it serves made him the obvious--and only--choice to serve as the Subcommittee's inaugural Staff Director. Under the leadership of Subcommittee Chairwoman Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma, Derek worked to create new, and much-needed, collaborative workspaces for staff across the House Office Buildings, improve ADA access to the House and the Capitol, streamline the transfer of constituent casework to incoming members of Congress, provide House committees with access to industry-standard e-Discovery software, institute positive change at the Congressional Research Service, and provide more opportunities for Members to engage with their constituents. These are just a few examples of the many contributions Derek has made to this institution. At the start of the 119th Congress, Derek joined Speaker Mike Johnson's team as Director of House Operations, where he's worked hand- in-glove with my team on House Administration to meet critical campus needs, formalize longstanding policies for House offices, and think strategically about the House's future physical space needs. Derek has always remained open to ideas and solutions and is committed to finding the best path forward for the institution in service to its Members, staff, and the taxpayer. I am fortunate to have worked with Derek and know he will be missed by many House Members and staff. Derek has been a consummate steward of the institution and a willing partner to everyone who wants the House to work well for the American people. He has already had a lasting and positive impact on the institution and, through his example, has inspired others to continue this work. On behalf of my colleagues and staff on the Committee on House Administration, I wish Derek Harley all the best as he begins his new role as the Chief Executive Officer of the Congressional Institute. I thank him for his service to the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Ranking Member Morelle and myself, I kindly ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Noah Wofsy on his retirement as Deputy Legislative Counsel after 39 years of service to the House of Representatives. Noah joined the House Office of Legislative Counsel in 1986 after earning his J.D. from the University of Southern California. I have had the good fortune of working with Noah in his capacity supporting the Committee on House Administration and the Subcommittee on Modernization and Innovation. Noah has served as the Deputy House Legislative Counsel since 2018, helping lead the office and manage a committed team of experts to provide the House with impartial and confidential drafting and counseling services for bills, amendments, resolutions, and laws. Throughout his career in the House of Representatives, Noah has lent his unmatched expertise to countless Members, committees, and staff working on a broad array of policy issues. The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress relied heavily on Noah's institutional knowledge and ideas when making recommendations to modernize the House's outdated processes and technologies for legislative drafting. He was also instrumental in leading the effort last Congress to modernize leadership roles and succession planning in the Office of the Legislative Counsel. While Noah's service over the years has benefited the House in many ways, his dedication to teaching staff the art of legislative drafting has left an indelible and lasting mark on this institution. Teaching is a talent that Noah exemplifies as thousands of current and former House staffers will attest. While Noah has been recognized by friends and colleagues for his steadfast commitment to public service and his expertise in the legislative drafting process, it is his unparalleled sense of humor that truly sets him apart. Over the course of his nearly four decades of service, the House saw a lot of change. Noah's ability to constantly adapt and consistently excel--all while maintaining his sense of humor--is a bold testament to his dedication to the House of Representatives and the people it serves. I wish Noah the best for his well-earned retirement. On behalf of my colleagues and the entire House community, I thank him for his leadership and longstanding commitment to serving the People's House.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor His All- Holiness Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christianity around the world. On behalf of the millions of Eastern Orthodox Christians in the United States, including thousands of Greek Orthodox in my district in Wisconsin, I welcome Bartholomew to the United States. His All-Holiness Bartholomew has served as the leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church for more than 30 years. Prior to his election to this role, Bartholomew served in various roles for the Church including as the personal secretary to his predecessor, His All-Holiness Demetrios I. This week, Bartholomew is in Washington, D.C. to meet with President Trump and Congress. Bartholomew will also travel to New York later this month to receive the distinguished Templeton Prize, joining visionaries like the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Mother Teresa as among the few to receive this honor. The Templeton Prize recognizes individuals for a lifetime of work and achievement in faith and the sciences. On behalf of the many Eastern Orthodox who call Southeast Wisconsin home, including parishioners of Kimissis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church in Racine. I welcome His All-Holiness Bartholomew to the U.S. and congratulate him on his winning of the Templeton Prize.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and thank John McIntyre (Mac) Tolar for dedicating over three decades of service to our Nation's military, state, local, and federal governments, including the past thirteen years as an employee within the United States House of Representatives. After graduating from the University of South Carolina, Mac enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as an infantry officer in 1987. Mac remained on active duty for eight years and continued his reserve duty through 2012. During his distinguished military career Mac was also a Reconnaissance Officer and deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and in support of the Global War on Terror. Mac was decorated with four awards for exceptional individual service and received numerous awards from his unit. While on reserve duty, Mac earned his law degree from the University of South Carolina in 2001 and completed his military career as a Judge Advocate. After earning his law degree, Mac embarked on a career in local government. From November 2001 to February 2003, Mac served as an Assistant Solicitor for the 15th Circuit in Conway, South Carolina, where he was responsible for prosecuting misdemeanor offenses and General Session transfer cases. Mac showed tremendous initiative in this role by developing and implementing a successful DUI curriculum for local law enforcement personnel. This training program was so successful that it was later expanded to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and the Commission on Prosecution Coordination. Mac continued his career in South Carolina serving as the in-house Counsel for the Georgetown County government. In this role, Mac was responsible for drafting, reviewing, and approving legal documents, including deeds, contracts, leases, dedication instruments, financing documents, resolutions and ordinances. These wide-ranging responsibilities afforded Mac the opportunity to provide expert legal representation to several county offices, boards, commissions, and employees. After a four-year tour in private practice, Mac joined the office of United States Representative Martha Roby as her Military Legislative Counsel. Mac's military and legal background perfectly positioned him for his role in the office. His primary responsibilities included serving as the Congresswoman's Veterans affairs, national security, and foreign policy advisor. Mac was instrumental in creating and managing Representative Roby's constituent Veterans' Advisory Committee, which allowed the Congresswoman to gain additional insights, perspectives, and ideas to drive her oversight and legislative agenda. In July 2014, Mac landed his next role in Congress working for the Select Committee on Benghazi. He was initially hired to serve as the Select Committee's Senior Counsel and then moved into the important role of Security Manager. As an employee of the Select Committee, Mac analyzed thousands of pages of documents, communications, and other executive branch materials relating to the terrorist attacks in Benghazi. Once his tenure with the Select Committee ended, Mac landed in the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer in 2016 and immediately began serving as the Director of the Wounded Warrior Program, now known as the Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program. Over the past nine years, Mac's leadership, stewardship, and dedication have driven several significant enhancements to this outstanding program. These efforts include modernizing several components of the program, updating the requirements for participation, broadening the scope to cover Gold Star Family Members and Active-Duty Military Spouses, expanding allocations assigned to Member, Committee, Leadership, and House Officer organizations, enhancing the orientation program and professional development offerings for the Aides, and launching the program's social media presence and dynamic website. Mac's impact on the program is best seen in the lives and careers of the many Aides who came through during his tenure as Director. From December 2016 to August 2025, 339 Aides completed the two-year assignment. Of those, 37 percent of them continued their careers in Congress. Additionally, nearly 80 percent of the Aides built on their experience by finding new roles in government, transitioning successfully to the private sector, or enrolling in college to further their education. These achievements are a true reflection of Mac's leadership--underscoring not only the strength of the program, but also the lasting opportunities it provided to so many. I would also like to recognize and thank Mac's family for their encouragement, love, and support, including his wife Helen Tolar--who was also a decorated House and Senate senior staff member--and their three children Walker, Mary Mac, and Oliver. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Mac Tolar for his outstanding contributions and overall impact on our Nation. Whether it was in the military, local or state government, or as an employee of the House of Representatives, Mac always made a difference in each job and an impact in every role.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, the intent of Congress in enacting the CLARITY Act is clear: to reestablish the United States as the global leader in digital asset markets by ensuring our regulatory framework is clear, forward-looking, and functional. The exemptive authority granted to the SEC under Section 204(g) of the CLARITY Act provides a mechanism to address evolving technological and market realities. The CLARITY Act recognizes that liquidity is an important feature of efficient markets and price discovery, as well as encouraging U.S. market activity. Congress intends for the SEC, through CLARITY, to have the tools necessary to support the provision of market liquidity, including, where appropriate, through exemptive relief that is consistent with protecting investors, maintaining fair orderly and efficient markets, facilitating capital formation, and fostering the development of mature blockchain systems. A goal of the CLARITY Act is to foster U.S.-based markets and bring critical oversight back to our shores. If the United States is to outcompete overseas marketplaces, liquidity and market depth will be important components of our markets. A proactive and effective use of the authorities in CLARITY to encourage liquidity and market health will help to ensure adaptability to future trends and restore U.S. leadership in global digital asset markets.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Act, which provides $10 million to the Army's Long Range Precision Fires Technology Program, or LRPF, for testing and demonstration of advanced-caliber munitions. The LRPF program develops technologies to neutralize and suppress enemy forces with artillery and missile fire. My amendment No. 272, included in Bipartisan En Bloc No. 2, will ensure the Army has additional funds to meet its LRPF Modernization Priority. This enables the Army to continue working with private-sector partners to advance our artillery and missile technology and address current shortfalls of the LRPF program. Modernization of the LRPF program will advance technologies, expand military capabilities, and help prevent munitions stockpile shortages. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Act, which provides $1 million to complete the Navy Sea Systems Command's final review of centrifuge purifiers for surface combatant vessels. Centrifuge purifiers are machines that separate liquids into their component parts and are critical to the proper functioning of our naval ships. The Navy currently relies on a single, non-U.S.-based manufacturer for these centrifuge purifiers, which creates supply chain vulnerabilities and stifles domestic innovation. My amendment No. 273, included in Bipartisan En Bloc No. 2, gives the Navy the resources it needs to finish a review process it began several years ago. Completing its review will help future delays and ensure the Navy has access to the most advanced and reliable technology available. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Act, which provides $7.5 million to support continued research of conductive pigments and coatings in batteries. Advancing battery technology is essential to providing our military with longer-lasting, more reliable energy sources. Better battery technology will also benefit the American people through broader energy innovation. My amendment No. 274, included in Bipartisan En Bloc No. 7, continues the Navy's work to research and test conductive pigments and coatings for batteries. This research will help in building towards eventual wide-scale production. Continued research on innovative battery coatings will heighten military readiness, improve energy efficiency, and benefit the American people. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Act, which provides $10 million to support testing of tethered unmanned aircraft system prototypes. Tethered drones, which are physically connected to a ground-based power source, offer critical protection against cyberattacks--an increasingly important safeguard given rising threats from adversaries like China and North Korea. My amendment 275, included in Bipartisan En Bloc No. 2, provides the Army with the necessary resources to procure and test tethered drones. Tethered drone testing could lead to further innovation and advance the Army's mission capabilities. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Hill for all of his hard work on this. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the CLARITY Act. I think two things are clear. First, the digital asset and blockchain technology are leading the next wave of financial innovation. We need to make sure that innovation is occurring here in the United States of America. Second, under the previous administration, the United States failed to enact a regulatory framework that is aligned with the realities of the technology and adequately protects consumers. Today, the House has an opportunity to meaningfully improve the status quo that for too long has been marred by uncertainty and regulatory enforcement. The CLARITY Act establishes a workable, forward-looking framework. The CLARITY Act provides and ensures that markets operate with transparency, accountability, and strong consumer protections. Today, our laws leave digital asset developers guessing which regulator has jurisdiction and what compliance even looks like. It is not only bad for business. It is bad for consumers and bad for U.S. competitiveness. Without action, we will continue to see innovation move overseas to jurisdictions that are providing the legal clarity that we thus far in the United States have failed to deliver. Mr. Speaker, what we want is innovation in developing, not occurring in boardrooms and law firms in the United States, but in basements and dorm rooms. Ensuring the United States leads the Web3 revolution isn't a partisan issue. It is an American issue. The CLARITY Act legislates in a thoughtful way in a rapidly evolving space. The CLARITY Act protects consumers and fosters innovation. Today, we can lead not by accident but by design. Let's send a message that America intends to lead in the golden age of digital assets. Mr. Speaker, I support the CLARITY Act, and I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the GENIUS Act. The legislation brings clarity, consumer protections, and American leadership to the evolving world of payment stablecoins. Stablecoin legislation has been in the works for over 4 years and has been called for by Democratic and Republican administrations. The status quo fails to protect consumers from fraud. That is an untenable situation in a market growing by the billions. For too long, the United States has operated without a clear Federal framework for dollar-backed payment stablecoins, leaving consumers vulnerable to fraud, innovators in limbo, and our global competitiveness at risk. That is why I am proud to have introduced stablecoin legislation in the House and worked alongside my colleagues in the Senate to make the legislation reaching the President's desk as strong as possible. That is why I am urging a ``yes'' vote on the GENIUS Act. The bipartisan, bicameral legislation creates a robust framework for payment stablecoin issuance in the United States. It encourages the innovation and development of Web3 businesses here in the United States. It establishes clear rules to ensure that consumers are protected and businesses have clear regulations to responsibly participate in the digital asset ecosystem. By requiring issuers to maintain a one-to-one reserve in cash and high-quality liquid assets like U.S. Treasuries, consumers know what they are getting and are protected. GENIUS has strong anti-money laundering, operational risk, and governance standards in place to prevent abuse, reinforce market integrity, and create an even playing field with other financial institutions. By passing the GENIUS Act in the House and sending it to the President's desk, Congress will be sending a clear message: The United States will dominate the future of financial innovation. We will protect consumers, support innovation, and defend the central role of the U.S. dollar in global commerce. With this bill, we are not just responding to a moment. We are building a foundation for the future of finance in the Web3 world. Payment stablecoin legislation is critical to this foundation. If we want to become the digital asset hub of the world, we must enact a comprehensive framework for the digital asset ecosystem. I urge my colleagues to support both the GENIUS Act and the CLARITY Act and send a message that America leads in financial innovation and does so with integrity, strength, and a firm commitment to protecting the people we serve.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Anti-CBDC Surveillance Act. I thank Whip Emmer for his leadership on this issue. He was actually one of the first in Congress to raise the alarm. Since then, the case has only grown stronger about the risks posed by U.S. CBDC. Mr. Speaker, the global economy is at a crossroads when it comes to digital payments. Jurisdictions around the world are upgrading their payment systems to be faster, to be cheaper, and cross-border. The private sector is leading the way, including payment stablecoins to enhance the payment rails. As the United States grapples with modernizing our own payment systems, we are confronted with a choice. Do we empower free-market solutions that protect privacy and protect individual liberty, or do we centralize control over payments in the hands of the Federal Government? Mr. Speaker, the choice is clear to me. Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller has repeatedly warned that a CBDC is ``a solution in search of a problem.'' Nonetheless, Mr. Speaker, in 2022, in his executive order on Responsible Development of Digital Assets, President Biden sought to explore a U.S. central bank digital currency placing ``the highest urgency on research and development efforts into the potential design and development options of a United States CBDC.'' President Trump understands a CBDC's threat to our American freedoms. In his January 2025 executive order, President Trump explicitly prohibited any Federal agency from issuing or advancing a CBDC without direct congressional authorization. In a free society, Mr. Speaker, financial privacy and private property rights must be protected. The American economy thrives on choice, competition, and liberty, not on coercion and control. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this bill, preserving liberty, protecting privacy, and ensuring the United States of America is a global leader in financial innovation.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of H. Con. Res. 39, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate this year's winners of the Congressional Award. The Congressional Award honors those who strive to be part of something bigger than themselves. With this award, Congress recognizes young Americans who devote their free time to an important activity. It could be taking on a public service project, pursuing a hobby or new skill, starting a physical fitness program, or going on an outdoor expedition. Participants set goals in these areas, and how they do in meeting them determines the level of award they receive, Just as important, they receive the sense of pride that comes with fulfilling a mission. The program, established in 1979, is a great way to motivate young people to develop the building blocks of good citizenship. I congratulate each of the awards' winners. I include in the Record a list of this year's Congressional Award Gold Medalists from around the country, including three recipients from the great state of Wisconsin. 2025 Congressional Award Gold Medalists AK: Joshua Pak AL: Grant David Hershbine, Autumn Kerby, Andrew Kerby, Isabella Russell AP: Elliott Lee AR: Daniel Bragg, Easton Everett, Braden Lisowe AZ: Metin Akkaya, Saraa Alshawa, Iris Butler, Joaquin Galindo, Malaika Hayat, Daniel Johnson, Tessa Leon, Mckenna Leon, Roshni Nagarakanti, Noureen Nakshbandi, Merissa Richey, Nicole Spry, Yiyi Sun, Nolan Takeuchi, Rabia Zehra Unver, Tyler Wang CA: Benjamin Ahmad, Ashley Ahn, Roshan Ambegaonkar, Iris An, Betul Zeynep Arat, Lucy Ariunbayar, Sawyer Ashland, Kallesh Ashoka, Tristan Barre, Kieran Beckham, Hrishi Bharath, Haley Blackman, Constantine James Blastos, Michael Blastos, Evan Bohne, Alexander Bowen, Aneel Brar, Joshua Brookens, Jackson Bunnin, Asher Bunnin, Alexander Byun, Wilson Callaway, Kelly Campbell, Gabrielle Campbell, Francine Carr, Nathaniel Cha, Dylan Chadwick, Kyle Chan, Nathan Chang, Dongkyu Chang, Scarlett Chang, Tiffany Chang, Tianwen Chen, Seline Cheung, Yagnik Chilamakuri, Hailey Cho, Isabella Choi, Eunice Choi, Jennifer Eunseo Choi, Sumin Choy, Victoria Chun, Matthew Chung, Madison Chung, Christine Chung, Wonnie Chung, Elif Cicek, Alexander Cornell, Sravya Damarla, Rikhil Damarla, Ananya Devkirti, Matthew Dewitt, Annabelle Do, Daniel Eun, Lola Forbes-Black, Luke Fowler, Nolan Freyer, Serena Gandhi, Alec Grantz, Hannah Gu, Bonmin Gu, Chaoming Guo, Lauren Han, Yuxuan He, Annalia Henderson, Miles Hexun, Kaden Hong, Yueun Hong, Nathan Hong, Michael Hsieh, Zidong Hu, Nina Huang, Erin Hwang, Daniel Hwang, Manon Iwata, Kanon Iwata, Hyoungjun Jeon, Eunice Jin, Grace Jin, Sonit Joshi, Ryan Jung, Andrew Jung, Aayush Kafle, Sarah Kang, Shriya Kapavarapu, Quade Kelley, Alper Keskinturk, Rohan Khanna, Jason Khauv, Yena Kim, Jacob Kim, Claire Kim, Na Young Kim, Yeonwoo Kim, Edric Kim, Paul Kim, Jayden Kim, Tony Kim, Irene Kim, Eunchan Kim, Minjae Kim, Naomi Kim, Joseph Kim, Sungmin Kim, Sophie Kim, Ryan Kim, Brian Kim, Hannah Kim, Chase Kim, Noah Kim, Taylor Minjun Kim, Jenna Kim, Ted Kim, Nathan Kim, Mooyong Kim, Sophia Kim, Jua Kim, Elisa Kim, Nimeesha Komatireddy, Aditya Kota, Ria Kupumbati, Isaac Kwon, Heather Lam, Skylar Lariviere, Lukas Larkin, Jacqueline Larsen, Claire Lawson, Sarah Lee, Seth Lee, Brandon Lee, Audrey Lee, Chaewon Lee, Junmyeong Lee, Noah Lee, Katherine Lee, Eric Lee, Alex Lee, Alexis Lee, Kangmin Lee, Jonathan Lee, Xenia Lee, Tyler Lee, Olivia Lee, Hannah Lee, Mina Lee, Roanne Lee, Kevin Lee, Janice Lee, Elliot Lee, Benjamin Lee, Christine Li, Walton Li, Joshua Libby, Jihyo Lim, Carson Lim, Dorina Lin, Tyler Liu, Elizabeth Magruder, Sarina Marzbani, Dhilen Mistry, Vishnu Moorthy, Bodhi Morgan, Luke Morrison, Namrata Motwani, Aryan Mukherjee, Audrey Na, Chris Nam, Chase Nam, Sudheshna Narala, Miles Nicholas, Daniel Noh, Anika Nunes, Moferanoluwa Odunaiya, Jaden Oh, Eubin Oh, Arene Oh, Dilek Ozorpak, Evan Pak, Anika Parade, Aarit Parekh, Jimin Park, Kathy Park, Jaehee Park, Keenan Park, Jaeyoon Park, Ryan Park, Zoe Park, Erina Park, Anya Pramanick, Callie Pyken, Bailey Quan, Shivani Raj, Roopa Rajagopalan, Serena Ren, Yeongung Rho, Dilnoor Riar, Amy Roh, Anay Sabhnani, Anika Salaniwal, Krrish Singh Sardar, Adarsh Senthilnathan, Hyeonmin Seo, Krishay Sharma, Ojas Shastri, Kaelyn Shin, Ashley Shin, Daniel Shin, Audrey Shiono, Jaclyn Sim, Sonal Singh, Aanya Singh, Olivia So, Kailyn Song, Yuna Song, Jasmine Sorgen, Alexandra St.Wecker, Levi Stratton, Tanvi Sudireddy, Grace Suk, Ethan Sun, Ciara Tadeo, Evan Takehara, Alyssa Tan, Ertugrul Tan, Eliana Tang, Namith Tatipigari, Ella Townsend, Charu Tripathi, Selen Turkoz, Maren Uyemura, Ananya Vuppula, Arthur Wang, Lixing Wang, Evan Wilson, Chloe Won, David Wong, Yewon Woo, Katelynn Wu, Jenida Yang, Emily Yi, Ella Yoo, Sarah Yoo, Ryan Yoo, Jacob Yun, Cyrus Zahiri, Camy Zahiri, Lilian Zeng, Chenyuan Zhang, Grace Zhao, Andrew Zheng, Audrey Zhu CO: Zaina Abouyoussef, Zachary Curtis, Alessandro Fabbri, Amy Gao, Mahi Mehta, Spencer Peesel, Gavin James Schmidt CT: Daniel Babashak, Bradford Benton, Pahal Bhasin, Alexander Etergino, Anna Leventon, Bruce Matos, Samuel Peck, Abigail Phelan, Cooper Taylor, Gavin Villepigue DC: Sowmya Natarajan, Jordan Williams DE: Gabriella Bourantas, Emily Geldreich, Michaela Kim, RoshikNagaSai Patibandla FL: Emerson Allen, Caris McKenzie Amador, Gianluca Balzano, Snigdha Beesabathuni, Leena Benbrahim, Chase Bennett, Alexis Benson, Charles Benson, Giulia Canello, Chase Connor, Joshua Cook, Brooke Crabtree, Johannes Csaszar, Hannah Csaszar, Lucas Estrada, Marco Ferri, Noah Forman, John Fox, Nirek Gada, Anya Gada, Andrew Graham, Alyssa Hayman, Sara Husain, Reed Joeckel, Shailey Karri, Lucy Lampkin, Anavi Modi, Arushi Panwar, Chase Pariseleti, Constantino Pena, Ananya Purimetla, Chloe Ryder, Monish Saravana Kumar Divya Sundari, Dhruva Rishi Sharma, Daniela Staton, Hannah Stefanovic, Liza Stephen, Brady Surovek, Zion Tralongo, Shrika Velagapudi, Alice Wenrich, Katerina Zaharewicz GA: Beyza Bahar, Malachi Ivey, Sean Lee, Sanaa Scipio, Mihikaa Seth, Sumeda Sriram, Akshaya Tallapally, Rishi Vempati, Victoria Ying, Gene Young Yoon, Aniston Zhang HI: Rei Rhymer IA: Nicholas Byrum, Nathan Lee ID: Amelia Crawford IL: Archita Ruby Arun, Annabelle Blevins, Jackson Canellis, Yavuz Er, Connor Gerrish, Aidan Hennessy, Marcel Hill, Keith Jackson, Ava Jurek, Grace Kim, Laura Krowiak, Nailah Mansury, Avi Narepalem, Reyhan Onder, Shreemann Patel, Natalie Rasmussen IN: Annamaria Ebersole, Trenton Qualls, Emma Smith, Alisa Yarling KS: Shayan Ahmed, Sanjana Akkulugari, Leonard Bertels, Janis Curit, Korbin Davis, Moira Fink, Xiang Jiao, Eshan Patel, Anvita Rayabarapu, Carlos Salazar, Ainesh Tallapragada, Aarush Tallapragada KY: William Bache, Elizabeth King, Tyler Solon, Audrey Wallace LA: Gangin Lee, Stephen Dominic Sclafani, Peter Yu MA: Robert Fawcett, Aarush Gondalia, Joely Gubitosi, Kruthi Gundu, Nathan Kim, Anika Nagle, Anoushka Nagle, Lukeman Nouri, Amarachi Okwor, Lindsey Pagett (Huffman), Arhan Shrivastava, Hayim Sims, Tiffany Strachan, Hannah Sui MD: Christopher Biabani, Andrew Bian, Duke Boateng, Andrew Boyce, Ishaan Busireddy, Shrihaan Chaudhary, Mathilda DeCosse, Zana Hess, Neha Kukatla, Martin Meister, Joshua Oh, Simone Pulerwitz-Waisbord, Emily Shi, Michael Shi, Vaishnavi Uppalapati, Chelsea Zhu MI: Swathi Jeeda, Griffin Maline, Patrick Phillips, Rakshan Samynathan, Abigail Schafer, Ian Sim, Nisha Singhi MN: Alexander Allocco, Ellie Donnay, Thomas Hoffman, Michael Luo MO: Nevinka Amarakone, Nethmi Amarakone, Mahith Amarakone, Matthew Austin, Madeline Awad, Caleb Brown, Grace Fu, Andrew Hunt, Henry Naught, Zawadi Oyugi, Benjamin Parker, Vishmi Rajapaksha, Rebecka Stanley, Lilly Stevens MS: Jack Durr, Celia Lane, Bradyn Long, Ethan Mccreary, Rebekah Schilling, Morgan White, Tyler Shelton Woods NC: Mevlut Atay, Aakash Basarkar, Ishaan Bhasin, Pranav Bhatnagar, Cecilia Elizabeth Boiling, Lola Brienza, Sofia Brienza, Emily D'Abreo, Ali Evliya, Indu Gadiraju, Caroline Harris, Rachel Johnson, Emma Johnson, Lucas Johnson, Kendall Leak, Angela Li, Nia MacQueen, William `Kent' Mautner, Jack McDermott, Wil Gabriel McDermott, Cameron Mitchell, Finlay Mitchell, Aidan O'Connor, Vaideep Pemmada, Ahish Pidikiti, Murat Sahin, Caleb Shin, Stone Simpson, Ejay Tan, Hannah Thovtrup, Colby Townsend, Prakruthi Upadhya, Jacob Yoneoka, Fletcher Yost, Alexander Young NH: Maggie Feng, Alexander Miller, Noah Richardson NJ: Aarti Advani, Suvit Asnani, Nathaniel Attardi, Suchit Basineni, Jacob Belenkiy, Myanelle Bituin, Nathaniel Chan, Matthew Friscia, Daniel Guo, Seth Hannah, Rex Jacobs, Mahika Jawa, Theo Jeon, Anirudh Joginpalli, Ananya Joginpalli, Mahanth Komuravelli, Anamitra Kugapalan, Caden Masonis, Leah Park, Caleb Park, Josephine Parlo, Yashvi Patel, Jeeya Patel, Khushi Patel, Krisha Patel, Aanya Patel, Abigail Pope, Dongyu Qu, Vikramaditya Rajput, John Reiter, Christopher Rhatigan, Soor Sanghvi, Suhani Sengupta, Aum Shah, Krish Shah, Arushi Singh, Darsh Srivastava, Matthew Strauss, Latif Tabanli, Dylan Thomas, Arden Upadya, Luke Vrankovic, Willow Yoo, Brandon Yu NV: Ibrahim Akgedik, Adarsh Anumalasetty, Vanessa Booth, Lara Karaalp, Adeline Kurian, Sammy Skier, Dana Surwill NY: Lily Ahlborn, Yashas Balguri, David Brophy, Liam Bullock, Sathvik Charugundla, Samantha Garson, Nora Gupta, Matthew Harrington, Srikarthi Jaggavarapu, Nan Jiang, Meagan Kerins, Catherine Kerins, Logan Kielty, Ella Kim, Jayne Kim, Tyler Maxwell Kodi, Saipraneeth Kotimreddy, Christopher Lau, Franklin Lee, Talia Lioce, Ayan Mahajan, Ahaan Modi, Kaya Parikh, Siddharth Pasari, Saanvi Peri, Siri Polepalle, Ramya Reddi, Rajit Reddi, Jessica Ren, Jenna Ruiz, Paul Schultz, Ryan Smith, Sahana Sundar, Amogh Teepireddy, Noam Traeger, Lancelot Workman, Emma Zhang, Yifan Zhou OH: Vidya Akella, Samantha Fleming, Joelle Frederiksen, Arjun Jain, Paul Moody, Prithika Padmanabhan, Shiven Parikh, Prisha Reddy Rajulapalli, Kaitlyn Roberts, Soorya Shanmugam, Aswat Sivakumar, Sahana Srikanth, Sakshum Vij, Riley Wilkerson, Danielle Wolford OK: Peyton Mahan OR: Grace Choi, Maylie Eby, Soohyon Kim, Annamika Konkola, Jiya Mehta, Caleb Alexander Stonecliffe, Chelsea Teh, Olivia Thornburg PA: Eshal Ahmad, Alexander Bland, Sarah Chenoweth, Arianna Fowler, Ria Gandotra, Brent Gaspich, Edward Gebhardt, Sathvik Gopu, Ava Kominski, Andrew Li, Angelina Li, Sarah Liu, Eric Perkins, Theodore Tedesco, Daksh Tiwari, Adam Wyatt PR: Ashley Barlow RI: Felicity Kushner SC: Brooke Dillingham, Sarah Anne Ward TN : Iiyana Bachmann, Isabel Hyatt, Kylie Katelyn Patterson TX: Wyatt Allen, Shaktivel Anand, Surya Anand, Jenna Barker, Terrence Bell, Luca Campbell, Kaye Chen, Brynn Comes, Sunil Chandra Desha, Gautam Devashish, Ayushmaan Dubey, Cooper Fairman, Alicia Fan, Aidan Farrell, Sophie Fu, Christopher Gaither, Sharon Yajaira Gaona, Shreeya Gedda, Richard Geng, Blake Gibson, Diego Guiot Villarreal, Brendan Hare, Isabella Hicks, Ai-Vy Ho, Aila Jiang, Alyssa Jiang, Simona Jude, Sohum Kanabar, Muammer Kara, Jonathan Le, Jun Lee, Hannah Leem, Elizabeth-Grace Liu, Maya Maliakal, Hitesh Mallula, Panav Mhatre, Courtney Moraa Mayore, Evan Moss, Nathaniel Mun, Saanvi Mylavarapu, Betul Ozgen, Shreya Poladia, Micah Wren Przymus, Beck Riedel, Arya Santosh, Aarah Sardesai, Sydney Shield, Rohan Singhal, Jordan Rylie Smith, William Ryan Smith, Dylan Stump, Sanjay Sai Sundaram, Orlyola Tantchou, Asvini Thivakaran, Siddharth Tripathi, Evan June Wilkerson, Noah Wood, Brian Woodland, Bryant Wu, Reyyan Yorulmaz UT: Scarlett Batty, Melbourne Earl, William Evershed, Nes'et Kablan, Alexander Pham, Yerassyl Sarsekeyev, Colin Smith, Trysten Torgerson, Mahina Vogt VA: Shreyes Aier, Murat E. Aksoy, Asude Arslan, Chingiz Bahadur, Isaiah John Boesch, Eli Casey, Gabriel Cervoni, Sriram Chalamacharla, Necla Cubukcu, Owen Davenport, Henry Dozier, Titus Er, Archit Gupta, Aanya Gupta, Ansh Gupta, Aarav Gupta, Zane Javeri, Jason Jayanth, Rachel Kim, Emily Kim, Junseo Kim, Daniel Lee, Richard Li, Hannah Lorenzo, Amayla Lorenzo, Sabrina Lu, Katelyn Lysaght, Caitlyn Murphy, Hashmita Nittala, Gabriel Parsons, Adhya Penati, Hansa Samur, Shivangi Singh, Amrit Singh, Katherine Sullivan, Saatvik Sunilraj, Ella VanStory, Teresa Maria Vithoulkas, Manya Yellepeddy, Sulenur Zirekoglu VT: Alexander Califano, Matthew Califano WA: Aubrey Jane Moore, Julian Roger, Shawna Sanjay, Simone Shenoi, David van Wingerden, Mihika Venkateswar, Smera Venkateswar, Andrew Yoon WI: Suhaeng Huh, Jack Molaison, Rebecca Susmilch WY: Julian Edmunds, Axie Elsasser, Taylor Frauendienst, Shelby Hoobler, Shelby Kirkbride, Harper Klinger, James Neishabouri, Kinzley Nusbaum, Michael Tully Rubich, Lukas Salsgiver, Lincoln Searle, Vesper Seitz, Loriana Walter

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his good work, and I thank my colleague, August Pfluger, for bringing forward today's legislation. U.S. elections should be for U.S. citizens only. It is a simple premise. When I began my work on trying to stop noncitizens from voting in the United States, I was often told by people that they didn't believe that this was actually the case. That is how radical of a provision that exists in Washington, D.C., law. Let's set the stage for folks listening today. Let's set the stage to understand how radical this provision is in Washington, D.C. To be eligible to vote in municipal elections in our Nation's Capital, an individual only has to reside in Washington, D.C., for 30 days. Let's walk through that. An individual who works at the Russian Embassy holding a Russian passport in their pocket, residing in the United States Capital of Washington, D.C., for simply 30 days, could walk out of the embassy, walk to a polling location and, because Washington, D.C., does not even have photo ID, would not need to pull their Russian passport out of their pocket and would be eligible to vote for Mayor in our Nation's Capital. What the Democrats want to do, Mr. Speaker, is use Washington, D.C., as a petri dish for liberalizing voting laws across the country. What my Democratic friends want to do, Mr. Speaker, is allow noncitizens to vote across the country. The arguments that are being made fail on the merits when you recognize that, in fact, the law, Mr. Speaker, today, allows noncitizens who simply resided in the Nation's Capital for 30 days to be eligible to vote. Again, individuals working at embassies across this city are eligible to vote for positions like Mayor and alderman. That is the height of hypocrisy. We need to make sure that U.S. elections are for U.S. citizens only. In our Nation's Capital, we should be looking at a whole host of election law reforms. In fact, I am of the belief that we should make Washington, D.C., the gold standard of election laws to actually show the American people what happens when we put in place provisions with strong election integrity. My colleague across the aisle referenced legislation that Republicans are working for. Let's take an example, and let's dig into that for a moment. Let's look at the election integrity law that was passed in the State of Georgia. This, if we recall, in 2021 was a law that then-President Joe Biden called Jim Crow 2.0. In fact, the stories that were told about that legislation earned him, I think, four Pinocchios, or whatever they call that in The Washington Post. This is how ridiculous it was. Corporate America bought into the misstatements and the falsities of President Biden. If we recall, Major League Baseball removed the All- Star Game out of Atlanta, Georgia, following Georgia passing this piece of legislation. Of course, two elections have passed since that legislation went into effect. So we should look at the empirical data, not at the statements that were made, the hyperbolic statements that were made by my colleagues on the left. We should look at the empirical data of what took place when those reforms were implemented. What we saw was people increasing their confidence in our elections. That is a good thing. That is a good thing. In the University of Georgia, Georgia State put forward a robust survey of how elections were conducted in the State of Georgia. What I saw was high voter participation and people actually having a positive view of how election results were conducted. If I recall correctly, it was zero percent statistically of Blacks who had a poor or negative voting experience. We should champion that. We should work to instill election integrity provisions across the board. When people increase their confidence in our elections, then they are more likely to participate. Mr. Speaker, that is a good thing. What we want is U.S. citizens participating in our elections. However, what we see from my colleagues on the left is a whole host of policies that actually weaken election integrity. We have held debates as it relates to photo identification, again, another provision that should be in Washington, D.C., law. Photo identification is almost the touchstone of what election integrity is. It is making sure people are who they say they are. It is a simple provision. I am often reminded of a time when I was driving back home in Wisconsin. I was heading back home, and I walked in to buy a six-pack of beer. The clerk recognized me and said: Hey, Bryan, how are you doing? I said: Good. It is good to see you. I set my six-pack of beer on the counter, and she said: Bryan, I need to see your ID. So just like every American, what did I do? I reached in, I grabbed my wallet, I pulled out my ID, and I handed it over to the clerk. In my opinion, I think it is absolutely nuts that we protect our beer more than we protect our ballots in our Nation's Capital. We should be looking at ways to strengthen election integrity here in our Nation's Capital, the front door for many folks to the greatest country in the world. Instead of fighting back and saying: Yes, in our Nation's Capital, as the Democrats will say, we should allow noncitizens to be voting in our Nation's elections. We should actually be saying: No. Let's use Washington, D.C., as the gold standard of election integrity. What I believe we will see is exactly what we saw in Georgia. Despite the hyperbolic statements being made by past-President Joe Biden and by my colleagues on the left, what we will actually see is an increase in confidence in our elections. We will see growing participation. We will see a strengthening of our democracy. It is why this legislation is such an important step forward in the process of strengthening the integrity of our elections, increasing Americans' confidence, and garnering additional voter participation across the country. I think it is relevant to also note that last Congress this bill came before us, and 52 of our Democratic colleagues voted with every Republican in the House. It will be interesting today, Mr. Speaker, to see how many of my colleagues across the aisle have the courage to stand up and to say that U.S. elections should be for U.S. citizens only. The big difference here is now we have an opportunity to see this legislation move forward in the United States Senate. This is a bill that could actually be signed into law. We have an opportunity for the first time in a number of years to not only pass election integrity legislation here in the United States House of Representatives, we have an opportunity to pass election integrity legislation into law. Let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, I am excited about the opportunity to stand there when President Trump signs this bill into law. This is an opportunity for a major step forward in election integrity here in our Nation's Capital. It is also a statement across the country because I believe the radical Democrats want to use Washington, D.C., voting laws as a petri dish to roll out their plan across the country. My colleagues on the radical left would like to see noncitizens voting in my home State of Wisconsin; in small communities and big communities all across this country to drive forward and assist them in advancing a radical agenda. It is why making sure that we pass this law today is so important: to make sure that we are standing up for common sense; to make sure that we are standing up for election integrity; to make sure that only U.S. citizens have a voice in U.S. elections. This legislation should be straightforward. To my colleagues on the left, I am afraid it won't be. I am proud to know that I believe every Republican who votes today will vote ``yes'' on this important measure. That is because it is the Republican Party, my colleagues with common sense who believe that we need election integrity in our Nation's Capital. More importantly, we need election integrity across the country. As we begin this effort, I think we have an opportunity as Americans to see increased confidence in our elections. Once again, when we increase confidence, we increase participation. Our principles should be U.S. elections are for U.S. citizens only. This legislation does that. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes.''