George Santos

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for closing. Mr. Speaker, efforts taken by other Members in this body to act as judge, jury, and executioner are unconscionable and reckless to our Republican system of government and to the integrity of this body. I stand today to continue to prove my innocence of these allegations and charges leveled against me. I would like to say I understand the point of view of my colleagues, but I don't. One can't say that they are pro-Constitution and at the same time act as judge, jury, and executioner. Where is the consistency, Mr. Speaker? The actions taken within this body are delicate, and consistency is essential. Now is not the time to set a dangerous precedent. Consider this: The last time a Member of Congress was expelled was in 2002, following a criminal conviction. In fact, both expulsions in the last two centuries took place after the defendants had been convicted. To my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, I would like to remind you that many of you are supporting another Member of Congress who is under investigation--it is the second time he has been indicted--and even one who recently pleaded guilty to a crime. Rather than calling for their resignation, here we are. I must warn my colleagues that voting for expulsion at this point would circumvent the judicial system's right to due process that I am entitled to and desanctify the long-held premise that one is presumed innocent until proven guilty. It is unconscionable to think that this body, which is at war with the DOJ over their politically motivated practices, would blindly accept their accusation against a member of another branch of government. We were each elected to Congress because our constituents supported our pledge to uphold the Constitution, protect our liberties, and put their needs first. We swore with our palms to the Bible to do so. This expulsion, unfortunately, is politically motivated by some Members within this body. They believe that by attempting to expel me, they will garner political points, capitalize on political fundraising, and receive congratulations from those who do not approve of my voting record. During this Congress, we have seen the world set aflame, our allies attacked, recession looming, crime out of control, an unprecedented border crisis, and the diminishment of American power, prestige, and respect at home and around the globe. We should focus on solving these pressing issues that plague our Nation and that affect our citizens every single day. Instead, we are prioritizing petty politics and undermining the integrity of our system of government, all for political cheap gains. Pettifog all you want, but you can never say I am not committed to serving my constituents of New York's Third Congressional District. I have strived to build relationships and institutional acumen to represent and legislate for my people back home. Since I took office, over 1,100 cases for constituents have been solved, key relationships with stakeholders in the district have been built, and a fresh voice of common sense and servant leadership has returned to New York. My office has no strings attached to political parties and apparatuses back home, so I am free to represent them openly here without the overlords of the GOP over my head in New York and Nassau County. My office has done instrumental work regarding passports, collaborating with State and local agencies, working with the Department of State throughout this ongoing Israel crisis for constituents overseas, and countless other requests. In addition, I am proud to have two fully staffed district offices serving the constituents of New York's Third District, participating in the service academy nominations for dozens of exceptional candidates from Long Island and Northeast Queens, and being involved in the Congressional Art Competition. One of my highest honors of being in Congress was presenting a Purple Heart medal to a World War I hero's surviving family member after years of them attempting to garner this from my predecessor. I will never cease to honor those who have defended this Republic and our homeland. From my involvement in assisting residents of New York's Third District being held hostage by Hamas terrorists to my contributions in the effort to close the migrant shelter at the Creedmoor facility in Bellerose, being a champion for the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, and my resolve to clamp down on China's growing influence against American interests, there is one thing consistent and unwavering, and that is dedication to selfless service. This motivates me to work day in and day out on behalf of them and to represent their interests and values. I am proud to have one of the most conservative voting records in the 118th Congress and the most conservative voting record in New York's delegation. I will never apologize for voting in line with conservative principles and my district. Let us remember our commitment to justice ensures that the presumption of innocence is upheld in all cases. I requested that my evaluation be based on the work I do in this body, and you granted me a reprieve earlier this year on the advice of former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. I am asking the Chamber to please uphold those same principles today. I hope that my colleagues come to their senses and recognize that the perilous consequences of a trial by media are damaging. The loss of the presumption of innocence establishes a dangerous precedent that threatens the very foundation of our legal system, and we risk losing the trust that the American people have placed in us by passing judgment without due process. If we work together, we can protect the integrity of our system and the rights of all citizens. I am fighting tooth and nail to clear my name in front of the entire world, Mr. Speaker. It hasn't been easy, but I am fighting by God's grace. On a final note, as we wear these pins and stand within these Chambers as elected Members of Congress, we cannot speak out of both sides of our mouths. Promising to uphold the principles of the Constitution while simultaneously trampling on the principles that underpin our fundamental rights granted by the Constitution is hypocrisy. I hope that the House will understand the scope of this vote and have the courage to do what is right, not what is politically expedient. I stand firmly in my innocence and my passion to represent the people of New York's Third District if the voters would continue to have me. It is their responsibility and their responsibility alone to elect or remove me from Congress. Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to make my case directly to you. For God, for country, for liberty. God bless the United States of America, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman).

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Chair, as my colleague said, we already have the service, and it is supported. The problem that I find is taking this office and converting it into a mechanism to support the same people we were supposed to give refuge to our victims from. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleague to come clean, come to the table, and tell the American people why he opposes funding another office to help victims on a very targeted basis instead of funding the office to actually go help the people who are causing harm and the purpose of why the office was established. Mr. Chair, I find it troubling that we can't simply put America first when it comes down to discussing it with the other side of the aisle. It is a sad day for America, and it is very unfortunate that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle don't see the necessity to protect angel families. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Chair, my amendment would reestablish the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office, also known as the VOICE office, within the Department of Homeland Security. In 2017, President Donald J. Trump, the greatest President of my lifetime, established the VOICE office. Its mission was to provide support for the victims and family members of crimes committed by illegal aliens, also known as angel families, and to hold criminal illegal aliens accountable for these heinous actions. American citizens should never have to pay the consequences of Biden's open border policies. Sadly, angel families are becoming far too common. Just a couple of weeks ago, a criminal illegal alien murdered yet another American citizen in the State of Texas. The family of this American would have had access to the critical services that the VOICE office offered, but by the stroke of a pen, the Biden administration converted the VOICE office in 2021 to instead help criminal illegal aliens. Let me repeat that, Mr. Chair. An office intended to help families who had fallen victim to criminal illegal aliens, individuals who should have never been here in the first place, is now helping those very same criminals. Secretary Mayorkas himself said: ``All people, regardless of their immigration status, should be able to access victim services without fear,'' at U.S. tax dollar expense. What part of America First do Democrats not understand, Mr. Chair? When the VOICE office was fully operational, it assisted thousands of angel families, connected them to crucial services, and worked to hold criminal illegal aliens accountable for their heinous actions. It is a shame that the VOICE office must exist, but until the Biden border crisis and full-scale release of criminal aliens are stopped, angel families need this support. To my Democrat colleagues, mark my words: If you haven't already, you or someone you know will reap the consequences of an open border, and you will wish you had the support offered by the VOICE office. Mr. Chair, I hope my colleagues across the aisle will start to put America first. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk as the designee of Mr. Nehls of Texas.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Madam Speaker, today Congress returns to session after a 6-week break, and I hope we are all motivated by the input we heard while back home with the same people who sent us here to represent them in the body. I am urging my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to put the partisan rhetoric aside and get to work on delivering results for the American people. I ask that we start by addressing the funding of our government via the appropriations process to ensure we do not have a government shutdown. A vast majority of Americans are struggling to make ends meet, and a lot of those folks are in our Nation's Armed Forces. A shutdown would only hurt the very people who are putting their lives at risk for all of us. Madam Speaker, I am certain that we can all rise above the din of the media's attempts to influence what comes out of these Chambers. I believe we can set aside our political differences and work together for the sake of our country, just as we did 22 years ago following the tragedies of 9/11. Let's not forget that in the most solemn times in our Nation, we all banded together the strongest to advance America's interests. Madam Speaker, I would like to end with observing a moment of silence in recognition of all who have fallen due to the unspeakable acts of September 11, 2001.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to bring attention to the state of chaos that the Biden administration's border policies have created in New York's Third District. Today, at 1 p.m., there is a press conference taking place back home in front of the new mega-structure tent being built at Creedmoor Center across the street from an elementary school, P.S. 18, in Queens. Mr. Speaker, when I visited the border just a couple of weeks ago, I toured a similar facility to the one being built in my district. It is safe to say what is going on at the southern border can be felt as far north as New York. This problem is no longer out of sight, out of mind. Thanks to the Biden administration's policies, all districts are border districts. I am calling on Mayor Eric Adams to stop this madness, declare a state of emergency for New York City, and stop taking in these migrants. The city is overwhelmed by a constant influx of migrants, alongside being plagued by rising crime. As the only Republican representing Queens in Congress, I call on my counterparts on the other side of the aisle to join me in efforts to end this madness in our county and in our city. New Yorkers deserve a better quality of life than the one imposed by its one-party rule government.

Mr. SANTOS

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

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to address an issue that we can no longer ignore. The Chinese Communist Party has manifested all over South America, and, most importantly, overpowering the United States in every single one of those relationships. Today, I will be talking about Brazil, the largest economy in South America, the 10th-largest economy in the world, and the 4th-largest food producer in the world. We have much to gain from our relationship with Brazil, but we still need to act. Now, the CCP has seized its opportunity to assert its dominance. China is the largest trading partner of Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay, and the second-largest trading partner for many other countries. According to the American Enterprise Institute's China Global Investment Tracker, Chinese entities invested a total of $148 billion in Latin America and the Caribbean countries between 2005 and 2022, with Brazil accounting for 44 percent of those investments, a total of $66 billion. Energy projects accounted for 62 percent of the investments and metal mining accounted for 21 percent. The database also shows that the Chinese construction projects in Latin America and Caribbean countries were valued at $68.6 billion over the same period, mainly in the energy, 50 percent, and transportation, which is another 30 percent--in those two respective sectors. The CCP has metastasized to the extent that it influenced the 2022 Presidential elections in Brazil and successfully reinstated a convicted criminal into the Presidency. We must remember that China has even gone so far as to support a veto of a 2019 U.S.-backed resolution in the United Nations calling for free and fair Presidential elections globally. Luisa Inacio Lula da Silva, also known as Lula, is the current occupier of the Presidency as a direct result of the CCP's successful attempt to destabilize Brazil. Let's be clear: The honest Lula, is a man deemed unelectable by the Brazilian courts due to his conviction for his involvement in one of the most significant political corruption scandals in Brazil's history, which subsequently led to the demise of the country's economy. In doing so, he has weaponized the judicial system in Brazil to launch an assault like never before, prosecuting political opponents, silencing the media, and targeting everyday civilians. Lula has shielded himself behind the nation's highest court, with his ally, Justice Alexandre de Moraes, granting his every wish. You see, most Americans are quick to judge Brazil as a third-world country and pass up its value as an ally. This is only the beginning of the end for Brazil, our once great ally. I want to make sure that the American people understand that value; however, being the first Brazilian American to serve in Congress, I hope and hold that Brazil will stand firm. When Americans fought in World War II, Brazil was the only South American country to send troops; 50,000 men from Brazil fought alongside U.S. ally troops. I present that fighting spirit on the House floor today, Mr. Speaker. I want to stress that Brazil's population yearns for a capitalist market similar to ours and appreciates our world-leading example for democracy. Today, Brazilians suffer high inflation, arbitrary laws, and absolute devastation regarding infrastructure and healthcare. I am calling on my colleagues to urge President Biden to suspend all foreign aid to Brazil until a review is conducted via the United Nations to assess the humanitarian crimes taking place under the power of Lula's tyrannical regime. While we have an arrest warrant for Nicolas Maduro, the murderous Venezuelan dictator, it should come as no surprise that Lula parades him and hosts him with official visits legitimizing him while undermining us. With this kind of egregious behavior as an elected official, it is only natural that we ask why Lula would align with some of the world's most monstrous dictators presently in the crosshairs of U.S. sanctions or conflicts. Brazil is not the only country impacted by China's election interference. The Maduro regime has become reliant on China for disinformation campaigns and social control programs, including ID cards that serve as scorecards of Venezuelan citizens loyal to the regime. When we examine who funds Venezuela, it is none other than China through their insidious and smoke-and-mirror charade toward world domination that the CCP has titled the Belt and Road Initiative, aka the BRI, a lending gambit that grants China's over 140 allied countries billions of dollars under the pretense of economic integration and interconnected development. It is only a matter of time before Lula leads Brazil down the same path. This is the perfect example of the kind of destabilization the CCP is known for, preying on countries via unsustainable and corrupt lending while ignoring global labor and environmental standards for their own economic gain. The CCP will stop at nothing to reach their goal of world domination, and as time goes on, we have fewer opportunities to preserve Brazil's achievability and viability as our number one trade partner and ally. Lula is nothing more than a repressive and destructive tyrant who aligns with underhanded puppeteers to make his case for power. Lula is actively parroting CCP propaganda, saying we are prolonging the Ukraine-Russia conflict for commercial gain, undermining us at every single turn, not to mention the BRICS agreement created under Lula's direction by former impeached President Dilma Rousseff, whose main goal today is to undermine and replace the U.S. dollar as the global currency. Mr. Speaker, as the first Brazilian American elected to this Chamber, I urge my colleagues to assist Brazil in restoring democracy and to stop legitimizing the Lula regime today. We must ensure that an honorable and bona fide government can be installed and lead the country forward out of the clutches of the CCP. This serves a great benefit to us Americans, all of us in this body, all of us in this country, to keep a good relationship with our fellow ally, Brazil. (English translation of the statement made in Portuguese is as follows:) To my Brazilian friends, be strong. We are together in this fight. A meus amigos brasileiros, forga Brasil. Estamos juntos nessa luta.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about the FAA Reauthorization Act. Since before I was elected to Congress, my district has been afflicted by excessive aviation-related noise. I campaigned on addressing this issue, and yesterday, I gave testimony on my amendments in the Rules Committee. I am following through on my commitment to offer relief to my constituents. If enacted, the changes I proposed would lower the permissible decibel levels from 65 to 55, reevaluate the technology known as NextGen, and put up for questioning its impact on communities all around the United States that suffer with the issue of constant flight paths. Since taking office, I have visited with the people of New York's Third District who have begged me to take action on this matter, often with tears in their eyes. Most people will suppose this is an exaggeration, but most people have no idea what it is like to live right next to one of the largest airport hubs in the country. I am here today to make sure my constituents and many others around the country know that they are not alone and that their plight is not in vain. I urge this body to take these amendments into consideration.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to address a grave concern about our relationship with Brazil. This nation, which holds non-NATO ally status with the United States, has constantly undermined us in recent years in ways that warrant our undivided attention. Just recently, the former convicted criminal and now reinstated President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, hosted and praised the infamous dictator Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela. Lula's actions have legitimized a man who is currently sought by the U.S. Department of Justice for narcoterrorism, a man who, because of his alleged humanitarian crimes, cannot even set foot on U.S. soil without fear of arrest. In addition, Lula has publicly criticized the United States for support to Ukraine and has even suggested that our Nation is purposely prolonging the war for commercial interests. This is the same leader who has actively sought to undermine U.S. currency through their BRICS agreements with Russia and China and who maintains strong ties with the Chinese Communist Party. Madam Speaker, Brazil is not a minority player on the world stage. It is the largest economy in South America and the 10th largest globally, the 4th largest food producer in the world, the 2nd largest producer of iron ore, and a significant player in the energy sector. It holds strategic importance in the Southern Hemisphere, a fact that the CCP seems to understand better than us. We should be working to forge stronger ties with Brazil, encouraging it toward democratic and capitalist values rather than standing by as it deepens its ties with communistic and autocratic regimes around the globe. Brazil's growing alignment with the Chinese authoritarian government is already yielding dangerous impacts on its democracy. Even mainstream USA media outlets' reports are showing an unsettling trend: a rise in state-sanctioned actions against free speech, free press, and civil liberties in Brazil. Increasingly, the country's judicial system is being weaponized, and censorship is on the rise. We must take decisive action to condemn Brazil's current engagement in suppressing civil liberties, its deepening ties with authoritarian regimes, and the serious risk this trend poses to Western democracies. Madam Speaker, as the first Brazilian American elected to this House, I implore all my colleagues to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves. It is a matter that affects not only America but the free world as a whole.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor two of the best and brightest of New York's Third Congressional District. This week, hundreds of youth, ages 14 to 24, will gather in the Capitol to celebrate their achievement of being Congressional Award gold medalists. Each gold medalist must complete over 400 hours of community service, dedicate 200 hours to a personal development activity, 200 hours to a physical fitness activity, and complete a 5-day, 4-night expedition or exploration over at least 2 years. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize two from my district who rose to meet this challenge: Namit Kapoor and Armaan Singh. As a participant in the prestigious Senate Page Program, Mr. Kapoor completed many of his requirements while balancing a workload of courses beginning at 6:15 a.m. and long days on the Senate floor. Singh is graduating next year and is looking to attend medical school to give back to the community. His gold medal journey took him far and wide, from a tae kwon do studio in Levittown to a glacier to the depths of his own soul as he found his voice for writing poetry. Both young men have bright futures, and they are stellar examples of fine leadership in New York-03. I am proud to recognize them today.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, in March, I introduced H.R. 1736, also known as the Equality and Fiscal Accountability Protection Act of 2023. This bill will cut off the cash faucet the U.S. Government gives away to countries such as Uganda that persecutes, criminalizes, or discriminates against individuals based on their sexual orientation. Since June is Pride Month, I thought this bill would be a great way to remind the American people and this body that the best way to celebrate the history and achievements of gay rights is to stand up to countries actively oppressing the LGBT community. Many countries are light-years behind everything we have worked for to be treated civilly and humanely in this country. In fact, many countries are still persecuting their citizens for the simple fact that they are gay. Uganda is just one of many countries executing and prosecuting its people based on their sexual orientation; however, they received hundreds of millions of dollars in 2022 alone from President Biden's emergency plan for AIDS relief, or PEPFAR. While waving rainbow flags and changing corporate logos is pleasant enough lipservice and virtue signaling, we need to send a clear message that the United States will not offer Federal aid to countries that habitually violate basic human rights based on sexual orientation. We, as a Nation, have a responsibility to stand up for the human rights of all people, regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation.

Mr. SANTOS

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

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, nearly 50 years ago, during the Cold War, Soviet Russia was the enemy of the people and the biggest threat to the free world. Fast forward to 2023, and it appears that history is repeating itself once again as the threat of nuclear annihilation comes full circle as two opposing ideological blocs dominate the world. General Secretary Xi Jinping has imitated Soviet Russia's playbook ever since he came to power more than 20 years ago. The Chinese Communist Party has built a cabal of global partners through predatory and oppressive investments in foreign countries, political strong-arming, stealing American technology, and strengthening ties with anti-American tyrannical leaders. This plan is taken straight from the Soviet's playbook. Only this time, China is infinitely stronger than the Soviet Union ever was. The United States must recognize and take immediate action against China's push for influence in the developing world. The Soviet Union used military might and territory conquest to forge strategic alliances and expand its influence past the Iron Curtain. However, China mainly uses economic sway and exploits our globalized economic system to expand. Over the past two decades, China has emerged as the critical trading partner for many regions and developing countries across the globe, and it is not by coincidence. China is intentionally targeting less- developed countries to popularize its authoritarian model and undermine developing democracies worldwide. China's strategic approach is rendered explicitly in Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative, aka the BRI, a lending gambit that grants China's allies, over 140 nations, billions of dollars under the pretense of economic integration and interconnected development. China has bought up so much copper, pork, and soy, and constructed so many roads, trains, power grids, and bridges, that it has surpassed the U.S. as South America's largest trade partner, and it is now Brazil's, Chile's, and Peru's single largest trading partner. Compared to the U.S. and the EU, Latin America's bilateral trade in goods with China grew dramatically from $14.6 billion in 2001 to $315 billion in 2020. That is a 21.5-fold increase since Beijing joined the World Trade Organization. These insidious tactics have made China an undeniable economic superpower through unbounded dishonesty and underhanded manipulation. In 2019, China, an active trade partner of the U.S., allowed the yuan to fall below the 7-to-1 yuan to U.S. dollar peg it had maintained since 2015. This action set off a day of intense selling in global markets. In the U.S., the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2.9 percent, its worst daily decline all year. By devaluing its currency, China could effectively undercut competitors in the marketplace by offering lower prices on its exports and, according to the U.S. Treasury Department, gain an unfair competitive advantage in international trade. Intellectual property theft, corporate espionage, forced technology transfer, widespread product dumping, and currency manipulation are just a few of the economic warfare tactics used by the Chinese Communist Party. This brings me to my point. One of China's most recent efforts to destabilize the United States involves forging an unofficial alliance with Russia to maintain Vladimir Putin's power at all costs. China is also the top trader with Russia and Ukraine. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, China had already surpassed Germany and the U.S. as Russia's most significant commercial partner and the largest consumer of its oil and gas. China has provided a financial lifeline to Russia over the past year by buying goods that the West won't and helping Russia continue to access financial markets despite harsh Western sanctions. China not only accounted for the highest year-over-year rise in export volume to Russia of any country in 2022, but it was also the largest exporter to Russia overall. Moving on, it is no secret that Putin and Xi are determined to end the U.S. and create what Xi called a new model of major country relations. Sure enough, they have had great success in forming the BRICS bloc and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, whose citizens comprise two- thirds of the world's population. China has been expanding its military production capabilities and is now the world's fourth largest arms exporter. There has been a drastic 80 percent increase in Chinese military sales to regions across the globe throughout the last decade. A growing number of United States defense officials are expressing concerns about China's swift military modernization. At this rate, the United States cannot keep up with their prices and turnaround, especially in regions like the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. Between 2017 and 2020, Chinese arms exports to sub-Saharan Africa outpaced the United States by a ratio of nearly 3-to-1. China has spread its malevolent influence this far simply because China is determined to bolster our enemies and supplement them with whatever they need to undermine democracy and our sovereignty. China has allied with other iron-fisted regimes that are presently in the crosshairs of U.S. sanctions, including some of the world's most monstrous dictators, such as Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela and Russia's Vladimir Putin. China has shipped more than $12 million in drones to Russia since it invaded Ukraine, indicating quiet collaboration between the two. Recently, Chinese state-affiliated entities sold metals and centrifuges to corporations affiliated with Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics to aid in constructing Iran's first hypersonic missile, which amplifies Iran's nuclear capabilities. Despite debt-trapping Venezuela, China has remained their steadfast ally, negotiating payment grace periods and concealing trades. China has even gone so far as to support a veto of the 2019 U.S.- backed resolution in the United Nations calling for free and fair presidential elections. The Maduro regime has become reliant on China for disinformation campaigns and social control programs, including an ID card that serves as a scorecard of loyal Venezuelan citizens to the regime. Close to $68 billion in loans has been given to Venezuela by China since 2007, plus around 490 agreements have been signed in diverse areas of investment. The exact nature of these investments is still yet to be made public, but essentially everything comes down to extracting Venezuela's rich mineral supply. In addition, some of these quiet deals encompass state-affiliated entities that have sold over $615 million worth of weapons to Venezuela in the past 8 years. This is the perfect example of the kind of mischief destabilization the CCP is known for--preying on other countries via unsustainable and corrupt lending while ignoring global labor and environmental standards for their own economic gain. Even with their own country, the CCP will only continue to enhance their economic development. Forced labor has become common practice and part of the CCP's plan for Xinjiang's economic development, which includes making it a hub of textile and apparel manufacturing. In fact, tens of thousands of Uyghurs detained in concentration camps for religious persecution were sent to factories throughout China linked to 83 global brands. To cover up a mass genocide and enslavement of the Uyghur people, Chinese officials called the policy ``poverty alleviation.'' More than a million Uyghurs are locked up in camps in their homeland or blindfolded and transported to prison by truckloads. Brutal crimes against Uyghur women, including forced sterilization and abortion, have been carried out to diminish the Uyghur population. Children are taken away from their parents and under pressure to deny their Uyghur ancestry. China's deep pockets have left its partners notably silent. Prioritizing their economic ties and strategic relationships with China, many other foreign governments continue to ignore human rights abuses. Taking another page out of Soviet Russia's book, propaganda, censorship, and disinformation are pillars of the CCP's grand strategy toward world domination. Their goal is to make the state and its objectives appear favorable to the world while simultaneously manipulating markets, lying, cheating, and stealing to fuel its ceaseless attacks on democracy. The COVID pandemic was the perfect example of what kind of propaganda the China Communist Party is known for. Millions of Americans died of the coronavirus. The epidemic was first reported in Wuhan, a city in central China. However, instead of alerting the global community in the early stages of the outbreak, the CCP sought to cover up the severity of the coronavirus outbreak but also to carry out a great propaganda campaign downplaying the severity of COVID-19, attempting to shift responsibility and hide the origins of the virus. I would hope the Biden administration and Congress would be willing to step up to the plate and finally take a different approach toward prevention and protecting the American people from the CCP's unrelenting attempts to infringe on our national security. I hope that as leaders of the free world we will take proactive steps to counter the CCP's threat toward democracy and efforts to infiltrate our sovereignty. This is why I have introduced several bills that would hold China accountable and protect our Nation's innovation, ideas, and way of life. Instead, we have senior officials of the DOJ colluding with the CCP to have Chinese political asylees exiled from the United States to be tortured and killed by CCP agents. We have a President who promises to buy American but vetoes legislation that has reinstated tariffs on solar panels from Chinese companies in Southeast Asia. We have an administration actively allowing the CCP to dodge responsibility for COVID. Drug traffickers are smuggling fentanyl produced by China into the United States through our unsecured borders killing millions of Americans while benefiting China from a weakening America due to the fentanyl epidemic. There are ways we can legislate to make a safer, more secure, and better America for the next generation. Here are 10 measures I have introduced to counter the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party: H. Con. Res. 51 is a concurrent resolution that makes it the opinion of Congress that the Chinese Communist Party is the greatest threat to freedom and the free world. H.R. 4001 is a bill which includes a provision to prohibit the United States from selling weaponry to the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party. H. Con. Res. 52 is a concurrent resolution condemning Cuba and the Chinese Communist Party for discussing and implementing an agreement to build a Chinese Communist Party spy base on the island of Cuba, 90 miles from the United States' coast. H.R. 4000 is a bill to authorize the United States to bring civil actions against the Government of the People's Republic of China for harm suffered by the state as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. H.R. 3757 is a bill to prohibit the availability of Federal funds to institutions of higher education that fund the Confucius Institute. H.R. 3664 is a bill to prohibit the availability of Federal funds to the World Health Organization pending the conduct of an investigation relating to the influence over such organization by the Chinese Communist Party and for other purposes. H.R. 3598 is a bill to direct the Secretary of State to conduct a comprehensive study assessing the Chinese Communist Party's role in the distribution of fentanyl in the United States. H.R. 3597 is a bill to direct the President to impose sanctions on the People's Republic of China. H. Con. Res. 48 is a bill condemning the Chinese Communist Party for the Wuhan Lab leak causing the deadly COVID-19 epidemic. H. Res. 421 is a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Chinese Communist Party should be held accountable for present-day efforts of knowingly and intentionally manipulating their currency. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise to call attention to the concerning rise of anti-Semitism that is proliferating nationwide. Last weekend, in Plainview, New York, my constituents were subjected to the intimidation of the Goyim Defense League, aka the GDL, a growing hate organization that propagates anti-Semitic rhetoric. It pains me to report that the henchmen of the GDL descended on my district and distributed flyers that featured anti-Jewish propaganda images of the Star of David drawn onto the heads of Federal lawmakers. As the Congressman for Plainview, I am speechless and appalled. For me, this is a sobering reminder that even in 2023, anti-Semitic incidents like this happen every day across the country. It is critical that this body continues to support and stand with the Jewish community and Israel. I hope my colleagues join me in the fight against anti-Semitism and send a clear message that anti-Semitism will not be tolerated in the United States of America.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the proceedings during the former Members program be printed in the Congressional Record and that all Members and former Members who spoke during the proceedings have the privilege of revising and extending their remarks.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Madam Speaker, I hereby remove my name as a cosponsor of H.R. 1761.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the protection of freedom. While the circumstances that brought our heroes to combat vary, their sacrifice is the same. They died protecting their fellow soldiers in the foxhole, the skies, and the seas. We can never fully grasp the unique story of each of our fallen, but let us never forget the patriotic lesson that our Nation's bravest remind us. Among them, we do not pursue freedom in support of the United States, we pursue the United States in support of freedom. On this Memorial Day as the Nation collectively pauses to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, let us also contemplate what their sacrifice teaches us. The United States and its Constitution are more than a mutually beneficial agreement between the States. The final cause of our union is the universal principle of freedom. Many of our heroes lost their lives protecting the freedom of their friends, family, and neighbors. Others died in defense of freedom belonging to those they had never met. The sacrifice of our fallen servicemen and -women, including thousands from the Third District of New York, reminds us of this. Today and every day, Mr. Speaker, let us honor the lives of our fallen military personnel and let their lessons guide our every decision as we move toward a free world. Let that be what we talk about on this Memorial Day.

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Department of Energy and the FBI have affirmed that the COVID pandemic most likely originated from a leak of the SARS-CoV-2 from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The deadly COVID virus was unleashed on American soil in 2020, yet it took 3 years and a new majority in Congress to finally start investigating the malign influence of the barbaric Chinese Communist Party. COVID was not the CCP's only flagrant and unsparing attempt to infiltrate American sovereignty. Earlier this year, spy balloons floated along the United States and gathered intelligence from sensitive U.S. military sites. Just last month, two CCP spies were arrested, and 36 CCP police officers were charged with operating an illegal and secret police station in New York City--the two alleged CCP spies only to be quickly granted bail and released from custody. In 2020, leaked CCP member data confirmed that U.S. companies such as Boeing, Qualcomm, and Pfizer had employed dozens of CCP members in their Chinese facilities. Rightfully so, Americans are infuriated, blaming ivory towers in Washington, D.C., and Wall Street for being slow to the punch and handing our fragile dominion over to globalists. We ought to do better. We ought to protect Americans, and we ought to preserve democracy. This is why I am unapologetically pushing back on the CCP and calling on the House Judiciary Committee, the DOJ, and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government to investigate CCP infiltration into the U.S. Government and do all they can to free Miles Guo. In 2017, the CCP's most prominent critic, Miles Guo, claimed political asylum in the United States, alleging persecution by the CCP. He has been here for about 6 years. Just last month, Guo was arrested and denied bail for being pronounced a flight risk. In this case, the charges against Miles Guo are simply a part of an organized campaign of political persecution brought against him by the CCP. As a matter of fact, in November 2018, George Higginbotham, a senior official at the DOJ, pleaded guilty to his active role in this illegal campaign. He admitted to accepting $41 million from the CCP and meeting with the Vice Minister of Public Security of China to advance the removal of Guo from the United States. It is with great dismay but complete confidence that I say that the weaponization of the United States' prosecutorial system is spinning further out of control, and it is time we take a stand. It shows when we have a national crime crisis falling by the wayside because politically motivated campaigns designed for nothing other than retribution on political agitators keep getting in the way of our leading law enforcement officials who refuse to prioritize the American people. With each passing year, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the CCP is accomplishing its goal of insidiously infiltrating the United States. All the while, perpetrators, the real threat to the American people, are let out on the streets, and harmless political targets remain behind bars with justice denied. Mr. Speaker, I speak for every American when I say we are done tucking our tails and being at the losing end of every tradeoff with the CCP. They take our jobs, use our technology, and steal our intellectual property. In turn, we got robbed, spied on, and deadly viruses. Enough is enough. Free Miles Guo.

Mr. SANTOS

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

Mr. SANTOS

Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to address my first 100 days in Congress. As freshmen Members of Congress, we arrive in D.C. with a ``Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' mentality. As you walk through these Halls for the first time, you realize that you are now a part of history. Like any new kid on the block, there is a learning curve. Although my learning curve might be slightly different compared to others, what I can say is that mistakes will be made, lessons learned, but speaking as a freshman, try to give yourself a grace period and learn to grow. Despite everything, I have learned and grown over the past 100 days in Congress. If only I could figure out how to navigate the Rayburn building. In 100 days, little did I know that I would introduce 11 bills of my own, be a cosponsor of 63 bills, and see three of those cosponsored bills pass in the House. Each of us, both Republicans and Democrats, are here because we individually believe that we can improve not just our congressional districts but our country. We may not always agree, but like any freshman Member, I am learning to find some common ground. One thing that is financially hurting not just my constituents, but all New Yorkers are the State and local taxes, also known as SALT. The first bill I introduced is H.R. 1260, the SALT Relief Act. The State of New York's top marginal individual income tax rate is 10.9 percent, making it the third highest top marginal income tax rate in the country after California and Hawaii. My constituents who specifically reside in Nassau County pay some of the highest property taxes in the country. My SALT bill aims to increase the $10,000 cap to $50,000. According to the Tax Foundation, the average SALT amount--property tax liability or sales tax liability--reported among itemizing filers was $30,227. Sadly, due to the $10,000 cap, the average SALT deduction was $9,023. I am aware that my district is a combination of affluent neighborhoods with famous constituents like Billy Joel, but it also includes the middle and working classes. This is not about handing out tax relief to the wealthy. It is about real tax relief for all Americans. In addition to my SALT bill, I recently introduced the Alimony Relief Act. Both of my bills are constituent-driven bills that seek additional deductions for taxpayers who are required to submit government-directed payments. The Alimony Relief Act is the classic example of a constituent who contacted my office, explained in great detail the issue that they were having with the government, and asking for my assistance. The issue is that they are paying income taxes on money they won't be able to spend themselves. For State tax purposes, alimony may be taxable income to the recipient and tax deductible to the individual obligated to pay spousal support. My alimony bill aims to implement that tax deduction for Federal purposes. Most of my legislative priorities in Congress are driven to provide economic relief, not just to my constituents but to all Americans. We must take a deep dive into the amount of foreign aid that the United States provides to countries who apply barbaric practices to those based on gender or sexual orientation. My bills, H.R. 2404 and H.R. 1736, both send a clear message that we should be standing up to countries that enforce policies that limit individuals to freely exercise any religion, and enrolling in or attending any educational institution. For example, in 2019, the foreign assistance statistic by country is staggering. I will not read off every country, but Afghanistan, we were providing them with a grand total of $4.8 trillion. To break it down, that is $1.2-plus trillion for economic aid and $3.6-plus billion in aid since the United States withdrew from Afghanistan. Restrictions on women's rights increased exponentially, including freedom of speech. In addition, institutions designed to support human rights were either shut down or severely limited. Another accomplishment since the Republicans took back the House, we have made great strides with putting an end to COVID-19. We passed a resolution terminating the COVID-19 national emergency declaration and passed the Pandemic is Over Act. In addition, I have introduced H.R. 2631, a bill called the Medical Information Nuanced Accountability Judgement Act. Medical freedom is an absolute right, and any Federal Government should not impose a mandate that requires individuals to receive a vaccine that has not been properly authorized for at least 10 years. My bill would help restore our military readiness. As a result of the Biden administration's vaccine mandate, more than 3,400 men and women were being involuntarily separated. Under the MINAJ Act, this would not be the case. While I look forward to the day when one of my bills passes, I can say that it is amazing to see three bills that I have cosponsored pass. House Republicans have made a commitment to put the country first and to reverse consistently bad policies from the Biden administration. Last week, we passed the Protection of Women and Girls Sports Act. I joined my colleagues to cosponsor a bill that protects biological women in sports. Over the last couple of years, biological women have been on the receiving end of an unfair disadvantage by competing against transgender male athletes. While the left calls this discrimination against transgender athletes, we simply call it as it is: robbing women of their hard-earned athletic achievements. I am proud to have cosponsored H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act. Since House Republicans have taken the majority, we continue to build a future that allows for parents to be the primary stakeholders in their children's education. We are making their voices heard. Every parent has the right to know what their children are being taught and to be updated on their school's budget, spending, and, most importantly, when there is violent activity at school. One of the first bills I proudly cosponsored was the REIN In Act. Since President Biden was sworn into office, we have seen reckless government spending, historically high inflation that is harming the livelihoods of the American people, and small businesses that are still recovering from the pandemic. We demand transparency from the administration, and this bill would require the Office of Management and Budget to prepare a report including inflationary effects for any executive action with an estimated impact of at least $1 billion. The White House must report these findings to Congress each year to increase transparency over their actions. If I have learned anything in the past 100 days, it is that being a Member of Congress goes beyond spending time in our Nation's Capital. Spending as much time in our congressional districts as possible is a major key to success. As I split my time between Washington, D.C., and my district, there is one thing I can say for certain: Our best government is local. The mayors and other local government workers truly know what is best for their communities and what kind of funds are needed from both the State and Federal levels. It is my goal to do all that I can to bring back funding to local towns in my district that will better their communities. Since opening my district office, I cannot begin to say how grateful I am for their hard work and commitment to helping my constituents directly with real issues and assisting them with requests that we can provide at the Federal level. My office has received 238 cases and resolved 143 of them. The top issues in New York's Third Congressional District are passports and immigration. As a reminder, this is a freshman office, and I do anticipate that the more we help, the more people will walk through our doors. I personally have taken constituent calls, some good, some not so good. At the end of the day, that is part of the job, and there is not much I can do about it. Whether they vote for you or not, you are their Member of Congress, and you work for them. I commonly say I have 700,000 employers, and I work for each and every one of them. During my time in the district, I have met with local government officials and discussed their concerns affecting their communities. It has been a privilege to work collaboratively with them and help secure Federal funding to help better our communities. The cities and towns of NY-3 asking for Federal assistance include Sands Point, Old Westbury, Port Washington, Belgrave, Great Neck, and Farmingdale. Their requests are centered around water filtration, public safety, and water infrastructure. These are issues that many communities face, and while they may not sound flashy, these are the matters of public health and the lives of our constituents, and the God-given right to clean water. One of the benefits of living in New York's Third Congressional District is having the privilege of honoring the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound and Sector New York. While most of us take it for granted, the U.S. Coast Guard carries out more than just search and rescue missions. They protect our border, and they are the law enforcement branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. Having recently spent some time touring the Eaton's Neck station, all I could think of was how I could do more for them. The Coast Guard has made great strides in up-to-date equipment, yet they are still severely underfunded. Their search and rescue operations have increased by over 30 percent, and sadly, fatalities have gone up 20 percent since COVID. You see, Mr. Speaker, in New York's Third Congressional District, we have a lot of water activity, and with that, it created this new boater community that drove folks to the water in the absolute boredom of the pandemic, so that also increased the work activity for our Coast Guard. They mentioned that there are things boaters can do that can easily prevent some of these rescues, including buying a high-frequency radio for your boat, which allows communications between other boats and, most importantly, the Coast Guard. Another thing that I took away from our tour, and I will continue to state it publicly, is to dress for the water, not the weather. Although it might be 80, 90 degrees outside, the water is still 40 degrees, so 15 minutes in the water and hypothermia kicks in. That just worsens the odds of a successful rescue. What I am saying tonight may sound boring, but part of the job is about listening. As a reminder, these unsung heroes safely evacuated over 500,000 people from Manhattan to escape New York City during 9/11, and now they are facing the potential of offshore turbines, which pose a major concern for the Coast Guard. Having previously stated that there has been an increase in search and rescue operations mainly due to the pandemic, having approximately 3,000 offshore wind turbines will pose a real concern for future search and rescue. Their helicopters would have to carefully traverse a waterway during a rescue operation without getting caught up in the wind turbines, in addition to Coast Guard vessels having difficulties with their radar capabilities navigating in and around these windmills. I will also add that the construction of these turbines can take up to 15 to 20 years to build, resulting in an expected 1,800 transits up the Hudson River from the Port of New York out to the sea. This places a huge responsibility on the shoulders of the Coast Guard to ensure the safety of all types of boaters and vessels. When meeting with members of the Coast Guard, there was something that stuck out, and it was their personal well-being. Men and women sometimes carry out very serious and dangerous missions at sea, which can be long and lonely. They sometimes have difficulties finding mental health services due to a limited budget. Some are utilizing food pantries and are unable to afford housing. Besides our gratitude, we should be doing more to invest in the Coast Guard. They protect our seacoasts, economic and security interests abroad, and, above all, save thousands of lives per year. This Friday evening, we will be announcing the New York Third Congressional District's winner of the 2023 Congressional Art Competition. Since I have been in Washington, I have always been amazed by the plethora of talent from high school students whose art hangs in the Cannon Tunnel heading toward the Capitol. I look forward to meeting with these students, learning about their talents, and hearing about their next steps in life. Water contamination is probably the last thing that one might associate with Long Island. Unfortunately, it is a fact. A local village in New York's Third District, Farmingdale, has been plagued with an ongoing water contamination issue, which has been declared an emergency since July 2021. Recently, I met with the mayor of Farmingdale, along with an environmental advocate, to discuss the ongoing issue, the strides they are making, and the Federal assistance requested to ease the financial burden on the taxpayers. In my district, the water contaminants, including PFAS, which are also known as forever chemicals, are impacting the water supply wells, which operate nearly 2 million gallons per day. This opened my eyes and made me truly see the positive side of public service. When political differences can be set aside, we can roll up our sleeves, show how we can find common ground, and work together for the greater good. While Annapolis has the Naval Academy, in New York's Third District, we have the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy located in Kings Point. It trains midshipmen as officers in the Merchant Marine Reserve. Like the Coast Guard, the academy needs more than $300 million in Federal funds to rehabilitate dilapidated buildings. Other long-term projects include the construction of academic buildings and projects to protect the waterfront basin of rickety piers. Since they opened their doors in 1943 on Long Island, we have taken great pride in being the home of the Merchant Marine Academy. Students come from all across the country to receive a quality education in our backyard. It is my hope to work closely with the academy, as well as the Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration, and see what we can do at the Federal level to continue to improve the infrastructure at the academy. These have been the last hundred days from my perspective, but as many of my colleagues have already said, we have only just begun. One final item before I wrap up. I want to talk about neuropathy. Neuropathy is a medical condition that results in damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. Those who suffer from neuropathy experience weakness and numbness, which typically occurs in the hands or feet. This can be incredibly painful and debilitating, and many are unable to live normal lives. This is also known as the suicide disease, due to limited effective treatments and because there is no cure. In February, I brought a guest to attend the State of the Union who suffers from neuropathy. He is a former volunteer firefighter named Michael Weinstock, and he was assigned to the bucket brigade at Ground Zero. His responsibilities with the bucket brigade included finding survivors and removing rubble from the World Trade Center. In 2016, the World Trade Center Health Program was petitioned to add peripheral neuropathy to its list of covered conditions, which it declined to do. In 2017, an FDNY responder again petitioned the program to add peripheral neuropathy to its covered conditions list. Unfortunately, the World Trade Center Health Program declined to update its list a second time, citing insufficient evidence. It is sad that a bill needs to be introduced in the first place on this floor. My staff and I are in the process to find out why neuropathy is not recognized as a valid condition under the World Trade Center Health Program. The timeline for adding a condition is painfully slow, and it is frustrating to my constituents and others, who were impacted directly by the events of 9/11, who simply cannot wait any longer. As a Member of Congress, I can think of nothing more important than honoring our 9/11 first responders and see that neuropathy be included as a medical condition that is covered in the World Trade Center Health Program immediately. In my first 100 days, I can say without doubt that serving in Congress is a great honor and humbling, as any commitment to public service should be. I am eagerly looking forward to what the House GOP will achieve in the days and months ahead. Our Commitment to America will not waver. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.