Keith Self

Mr. SELF

Mr. SELF. Mr. Speaker, I thank my very good friend, fellow Texan colleague and cofounder of the Sharia-Free America Caucus, Congressman Chip Roy, for yielding me time. First of all, I have been aware of and been involved in Iran since 1979. I commanded the Special Forces Detachment 18 at that time. While the trigger was not pulled, I was in a forward-deployed battalion, and we were prepared to go in early to get the hostages should we need to. We had just came out of a--actually, we had literally, just the week before, I believe, come out of a shooting house in northern Germany where we had actually rehearsed a hostage rescue. I also was involved in Iran in 1984, when the 82nd Airborne Division was preparing Op Plan 1004. I have been cognizant of and aware of Iran and planning for Iran since the late seventies, since the ayatollah took over. Mr. Speaker, we have in the United States one Constitution, one legal system, and one supreme law of the land. No foreign code, no religious legal system, and no ideology that rejects our founding principles has any place here. Just this week, as you heard, on March 3, 2026, Texas Republicans delivered an overwhelming message that cannot be ignored, should not be ignored. Proposition 10, which states that the State of Texas should prohibit sharia law, passed by--get this--a 95-percent landslide in the Republican primary. Texans are saying loud and clear: American law only. Sharia is not compatible with our Constitution, and our constituents reject any attempt to import it. This nonbinding proposition is a clarion call to this Congress: Protect our sovereignty before it is too late. Tragically, just 2 days before that vote, on March 1, we witnessed exactly why this mandate is so urgent. In Austin, Texas, as the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy) just outlined for you, a gunman opened fire on innocent people enjoying their night. He killed three young Americans. We always say their names: 19-year-old Ryder Harrington, a Texas Tech student; 21-year-old Savitha Shan, a University of Texas student; and 30-year-old Jorge Pederson. Mr. Speaker, 13 others were wounded, some critically. The suspect, as you have heard, was a naturalized U.S. citizen, originally from Senegal, who entered the United States on a B-2 tourist visa in March 2000, overstayed illegally, married a U.S. citizen in 2006 to adjust status to lawful permanent resident, and was naturalized as a full citizen in April 2013, despite a history of arrests both before and after receiving his green card. Our broken legal system let him in, let him stay, and, disturbingly, made him one of us via naturalization. Investigators found him wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with ``Property of Allah'' and an undershirt featuring an Iranian flag design, and recovered a Koran from his vehicle. The FBI is investigating this as having a potential nexus to radical Islamic terrorism tied to U.S. actions involving Iran. These three young lives filled with promise, dreams, and futures were stolen in an instant. This is not random violence. The symbols were unmistakable and intentional: ``Property of Allah,'' references to Iran, and a Koran at the scene. This attack was a direct, bloody manifestation of the supremacist ideology that sharia promotes, one that claims divine authority over man-made law, demands submission, and justifies violence against those who stand in its way. Islam steeped in sharia teachings that reject equality under the law, free speech, and constitutional governance is not some abstract debate. It arrived here through failed vetting and immigration loopholes. It took root over the years as a legal resident and citizen, and struck at the heart of Texas. The enemy is inside the gates. Wake up, America. We don't have to accept this. We don't have to watch leaders, Republican and Democrat, allow individuals from regions hostile to our values to enter on temporary visas, overstay, marry their way into permanent status, become naturalized despite red flags, and then unleash terror on our streets. This horror is precisely why Proposition 10 passed with such overwhelming numbers, because sharia ideology fosters the very extremism that turns foreign loyalties or personal grievances into mass murder on American soil. This brings us to the heart of this matter. Sharia is not merely personal religious observation. It is a comprehensive political and legal system that stands in direct conflict with everything we hold sacred. As Karl Popper warned in ``The Open Society and Its Enemies'': ``Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them.'' In the name of tolerance, we must claim the right not to tolerate the intolerant, although I admit that we, unfortunately, have to tolerate the Democrats. Sharia, as a supremacist ideology that demands submission and rejects our freedoms, falls squarely into this category. It refuses to tolerate dissent, equality, or our Nation's law. To preserve America's tolerance, liberty, and open society, we must firmly reject and refuse to accommodate sharia. Unlimited tolerance for such intolerance would destroy the very foundations of our tolerant Republic. Sharia includes clear, real-world practices that directly violate our Constitution, such as wife beatings. Although, in America, you are prohibited from breaking your wife's bones--I mean, it is disturbing that we even have to say this. It includes forced child marriages, child genital mutilation, and death penalties for apostasy, which is leaving Islam, and blasphemy. It also includes harsh penalties, like hand amputations for theft and stonings for adultery, and public floggings. Sharia law is systemic inequality. Women receive only half as much inheritance as men. Their courtroom testimony counts as half a man's value. Non-Muslims are treated as second-class citizens. Sharia explicitly asserts supremacy over man-made law, explicitly, directly contradicting ``we the people,'' and the very foundation of our Constitution. The Austin attack is a tragic, real-world illustration of what happens when elements of this supremacist ideology take hold here. We cannot afford to ignore the warning signs any longer. That is precisely why Congressman Chip Roy and I launched the sharia- Free America Caucus. It has grown rapidly to dozens of members, now 46 strong, from across the country, representing 22 States. The caucus' mission is clear: ensure sharia never gains a foothold in America, protect the Constitution as the supreme law, secure our borders against ideologies that refuse to assimilate, and defend Western civilization. We will not surrender our freedoms. I urge every colleague, Republican and Democrat, who believes in American sovereignty to join us. Mr. Speaker, the American people expect us to defend the Constitution against any ideology that seeks to replace it. Let us pass legislation affirming that no court may consider sharia or any foreign religious code. Let us strengthen vetting to keep out those who adhere to sharia. Let us advance the PAUSE Act to freeze immigration until our system is secure. Let us stand with the sharia-Free America Caucus and declare once and for all: America must be made sharia-free. Mr. Speaker, I represent a district in north Texas. Mr. Roy represents a district in the Hill Country. I would ask the gentleman how bad he thinks the Islamization of Texas is.

Mr. SELF. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. SELF. Mr. Speaker, I would say absolutely.

Mr. SELF. Absolutely. Texas has seen 48 new mosques in the last 2 years, just 2 years. That is roughly one every month. This is the fastest pace in the Nation, and it reflects rapid Muslim growth in suburban areas like DFW where I live and Houston which is closer to where Chip lives. Frankly, it is not just in Texas. I was told by one of our North Carolina Members just today that in his district they plan to build the largest mosque in this hemisphere, I believe is the way he characterized it. So, no, it is not just in Texas. However, Texas is ground zero. My district, I believe, Mr. Speaker, is ground zero because of this EPIC City, because of the mini mosque. EPIC City was going to be a 400- plus-acre compound, Muslim only, and if you invested a certain amount of money, Mr. Speaker, then you might be able to buy a plot of land and you might be able to build a house. However, when you sold the house, Mr. Speaker, you had to sell it to the right person using contract law and using our own freedoms, our own legal system against us.

Mr. SELF. Absolutely. I understand that from the local officials that women are not comfortable traveling there because, frankly, to quote an imam, women are animals created by Allah to be used by men. Women are no different from cows, sheep, horses, or mules. God made women resemble humans. That is totally anathema to our vision of equality between men and women. It is not that men are women and not that women are men. We can define what a woman is. However, women have certain individual rights under our concept of individual human rights. Under sharia law, it is total submission. It is totally different. We need to understand that.

Mr. SELF. Absolutely. In fact, there is a term now that is being used: civilization jihad. This is the importation of Muslims who are under sharia. It reaches the accommodation phase: Yes, we will pray in the middle of the street. No, you can't walk your dog on the public sidewalk. Then it goes to the intimidation phase that my friend was referring to earlier about women feeling unsafe on the street. We do not want to get to the position where Great Britain is where they have rape gangs that kidnap young girls off of the street, take them and fill them full of drugs and alcohol, rape them mercilessly, and then the police arrest the young women for being drunk in public. We do not want to get to that point that the U.K. is at currently.

Mr. SELF. We are 46 strong as of today.

Mr. SELF. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend very much for allowing me to participate.

Mr. SELF

Mr. SELF. Mr. Speaker, I rise here in response to my colleague from across the aisle. I thought we were talking about the War Powers Act and not the Democrats' social programs. That is what I am going to do. President Trump's decision to strike Iran is not starting a forever war. It is ending a forever war. For half a century, the Islamic Republic of Iran has cast a shadow over the Middle East and trapped the region in a dark age. When the regime chants ``death to America, death to Israel,'' they mean it. The Islamic Republic is responsible for the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of Americans, thousands of Israelis, and tens of thousands of their own people, including up to 30,000 in just the last few weeks. Iran has slaughtered more Americans than any other terrorist regime in the world, and they will continue to kill Americans until they are stopped. Iran is the number one sponsor of terrorism in the world by nonstate actors, something that is not even contemplated by the War Powers Act. The regime funds, trains, and equips countless Islamic terrorist groups, including the Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and many others across Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere in the region. For years, Iran has leveraged these terrorists to wage war against and kill Americans and countless civilians throughout the region. Just last weekend in my home State, a gunman horrifically killed three innocent people and injured four others in Austin, Texas, while reportedly wearing a sweatshirt that read ``Property of Allah'' and a shirt with an Islamic Republic of Iran flag on it. While law enforcement continues its investigation into a connection with the Islamic Republic, Americans must understand the enemy is within the gates. The current regime in Iran is the poster child for Islam and sharia law, a culture of violence and domination that is totally incompatible with individual freedoms, our Constitution, and our heritage. Islam is an existential threat to our constitutional republic. By conducting this joint operation with our partners in the region to defend against tyranny, we are defending Western civilization. Furthermore, the Iranian people have overwhelmingly demonstrated a clear will to overthrow and change the radical regime. Tens of thousands of civilians have sacrificed their lives as a testimony to this point. By giving the green light to Epic Fury, President Trump is giving the Iranian people a fighting chance to alter the course of history in the Middle East and the world. As the Article II branch, the President is undertaking his constitutional duty as Commander in Chief to defend the United States from a tyrannical, murderous Islamic regime. Finally, I would also like to note that since the War Powers Act was enacted, every President, both Republican and Democrat, has agreed that this law is unconstitutional. Instead of airing personal grievances with the President, the American people and our servicemembers would be better off if Congress focused on reopening the Department of Homeland Security to prevent attacks on American soil and support the President in executing his Article II duty.

Mr. SELF. Mr. Speaker, while I agree that this body should engage in discussions about the War Powers Act, this is not the appropriate time. U.S. troops are currently in harm's way, and they need to have our full-throated support, full stop. I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution.

Mr. SELF

Mr. SELF. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Chairman for the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this resolution. This is neither the time nor the right legislation to deal with this issue. This resolution suspends all military actions against any organization that the President deems a designated terrorist organization unless Congress acts. This is a dangerous limitation on the President's constitutional authority to defend the United States. Our world is changing and changing fast. The President must have the flexibility to change with the threats. These drug cartels, especially Tren de Aragua, are behind much of the drug trafficking, human smuggling, and violent crimes that are tearing communities apart and fueling the opioid crisis in America. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were more than 72,000 fentanyl-related overdose deaths in 2023, the last year available. This number represents a tragic national public health crisis. The intention of this resolution may be to stop the attacks on the drug boats, but by refusing military action against presidentially designated terrorist organizations, you shut the door for action against other dangerous groups, including Mexican cartels or Islamic terrorist groups that might want to establish themselves or attack elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere. Instead of considering this resolution, which carries little or no consequences for hostilities that don't exist, this Chamber should focus on supporting the President's efforts to deter the growing national security threat from Venezuela. Hundreds of Americans die each day due to illegal drugs like fentanyl. Rather than Democrats making it their life's mission to destroy Donald Trump, America would be better served if Members of this Chamber would help him prevent the flow of illicit drugs. As a 25-year Active-Duty member who deployed multiple times, including that invasion of Grenada that Ms. Salazar mentioned in the Caribbean without congressional action, I caution the ranking member on accusing the President of the United States of war crimes. That is beyond the pale. I recommend he walk those comments back. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution.

Mr. SELF

Mr. SELF. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this resolution, which is not necessary, as it removes our Armed Forces from hostilities against a country where there have been no hostilities. The War Powers Act has no legal bearing on actions that could happen in the future. Yet that is exactly what this concurrent resolution attempts to do. To date, there are no confirmed U.S. servicemembers engaged in combat with Venezuela. While I could end it there, since Democrats are turning a blind eye to the killing of Americans by illicit drugs from Venezuela, I also highlight that Venezuela has become a strategic outpost for China, Russia, and Iran, not to mention criminal and terrorist organizations. Just yesterday, at a Europe Subcommittee hearing, I made the point that China and Russia are engaged in hybrid war against the United States today. Not only has Maduro's regime purchased Iranian-armed drones, but they have also allowed Iran to establish production facilities for its military drones within their borders. Terrorist organizations like Hezbollah use Caracas as a base to operate their criminal terror organizations in South America, generating revenue through narcotrafficking. Russia, a longtime ally of the regime, still provides Venezuela with military aid while also facing the challenges of waging war in Ukraine. In fact, Venezuela opened a factory last summer to manufacture Russian Kalashnikov rifle munitions. China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba use the country as a platform for intelligence operations in asymmetric warfare. Instead of considering this resolution, which carries little or no consequences for hostilities that do not exist, this Chamber should focus on supporting the President's efforts to deter the growing national security threat from Venezuela. Hundreds of Americans die each day due to illegal drugs. Rather than Democrats making it their life's mission to destroy Donald Trump, America would be better served by Members of this Chamber if we helped him prevent the flow of illicit drugs that are killing our citizens.

Mr. SELF. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution.

Mr. SELF

Mr. SELF. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. SELF. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment to H.R. 3638. The bill requires DOE to assess supply chain vulnerabilities for the generation and transmission of electricity, including barriers to expanding capacity here in the United States. My amendment makes a simple clarification. It ensures that DOE evaluates barriers not only to manufacturing components, but also to their delivery and installation. In the real world, grid reliability depends on whether critical equipment can actually reach the job site and be installed on time. If we want a serious assessment and serious recommendations, then we cannot stop at the factory gate. Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SELF. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SELF

Mr. SELF. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. SELF. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment to H.R. 3383 to strike section 307. Section 307 directs the SEC to issue new rules forcing issuers with multi-class share structures to include prescribed ownership and voting-power disclosures in annual-meeting proxy or consent materials, and potentially other filings. That is statutory micromanagement and another compliance mandate. More fundamentally, Washington should not be holding investors' hands. The key facts about control and voting rights are already available to the market through public filings and governing documents, and investors can decide for themselves whether they want to buy into a multi-class structure. My amendment keeps this package focused on capital formation and avoids turning it into another paperwork bill. Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SELF. I say, again, Mr. Chairman, the information that she is referencing is already readily discoverable by investors, and they have the choice whether or not they want to invest in a multi-class structure. I will tell you, Mr. Chair, this section 307 specifically targets directors, director nominees, named executive officers, and any holder with 5 percent or more of total combined voting power. It requires their share ownership and voter power to be expressed as percentages. Mr. Chairman, investors are not children. The Federal Government should not be in the business of holding investors' hands over congressionally mandated proxy script disclosures. This section turns a capital formation package into another compliance mandate by hardwiring a one-size-fits-all disclosure regime into statutes instead of letting the markets and existing disclosures do their jobs. Striking section 307 keeps the INVEST Act focused on expanding opportunity and liquidity rather than adding a new paperwork burden for public companies. If the goal of this bill is to increase investor opportunities and expand public markets, then Congress should be cutting friction, not adding a new compliance hook that falls on public companies and ultimately on shareholders. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SELF. Mr. Chair, as the chairwoman referenced, organizations that want to do this are already doing it voluntarily. We should not add micromanagement to it. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SELF. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

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

Mr. SELF. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment of H.R. 3383, the INVEST Act. Section 105 creates offices of small business within key SEC divisions to coordinate on capital formation priorities. My amendment makes one commonsense clarification. It says this subsection may not be construed to authorize expenditures for additional full-time equivalent employees. In other words, if the SEC wants better coordination for small businesses, it should do so with existing resources, not by treating this bill as a blank check for new hires. This keeps the policy goal intact while protecting taxpayers. I urge adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SELF. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner).

Mr. SELF. Mr. Chair, I will point out that those words are dangerous words, ``do what we can,'' because normally that means we are going to spend a lot more money. Congress, in this case, should not accidentally write an open-ended staffing authorization into statute just because we want better cooperation. This is a narrow, practical guardrail that keeps the INVEST Act focused on capital formation instead of quietly growing bureaucracy. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.