Andrea Salinas

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I have spent the past month traveling across my district talking with Oregonians about the challenges they face right now. Above all else I heard the same thing. Everything is too expensive. Since President Trump took office, Oregonians have had to pay an extra $3,900 because of inflation, his tariffs, and his war with Iran. I could stand here all day listing what has gotten more expensive because of his harmful policies, but I only have 60 seconds, so I want to highlight how just one of his failures, the war in Iran, is hurting Americans. Before the war, farmers in my district paid $4.22 a gallon for diesel. Now Trump's war is driving up fuel costs, and my farmers are now paying $5.87 for that same gallon of diesel. That rise in costs for farmers impacts the prices everyone pays at the grocery store. The cost of fresh tomatoes is up by nearly 40 percent, costing an all-time high of $2.69 cents a pound. That is not a record anyone should be proud of, but does President Trump care? No. People across my district are struggling, and they are paying for the failures Trump and Republicans in Congress have created. Families deserve a Congress focused on lowering costs and making it easier for them to get ahead. This Congress is not it.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, President Trump knows that the only way Republicans can win this midterm election is to lie and cheat. Trump has failed to address the affordability crisis. Now, instead of fighting to lower costs, he is fighting to suppress votes and prevent Americans from holding him and the GOP accountable this November. Over the past year, the American people have watched as Trump has tried to suppress votes in any way he can. He has pushed for the SAVE America Act, helped undermine the Voting Rights Act, and most recently has urged the courts to restrict mail-in voting, even though the President himself votes by mail. We all know why. Trump can't stand the fact that he lost the 2020 election. He pushed the big lie, claimed the election was rigged, and without proof, blamed mail-in voting. President Trump can't stand that he lost in 2020. He can't stand the thought of losing again, and that is why he is trying to prevent Americans from voting by mail. Let me be clear. Our elections are free, fair, and accurate. Take it from my home State of Oregon. We have been an entirely vote-by-mail State for nearly 30 years, and our elections have been safe and secure. Oregon consistently has some of the highest levels of voter turnout in the country, and research has shown that voters from both sides of the aisle vote by mail at similar rates. The right to vote should not depend on your State, your marital status, your access to a passport, or whether you can make it to a polling place on election day. Every eligible American deserves a fair and accessible way to make their voices heard. We should be removing barriers to vote, not increasing them. That is why I introduced the Universal Right To Vote by Mail Act. My bill would give every eligible voter in America the right to vote by mail in Federal elections without requiring a specific excuse. It would also require States to give voters a chance to fix a simple mistake or discrepancy on their ballot before that vote is rejected. This is not about helping any one party or the other. It is about making sure every eligible American has a fair opportunity to participate in our democracy. President Trump is trying to take that opportunity away. He is attacking vote-by-mail because he is afraid of the results when voters make their voices heard this November. Congress must reject the attacks on vote-by-mail. I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question and support my Universal Right To Vote by Mail Act so every eligible American can cast their ballot safely, securely, and conveniently. The answer to Republicans' fears that they will lose the upcoming election is not to make it harder for people to vote, the answer is to earn their votes.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, 57 years ago this week, the world watched as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first stepped foot on the Moon. That historic achievement was thanks to American innovation and engineering breakthroughs, and it showed what is possible when we dream beyond the stars. Now, 57 years later, we are preparing for our return to the Moon. Through NASA's Artemis program, the U.S. will once again set foot on the Moon, opening the door for the next era of space exploration. But missions like Artemis would not be possible without the skilled technical workers, scientists, and innovators whose talent turns bold ideas into reality. If America is to remain the world's scientific leader, we must continue investing in the programs and inspiring the next generation of students who make these missions possible. That is why I urge my colleagues to pass my resolution that would recognize July 20, the day the astronauts landed on the Moon, as Moon Day. Mr. Speaker, I will keep working to support policies that get us one small step closer to the next giant leap for mankind.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, American biotech companies are leading a scientific revolution that is transforming our economy. In recent years, we have seen breakthroughs that have delivered promising new treatments for Alzheimer's, new biological alternatives to pesticides, and plastic- eating bacteria, just to name a few. These innovations are making Americans healthier, driving a more sustainable economy, and supporting good jobs. However, while America leads the world in these emerging technologies, our competitors are close behind. If we want to ensure American industry stays on top, then American consumers must have confidence in the safety and reliability of our advancements. One of the key ways American companies produce these breakthroughs is by producing synthetic nucleic acids, like DNA and RNA, for use in biotech research. These are an important tool though that allows scientists to study gene function, develop novel vaccines, improve diagnostic tests, and pursue countless other life-changing discoveries. Companies like Twist Bioscience in my district are pushing the envelope to accelerate and scale-up production, which, in turn, will facilitate faster discoveries. As this field advances, particularly with the development of AI systems to design nucleic acid sequences, we need to double down on efforts to ensure the technology is used safely and responsibly. H.R. 3029, the Nucleic Acid Standards for Biosecurity Act, directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to carry out measurement research and lead consensus-driven standards development to ensure these tools can be harnessed in a trustworthy manner. Businesses, small and large, in Oregon and across the country, will benefit from this partnership with NIST. These standards will drive sustainable growth while helping to keep this industry and the good jobs it supports right here in America. Through a commonsense partnership between government and industry, we will unlock responsible and trustworthy growth that benefits industry, workers, and consumers across the economy. Madam Speaker, in closing, I want to extend my great gratitude to Chairman Babin and Mr. McCormick for their bipartisan work. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3029, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, Americans are facing an affordability crisis. When I talk with Oregonians, they tell me one of the biggest challenges they face right now is the rising cost of electricity. In addition to rising demand, aging infrastructure, rising fuel costs, and climate-change-driven disasters like winter ice storms, wildfires, and drought are also driving up the cost of electricity. We need more tools to ensure we can deliver the reliability and affordability that consumers need. Geothermal energy already delivers clean, round-the-clock power in the Western U.S. Building on these innovations, next-gen geothermal technologies can play an important part in the transition to an affordable and reliable clean energy future across the country. Oregon is already a leader in this space, producing the fifth most geothermal electricity in the U.S. Oregon Institute of Technology opened Oregon's first geothermal power plant at their Klamath Falls campus, and for 60 years the school has heated buildings and supplied hot water with geothermal energy. Now, Oregon is leading the charge with next-gen geothermal technologies. Newberry Volcano in central Oregon is a hot spot--anybody laugh?--for geothermal innovation. The industry is piloting commercial- scale power plants there, and they are demonstrating new technologies that will allow geothermal systems to operate in extreme heat conditions, which greatly expands the role that these resources can play in our energy mix. This is not just about Oregon or the Mountain West anymore. Next-gen geothermal technologies will make it feasible to deploy geothermal energy across the country and serve as a critical tool in the fight against climate change. This renewable energy will help meet America's energy needs across the Nation. The Federal Government needs to lean in, partner with the private sector, and ensure these technologies move quickly to market so that Americans feel the benefit sooner rather than later. Madam Speaker, H.R. 8790, the Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act, will support geothermal research, development, demonstration, and commercialization efforts at the Department of Energy to overcome the remaining engineering challenges and take this technology from promise to reality. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SALINAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague Mr. Harrigan for his leadership on this sensible, bipartisan bill, and I urge everyone to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 8790. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark 1 year of the Republicans' big, ugly bill, which has left our children, veterans, and seniors hungry. When President Trump signed this bill, he promised to lower costs for everyday people. Instead, his bill cut billions of dollars for SNAP across the Nation, including $425 million in my home State of Oregon. These cuts are taking food off families' tables. In Oregon, 70,000 people--parents, friends, and neighbors--have lost their food benefits. Why did Mr. Trump do this? It was to give tax cuts to his billionaire buddies. While the cost of healthcare and groceries skyrocket, families are losing the support they need to put food on the dinner table and pay their bills. Mr. Speaker, we must restore these devastating cuts to SNAP. No child, veteran, or senior in the wealthiest nation on the planet should go hungry because Republicans chose tax breaks for billionaires over food for families.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, President Trump and I ran for office on the same promise: to lower costs. Let's review the promises President Trump made to the American people. The average cost of gas on the day President Trump took office was around $3 per gallon. On the campaign trail, he said he would bring the price of gas to under $2 a gallon. Today, the national average of gas is $4 a gallon, and it is over $5 in Oregon. Diesel is even higher, around $6 a gallon. Oregonians, from families to farmers, are paying the steep price. Trump also promised to cut Americans' energy bills in half, but electricity rates haven't fallen. Rates are up 10 percent under the Trump administration, which is more than the rate of inflation and way more than hardworking families can afford right now. President Trump promised over and over again to make America affordable. It is obvious that this administration has not lived up to its promise. Instead, Trump has propelled our Nation into an illegal war, which has disrupted global oil markets and has put his administration's foolishness on a global stage. For the sake of our wallets, our environment, and the future workforce and economy, we need to invest in a diverse portfolio of affordable, clean energy and rein in Trump's recklessness.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Allan Pollock for 19 years of dedicated public service in my district. This summer, Allan is retiring from his role as general manager of the Salem Area Mass Transit District known as Cherriots. Under Allan's leadership, Cherriots has grown steadily. They restored weekend and late-night service, underwent a comprehensive rebranding, and have put sustainable, climate-friendly electric buses into circulation. Cherriots now provides over 3 million rides yearly. But beyond numbers, Allan quite literally brought our community together--bringing workers to their jobs, shoppers to stores, and parents home to their children. Oregon's Sixth District wishes Allan the best in his next chapter. We thank him for his years of dedicated service and for leaving the Salem area stronger and more connected.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, Amalia, an 18-month-old, was sent to Dilley Detention Facility where she began to fall ill. Her parents waited in the health clinic line eight separate times, begging for little Amalia's life. It wasn't until Amalia's blood oxygen levels were low enough to kill off part of her tiny brain that ICE took her concerns seriously. Amalia was admitted to the ICU where she was diagnosed with COVID-19, pneumonia, RSV, and was in severe respiratory distress. As a mother, I know that even just one of these diagnoses can be a death sentence for a toddler, and this story is far from unique. Children as young as 2 months old are being held at Dilley for more than 40 days, which is double the legal limit, under nightmarish conditions: worm-infested food, unsanitary drinking water, and mothers being separated from their children, all while being screamed at by agents. In any other setting, we would call this out for what it is: child abuse. While detained babies sit on lawyers' laps to represent themselves in court, Trump is spending billions of dollars on ICE, which could be used to improve the lives of hardworking families who are just trying to provide stable homes for their children. Mr. Speaker, Trump can stop this chaos now, but the emotional damage is done. The fear, instability, and trauma these children have experienced will never disappear. It will linger for generations.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to share an excerpt of a letter from a child who was detained at the Dilley ICE facility: ``My name is Ariana . . . I am 14 years old, and I am from Honduras. I've been detained for 45 days. Since I got to this center, all you will feel is sadness and mostly depression. I've been in this country for almost 7 years, and in those 7 years, my mom and I found a home and made a bigger family. I have never been separated from my siblings, and it's honestly sad because they are little, and they need their mom and sister.'' She goes on to say: ``I haven't been getting any school time. There are various viruses. People are always sick. Serious situations happen, and the officers can't take them seriously enough. There are no consequences. They don't care.'' Mr. Speaker, children are being traumatized by what this administration is doing to them. We must ask ourselves: Is this right? Is this moral? Is this the Nation we want to be?

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose President Trump's disastrous tariffs and shine a light on the real harm they are causing families and businesses in my district. My district is home to some of the best wineries in the world, and Canada is our single largest foreign market. After Trump imposed his tariffs, Canada responded with their own tariffs that lasted for months. Many Canadians continue to boycott our products, all while our growers and producers pay the price. They are facing higher costs, shrinking export opportunities, and real economic pain for real families. In October, wine sales to Canada were down 84 percent when compared to last year. If we fail to act, this Congress will be complicit in enabling President Trump to destroy the hard-fought relationships my community has brokered. Wineries in my district built their relationships across the border over decades, and in one day, President Trump destroyed them. These tariffs hurt American farmers and American consumers alike. We must act and protect the American people from the volatile whims of the petulant President. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call out President Trump for abusing his power, acting in secrecy, and threatening our safety, all while failing to address the rising costs in America. Trump is deploying ICE to our neighborhoods to terrorize our immigrant communities. His operations rely on brutal tactics, avoiding deescalation and due process against U.S. citizens. Although the administration claims it is only targeting undocumented criminals who pose a threat, we know that is an outright lie. At every turn, the administration erodes any trust it has ever had with the public. That became even clearer when Secretary Noem signed an order barring Members of Congress from conducting oversight of ICE facilities without 7 days' notice. I visited an ICE facility in Tacoma, Washington. I did provide that 7 days' notice, even though I was not legally required to do so, and yet I was still denied access to meet with my constituents due to so-called scheduling issues. This is not transparency. This is an attempt to control access, suppress oversight, and manipulate the narrative. Instead of terrorizing our communities, Trump needs to get back to the real work of solving the affordability crisis.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to pass this legislation to prevent families' healthcare costs from skyrocketing. I will share just a few messages from my hardworking constituents who will be impacted. Kelly from Salem wrote: ``My policy is going to increase from $40 to $191. I will have no wiggle room in my budget, no room for emergencies.'' Rachel from Amity says that her plan will increase from $511 to $1,328 per month. She wrote: ``We will probably choose to only insure our child. We cannot afford 25 percent of our income going to health insurance.'' Janice from Salem said that her monthly costs will go from $465 to $1,100. ``I will go without health insurance if I can't bring it way down to no more than $500 a month. I am 5 years away from retirement.'' Mr. Speaker, these are just three stories from about 16,000 in my district, and there are millions just like these across our country. Our constituents are counting on this body to lower their costs and save their healthcare. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this disgusting bill that does nothing to protect children's innocence. It endangers parents, healthcare providers, and children. It allows healthcare providers and parents to be fined and possibly jailed if they help a minor access lifesaving care. It permits Federal law enforcement to act as the national gender police, allowing them to invade children's private medical records. This bill puts even more children in harm's way and exacerbates the mental health crises that our young people are facing because it stops them from actually receiving the care that they need right now. Madam Speaker, why is our focus on this when what I am hearing from constituents is that Republicans are falling short in addressing the cost of groceries, healthcare, and housing? To my Republican colleagues, why not focus on the issues that will impact millions of families who are just one paycheck away from homelessness or losing their healthcare instead of waging a war on children's genitals? What is this unhealthy obsession? Let's end it today by voting ``no'' on H.R. 3492.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize George Fox University Women's Golf Head Coach MaryJo McCloskey. In 2006, Coach MJ helped found the women's golf program at George Fox, and since then, she has coached hundreds of talented student- athletes. During her time coaching, she has put together an inspiring track record. She is an 8-time NCAA Division III West Region Coach of the Year, a 10-time Northwest Conference Coach of the Year, and has an NCAA National Championship under her belt. In addition to coaching her award winning team, she recently published a book titled ``When Girls Win,'' which delves into the personal challenges Coach MJ has faced as a woman in a male-dominated field while illustrating how people like you and me can build a winning mindset. MaryJo has been a fixture at George Fox University, and her hard work and determination led her to be one of two inductees to the Women's Golf Coaches Association's Hall of Fame. Oregon's Sixth Congressional District is extremely proud of what Coach MJ has achieved. Her tremendous honor is not only a testament to the investment she has made in herself, but also to her family, her community, and, most importantly, to her team. I congratulate Coach MJ.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Vasquez for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 356, the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act, my bipartisan legislation with Representatives LaMalfa and Neguse in the House and Senators Crapo and Wyden in the Senate. In central and southern Oregon, my district, the Federal Government owns over 3 million acres of forestland that pays no taxes to our local government. Generations of families built their lives and livelihood around Federal timber harvest, and counties relied on revenue shares from those sales to fund public services. When the timber industry collapsed, the revenue shares also disappeared. Congress made a commitment to support rural communities and the critical infrastructure to make sure they did not get left behind. However, in the Republican budget bill, H.R. 1, the timber revenues from Federal lands to counties were eliminated, adding insult to injury. The Secure Rural Schools program has been a lifeline for our rural communities. It supports basic public services like keeping roads paved, schools open, and emergency services running. Secure Rural Schools was meant to be a bridge and not the final answer for our rural communities. Mr. Speaker, we still have a long way to go to deliver on the investments and job opportunities that rural America needs and deserves. I know it is one of my top priorities in Congress, along with many of my colleagues. Letting this program expire and pulling the rug out from under our rural counties is simply not an option. We owe it to our rural communities and our timber-dependent counties to keep this commitment. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it, as well.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call out the inhumane treatment of immigrants and people living on American soil. Individuals are missing from work, children are skipping school, and people are too afraid to leave their own homes because Trump has ordered his administration to arrest immigrants at any cost. This manufactured chaos has resulted in ICE vigilantes arresting U.S. citizens, even children. My own constituents have had to endure this horrific trauma across Oregon's Willamette Valley. Last week, I visited the Tacoma, Washington, ICE detention facility to visit constituents and to conduct oversight. I wanted the opportunity to see for myself the facility, to understand what my constituents are being put through. I gave ICE their 7-day notice of my arrival, as they had requested, but I knew I would get a sanitized version of the privatized prison I would be shown. But the alternative would be to drive 3 hours, and then they would turn me away. The goal was to meet with my constituents and their attorney and get a tour of the facility. When I asked about the detainees not being able to access medication, facility officials told me that detainees often lie about the lack of access to medical care. They claimed anyone could get access to the medical care that they need. However, I know at least one of my constituents who was detained and was not able to access the heart medication he needed. He went 2 weeks without his lifesaving heart medicine. Why would anybody lie about that, their heart medicine? He had no reason to lie. But he did get it 2 weeks later when he was sent down to Texas. When I asked about the tuberculosis outbreak in the Alaska detention facility, ICE claimed the news reports got it wrong. I questioned if similar outbreaks happened in the Tacoma facility, and, again, was told flatout lies. The attorney I spoke to afterward told me, yes, there were outbreaks in the Tacoma facility. When I asked about detainees not being able to access their attorneys, facility officials told me, oh, there are tablets that they can access and there are lots of rooms. When I was supposed to meet with my constituents on that same day, I was refused access to my own constituents and so was their attorney. Even with a full 7-day notice, the Tacoma ICE detention facility, the Department of Homeland Security, and the GEO Group couldn't get their story straight. They raised more questions than they could answer. The questions that they did answer were lies, half-truths, and misleading at best. We should all be holding ICE, Homeland Security, and this administration accountable. It may start at our local or regional detention facilities, but it does not stop there. We must hold Tom Homan, Kristi Noem, and Donald Trump accountable. They must tell me why a 17-year-old U.S. citizen was arrested, traumatized, and suffered shards of glass in his eye when an ICE vigilante smashed in his driver's side window and arrested him, detained him first, and asked questions later. This is not justice. This is terror, but I have a voice. I have a voice for the people in my district. I have a voice for those who still believe that the United States is the land of opportunity, just as the Salinas family did in 1945. I will continue to conduct oversight and publicize the horrific acts of ICE. They cannot continue to operate in the shadows. We must all continue to speak out and hold those who have raised their hands and pledged their oath to the Constitution accountable, but they are failing miserably today.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the growing mental health care crisis in rural America. Nearly one in five adults live with a mental illness, yet rural communities lack the providers, facilities, and resources to meet their needs. In my own district, an entire county has only one child and adolescent psychiatrist. For families seeking timely specialized care, that is not just an inconvenience. It is a barrier that can mean the difference between preventative help and a crisis. Communities across the country face the same impossible math: too many needs and too few providers. That is why I have introduced legislation to support clinicians who commit to practicing in rural areas and to expand telemental health services tailored to farmers, fishers, and foresters, the people who power our rural economies. Access to quality care should not depend on your ZIP Code. I urge my colleagues to join me in ensuring rural Americans are no longer overlooked or underserved.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my friend and colleague, Congressman Garcia. Over the past 3-plus years, I have had the pleasure of working with Chuy Garcia. I have known him to be a dedicated public servant committed to serving his community and his country. Day in and day out, he has shown up for his constituents and for the American people. I contrast this with Speaker Johnson, who, for the last month and a half, kept the House out of session, stopped this body from working on behalf of the people who sent us here, and manufactured a healthcare crisis. We just ended the Republicans' government shutdown, and this is our first order of business? We need to get back to work to address the issues impacting the American people. We should be united in addressing the Republicans' looming healthcare crisis and the rising cost of living. This debate does nothing to lower costs for people in Oregon or across this country. This is a debate that should be held by Congressman Garcia's constituents, not by Members of Congress who do not represent them. We have more important work to do than to express displeasure at a Member of Congress who has spent his entire life serving the people of Illinois and people across this country. Now, please, let's get back to the real work on behalf of the American people. I urge my colleagues to reject this reprimand.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, September is National Suicide Prevention Month. That is why I rise today to highlight the urgent need to support the mental well-being of our rural communities. The suicide rates among farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers stand at nearly 44 deaths per 100,000 people, which is significantly higher than the national average. Despite this crisis, my Republican colleagues recently passed their big, ugly bill, which guts Medicaid. Medicaid provides access to the care many in our rural communities need. Because of these cruel cuts, Oregonians will lose out on lifesaving mental and behavioral health care, and the mental health crisis will only get worse. As a founding member of the Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus, I know that our rural neighbors often travel long distances to access care. I have a bill, the Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act, that would expand access to remote mental health and substance use services in rural America, specifically for individuals working in the farming, fishing, and forestry industries. Mr. Speaker, it is time we come together to pass legislation that will address our Nation's growing mental health crisis and provide farmers and people in rural communities the care they deserve.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call out the Trump administration for their arrest and unconstitutional treatment of my constituent. Last week, my constituent was working as a wildland firefighter to combat the Bear Gulch fire when CBP stopped his crew and arrested him. He was brought to the United States when he was just 4 years old. The United States is the only home he knows. For the past 3 years, he has bravely served as a wildland firefighter, putting his life on the line to protect us. Arresting a firefighter who is actively fighting a wildfire does not make our community safer. For roughly 48 hours after his arrest, the Trump administration violated my constituent's constitutional rights. Despite requesting a phone call and his attorney, he was denied. Let me be clear. Immigrants deserve to be treated with dignity. The Constitution deserves to be followed. Communities deserve safety from wildfires. First responders deserve to do their jobs unimpeded. Anything less is a slap in the face to the values we share as Americans.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the city of Beaverton and Mayor Lacey Beaty for being selected as 1 of 50 finalists in the 2025 Bloomberg Mayors Challenge. Selected from over 630 global applicants, Beaverton's bold initiative reimagines housing through community-led, intergenerational models that put homeownership within reach for more Oregonians. Imagine a walkable neighborhood with vibrant shops, restaurants, and community-led events for all residents, a neighborhood that sets up families with the resources and support they need to own a home, a neighborhood where sustainability and accessibility are priorities. This is Beaverton's dream, and they are making it a reality. At a time when too many families are priced out, this idea addresses unnecessary barriers, high costs, zoning limits, and a lack of housing options through a new and innovative plan to create more starter housing. I congratulate Mayor Beaty and the entire city of Beaverton for this remarkable achievement and for showing the world what is possible.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to amend the rule to make in order the amendment at the desk that protects against any cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Ms. SALINAS

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, with this bill, my Republican colleagues are betraying the American people. In the dark of morning, they are trying to ram through legislation that will raise costs, strip away healthcare, take food off the tables of working families, and increase energy costs for all Americans, all to give tax breaks to billionaires and corporations. Cuts to Medicaid will shutter rural hospitals, nursing homes, and health centers, leaving families with higher costs and nowhere to turn for care. As millions of families right now are struggling to put food on the table, this bill cuts funding for nutrition assistance, forcing children, veterans, and seniors to go hungry. This bill raises costs on everything, from energy bills to prescription medications. This bill is a grave mistake. If it passes, my Republican colleagues may pay for it at the ballot box, but countless Americans will pay for it with their lives. I urge my colleagues to have the moral courage to oppose this bill.