Joe Wilson

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the life of Van Hipp of Walterboro whose public service embodies an American Patriot. South Carolinians are grateful to express appreciation for him. I include in the Record the following obituary that has been provided by Parker-Rhoden Funeral Home:

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, this month, Massad Boulous, the Senior Advisor to President Donald Trump, sponsored peace talks in Spain encouraging peace between Morocco and Algeria. A breakthrough could help push war criminal Putin out of North Africa. Algeria and Putin in the past have had a strategic partnership, as Russia is the main arms supplier to Algeria. Peace between Morocco and Algeria can move Algeria into a better relationship with America which can bring benefits for all North Africa including Tunisia, where Algeria is the key sponsor for tyrant President Saied. The people of Tunisia are recognized as revolutionaries for freedom. The future of Algeria lies in moving past support for the Polisario and backing a realistic autonomy solution for the Sahrawi people, rather than prolonging a conflict that destabilizes the region. Creating a country run by a Marxist cult in the middle of the Sahara Desert is not in the best interest of innocent Sahrawis, as Marxism always fails. Stable, peaceful, and prosperous North Africa can be achieved with the visionary encouragement of President Donald Trump facilitated by courageous Massad Boulous.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, President Trump is delivering real relief for families in the form of lower costs for everyday items, creating jobs. Wages are growing faster than prices, putting more money into the pockets of Americans. Year over year, inflation fell over 2.4 percent in January, marking a new low. Core inflation has dropped to the lowest level in 5 years, underscoring progress made by Donald Trump. In the first Trump year, real earnings for workers have outpaced inflation by $1,400, earning back some of the $3,000 lost under Biden. Key prices are falling in January. Beef, eggs, and coffee prices all declined. The interest rates are down for home building. Gasoline prices are falling. Promises made, promises kept. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump and mocking Trump as we now see war criminal Putin entering into the fourth anniversary of the Putin invasion today, which he lied to his troops would be a 30-day special mission. Courageous Ukrainians with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be victorious over mass murderer Vladimir Putin.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 75 years, as of this month, since the Battle of Chipyong-ni, often called the ``Gettysburg of the Korean War.'' In February 1951, the Chinese People's Liberation Army and North Korean People's Army launched a major offensive against American and South Korean lines near Chipyong-ni. American forces, along with the support of French allies, held their ground against relentless attacks until February 15th when troops from the American 1st Calvary Division broke through enemy lines, reversing a monthslong tide of defeats. This victory marked a major turning point in the war effectively breaking the last major Chinese offensive and restoring momentum to the United Nations forces. I include in the Record the following summary of this battle from the February 12, 2026, edition of The Washington Times: Tide-turning `Gettysburg of Korea' Battle Commemorated 75 Years Later CHIPYONG-NI, South Korea--Chipyong-ni is today a modest, rural village, but 75 years ago it briefly commanded the attention of the free world. For millennial Koreans, the village--now spelled `Jipyeong-ri'--is famed for the excellence of its makgeolli, a white rice brew. For military historians, Chipyong-ni is famed for the three-day `Gettysburg of the Korean War' that began Feb. 13, 1951. Forty miles southeast of Seoul, U.S. forces, fighting alongside French allies, reversed a monthslong tide of defeats, proving Chinese forces could be beaten. The battle's 75th anniversary was commemorated Wednesday by local VIPs and troop contingents from France, South Korea and the U.S. But as the war generation fades, this year's commemorations were the first in living memory without veterans. And while trans-Atlantic tensions strain NATO's sinews, inter-Allied frictions became obvious during the commemorations. Looking Back In 1951, the battle was fought under snow. In 2026, the rice fields were frozen and the weather chill, but snow had stayed off the gray-brown landscape. Gunfire no longer clatters; artillery no longer thunders. Today's standout sound is the hiss of KTX bullet trains passing along through the little station. Commemorations took place at a raised memorial overlooking Chipyong-ri's museum--complete with a tank outside. The makegolli brewery that was the American command post still stands, beautifully restored. Uniforms included Korean Army dark greens, U.S. Army browns and tans and the jaunty scarlet and blue of the most distinctive contingent--cadets from the French military academy, St. Cyr, `This battle was a linchpin,' Brig. Gen. Scott Woodward, deputy commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, or `21D,' the key U.S. ground force in Korea today. `It turned the tide of the war.' In 1951, 21D's 23rd Infantry Regiment, fighting under the U.N. Command banner with the French U.N. Battalion attached, defended Chipyong-ri. From the memorial, the most striking thing about the battlefield is its size. Four battalions of infantry, plus artillery and over 100 vehicles were compressed by the surrounding Chinese forces into a perimeter a mile deep and a mile-and-a-half wide. `It's humbling to see the challenges the soldiers faced,' said U.S. Command Sgt. Maj. Larry Milner. `The terrain forced them to get in close.' `It must have been intimidating to fight here: You could see the enemy's eyes,' said 2nd Lt. Nicolas, a St. Cyr cadet who, citing academy policy. declined to offer his surname. `The enemy had the high ground, and much more manpower.' Holding the `Human Wave' U.S. Col. Paul Freeman, commanding the 23rd, deployed his units shoulder-to-shoulder to prevent infiltration in an all- around defense. Inside the perimeter, his engineers built a crude runway, cutting reliance on road transport. These preparations were designed to confront a Chinese tactic that had, so far, been triumphant in the Korean War. In `human wave' attacks, Chinese units massed in front of U.N. positions and assaulted frontally. At the same time, other units infiltrated around the flanks, establishing roadblocks and ambush sites deep in the rear. Like water, the Chinese forces aimed to roll over, around and behind U.N. units. The tactic had driven all before it. In December 1950, U.N. forces had retreated from North Korea. A month later, Seoul fell. By February 1951, the war hung in the balance. Chipyong-ri commanded a key road-rail transport junction. Freeman was ordered to hold firm. Overlooking him, Chinese officers massed three regiments against the 23rd. What happened next passed into legend. Chinese troops crawled through mines, under wire, up to fighting positions, initiating combat of the most traumatic kind: Extreme close range. Massive 8-inch howitzers were depressed, shooting directly into the assault waves. U.S. aircraft dropped lines of flares for illumination, napalm incendiaries for effect. French troops used a hand-cranked siren to overwhelm the bugles the Chinese used as signaling devices, then unleashed bayonet counterattacks. The perimeter held the first night. On the second, Chinese penetrated the south. The battle raged all day as more Chinese troops were fed into the breach, swarming inside the perimeter. Just as darkness fell on Feb. 16, U.S. tanks appeared through a pass in the southern ridge: A relief force from 1st Cavalry Division. Caught on flat ground without cover, Chinese soldiers were mowed down by tank fire. They fled. Freeman and his men had held. Chipyong-ni was likened to Gettysburg, though smaller in scale than the Civil War epic. Chinese after-action reports indicated shock. Per precedent, they had expected the Americans to retreat, and had been stunned by the armored intervention. All units--French included--earned U.S. Army Distinguished Unit Citations. Passing generation, new animosity Absent from the 2026 commemorations were the veterans, With the Korean War ending in 1953 living memories are evaporating--making commemorations doubly important. `Telling stories, getting the soldiers to learn their history, builds cohesion,' Gen. Woodward said. Though drones, long-range fires and satellite communications have changed combat, the core lessons of Chipyong-ri endure. `The character of war has changed, the nature of war has not,' he continued. `Whether it's with axes or drones, soldiers have got to have guts and determination, and leaders have got to inspire.' Unlike World War II and the Vietnam War, the Korean War, dubbed `The Forgotten War' hasn't resonated in popular culture. A bare handful of Korean actions caught Hollywood's attention, notably the Incheon amphibious landing, and the breakout from Chosin Reservoir. Chipyong-ri does not make the list, Retired U.S. Army Lt. Coil. Steve Tharp, who conducts Korean War tours and calls himself passionate about the battle, bemoaned that. The Marine Corps, which fought at Incheon and Chosin, outsmarts the Army in public relations, he sniffed. Chipyong-ri, he said, is custom-built for film, with the dramatic armored intervention being `like the cavalry arriving in a Western.' In 2026, it was America's allies who felt overlooked. French diplomats, officers and cadets attended the U.S. ceremony. In a subsequent commemoration, at the nearby French memorial, no U.S. troops or officials appeared. `I am a little perplexed about what they were thinking,' said retired Col. Alain Nass, a former defense attache at Seoul's French Embassy. `They were not here with us today. Why?' He noted that 2ID was originally activated in France, during World War I. Every year, it is commemorated by French officialdom there. `We have the U.S. flag here,' he said, pointing to the Stars and Stripes engraved alongside the Tricolor on the French battle memorial. `It's important we keep this relationship alive: It's about comradeship.'

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, war criminal Putin should apologize for his January 29 phone call pledge to President Donald Trump to avoid destroying utilities in Ukraine, while Putin accelerates attacks to freeze Ukrainians as Stalin starved Ukrainians. Putin should apologize to courageous First Lady Melania Trump for keeping kidnapped Ukrainian children to ``Putinize'' them, as Hitler kidnapped Polish children to Germany. Putin should apologize to Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner for endless meetings in Moscow, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Miami, Paris, Vienna, and New York as Putin restocks Iranian drones, Chinese Communist Party missiles, and North Korean troops. The war continues as dictators with rule of gun invade democracies with rule of law: February 24, 2022, into Ukraine and October 7, 2023, into Israel. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies and insulting Trump and mocking Trump with murderous attacks this week in Ukraine, freezing civilians with no electricity, no heat, and no water.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, war criminal Putin should apologize for his January 29th, 2026 phone call pledge to President Donald Trump to avoid destroying utilities in Ukraine, while Putin accelerates attacks to freeze Ukrainians, as Stalin starved Ukrainians. Putin should apologize to courageous First Lady Melania Trump for keeping kidnapped Ukrainian children to `Putinize' them, as Hitler kidnapped Polish children to Germany. Putin should apologize to Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for endless meetings in Moscow, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Miami, Vienna, and New York as Putin re-stocks Iranian drones, Chinese Communist Party missiles, and North Korean troops. The war continues as dictators with rule of gun invade democracies with rule of law--February 24, 2022 into Ukraine; and October 7, 2023 into Israel. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump and mocking Trump with murderous attacks this week in Ukraine, freezing civilians to death with no electricity, heat, or water.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, it is sad but true that antisemitic hatred of Jews has developed across America supported by well-funded networks of protestors. The highly respected former Attorney General of Virginia, Jason Miyares, has been courageous to expose the threats to free speech in an article of Follow the Money published today by the Jewish Insider, researched by Marc Rod. I include in the Record the article: Jason Miyares alleges `very organized' and well-funded network propping up antisemitic activity. Former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares on Tuesday laid out what he said was a coordinated network funneling U.S. funds to terrorist groups abroad and bringing foreign money into the U.S. to incite anti-Israel protests. The former attorney general, who in his previous role sought to expose the financial records of American Muslims for Palestine, seemingly referring to ongoing litigation, that `allegedly, a good number of charitable organizations and networks of them' funnel money both from the United States to terrorist proxies in the Middle East, as well as from overseas into campus protests. `They're very organized, they're funded,' Miyares, a Republican, said at a George Washington University Program on Extremism conference on antisemitism. `You could see it as a huge network, a huge network that is nationwide, of different entities funneling money in, in my opinion, to form a dissent on these college campuses and give people then the license and the permission to push rampant antisemitism.' He said that there was clear proof that the protests were orchestrated, pointing to an incident at Virginia Commonwealth University where a large protest `seemingly sprung out overnight,' where demonstrators arrived with premade barriers and signs, as well as full tactical gear and makeshift bear spray grenades, and coached other demonstrators on how to attack police. Miyares said that he became particularly passionate about pursuing antisemitism as attorney general during a trip to Israel shortly after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, when he visited the site of some of Hamas' massacres. On the way home from the trip, he saw news coverage of protests on U.S. campuses of protesters waving Hamas flags and shouting Hamas slogans. `It really struck me in my core. How in the world did we get this inverted?' Miyares said. He highlighted one story of meeting a Jewish student who had spoken out against a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions resolution at his university, and returned to a sign on his dorm room door that read, `if you open your mouth again, we will finish what the Final Solution started.' The student's roommate, a German Jewish exchange student, ultimately decided to leave the school and the country entirely. Miyares alleged that the school knew who left the sign but didn't act until Miyares had a `very, very frank, direct conversation' with the college president. `Students feel intimidated and at times scared to speak out, and so it requires college administrators to give them that space and give them that ability, that they actually can share what they're experiencing,' Miyares said.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful that this week House Republicans, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson, will vote on the SAVE Act. This legislation will work to ensure election security, restoring public trust in the electoral process. The bill would protect valuable rights through common sense, such as mandating a valid photo ID for all Federal elections, requiring documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote in Federal elections, and forcing States to identify and remove noncitizens from existing voter rolls. As a former Lexington County election commissioner, I know firsthand these reforms are basic, and opposition sadly reveals opening the door for ballot fraud. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump and mocking Trump, as Putin destroys Ukrainian civilian utilities to freeze Ukrainians, murderously deprived of electricity, heat, and water with temperatures below zero.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, with elections yesterday in our valued ally Japan, it is reassuring for Peace Through Strength that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been re-elected. American allies across the Indo-Pacific region are building defenses to deter Chinese Communist Party aggression. We all support stability for all citizens of all nations, including China, for peace and prosperity. This achievement deserves recognition. I include in the Record the following editorial from The Wall Street Journal: takaichi rolls to a landslide victory in japan Who says every political leader in the free world is unpopular? Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi defied that stereotype on Sunday by leading her Liberal Democratic Party to a sweeping victory in the lower house of Parliament. Returns show the LDP on a path to win a comfortable majority on its own, which amounts to a landslide. The party had lost support in recent elections and needed a coalition partner to form a government. With her new coalition partners, Ms. Takaichi will have a two-thirds majority that will be able to overrule opposition in the weaker upper house. The result is in part a personal victory for the 64-year- old Ms. Takaichi, Japan's first female Prime Minister, who has a 67% approval rating that buoyed the rest of the party. It's true she faced weak opposition, but her recent LDP predecessors weren't able to capitalize as she now has. Credit also goes to Beijing, which has tried to punish Japan with export and tourist bans after Ms. Takaichl told the truth by saying publicly that a Chinese takeover of Taiwan would threaten Japan's security. Beijing's bullying backfired again, as it previously has in Taiwan and Australia. President Xi Jinping could send his wolf-warrior diplomats to his infamous reeducation camps, except they were probably taking orders from him. Ms. Takaichi comes out of the LDP's conservative, pro- American wing. She favors more defense spending, which is urgently needed given China's vast military buildup. So far she has managed President Trump's unpredictable behavior as well as anyone can. She'll try to stabilize trade ties, and Mr. Trump would be wise to make that happen instead of treating the country as a zero-sum trade adversary. Less certain is whether her agenda will address the frustrations of the Japanese public on inflation. She has called for a two-year moratorium on Japan's 8% consumption tax on food. But the roots of Japan's inflation are monetary, as the Bank of Japan attempts to normalize its policy after years of negative interest rates. Ms. Takaichi also campaigned on a new burst of government spending, a Keynesian remedy that has failed in Japan many times in the past. A non-defense spending burst is also riskier in the current environment of high global government debt. Investors may raise their asking price to finance Japan's rising debt load. Japan's economic problem isn't a lack of demand. It's on the supply-side, in a dearth of animal spirits and domestic competition. Ms. Takaichi's mentor, the late Shinzo Abe, pursued some deregulation that has helped growth, and that is the policy avenue the prime minister can best pursue. The best news is that the clear LDP majority will give Ms. Takaichi running room to govern with a mandate. The U.S. and the free world need a strong and confident Japan as an ally against the Chinese Communist Party's imperial ambitions.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, as myself, the son of a Flying Tiger of World War II serving in Kunming, Xi'An, and Chengdu, developing a warm affection for the people of China, I am especially disappointed with the outrageous sentencing of Chinese patriot Jimmy Lai. The National Review, in the tradition of William F. Buckley, Jr., has always been a bulwark for freedom, successfully promoting democracy to be victorious over totalitairan communism, liberating tens of millions across the world. I include in the Record the following article from the National Review by Kamden Mulder: Pro-Democracy Media Mogul Jimmy Lai Sentenced to 20 Years in Chinese Prison Pro-democracy Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison following the end of his long-awaited trial in December, when he was convicted of violating Chinese national security laws. Lai's sentence is the harshest ever handed down for a violation of this specific Chinese security law, which has been used in the country to quell any criticism of the Chinese Communist Party. Lai, 78, is a prominent pro-democracy activist and founder of the newspaper Apple Daily, which championed the cause of freedom for Hong Kong. In December, Lai was convicted of conspiracy to collude with a foreign country to endanger national security and conspiracy to publish seditious publications. Lai had previously pleaded not guilty. The maximum punishment for this conviction is life in prison. Lai's co-defendants, six of whom were former employees of Apple Daily, received sentences of up to ten years in prison. The other two co-defendants were activists. Lai was previously arrested in August 2020 after Chinese authorities raided Apple Daily. He then spent five years in Chinese custody in solitary confinement. Three Chinese judges determined that Lai's work, as well as his meetings with U.S. government officials, were in violation of national security law. Lai did not have a jury present at his trial. The trial lasted 156 days, during which Lai represented himself. It was delayed multiple times because of Lai's health. The verdict alleges that Lai consistently and unwaveringly worked to take down the Chinese Communist Party via his work at his pro-democracy news publications. President Donald Trump is set to visit China in April and has urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to consider Lai's release. Trump said he feels `very badly' about the verdict. U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the trial was `politically motivated,' with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling for Lai's release. Lai is a British citizen. Lai grew up very poor but worked his way up from factory worker to billionaire, in part by starting his own retail chain. At the time of Lai's arrest, he was worth $1.2 billion. After beginning much of his pro-democracy activism through his newspapers, Next Magazine and Apple Daily, he converted to Catholicism in 1997. Chairman John Moolenaar of the Select Committee on China said he will `lead efforts to sanction those responsible for the repression of Lai and his colleagues.' `The sentencing of Jimmy Lai is the latest stain on the human rights record of the Chinese Communist Party and the farce of its promise to uphold one country, two systems,' Moolenaar said. `Lai and his Apple Daily colleagues are being punished for exposing the truth about the CCP's attacks on the rights of Hong Kongers.' Lai's daughter, Claire Lai, said her father's sentence is `heartbreakingly cruel.' `If this sentence is carried out, he will die a martyr behind bars,' Claire said.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, led by House Republicans with Speaker Mike Johnson, President Donald Trump has signed the Working Families Tax Cut Act into law. As a result, the tax code will be simplified for over 90 percent of families, turning tax season of dread into a season of historic relief. Families will pay no taxes on the first $31,500 earned. As these tax cuts are retroactive to 2025, the average refund is projected to increase by $1,000, with a total of $91 billion of additional refunds being returned to the American people this spring, allowing hardworking families to keep their own money. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump, attacking civilian utilities in Ukraine to freeze the Ukrainians to death as Stalin starved the Ukrainians to death. As Americans endure freezing temperatures, war criminal Putin is murderously destroying the infrastructure of Ukraine, freezing Ukrainians now with the incredibly disgusting situation of no electricity, no heat, no water, betraying a pledge by war criminal Putin that he would not destroy the utilities. This is as the people of Ukraine are facing temperature of 4 degrees and freezing to death by war criminal Putin.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, this week in Washington and Charleston will hold services appreciating the extraordinary life of Karen Metz, whose accomplishments have meaningfully impacted many communities. Our deepest sympathy goes to Chief of Staff Craig Metz, and their son Preston. I include in the Record the following obituary from the website of Joseph Gawler's Sons, LLC.: Karen Angela McCleary Metz, the wife of Craig Huseman Metz for 41 years, and the mother of Preston Worthington Metz, died peacefully at home in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2026, following more than eight years of courageously enduring severe complications from ANCA Vasculitis. A Fourth Generation Memphian (born July 30, 1955), she was the daughter of Harry Robert McCleary, Jr. and Mary Angela Gallina McCleary, who resided in Germantown, Tennessee, with horse stables in Collierville, Tennessee. She was the granddaughter of Harry Robert McCleary, Sr., the President and Co-Founder of McCleary Industries, Inc. and McCleary Brothers, Inc., and Sadye Marie ``Peggy'' Trebing McCleary, of Memphis and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Joseph Charles Gallina, who owned and operated a 7,500 acre commercial farming enterprise along the Mississippi River in Shelby County, with his brother, John Gallina, for many years, and Frances Facelli Gallina, of Memphis. One of the largest truck farming operations in the Mid-South, producing vegetables and cotton, the innovative Gallina Brothers Farms employed on average 300 seasonal workers and was one of the first agriculture sites in the Mid-South to utilize crop dusting for aerial application on fields and to employ massive irrigation systems on a large-scale basis. Following her mother and her aunts, she was graduated from the Saint Agnes Academy for Girls, founded by the Dominican Sisters, in Memphis, in 1851, which she attended from Kindergarten through the Twelfth Grade. She received the Bachelor of Science Degree in Interior Design from The University of Tennessee, where she was an officer of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority. Following her graduation from college, she returned to Memphis, where she joined Kimbrough, Inc., the firm of Kenneth Kimbrough, as an Interior Designer, and she continued with the firm when it merged with E.C. Denaux & Co., to become Denaux-Kimbrough. She later moved to Mills Morris, where she concentrated on commercial interior design. During this time, she was an Associate Member of the Memphis Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and served a term as Secretary. She was also the Chairwoman of the House Corporation of the Delta Delta Delta Chapter at Rhodes College, overseeing the renovation of the Chapter House and establishing an annual fundraising drive for philanthropy. With a keen interest in Culinary Arts, she changed careers, receiving the Blue Ribbon Diploma from Peter Kump's New York Cooking School and studying Classic French Culinary Techniques in France. She became the Head Instructor at Peter Kump's New York Cooking School in 1984, and she assisted Peter Kump and Julia Child during their formation of the James Beard Foundation and the purchase of the James Beard Residence, in New York City, for the headquarters. She was certified as an Instructor by the International Association of Cooking Professionals (IACP), and she assisted James Beard, Jacques Pepin, Marcella Hazan, and Diana Kennedy, among other culinary leaders, in conducting classes. She was also named to Outstanding Young Women of America in 1984. Upon her relocation to Washington, DC, in 1987, she became the United States Representative for Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne, one of the first professional cooking schools in France to conduct simultaneous instruction in French and English, with locations in Paris and Burgundy. For a number of years, they also operated ``La Varenne at The Greenbrier,'' providing specially designed intensive programs for guests at the resort. Seeking to express her creativity in other areas related to the culinary field, in 1991, she formed Karen Metz & Company, through which she designed and produced gift boxes for baked goods. Her first commercial customer was Chuck Williams, the founder of Williams-Sonoma, who requested that she design and manufacture a box to his specifications in the signature green of their brand, which was carried in all of their stores. Various designs of other boxes that she created were featured in catalogues and culinary specialty stores internationally under the brand that she established, ``Baker's Wrap.'' During this time, she was an active member of the Food and Libations Association of Virginia (FLAVA), a trade association for the specialty food industry. She later established a branch of Peter Kump's Cooking School for the Washington, DC Area, where she led classes that continued until his death in 1995 and the sale of the school. From that point, she re-activated Karen Metz & Company as a culinary consulting business, with HADCO, which was later acquired by Viking Range, as a principal client. She was also selected by the United States Air Force to develop the meals for inflight service on Air Force Two, at the request of the Vice President of the United States for a higher level of cuisine onboard. She was the Past Chairwoman of the National Capital Area Chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF), having served on the Board of Directors for a number of years. She also led fundraising events for AIWF Scholarships, that were held at Union Station and The Hay-Adams, featuring Julia Child and the leading Chefs of Washington, DC. She was an active member of the Junior League in Memphis, New York City, and Washington, DC, where she was a member of the committee that developed and published Capital Classics-- Recipes from the Junior League of Washington, and where she later became a Sustaining Member. A devoted mother to her son, Preston, she was enthusiastically present for all of his school and sports activities, also volunteering in various support roles at Saint Albans School, including as an Annual Giving Form Representative and with the Washington National Cathedral Flower Mart for nine years. Her devotion extended beyond her connection to his time in school, dedicating herself to raising him to be the compassionate, open-minded young man into which he has developed. She also shared her love for cooking and culture with him, nurturing passions that remain to this day. Most importantly, she quietly demonstrated how to recognize and care for others, committing significant amounts of her time to helping anyone who she perceived as needing assistance; especially, among the elderly and those who are homebound. Always placing the needs of others before herself, she wholeheartedly volunteered her time to caring for a number of individuals, organizing their living situations, overseeing their medical care, providing meals, and being present in their lives daily, for companionship and to provide hope. In addition to her husband and her son, she is survived by her brother, Harry Robert McCleary III, and his wife Jennifer Connell McCleary, of Memphis; her sister, Teresa Marie McCleary, of Memphis; her sister, Alisa McCleary Byars, and her husband, Lewis Jefferson Byars IV, of Tuscumbia, Alabama; her aunt, Sandra Gallina Chiles, and her husband, Walter William Chiles, Jr., of Germantown, Tennessee; her mother-in- law, Annette Worthington Metz, of Columbia, South Carolina; her sister-in-law, Carol Metz O'Kelly, of Florence, South Carolina; her former brother-in-law, Dr. James Kevin O'Kelly, Sr., of Florence, South Carolina; the fiancee of her son, Elizabeth Parker Barringer, of New York City; three nieces; a nephew; and two great-nephews. She was predeceased by her parents and a Godfather of Preston, Peter Kump, of New York City. Memorials may be made to the Madonna Learning Center in Germantown, Tennessee. The family extends its heartfelt gratitude to those who so generously donate Blood, Platelets, and Plasma, which helped to sustain her at the initial life-threatening manifestation of her underlying illness and for the remainder of her life. The family also gratefully recognizes the dedicated Medics of District of Columbia Fire Department Engine Company 31 Forest Hills Station, for their skillful and compassionate care at her home and during numerous ambulance trips to hospitals, as well as the Medics of the Air Ambulance Team, for their lifesaving care in transit during one of her three Heart Attacks. A person of absolute integrity, who lived her Faith through her actions, with an exceptionally compassionate nature and zest for life, she shall be greatly missed by her family and those whose lives that she positively impacted in a variety of ways, including her former students, whom she nurtured, and friends throughout the Country. On Thursday, February 5th, a Viewing shall be held at the Joseph Gawler's Sons Funeral Home at 1:00, with the Funeral Service to be conducted in the Chapel at 2:00, followed by a reception. Officiating the Service shall be, Reverend Richard Arthur Mullins, Pastor of Saint Thomas, Apostle Catholic Church; with the participation of Reverend Brooks Franklin Hundley, Senior Chaplain, Saint Albans School; and Reverend Dominique Francois Peridans, Rector, Church of the Ascension and Saint Agnes, Episcopal. Honorary Pallbearers are members of the Saint Albans School Class of 2012. On Saturday, February 7th, the Rite of Committal with Final Commendation shall be held at her graveside, at Magnolia Cemetery, in Charleston, South Carolina, at 2:00, conducted by Reverend Mark Lowell Sargent, of the Catholic Diocese of London, Ontario, Canada; followed by a reception on Queen Street, in Charleston. Active Pallbearers are: Vic Brandt, Butler Derrick, Drew Fanning, Chappy McKay, Brown McLeod, John Moore, Cal Stephens, Ed Vaughan, Charles Waring, and Congressman Joe Wilson. Honorary Pallbearers are: Attorney General Alan Wilson, Dr. Addison Wilson, Julian Wilson, and Hunter Wilson. James A. McAlister Funeral Home has charge of arrangements in Charleston.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, as the April tax deadline approaches, I am grateful that millions of Americans will keep larger tax cuts thanks to President Donald Trump signing the Working Families Tax Cut Act into law. Based on the great law, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, average tax refunds are projected to rise $1,000 this year in tax savings, with families keeping their own money. These savings come from no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security for most recipients, and a deduction for made-in- America auto loan interest. With the leadership of President Donald Trump and with the leadership of Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republicans allow families, workers, and seniors to keep their own earnings. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies insulting Trump and mocking Trump as this is Ukraine Week across America and around the world, supporting Ukrainian patriots successfully succeeding as they keep and defend a sovereign Ukraine, defeating war criminal Putin from resurrecting the failed Soviet Union, as we also support the adoption and promotion of fair and free elections in the Republican of Georgia. We rejoice for the people of Syria that the Assad dictatorship has been removed, and we thank President Donald Trump for his leadership to remove the dictatorship in Venezuela of Maduro. The people of Venezuela now have an opportunity for freedom and liberty. The people of Syria, because of Donald Trump, have been given a chance. It is an exciting time in world history, as we have a President who stands up for freedom and democracy, for peace through strength.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, due to a subcommittee meeting, I was delayed. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 51. Stated against:

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, last week, Governor Henry McMaster gave the South Carolina State of the State Address. I am grateful that under his leadership, the Palmetto State has had another historic year of over $900 billion of investments, creating 8,000 jobs, 100,000 jobs during his record 10 years of service. Governor McMaster is correct: `` . . . State government is in superior fiscal shape, our laws and policies are business friendly . . . The best is yet to come.'' South Carolina succeeds with Governor McMaster, Republican super majorities in the senate, led by President Tom Alexander, the house by Speaker Murrell Smith, the Republican Congress, and President Trump, all to make America great again. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war Putin criminals lies, insulting Trump, mocking Trump, with Putin destroying Ukrainian utilities to freeze Ukrainians to death just as Stalin starved Ukrainians to death, while a maternity ward is being targeted by war criminal Putin yesterday to kill babies. Our sympathy for the family of Karen Metz, wife of my chief of staff from South Carolina, Craig Metz; mother of Preston Metz.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, this week Governor Henry McMaster announced his 2027 Executive Budget, benefiting the people of South Carolina. The Executive Budget highlights include: Investing over one billion dollars in South Carolina roads; Cutting income tax; Raising teacher pay; Expanding school choice; and Providing scholarships for workforce technical colleges, developing training opportunities, creating jobs. With President Trump devolving power back to the states, I am grateful to continue to work on behalf of the people of South Carolina, joining Governor McMaster, the Republican super majorities in the Senate, led by President Thomas Alexander, the House, with Speaker Murrell Smith, all to Make America Great Again. In conclusion, God Bless Our Troops as the Global War on Terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting Peace Through Strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump and mocking Trump with continued mass murder of Ukrainian civilians. I support the Arctic security initiative President Trump has in Greenland with our allies. The most effective and least costly policy is to defeat war criminal Putin in Ukraine which deters missile attacks by the Chinese Communist Party.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, 1 year ago, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President. Taking over a weakened country with a crumbling Biden economy, Republicans have delivered lower costs, bigger paychecks, creating jobs. President Donald Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which limits government, expands freedom, and provides for peace through strength. The law allows Americans to keep their own money. Promises made, promises kept. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump and mocking Trump. On the day that war criminal Putin invited envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow, Putin launched 33 missiles and 339 drones on civilian infrastructure to freeze Ukrainian families to death, repeating the Stalin famine of mass murder. Sadly, war criminal Putin continues aggression, violating all agreements as he tries to resurrect the failed Soviet Union.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, across the country, arrests of criminal illegal aliens are successful as President Donald Trump is making good on his promise to rid communities of murderous threats to families; making sure killers, gang members, and other violent criminals are deported. The President is ramping up pressure to cooperate with law enforcement by sending in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. This is undermined by extremist paid rioters. The January 14 Washington Times editorial stated: ``Leftists justify their . . . behavior by reciting a version of events existing only in their imaginations.'' Vice President J.D. Vance is correct. Officials are promoting rioting in the streets rather than follow the law. Knowing the President has their back, Federal officials aren't intimidated fighting insurrection. An insurrection is a real attack on democracy. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. President Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump, mocking Trump with Putin mercilessly launching rockets on civilian targets, murdering innocent Ukrainians.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, led by Republicans and signed into law by President Donald Trump, the Working Families Tax Cuts is reversing harmful Biden-era regulations and putting more money in the pockets of American families and creating jobs. The law is delivering bigger paychecks, lower costs, and real results for hardworking families, including: expanding childcare access, permanently expanding the child tax credit; supporting American jobs, with tax breaks for loans on ``Made in America'' cars; keeping the border secure, protecting American families with more Border Patrol agents; 4-year low gas prices; reversing Biden-era regulations; modernizing air traffic control; no tax on tips, overtime, and Social Security. President Trump and House Republicans are producing real results, led by Speaker Mike Johnson. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump and mocking Trump, with Putin defending mass murderer Khomeini as Donald Trump courageously encourages the people of Iran for freedom.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, to cancel tax increases, President Donald Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cuts law into effect on July 4, coordinating with Speaker Mike Johnson. The law limits government, expands freedom, and provides progrowth policies, creating jobs. As the April tax deadline approaches, the law allows Americans to keep more money, led by Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent of Charleston, South Carolina. `` . . . people are going to get massive refund checks,'' said White House National Economic Director Kevin Hassett. Chief of the IRS, Frank Bisignano, said: `` . . . 94 percent-plus of middle-class Americans. . . . '' benefit. Working Families Tax Cuts boost refunds, providing permanency to lower tax rates from the 2017 tax cuts, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump and mocking Trump, as Putin supports Khomeini murdering innocent protestors calling for freedom for Iran, courageously encouraged by President Donald Trump.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, among the 2025 legislative accomplishments by Republicans and President Donald Trump, with the leadership of Mike Johnson, the Working Families Tax Cuts has provided the cutting of taxes, limiting government, expanding freedom, and providing progrowth policies creating jobs. Under President Trump, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 worked, but it had an expiration date. Americans would have faced historic tax increases. This Republican law stops tax increases, continues Trump tax cuts, enabling families to make plans for jobs. Success by President Trump with all-of-the-above energy are the lowest gas prices since 2021. Affordability is achieved, with money in your pocket and reduced transportation costs for businesses. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting and mocking Trump with Putin defending the illegitimate Venezuelan dictator Maduro, who was courageously arrested by Trump, jailing the narcoterrorist for killing Americans.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, visionary radio talk show host Michael Reagan was appropriately recognized in The Washington Times on January 8, 2026, with a deserved tribute by former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker: A great man was born into eternal life this week. Michael Reagan passed away Sunday surrounded by his family. Many people knew him as the eldest son of former President Ronald Reagan. He was certainly proud of that distinction, but we at Young America's Foundation knew him as so much more. He was a wonderful inspiration. That was particularly true when it came to the students who heard him at YAF's programs at the Reagan Ranch. Michael did so much more than share stories about his father. He challenged the next generation to share the values he stood for throughout his public life. He called on them to be happy warriors in the battle to uphold the founding principles of our republic. I first got to know Michael Reagan years ago by listening to his radio show while driving to and from the state Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin. I enjoyed his insights on the news of the day. Years later, I got to know him personally after becoming president of YAF. He was a fixture at our student programs in California. Michael and his family frequently returned to Rancho del Cielo for public and private events. He and his daughter, Ashley, also headlined the very first program YAF hosted in Dixon, Illinois, after our acquisition of the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home. Unfortunately for all of us, the Good Lord decided to call Michael home sooner. He and I discussed his faith and devotion to Jesus. That should give us all comfort during this difficult time, as Michael is with the Lord. One of my colleagues, Andrew Coffin, knew Michael even better, as he began working at the Reagan Ranch in October 1998. Today, Mr. Coffin is the director of the ranch and a YAF vice president. Here is part of his moving tribute to Michael: `With Ronald Reagan, what you saw was what you got. There was no facade. You perhaps get the most profound sense of that authenticity when you visit Rancho del Cielo, President Reagan's beloved Santa Barbara ranch home. His faith, humility, patriotism and work ethic--all are on display in very personal and poignant ways at the ranch. No perspective on Ronald Reagan, though, has been more important than that of his son Michael. Since the earliest days of this project, Michael worked alongside Young America's Foundation to share his father's legacy and ideas with new generations. Among many other YAF activities, Michael was typically the opening speaker at each of our high school conferences at the Reagan Ranch. He did a remarkable job setting the stage for the entire week--especially in laying the groundwork for the experience young people have when they walk in Ronald Reagan's footsteps at Rancho del Cielo. Michael helped these future leaders better understand how Ronald Reagan's life at the ranch connects to his character and values. We were at the ranch one day several years ago for a film project when Michael looked around the simple, 19th-century adobe his father called home and said, ``Without this place, the Berlin Wall still stands.' Michael understood well the way the ranch gave his father a respite from the pressures of his office and the courage to face the challenges ahead. Staying grounded at the ranch is part of what made Ronald Reagan a transformational leader. That simple turn of phrase is a reminder that Michael, as well as his father, was a uniquely gifted communicator. He never spoke with notes, explaining that the few times he tried to work from a script, the speeches were failures. Instead, Michael was a storyteller. He would often explain that his father spoke in parables, and Michael did the same. Vignettes from Michael's childhood helped illuminate his father's character, his faith, his love for his country--even his tax policy. (Michael once asked for a raise to his allowance, something his father promised to do . . . once a president was in office who would cut his taxes.) Students who heard Michael speak gravitated to that same sense of authenticity that made his father such a successful leader. Few who had the privilege of listening to his stories will soon forget Michael's describing Ronald Reagan's long- held desire to say, ``Nyet'' to a Soviet leader, something he was finally able to do with General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in Reykjavik. There were few dry eyes in the room as Michael described his elderly, Alzheimer's ridden father standing in the doorway, waiting with arms outstretched, because Michael had forgotten to give him a hug goodbye. What a wonderful tribute to a great man. When I told a friend that Michael had passed, she noted that when her granddaughter came back from a high school conference at the Reagan Ranch years ago, she said that Michael Reagan had been her favorite speaker. That, along with his family--wife Colleen, son Cameron, daughter Ashley and grandchildren--will be Michael Reagan's greatest legacy.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, in a heartfelt tribute, Dr. Doyle Stevick of the Anne Frank Center of the University of South Carolina paid tribute to Eva Schloss, age 96, of London. King Charles cited ``May her memory be a blessing to us all.'' I include in the Record the following tribute: The Anne Frank Center mourns the passing of Mrs. Eva Schloss, who left us on Saturday morning at the age of 96. Eva had a profound impact around the world, co-founding the Anne Frank Trust in the United Kingdom and speaking all over. She also had a profound if lesser-known impact upon South Carolina and the Anne Frank Center. Born in Austria on May 11, 1929, just 31 days before Anne Frank, Eva Geiringer fled with her family to Amsterdam, living in the same neighborhood as the Frank family. Betrayed on her 15th birthday and sent to Auschwitz, Eva managed to survive with her mother. When Auschwitz was liberated, she searched for her father and brother, who had been murdered, but recognized Otto Frank. Eight years later, Otto would marry her mother, Elfriede. Eva bottled up her anger about what was done to her, her family, and her community for 40 years before beginning to speak. But once she did, she spent the next 40 years changing attitudes, changing lives. Around 2015, Rabbi Hesh Epstein told me that he had been trying to bring Eva to Columbia for years. I replied, ``Let me see what I can do!'' I had been fortunate to get to know Dr. Dienke Hondius, a historian at the Anne Frank House, and the woman who first nudged Eva to share her story, She reached out directly, and we were exceptionally fortunate that Eva agreed to speak in South Carolina both for the Jewish community, interviewed by Dr. Lily Filler, and for school children on the USC campus in 2017. Eva had spoken to audiences of 200-300 people before, but when President Harris Pastides interviewed her at the Koger Center, 56 busloads of school children, mostly middle school students born in 2005, were in attendance. The Jerry and Anita Zucker Family Foundation generously donated 2,000 copies of Eva's autobiography (Eva's Story) for the students in attendance, and a signed nameplate was inserted into each copy. With 2,000 school students born in 2005, I imagined the many hundreds of them who would also live to 90, and in the year 2095 be able to tell their great- grandchildren, `I personally heard Anne Frank's stepsister describe her survival at Auschwitz.' That will be 150 years after Auschwitz was liberated. We've only recently reached 150 years since slavery. The administration was understandably concerned about whether so many middle schoolers would behave appropriately. They gave her three standing ovations. President Emeritus Pastides wrote that `I have met several brave souls who survived the darkest days of the Holocaust and all demonstrated concern and love for persons who have suffered in other times and places. Eva epitomized that by delving into the history of slavery in our country and demonstrating a kinship with descendants of enslaved people. Her visit to our university was an honor for our community. May she rest in eternal peace.' Eva had a generous heart and an infectious curiosity. She loved visiting the Horseshoe and learning about the University.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at noon on Monday next for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to be able to recognize and appreciate our dear friend, Doug LaMalfa, who served so well here in Congress. He was such a patriot that we all could appreciate. He was a fourth-generation rice farmer from northern California; a champion for the people of northern California. I had the opportunity to campaign for him several years ago, and I saw his love and appreciation of the people of northern California. He never gave up. I am grateful, too, for the leadership of Speaker Mike Johnson, our vice chair, Blake Moore, and the different tributes that have been paid to Doug's service, how important it is. Then putting that in context, too, President Donald Trump issued a heartfelt statement of love and affection for our departed congressional Member. With that in mind, Doug LaMalfa is always going to be treasured as a champion for limited government, expanded freedom, and peace through strength.