Tim Walberg

Mr. WALBERG

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 284, the Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act. The Congressional Award Act encourages young people between the ages of 14 and 23 to challenge themselves in ways that not only benefit themselves but also the communities they live in. The award is not given based on past achievement but, rather, an individual is honored for setting goals, creating an action plan, and meeting those goals. Earning an award means young Americans completed self-designed programs focused on four key goals. They are volunteer service, personal growth, exploration, and physical fitness. Upon completion, participants are awarded a Congressional Award certificate or medal in one of three levels: gold, silver, or bronze. These are important recognitions of the hard work and dedication of America's young leaders. The Congressional Award has empowered over 500,000 participants nationwide and is the highest honor Congress bestows on American youth. By reauthorizing this program, we honor the countless hours of hard work and dedication of so many past and present participants. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hudson), a man who has consistently been committed to encouraging young people to achieve, beginning with his own son, as well.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, as I close, I thank my colleagues, including my ranking member, Bobby Scott, for this work in a bipartisan way. We have worked to reauthorize the Congressional Award Act, including Representative Richard Hudson of North Carolina and Senator Lummis of Wyoming. For decades, the Congressional Award Act has inspired young people to engage with their communities and improve the lives of their neighbors and themselves. On the Education and Workforce Committee, we are constantly working to promote more pathways for success for students and young adults so that they can thrive. The Congressional Award program is yet another step to encourage young people to set goals, develop a plan, and be the best that they can be. Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. WALBERG

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 222, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025. For nearly 80 years, the National School Lunch Program has provided low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. We know that healthy diets can improve student success both in and out of the classroom. Whole milk is a nutrient-rich food, and its higher fat content allows children to stay fuller longer. Unfortunately, misconceptions about certain types of fat or calories have prevented schools from offering whole milk as an option to our children. The bill gives us a chance to ensure that children have access to nutritional milk options they want to drink. Some children struggle to consume enough of the right calories to support healthy growth and stay energized throughout the entire school day. For some, school meals may be the only meals they receive that day. This notion that whole milk consumption is linked to childhood obesity is deeply flawed. In fact, studies suggest that higher cow's milk-fat intake is associated with a lower risk of childhood obesity. While it is important to limit fatty, sugary, and highly processed foods, whole milk does not fit into this category. In fact, many schoolchildren are at risk of dairy underconsumption, not overconsumption. Whole milk provides critical nutrition for growing minds. We need to follow the science and pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act.

Mr. WALBERG

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. We all know a strong education can unlock a lifetime of possibilities. Yet for students with disabilities, sometimes even going to school can be challenging. Thankfully, IDEA changed all of that. At its core, IDEA is about providing a tailored education that meets a student's unique needs. As chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee, I am committed to expanding strong, personalized educational opportunities so every student can succeed. IDEA was an incredible first step in making education possible for our Nation's students. As we look to the future, we must maintain and remain steadfast in our commitment to making high-quality, tailored education possible for every American student. Here is to another 50 years of IDEA.

Mr. WALBERG

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise today on behalf of all Michiganders to honor the life and legacy of a former member of the Michigan delegation, Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, who, unfortunately, passed away in early October. Ms. Cheeks Kilpatrick's journey began in classrooms, as has been mentioned, in Detroit where she worked as a dedicated teacher who was committed to the task of all of her children. That early calling to uplift young minds and invest in their future shaped the course of her life. I was fortunate to serve with the former Congresswoman in both the Michigan State legislature where I served on the appropriations committee with her. In fact, that one term in office was historic when there was an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, and we shared the chairmanship of the transportation subcommittee together. I found out what it was to work in concert in a bipartisan way for the good of the State with a lady who was willing to work together. She showed firsthand how committed she was to serving our community, regardless of what community, and advocating for education and opportunity for working families. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick inspired countless others by leading with integrity, resilience, devotion, and also strength. Today, we mourn her passing, but we also honor the lasting mark she left on this Nation and on this body. Mr. Speaker, I ask for all of us to join in a moment of silence and honor for Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick.

Mr. WALBERG

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, it is my special privilege to recognize Jim Gillis of Niles as the Veteran of the Month for December and honor him for his distinguished service to our great Nation. Jim Gillis dedicated over two decades of his life to defending our freedoms as a member of the United States Army. He achieved the rank of Sergeant First Class and deployed repeatedly with some of America's finest Brigade Combat Teams and Divisions, consistently proving himself a leader of uncommon grit and character. For his 21 years of active service to our Nation, Jim was awarded over 40 U.S. Army and Department of Defense medals, including the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service, and the U.S. Army Commendation Medal with 10 oak leaf clusters. He has been named Division Iron Man, MP War Fighter, MP of the Quarter, Sergeant of the Year, and Distinguished Soldier of the Month for both Fort Bragg and the XVIII Airborne Corps. After his lengthy service to our Nation, Jim spent an additional 18 years as a U.S. Army civilian, where he eventually became a contracting representative/specialist and the Deputy Housing Chief before his retirement. Jim has also demonstrated great physical strength throughout his career, allowing him to secure a place on the U.S. Army track team and set a Southern European record for the 3K run at the SETAF Championship. Beyond the accolades, what sets Jim apart is the spirit with which he served. Whether as an MP or as a Troops to Teachers participant, Jim uses both physical and emotional resilience to uplift others. He cares deeply for his soldiers, his colleagues, and his community, continuing to mentor, teach, and support others. He has also been working to establish a Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at Edwardsburg High School to ensure the next generation is prepared to lead. Jim's dedication to his country did not end when he took off the uniform. Instead, he has carried it forward as a civilian. I am honored to share his story, and I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating the significant accomplishments of this remarkable veteran.

Mr. WALBERG

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 916, I call up the bill (H.R. 1069) to prohibit the availability of Federal education funds for elementary and secondary schools that receive direct or indirect support from the Government of the People's Republic of China, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 1069.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1069. American classrooms are becoming battlegrounds for foreign influence. For years, my colleagues and I have sounded the alarm about adversaries exploiting our education system. Malign foreign entities like the Chinese Communist Party are working to undermine American values not just on college campuses but across our K-12 schools, as well. This is not only an attack on education and academic integrity, it is a threat to our national security. Across U.S. colleges, the CCP established Confucius Institutes to push false narratives, whitewash history, and endear American students to the CCP while obscuring its brutal human rights abuses. However, these propaganda operations didn't stop at higher education. In K-12 schools, Confucius classrooms sprang up, aiming to shape the minds of our youngest learners. At a 2023 Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education hearing, Defending Education highlighted a report exposing nearly two decades of CCP efforts to influence thousands of children. At one point, more than 500 schools hosted Confucius classrooms, many located on U.S. military bases. That is no coincidence. Those programs are a deliberate attempt to undermine American values and compromise our security. That is why I proudly support H.R. 1069, the Promoting Responsible Oversight To Eliminate Communist Teachings for Our Kids, or the PROTECT Act, from Representative Kevin Hern and Representative Kevin Kiley. This legislation prohibits Federal funds from going to any school that also accepts funding from the Chinese Communist Party. It also sets a clear precedent: The U.S. will not allow a foreign regime to dictate what our children learn. When schools accept CCP funding, they are effectively letting a totalitarian government decide their curriculum. In China, students are taught only what the Communist Party allows. America must never cede that authority. Confucius classrooms have never been reciprocated in China, where U.S.-style cultural exchanges on this scale are forbidden. The CCP is not interested in genuine cultural exchange or open dialogue. Its goal is indoctrination, teaching students that China is benevolent, while erasing events like the Tiananmen Square massacre and ignoring the ongoing Uyghur genocide and other human rights abuses. By accepting CCP funding, schools shield students from the truth because the party does not want them to know it. The PROTECT Act gives schools a clear choice: Federal funds or CCP funds, but not both. In the wake of years of learning loss and education decline, schools should focus on student achievement, not spreading foreign propaganda. Under the Trump administration's leadership, we are restoring focus to the education system, putting students first, and protecting them from authoritarian influences. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1069 to protect students, uphold American values, and safeguard our national security. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Hern), who is the commonsense bill sponsor as well as chair of the Republican Policy Committee.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, to my friend and colleague, I think she knows that I share her grief and cannot fathom the grief of the loss of her son, especially during the past 12 years. Protecting kids is a multifaceted process. We are talking about just one aspect in our school systems today. That does not mean we disregard. We may have different approaches, but I certainly want my friend to know we hear her. I guess I will leave it there at this point. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Kiley), the bill's co-lead, as well as the chair of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Owens), who is vice chair of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim), who is the chair of the Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1069, the PROTECT Our Kids Act, makes clear that schools receiving funding from the Chinese Communist Party will not receive Federal dollars. For too long, schools have turned a blind eye to the CCP's demands for fear of losing CCP money. However, every dollar came with strings attached: lessons glorifying tyranny, rewriting history, and indoctrinating students instead of teaching American values. Even more concerning, many of these schools were near U.S. military bases, raising risks of monitoring and surveillance of personnel. This is unacceptable. To protect our students and our national security, we must pass the PROTECT Our Kids Act. It helps prevent foreign adversaries from exploiting our classrooms and promotes education grounded in truth, freedom, and American values. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALBERG

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 916, I call up the bill (H.R. 1005) to prohibit elementary and secondary schools from accepting funds from or entering into contracts with the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 1005.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1005. For much of the 20th century, the United States bravely confronted the threat of communism worldwide. As the Soviet Union oppressed its own people and extended its influence abroad, countless Americans dedicated their lives to stopping the spread of repressive ideology. In 1987, President Reagan famously called on Secretary Gorbachev to ``tear down this wall'' at the Brandenburg Gate. A few short years later, the Berlin Wall fell, the Soviet Union collapsed, and democracy gained ground across the globe. In the years that followed, democracy and Western values flourished, but authoritarian regimes like the Chinese Communist Party have chosen repression over freedom, indoctrinating their citizens to embrace socialism and communism, ideals fundamentally opposed to American values of liberty, freedom, and self-determination. Now, we are seeing those same authoritarian efforts reach into our classrooms. While some are now closed, the CCP established Confucius Institutes on college campuses and Confucius classrooms in K-12 schools, funding programs with untold dollars. Marketed as cultural exchanges to teach Chinese language and culture, these classrooms are in reality beachheads in the war for young minds. That is why I am proud to support H.R. 1005, the Combating the Lies of Authoritarians in School Systems, known as the CLASS Act, from Representative David Joyce and Representative Michael Rulli. It is an important piece of legislation requiring schools to disclose any funding or contracts received from foreign entities above a nominal threshold. For too long, schools have allowed foreign adversaries to funnel propaganda into classrooms, propaganda that rewrites history and undermines American values. These programs are funded and directed by the CCP's propaganda arm, targeting children for indoctrination. No lesson from an authoritarian regime comes without strings attached. The CCP seeks to shape American students' views of communism and tyranny, softening opinions toward authoritarianism, and potentially fostering replication of those same ideas here. Already, we see these influences on college campuses. Instead of free speech and open debate, we see censorship. Instead of independent thought, we see indoctrination. This is why we must pass the CLASS Act. Confucius classrooms and similar programs pose real risks to both national and academic security while promoting authoritarianism over freedom and democracy. As the saying goes, sunlight is the best disinfectant. Greater transparency in education will reveal where school funds come from and whether foreign adversaries are exploiting financial ties to influence students. By requiring disclosure, we protect American values, strengthen national security, and ensure our children learn what is right, not what our adversaries dictate. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Rulli), the bill's co-lead. I say that as a gentleman from Michigan.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Joyce), the bill's sponsor. As a Member coming from the Wolverine State, I congratulate him on Saturday's victory.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1005, the CLASS Act, is a critical step in limiting foreign influence in our classrooms. Too often, foreign funding comes with strings attached--maybe in every case--especially when those dollars come from adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party. Students deserve strong education without indoctrination. I would hope my esteemed colleagues on the other side of the aisle would agree with me on that. Cultural exchange is valuable, but it should never mean sitting through lessons created by the CCP propagandists attempting to rewrite history and change our minds. Our classrooms are becoming front lines in a battle of ideas, and the CLASS Act provides the transparency needed to protect our students and uphold American values. Students deserve better than indoctrination. That is why we must pass the CLASS Act, send it to the Senate, and, ultimately, to the President's desk, defending both our children and our Nation. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Representatives Joyce and Rulli, for their clear-eyed attention to this important and credible concern, and I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALBERG

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, Pursuant to House Resolution 916, I call up the bill (H.R. 1049) to ensure that parents are aware of foreign influence in their child's public school, and for other purposes.

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1049.