national guard. these will be you crucial to our national security. our next generation air missions like the f-47's and c.c.a.'s must be fielded to the air national guard. i proudly represent the heart of illinois. home to the 182nd airlift wing in peoria. as you all are well aware, they are the gold standard for air national guard service. and i know i speak for everyone back home when i say that we are so excited to welcome the c-130-j. >> can you watch the rest of this on our free c-span now video app. as we take to you the u.s. capitol where the house is gaveling in. live coverage on c-span. the prayer will be offered by chaplain kibben. chaplain kibben: would you pray with me. ruler of the universe, we humble ourselves before you. you spoke and the heavens were made. the stars were brought forth by the breath of your mouth.

and amidst all that grandeur, you set our feet upon this earth. every moment of our lives, that same creative power touches each one of us tenderly and lovingly. guiding us in the way you would have us go. how easy it is, however, for us to lose awareness of your abiding presence. so caught up are we in the business and the busyness of life. we fail to realize that you are as close to us as our breath. every moment of every day you are the source of our strength. this day, open our eyes to your nearness, that we would be assured when we are uncertain, encouraged when our efforts seem to yield no reward, and humbled to follow where you would lead. with that same humility, remind us that you are just as present in the lives of those around us, these too are your children, the delight of your creation. draw us near to them, that in serving them, we would be your hands and feet.

in being present in their lives, we would be your living and loving presence at their side. god of all creation, let your eternal light remain with and shine through us as we seek to serve you this day. in your loving name we pray. amen. the speaker pro tempore: the chair has examined the journal of the last day's proceedings and announces to the house the approval thereof. pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1 the journal stands approved. the pledge of allegiance will be led by the gentleman from south carolina, mr. wilson. mr. wilson: everyone, including our guests in the gallery, please join in. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the speaker pro tempore: the chair will receive a message. the messenger: mr. speaker, messages from the president of

the united states. the secretary: mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: madam secretary. the secretary: i am directed by the president of the united states to deliver to the house of representatives messages in writing. the speaker pro tempore: the chair will entertain up to 15 requests for one mississippi speeches on each -- one-minute speeches on each side of the aisle. for what purpose does the gentleman from south carolina wish to be recognized? mr. wilson: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. wilson: thank you very much, chairman hern. thank you, mr. speaker. historically 81 years ago tomorrow, june 6, 1944, 160,000 allied troops surprised war criminal hitler with operation overload along the beaches of normandy, france. this began the drive to liberate europe with victory -- of good over evil to end world war ii. more than 10,000 americans and allies were killed or wounded on d-day, all in the name of

freedom. courageously led by general dwight d. eisenhower. president ronald reagan clarified peace through strength at his normandy address on the 40th anniversary of d-day, and it's now more true than ever. quote, it is better to be here today to protect the peace than to take blind shelter across the sea, rushing to respond only after freedom is lost, end of quote. in conclusion, god bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. trump has successfully re-instituted existing laws to protect american families with peace through strength, revealing war criminal putin lies, insulting trump and mocking trump, with a phone call threatening to murder civilians in ukraine, and defending iran's nuclear capability to develop a weapon for death to israel, death to america. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the thank the gentleman for yielding. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from new jersey seek recognition? >> i rise to address the house for one minute, to revise and

extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise to honor the legacy of kathryn willis, a woman who lived to help her community realize the dream of justice and equity and whose legacy lives on in every neighborhood she touched. mrs. mciver: she was a dedicated public servant, excelling and pushing east orange forward in her role as director of senior services and planning and economic development. her work in education, housing and civil rights reflected her belief that no one should be left behind. she stood up for those in our society who often fall through the cracks. mrs. willis didn't just serve the people, she empowered them. she reminded us all that the strength of a community lies in how it treats its most vulnerable. today i ask this body to recognize not just her accomplishments, but her enduring impact. may we remember her not only for what she did, but for what she

made possible. with that, i yield back. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the gentleman from california -- for what purpose do you seek recognition? mr. lamalfa: mr. speaker, i seek unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. lamalfa: thank you, mr. speaker. well, california's governor and legislature are at it again. the annual gas tax hike that already is in place is going to raise -- the gas tax another two cents to a staggering 61 cents per gallon. it's already squeezing families, small businesses, farms, everything. but new clean air rules are expected to take effect alongside the tax hike, which could push prices even more. now, state republicans tried to stop these costly regs. democrats blocked that without even debate. showing little concern for how hard californians are already being hit and struggling with these high costs of electricity, fuel and everything else. so this controversy is around

the chair who recently admitted her agency does not analyze how its rules and new taxes effect prices for everyday drivers. they don't even analyze how the effect is going to be, they just go ahead and raise them. carb wields too much unchecked power without accountability. carb proposing a new fuel standard would further increase the cost of fuel another 65 cents a gallon for californians. two oil refineries are set to shut down due to high regulations, it's going to really increase the gas prices to probably $8.43, according to a u.s.c. study. who the heck could afford this? i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, mr. speaker. the administration's reckless public servant firing spree is hurting the health, safety and

financial security of people across the united states. mr. desaulnier: since he came into office, the president has laid off at least 58,000 federal civil service workers, with plans to eliminate an additional 150,000 workers. another 76,000 workers accepted buyouts after being threatened with relocation or termination. these layoffs include hundreds of staff members at the centers for disease control who have protected children from lead poisoning and air pollution, amongst other services. staff cuts at the social security administration have resulted in longer wait times for seniors applying for benefits. i've been proud to join legal briefs filed against the administration which are resulting in the reinstatement of thousands of federal workers. i will continue to push back against the president and oppose illegal cuts to the federal workforce which block americans from accessing the critical government services they rely

on. if we want to talk about efficiency, let's join together to evaluate it. not do it this way. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the chair lays before the house a message. the clerk: to the congress of the united states. i hereby notify the congress that i intend to designate dwayne townsend, currently special agent in charge, department of commerce, office of the inspector general, as acting inspector general of the department of commerce, in place of the current acting inspector general, roderick anderson. such designation will be effective no less than 30 days

from delivery of this message. the constitution vests the executive power in the president who has a duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed. u.s. constitution, article 2, section 1, 1i-d at section 3. in exercising that power and duty, i have determined that based on the qualities outlined in 5, u.s.c., 403-a, mr. townsend is the best person to act as inspectacularrer general at the department of commerce at this time. in my judgment, mr. anderson can better serve the nation, performing other duties. for example, returning to his position as deputy inspector general of the department of commerce. i'm providing this notification as a courtesy to show a show of comity and respect between the executive and legislative branches. it should not be interpreted as a concession that the congress can limit my power to remove any

officer because no single person could fulfill the president's responsibilities alone. the framers expected that the president would rely on subordinate officers for assistance. and the constitution gives the president the authority to remove those who assist him in carrying out his duties, free enterprise fund, first public company accounting oversight board 561 u.s.c. 477, 5142010. without such power, the president could not be held fully accountable for discharging his own responsibilities. the buck would stop somewhere else. ultimately, i have determined that the changed priorities of my administration as compared to the previous one will be better reflected with new leadership in this office. therefore i am apprising you of my intention to designate mr. townsend as acting inspector general of the department of commerce, effective no less than

30 days from delivery of this message. signed, donald j. trump, the white house. june 4, 2025. the speaker pro tempore: referred to the committee on oversight and government reform and ordered printed. the chair lays before the house a message. the clerk: to the congress of the united states. i am hereby notifying the congress that i intend to designate heidi seeman, currently senior special agent, with the office of the inspector general for the board of governors of the federal reserve system and the consumer financial protection bureau. as acting inspector general of the department of education, in place of the current acting inspector general. such designation will be effective no less than 30 days from delivery of this message. the constitution vests the executive power in the president who has a duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed. u.s. constitution article 2-1, clause 1, at section 3.

and exercising that power and duty, i have determined that based on the qualities outlined in 5 u.s.c. 403-a and the confidence i must place in my appointees, ms. seeman is the best available person to serve as acting inspector general of the department of education at this time. in my judgment, mr. rocur can better serve the nation performing other duties. for example, returning to her position as deputy inspector general of the department of education. i am providing this notification as a courtesy, a show of comity and respect between the executive and legislative branches. it should not be interpreted as a concession that the congress can limit my power to remove any officer, because no single person can fulfill the president's responsibilities alone. the framers expected that the president would rely on subordinate officers for assistance.

the law and the constitution gives the president the authority to remove those who assist him in carrying out his duties, free enterprise fund v. public company accounting oversight board, 561 u.s.c. 477513-5142010. without such power, the president could not be held fully accountable for discharging his own responsibilities. the buck would stop somewhere else. ultimately, i have determined that the changed priorities of my administration as compared to the previous one will be better reflected with new leadership in this office. therefore i am apprising you of my intention to designate ms. seeman as acting inspector general of the department of education effective no less than 30 days from delivery of this message. signed, donald j. trump, the white house. june 4, 2025.

the speaker pro tempore: referred to the committee on oversight and government reform and ordered printed. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas, mr. williams, seek recognition? mr. williams: mr. speaker, pursuant to house resolution 458, i call up h.r. 2931 and ask for its immediate consideration in the house. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 81. h.r. 2931. a bill to direct the administrator of the small business administration to relocate certain offices of the small business administration in sanctuary jurisdictions and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to house resolution 458, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the committee on small business, printed in the bill, modified by the amendment printed in part b of house report 119-130 is adopted and the bill as amended is considered read. the bill as amended shall be debatable for one hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on small

business or their respective designees. the gentleman from texas, mr. williams, and the gentlewoman from new york, ms. velazquez, each will control 30 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. .... mr. williams: i ask that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman may proceed. mr. williams: i rise in support of h.r. 1231, the save small business. is ensures s.b.a. employees are safe. despite inheriting one of the most secure borders in american history, president biden relaxed border policies and today communities continue to deal with these consequences.

talking about everything from businesses forcing to close and evidenced by the tragedy in boulder this week. the president is taking action to stop the federal subcyization of those that refuse to comply. this legislation in part codifies those efforts. under administrator loeffler's leadership, offices in boston, chicago, denver, new york city and seattle will be moved to safer communities within those states but there are more, other cities we must reach. under this bill the at-bat -- s.b.a. administrator will determine if more need to be moved. small businesses nationwide will not be interrupted by passing this legislation. when any small business in any jurisdiction needs assistance

they can go to their development center or community lender but we cannot let the previous administration's border crisis put the safety of small businesses that go to the at-bad employees at risk. republicans are working to close s.b.a. offices it's been said but this bill relocates those offices. lending and counseling services will still be provided to constituents. i urge all my colleagues to support this bill to make main street safe again. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. velazquez: i rise in strong opposition to h.r. 2931. this bill is not about improving the s.b.a. or expanding support for businesses, it is about

punishing cities for their politics and dragging a vital agency into another culture war. earlier this year, the s.b.a. administrator abruptly announced that six regional offices located in cities like new york, chicago, and seattle will be relocated. these are some of the most diverse economically important cities in the country. they are also home to thousands of small businesses that rely on these offices for support. the decision was made without consultation and without any clear plan and without even a basic briefing to congress. in fact, 24 of my colleagues and i sent a letter to the administrator demanding answers. we still haven't received and ad quit response, just rhetoric. now, this bill will lock in that same reckless approach and

expand on it. it strips regional and local s.b.a. offices out of so-called sanctuary cities despite there being no legal definition or no notification for such a move. this isn't about immigration enforcement, it's about politics. this administration wants to punish some of our larger cities because they have the nerve to vote democratic. and it is important to note, all the cities comply with the federal laws. and who will this bill hurt? not politicians, not city officials, it's the small business owners and their employees who will suddenly have to navigate s.b.a. programs without the support they have relied on for years. at the same time, the s.b.a. is already in crisis.

huge numbers of staff have been fired or forced out. customer service has plummeted. small business owners are calling and no one is there to answer. and now in the middle of all that, we're talking about uprooting even more offices. this bill doesn't fix anything. it adds more confusion and disruption for the people we are supposed to be helping. it wastes taxpayer dollars to carry out a political agenda and ignores the real economic challenges small businesses are facing. let's not forget entrepreneurs across the country are already dealing with higher prices caused by tariffs. that is a direct result of this administration's policies. these policies are making it hard foresmall businesses to

stay afloat. the thing they need is less support. they also don't need to travel hours to offices to get assistance. if they want to support small businesses we will be looking at access to capital and be looking how to guard their capacity and focus on lowering costs and expanding outreach and getting more entrepreneurs the tools they can afford. or maybe we'll stop playing games and find a bill to stop this administration's on again, off again tariffs. but here we are debating a bill that makes things worse. i urge my colleagues to reject this bill, stand up for small business owners in every zip code, and restore the s.b.a. mission as a nonpartisan

advocate for america's entrepreneur. thank you. i reserve the balance of my time the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new york reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: i yield to representative alford from the great state of missouri, such time as he may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from missouri, mr. alford, is recognized for as much time as he may consume. mr. alford: thank you, chairman, for this important piece of legislation. thank you to our ranking member for your passion and concern for businesses in america. mr. speaker, i rise today in strong support of h.r. 2931, the save s.b.a. from sanctuary cities act. this is not about culture war in america, this is about putting small business owners first while ensuring lawless sanctuary cities do not reap the benefits of hosting s.b.a. offices.

it's simple, folks, this is all about protecting america's small businesses and making sure federal taxpayer dollars are not funneled into lawless sanctuary cities that put illegal aliens ahead of their own citizens. why should hard-working american entrepreneurs and law-abiding communities be second in line to support from their own government? they shouldn't be. this bill will relocate s.b.a. regional offices from sanctuary jurisdictions to communities that actually respect the rule of law, that actually put american citizens first. and that is not controversial, it's just common sense. president biden's open border policies let in millions, millions of illegal aliens, unvetted illegal aliens, including dangerous, violent

criminals. the woke policies of democrat run sanctuary cities fueled by woke politics have become magnets for chaos stretching public resources to the brink and crowding out citizens who actually follow the law. and what happens? well, it often depletes the public resources meant for u.s. citizens. moving s.b.a. offices into nonsanctuary jurisdictions is a step in the right direction. let me be clear, mr. speaker, the federal government should not reward sanctuary cities with permanent s.b.a. infrastructure. it's just wrong. and it's not wrong and quite frankly, insulting every law- abiding small business owner struggling to stay afloat. we've got to move these offices. this legislation is another example of house republicans working to codify president trump's executive orders.

in march, s.b.a. administrator loeffler activated a series of actions to put americans first, including moving s.b.a. offices out of sanctuary cities. this bill makes it law and backs that up. this commonsense legislation, as well as others we're voting on this week, put america's small businesses first, puts main street first. mr. speaker, we can't stop there. there are many cities that share the same lawless woke policies as sanctuary cities that are soft on crime, even if they don't wear the sanctuary label outright. kansas city is one example. it's not officially designated as a sanctuary city, but it might as well be a first cousin of one. that's exactly why i've asked administrator loeffler to relocate the s.b.a. regional office from kansas city in missouri's fifth congressional district, down to our district in the fourth. because at the end of the day, american citizens and small businesses should not be the

ones being served by s.b.a. offices, not illegal aliens in sanctuary cities. let's get serious. let's put america first. like we had the mandate to do in november, the america first agenda led by president donald j. trump. i urge my colleagues to support and vote yes for h.r. 2931. mr. speaker, with that i yield back. mr. williams: reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: i yield three minutes to the gentlelady from new jersey, mrs. mciver. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. mrs. mciver: thank to you my ranking member. to my colleague across the aisle, obviously he wants us to be sleep because that's the opposite of being woke. we should introduce sleepy policies and be sleepy at the job. i rise to voice my strong

opposition to the efforts to undermine small businesses by the agency tasked with fueling them. let me be clear, this is what h.r. 2931 would do, allow the small business administration to gut punch the small businesses it is supposed to serve just to punish cities that embrace their immigrant communities. targeting sanctuary cities as this bill does is beyond the scope of the s.b.a.'s duties, and it flies in the face of what the s.b.a. is supposed to do, lift up small businesses in communities across the country no matter what city they are located in or what party they belong to. rather than driving economic growth, this legislation would strip essential resources from some of our nation's most vibrant and diverse communities. this would hurt the lively hoods of hundreds of thousands of business owners. if the new york office was to close, the effects would spill over into my own community, the

s.b.a. office in newark serve many. cutting offices from these areas will stall growth and jeopardize jobs and displace employees and disrupt critical services that local businesses rely on. it will burden nearby offices and stretch resources very thin. and it will make it harder for business owners to get the help they need when they need it. newark's office would be overwhelmed if the new york city office closes. this bill weaponized federal resources to hurt cities that have made the choice to protect immigrant communities. this is unjust. i have worked closely with my democratic colleagues to raise these concerns directly with the s.b.a. administrator through multiple letters, outreach, and even in the small business committee yesterday. s.b.a.'s response, if any, have been dismissive. i stand firmly against using the s.b.a. as a tool to penalize cities based on their

immigration policies. i hope my colleagues will stand with me. i urge you to vote no on the save s.b.a. from sanctuary cities act to protect the s.b.a.'s mission and vibrant economies for all of our cities. with that i yield back. ms. velazquez: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from new york reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: i yield to representative crank from the great state of colorado, such time as he may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from colorado is recognized. mr. crank: thank you, mr. chairman. mr. speaker, i rise today in strong support of h.r. 2931. we've allowed sanctuary cities to openly defy federal immigration law for far too long. . . crank i want to thank -- mr. crank: i want to thank the gentleman from ♪ h minnesota for -- the gentleman from minnesota for introducing this important piece of legislation and i'm

grateful to chairman williams for working with me to ensure that my community, el paso county, and colorado springs, isn't swept up in the radical sanctuary policies coming out of denver, colorado. specifically, i want to thank him for accepting our amendment to ensure communities like mine that are fighting back against criminal-coddling politicians remain eligible locations for s.b.a. offices. you know, we've heard a lot of folks who are opposed to this bill say things like, it's undermining small business or it's creating a culture war. it's about the rule of law. this is about thumbing their nose -- cities thumbing their noses at taxpayers. you aren't entitled to federal funds in america. there's a way, by the way, to

keep these offices in these cities. stop being sanctuary cities. comply with the law. when did that become something that was optional in america? to comply with the federal law? it's incredible. as we hold sanctuary jurisdictions accountable, we must recognize that not every community in a sanctuary state is part of the problem. and i believe the amended bill draws that line distinctly and it recognizes districts like colorado five that i represent that have been bravely pushing back on their own. when the biden administration opened our borders and over eight million or more crossed into our country illegally, 300 migrants per day rolled into colorado because cities lake denver welcomed them with our taxpayer dollars. migrants with connections to

dangerous gangs like tren de aragua didn't just stay in denver, but they moved to nearby communities and they took over apartment complexes that were owned by individuals. el paso county, my county, recognized the threat. but with zero support from the colorado legislature, who at the same time passed more laws to make it worse. the colorado legislature passed laws prohibiting law enforcement from honoring i.c.e. detainers. the colorado legislature restricting data sharing with federal immigration agencies. and the legislature passing a law that banned contracts for immigration detention centers. this is lawlessness. and this body should recognize it as such. in 2024 my good friend, sheriff joe rowbal -- royball of el paso

county and other leaders filed a lawsuit against the state arguing that these laws are unconstitutional and that they hamper public safety. now, contrast that with cities like denver, which have exacerbated their housing crisis and they continue to support illegal immigrants, illegal immigrants, going so far as to bar city employees from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. you talk about playing politics. that's playing politics. they passed laws in denver to create a legal defense fund for illegal immigrants. and they passed a law to spend more than $180 million a year on related services, all while hosting the s.b.a. regional office. and laughing at the american taxpayers while doing it. this is unacceptable. sanctuary cities should not be

rewarded with federal offices and resources. that's why i wrote to s.b.a. administrator kelly, urging her to move the regional office to colorado springs. where we cooperate with federal authorities and support small businesses and we uphold law and order for our citizens. while president trump has delivered on his promise to regain operational control of the border, the fight isn't over. we need full cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement. but it's unfortunate that colorado's leadership is still going in the wrong direction, despite governor polis saying in january he was open to work with the trump administration, he instead signed new legislation in may that expands protections for illegal immigrants. even after local officials raised serious concerns. my community, meanwhile, is doing the work el paso county and the colorado springs police

department are partnering with i.c.e. and the d.e.a. and in april they led a night club raid that resulted in over 100 illegal immigrants being detained for human and drug trafficking. this is something that we're going to support with lawlessness? not in my community. in may, they turned over 13 illegal immigrants to i.c.e. custody. and we understand the real consequences of sanctuary policies. colorado's become a haven for illegal immigration. and in one tragic case that we all now know about this week, an illegal immigrant who overstayed his visa launched molotov cocktails at innocent boulder residents in what was a hateful, racial attack. despite the state knowing that that person was already illegally in our country, and

the state of colorado gave him a driver's license. we can't let sanctuary jurisdictions defy federal law and endanger public safety. let me be clear. el paso county, my county, is not a sanctuary jurisdiction. despite the policies from denver, we're committed to working with federal immigration authorities and protecting our communities. again, i want to thank chairman williams and his staff for working with me, for working with my county, and el paso county's ready and willing to host the s.b.a. office. i urge all of my colleagues to support h.r. 2931 and with that i thank you and i yield back, mr. speaker. mr. williams: reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: thank you, mr. speaker. it's quite rich to come to the house and talk about rule of law. at least on this side of the aisle we don't have anyone who

pardoned 1,500 felons. mr. speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentleman from new york, mr. latimer. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york is recognized for three minutes. mr. latimer: thank you, mr. speaker. thank you, madam. my district has over 30,000 small businesses, from restaurants and small grocery stores, to construction companies. every day i hear from business owners that they need certainty to run their businesses. they rely on an immigration system that ensures their employees won't be targeted and unjustly detained on their way to work. they rely on trade policies that keep the cost of their products stable. and they rely on federal partner who will be there when they need assistance. since taking office, president trump and s.b.a.d a minute straighter loeffler have outlined an agenda that will harm small businesses. proposals such as cutting the s.b.a. workforce by 43%, relocating s.b.a. offices away from new york city, the center of that region, and firing an

independent inspector general does not represent anything that looks like america-first. it is an ideological agenda and it's imposed upon the majority of this country that functions differently and requires tailored policies. in addition, last week my home county of westchester was branded a sanctuary jurisdiction by the department of homeland security, completely inaccurately. westchester is not and has never been a sanctuary jurisdiction and the last seven years we've reduced violent crime, and we have brought economic strength over a period of time that rivals any county in this nation. westchester county cooperates with federal immigration law. county law, however, inquire -- requires that no administrative police can circumvent due process. we do this to ensure that all residents will cooperate with local law enforcement. westchester rejects the deep state police that appear masked without badges and proper

identification. this bill represents an attempt by house republicans to enact retribution on places because this administration wants to impose its view of law enforcement. deep state authority, not subject to judicial review. the result of petty and punitive motives of this bill is that small businesses would suffer. you would think that when you offer support for this president's tariff strategy, reckless as it is, it's damaging small businesses, its international goods components and supplies, they would work to stimulate that, but this bill could not be further from that goavment if this bill is passed, s.b.a. offices will be relocated as political payback, away from public access in major cities. in fact, that is the point. to reduce programs that help small businesses' access to capital, professional services and predictable tariff policies. that is why i introduced an amendment to prohibit s.b.a. from relocating an office if the

next closest office is more than 50 miles from the communities that were relocated. we should be debating legislation that will help small business tackle what they identify as their biggest needs, workforce development, stability and access to counsel. that is not what we're doing. if we continue on this irrational path, american businesses will suffer. the mistakes we are making in this congress, bill after bill after bill -- ms. velazquez: i yield another minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. latimer: thank you. the mistakes we are making in this congress, bill after bill after bill, will damage this nation's strength at a time when we need unity and strength more than ever before. i urge my colleagues to vote no on this bill. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back the balance of my time. ms. velazquez: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized.

ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to enter into the record two new articles about sanctuary jurisdiction lists, removed from the website, given the fact that their local sheriffs were opposed to the list. and as well as a third way article highlighting red state murder rates up 33% higher than blue states. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentleman from california, mr. si cisneros. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized for three minutes. mr. cisneros: i want to thank the ranking member for her leadership on this issue and in the committee. mr. speaker, this legislation does not actually address the safety of the s.b.a., workers or small businesses. because my colleagues on the other side of the aisle disagree with the city's policy, they choose to punish all small businesses in that area.

let's be clear. this bill strips resources, not from cities, but from millions of small businesses and makes it harder for americans to access assistance to start and grow their businesses. supporting small businesses should not be a partisan issue. we in the small business community have heard in our hearings that targeting s.b.a. resources in major cities will be critically detrimental. for this reason, at the appropriate time i will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to the committee. if the house rules permitted, i would have offered this motion with an important amendment to this bill. my amendment would prevent the legislation from taking effect until congress receives reporting from the s.b.a. on the proposed relocation of covered offices, including a justification for how these moves could possibly serve small businesses. i ask unanimous consent to insert into the record the text of this amendment. the speaker pro tempore: without

objection. mr. cisneros: i hope my colleagues will join me in voting for this motion to recommit. i also submit a separate amendment -- submitted a separate amendment for consideration that would have prevented the implementation of this bill if the cost of relocating these offices out of main street would be more than zero dollars. unfortunately the republican majority has blocked my amendment from receiving a floor vote today. i urge my colleagues to oppose this bill and to vote in favor of my motion to recommit. i yield back. ms. velazquez: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new york reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentleman from california, mr. correa. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized for three minutes. mr. correa: mr. speaker, first of all, let me begin by thanking the chair and the ranking member for their interest in good managed, efficient, s.b.a. offices. our federal taxpayer dollars

being invested to make sure we continue to create jobs in our great country. so that being in mind, i would ask everybody to think about return on investment to taxpayers. orange county, california, my home, today, probably the 30th largest economy in the world. home to disneyland, anaheim angels, 30th largest economy in the world. california, it always gets beat up here in this body, beat up h. we are the fourth largest economy in the world. guess what? as california taxpayers, we pay the federal government $100 billion more in federal tax dollars than we get back from

the federal government. so i'd say as an economy, we're doing pretty good. we need the workers. we need workers. california has the biggest agricultural sector in the united states. we feed ourselves and other states in the union and other nations. 70% of our work force is guess what? undocumented. and we're waiting for this body to pass immigration reform so good, hard-working individuals can be legalized. manufacturing, we have the biggest manufacturing sector in the united states. not pittsburgh, not michigan, southern california. biggest manufacturing in the united states. guess who most of those workers are? undocumented. and they also pay federal taxes.

s.b.a., let's evaluate it not on rhetoric but on how many jobs an s.b.a. office creates. what is that investment, the return on the investment? i'm not sure why we are doing this today. we all know there are millions and millions of undocumented workers in this country, absolutely. we don't want criminals, hard criminals in my district. i don't want them as my neighbors. but if they're hard-working, honest individuals, taxpayers, what is wrong with giving them the opportunity to be american, to pursue that american dream and be legalized? that's what america is all about. i ask my colleagues to strongly consider their yes vote and please vote no. we're talking about federal dollars, taxpayer dollars. thank you very much. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: i ask to insert letter of opposition from the democracy defenders action and the small business majority, all organizations raise concern that the bill will deny small businesses access to critical support. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. velazquez: i have no further speakers and i'm prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, the s.b.a. is supposed to serve american small businesses, full stop, not just in certain cities, not just when it's politically convenient, but everywhere for everyone. this bill doesn't make that standard. it will rip support away from small businesses in the economic

centers of this country because of the political party that runs their city. it creates disruption, wastes money, and puts politics ahead of supporting the american economy. politicians love to say that small businesses are the backbone of our economy, so i ask why target millions of them by supporting this bill? we should be supporting these businesses, not tearing them down. the entrepreneurs aren't asking for this. they're asking for better access to capital, more outreach, and a stable s.b.a. that's there when they need it. this bill moves us in the wrong direction. i urge my colleagues to vote no, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman yields. all time for debate has expired. pursuant to house resolution 458, the previous question is ordered on the bill as amended. the question is on engrossment and third reading of the bill. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. third reading. the clerk: a bill to direct the administrator of the small business administration to relocate certain offices of the small business administration in sanctuary jurisdictions, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. cisneros: i have a motion to recommit at the desk. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the motion. the clerk: mr. cisneros moves to recommit the bill h.r. 2431 to the committee of small business. the speaker pro tempore: the previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit. the question is on the motion. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no.

the ayes -- the noes have it. the motion is not agreed to. mr. cisneros: mr. speaker, i ask for the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. those favoring a vote by the yeas and nays will rise. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on the question will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas, mr. williams, seek recognition? mr. williams: pursuant to house resolution 458, i call up h.r. 2987 and ask for its immediate consideration in the house. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 79, h.r. 2987, a bill to amend the small business act to require a limit of small business lending companies, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to house resolution 458, a

substitute recommended by the committee on small business and adopted is considered read. the bill as amended shall be debatable for one hour, equally divided and controlled by the the chair or the minority member on the small business or respective designees. the gentleman from texas, mr. williams, and the gentlewoman from new york, ms. velazquez, each will control 30 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas, mr. williams. mr. williams: i ask unanimous consent all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. and i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman may proceed. is recognized. mr. williams: ok. i rise today in support of h.r. 2987, the -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. williams: i rise today -- i

rise today in support of h.r. 2987, the cease act, introduced by representative bresnahan. this bill is simply a reverse of a irresponsible change made by the biden administration's s.b.a. which raises concerns on both sides of the aisle. unlike traditional banks, small business lending companies or slbc's are regulated by the s.b.a. historically the s.b.a. recognizes it has finite resources to reinforce a need for the cap in the number of sblc's. despite this in 2023, the biden administration lifted the 40-year moratorium asking the sblc's to participate in the flagship program, a government lending program. the s.b.a. heard concerns from members of both chambers and on both sides of the aisle, even the ranking member, ms. velazquez said earlier this week in the rules committee hearing she was one of the first to raise questions about the s.b.a.

lifting the licensing moratorium. biden's s.b.a. hid behind promises of lender oversight and stronger borrower protection and still awarded a license to a unqualified entity. this entity which was seeking to sell its business when it was rewarded a license surrendered its license before it could make a 7-a loan and this administration puts the guardrails back and restores integrity to the 78 program ensuring tax dollars are safe and confident the 16sb.a.'s will be overseen over loeffler's leadership and i urge my colleagues to support this bill and yield my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: i rise in strong opposition to 2987, the so-called capping excess awarding of s.b.l.c. entrance act or the cease act. this bill will impose a

permanent statutory cap of the number of small business lending companies or sblc licenses. the s.b.a. can issue, limiting them to just 16. while i understand and share some of the concerns raised about how the s.b.a. has handled oversight of these licenses, i cannot support legislation that is rushed, vague, and potentially harmful to the very businesses we are supposed to be helping. let's take a step back. for more than 40 years, the s.b.a. maintained a moratorium on new sblc licenses, citing a lack of resources to properly supervise new entrants. that changed in 2023 when the agency finalized a new rule lifting the moratorium and begun issuing additional licenses to expand participation in the 78

loan program. the goal was to help fill lending gaps, particularly in underserved communities that have historically struggled to access capital. that is a goal that i support, but i also believe it should be done carefully with the right oversight in place. i raise questions about the s.b.a.'s rollout of this policy when it first proposed a rule p. i flagged concerns about whether the agency had the capacity to supervise this lender's effectively and i called for transparency and clarity every step of the way. so i am not here to defend the s.b.a. process blindly, but h.r. 2987 doesn't actually fix the oversight issues. it just slaps an arbitrary cap

on the program without addressing the real questions, how to improve accountability, how to expand access responsibly, and how to ensure these programs are helping the businesses that need it the most. what is worse, the bill is completely silent on how this cap would apply to the community advantage program, a critical s.b.a. initiative that helps make smaller dollar loans available to startups, veterans, entrepreneurs, and other underserved borrowers. since being transitioned into the sblc framework, community advantage lenders have continued to show strong results. last year alone, the program issued over 1,100 loans worth nearly $200 million with the average loan size of just

$175,000. these are the kinds of loans that traditional banks often will not make because they are not profitable, but they are exactly what many small businesses need to get off the ground. by leaving out ad mission from s.b.a. lenders from the cap, this bill opened the door for a future administration to freeze new licenses or even eliminate the casblc's all together. that's a concern. we've heard directly from lenders, community organizations, and small business advocates around the country. these are the very lenders we rely on to help target p.p.p. assistance to the smallest of small businesses during the global pandemic.

they met the moment for many small employers in our communities who were locked out of the first rounds of p.p.p. assistance. at a time small businesses are facing rising costs, tariff uncertainty, tightening credit, congress should be doing everything it can to expand access to capital, not pulling back on programs that are actually working. that is why i cannot support this bill in its current form. thank you and i reserve my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: i yield to representative bresnahan from the great state of pennsylvania, such time as he may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. mr. bresnahan: my bill of the cease act restores a vital piece of integrity to the flagship

s.b.a.7-a program. the administration is able to give 7-a programs to banks, credit unions and noncertified unions like fintec companies. the primary regulator is the federal reserve and the nonbank sblc's are regulated by the s.b.a. and not subject for the same regulations and requirements. together the limited number of sblc's prudent lending standards that used to be in place at the s.b.a. were necessary programs to ensure the 7-a program cost taxpayers zero dollars. the s.b.a. had concerns it did not have the oversight capabilities to monitor and regulate a number of sblc's. yet the biden-harris administration sought to give licenses and loosened criteria under under the 7-a program. . .

expanding sblc's licenses when the s.b.a. itself acknowledged it's unequipped to regulate f for-profit nonbank lenders is problematic. that's why my legislation is so important to ensure the s.b.a. is not adding excessive sblcs that it cannot probably regulate. we cannot continue giving the federal government ways to abuse taxpayer dollars. i thank the trump administration for taking swift action and returning prudent lending to the 7-a program. it will return it to the proper oversight capability and ensure lenders such as community banks remain a pillar of 7-a lending. the bill was drafted to encompass 14sblcs and two additional in 2024 after the biden-era rule change. no existing sblc licenses would be revoked as part of this bill. i thank the great members and staff of the small business committee for working with me for bringing this bill to the

floor today. i ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote yes on this practical and sensible piece of legislation. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: i yield five minutes to the gentlelady from minnesota, ms. morrison. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for five minutes. ms. morrison: thank you, ranking minority member velazquez. mr. speaker, i rise today to discuss h.r. 2987, the cease act, which would place a statutory moratorium on the number of small business licensing can be issued by the small business administration. what does this bill? cap the mom of s.b.a. non-bank lenders who can give loans to small businesses a reasonable endeavor that could have generated bipartisan support had there been any effort by the majority to engage in a thoughtful discussion with us. since there is no such engagement, this bill does nothing to protect the hugely successful community advantage program. community advantage small business lending companies provide loans to small businesses located in

underserved and rural communities to new businesses and veteran-owned small businesses. for far too long, far too many people in our country have not been able to access capital and participate in the american dream of start ago business, creating jobs, and growing our economy. the small business administration play as critical role in providing capital to our small businesses. the community advantage program has a demonstrated track record of helping entrepreneurs who face higher barriers to accessing capital grow and scale their businesses. this is exactly what we should be doing opening more doors for more americans to start a business. create jobs in their community. and strengthen their local economy. so my question to my republican colleagues is without providing protections for community advantage small business lending companies in the text of this bill, are you suggesting we eliminate this crucial program? why would you threaten to remove a way for veteran-owned small businesses to access capital? what is your message to american entrepreneurs looking to access

that first loan that could help turn their best ideas into a new small business? let's just take a step back here. right now small businesses across the country are ringing the alarm bell saying the tariff wars are going to put them out of business in a matter of weeks or months. just this past week we heard from minnesota's small businessperson of the year given the award by the trump administration who says she has six weeks until she goes out of business. these are successful small businesses. small businesses that were thriving, growing, expanding until president trump started this completely unnecessary completely chaotic trade war. setting exorbitant tariffs as high as 145%. changing policies haphazardly, attempts by the hour. no one can run a business with that level of uncertainty. our small businesses are getting hit the hardiers. they plant plan for the future. the threat is here right now.

and they certainly don't have the resources to personally lobby the president like the massive tech companies that got exemptions did. president trump's so-called tariff policy is literally killing our small businesses. and congress has the power to stop it. article 1 of the constitution, right there, congress has the power to levy tariffs. what is the republican majority doing? ceding all their power to this president and completely disregarding their constitutional duty and the outcry from small business owners warning us they'll have to close their doors in a matter of weeks if this tariff war doesn't end. the three bills the republicans are choosing to bring to the floor this week have nothing to do with the existential threat that these tariffs are posing to our nation's small businesses. the lack of courage to stand up for our nation's small businesses -- to stand by and watch their downful is shameful. we should pass legislation to end this tariff war and save our

small businesses. i yield. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new york reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. >> reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. mr. velazquez: mr. speaker, i yield five minutes to the gentlelady from california, ms. chu. the speaker pro tempore: ms. chu is recognized for five minutes. ms. chu: i rise in strong opposition to h.r. 2987, the -- seize act, because it has the potential to harm our nation's most underserved small businesses. this bill would cap the number of small business lending companies or sblc licenses, that the s.b.a. can issue at its current level of 16 licenses. these licenses enable lenders to make loans of up to $5 million to small business that is we know often struggle -- businesses that we know often struggle to secure finance interesting traditional banks. if republicans want to find a solution to bipartisan concerns about s.b.a.'s capacity to oversee an increased number of licenses, democrats would have

been happy to work together on this. but unfortunately this bill fails to address our serious concerns about how it could devastate opportunities for capital access for the small businesses that need s.b.a.'s help the most. specifically, this bill is completely silent about how this cap on licenses would impact community advantage sblcs. we know one of small business' greatest challenges is obtaining access to financial capital. for over a decade now, the community advantage program has been helping close this funding gap for underserved businesses who face this challenge disproportionately. like rural, veteran, and low-income small business owners. i will never forget visiting one of these businesses in santa monica, california. it was a salad-based restaurant owned by two young hispanic men who had this dream of expanding their restaurant. but they were turned away by

every traditional bank due to a lack of assets and credit history. finally, they were able to get a $250,000 community advantage loan. now they have six of these restaurants. it was a relatively modest sum, but $250,000 was what it took to make these small business owners successful. and that is why i have long believed in community advantage. but it was operating only as a pilot program. that is why i sponsored a bill to make it permanent. this bipartisan bill has passed out of the house, but the senate did not take it up. great relief, however, came in 2023 when the s.b.a. established by rule the community advantage sblc program to provide long-term assurance for the program and lenders. since then there's been great progress. 143 lenders have registered as

community advantage sblcs and in 2024 alone these lenders have already issued 1100 loans totaling $196 million to the most underserved small businesses with an average loan size of 160,000 -- $160,000. congress needs to build on these efforts by providing statutory permanency for community advantage. but the bill before us today goes in the opposite direction. potentially threatening the future of community advantage sblcs because it makes no mention of how these licenses would be impacted by the statutory cap. congress must ensure that our most underserved small businesses have the resources they need to not just survive but to grow. that's why i will re-introduce the community advantage loan program act which will give permanent authorization to this program.

i urge my colleagues to support our nation's veteran, rural, and low-income entrepreneurs by voting no on this bill. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. weber: reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i have no further speakers. i'm prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i am not opposed to oversight. i not opposed to having a real conversation about the future of s.b.a. programs. but i am opposed to legislation that leaves key questions unanswered and put proven programs in jeopardy. the community advantage program and the sblcs have been a lifeline for thousands of small businesses, particularly in rural areas and for non-bank

businesses. they fill the bank that traditional lenders and larger 7-a lenders won't. small and new businesses often require small dollar loans. not million dollar loans. they simply need enough capital to get their business off the ground or finance modest expansions. that is why the casblc lenders are so critical to growing our small business ecosystem. the c.a. lenders have had bipartisan support for years. so why are my colleagues so afraid to include a provision of congressional intent to protect them from the cap? i just don't get it. the small business committee have always worked in a bipartisan manner. here we are, a proven program that have had bipartisan sup

support. and the republicans with this legislation will put an end to casblc. we should be working together to support and expand the casblc program not passing bills that threaten to cut it off. at a time when small businesses need more capital, more support, more stability this bill moves us in the wrong direction. in sum, i oppose h.r. 2987, because it will not protect the community advantage program which has a solid track record of providing smaller dollar loans to thousands of women, veterans, rural, and underserved entrepreneurs. at the appropriate time will i offer a motion -- i will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to the committee. if the house rules permit, i

will have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. my amendment will ensure the requirements of the bill shall not apply to community advantage sblc. and two, prohibits implementation of the bill until the administrator certifies to congress that 7-a loan originations will not decrease to unbanked small business operators operating in rural or low-income markets. i ask unanimous consent to insert into the record the text of this amendment. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. velazquez: i hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit and vote no on h.r. 2987. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. weber: mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. all time for gate debate has expired. pursuant to house resolution 458 the previous question is ordered on the bill as amended.

the question is on engrossment and third readling of the bill -- reading of the bill. so many as are in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the aye vs. it. third reading. the clerk: a bill to amend the small business act to require a limit on the number of small business lending companies, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from new york seek recognition? ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i have a motion to recommit at the desk. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the motion. the clerk: ms. velazquez of new york moves to recommit the bill h.r. 2987 to the committee on small business. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 2-b of rule 19, the previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit. the question is on the motion. so many as are in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the noes have it. ms. velazquez: on that i demand the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. the yeas and nays are requested. those favoring a vote for the yeas and nays. will rise. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed.

pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1, the house -- chair declares the house in recess subject to the call of the chair.