the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the prayer will be offered by chaplain kibben. chaplain kibben: would you pray with me. in this brief moment, o god, we call to you as you have invited us to do. we lay before you our concerns, our joys, worries and hopes, praying that as you have promised, you will answer us. we quiet our thoughts and open our hearts. putting ourselves in your hands,

for you are the source of life and wisdom. grant us your guidance and reveal to us your truth. our ears are attuned and our souls prepared to receive the knowledge that you alone to else is. great and hidden things that we have not known and cannot know on our own, cannot on our own obtain without giving ourselves into your sovereign care. though this encounter is brief, abide with us throughout this day. that we would be aware of your leading. while this may be the only moment we've set aside to hear your voice and share our hearts, may we be inspired to grow in our relationship with you and listen for your word and trust in your daily mercies. let us make time today and every day to be still and know that you are god. in your eternal 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 gentlewoman from michigan, ms. tlaib. ms. tlaib: 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 entertain up to 15 requests for one-minute speeches on each side of the aisle. for what purpose does the gentleman from south carolina seek recognition? mr. wilson: mr. speaker, i ask 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. wilson: thank you, mr. speaker. the corrupt georgian party continues to wrongfully arrest opposition leaders of the republic of georgia. as the georgian dream screams a

one-party state gives the chinese communist party their black seaport and blocks america from trade, the georgian people have conducted over 200 days of consecutive protests for freedom. americans stand with the legitimate president and the georgian people. the act for freedom, sovereignty and rule of law, received 90% of the vote in the house. joining the proposed trump tower and damascus, syria, should be a trump national golf course in georgia. in conclusion, god bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. trump is defending american families with peace through strength. revealing war criminal putin lies, insulting trump and mocking trump, hosting iranian murderers in moscow. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from michigan seek recognition? without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. tlaib: no more wars. the majority of americans do not support our country getting into

another endless war. president trump violated the united states constitution by sending united states troops to bomb iran without congressional authorization. taking our country to war requires a vote in congress. every single one of us represent close to 800,000 people. and they deserve a vote. the american people do not again want another war. they do not want us spending endless amounts of money to invest in death and destruction. they want us to fund medicaid, housing, head start, having access to clean water and so many critical programs that our communities desperately need. we have seen our government manufacture consent for the invasion of iraq that killed and displaced millions of people. our loved ones. and created total devastation of the stability in the region. we have seen our government lie about weapons of mass destruction before. we're not going to fall for it again. instead of listening to the

american people who are saying no more wars, trump is listening to genocidal maniac war criminal netanyahu who lied about iraq and now is lying about iran. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. ms. tlaib: i yield. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from pennsylvania seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i ask to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise to address the house and recognize the very hard work and the invaluable contributions of ingrid to my office. ms. houlahan: ingrid has served on my legislative team for the past two years and during her time with my office, she has stepped up to the plate to manage planning and programming for the bipartisan climate solutions caucus. turning what was an enactive caucus into one of the most active caucuses on capitol hill.

notably, she has facilitated dozens of cross-aisle conversations and educated opportunities for both members and staff. she's built bipartisan support for permitting reform and for the department of energy programs. she has spearheaded numerous legislative proposals through the national defense authorization act, to keep our nation's energy infrastructure more secure. and so much more. our whole team will miss her quick wit, her unrelenting work ethic and friendship. ingrid, you have proven that bipartisanship and cooperation on climate change is possible, even during these divided times. you should be very proud. we will miss you and welcome you to the alum network and i have no doubt you will be successful in your next role. thank you, ingrid. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina seek recognition? >> mr. chair, i ask for unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute.

>> thank you, mr. speaker. there's a lot of noise coming from the other side claiming that house republicans are cutting medicaid. with our commonsense work requirements. let me be clear. that's just not true. mr. edwards: you can't cut something from someone who was never or is no longer eligible to receive it. according to the nonpartisan congressional budget office, of the 7.8 million people democrats say would lose coverage, 4.8 million are able-bodied adults with no kid who could work -- no kids who could work. but don't. another 1.4 million are in the country illegally and 2.2 million simply don't qualify under the law already. medicaid should serve the truly needy, not those who refuse to help themselves. house republicans don't cut

medicaid. that is not what we're doing in this bill. we restore its integrity because work requirements are not a punishment, they're a path to dignity and independence. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, 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. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to oppose war in iran or any wars of choice in the middle east. mr. khanna: we need to be investing in good-paying jobs at home and health care at home, childcare at home. not billions of dollars in missiles targeted at the middle east that we can't afford. that's why representative massie and i introduced a resolution to prevent more wars of choice. and what did we achieve? the intelligence tells us that we just pushed iran back three to four months in building a bomb.

vice president vance says they still have enough nuclear fuel to have 10 nuclear missiles. we need tough diplomacy to deny iran a bomb, not more wars at the expense of the american people. americans of all parties do not want more war. thank you, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? mr. haridopolos: 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. haridopolos: mr. speaker, i rise today to recognize and honor sergeant first class juan santiago, a decorated veteran, american patriot, residing in melbourne, florida. sergeant santiago began his career in 1958 in the united states army at fort buchanan and completed basic training at fort jackson in south carolina. he went on to serve our nation with extinction -- with distinction around the globe, with deployments in cuba, italy, germany and five tours in vietnam. his exceptional service earned him a place in the florida

veterans hall of fame, as well as many other numerous honors. including the honorable order of st. michael and two purple hearts. on behalf of a grateful nation, we thank sergeant santiago for his bravery, dedication to the american public, and with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina seek recognition? mr. davis: mr. speaker, i ask for 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. davis: mr. speaker, it's a privilege to rise and recognize five outstanding young leaders from eastern north carolina who have earned appointments to our nation's service academies. abel and parker are headed to the united states military academy. leo fletcher fontana will attend

the united states air force academy. nicholas santiago and dylan sauer are bound to the united states naval academy. these remarkable young leaders have achieved academic excellence. they reflect the best of our communities and are answering the call that goes way beyond themselves. behind each of them is a community of support and families whose love are making it possible for them. to our appointees, able, parker, -- abel, parker, leo, nicholas, dylan, eastern north carolina believes in you and we are proud of you. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition? mr. thompson: mr. speaker, request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: you are

recognized. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to recognize the st. mary area -- st. mary's area school district for launch nog agriculture education curriculum. an investment in both their students and the future of our nation's food system. agriculture education is not just for those in rural areas. it's foundational to the future of our economy, our environment and our national security. programs like this one help students understand where their food comes from, how it's produced, and the science and technology driving modern agriculture. beginning next school year, st. mary's will offer ag curriculum starting in seventh grade and extending through high school. already nearly 100 students have signed up, proof that our young people are eager to learn more about the science, innovation and business behind agriculture. as chairman of the house agriculture committee, i applaud this effort. the exactly the kind of hands-on forward-thinking program we need to develop in the next generation of farmers,

scientists and entrepreneurs. agriculture puts food on our tables, clothes on our back and fuel in our vehicles and programs like this ensure it continues to do so for generations to come. mr. speaker, i commend the leadership, educators and students of st. mary's for their vision and look forward to seeing the impact of this outstanding program. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from missouri rise? >> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on h.r. 3944, and that i may include tabular material on the same. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. pursuant to house resolution 530 and rule 18, the chair declares the house in the committee of the whole on the state of the union for consideration of h.r. 3944. the chair appoints the gentleman from georgia, mr. loudermilk, to preside over the committee of the whole.

the chair: the house is in the committee of the whole on the state of the union for the consideration of h.r. 3944, which the clerk will report by title. the clerk: a bill making appropriations for military construction, the department of veterans affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending september 30, 2026, and for other purposes. the chair: pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the first time. general debate shall be confined to the bill and not exceed one hour equally divide and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member on the committee of appropriations or their respective designees. the gentleman from missouri, mrn from florida, ms. wasserman schultz, each will control 30

minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from missouri. mr. alford: i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. alford: i'm honored to present the military construction veterans' affairs and related agencies appropriation bill to the house today. this bill supports our troops and supports their families, and it supports our nation's veterans. the bill includes nearly $18 billion for military construction efforts. it's critical our military and families need the infrastructure and support they need. this will improve military housing, childcare centers, and other quality of life components that are so important to those who risk so much. this bill continues to build on investments that strengthens our national security through the construction of modern infrastructure and improvements to critical quality of life facilities for our service members and their families.

additionally, we continue to provide significant funding to build on prior year's work to enable the department of defense to meet the challenges in the indo-pacific. the bill honors our commitment to our nation's veterans and to our troops. to honor that commitment, the bill provides full funding for health care and benefits for veterans. our veterans have earned these benefits and we are making good on our promises to them. that includes fully funding our commitment to the pact act. the bill continues robust investments in our women's health, rural health, veterans homelessness issues and mental health. the legislation maintains all the funding for medical and prosthetic research. it increases funding for v.a. infrastructure and supports arlington enticement and invests in the improvement, operations, and maintenance of burial grounds for those who have sacrificed. i'd like to thank ranking member wasserman schultz.

i am glad we're at this step in the process and hope that we continue to work together to support our troops and our veterans. everyone, everyone, mr. chair, should understand that this bill cares for our veterans, supports our troops and their families, and keeps the promises that we have made to our heroes. mr. chair, i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 3944, and i reserve the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman from missouri reserves. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: thank you, mr. chair. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: thank you. and i unfortunately could not possibly disagree with my friend mr. alford from missouri more on the description of this bill, which is why i rise in strong opposition to h.r. 3944, the fiscal year 2026 military construction, veterans' affairs, and related agencies bill.

while i unfortunately cannot support the bill on the floor today, i will say in chairman carter's absence, i'm thankful and appreciative of the work we've been able to accomplish together over the years on this subcommittee. i know we both prioritize quality of life for our military service members and their families and veterans. unfortunately, this hurdles us towards revitalization that undercuts what the veterans consistently ask us for in congress. they want high quality medical care at the v.a., not privatized care that takes longer to receive. by transferring record funding to v.a. medical services to community care which is a 67% increase of $14 billion, this bill pushes veterans into private care. even though veteran polls and studies show when given the option, veterans prefer to receive their medical care at the v.a. in 2024, veteran trust in v.a. health care rose to a record 92% and we should build on this success, not kick veterans to an

already crowded private market. i understand that there is a need for community care, especially for veterans in rural areas and specialty care when necessary and when appointments at the v.a. are scares. however, countless studies show when veterans seek care at private hospitals and clinics, they wait longer to see providers and get worse care. they know v.a. medical professionals choose this work due to their mission to care for our veterans and that's something the private sector simply cannot replicase. we should invest more in v.a. provider recruitment incentives, increase adjudicators and not ignore veterans' wishes and speed recklessly into privatization. on the military construction side, this bill underfunds military construction by $904 million compared to the president's budget request. and it fails to fund some specific needs like installation resilience and nato infrastructure commitments. as russia continues to wage an illegal war in ukraine and

threaten europe, we should be sending a clear sign we stand with our nato allies, allies who stood by us for decades. and we are talking about infrastructure to our troops over there as well as our allies' troops. we know global warming temperatures are having a devastating impact on our military installations including sea level rise and extreme weather, as well as extreme heat and drought. yet, this bill includes zero dedicated funding to mitigate this extreme weather damage to our installations and force readiness. we've seen time and again what devastating extreme weather can do to installations. in 2018, hurricane michael mauled tenderman air force base in my home state and cost the air force $4.9 million to rebuild. and when a hurricane went through guam and devastated the island, this bill put forth $1.8

million to begin helping with the damage. but we know it will cost many millions more. this bill includes a plethora of harmful poison pill riders and hinders the v.a. from implementing the final rule to protect a woman's right to abortion and counseling. the message sent on that is clear, republicans want to further limit women's access to health care. never mind if an abortion is in the best medical interest of the veteran, between her and her doctor. disturbingly, republicans think you should only have access toe abortion if you're dying. this bill has the government making personal medical decisions for veterans, not their doctor or the veteran themselves. it's a cruel and ironic way to treat those who fight for our freedoms by taking them away. this bill also undermines v.a.'s ability to keep at-risk veterans safe by preventing v.a. from reporting a beneficiary to the national instant criminal background check system. this rider prohibits v.a. from following federal law to keep guns out of the hands of people

who federal law says should not have them because they are a danger to themselves or others. my subcommittee receives notifications every time there's a suicide on v.a. property. over the last year, mr. chairman, we received suicide notices from asheville, los angeles, mcallen, minneapolis, las vegas, south texas, puget sound, and many, many more. every single veteran committed suicide with a firearm. every single one. with all of these serious concerns, i cannot in good conscious support this bill. i urge my colleagues to oppose it and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentlewoman is recognized. mr. alford: today is the first of 12 stops we will take to respond to responsible governance. this weekend the 131st guard

wing at whiteman air force base in my district demonstrated the vital role our b-2 strike force plays in preserving national and international security. dome warfare between ukraine and russia have shown how vulnerable strategic assets can be. this bill emphasizes the importance of modernizing and hardening our infrastructure for the world's most advanced air wings such as the b-21 raider. our greatest asset, though, is not our aircraft. and i think the ranking member would agree, it is our people. this bill makes bold strides to improve the quality of life for our service members and their families. it expands childcare options. it enhances access to tutoring of children for fallen and disabled veterans, and supports the daily needs of the men and women who wear the uniform. access to a v.a. facility is not

a reality for some of our rural veterans. i hear it each and every day out in my district, 24 counties, southeast of kansas city. this bill, though, ensures they're not forgotten. we increased access opportunities by increasing the funds available for community care. and in a powerful act of bipartisanship, we are strengthening the veterans' crisis line. when a veteran calls, someone must answer. increased staffing and resources will help ensure that support is there each and every time. mr. chair, our veterans fought for us. it is time that we fight for them. this bill does that. and i urge my colleagues to vote for this bill, a vote to support our veterans. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: i would agree with the gentleman from missouri if the trump administration under elon musk's

doge effort hadn't actually fired employees and interrupted the ability of employees of the veteran suicide crisis line from actually doing their job. and we have no idea how many people lost their lives as a result of that interruption in service. so i would love to agree with the gentleman, but unfortunately, the facts on the ground actually reflect that they do not share the same commitment we do to ensure the safety of our service members and making sure we look out for them. with that, i yield five minutes to the gentlewoman from connecticut, the distinguished ranking member of the appropriations committee, ms. delauro. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. delauro: i want to thank the veterans subcommittee staff for their work and in particular for ruko fasso and tyler cole. i'm opposed to this bill which will transfer billions of

taxpayer dollars to private hospitals and clinics, leading to longer wait lines, poorer communication and coordination, a diminished quality of care for our veterans, and higher costs for taxpayers. this is a step towards privatization of the veterans administration, because if you hollow out the veterans administration, if you make it impossible for people to be able to access their benefits, then they will say, well, we can't trust the v.a. then they'll move in the direction of the privatization, and that is where this administration wants to go. this bill would worsen the quality of life for service members and their families, while putting veterans' safety at risk. while our military faces massive recruitment challenges, the bill underfunds military construction by nearly $1 billion. hurting our recruitment and retention, undermining our military readiness by making it hard tore keep guns out of the

hands of those legally barred from holding them. this bill endangers veterans safety. the bill leaves military installation, service members, and their families vulnerable to climate change and worsening natural disasters by failing to include dedicated funding to strengthen our military installations against these threats. or to help them recover from past disasters. defense leaders, including during president trump's first term, have warned of the danger climate change poses to our military and the tens of billions of damage to military installations from recent severe weather and reinforces their point. the former secretary james matusz warned it affected our defenses around the world and said climate change is a challenge that requires a broader whole of government

response. this bill attacks women veterans who are the fastest growing group served by the department of veterans' affairs with a policy rider that limits abortion access and prohibits abortion counseling. the women who volunteer to serve and defend our nation, to protect americans sacred rights and freedoms should not come home to find their medical care and planning decisions to be made by anyone other than themselves, their families, and their doctors. these riders do nothing but put us on the path of partisan division and will make it more difficult to come to an agreement on full-year bills that can become law. ending fiscal year 2025 with an unprecedented full year continuing resolution was a missed opportunity to invest in our veterans and in our service members. we should be working towards a bipartisan bill that can actually pass this year. and finally, the bill undercuts our commitments to our military partners. the trump administration has already done a masterful job at

alienating america on the world stage, turning our back on our closest allies. this bill goes even further and underfunds nato, the infrastructure, by almost $200 million. it undermines the infrastructure projects of our own troops in europe that they're relying on. our credibility as a national security partner has been trashed by this administration, and now it is not time to retreat from our alliances even further. the majority may suggest they're supporting veterans needs with this bill alone, but we know it does not contain all the programs the most vulnerable veterans depend on, programs and services, food assistance, education, health research, which this administration has illegally frozen and dismantled, in which their budget decimates funding for. support veterans around the country. losing that support means abandoning our responsibilities and our promises to our nation's veterans. . . . while i'm gleameds on the appropriations committee were

successful in shaming our colleagues across the aisle to amend their original bill to include advanced funding for the pact act, this bill still fails too many veterans in too many ways. so i cannot support it and i urge my colleagues to vote no. thank you and i yield back the balance of my time. ms. wasserman schultz: reserve the balance. the chair: the gentlewoman from florida reserves. the gentleman from texas is now controlling the time format jotter and -- for the majority and is recognized. >> mr. speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentleman from oklahoma, the chairman of the appropriations committee, mr. cole. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. cole: thank you very much, mr. speaker. and, mr. speaker, i thank my good friend, judge carter, for yielding me time. i rise today in support of this important piece of legislation. prioritizing veterans and troops says everything about our values and that's exactly what this first f.y. 2026 appropriations bill does. the military construction and veterans affairs appropriations

act is a testament to caring for those who selflessly have worn america's uniform, their families and the defenders who follow their path of service. we meet this mission not only in words of gratitude, but in policies that support them. this legislation provides full funding for health care and benefits for our nation's veterans, and implements an advance for the toxic exposure fund. this marks enhanced investment under president trump, which is also reflected in critical mental health initiatives and work to fight homelessness. it devotes funding to improve quality of life, including childcare and housing resources for mill pharmaceuticals who help car -- military spouses who carry the weight. and it provides for military base infrastructure in key deterrence efforts in the indo-pacific. it honors our heroes, ensuring the preservation of national military cemeteries and

memorials. with this legislation, our obligations to our armed forces, past and present, and our security are upheld. a vote yes is a vote to put our veterans, military families, base readiness and america first. i thank chairman carter for his hard work on this measure. i urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting it on final passage. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. mr. carter: i yield back. the chair: the gentleman from texas reserves. mr. carter: i reserve, i reserve. the chair: reserves. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: mr. chairman, i yield 3 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from georgia, the distinguished ranking member of the agricultural and rural development subcommittee and my dear friend. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bishop: thank you. mr. speaker, i rise today to continue my opposition to the f.y. 2026 military construction, veterans affairs and related agencies appropriations bill in its current form. i represent a district that is home to robin's air force base,

fort benning. these installations are more than just military sites, they are the backbone of communities where service members live, raise families and eventually retire to continue serving in civilian life. because of this, i have a deep and personal understanding of the needs of our service members, veterans and their families. i can say unequivocally that this bill fails them. our veterans deserve better. our military families deserve better. frankly, all of us deserve a bill that reflects our shared commitment to the men and women who wear and have worn the uniform. this national defense is not just about weapons and strategy, it's about people and this bill as currently written does not prioritize the needs of our people. instead, it's laced with ideological provisions drawn from project 2025, prioritizing political ambition over the well-being of those who have dedicated their lives to serving this country. let me be clear. health care for veterans should

not be an ideological battlefield, yet this bill accelerates the shift to privatized care at a time when we should be investing in the v.a. system itself. veterans overwhelmingly want to be treated in v.a. hospitals and clinics, facilities tailored to their unique needs and staffed by professionals who understand the physical, emotional and psychological costs of service. instead of fortifying these institutions, the bill undermines them. community care is an important tool, but it must remain just that. a supplement, not a substitute. veterans should only be referred to community care when the v.a. cannot meet their needs. not as part of a systemic effort to privatize the entire system. the simplest explanation is often the correct one. and here the simplest explanation for this unprecedented increase in outsourced care is a broader goal to dismantle the v.a. system itself, aligning with project 2025's dangerous objective to privatize veterans'

health care. the consequences of this cannot be overstated. equally troubling is the underfunding of military construction. particularly housing and childcare. these are not luxury, they're necessities. a stable home, quality childcare, these are foundational to military readiness. when we fail to provide for the families of service members, we degrade morale, retention and focus. we cannot expect excellence from our armed forces if we do not support the very people who make excellence possible. this bill does not build trust, it erodes it, and trust in our government and our institutions and our promises is what holds tthe fabric of this nation together. this legislation should be a reflection of our values, should speak to our priorities, it should say to every service and military family, we see you, we value you, we will not cut you down, but instead it deregulates where we need oversight and most egregiously it sows division where we need unity. knotts a partisan issue.

it's an american issue. and we must rise above ideology to meet this moment with currently and clarity. -- courage and clarity. i urge every one of my colleagues, especially those who may view this bill as just another line item, to pause and consider the real impact these decisions have on the people we're sworn to serve. let their needs, not political blueprint, be our north star today. we must do better. with that, i yield back. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. ms. wasserman schultz: i reserve. the chair: the gentlewoman from florida reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. carter: mr. speaker, i yield two minutes to the gentleman from california, the chairman of the defense appropriations subcommittee, mr. calvert. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. calvert: i thank the gentleman from texas. mr. speaker, i rise in support of the fiscal year 2026 military construction and veterans affairs appropriations bill. it is fitting that the appropriations bill to come to the house floor this year is one that fulfills our highest

priorities. honoring our commitments to those who have served and are currently serving in the united states military. this bill delivers on our promises by fully funding veterans' health care programs and fully funding veterans' benefits and v.a. programs. this bill addresses critical infrastructure needs for our men and women in uniform. to address deficiencies in the military barracks, identified by g.a.o. and others, the bill includes a $75 million increase. there's also $75 million increase for child development centers on military bases to improve the quality of life of many military families. in closing, i want to thank my colleague, judge carter, for crafting a bill that keeps our promises to the veterans and to our troops. i urge all my colleagues to support this important bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: mr. chairman, i yield two minutes to

the gentlewoman from texas, a new member of the appropriations committee, ms. escobar. the chair: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. escobar: thank you, mr. chairman. i would like to first express my gratitude, i'm excited to be on the appropriations committee and to serve with wonderful colleagues on both sides of the aisle. mr. chairman, i've been so alarmed by the attacks on hardworking americans by the trump administration. and we are seeing through the republican reconciliation bill an historic transfer of wealth, from the have-notes to the haves. and it's been equally alarming to see that our veterans have not been exempt from what we are all concerned about. in fact, if we look at the mass firings that occurred as directed by elon musk and his doge effort, 1/3 of our federal workforce is made up of

veterans. they've been at risk by those firings. we know also that there are additional firings that are coming, 80,000 v.a. employees are slated to be fired. and the cuts to health care in the reconciliation bill will impact veterans' families. which is why i was hoping we could mitigate much of that through this bill and unfortunately we have not. which is why i cannot support the bill. in fact, project 2025, which we discussed at length last year, one of the tenants of it calls for privatizing the v.a. this bill lays the foundation for that. and we know that our veterans demand, expect and deserve the best, highest quality health care and that's why we must do more through this bill and not privatize. there are other components of the bill that are equally alarming. i hope we can continue to work

better on both sides of the aisle to improve the care for our veterans, this bill doesn't get us there. thank you. i yield back. ms. wasserman schultz: i reserve. the chair: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. carter: i reserve. the chair: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: mr. chairman, i yield two minutes to the gentleman from indiana, a member of the appropriations committee, just joined us and we're happy to have him, mr. mrvan. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. mrvan: thank you, ranking member. as an elected official, one of the greatest honors of my career has been standing shoulder to shoulder with veterans of northwest indiana. i've worked tirelessly to ensure they receive the world class care and benefits they have bravely earned in service to our nation. indiana's first congressional district is home to nearly 40,000 veterans. every single day i fight to ensure that the department of veterans affairs fulfills its sacred promise to those who wore the uniform. that means making sure the v.a. has the staffing, resources and funding necessary to deliver the high quality care for the heroes

they deserve. it is with deep regret and strong conviction that i oppose this proposal. because it fails our veterans, it fails to meet the obligations we owe and those who answered the call of duty. in particular, i have heard the voices of veterans and their families in northwest indiana, voices filled with concern and fear. they are worried that the cuts to v.a. staffing will strip away access to critical care and essential services. we cannot and must not allow that to happen. our nation made a promise, we must honor it with action and not empty words. i've also heard from veterans who have continued their mission of service by joining the federal workforce, only now to face uncertainty about their future. these patriots who once defended our freedoms now work to uphold the very institutions they once served in uniform. nearly 30% of the federal workforce is made up of veterans, cutting staff doesn't just jeopardize care, it threatens the jobs and livelihoods of those who have already sacrificed so much for

this country. i stand ready for the debate ahead. and let's be clear. these cuts are coming at exactsly the wrong time -- exactly the wrong time. instead of reducing services, we should be expanding them. veterans exposed to toxic substances deserve swift justice. right now the average time for processing a claim is 165 days. over 2.3 million claims have been submitted and more than 6,000 of those veterans are in my district in indiana's first congressional district. that number represents hope and progress. i have to ensure and uphold a duty of brave men and women who have served and i yield back my time. ms. wasserman schultz: i reserve. the chair: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. carter: i reserve my time. the chair: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman is now recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: thank you, mr. chairman. i yield three minutes to the gentleman from california, the distinguished ranking member of the veterans' affairs committee, and a champion of our nation's

veterans, mr. takano. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. takano: i thank the ranking member. mr. speaker, i rise today in opposition to h.r. 3944, the fiscal year 2026 military construction, veterans affairs appropriations bill. and unfortunately i must ask my colleagues to oppose this fundamentally flawed legislation as well. this is not a position i take lightly. and i lament that we've gotten to this point. as ranking member of the house committee on veterans affairs, i have a -- veterans' affairs, i have a sacred duty to care for our nation's veteran, regardless of their race, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or politics. and to fulfill this solemn promise, i am committed to doing all we can to ensure that we have a well-functioning department of veterans affairs. we must also ensure v.a. has adequate funding to do the job we ask it to do. as such, any time veterans'

legislation is on the floor, i ask two main questions. one, does this bill improve access and delivery of care and benefits for veterans, their dependents and their survivors? and does it provide appropriate resources to v.a. to get the job done? unfortunately, despite its price tag, this bill fails on both accounts. at best i could say that this bill is premature. v.a. has not yet seen fit to provide congress with full and complete justification for its budget request. so, we have no clear idea how v.a. intends to spend the money we will be appropriating to the department. and at worst, i would say the republican majority has rushed forward with a bill that is completely divorced from our current reality, one in which v.a. secretary collins is planning to callously fire 80,000 v.a. employees without regard to the impact on delivery

of health care and other services. ... my republican colleagues have rubber stamped a proposal that prioritizes health care and erodes access to disability benefits, guts v.a. i.t. modernization unless you happen to be one of the president's tech friends and drags the v.a. into maga republicans' culture war. it contains riders that hinders the v.a.'s ability to serve all veterans. and especially harmful are the provisions that deny women veterans the range of necessary health care which includes abortion care and counseling. this bill abandons the premise all veterans deserve the same level of care they've earned by cruelly and heartlessly

subjecting lbgtq+ veterans to the bigotry that characterizes this administration. the unpatriotic attack against transgender service members continues in this bill as an unsparing attack against transgender veterans. ms. wasserman shultz: i yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. takano: this continues the harmful kennedy rider, the shortsighted rider that inhibits those from taking care of veterans with schizophrenia, and bipartisan disorder. i urge my colleagues to vote against this appropriations bill and i yield back. ms. wasserman shultz: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. carter: i yield two minutes to the gentleman from north

carolina, doctor murphy. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. murphry: i rise in grateful support of the military construction and related affairs appropriations act of 2026. as a proud representative of 76,000 veterans as well as camp lejeune, jerry point, and new river, it's my honor to advocate for federal funding on their behalf. i proudly support fy-26 appropriation to increase the v.a.'s budget by 10% to ensure our veteran service members and veterans receive the resources that they need, and more importantly, that they deserve. north carolina is proud to be called home by hundreds of thousands of active duty members of our military and those retired from our armed services. i'm grateful the veterans second amendment protection act was included in this package as well as supporting lang for the f-35

-- language for the f-35 program. we had people making statements but this administration and this congress will support the military in keeping us safe and free. thank you, mr. speaker, i yield back. mr. carter: i'll reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman shultz: i yield one minute to the gentleman from florida, my colleague and friend, mr. frost. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. frost: the theme of congressional republicans in congress is putting corporations over people. that's exactly what they're doing in this bill. instead of focusing on supporting our veterans, they've added one of the most reckless giveaways to the gun lobby we've ever seen, gutting the national instinct criminal background check system, the very system that keeps guns out of the hands of abusers, felons, and people who might be a danger to themselves and others. republicans want to ensure that

even if the v.a. determines if a veteran has a mental health condition to the point they can't cash their own check, the check has to be given to a family member because they're going through a crisis. federal republicans want that person to be able to go to a gun store and buy a weapon. most veteran suicides involve firearms. this will deeply worsen the veterans suicide crisis. this does not protect veterans' rights but protects the gun lobby profits over the lives of our veterans. if you vote for this, you're voting for veterans to die. don't let them tell you this bill is about liberty and freedom because there's no -- ms. wasserman shultz: i yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. frost: don't let them tell you about liberty and freedom, no liberty in a coffin and no

freedom. you should be ashamed of yourself if you vote for this. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. carter: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman shultz: i have no further speakers in general debate so i'm prepared to close. mr. chairman, i want to further add some information because the veterans crisis line was referenced by the gentleman from missouri. i want to make it very clear that the secretary of the v.a. actually did a u tube video specifically denying firing anyone from the crisis line while in reality he fired 24 people who worked on the veterans crisis line. if there was any improvement to the veterans crisis line in this bill, it's thanks to my colleagues on the appropriations committee, ms. dean, who was successful in passing an amendment that added $5 million to funding for the veterans

crisis line and for ms. underwood who actually added an amendment that prohibits any further cuts from the veterans crisis line. we're certainly appreciative of the bipartisan support of that. i want to make it clear we need to remain united in fighting cuts to the veterans crisis line and ensure that veterans have everything they need and a safety net firmly in place. but with all the issues raised during this debate, mr. chairman, to the blatant push to privatization of medical care to the climate resiliency projects and harmful poison pill riders, i cannot in good conscious support this bill and breaks my heart because we do have such a good working relationship across the aisle with chairman carter and myself and look forward to working together to improve this bill. i know it's possible as we move forward, and i'm hopeful that i urge my colleagues to vote against it and i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. carter: mr. speaker, i'm

ready to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. carter: thank you for having me here, mr. chairman. and i want to acknowledge that -- and ask my colleagues they support the fiscal year 2026 military construction veterans' affairs and related agencies probation bill. this legislation provides critical funding for military basises, provides housing for our troops and their families, and makes other investments aimed at improving the quality of life of our service members and ensures that our national defense needs are met both at home and abroad. we also hold -- uphold our pledge to our veterans. this bill fully funds health care and benefits for those who

have honorably served. i ask -- again, i ask my colleagues to support this bill. and with that i yield back the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman yields. all time for general debate has expired. pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. the amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of the rules committee print 119-5 shall be considered as adopted and the bill as amended shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of further amendment during the five-minute rule and shall be considered as read. no further amendment to the bill as amended shall be in order except those printed in house report 119-167, amendments en bloc and pro forma amendments described in section 4 of house resolution 540. each further amendment in the report, report 119-167 shall be considered only in the order printed in the report and may be

offered only by a member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report, equally divided and controlled by the proponent and opponent, may not be subject to amendment except provided by section 4 of house resolution 530 and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question. it shall be in order at any time for the chair of the committee on appropriations or his designee to offer amendments en bloc consisting of further amendments printed in house report 119-167, not earlier disposed of. amendments en bloc offered pursuant to section 3 of house resolution 530 shall be considered as read and shall be debatable for 20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on appropriations or their respective designees, shall not be subject to amendment except as provided by section 4 of house resolution 530 and shall not be subject to a demand of the division of the question.

during consideration of the bill for amendment, the chair and ranking minority member on the committee on appropriations or their respective designees may offer up to 10 pro forma amendments each for any point for the purpose of debate. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? mr. carter: mr. chair, pursuant to house resolution 530, i offer amendments en bloc as the designee of chairman cole. the chair: the clerk will designate the amendments en bloc. the clerk: en bloc number one consisting of amendments 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, and 30 printed in house report number 119-167 offered by mr. carter of texas.

the chair: pursuant to house resolution 530, the gentleman from texas, mr. carter, and the gentlewoman from florida, ms. wasserman shultz, each will control 10 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. mr. carter: mr. speaker, i rise in favor of this amendment. it includes bipartisan amendments that both sides have agreed to. i appreciate ranking member wasserman shultz working with us on this amendment, and i ask for your support and urge its adoption. i reserve the balance of my time the chair: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman shultz: mr. chairman, i rise in support of this amendment. this amendment contains noncontroversial amendments that raise awareness on programs we all care about, that includes a need to address a variety of medical care issues at the v.a., the need to build more childcare centers, construct more state owned facilities, access claims

processing and many others. i encourage my colleagues to support this amendment and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. carter: i reserve. the chair: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman shultz: i yield two minutes to the gentleman from new jersey, mr. gottheimer, a fierce defendant of our veterans. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. gottheimer: i rise in support of the en bloc amendments including one that i included. my first amendment requires a resident advocate in every veterans home across the country and will be an advocate as a direct line for their veterans and families ensuring they have someone who can immediately help with any concerns and respond without delay. in my home state, 190 veterans tragically lost their lives because of the covid outbreak at the veterans home in new jersey.

this is unacceptable and my amendment will help ensure catastrophes never happen like that again. and my second amendment will help allow koerber meals for jewish veterans. right now they're only served frozen, prepackaged koerber meals that lack nutrition. we must ensure no veteran should choose between their religion or health. my third amendment will continue funding for the suicide prevention grant program which delivered millions in services to help prevent veteran suicide. without in funding this program will expire later this year. we can't let that happen. after sacrificing so much, our great veterans should never struggle to get the care and respect they rightfully earned. that's why i urge my colleagues' support of the en bloc package and thank you and yield back my time. ms. wasserman shultz: i reserve. the chair: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. carter: i yield two minutes

to the gentleman from guam, my friend, mr. moylan. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. moylan: i rise in support of my amendment to urge the department of veterans' affairs to find a plan to relocate the regional office from manila to guam. guam is home to one of the highest per capita of veterans in the united states but our role doesn't stop there. we serve as a critical hub for veterans across the western pacific from the commonwealth of the northern mare annas to the freely associated states. yet despite this regional responsibility, guam still lacks a full service v.a. regional office. . regional office. today they have to travel thousands of miles to honolulu. more than 3,800 miles away just to meet with a veterans counselor. or resolve a claim. that's not just inconvenient,

it's unjust. and it's unacceptable. my amendment seeks to change that. it would direct the v.a. to develop a plan within one year for transitioning its regional office from manila to guam. this isn't about turning off the lights in the philippines overnight, it's about creating a deliberate responsible road map that ensures veterans in the western pacific and the philippines continue to receive care. while aligning the v.a. footprint with our evolving strategic reality. the men and women who sacrifice for our country did not do so with an expiration date of their service. our commitment to them must be equally enduring. we have a duty to ensure they are not forgotten or left behind. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: --

mr. carter: i reserve. the chair: the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: i yield one minute to the gentlewoman from new hampshire, a new member, and a veteran of our armed forces, ms. goodlanderment. the chair: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. goodlander: thank you, mr. speaker. thank you, congresswoman wilt for your leadership. i rise today on behalf of the 88,000 brave american heroes, veterans, who call the state of new hampshire home. we owe a sacred obligation to the women and men who served our country in uniform. we have got to make sure that they receive the high quality health care they have earned. there are 48 states here in the continental united states. and my home state, new hampshire, is the only one without a full service v.a. hospital. my amendment before the house today would change that. it will ensure the trump administration follows through on its promise to expand services to support a full service v.a. medical center in new hampshire. it's past time we time we right

this wrong. and i urge my colleagues to support this amendment which would do just that. i yield back. the chair: the gentlewoman from reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. carter: mr. speaker, i yield one minute to -- two minutes to the lady from colorado, ms. boebert. the chair: the gentlewoman is recognized. miss bobert: thank you -- ms. boebert: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today with deep respect and unwavering gratitude for the brave men and women who have worn the uniform of the united states of america. my support for the members of our military does not end with their service -- when their service is complete. and i will always take steps to ensure our nation's veterans and their families receive the benefits that they were promised and are owed. my amendment's included in this package today ensuring our nation keeps its sacred promise

to those who served our great country. from providing additional funding for the construction of new state extended care facilities, to increasing funds for medical and prosthetic research, and from reducing the backlog at the board of veterans appeals to providing burial services and benefits for veterans in rural areas lacking a v.a. national cemetery. my amendments will directly improve the quality of life for veterans throughout colorado and america. this bill makes good on president trump's promises he made to our veterans. it mirrors his executive orders on no funds for d.e.i. radical transgender surgeries, while also supporting the president's efforts to combat veteran homelessness through investment in the new bridging rental assistance for veterans empowerment program this bill protects the second

amendment rights of veterans by preventing the v.a. from sending information to the federal bureau of investigations about veterans without a judge's consent. it also prohibits the v.a. from processing medical care claims for illegal aliens. i urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the bipartisan en bloc and for this critical piece of legislation. our veterans are the living embodiment of duty, honor, and sacrifice. they have stood own the -- on the frontlines for our freedom and this bill is a great opportunity to now stand for them. i yield. the chair: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: mr. chairman, i reserve. the chair: the gentlewoman from florida reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. carter: i yield back the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman from texas yields. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: mr. chairman, at the moment i

also do not have any additional speakers. i yield back the balance of my time. the chair: the gentlewoman yields. the question is on the amendments en bloc offered by the gentleman from texas. so many as are in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. the en bloc amendments are agreed to. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? mr. carter: mr. chairman, pursuant to house resolution 530, i offer amendments en bloc as the designee of chairman c cole. the chair: the clerk will designate the amendments en bloc. the clerk: enclock number 2 consisting of amendments numbered 1, 14, 15, 19, 25, 28, and 32 printed in house report number 119-167, offered by mr. carter of texas. the chair: pursuant to house resolution 530, the gentleman from texas, mr. carter, and the

gentlewoman from florida, ms. wasserman schultz, will each control 10 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. mr. carter: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in favor of the amendment. it includes various priorities related to veterans health care and benefits and calls for improvements to our military bases. i urge its adoption. i reserve the balance of my t time. the chair: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: i reserve. the chair: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. carter: just a moment.

mr. speaker, i yield two minutes to the the gentleman from texas, a good friend, mr. arrington. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. arrington: i thank my good friend from the great state of texas. the judge, as we call him back in the freest and greatest state in the union. i have an amendment, mr. speaker, and it's one i think all of my colleagues will want to support. in the last week the world witnessed the might of america's unparalleled air superiority and what a critical role our strategic bombers and men and women who pilot and maintain them do to keep our enemies like iran in check. for nearly 40 years the b-1 has been the tip of the spear of america's air superiority. the b-1 has served us well.

but at a time when our adve adversaries like china are making historic investments in their own military, it's time we roll out america's next generation war fighter. that's why i rise in strong support of this amendment that would direct a little over $4 million to enhance gate security at military installations set to receive the b-21 raider. including dais air force base there in the key city of abilene, texas. the b-21 raider represents the most capable and lethal boemre this world -- bomber, this world, this planet has ever known and seen. it is the future of our long rage strike capability, designed to evade modern air defenses and deliver both nuclear and conventional payloads across the globe. dais, the base there in abilene, texas, will soon become a key platform for deploying this

cutting-edge aircraft, and we have the responsibility to ensure this invest n-national defense is protected accordingly. let's be clear this is not a theoretical threat. in 2023 alone u.s. officials reported over 100 incidents of chinese nationals attempting to unlawfully access department of defense facilities. in may of this year --' running out of time. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. carter: i yield an additional minute. the chair: the gentleman is recognized mr. arrington: in may of this year two foreign nationals here illegally under president biden's open border crisis attempted to breach quantico in a box truck. these are not isolated incidents. they are part of a disturbing trend that put our installations, our defense technology, most importantly our service members at risk. this amendment straight forward. it funds the necessary upgrades to the gate infrastructure. at bases to comply with the department of defense force protection standards.

reinforcing access control, preventing unauthorized entry. it's common sense. straightforward. and it will help both our service members, our air arsenal, and overall national security posture. i urge adoption of this amendment. and yield back the balance of my time. i thank the judge. mr. carter: i reserve. the chair: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: thank you, mr. chairman. i rise in opposition to this amendment. this en bloc contains eight amendments that will make this bill worse than it already is. it includes a funding cut to the veterans benefits administration, further exacerbating the backlogs and processing disability compensation claims leaving to long waits for veterans. the republican milcon bill already cuts the nato security investment program by $188 million. this amendment would further cut it by another $4.1 million. it's shocking that my republican colleagues would condone this,

especially while they are offering amendments encouraging the speedier processing of claims and lamenting the delays in countless republican speeches. nato infrastructure investment receives robust fund interesting our nato partners, but there is an illegal russian war going on. so it would seem that we need more investment in nato infrastructure now more than ever. and yet this amendment would further cut into it. the amendment also seeks to continue the republican push to privatize v.a. medical care. the bill already includes a 67% increase to medical community care which an increase without justification or rationale. we received no backup information from the administration whatsoever as to why they proposed this or it's necessary because it isn't. it's a simple additional attempt to march the v.a. towards privatizization and get away from what we know veterans want. the amendment promotes untested and dangerous medical treatment for our veterans.

it makes a bad bill even worse. i encourage my colleagues to oppose this amendment. i reserve the balance of my time. the chair: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. carter: i move the adoption of this amendment. en bloc. and yield back. the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman from texas yields. the gentlewoman from florida is recognized. ms. wasserman schultz: mr. chairman, this en bloc doesn't do a single thing to improve this bill. in fact, it makes it worse t cuts the veterans benefits administration. it discriminates against veterans. and doubles down on privatizization of v.a. medical care. i urge a no vote. and i yield back the balance of my time. the chair: the question is on the amendment -- amendments en bloc offered by the gentleman from texas. so many as are in favor say aye.

those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, the aye vs. it. ms. wasserman schultz: i demand a recorded vote. the chair: pursuant to clause 6 of rule 18, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from texas will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from florida seek recognition? ms. wasserman schultz: mr. chairman, i rise as the designee of the the gentlewoman from connecticut, i move to strike the last word. the chair: the gentlewoman is recognized for five minutes. ms. wasserman schultz: thank you, mr. chairman. i yield to the gentlewoman from ohio, the distinguished ranking member of the energy and water development subcommittee, and the dean of women of the house of representatives, ms. kaptur. the chair: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. kaptur: thank you very, very much, congresswoman wasserman schultz, from the great state of florida. you certainly have educated us about florida. among other things. and you are a proud, proud

ranking member on this bill. but this bill punishes our veterans, pushing out prof professionals from the department of veterans affairs. it promotes premature retirements, and it paves the way for private equity takeovers. leaving care delayed, denied, and diminished. for this reason, at the appropriate time, will i offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. if the house rules permitted, i would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. my amendment would mandate metrics requiring a report on veteran employee separations, deferred resignations, early retirements, and contractor driven cuts, exposing employment erosion and salary shortfalls of those who have served our nation. .. veterans deserve data, not desertion. i will vote no on the military

construction bill also because the underlying bill underfunds our military construction accounts by nearly $1 billion. this hurts our military readiness at a time when our enemies, like china, choose to invest in themselves. i also can't support a bill that paves the road to v.a. privatization, perish that thought. and while i have the time, it is long overdue for the department of veterans' affairs to approve the request for -- from northwest ohio to pecks diet dual affiliation of the university of toledo's medical center and ann arbor v.a. medical center. our clinic in toledo stands ready to support this effort and over 83,000 veterans in the northwest quadrant of ohio deserve the convenience of access to the state of ohio's medical center and academic center at toledo.

in toledo, level funding in this account will not allow us to grow and fully support the needs of all of our veterans. at the end of the debate i will insert into the record the text of this amendment and i urge my colleagues to join me in voting for the motion to recommit. i thank you and i yield back. ms. kaptur: mr. chairman. i yield to the gentleman from puerto rico, mr. hernandez. mr. hernandez: i rise today in strong support of congresswoman kiggans' amendment number 9 which ensures care for veterans in u.s.er to toes, commonwealths and states. this is critical for puerto rico where 79,000 veterans reside on the island and have served our

nation with honor and distinction. yet far too often they face unequal access to the care they've earned, whether it's understaffed facilities or long wait time for off-island referrals the same is true in guam, u.s.v.i., and the northern mariana islands as well as associated states in the pacific. veterans in these communities, no matter where they live, should have access to the quality care owed to them. this amendment sends a clear message. the care for veterans doesn't stop at the mainland, that all who served deserve timely, high quality care regardless of where they li. i thank the gentlewoman from virginia for her leadership. i urge my colleagues to support this amendment. thank you, i yield back. ms. wasserman schultz: i thank the gentlewoman for his fierce advocacy of the veterans from puerto rico and i yield back.

the chair: the gentlewoman -- for what purpose does the gentleman from indiana rise? >> i move to strike the last word and rise as the designee of chairman cole. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for five mines. >> thank you, mr. speaker. my amendment provides $55 million to create a newhan gar at our shelbyville, indiana, army support facility. 900 indiana guardsmen assigned to the 38th combat brigade have supported 16 deployments since 2001 including to iraq, kuwait and bosnia. our shelbyville facility remains the crown jewel of indiana and midwest aviation. this proud aviation unit has one of the oldest army aviation flight facilities in the national guard. built in 1972, it supports 11

aircraft and more than 50 full-time personnel. mr. sleeve: it will save -- mr. shreve: upgrading the facility will save man hours and supports rapid response and will sustain recruitment of indiana's finest soldiers. this will equip our next generation of guardsmen to protect our homeland at home and abroad. i urge my colleagues to support this amendment and i yield back. the chair: the gentleman yields. it is now in order to consider amendment number 8 printed in out report 119-167. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. correa: i rise to present number eight. the chair: does the gentleman have an amendment at the desk? mr. correa: yes.

the chair: the clerk will designate the amendment. the clerk: amendment number 8 printed in house report 119-67, offered by mr. correa of california. the chair: the gentleman from california, mr. correa, and a member opposed each will control five minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california mr. correa: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in strong support of amendment number eight directing the department to have veterans' affairs to make recommendations on changes that are needed to its existing health care infrastructure so veterans can receive psychedelic assisted therapies upon f.d.a. approval. in december of 2024, the v.a. announced $1.5 million in funding for clinical research in mdma assisted therapy for veterans with ptsd and alcohol disorder as well. this is the first time v.a. has funded research on psychedelic compounds since the 1960's. my fellow psychedelic advanced

therapies co-chair, jack bergman, and i are encouraged by the promising results we have seen in treating veterans with ptsd and other disorders. however, these therapies are different from traditional therapies in many ways. psychedelic therapies involve long hour sessions with multiple therapists, additional safety issues, and special training consideration for providers. we introduce this amendment because we need to be ready and be proactive to make sure that when the v.a. is ready to administer these therapies, they actually can. while mdma assisted therapy did not receive f.d.a. approval last summer, approval of certain psychedelic therapies will likely come very soon. and we owe it to our veterans to make sure that they can access these therapies upon approval.

every day we lose 0 veterans to suicide. one suicide is too many. i urge my colleagues to support this amendment, to make sure that our veterans have the best care they knead as soon as possible. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield. the chair: the gentleman -- mr. correa: i yield my time to general jack bergman. the chair: the gentleman reserves. for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan seek recognition? mr. bergman: i rise to claim the time in opposition although i am not opposed to the amendment. the chair: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. mr. bergman: mr. speaker, i want to thank my dear friend and fellow path caucus co-chair, congressman correa, for yielding the time today. washington, d.c. is built -- has built its success on good

partnerships, especially across the aisle, on issues that benefit all of our american, not just a few. i rise in strong support of this amendment which directs the veterans' administration to begin preparing for the rollout of breakthrough treatments for veterans battling ptsd, depression, and substance abuse disorders. president trump's first administration took a fold and necessary step by granting breakthrough therapy status to mdma and sill sy bin -- and psylocybin. last summer, the v.a. physical lowed suit, funding its first psychedelic assistance study in over 60 years. that was a critical milestone but research alone is not enough. without a plan to turn finding into frontline care we risk failing the very people this research is meant to help. our veterans. we know the stakes. too many service members come

home bearing invisible wounds. while traditional treatments work for some, far too many are left cycling through ineffective medications, suffering in silence, or worse, giving up entirely. emerging v.a. studies involving mdma and psylocypin show potential for truly lasting healing. they offer hope. but hope alone doesn't heal. washington has a bad habit of funding studies without the results. this amendment sends a clear message to the v.a. don't just study, prepare. prepare to implement new therapies and newfound ways to improve the lives of veterans now. not five, not 10 years from now.

that means identifying the clinical infrastructure needed to deliver these treatments. training and certifying providers. and launching pilot programs to bring these therapies from the lab into real world care settings. again, we can't wait five or 10 years while veterans can't to is suffer. every day we delay is a day someone loses a hope or their life. we have a responsibility to be ready to deliver these treatments if they work. this isn't about politics it's promises kept we owe our veterans more than research. we owe them results. we owe them implementation. and this amendment moves us one step closer to delivering. i urge all my colleagues to support it and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from california. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair the

yeas have it. the amendment is agreed to. the chair understands amendment number 13 will not be offered. it is now in order to consider amendment number 21 printed in house report 119-167. for what purpose does the gentleman from ohio seek recognition? >> i rise as the dezic nigh for the gentleman from florida and have an amendment at the desk. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk willres. -- the chair: the clerk will designate the amendment. the clerk: amendment number 21 offered by mr. joyce of ohio. the chair: pursuant to house resolution 530, the gentleman from hy, mr. joyce and a member opposed each will control five minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from ohio. mr. joyce: the true sponsor of this amendment has just arrived. i defer to congressman mast to maintain his position.

mr. mast: i'm here to speak on mast amendment 84, something we've dealt with here in congress before, specifically relates to veterans' access to cannabis. and the story that i still in advance of this is simply this. i woke up in walter reed not too far from here a number of years ago. when i woke up i was missing two legs an a finger and i had been out of consciousness for a week plus. and what i woke up to was being on a laundry list of medications. i had an epidural. i had oral morphines and oxis. antidepressants, anti-inflammatoris, i lad a dilaudid drip and a number of things. i had never been on any of these things before in my life. and i immediately as soon as i woke up, i started to wean

myself off of these drugs because i was saying to myself, you know, i might be very uncomfortable but i don't want to be dependent on sleep sedatives. i might be in pain but let's start taking off this painkiller and this painkiller. i'm not depressed, take this antidepressant away. these markets were beyond painful to come off of. i was down to the lowest amount after about six months of the last market, it was an oral morphine. and going from the lowest amount twice a day, 6 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., to nothing. i spent the next several months miserable. all the gamut of withdrawal symptoms. irritability, food going through me, up all night you name it. that was just after six months. the state that these markets in many cases leave our veterans in are at the most extreme end of it, states of suicide, at other

ends of it just extreme states of dissatisfaction and lacking purpose in life. and in some cases it does leave them in a better condition but the point i'm making with this true story is that veterans need to have options outside of these markets. and in many states there are legal cannabis medical programs. and they need to have the ability when they're being seen by their primary care physician inside of the v.a. to have discussions about whether cannabis is or is not right for them because they have access to it in their state. they need to be able to talk to their provider, their medical provider, about what they fill out on the paperwork, what's the right dosage amount, how that is going to interact with other medications they may be on. how it might affect their blood pressure or other things going on with them personally. if we're not giving that option to have that conversation, at the most serious level without worrying about some kind of reprisal from the doctor or otherwise, we are doing our

veterans a disservice in certainly at minimum all these states where there are legal cannabis programs. i'm not a doctor i wouldn't purport to know when this is a good treatment for somebody or when it is not or the amounts they should take but as long as it's available in these various states, their doctors need to have the opportunity to discuss that treatment with them because the fact of the matter is, the fact of the matter is i have heard my brothers and sisters of arms being in a state of sui suicide, i have yet heard any of them attributing it to cannabis they have as part of their life. i would ask support on mast amendment 84. i don't know film' supposed to you back -- i reserve. i reserve our time. the chair: is the time of the gentleman from ohio, and he reserves. any member seek time in opposition?

seeing none, the gentleman from ohio, mr. joyce, is recognized. mr. joyce: thank you, mr. chair. what else can you say after hearing from the true story of a true american hero and why it is important for all people, floridians, every veteran, to be able to access cannabis if it's necessary and prescribed by a doctor if it helps them treat whatever they come home with. my father was left for dead in world war ii. he came home. i know what it takes for these people and the hurt they have gone through on behalf of our country. they deserve every option available to bring them back to what they were before they left on our behalf. with that i close. the chair: does the gentleman yield? the gentleman yields. the question is on the amendment

offered by the gentleman from ohio on behalf of the gentleman from florida, so many as are in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, the ayes have t the amendment is greed -- have it. the amendment is agreed to. the chair understands that amendment number 31 will not be offered. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? mr. carter: mr. chairman, i move that the committee do now rise. the chair: the question is on the motion of the committee rise. all those in favor say aye. those opponent say nay. the aye vs. t the motion is adopted, accordingly, the committee rises.

the speaker pro tempore: mr. chairman. the chair: directs me to report it has come to no resolution thereon. the speaker pro tempore: the chair of the committee of the whole house on the state of the union reports that the committee has had under consideration h.r. 3944 and has come to no resolution thereon. pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess subject to the call of the chair.

span as a public service. along with these other television providers. giving you a front row seat to democracy. host: representative suhas subramanyam joins us from capitol hill, democrat from virginia, a member of the oversight and accountability committee, and also a member of the space, science and technology committee. representative, thank you for your time. guest: thank you. host: what has been your reaction to not only what occurred in iran over the weekend by the united states, but what happens after that?