inform the listener of the perspective of the caller, that in itself polarizes. i have been on this passionate pursuit of the truth. a willingness to say to former president donald trump you do not have to talk that way, a willingness to say to current -- i am sorry. current president joe biden, the american do -- the american people do think you are too old. the willingness is to speak truth to power to save our democracy. we do so not out of revenge or meanness, but out of the truth. we have to tell the truth. i appreciate the caller's respective. ohio, william. republican. caller: good morning. i wanted to say something about the border thing. a few years ago when president trump was in office a soldier

was killed in south america or africa. we were working with that >> we're going to leave this keep our commitment toe live gavel to gavel coverage of congress. today the house will work on several small business related measures and a bill to revital r.f.k. stadium football site. off the floor, members are continuing work on government funding with the first of two shutdown deadlines coming friday. and later today, the house will swear in representative-elect tom souzzi of new york, who recently won a special election to replace george santos. you're watching live coverage here on c-span. the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order.

the chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker. the clerk: the speaker's rooms, washington, d.c. february 28, 2024. i hereby appoint the honorable mariannette miller-meeks to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. signed, mike johnson, speaker of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the order of the house of january 9, 2024, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour debate. the chair will alternate recognition between the parties with mime equally allocated between the parties and each member other than the majority and minority leaders and minority whip limited to five minutes, but in no event shall debate continue beyond 1:50 p.m. the chair recognizes the gentleman from oregon, mr. blumenauer, for five min minutes. mr. blumenauer: thank you, madam

speaker. this week we are having a public media summit in our nation's capital. with representatives from independent television stations from across the country. 13 years ago of prospects were not particularly encouraging. we just had a takeover in the house of representatives with people intent on reducing government spending and public media was in the crosshairs. today, 13 years later, the federal funding is still flowing, at record levels, to america's public broadcasters. we noted the retirement of the head of america's public television stations, pat butler, who helped guide us through these difficult times. congress has enacted a new infrastructure investment program for public media, nearly

three times as large as the one it replaced. when covid struck, the economy imploded, congress provided $250 million in emergency financial assistance to america's public media. and our partnership for public radio and television includes our state governments as well who will commit a record $365 million to support public media. there are hundreds of advocates who will hit capitol hill to share the strong positive message of public broadcasting. in a way this should be the easiest of lobbying assignments. public broadcasting is the most trusted name in media. 180 million people watch or listen to it every week.

the senate passed the appropriation out of committee 24-2. at a funding level overwhelmingly approved last spring by congress with the agreement with the president to avert a shutdown. it included 149 republicans. the benefits are powerful, and almost universe aolly supported -- universally supported. it's not just news, but most point out that pbs and n.p.r. is where even the critics go when they need to know what is actually going on. part of our challenge now is that there are a handful of people who are holding the budget hostage. which is unfortunate because there is overwhelming support in the house and the senate if we are able to see our way clear. it's perplexing because funding for public media is

overwhelmingly supported by rural and small town america. there is always going to be public broadcasting in new york or san francisco, boston, or even portland, oregon. but there will not be as much and the programs won't be as good but it will be there. but that's not the case for rural and small town america. in the mountain states, rural midwest, in alaska. that's why the late republican dean of the house, don young, was such a fierce champion for public broadcasting in his state and nationally. he knew that it was more important in rural america where there are fewer choices and it's more expensive. federal support was critical. news, general at the same time, culture -- entertainment, culture, think where we would be during covid without the public educational component.

it's also increasingly important for public safety. the network supplied by public broadcasting is the emergency communications for natural disaster, for efforts in terms of fires, floods. it is a system that we depend upon. and it is public broadcasting that provides the backbone. people literally depend on it for their lives. let's hope, as the visitors from the public television stations visit capitol hill, meeting with our staff, providing this information, that people are receptive. because this is an opportunity for us in a bipartisan basis to strengthen the ability of americans to be able to learn, to be able to promote culture and education, and public safety. it is the best bargain for the taxpayer dollar. i hope that we will be

supportive. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair now recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania, dr. mr. joyce: madam speaker, i rise to address the house and ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: so recognized. mr. joyce: madam speaker, last week president biden announced a plan to cancel $1.2 billion in federal student loans for 150,000 borrowers. as americans we have always followed a -- followed a simple rule, if you take out a loan, you pay back the loan. it's time to call a spade a spade. this student loan scam isn't forgiveness, it's an election year handout to president biden's far left voters. to transfer debt to the american taxpayer. this gimmick transfers the burden of the loans from the students who took the loans on

to every american taxpayer. repaying these loans certainly has no personal benefit to 87% of taxpayers who don't have student loans and to the 100 million americans who never attended college. this program takes advantage of americans who are already struggling to support their families under the weight of president biden's inflation. it is time to send a message to president biden and his administration that we cannot allow hardworking americans who have kept their word and repaid their personal loans to be ripped off by yet another pandering scheme to the far left. thank you. madam speaker, i rise today to celebrate rare disease week. right now more than 25 million

americans and their loved ones are impacted by over 7,000 conditions which are classified as rare diseases. since the orphan drug act was enacted in 1983, more than 600 drugs have been developed to combat these illnesses and ultimately save lives. now because of president biden's so-called inflation reduction act, the environment that has allowed these treatments to develop is being threatened. this week, i'm proud to be working alongside my colleagues to advance bipartisan legislation, the orphan cures act, which would expand the orphan drug exemption for medicines was multiple indications involving rare disease and cancers. it's critical that congress acts to support research and development into treatments and therapies that address rare diseases and further work to

ensure that patients have access to the care and to the treatment that they need. as we recognize rare disease week, let's commit to standing with patients who are living with rare diseases. including pediatric cancers. and diseases like cystic phi row business -- cystic fibrosis. classified as rare but they are not rare to the families and patients suffering with them. let's commit to working together to ensure every patient, regardless of the rarity of the condition, receives the support, care, and treatment that they need. thank you, madam speaker. i yield. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from iowa, mrs. miller-meeks, for five minutes. mrs. miller-meeks: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to remember and celebrate the life of larry

his remarkable work in the quad cities was transformative. over the years he was president of the j.c.'s and the chamber of commerce where he served for many years as an ambassador. he was last a member of the morning optimist clubs, the kiwanis club and served as the district chairman for the boy scouts of america. his unwavering dedication, leadership, and passion for excellence set a standard that will continue to inspire us all. as we reflect on his achievements, his military service, and his service to our community, let us remember the positive influence he had on those around him. i'd like to offer my deepest condolences to his wife and his family during this difficult time. may we honor larry by carrying forward his spirit of resilience, creativity, and commitment to making a difference. thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to celebrate the

extraordinary achievements of zach bott, a winemaker at fi fireside winery for being named the 2024 iowa wine growers association winemaker of the year. in a region known for its rich agricultural history, zach's dedication and passion for wine making have set him apart. he has not only mastered the art of wine making, but also become a symbol of excellence in the industry. his commitment to producing high quality wine reflects the spirit of innovation and hard work that defines iowa's wine making industry. congratulations, zach, on this well deserved honor. may your success inspire a new generation of wine makers and continue to elevate iowa's -- iowa's preens in wines. i rise to celebrate beth who recently was named the permanent athletics director for the university of iowa. she is now the first woman to oversee the university's entire

athletics program since christine grant led the then separate women's athletic department from 1973 to 2000. beth's groundbreaking announcement not only marks a significant milestone for women working in athletics, but the promotion also reflects iowa's commitment to excellence and diversity in leadership. with an impressive track record and a visionary approach, beth is ready to lead iowa athletics to new heights. congratulations, death, and go, hawks. thank you, mr. speaker. i want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to identity with a department of transportation, the city crews, county crews, and all the volunteers who worked tirelessly during the recent winter storm in iowa's first congressional district. with another storm coming in today, their work has been so helpful to all iowans. and to those who are crossing the country on interstate 80 or

interstate 35. their unwavering commitment and dedication ensured our roads were cleared, our sidewalks were usable, our communities remain safe, and ensured our essential services continued uninterrupted. and it was a challenging and dangerous job to do at that. so i extend my deepest gratitude to the women and men who threw her hard work -- who through their hard work kept our cities running smoothly and roads safe. your efforts have not gone unnoticed. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from tennessee, mr. rose, for five minutes. mr. rose: mr. speaker, last week our country lost yet another innocent soul to president biden's administration's inexcusable and shameful open border policy when 22-year-old laken hope riley was brutally murdered by venezuelan citizen who illegally entered our

country in september, 2022. laken was a nursing student at augusta university's athens campus out on a morning run near the intramural feeds at the university of georgia -- fields at the university of georgia. may her soul rest in peace. unfortunately, this is what americans across the country have come to expect since president biden took office. his administration has enacted and implemented numerous open border policies which directly and inevitably result in these sorts of tragedies. in addition to this terriblagedy that occurred in georgia, local authorities in virginia arrested a 32-year-old venezuelan migrant in connection with the sexual assault of a minor. . this individual also entered the country in september of 2022 after being detained and released by u.s. customs and border patrol in el paso, texas.

in our nation's capital, washington, d.c., a man accused of shooting three district of columbia police officers is found to be in our country illegally, with an active deportation order with immigration and customs enforcement. all three of these terrible, completely avoidable tragedies occurred in the same calendar month. just a week apart. mr. speaker, pure and simple. these are the consequences of the biden administration's indefensible open border policies. there is no doubt that president biden's effectless border policies are -- fecless border policies are the direct causes of this once unimaginable level of crime and loss of life. to make matters worse, just days after both of these immigrants entered our country illegally, president biden, instead of trying to secure the border, eroan us willy i -- erroneously

stated that the border was actually secure and that it was, quote, not rational, unquote, to deport illegal immigrants from veps waila -- venezuela. in deporting illegal immigrants, if deporting illegal immigrants is not rational, then that begs the question, mr. speaker, what is rational? simply doing nothing but keeping the border wide open surely isn't rational. as a father of two young children growing up in president biden's united states, where every town has become a border town, i fear it is only a matter of time until one of these families that i represent in middle tennessee faces the same consequences of the biden administration's open border policies. i pray that day never comes. i also pray the president comes to his senses and ends the humanitarian crisis at the southern border, that his administration's policies have caused. the administration has already

admitted they have the authority to restrict migrants' ability to seek asylum at the border. it is well past time that the president used that authority. until then, house republicans like me will continue sounding the alarm and beating the drum to shed light on this administration's open border policies and blatant abuse of our immigration laws. border security is national security and strong borders make for strong countries and safe countries. mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the the gentlewoman from north carolina, ms. foxx, for five minutes. ms. foxx: thank you, madam speaker. madam speaker, at this very moment, america's dedicated farmers and the nation's entire agricultural community are facing a serious threat. that threat is the communist chinese party's continued

purchasing of american farmland. this is a threat that i take very seriously and it's one that i remain committed to fixing. here's the truth. the chinese communist party has absolutely no interest in supporting our nation's food supply. it cares only about improving its own bottom line, while kneecapping a community that's always put food on the tables of families in every zip code in america. think about the threat that's being posed to our national security as more american farmland is acquired by the chinese communist party. my record is crystal clear on standing with farmers and i've recently taken action to confront and expose the chinese communist party's covert agenda. i've co-sponsored h.r. 7131, the afida improvements act, legislation that makes serious reforms related to how the united states' department of agriculture shares data on foreign investments in

agricultural land. what's more, i've co-sponsored h.r. 809, the prohibition of agricultural land for the people's republic of china act. this legislation requires the president to take necessary actions to prohibit the purchase of public or private agricultural real estate located in the united states by nonresident aliens, foreign businesses or any agent, trustee or fiduciary societied with -- associated with the government of the people's republic of china. further, under this legislation, individuals or businesses with direct ties to the government of the people's republic of china will be prohibited from certain programs administered by the secretary of agriculture. madam speaker, the simple truth is that our nation's food supply and supply chain are better off when american farmers are put first. the interest of the chinese government should never be put first. this threat is one that should not be ignored. i've long held that north

carolina's agricultural industry is the best that our nation has to offer. it has always been and will always be a force to be reckoned with. last congress i was proud to be a recipient of the friend of the farm bureau award in recognition of my voting record in support of farmers across north carolina and the nation. these hardworking men, women and families work tirelessly every day to support our nation. i'll always stand with them and push back against every attempt to undermine their livelihoods. thank you, madam speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair now recognizes the gentlewoman from south carolina, ms. mace, for fiver minutes -- for five minutes. ms. mace: thank you, madam speaker. i rise today to urge my colleagues to join my resolution about i.v.f., expressing support for the continued access to fertility care and assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization. in light of alabama's court

ruling last week that has jeopardized access to in vitro fertilization and other assisted reproductive technology in the state of alabama. for years now, since 2019, i have been advocating for women's issues and women's rights on the issue of contraception, on the issue of contraceptives, on the issue of abortion exceptions, particularly for the life of the mother, rape and incest. in 2019 i told my story as a state lawmaker, a survivor of rape, when the state of south carolina was doing its fetal heart beat bill, and it had no exceptions for women who were raped or for girls who were victims of incest. and i was frustrated by that argument because very few women were actually speaking up about women and about those exceptions. and ever since then i've become very passionate about protecting women, about protecting their rights, protecting access to i.v.f., etc. and the one thing i want to say

today, because i have co-sponsored legislation andreslusions by my -- and resolutions by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle as it relates to contraception, as it relates to contraceptives, as it relates to providing information and protecting i.v.f., and yet not a single one of them, because they were democrats, got criticized for the legislation. yet today i'm trying to work with members on both sides of the aisle together to condemn the ruling in alabama, to express our sentiment, and express our support for i.v.f. access for women, all across the country. so when a republican does it, it should be equally supported by the corporate media. but apparently it's not. so i'm urging my colleagues today to get beyond thedy vicive politics -- the divisive politics and look forward in how we can actually work together. because this i.v.f. issue shouldn't be republican and it shouldn't be democrat. the vast majority of americans, i dare say almost every single

american in this country, almost 100%, support efforts to protect women's access to i.v.f. the other thing i want to mention is last year i co-sponsored h.res. 345, debbie wasserman schultz' resolution, -- debbie wasserman schultz's resolution, by the way, that recognizes infertility is a widespread problem that effects populations of diverse ages, races, ethnicities and genders. 12% of women in the u.s. have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant and 9% of men experience infertility. the resolution acknowledged that infertility is a disease, that infertility is not just a women's issue because it impacts men also. this is a family issue. the federal government has a moral obligation to ensure the availability of infertility-related services to all individuals and families without barriers such as access, cost and coverage. i would like to remind the press that i also was only one of eight republicans that voted in

favor of kathy manning's right to contraception act. greater access to contraceptives act ensures people across the country have the right to obtain and use contra sesmghts it's a common sense -- contraception. it's a commonsense measure, rape, incest or in order to maintain a functioning body. reducing unwanted pregnancies means increasing contraceptives available to couples, women, etc. the last thing i want to say is beyond the numbers as it relates to my resolution regarding support for i.v.f., that i.v.f. has a genuinely positive impact on individuals, families and communities. i.v.f. and other assisted reproductive technologies contribute to the birth of over 10 million babies globally every single year. and the u.s. -- in the u.s., 12% of reproductive age have utilized assisted reproductive technology. infertility is a deeply personal and obviously devastating issue and so i'm calling on my

colleagues today on both sides of the aisle, republican and democrat alike, to join me in expressing these sentiments in the whole house of representatives that our dedication to protecting the american dream of starting a family by co-sponsored this resolution. and i yield back. thank you, madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the chair now recognizes the gentleman from new york, mr. lalota, for five minutes. mr. lalota: madam speaker, we the united states government, must do everything in our power to bring my constituent, kiley, from his unlawful impressenment by the chinese communist party. since 2016, kiley of huntington, new york, has been unjustly imprisoned by the chinese communist party. in 2016, kiley visited shanghai to mark the first anniversary of his mother's death. when he arrived at the airport

in shanghai, chinese communist party authorities immediately arrested him on what they called heespionage charges. for months, kiley was held in secret detention without access to legal counsel. then, almost two years later in july of 2018, in a one-hour secret trial, he was convicted of espionage. this is yet another example of the chinese communist party's long history of aggressively targeting and detaining individuals on trumped-up charges of spying. since coming into office 14 months ago, i have called on the administration to do everything in its power to bring kiley home to his family, including his son, harrison. soon i will be introducing legislation to urge this administration to prioritize bringing kiley home and end his unlawful detainment. we must right this wrong and fix a broken situation. thank you, madam speaker.

madam speaker, the suffolk county police department has the exciting program to increase interest among teenagers in pursuing a career in law enforcement. it's called the police explorers. participants in the program must show an interest in a law enforcement career, meet minimum academic standards and have no criminal convictions or history. the explorers program is a learning for life program which provides participants with police training and community service experience. i had the chance to meet with sergeant linda of the suffolk county police department in my office and she briefed me on this program. we had a great discussion about public safety and how to increase awareness among young people interested in a career in law enforcement. as the son and grandson of police officers, i am thrilled to see efforts to increase law enforcement recruitment numbers and to help those interested in a career in law enforcement. together we must continue to support and back the blue at

every opportunity. thank you, madam speaker. madam speaker, i rise today to condemn the disturbing rise in anti-semitism in this country and around the world, especially in the months following the october 7 terrorist attacks committed by hamas against the people of israel. since october 7, america has seen a demonstrable rise in anti-semitism on college campuses, where students have been harassed and even insulted, simply for being jewish. despite their years of elitist rhetoric, talk of safe spaces and feaning how they welcome all cultures, duplicitous liberal college presidents have refused to take action to protect these students. in america, every student should be free to live and learn without fear of harassment or physical violence. america's colleges must do better. here in washington, i'm proud to co-sponsor several pieces of

legislation to support israel, hold hamas and iran accountable, and condemn anti-semitism. including h.r. 6090, the anti-semitism awareness act, which will require the department of education to clearly define anti-semitism and ensure anti-semitic hate crimes on college campuses are properly investigated and prosecuted. thank you, madam speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess until 2:00 p.m. today.

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