Providing for Consideration of H.R. Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 and Providing for Consideration of H.R. Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Pennsylvania for yielding.
I rise today in favor of this Military Construction, Veterans Affairs appropriations bill.
Mr. Speaker, I also want to share my appreciation for Kelly Dixon, who is leaving the Rules Committee. She is one of the first persons we met as freshmen. Mr. Speaker, you remember us going to the Rules Committee office and Kelly running us through how things operate here on the House floor. I had no experience in politics, and it was all new to me. She made the rules clear, and decorum, as well, which is such an important part of this institution. We wish Kelly well.
I want to say a special thank-you to the Appropriations Committee, in particular, Chairman Cole and Defense Subcommittee Chair Calvert, for the $144 million in this bill, which is going to go to the advanced individual training barracks for prestigious Fort Leonard Wood in the southeastern part of the Fourth Congressional District of the great State of Missouri, which I represent.
Fort Leonard Wood is a wonderful center of excellence, training the men and women who are tasked with protecting our great Nation. I was down there last year to visit and saw the need for new barracks on this great facility. It was real, Mr. Speaker.
I also thank Secretary Wormuth of the Army for making this a priority in the President's budget because, together, we are working to increase our retention and recruitment for the armed services.
As you know, Mr. Speaker, we have issues with recruitment. Only 9 percent of Americans, young people, right now have any interest in joining the military. At Fort Leonard Wood and other areas where we are going to provide military construction through this appropriations process, we are not building the Taj Mahal, but we are building barracks and privatized housing that is going to make living and working on these facilities not necessarily a joy but someplace where they can rest their heads at night and feel comfortable and safe. I thank the chair and subcommittee chair for that addition to this package.
I want to talk now specifically about H.R. 8282, the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule to provide consideration of this act.
To be honest, I am a little disappointed. I am a little bit disgusted that, once again, we are having to have these discussions about what we stand for as a nation, in particular in protecting the Nation of Israel. It is unfortunate, but it is something that we must do.
Israel is our strongest ally in the Middle East, and it is under attack. It has been since October 7. Israel was living in peace until they were attacked on October 7.
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Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Speaker, this time, the attack is coming from the International Criminal Court, which went as far as seeking an arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu for the rightful act of defending his country against the horrific terrorist attacks of October 7.
Mr. Speaker, this is an unprecedented move, and even President Biden called the arrest warrants ``outrageous.'' The commonsense response to this outrageous action by the ICC is to pass H.R. 8282.
Today, Mr. Speaker, we will see just how much common sense our colleagues on the other side of the aisle actually have.
H.R. 8282 would impose sanctions against ICC officials who investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute a U.S. person or our allies, including Israel, giving Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli people the support they truly deserve.
Let me be clear, Mr. Speaker, as some of my colleagues across the aisle seem to not understand this very simple concept: We must always stand with our ally Israel, and we must always stand against any terrorist organization like Hamas. We must support Israel in their efforts to eradicate Hamas, which could end this war today, Mr. Speaker, by releasing all the remaining hostages and surrendering.
Mr. Speaker, recently, we were in Israel visiting with President Herzog, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the family of Hersh Goldberg, an American still held hostage by the Hamas butchers in Gaza. What they are dealing with is a frightening scene, Mr. Speaker.
Prime Minister Netanyahu says: We appreciate the help and support of the U.S., but let me make one thing clear--Mr. Speaker, this is what Prime Minister Netanyahu says--we will fight with our fingers if necessary to win this war.
Mr. Speaker, war is not pretty. We stand with Israel. We will always stand with Israel, and that is why I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this rule.
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