President Trump in the Middle East
Floor Speech
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Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share my thoughts on the dilemmas that we face here in Congress.
Watching what is happening not only here at home and here in Congress but also around the world, we have a great opportunity in front of us. We can be not only strong here at home, but we can also be strong abroad. President Trump is showing that as he travels today in the Middle East.
I just want to remind us all that we have threats around the world who are watching the United States on a daily basis.
I was recently over in Syria, and there was a great opportunity there that President Trump has addressed by lifting the sanctions on the Syrian people, but the Syrian people know that America can be trusted. Now, let's take that opportunity and help not only them, because that is going to help stabilize the region in the Middle East and it is going to help our ally, Israel, it is going to help our other allies who are participating in the Abraham Accords. I want to applaud President Trump for what he is doing.
However, to see how the people in the Middle East and others around the world who are there have respect for our President is refreshing, to know that they know he is going to do what he says he is going to do.
He is a strong leader. He is one who is willing to sit down and talk to anyone. He is not afraid to sit down and talk to anyone. He has the American people behind him. He has the American economy behind him.
Look at what he is doing with China right now, Mr. Speaker. We all know that China is the threat that we are concerned about the most. We also know that others around the world don't want to do business with China because of the way they operate. They manipulate their currency. They take advantage of their own people, and they don't respect the environmental standards that we do.
What President Trump is doing is truly remarkable. He is resetting the national stage, the global stage, for the United States of America and for the American people. The tariff policy that he has implemented is bringing people to the table.
People ask: Why are people wanting to talk to President Trump in the Middle East as he is there visiting?
They see how much they want to get his ear. It is because he has reset the table and said: The American people are going to be put first, no longer are we going to continue to supplement, subsidize, and let other countries take advantage of the American people.
So I applaud the President today. The Budget
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Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about our budget. We here in Congress have a greater opportunity and a responsibility to be sure that we move towards a balanced budget and reduce our debt and deficits.
I would encourage all of us, Republican and Democrats, to realize we are spending more money than what we make. Mr. Speaker, $1 trillion goes towards our interest each year. That means $1 trillion doesn't go towards helping the American people.
Also, we are in deficit spending. Trillions of dollars are going to the national debt. I was first elected to Congress in 2010. The debt was $9 trillion. In 2017, I left for a period of time, it was $18 trillion. Now we are in 2025, and the national debt is $36 trillion of debt. That is going to be put on the backs not only of our children and grandchildren, but it is going to be put on the backs of us as Americans today.
Hardworking Americans are watching what we are doing. They are working hard.
Are we working hard for them?
We need to come to the table with this reconciliation package. I want everybody--we should all be at the table and realize that our healthcare costs are out of control. President Trump is already showing leadership on this. If the healthcare industry can't get its act together and lower the costs, then we are going to have to address it. It is no longer a free market in healthcare.
So I believe that we, as Congress, are going to have to start taking measures to be sure that the cost isn't just continually passed on to the American people and driving our debt further and further.
I would challenge the healthcare industry: Start doing it now; start lowering the cost.
We know healthcare costs in this country are out of control. Medicaid is the one that is now paying for it, and more and more people have been forced on to Medicaid. This goes back to ObamaCare. We were told by the Democrats that ObamaCare was going to fix our healthcare problems. Look where we are at today, Mr. Speaker. It is worse today than what it was back in 2008 and 2009 when ObamaCare was passed.
This is our opportunity to realize we have to cut spending in Washington. Let's make sure we take care of our men and women in uniform, but let's address the healthcare costs that are truly subjugating our Federal budget.
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