Salud Ortiz Carbajal: “diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, or DEIJ, issues in the Coast Guard are a major concern, and the time for…”

I thank the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Randall) for her words. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat), chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and my good friend.

If Congress does not double the Coast Guard's budget in 2026, the Service will either have to abandon the program, cease construction of Offshore Patrol Cutters, or cut significant portions of its operations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in firm opposition to H.R. 261, the Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025. On its face, this legislation may seem like a narrow procedural change of streamlining permitting for undersea fiber-optic cables. In reality…

Mr. Speaker, if the port congestion and vessel backlogs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it is the importance of a resilient supply chain. H.R. 252, the Secure Our Ports Act, works to minimize interference in U.S…