PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 7744, FURTHER ADDITIONAL CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 7744, FURTHER ADDITIONAL CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 41 (Wednesday, March 4, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 4, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2380-H2390] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 7744, FURTHER ADDITIONAL CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026 Mr. JACK. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1095 and ask for its immediate consideration. The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: H. Res. 1095 Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 7744) making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The bill shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and on any amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). The gentleman from Georgia is recognized for 1 hour. Mr. JACK. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave Mr. JACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Georgia? There was no objection. {time} 1220 Mr. JACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, last night the Committee on Rules met and granted a rule providing for consideration of one measure. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 7744 under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member on the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees. Additionally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, nearly 3 weeks ago, on February 13, my Democrat colleagues irresponsibly and vindictively shut down the Department of Homeland Security, crippling the capabilities of the very Department charged with protecting the American people. Leading up to that moment, I brought forth a rule that allowed the House to concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, legislation that funded the remainder of the Federal Government through the end of the fiscal year with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security. Despite previously agreeing to a bipartisan and bicameral approach to fund the Department of Homeland Security through the end of the fiscal year, including provisions for both funding and enhanced oversight, Democrats reversed course at the last minute and have since held this critical funding hostage, directly putting the safety and security of the American people at risk. Mr. Speaker, I return today to give my Democrat colleagues the opportunity to reverse course on this dangerous lapse in leadership and move legislation forward that provides full funding for the personnel, training, and technology necessary to protect our homeland and keep our communities safe, secure, and resilient. The Department of Homeland Security oversees agencies responsible for aviation security, border protection, cyber defense, disaster response, maritime security, and counterterrorism missions that directly impact the safety of millions of Americans every single day. Simply put, a ``yes'' vote on today's rule is a vote to consider legislation that will fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, ensuring that the agencies tasked with keeping the American people safe, from counterterrorism to cybersecurity, to disaster response, are not weakened at a moment when threats are rapidly increasing. A ``yes'' vote on today's rule is a vote to stand with the men and women on the frontlines of our national security, from coastguardsmen to GSA officers, to cyber defenders, law enforcement personnel, and emergency responders who are now working every day without pay to keep our country safe. A ``yes'' vote on today's rule is a vote to consider legislation to end this Democrat shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security and restore the resources necessary to defend the American people. Mr. Speaker, the need to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security becomes even clearer when we consider the serious global threats facing our country today. For nearly 50 years, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the number one state sponsor of terrorism, has called our great country the ``Great Satan'' and indoctrinated generations of its people with the chants of ``Death to America,'' making clear its commitment to our destruction. [[Page H2381]] Despite repeated attempts at diplomacy, the regime has relentlessly pursued a nuclear weapon, developed its ballistic missile program, and funded proxy terrorist organizations across the world, all while its own people suffer under corruption, repression, and economic collapse. This past Saturday, President Donald J. Trump kept his promise, decisively authorizing Operation Epic Fury, a large-scale kinetic military operation targeting key regime military infrastructure and leadership responsible for incessant aggression and attacks against the United States and our allies. This moment did not occur in isolation. It was the result of decades of sustained hostility by the Iranian regime toward the United States, just as the maniacal Iranian regime was reaching the nuclear weapon threshold. To the American people, the timeline is clear. In November 1979, Iranian students, backed by the regime, stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held hostage 66 brave Americans for 444 days as they beat them and subjected them to mock executions and other forms of torture. In October 1993, Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, killed 241 American military servicemembers, including 220 marines and 21 other service personnel in a truck bombing at a Marine compound in Beirut. In June 1996, Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists killed 19 U.S. airmen and wounded nearly 500 others in a truck bombing at a U.S. Air Force housing complex in Saudi Arabia. Between 2003 and 2011, Iranian proxies killed at least 603 American troops in Iraq, roughly one out of every six American combat deaths in that war. In January 2016, Iranian forces seized two U.S. Navy boats and detained 10 U.S. sailors who were held at gunpoint, forced to kneel with their hands behind their heads, and filmed for propaganda being released 15 hours later. More recently, on October 7, 2023, Iran-backed Hamas terrorists murdered 46 Americans and kidnapped 12 Americans in addition. Between October 2023 and November 2024, Iran and its proxies carried out more than 180 attacks on U.S. forces in the region, killing American servicemembers and wounding American service personnel. In July 2024, an Iranian national linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attempted to assassinate then-candidate for President, Donald J. Trump, forcing his Presidential campaign, which I remember being a part of it, to charter decoy planes to avoid the threat. In recent weeks, Iranian representatives continued to lie and negotiate in bad faith, stalling peace talks as they prepared offensive military threats against American forces. This pattern of aggression makes crystal clear that these are not isolated incidents. They instead represent a sustained and deliberate campaign by the Iranian regime to target the United States and undermine our national security. This is precisely why decisive action by our Commander in Chief, President Donald J. Trump, was necessary. By destroying Iran's military capabilities, its missile capabilities, dismantling its naval strength, and ensuring that this regime can never obtain a nuclear weapon, President Trump and his administration have acted to protect the American people and defend our national interests. This level of action is only possible because of the strength of the United States military. During his first term, President Donald J. Trump rebuilt our military to a level many thought would never be possible. Through historic investments, a renewed focus on modernization, and the restoration of military readiness, he ensured that today we possess the strongest and most capable military humanity has ever seen. It is that peace through strength, rebuilt and restored, that made decisive operations like Operation Epic Fury possible, demonstrating to our adversaries that the United States has both the capability and the resolve to act swiftly, effectively, and without hesitation to protect the citizens of our country. Mr. Speaker, during this operation, six Americans bravely sacrificed their lives to keep our homeland safe. May we forever remember and honor their legacy of selfless service to these United States of America. The threats facing our country today do not stop at distant battlefields. They can reach our networks, our borders, and our communities here at home. While Iran's aggression is often discussed in terms of conflict in the Middle East, we must not forget that the regime and its proxies also pose a direct threat to the American homeland. Our Homeland Security and Intelligence agencies have warned that Iran and its affiliates maintain the capability to conduct cyberattacks against our utility services, direct espionage campaigns within our borders, and potentially inspire or

Referenced legislation: HR1, S723, HRES1095, HR6472, HR7148, HR7481, HR7744