AMERICANS STRANDED IN MIDDLE EAST

AMERICANS STRANDED IN MIDDLE EAST

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 47 (Monday, March 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 47 (Monday, March 16, 2026)] [House] [Page H2490] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] AMERICANS STRANDED IN MIDDLE EAST (Mr. Subramanyam of Virginia was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, I have spoken here about how this administration did not adequately warn U.S. citizens in the Middle East before launching attacks against Iran. They left American citizens in the Middle East stranded and told them that they were on their own. Mr. Speaker, I applaud them for correcting this mistake and working really hard to try to get people flights out and helping them to evacuate. Unfortunately, it looks like that was only a temporary response because this week, I am having constituents tell me that, once again, they are being told that they are on their own. One family I am working with is in Kuwait right now and was told to take a commercial flight out and that the State Department couldn't help them. The problem is that Kuwaiti airspace is actually closed right now. The family was told that they would have to take a bus to Saudi Arabia and that the State Department wouldn't really help them with that. Even if they did get there, there are frequent restrictions on flights in Saudi Arabia due to continued missile and drone threats. Again, I am left wondering why we are telling Americans that we have billions of dollars to spend on bombs, missiles, and warships, but we don't have the money to get American citizens who want to get out, out of the Middle East, particularly ones who are in dangerous areas where there are no commercial flights. It is insulting to tell the American people to foot the bill to get out of the Middle East in a dangerous position when we didn't warn them in the first place. Once again, I am calling on the administration to help Americans who need to get out, get out. The safety of the American people should come first. Supporting Small Business AI Startups Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, AI is massively reshaping our economy and our small businesses. When most people think of companies leading on AI, they think of the Big Tech companies, but there is more to this AI economy than those big companies. They are AI small businesses and startups that play a key role in innovation. They are the drivers of innovation, economic growth, and American technological supremacy. They can often be more agile than bigger tech companies and create fantastic solutions and products, but they aren't always working on an even playing field. That is why I am introducing this week the small AI innovators empowerment act. This bill would look at challenges that small AI businesses and startups face, including areas like access to funding, hiring and retention of talented employees, and the impact of regulatory uncertainty. Supporting small-tech businesses helps us to stay ahead of international competition as our world becomes increasingly reliant on AI. I thank Congressman Obernolte for sponsoring this bill with me. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting AI small businesses by supporting this small AI innovators empowerment act. Congratulating The Flower Gallery Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate The Flower Gallery of Virginia on its 50th anniversary. The Flower Gallery has contributed to the joy of residents in our community, including Manassas and Northern Virginia, since 1976, when Doug Burroughs first bought the shop from his employer. Over that time, The Flower Gallery has helped our community celebrate life's milestones, including many birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries. It also provides local youth and civic organizations with flowers for fundraisers and community events. I congratulate Doug for creating such a beloved institution and for 50 years of success. I am wishing Doug and The Flower Gallery many more years of prosperity. Opposing Attack on Federal Workers Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, we know that this administration has been constantly attacking our Nation's Federal workers and contractors. They have chased out people with specialized skills and decades of experience, making our country less safe and less healthy, while also making our agencies either understaffed, or led by unqualified loyalists. The latest attack might actually be one of the worst, and that is the creation of the Schedule P/C positions. We knew that there would be an attack on Schedule F. This basically would make it easier for career civil servants to be fired and to be replaced with loyalists who are not qualified. Federal workers would lose job protections, and it would make it incredibly difficult to attract people, retain them, and get the best talent in the country to come work in the Federal Government. We have been working on this across many administrations, and this is undoing a lot of that work. The reality is that Federal workers and contractors pledge allegiance to our country and not to a President or an ideology. This rule would hurt our country for many years to come, and it would do irreparable damage to our institutions and to the people who rely on them. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing this rule. It is not well thought out, and it is going to hurt us in the long run. ____________________