[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 81 (Wednesday, May 14, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H2011-H2012]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   PRESIDENT TRUMP IN THE MIDDLE EAST

  (Mr. Stutzman of Indiana was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  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

  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

[[Page H2012]]

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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