[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 201 (Tuesday, December 2, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H4972-H4973]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL GUARD SHOOTING

  (Mr. Mann of Kansas was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart. Last 
Wednesday, the Nation witnessed a heartbreaking and senseless act of 
violence involving two members of our National Guard from West 
Virginia, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe.
  Specialist Beckstrom gave her life in service to our country. She 
wore our Nation's uniform with honor, stood ready to defend her 
neighbors, and lived out the highest ideals of duty and sacrifice. We 
grieve her loss deeply, and I ask God to bring comfort and peace to her 
family, her loved ones, and entire National Guard community.
  We also pray for the full and swift recovery of Staff Sergeant Wolfe. 
He remains in critical condition, and Americans across Kansas and the 
country continue to cover him in prayer. I ask for God's healing hand 
on him, for strength for his family, and for protection over every man 
and woman who serves.
  Mr. Speaker, tragedies like this remind us that the cost of our 
freedom is not free. None of these men and women were drafted or forced 
to put on the uniform they wear. They boldly answered the call to serve 
in defense of our freedom and safety, and we are eternally grateful for 
the sacrifice that they and all the Armed Forces make every day in 
service to our country.
  Tragedies like this shake us, but they also remind us just how 
precious life is, how quickly it can be taken, and how much we owe to 
those who step forward to serve.
  This violence was senseless. It was wrong. Today, we pause not to 
debate, but to mourn, to honor, and to pray.
  Mr. Speaker, let us remember Sarah Beckstrom's courage. Let us stand 
with Andrew Wolfe as he fights to recover. Let us hold their families 
close in our hearts during these difficult days ahead.
  May God bless the Beckstrom and Wolfe families. May He watch over our 
National Guard, and may He bring comfort and healing to all who are 
hurting.
  Mr. Speaker, may Specialist Sarah Beckstrom's soul rest in peace.


                     Less Regulation, More Freedom

  Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, every year, small businesses spend nearly 
$15,000 per employee to comply with Federal laws. American companies 
spend over $3 trillion a year on compliance.
  I am sure this is not a shock to anyone in this Chamber, but we know 
that some of that cost gets passed on to consumers. The Competitive 
Enterprise Institute estimates that U.S. households absorb $16,000 
annually in hidden regulatory fees and taxes.
  For many families in the Big First District of Kansas, that money 
could be used much better elsewhere.
  When this Republican majority was elected last year, the country 
trusted us to roll back burdensome regulations and lower costs. This 
week, we have an opportunity to do so.
  The small businesses that make up the Big First are often small, 
family-owned and -operated mom-and-pop shops. They don't manage or run 
their small businesses to be billionaires or to become ultrawealthy. 
Their goals are to serve their communities, meet a need, and serve 
their neighbors well. That is what they should be empowered to do, but 
sadly, that is not their reality.
  Everyday Americans are forced to bear the brunt of that regulatory 
cost. If you talk to families across my district and ask them what they 
could do with $16,000, the answers would be endless. Some may say that 
they would purchase a car for their family or teenage child.

                              {time}  1030

  Many would love to see that money stored away in an emergency fund or 
a retirement fund. If their family has a loved one who is aging or 
facing health challenges, that money could be used to assist with 
caregiving or medical expenses. No matter the response, I feel 
confident that the vast majority of Kansans would agree that they could 
find a better use for those dollars than paying an additional tax to 
bureaucrats who want to regulate every detail of how they do business 
from hundreds of miles away.
  This week, House Republicans will take a commonsense step forward by 
protecting consumers and small businesses alike from these costs. The 
Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act is exactly the type of 
legislation that this Congress was elected to enact. It ensures that 
any regulatory change from the SBA does not increase compliance costs 
for small businesses and, in turn, consumers. Regulations are meant to 
protect competition, not make costs unbearable for businessowners and 
consumers.
  We are working to right that wrong, make small businesses stronger, 
and give American families more breathing room in their day-to-day 
expenses. Despite the distraction that the media and some of my 
colleagues across the aisle would love to see in this Chamber, this 
majority is still laser-focused on delivering on our promises that we 
made to the country last year. This is yet another small step forward 
to getting our country back on track and

[[Page H4973]]

helping small businesses thrive again. Promises made, promises kept.

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