[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 99 (Thursday, June 11, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PRODUCING RETURNS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR INVESTMENT AND TRADE ACT OF 2026

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                               speech of

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 8, 2026

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support 
of H.R. 5248 and specifically Section 8 regarding subnational 
diplomacy, an effort I was grateful to champion with my colleague Ted 
Lieu.
  H.R. 5248 is an important piece of the much larger effort to 
reauthorize the functions and operations of the Department. At the 
start of the 119th Congress, more than 85 percent of the Department was 
unauthorized. H.R. 5248 authorizes the Department's bureaus and offices 
charged with sanctions policy, critical mineral supply chain 
diversification, energy security, and building a cadre of well-trained 
economic policy diplomats.
  H.R. 5248 includes important reforms to the Department, aligning 
resources with the America First foreign policy agenda. This bill puts 
commercial diplomacy at the forefront of our diplomatic efforts, 
prioritizing American businesses and protecting American industries.
  H.R. 5248 includes section 8 which was introduced as a standalone 
bill in previous Congresses. In the 119th Congress, this is H.R. 5323, 
authorizing the office of Subnational Diplomacy. This office supports 
local governments across the country who trying to attract foreign 
direct investment to their area. This is especially important in 
districts like mine which has massive investments from Bridgestone, 
Michelin, Rolls-Royce Power Systems, Prysmian Group, and BAE Systems. I 
am pleased that this bill, which I worked on with my colleagues Rep. 
Lieu and Rep. Meeks, is moving forward today.
  H.R. 5248 is a truly bipartisan product. It was praised during the 
Foreign Affairs Committee mark-up in September by Ranking Member Meeks 
and it reflects a long-overdue rebalancing of the Department's 
priorities--emphasizing commercial diplomacy and economic growth.

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