[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H4413]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                           SUPPORTING UKRAINE

  (Mr. Latimer of New York was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy established 
July 15 as Statehood Day for Ukraine, but we spend another year on this 
day wondering when the Ukrainian people will be able to celebrate 
without threats from Russia.
  The length of the war in Ukraine has recently surpassed World War I, 
and it is an outrage that Ukraine has been forced to incur staggering 
casualties and defend its territory against a relentless dictator. 
Families are being torn apart, and fear is a part of everyday life for 
Ukrainians.
  We have a duty to support nations that are aiming to support life, 
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for their citizens. That is why I 
firmly reassert the need to continue funding Ukraine's defense.
  From the floor of the House of Representatives, I extend my regards 
to our Ukrainian friends and allies. May they soon honor their 
statehood during a time of peace.


                  Addressing Affordable Housing Crisis

  Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, in New York and across the country, we are 
in an affordable housing crisis.
  According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, a household in the 
New York City region making the median income would need to spend 65 
percent of their income to afford the average home.
  No family should have to spend over one-half of their income on 
housing. That is why, this week, I introduced the Home Mortgage 
Interest Credit Act and the Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit Act. 
These bills will create new tax credits on mortgage interest and home 
modifications to help families better afford homeownership and allow 
seniors to age in place.
  As a county executive, I worked to construct affordable housing units 
and deliver options for families looking to move to my home county of 
Westchester, but more action is needed. We must work toward a 
sustained, all-of-government approach through funding, tax policy, and 
regulatory reform to fully tackle this affordability problem.
  The bills I introduced today will deliver relief to young families 
taking on a mortgage to purchase their first home and to seniors who 
need to update the bathroom or install a ramp to allow them to age in 
place.
  While the President claims that no one cares about housing, I look 
forward to moving these commonsense proposals forward with my 
colleagues to make affordable housing available again.


                   Recognizing New York Blood Center

  Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize New York Blood 
Center and all community blood centers across the United States that 
ensure a stable blood supply for patients in our hospitals.
  Blood can only come from generous donors, and patients in need are 
relying on volunteers to roll up their sleeves and give them the gift 
of life. But right now, the New York Blood Center is in its second 
blood emergency of the summer, signaling critically low levels of blood 
supply that exists for the State.
  In the United States, someone needs blood every 2 seconds, and while 
more than 60 percent are eligible to donate blood, only about 3 percent 
of Americans do. If just 1 percent more volunteers donated blood, we 
could alleviate the blood shortages that endanger the blood supply each 
season.
  I thank the millions of Americans who already regularly donate blood 
and encourage others to join them. Moreover, I commend the work being 
done at the New York Blood Center, which has been serving the tristate 
area for more than 60 years and today serves more than 200 hospitals 
and EMS partners with more than half a million lifesaving blood 
products.
  Together, we can work to ensure that no matter when a person needs 
it, there will be blood available to them.

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