Mr. Speaker, I don't believe my brothers and sisters here are
actually willing to do the hard things and tell the truth about the
math and then redesign these programs because it means getting the crap
kicked out of you by the lobbying and the business models out there.
That means creating a revolution of taking on the debt and deficits.
  We will pay a remarkable price for the fact that the Penn Wharton
models within a decade had us actually already approaching the no-go
numbers of being able to sell our U.S. debt. At that point the bonds
explode, and the bond market runs this country.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                    HONORING SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM

  (Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Mr. Wilson
of South Carolina was recognized for 30 minutes.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, the South Carolina House
delegation is humbled to pay tribute to our beloved late U.S. Senator
Lindsey Graham. We have several Members here tonight to speak.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina, (Mr.
Norman) of Rock Hill.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I thank Congressman Wilson for
organizing this tribute to a dear friend of all of us, not only in
South Carolina but all over every State in this country.
  I wish everyone could have been in the Senate well when Darline, his
sister, took the oath of office from the President pro-tempore of the
Senate and then took the desk that Lindsey had occupied for 24 years in
the Senate. It was moving. It was a tribute to Lindsey Graham that she
was able to do this and appointed by Governor McMaster.
  Lindsey understood that success in South Carolina meant looking out
for every South Carolinian. Whether it was a major defense project or a
small-town infrastructure need, he fought to bring Federal resources
back to South Carolina and make sure that every corner of our State had
a voice in Washington, D.C.
  From securing the Medal of Honor for a marine, Major James Capers--it
was a 5-year timeframe to work to get Major Capers the Medal of Honor,
Lindsey was a part of that--to supporting our military installations,
strengthening our border security, defending the rights of States and
advancing priorities that benefit South Carolina, we worked side-by-
side on issues that mattered to those back home.

                              {time}  1910

  He believed in delivering results, not just making speeches. He knew
that the work of elected officials is measured by what they accomplish
for the people they represent, and he consistently fought to ensure
that South Carolina received its fair share of opportunities.
  We didn't have to agree on every issue. Lindsey never had an enemy
that I knew of, and you could disagree with him while not being
disagreeable.
  When there was an opportunity to move the State forward, Lindsey was
willing to put the work in. This was evidenced to me when I went on a
trip to Munich, Germany, back in 2020. I think it was a 4-day trip.
  I watched him go to every meeting of every country that was there
primarily to share our ideas and to bring companies back to the United
States, which benefited every State in the Union. He had a passion for
that, particularly a passion for Ukraine and other countries that he
had a belief in.
  His legacy will include far more than legislation. He will be
remembered in the communities that benefited from his advocacy, the
veterans he fought for, the historic sites he worked to preserve, and
the love he continuously included and worked for for countless South
Carolinians.
  Lives were improved, families benefited from the efforts that they
showed. He had a constituency staff second to none. If you called
Lindsey Graham's office, he did what he could to help you out,
regardless of whether you were from South Carolina or not.
  He was a funny man. Like any good comedian, it is not what he said,
it is how he said it.
  Lindsey Graham made his life work for the betterment of South
Carolina and the betterment of others. He will be sorely missed in this
State and sorely missed by Darline, who he raised and adopted after
both parents died.
  We thank him for a life well lived. Again, I thank Joe for having
this moment to recognize a great man.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Norman for his
heartfelt comments.
  Indeed, I agree with and appreciated talk radio show host Kelly Nash,
WVOC, who correctly began statewide broadcasting Monday that South
Carolinians are heartbroken upon learning of the passing of U.S.
Senator Lindsey Graham on Saturday.
  I will always be grateful for my decades-long association with
Senator Graham, as we served together. He was the South Carolina Air
Guard Staff Judge Advocate, and I was the South Carolina Army Staff
Judge Advocate serving together. Courageously, after one of our drill
days, he announced to me his candidacy for the State House from Oconee
County, South Carolina.
  I immediately congratulated him, but then I caught myself, and I
remembered that, in fact, nobody from our party had ever been elected
from Oconee County to the State House. Indeed he made history and
became the first Republican elected from Oconee to the State House of
South Carolina.
  Sunday morning, when I spoke with President Donald Trump, I knew he
shared the grief of all South Carolinians. It was just heartfelt to
hear him as we reviewed the service of Senator Graham, understanding
that he truly was a champion for peace through strength, dedicated to
public service, his military career, his service as a veteran, and his
service in the State House, U.S. Senate, and in every way backing up
the people of South Carolina.
  Senator Graham's last week of life was symbolic of his dedication for
America. He attended the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkiye. While he was
there, he met with President Ahmed al-Sharaa of Syria. It was really
very significant because he had been skeptical, as many people, about
the new Government of Syria. He, upon meeting with President al-Sharaa,
identified that President Donald Trump was correct, give Syria a
chance, and so it was exciting that he announced that he looked forward
to actual progress with the new Government of Syria to be working with
the United States.
  Additionally, he next went to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he met with
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. While he was there, it was so impressive
that he had the opportunity to also visit a drone manufacturing
facility to see the extraordinary success of the people of Ukraine, who
are going to be victorious over war criminal Putin.
  With the development of drone technology, indeed, the people of
Ukraine are an inspiration. While he was there, he was able to announce
that in working with President Donald Trump that there would be
sanctions on war criminal Putin and on Russia. Indeed, it is so
meaningful that indeed as soon as we got back to Washington, the U.S.
Senate--I thank Senator John Cornyn and others--have made it possible
that there will be a Russian Sanctions Act which, indeed, will be in
the name of Lindsey Graham as the Lindsey Graham Russian Sanctions Act.
It will be so impressive to help back up the people of Ukraine.
  Additionally, when Senator Graham arrived back in Washington on
Saturday, how incredible that he had the strength and fortitude to have
a very long conversation with President Donald Trump to review the
activities of the week and the successes that he saw of the Trump
administration to provide peace through strength, but suddenly there
was sudden death right after the phone call.
  With that, myself personally, when I learned of the passing of the
Senator, I was at Souda Bay in Greece visiting Navy personnel of the
U.S. Navy to, indeed, thank them for their service. As soon as I heard
about the passing, within an hour, I sent a tweet: ``With the passing
of Senator Lindsey Graham, he will always be cherished as an American
patriot, tireless for peace through strength, successful defeating
totalitarians. All three generations of the