WAKE UP AND SMELL THE SMOKE

  (Mr. WESTERMAN asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, the Senate is fiddling while America
burns, and when I say burns, I mean it in the literal sense.
  Mr. Speaker, 18 months ago, we sent a hugely bipartisan Fix Our
Forests Act to the Senate. It has passed the Senate Ag Committee on a
bipartisan vote. It is time for the Senate to send the Fix Our Forests
Act to the President's desk.
  Nearly 50 uncontained fires are burning across the country, and our
prayers are with the firefighters and the families of those whose lives
have been taken by wildfire. We owe it to them to manage our forests
and provide the tools needed to suppress fires.
  The Fix Our Forests Act does just that. It accelerates hazardous fuel
reduction in our highest-risk forests. It strengthens State and local
partnerships. It supports firefighters and their families by
establishing a new Casualty Assistance Program. It does all this and
much more.
  It is time to wake up and smell the smoke. Enact the Fix Our Forests
Act so we can begin the process of forest health restoration to protect
our communities, to protect our environment, and to protect against the
loss of American lives.

                          AFFORDABILITY CRISIS

  (Mr. LATIMER asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues have spoken about the
affordability crisis, forcing families to figure out how to make ends
meet, but let's make something clear: The affordability crisis isn't
just a political buzzword like the President claims. This is a real
crisis, and it is made worse by the President's decisions: a war of
choice in Iran, indiscriminate tariffs, and tax cuts for billionaires,
just to name a few, all this while 1 month of groceries in my home
district in New York now averages over $1,200 a month.
  Since this President took office, the average additional cost of
living for basic essentials in New York has risen to $4,000.
  These costs are more than just numbers. They reflect sacrifices at
the grocery store, an elderly couple without care, or a young person
unable to put away savings.
  As some in public life line their own pockets by the billions, my
colleagues and I remain focused on the only thing that matters: making
life more affordable again.

                       HONORING MATTHEW LEDBETTER

  (Mr. CARTER of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life
and the legacy of Matthew Ledbetter, a longtime Forsyth County Tax
Commissioner, who passed away unexpectedly on June 27 at the age of 59.
  A lifelong Georgian and graduate of Forsyth Central High School and
the University of Georgia--go Dawgs--Ledbetter dedicated nearly 21
years to public service, after having taken office in 2005 and most
recently being reelected to a sixth term in 2024.
  Matthew will be remembered as a tireless advocate for the people of
Forsyth County, known for turning the Tax Commissioner's Office into a
well-oiled machine and building a legendary reputation for customer
service.
  Friends recall his leadership, his wit, and his personality, as he
never met a stranger. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Allison,
and father to his sons, Evan and Ben.
  Georgia is grateful for Matthew's years of dedicated service, and our
thoughts and prayers remain with his family and the entire Forsyth
County community.

                       MAKING COLLEGE AFFORDABLE

  (Ms. BYNUM asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. BYNUM. Mr. Speaker, today I am here to talk about student loans.
To be honest with you, I don't know why I am the only one. I can't
remember the last time I heard this body talking about financing higher
education. Instead, we have been voting on things like daylight saving
time.
  Americans are struggling, Mr. Speaker, and our kids' opportunities
are being limited. This should be a top priority of every Member of
Congress.
  First, we need to fix the raggedy monthly payments calculator that
prevents interest from spiraling out of control.
  We need to make sure that borrowers have access to repayment plans
that don't take over 30 years to complete.
  Affordability shouldn't be a barrier, Mr. Speaker. We need to be
building the workforce of the future. Americans need student loan plans
that offer flexibility and real options. We should be making access to
education easier, Mr. Speaker, not harder for Americans.

                        RECOGNIZING DR. LEE KUMP

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize
Dr. Lee Kump who recently completed

an outstanding 9-year tenure as dean of the Penn State College of Earth
and Mineral Sciences.
  Since 1986, Dr. Kump has been an integral part of the Penn State
community and has served as the college's dean since 2017. Throughout
his career, he has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in
geochemistry, astrobiology, and mathematical modeling, helping students
understand our Earth.
  Dr. Kump is a true champion of science, research, and innovation. He
has collaborated with NASA and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, and his work has been featured by outlets like National
Geographic and the Discovery Channel.
  Under his leadership, the college has reached new heights. The
establishment of the Center for Critical Minerals and the Center for
Energy Law and Policy has driven innovation across Pennsylvania.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Dr. Kump's tenure as dean, and I wish him
the best as he continues teaching at Penn State.

                              {time}  1130
                    RESTORE DEVASTATING CUTS TO SNAP

  (Ms. SALINAS asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark 1 year of the
Republicans' big, ugly bill, which has left our children, veterans, and
seniors hungry.
  When President Trump signed this bill, he promised to lower costs for
everyday people. Instead, his bill cut billions of dollars for SNAP
across the Nation, including $425 million in my home State of Oregon.
  These cuts are taking food off families' tables. In Oregon, 70,000
people--parents, friends, and neighbors--have lost their food benefits.
  Why did Mr. Trump do this? It was to give tax cuts to his billionaire
buddies.
  While the cost of healthcare and groceries skyrocket, families are
losing the support they need to put food on the dinner table and pay
their bills.
  Mr. Speaker, we must restore these devastating cuts to SNAP. No
child, veteran, or senior in the wealthiest nation on the planet should
go hungry because Republicans chose tax breaks for billionaires over
food for families.

                       RECOGNIZING LEE LONSBERRY

  (Mr. OWENS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my outgoing chief
of staff, Mr. Lee Lonsberry, a beloved fixture here on the Hill and one
of Utah's most trusted voices.
  This end of this week marks the conclusion of a decade of Lee's
exemplary public service. Before joining my office, Lee served as
communications director for two distinguished members of Utah's
delegation in both the House and the Senate.
  As my chief of staff, Lee revealed his greatest gifts and talent, a
style of leadership that has built a beautiful culture of service and
family.
  Lee has earned the respect and admiration of everyone who has had the
privilege of working with him. We are excited to see him take those
skills of service, patience, encouragement, and as a strategist into
his next chapter. We know, as has been his last chapter, it will be a
successful one.
  I thank Lee for his personal friendship, his leadership to our
remarkable team, his faithful service to the people of Utah, our
country, and this institution. He will be missed. Well done, my friend.