[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 30 (Thursday, February 15, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H644-H645]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING CAPTAIN JEREMY WATKINS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Ms. Tlaib) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. TLAIB. Madam Speaker, I take this moment to recognize Captain 
Jeremy Watkins for his 22 years of extraordinary service with the 
Dearborn Fire Department in Michigan's 12th District Strong.
  Captain Watkins started as a firefighter with the Dearborn Fire 
Department in 2002. He steadily rose through the ranks, serving as 
engineer, lieutenant, and was promoted to captain in 2024.
  Over the years, Captain Watkins has been recognized for his 
commitment and outstanding public service, achieving five Meritorious 
Company Commendations, as well as the Fire Chief's Unit Award, the Fire 
Chief's Life Saving Award, and the John D. Dingell Medal of Freedom 
Memorial Commendation.
  He has also been recognized multiple times, Madam Speaker, for his 
safe driving record and for his work at the vaccination center.
  Captain Watkins has devoted countless hours and energy to serving the 
people and the families of the city of Dearborn.
  Please join me in recognizing his 22 years of commitment to 
protecting our communities across Michigan's 12th District as we wish 
him strength in his fight against brain cancer.


                         Ending Profit from War

  Ms. TLAIB. Madam Speaker, ending utility shutoffs, boldly tackling 
the climate crisis, fully funding Social Security, universal school 
meals for every child that is hungry in our country, guaranteeing 
healthcare and clean water is a human right.
  Year after year, many colleagues tell me that there is no money for 
these lifesaving programs, and then they turn around and vote for 
another record-breaking $886.3 billion in military budget and massive 
weapons giveaways for foreign governments, funneling billions of our 
tax dollars to the very same defense contractors that many of them are 
invested in and taking campaign donations from.
  We should not be voting to send our U.S. dollars to any government 
that is violating human rights, period. It is disturbing that many of 
my colleagues in this Chamber are actively profiting financially when 
they vote to pass more funding for weapons and wars. Literally every 
bomb dropped makes them money.
  The American people deserve Representatives who vote in the best 
interests of our families. We are all elected to serve the public, not 
to serve stock portfolios.
  I introduced the Stop Politicians Profiting from War Act to put an 
end to this corruption and ban Members of Congress from owning war and 
defense stocks. The American people deserve better. We are sick of 
politicians profiting from death and war.


                     Demanding Justice for Syrians

  Ms. TLAIB. Madam Speaker, over 600,000 have been killed. It has been 
over a decade since the start of the

[[Page H645]]

Syrian civil war, and victims of numerous horrific crimes committed 
during the conflict are still waiting for justice.
  In recent months, regional powers and dictators have sought to sweep 
the war criminal, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's heinous, horrific 
crimes under the rug and welcome him back into the international arena. 
Shame.
  Assad's regime committed some of the worst atrocities of the 21st 
century, including using chemical weapons literally on his own people 
and widespread use of horrific torture on his own people.
  I introduced the Justice for Syrians resolution, and I urge my 
colleagues to bring it to the floor for a vote. This bill directs the 
U.S. through the United Nations to finally hold war criminal Assad 
accountable for crimes against humanity at an ad hoc international 
court of law.
  This is critical. Please join me in demanding justice for our Syrian 
people and our families that are directly impacted that live here in 
the United States and push to hold war criminals like Assad accountable 
for their crimes against humanity.

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