Taking A Step Toward True Energy Dominance

Floor Speech

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Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Speaker, if you are packing up your car, booking a flight, or planning a trip this summer, you have probably noticed that things feel a little bit better this year, a little bit smoother, and much more affordable.

Mr. Speaker, that is not luck. That is because Congress is working to pass President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and it is already making a difference in our summer travel plans.

Mr. Speaker, hardworking American families deserve the freedom to fuel up without pinching pennies, and Trump's bill gets us one step closer to true energy dominance.

One of the biggest costs to families hitting the road this summer is the price at the pump. That is why we fought hard to include an important provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that cuts red tape on domestic energy production. It reopens Federal lands for drilling and streamlines refinery regulations.

Mr. Speaker, it is simple: When America produces more energy, we pay less at the pump. That means that we don't have to beg foreign dictators for oil.

In fact, experts are already predicting a decline in gas prices as we move through the summer months. Usually, they go up because the summer fuels are more expensive. Because of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, we have the freedom to make more summer family memories without breaking the bank.

It is not just about driving, either. If you have flown lately, you have probably experienced the delays, cancelations, and chaos plaguing America's airlines and our airports.

President Trump's big, beautiful bill tackles this head-on by investing in modern air traffic control technology, expanding staffing pipelines, and overhauling the bureaucratic logjam that has kept our skies grounded for way too long.

Mr. Speaker, thanks to President Trump, America will begin streamlining hiring for air traffic controllers, improving FAA coordination, and bringing our aviation infrastructure into the 21st century where it belongs. That means smoother trips for everyone just in time for peak summer travel season.

This bill is exactly the kind of commonsense, America First legislation that I came to Congress to support. It is proof that when we put American small businesses, our families, and our travelers first, we can make real progress.

Whether you are headed out to one of my favorite spots, Lake of the Ozarks, in my district, if you are flying to visit family, or just filling up the tank for the weekend, know this: Your summer will be easier because we are passing the President's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Honoring the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base

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Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with immense pride for the brave airmen of Missouri's own 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base in my district, who executed decisive, strategic strikes against the Iranian regime under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump.

I also will take a moment to honor the other heroes who are part of this historic operation. Pilots from the Air National Guard's 131st Bomb Wing, also at Whiteman, made up 50 percent of the flyers alongside the 509. The operation, maintenance, and the support personnel also contributed significantly to the experience in planning, preparation, and execution.

Just this past weekend, the world saw, once again, what American resolve looks like when we are paired with unmatched precision and capability. B-2s launched from Whiteman and executed a long-range strike against Iran in Operation Midnight Hammer.

This is one of the best examples of integration of total force that has come from Whiteman Air Force Base in recent times. Operation Midnight Hammer is a vivid example of what our long-range strike capabilities are all about: strategic reach, rapid response, and incredible deterrence.

Let me be clear, Mr. Speaker, these were not just strikes, they were a message to the world. It is a message to every rogue regime that threatens American lives and our global stability that when President Trump draws a red line, he means it. This is what peace through strength looks like.

We are all reminded, once again, that under President Trump, America does not bend to tyrants or terrorists. We confront evil. We prove our dominance on the world stage, and we ensure that regimes like Iran's will never get their hands on a nuclear weapon.

Let me say one thing for the Ayatollah. He now has a choice. This is a time for choosing whether he wants peace or chaos, prosperity or poverty, isolation from the rest of the Arab world or integration to make the Middle East great again.

God bless the 509th and 131st Bomb Wings. God bless our airmen and women at Whiteman Air Force Base, and God bless Donald J. Trump, our President.

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