Floor SpeechUrgent2026-02-10

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2189, LAW-ENFORCEMENT INNOVATE TO DE-ESCALATE ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 261, UNDERSEA CABLE PROTECTION ACT OF 2025; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF...

Gun PolicyEnvironmentCrime & JusticeInfrastructure

Context

On 2026-02-10, Representative Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10) delivered a floor speech titled "PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2189, LAW-ENFORCEMENT INNOVATE TO DE-ESCALATE ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H." in the House. The speech addressed gun policy and also covered the environment, crime and justice. It referenced legislation including HR2189, HR261, HR3617, among other bills.

Full Text

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 28 (Tuesday, February 10, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 10, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2107-H2115] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] {time} 1210 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2189, LAW-ENFORCEMENT INNOVATE TO DE-ESCALATE ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 261, UNDERSEA CABLE PROTECTION ACT OF 2025; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3617, SECURING AMERICA'S CRITICAL MINERALS SUPPLY ACT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1042 and ask for its immediate consideration. The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: H. Res. 1042 Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 2189) to modernize Federal firearms laws to account for advancements in technology and less-than-lethal weapons, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. In lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill, an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 119-18 shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided among and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees and the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit. Sec. 2. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 261) to amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prohibit requiring an authorization for the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if such activities have previously been authorized by a Federal or State agency. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit. Sec. 3. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 3617) to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act to secure the supply of critical energy resources, including critical minerals and other materials, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Energy and Commerce now printed in the bill shall [[Page H2108]] be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit. Sec. 4. Each day during the period from February 10, 2026, through July 31, 2026, shall not constitute a calendar day for purposes of section 202 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622) with respect to a joint resolution terminating a national emergency declared by the President on February 1, 2025, April 2, 2025, July 30, 2025, or August 6, 2025. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York is recognized for 1 hour. Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York? There was no objection. Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, last night, the Rules Committee met and reported out a rule providing for consideration of three measures. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3617, the Securing America's Critical Minerals Supply Act, under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit. The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 261, the Undersea Cable Protection Act, under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources, or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit. The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 2189, the Law- Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act, under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided among and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their designees, and the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the underlying legislation. The rule before us once again exposes a fundamental divide in the House. Republicans are focused on protecting American lives, American infrastructure, and American national security. Democrats are focused on protecting bureaucracies, activist pressure campaigns, and the broken systems they created. For years, Democrats have governed by slogan instead of substance. They talk about safety, but undermine law enforcement. They claim to care about national security, but allow infrastructure critical to that mission of security to decay. They give lipservice to the need to reshore our supply chains, while time and again supporting policies and legislation that ensure that America remains dependent on our foreign adversaries. Their opposition to the rule today undermines and underlines the stark contrast between the left's words and their actions, which threaten to undermine our country. Mr. Speaker, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2189, the Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act. Every single day, law enforcement officers are asked to make split-second decisions in dangerous, unpredictable situations. In those moments, officers should have access to every appropriate tool available to de-escalate encounters, protect themselves, and save the public's lives. Yet standing in their way is outdated Federal law. Under current statute, less-than-lethal devices like tasers are still treated like firearms. That classification no longer reflects modern technology, modern training, or modern policing. It creates unnecessary barriers for law enforcement agencies across this country. These devices are designed to temporarily incapacitate an individual without causing serious or permanent injury. They play a critical role in real-world law enforcement encounters by giving officers a nonlethal option to defuse potentially violent situations and protect both officers and the public at large. Because these de-escalation tools are misclassified under Federal law, the consequences are real. Law enforcement agencies and communities face higher costs, procurement delays, and unnecessary regulatory hurdles, including taxes and rules written over 50 years ago that were never intended to apply to modern, less-than-lethal technology. At a time when departments are investing in better training, accountability, and modern technology to reduce fatal encounters, access to less-than-lethal alternatives should be expanding, not shrinking. Federal law should be keeping pace with innovation, not trapping law enforcement in the past. {time} 1220 Mr. Speaker, the Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act updates this outdated framework and acknowledges a simple fact. Law enforcement officers need access to better tools in order to do their job safely and effectively. The bill ensures less-than-lethal devices are treated for what they are, which are tools in de-escalation, not firearms. It draws clear lines, focuses on devices designed to incapacitate without causing serious injury, and explicitly prevents any device that would be converted into a lethal weapon from falling under the new definition. Democrats will claim that this bill is dangerous. They always do. The real danger is forcing our law enforcement officers into a false choice between using deadly force or no force at all. If we are serious about reducing violent encounters and saving lives, we should be focused on giving officers more options to de-escalate situations when seconds matter. Mr. Speaker, the rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 261, the Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025. This bill is about infrastructure most Americans will neve

Referenced legislation: HR261, HR261, HRES1042, HR2189, HR3617

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PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2189, LAW-ENFORCEMENT INNOVATE TO DE-ESCALATE ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 261, UNDERSEA CABLE PROTECTION ACT OF 2025; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF... Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 28 (Tuesday, February 10, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 10, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2107-H2115] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] {time} 1210 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2189, LAW-ENFORCEMENT INNOVATE TO DE-ESCALATE ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 261, UNDERSEA CABLE PROTECTION ACT OF 2025; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3617, SECURING AMERICA'S CRITICAL MINERALS SUPPLY ACT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1042 and ask for its immediate consideration. The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: H. Res. 1042 Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 2189) to modernize Federal firearms laws to account for advancements in technology and less-than-lethal weapons, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. In lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill, an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 119-18 shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided among and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees and the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit. Sec. 2. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 261) to amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prohibit requiring an authorization for the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if such activities have previously been authorized by a Federal or State agency. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit. Sec. 3. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 3617) to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act to secure the supply of critical energy resources, including critical minerals and other materials, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Energy and Commerce now printed in the bill shall [[Page H2108]] be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit. Sec. 4. Each day during the period from February 10, 2026, through July 31, 2026, shall not constitute a calendar day for purposes of section 202 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622) with respect to a joint resolution terminating a national emergency declared by the President on February 1, 2025, April 2, 2025, July 30, 2025, or August 6, 2025. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York is recognized for 1 hour. Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York? There was no objection. Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, last night, the Rules Committee met and reported out a rule providing for consideration of three measures. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3617, the Securing America's Critical Minerals Supply Act, under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit. The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 261, the Undersea Cable Protection Act, under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources, or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit. The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 2189, the Law- Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act, under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided among and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their designees, and the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the underlying legislation. The rule before us once again exposes a fundamental divide in the House. Republicans are focused on protecting American lives, American infrastructure, and American national security. Democrats are focused on protecting bureaucracies, activist pressure campaigns, and the broken systems they created. For years, Democrats have governed by slogan instead of substance. They talk about safety, but undermine law enforcement. They claim to care about national security, but allow infrastructure critical to that mission of security to decay. They give lipservice to the need to reshore our supply chains, while time and again supporting policies and legislation that ensure that America remains dependent on our foreign adversaries. Their opposition to the rule today undermines and underlines the stark contrast between the left's words and their actions, which threaten to undermine our country. Mr. Speaker, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2189, the Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act. Every single day, law enforcement officers are asked to make split-second decisions in dangerous, unpredictable situations. In those moments, officers should have access to every appropriate tool available to de-escalate encounters, protect themselves, and save the public's lives. Yet standing in their way is outdated Federal law. Under current statute, less-than-lethal devices like tasers are still treated like firearms. That classification no longer reflects modern technology, modern training, or modern policing. It creates unnecessary barriers for law enforcement agencies across this country. These devices are designed to temporarily incapacitate an individual without causing serious or permanent injury. They play a critical role in real-world law enforcement encounters by giving officers a nonlethal option to defuse potentially violent situations and protect both officers and the public at large. Because these de-escalation tools are misclassified under Federal law, the consequences are real. Law enforcement agencies and communities face higher costs, procurement delays, and unnecessary regulatory hurdles, including taxes and rules written over 50 years ago that were never intended to apply to modern, less-than-lethal technology. At a time when departments are investing in better training, accountability, and modern technology to reduce fatal encounters, access to less-than-lethal alternatives should be expanding, not shrinking. Federal law should be keeping pace with innovation, not trapping law enforcement in the past. {time} 1220 Mr. Speaker, the Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act updates this outdated framework and acknowledges a simple fact. Law enforcement officers need access to better tools in order to do their job safely and effectively. The bill ensures less-than-lethal devices are treated for what they are, which are tools in de-escalation, not firearms. It draws clear lines, focuses on devices designed to incapacitate without causing serious injury, and explicitly prevents any device that would be converted into a lethal weapon from falling under the new definition. Democrats will claim that this bill is dangerous. They always do. The real danger is forcing our law enforcement officers into a false choice between using deadly force or no force at all. If we are serious about reducing violent encounters and saving lives, we should be focused on giving officers more options to de-escalate situations when seconds matter. Mr. Speaker, the rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 261, the Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025. This bill is about infrastructure most Americans will neve Referenced legislation: HR261, HR261, HRES1042, HR2189, HR3617