Commitment to upholding International Rules of the road, including freedom of navigation. Just this past week, the prc vessels acted as dangerously and unlawfully as our philippine friends conduct a routine mission in their own exclusive Economic Zone in the South China Sea. I want to be clear, i want to be very clear. The United States defense commitment to the philippines is ironclad. The United States Defense Agreement with the philippines is ironclad. Any attack on the filipino aircraft vessels, our mutual Defense Treaty with the philippines. And, mr. Prime minister, today we renewed our commitment to defend the values at the heart of this alliance, and we continue to stand as one to forge a Better Future for both of us and all the region. So i want to thank you again for being here. Thank you for your partnership, and your leadership in this critical moment. And id like to now turn it over to you. Well, thank you very much, mr. President. Australia and the United States have stood
Mr. Speaker mr. Speaker, you may agree with this, but we are back here 22 days into this republican manufactured chaos and House Republicans have brought us to the exact same position that we were back then. All of the infighting, all of the disarray, just to end up where we were three weeks ago. These past few weeks we have been left wondering if republicans were truly intent on solving our issues, reopening the house of representatives and rallying around someone to lead this chamber, or has this been about Something Else . Has this been about a focus of House Republicans to find the person who can pass their extreme litmus test to oppose marriage equality, enact a nationwide abortion ban without exceptions, gut Social Security and medicare, and support overturning a free and fair election. Its a fair question. Its a fair question. [ applause ] nowhere nowhere in that Candidate Questionnaire is it about growing the middle class, helping our communities, keeping the cost of Health Car