Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to stand here to honor our dear friend, Jackie Walorski, and her tireless efforts on this piece of legislation, the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022.

This legislation is important because it really does provide needed services to our most vulnerable. Just in the State of Georgia, this program produced over 20,000 home visits and really had an impact on families with early development, mental health, substance abuse, and a lot of other things that some incredible nurses did.

This program is being reauthorized with some much-needed reforms in it. There is going to be stability in the program. Jackie fought hard to make sure that this program was based on evidence so the dollars will go where they work.

I am honored to be here today to support this legislation, but more importantly, I am here to honor our dear friend, Jackie Walorski.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend, and a selfless public servant, State Representative Randy Nix of LaGrange, Georgia. Representative Nix was born in Holtville, Alabama. He attended local schools and graduated from Troy State University with a degree in business. Following graduation, Randy served as a chaplain's assistant in the U.S. Army Reserve for five years. He went on to serve seven years in the Alabama Air National Guard, where his final assignment was a role as the weapons system officer flying the RF4-C Phantom aircraft. He was honorably discharged with the rank of captain.

Representative Nix also had a successful career in the financial services industry. He is currently a pastor at the Hillcrest United Methodist Church in LaGrange. Along with his service to the district in the Georgia General Assembly, Randy is very active in the local community. He previously served as president of both the Boys and Girls Club of West Georgia and the West Georgia Technical College Foundation Board, and is currently a Rotarian.

As Representative Nix approaches his retirement, I would like to recognize the sixteen years of unwavering service he has provided to the citizens of District 69. Serving his community is his passion, and his retirement is hard earned and well deserved. May God continue to bless Representative Nix and his wife, Debra, and their children, Julie and Jess, in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise for the purpose of inquiring of the Democratic Caucus chair the schedule for the week to come. I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries).

Mr. Speaker, we have seen movement in the Senate. I understand that there is activity over there. Does the gentleman have an update on when we might see that legislation in the House? But more importantly when we might see legislative text?

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleague if he is aware of any other additional authorizing text that may be attached to the continuing resolution.

One final thing. Leader Hoyer made an announcement this summer that we were going to try to close votes in a timely fashion. As we have just seen, it is virtually impossible to do it with proxy voting because these four votes took almost 2 hours to complete.

Given that the business community is getting back to normal, we are seeing workers return to work. We are seeing businesses return to normal operations, and given that the President proclaimed that the pandemic is over, does the gentleman also expect to end proxy voting next week when the current covered period ends?

Mr. Speaker, I think America expects Congress to lead, and we are seeing, again, across the Nation, people get back to their lives, get back to normal. Certainly, there are many safe precautions that have been taken.

But clearly, showing up to work is something that Americans expect Congress to do, and I just cannot think of a reason why Members of this body--while we get on airplanes and fly back and forth to our districts every week. I see so many of our Members on both sides of the aisle attending events and speaking at various functions and, certainly, they are not campaigning remotely. I can't think of a reason why we wouldn't do away with proxy voting and show up here in the people's House in person.

Mr. Speaker, I would love to see if my colleague from New York has any insight into that.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time.

We are failing miserably in American energy independence, with the rise of home heating costs and fuel. We see what has happened to our neighbors in the European Union. We see the rising costs. Certainly, Americans are worried about that, the rising cost of rent, the out-of- control inflation, the excessive government spending. I mean, we have that.

But more importantly, we have our communities that are less safe because of the crisis at the border. The fentanyl crisis that is hitting every single community.

I don't know that we have been leading.

I want to, Mr. Speaker, go back to the specifics of the question that was asked here in terms of leading by showing up to work. I want to see if there is any kind of rational reason why we shouldn't show up in person to work.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time.

The President ended the pandemic, declared that it was over. If that is the case, shouldn't we be going back to normal, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time.

Clearly, we see some of these important issues differently. Just sticking to the main question of proxy voting and why Members of Congress should not show up to do their job. American businesses are. We can campaign in person. Certainly voting in person seems reasonable to me.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the caucus chair, for his time today and for setting the schedule, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Virginia for yielding.

Madam Speaker, while I do, in fact, support his amendment, I would also like to speak for just a minute on the previous amendment offered to H.R. 7666, the BIG Act.

We have seen over the past couple of years a significant rise in mental health issues with our students, whether it is in high school, whether it is in middle school, or whether it is in college. We have seen the effects of the pandemic, but there are a lot of other things that have created this mental health crisis for our children around America.

What our children need are resources, and they need resources at a very early age. So what the BIG Act does is it accumulates best practices from different schools around the country, and it makes sure that we intervene with students early. We want to get these young people the resources that they need.

There are a couple of things about this that we think are very important:

Number one, early intervention has been proven to show that we can prevent a catastrophic event. We want students to be healthy and happy and functioning. What we would also like to do is limit the interaction with law enforcement. We want to make sure that the students are getting these resources across the board.

So this body passed the BIG Act last year, and they did it with wide bipartisan support; however, the Senate did not take this bill up. So I say, let's do it again. Let's pass it as part of this important package.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman and our ranking members for making such an effort to get this important piece of legislation across the finish line.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Republican Conference, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Ann Thomas, a dedicated educator, who will be retiring after 43 years as a math teacher at Springwood High School.

Mrs. Thomas is someone who challenges her students to look beyond the pages of the textbook and to become problem-solvers and critical thinkers. Every day her tenacity, her passion, and dedication impact each and every one of her students.

As a math teacher, she ensured that young people would have the knowledge and skills to not only help them succeed in the classroom, but to be empowered to become productive members of society.

Mr. Speaker, I am a proud alumnus of Springwood High School in many ways because of her. In honor of her 43 years of remarkable service, I thank and commend Mrs. Thomas for her relentless commitment to mathematics education and for helping the next generation of young students succeed.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 471, the PAUSE Act, to protect all Americans from Biden's border crisis.

Mr. Speaker, the war on American energy independence began on day one of President Biden's administration. That war has hit Americans hard in the pocketbook, and the cost at the pump, and for everything else they buy has gone up as a result of this administration's policies.

All too often we look across the globe and see the cost of those policies, and we see that in Ukraine right now. Every single barrel of Russian oil that we buy has at least a quarter of Ukrainian blood in it. It is time to put an end to it.

Now we have a bill that has been much watered-down, it doesn't have the teeth in it that it should because this administration does not seem willing to stand up to this dictator. Now that we are having a discussion about ending a relationship with one dictator, it seems that the administration is willing to trade one for three, buying oil from Venezuela, Iran, and now Saudi Arabia.

This war on pricing has got to come to an end. The war on American energy independence has to come to an end. It is time for this administration to open up American energy independence.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Antibiotic Awareness Week as we work to combat a looming public health and national security crisis that may one day be our next pandemic if left unaddressed: antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Applying the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic by investing in pandemic preparedness now will save lives later. That is why I am spearheading bipartisan, bicameral legislation, the Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance Act, also known as the PASTEUR Act.

Through a partnership between the federal government and industry, this bill encourages innovative drug development to target the most threatening infections, improves the appropriate use of antibiotics, and ensures domestic availability when needed.

Madam Speaker, as we tackle this next medical frontier, we must bring together the unique capabilities and resources of the public and private sectors to solve the market failures impeding the development of new lines of antibiotics.

The PASTEUR Act accomplishes this, and I'm encouraged our legislation is included in a groundbreaking package introduced this week--Cures 2.0 that builds on the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016--taking another important step toward addressing antimicrobial resistance.

Mr. Speaker, what I really want to say about this bill would probably make me wind up on the prayer list of the church folks back home.

This bill is horrendous for America. Most Americans want a job; they want a decent, safe place to live; they want their kids educated; and they want to be left alone to lead their lives the way that they want to. This bill violates every one of those basic tenets.

It is going to destroy the economy and raise inflation. People will not be economically more secure.

It is encouraging additional illegal immigration at our southern border, and it is making our communities less safe.

It is going to destroy private daycare. This bill is going to allow the government to tell you where you have to have your kids educated.

Has the majority not learned anything from what happened in the elections a couple of weeks ago?

By the way, it is going to tell you how you have to live your life, what kind of car you can buy, what kind of business you can run, and how to operate your business. Americans are sick and tired of this kind of government overreach.

Mr. Speaker, 87,000 new IRS agents to spy on Americans' bank accounts, to come dig in the cushions of your couch, in order to pay for SALT? This thing stinks like 3-day-old roadkill on south Georgia asphalt. Vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the previous question. There is absolutely no denying that the Democrats want to control every part of your life by allowing the IRS to snoop into your bank accounts.

This is wrong. And for what? It is really truly all about control. This unlawful surveillance is their latest gambit.

The Democrats' snooping scheme would include hiring 87,000 new IRS agents at a cost of almost $80 billion. That is almost enough IRS agents to fill up Sanford Stadium at the University of Georgia for a Saturday football game. Now, I will take a college football stadium full of SEC fans cheering on the Dawgs, but not one full of IRS agents.

The proposal that the Democrats have put out claims to only go after wealthy tax cheats, but at its core, this is going to target every single farmer, every single family, every single gig worker, every single small business owner, and just about anyone who pays rent or pays a mortgage.

Their bogus attempts to scale it back are meaningless. At any number, this is wrong. Think about how long it would take, paying $200 a month out of your bank account, or $200 a week out of your bank account, to get to the $10,000 number that they have proposed.

Mr. Speaker, simply put, the Democrats' IRS surveillance plan is flat out wrong. It is an outright violation of the Fourth Amendment of every American. Government has no business sifting through our personal information. This is a foundational principle that this country was built on.

I will say it again. Whether the amount is $1, $600, $10,000, or $1 million, giving the IRS this kind of unfettered and unchecked power is wrong. The threshold is irrelevant. Americans know that this is wrong. We know it is wrong, and our colleagues on the other side of the aisle know that it is wrong.

Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are so desperate to find revenue to fund their Big Government socialist programs that they are willing to violate the constitutional rights of our fellow Americans. This is wrong. It is egregious on every front. Once again, we know it; they know it; the American people know it; and that is why we are pushing back.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so that we can restore some reason and sanity and put an end to this absurd proposal for the IRS to snoop on Americans' bank accounts.

Defeat the previous question so we can vote to prohibit IRS financial surveillance of Americans' bank accounts.

Mr. Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H.J. Res. 6.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of our global partners, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, who is in Washington, D.C. this week for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also known as the Quad Summit, a strategic conversation between the United States, India, Japan, and Australia.

America and India have a strong and valuable partnership, which has allowed both nations to flourish. Welcoming the wide range of collaborative activities undertaken to improve their citizens' lives, we must work to revitalize our existing alliance and find new areas for collaboration and mutual benefit.

I was grateful to meet with the Consulate General of India in Georgia Dr. Swati V. Kulkarni earlier this month, where I reaffirmed my commitment to deepening our ties and advancing practical cooperation between our two countries in combatting COVID-19, partnering on emerging technologies and cyberspace, and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the longstanding and special relationship between the United States and India.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Mary Reed, a distinguished member of the Columbus, Georgia, community, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday.

Mary is part of the heartbeat of Columbus. Serving as the longtime Executive Secretary for the Rotary Club of Columbus, she prides herself on perfect attendance and leadership in helping others.

She is an accomplished woman of God, a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Last month, in honor and recognition of her impact in the community, Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson proclaimed Friday, August 25, 2021, as Mary Reed Day, a fitting tribute.

Madam Speaker, Mary Reed is a shining example of putting service above self, and our community is a better place thanks to her kindness and selflessness. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Mary a happy 100th birthday and thank her for her many years of service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in August. For the past 25 years, the association has solidified itself as the premier resource to represent the fruit and vegetable industry in Georgia--a sector that is essential to Georgia's economy and prosperity.

By providing services such as education programs to maximize production, marketing opportunities to increase profits, and disaster management tools to handle natural disasters and crises, the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association is without question a cornerstone of the Georgia ag industry and a boon to specialty crop growers across the state.

The association has instituted a multitude of innovative solutions aimed toward helping its members. They have worked diligently with national organizations and congressional offices to secure relief aid through the Coronavirus Food and Assistance Program and implemented modern strategies aimed toward strengthening Georgia's specialty growers.

As the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association rounds out 25 years, I look forward to a bright future of continued strength and advocacy, and I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating this association's great accomplishments.