Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, had I been present, I would have voted Aye on Roll Call No. 259.

Stated against:

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of American hero Donald McPherson of Adams, Nebraska, who sadly passed away last month as our Nation's last surviving World War II Ace fighter pilot.

In his F6F Hellcat, Mr. McPherson directly faced our enemies in the skies to defend our country and preserve our liberty, shooting down five enemy aircraft while stationed aboard the USS Essex in the Pacific.

He earned three distinguished Flying Crosses and four Air Medals. In 2015, I proudly congratulated Mr. McPherson on receiving the Congressional Gold Medal for his valiant service to our country.

After his wartime service, Mr. McPherson was a dedicated volunteer with the VFW, American Legion, his local church, and youth baseball and softball leagues. He also served as Scoutmaster for Troop 280.

The legacies of our selfless military heroes, certainly including Mr. McPherson, must be celebrated and protected for future generations to understand the true cost of freedom.

On behalf of the people of Nebraska's Third District, I thank Mr. McPherson for his service to our country and extend my condolences to his family.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 234.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for the diligent work he has done in bringing folks together, hearing from all Members, and helping formulate a bill that is great for America and great for workers. We know that what we did in 2017 increased wages for workers at an amount even better proportionately than higher-income folks.

I will also point out that my colleagues across the aisle voted for a large portion of this bill last year.

Now, there are various criticisms that they have kind of pivoted I guess a bit, but when you really look at what we are doing, we are preventing a tax increase on the middle class. The average American household, without this bill getting done, will face about a $1,500 tax increase. American Farm Bureau tells us that the average farm will face a more than $5,000 tax increase if we don't get our bill done.

Mr. Speaker, this is the right thing to do. This is great for America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the career of Doug Kennedy, who is retiring after 45 years of serving southeast Nebraska as a radio broadcaster.

Doug's service as a reporter and news director for KWBE in Beatrice has spanned a remarkable seven different station ownerships. During that time, his accuracy and professionalism earned the trust of his listeners and the respect of his colleagues.

Doug's list of accolades features more than 100 awards from the United Press International and Associated Press, and his enduring dedication has meant so much to his community.

Described by Mayor Bob Morgan as a positive and stabilizing influence for the city, Doug has also served several years on the City of Beatrice Community Redevelopment Authority.

Doug's steadfast work ethic is a model of Nebraska devotion to a job well done, and I certainly wish him a happy retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of 4-H students from Fillmore County, Nebraska. They competed in the American Rocketry Challenge national finals last month.

Selected from over 1,000 entries from across the Nation, the students qualified as national finalists after designing, building, flight testing, and launching their rocket under highly specified requirements to target an impressive 790 feet and land while keeping the rocket's payload intact.

On May 16, I was delighted to welcome members of the club, which calls itself the STEAM Punks, to the Rockets on the Hill event, along with Coach Kristina Woods. Team leaders Kelsey Ellison and Ruby Long, displayed their model, the product of a 2-month engineering process.

Through their hard work and technical excellence, these young people have made Nebraska's Third District proud. With such dedication, they will continue to reach even greater heights.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Kent Greenwalt, former mayor of Terrytown, Nebraska, who sadly passed away last month after a lifetime of service to his community.

A veteran of the Vietnam war and an inexhaustible community volunteer, Kent's life was characterized by a readiness to step up to meet the needs of the moment. During his 12 years of service as mayor of Terrytown, he was known as a working mayor for his willingness to mow lawns, trim trees, and clear dead trees from Terry's Lake.

His sense of duty to his country was evident as a Nebraska National Guardsman for 8 years, and later as a Patriot Guard motorcycle escort for military funeral processions. In 2023, he was welcomed to Washington, D.C., for a veterans' Honor Flight.

The list of Kent's accolades is too lengthy to list in full, but his integrity and servant's heart are what stand out. My thoughts and prayers are with his family members and members of the community who knew and loved him.

While he could never be replaced, America needs more people like Kent Greenwalt.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 132, and YEA on Roll Call No. 133.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this package, which fulfills commitments to secure our border, rein in waste, and strengthen the economy for American families.

In the Ways and Means Committee portion of this bill, we build on the huge success of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act by further increasing the standard deduction, increasing the child tax credit, and further reducing taxes on income earned by family-owned farms, ranches, and small businesses.

We also make a landmark investment in educating kids with the inclusion of my bill, the Educational Choice For Children Act, which creates a tax credit for scholarships to meet the needs of K-12 students and puts more parents back in control of their child's education, regardless of ZIP Code.

In addition, we are bringing an end to the unauthorized, wasteful, and redundant IRS direct file program which directly contradicts taxpayers' best interests.

This moment is years in the making, and we now have the opportunity to deliver on the job Americans elected us to do in a fiscally responsible way.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Harry Lynn, of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, a family man, beloved community member, and World War II veteran. Sadly, Harry passed away last week at the age of 102.

Despite an initial draft deferment due to significant visual impairment, Harry enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he became recognized as one of the Army's top three Morse code operators. He became a Morse code instructor and rose to the rank of staff sergeant.

This year, we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory because of the sacrifices of heroes like Harry. His determination to do his duty despite personal adversity displayed the true Nebraskan spirit to answer the call of service in one of the most challenging times in our Nation's history.

Harry and each of America's World War II veterans deserve our deepest gratitude and most sincere thanks.

On April 2, Harry and his daughter, Sherri, were tragically killed in a car accident. I extend my condolences to the family members and celebrate the life of this American patriot.

Harry's memory and example of service will live on in our hearts.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 72, and YEA on Roll Call No. 73.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad to offer my thanks and gratitude to James Min, as well.

I appreciate the fact that when I was a brand-new Member of Congress, a while back, that he has always been a great help not just to me but to anyone who asks. I am grateful for his selfless public service. As was said before, I think it will last for generations. I am grateful, and I wish him well.

Mr. Chair, the American people want us to have a thoughtful exchange here. I will hopefully contribute to that, especially when I hear some of the accusations made that are just off base, misleading, and false.

Warren Buffett has paid a record amount in taxes. I think that is worth noting. That has been in the press very widely in the last few days.

This budget framework delivers on House Republicans' and the President's promise to minimize tax burdens for Americans across the income spectrum, promote security in our communities, and unleash economic growth.

The resolution would allow us to extend the historic tax relief from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which has been enormously successful, and we know this, in allowing families to keep more of their paychecks and supercharging growth for small businesses.

If these tax cuts are allowed to expire, as we have heard, the average American would suffer. Make no mistake, small businesses, family farms, and so many other folks would suffer.

Mr. Chair, the American people want us to have a thoughtful exchange on this. Let's elevate the debate and stick to the facts, realizing we can do well for the American people by doing so.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act.

The bill, as we have been hearing, would align the tax treatment of income earned in the U.S. by Taiwanese

residents and businesses with that of any other foreign national from a country with whom the United States has a tax treaty, preventing the double taxation of Taiwanese residents and businesses engaging in business with Americans.

As we know, Taiwan is an important and strategic ally in the Indo- Pacific region, and a democratic success story, I might add a lowercase democratic success story, but we know that it is the eighth largest trading partner to our country.

U.S. exports to Taiwan support hundreds of thousands of American jobs, and cumulative Taiwanese investment in the U.S. totals more than $137 billion.

Taiwan also plays a critical role in our technology supply chains as we have been hearing and is certainly a key national security partner.

Despite this, on the list of the 66 countries the U.S. currently has income tax treaties with, including China, Taiwan is conspicuously absent.

Eliminating the undue double taxation of Taiwanese residents and businesses promotes economic efficiency and integration, strengthens our strategic partnership with Taiwan, and reinforces the long-term economic stability American businesses and our trusted allies need to invest for the future and combat the influence of bad actors.

In the face of regular threats to its security and economic stability by a predatory adversary, Taiwan and its people have called on us to live up to our commitment as a strategic partner and friend to freedom- loving nations.

This is a good bill which delivers an overdue solution to an issue which has strong bipartisan support. I appreciate the discussions that we have been having here today. This strengthens ties that we have with a trusted ally, as well.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage all my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Phyllis Coolidge and the thousands of Nebraskans among America's 6 million Rosie the Riveters, who earlier this year were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their role in achieving victory in the Second World War as members of our Nation's workforce.

At 19 years old, Phyllis Coolidge began working at the Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant near Grand Island, Nebraska, which employed some 15,000 workers between 1942 and 1945.

Reflecting on her experience, Phyllis said: I just went to work. It was something we were doing for the war effort.

Even her 59-year-old mother worked alongside her, a testament to the extraordinary willingness of Nebraskans to do their patriotic duty.

A resident of McCook, Nebraska, Phyllis is now 102 years of age, and her irrepressible can-do attitude is a prime example of the unity and resolve of the American people during one of the most challenging times in our Nation's history.

Recently, in one of the most meaningful moments of my time here in Congress, I had the privilege of presenting a gold coin to her, thanking her, and introducing her to my own family.

From the vital impact of our Rosie the Riveters to the monumental volunteerism of the North Platte Canteen, doing our part was at the heart of Nebraska's rich history of home-front contributions to the war effort. Nebraskans understood that, as Americans, we are all in this together, and so many volunteers answered the call.