Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it is great to be back at work, doing the important work of the House.

Mr. Speaker, the United States stands united in the face of the horrific, barbaric attacks on our greatest ally in the Middle East-- Israel.

The October 7 attack, nearly 50 years to the day after the Yom Kippur War, was horrific. More than 1,500-plus people murdered, hundreds more taken hostage, including American citizens. The brutality is unlike anything we have seen in modern times. With women and children being raped and babies beheaded, this cannot be the norm.

Israel has every right to protect themselves, to defend themselves and their sovereignty. Our country must support Israel's efforts to protect its citizens and uphold its sovereignty without question.

With misinformation and the horrible pro-Hamas demonstrations across the world, the U.S. Congress must reaffirm our unwavering support for Israel. Together, we must work toward a lasting peace that ensures the security and prosperity of our Jewish friends and Israel.

Let us stand shoulder to shoulder in this pursuit, unwavering in our commitment to justice, freedom, and the enduring bonds that bind our nations together. We stand with Israel today and forever.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Republicans' plan to cut spending to keep government open and to shut down the border. The President has failed Americans. He has failed Texans. He has failed us by not securing our border.

Mr. Speaker, 7\1/2\ million illegal immigrants, 150 people just this year who matched the terror watch list, 13,000 criminals, 100,000-plus fentanyl poisoning deaths is unacceptable. Enough is enough.

This plan, which would also include H.R. 2, the most secure border act in decades, puts the President on notice.

Now is the time.

This is the most important border security vote in 20 years. This vote right here not only cuts spending, but it shuts down the border and the disaster, the chaos, and the unacceptable level of death that our President has caused.

This bill deserves our attention. I urge my colleagues to cut the spending, to keep the government open, and to shut down the border.

Mr. Chair, what an opportunity to have Texans debating Texans. I hope that every Texan from the RGV all the way to Amarillo and from El Paso all the way to Beaumont is listening to this debate because the line is clear.

Chaos and lawlessness or law and order. Which is it going to be?

I do agree with my colleague who just said that the Constitution clearly says this is a Federal issue. I think this is the first thing that we have agreed on. The Constitution does say that. Article IV, Section 4. Joe Biden has abdicated his responsibility.

I have got the numbers from the Del Rio sector right here. Just in Del Rio during FY 23, 347,572 encounters, 144,900 known got-aways, 2,155 criminal arrests, and the gall to say that the Governor of Texas doesn't have the right to protect us when the Federal Government has completely abdicated?

I was in Eagle Pass this week. I wish that my colleagues would have been there. I wish they would have met the young lady from Venezuela who was brutally attacked by the cartels, separated from her husband, kicked in the face multiple times, 30 stitches in her head because of the failed policies.

Texas is the only government that is doing anything about this, and yet they have the gall to say that we don't have the right to defend ourselves when a Venezuelan flag is placed onto the shore of Texas property? In any other time period in history, that would be a declaration of war.

Talk to the troopers. Talk to the State troopers who are down there and see the things that they are going through: The resuscitation of a 4-year-old last week and the week before.

I have had multiple Border Patrol agents tell me that the reason we have 2.3 million people who have entered this country illegally this year is because we have no consequences. There were 2.2 million last year. Every year since Joe Biden has been President, this chaos has gotten worse and worse. Enough is enough.

I am so glad that we are sitting here having a Texas versus Texas debate because I hope that Texans are looking at this for what it is. The reason that this is an issue is because the President of the United States, Secretary Mayorkas, and others throughout the administration on day one in January of 2021 reversed every single policy that worked. No more MPP, no more border wall, and to hear the falsehoods that are coming out of my colleagues about not funding Border Patrol agents? Take a look at H.R. 2. Take a look at what that does to fund more agents, to put more technology into place.

It is time for a shutdown of the southern border, and that is what we are calling on the President to do. This amendment should have said that we are going to reimburse the State of Texas for $5 billion this year and $5 billion last year.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to block any potential remain in Texas policy.

It appears Democrats are starting to realize the severity of the border crisis. On August 8, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey declared a state of emergency due to an influx of illegal aliens. I think the number was 7,500. The next day, New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated that the illegal alien influx was ``not sustainable'' and would ``destroy New York City.''

All it took for the President to realize there was a crisis at the border was a little complaining from his Democrat donors. They don't mind the border crisis as long as it stays far away from their blue State.

What is the President's solution? Instead of securing the border, the Biden administration is considering instating a remain in Texas policy. You heard that right--not a policy to thwart illegal immigration but one that would punish Texas and force our State to be the sole provider for millions of illegal immigrants crossing our southern border every single year.

Liberal sanctuary cities, like New York, that openly obstruct Federal immigration laws and have policies in place to shield criminals from Immigration and Customs Enforcement should not be immune to the crisis at our collective southern border.

President Biden's remain in Texas policy must remain in the trash can. My amendment ends this administration's attempt to force Texans to bear the brunt of the immigration crisis.

Secure the border and vote ``yes'' on this amendment.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), my good friend and colleague.

Madam Chair, I also thank my colleague from Texas on the other side of aisle for bringing up a good point, that we should be thinking about how to remove people who come across illegally.

That is exactly what Border Patrol agents told me just this past weekend when I was in Eagle Pass. Their solution, which was the last solution of the administration, was deportation.

I think my colleague was actually the one on TV about a week ago who said--and I am not necessarily quoting exactly what my colleague said-- until you see the images of people being deported, they are going to continue to come.

I couldn't agree with him more, that those images need to happen because that is the message that we need to send.

So, no, we don't need a remain in Texas policy. We need a remain in Mexico policy. We need to go back to the policies of the previous administration that were working before we had millions of people coming into this country illegally because they know that the border is wide open.

This is a symptom. Let's get to the root cause. Let's send H.R. 2 in the form that we passed it here in the House to the Senate and to the President and secure our border once and for all. Enough is enough.

Madam Chair, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of Representative Joyce's H.R. 1435, Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, to prevent the EPA from imposing new regulations that would ban the sales of new motor vehicles with gas-powered internal combustion engines.

Last year, California enacted new requirements on automakers, effectively banning the sale of new gas-powered cars and light trucks by 2035 and limiting consumer choice in new vehicles to electric vehicles.

Mr. Speaker, we have a choice presented before us today. We can expand California's failed and expensive green energy mandates to the rest of the Nation, or we can invest in liquid fuels to restore American energy independence, make gas affordable again, and secure our energy future. H.R. 1435 will accomplish these goals.

Electric vehicles are not for everybody. Just ask Secretary Granholm about her recent road trip throughout the United States. Spoiler alert: The police were called.

When you think about the costly and ineffective proposals like those from California and the Biden administration, they reject the proven benefits of the liquid fuel sector. Investing in ever-cleaner liquid fuels, like biofuels and conventional fuels, provides immediate environmental benefits, supports our domestic economy, and bolsters national security while keeping costs low.

When we asked the Secretary recently about how much electricity the United States uses on an annual basis, she couldn't answer it, nor can any administration official answer it, but yet they want to mandate this not just in California but throughout the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 1435, and I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Brownwood, Texas Kiwanis Club's continued service to children in their community for 100 years.

The Brownwood Charter has helped thousands of children in their community and across the globe, dedicating countless resources to improving children's health, education, and development. Their servant leadership has helped impact children's lives from infancy to early adulthood.

They have assisted needy children through scholarships, blood drives, leadership opportunities, and more. For 100 years, their selflessness and guidance have been inspiring, and their mission will continue to provide children and the Brownwood community the help and opportunities they deserve to have a shining future.

I thank the Brownwood Charter for their selfless service and dedication to improving their community for 100 years. Their work is emblematic of the values that make our Nation the greatest country in the world.

Madam Speaker, in 2006, Congress authorized the Department of Homeland Security to regulate security practices at chemical facilities to reduce the risk of terrorists triggering an intentional release or stealing chemicals for use in an attack elsewhere.

CFATS, as it is known, requires certain facilities, whose possession of chemicals above certain levels present high levels of security risk, to assess their vulnerabilities and implement security measures to minimize terrorism risks posed by these vulnerabilities.

On July 27, this Thursday, the statutory authority for the CFATS program

is scheduled to sunset. As I said previously at a Homeland Security markup of this legislation, I will support this legislation to cleanly extend the program for an additional 2 years, but I am disappointed that it is such a short authorization period.

Companies of all sizes invest millions of dollars into CFATS compliance, and they deserve the certainty of knowing what the long- term standards for compliance will be as they look to reinvest money into technologies and infrastructure.

It is important to note that these facilities fall under a variety of sectors critical to our communities, including energy and utilities, food production, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, laboratories, and more.

I will support this legislation today to cleanly extend the program, but I hope that this body can work towards a long-term reauthorization in the future. It is clear that the threats that gave rise to CFATS persist today, and we must take these threats seriously.

In addition, it is also important to note that industry is asking for this authorization, which is unlike some of the other regulatory overreach that we see from the administration today. What we are talking about is industry asking to work with government.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 4470.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the State of Israel and the Jewish community here in the United States of America and, quite frankly, throughout the world.

I thank the chairman and the ranking member, two men who have worked tirelessly on this very topic, this very subject.

I have a resolution. It is simple. It is one page. It is one page, but I think it is powerful. It says the State of Israel is not a racist or apartheid state. It says that Congress rejects all forms of anti- Semitism and xenophobia. Lastly, it says that the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel.

It is simple. It is a one-page resolution that I think every Member of Congress should be able to agree on. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, we have heard disgusting statements from Members on the other side of the aisle against Israel.

Mr. Speaker, as I look at this debate here, this is the time when anyone who has said those types of things can come to the House floor to debate and have a conversation. If there is disagreement with this, let's let the American people hear that disagreement.

From my standpoint, we look at Israel as the most important partner in the Middle East. Tomorrow, in fact, as we welcome President Herzog to this very body, to the United States, to a joint address of Congress, it is critical for the U.S. Congress to send a unified message that we stand with Israel and unequivocally support our Jewish communities. There is no place for hate or hateful words.

Mr. Speaker, I hope this is an easy vote today. It should be easy. All 435 Members of this body should be able to vote in affirmation of this so that when President Herzog enters this body tomorrow, he knows unequivocally that the United States is with Israel and that the entire world knows that.

In fact, 75 years ago, within minutes of being recognized as a nation, the United States was the very first to recognize Israel as a nation. It is because we both believe in freedom. We both believe in a trusted partnership. We both believe in pushing back against enemies around the world like Iran, the largest state sponsor of terrorism, that would seek to undermine at every turn the State of Israel.

Where are those colleagues if they disagree?

I think what this debate tells me today, seeing very little disagreement on the House floor, is that we as the United States of America, that we as the U.S. Congress, that the House of Representatives believes in the tenets.

I will say it one more time. The State of Israel is not a racist or apartheid state. Congress rejects all forms have anti-Semitism or xenophobia. The United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel.

Mr. Speaker, not only do I urge my colleagues to support this, but I urge my colleagues to stand up against bullying against those who would say things that are not true, those that would denounce or use words that are hateful in their rhetoric, that undermine the very essence of the nation of Israel, and that undermine the freedoms that this country stands for.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I am able to author this and stand before the American public and reaffirm, on the 75th anniversary of Israel as a nation, our support in the United States of America for a nation that I believe is divinely inspired.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 2023 NCAA Division II National Champion Angelo State University Rams baseball team.

The Rams' championship is the first in history and the fifth national championship title at Angelo State. This is a time to reflect upon the diligence, sacrifice, and determination that these young men have contributed toward the national championship, and I especially want to recognize Head Coach Kevin Brooks and his coaching staff.

Coach Brooks started the program in 2005 and has remained a dedicated leader of his team and of the young baseball players. I also want to recognize President Ronnie Hawkins for his leadership to the university and to the community.

Mr. Speaker, baseball isn't the only good thing going on at Angelo State. There are many things to celebrate, but today, I congratulate the Rams. Their achievement will forever be etched in the annals of history. Their success is a source of pride for our entire community, and they will inspire future generations of Texas-11 athletes for years to come. Today, we celebrate their victory and the unyielding pursuit of excellence that it represents.

Well done, Champions.

Mr. Chair, I thank my friend from Florida for yielding. Mr. Chair, it is almost hard to believe that we are actually having to have this discussion. At a time when Americans are struggling to afford groceries, the Biden administration is trying to implement new rules to dictate what you have in your house, what kind of appliances you have in your home.

As my friend from New York just stood up and said that this is not just a Texas issue. This is not localized to one part of our country. This spans the entire country.

We have seen the EPA overreach in every single aspect of energy, every single aspect, whether it is with endangered species, the threat of nonattainment in the Permian Basin, where I represent, they are overreaching.

Their de facto ban on gas stoves would eliminate more than half of the gas cooktops on the market today while forcing 187 million Americans who use affordable, reliable natural gas to switch to expensive, less desirable alternatives.

If this administration was serious about limiting pollution and protecting our climate, they would unleash the energy that we produce in my district in the Permian Basin, they would put Midland over Moscow, and they would make it easier to produce clean energy, 40 percent cleaner natural gas in the U.S. compared to Russia. In fact, homes with natural gas appliances emit 22 percent less CO2 than all-electric homes.

House Republicans are not just standing by idly. We are going to do something. We are doing something. We are going to prevent this overreach from happening.

Mr. President, unleash American energy. Don't make it harder to produce natural gas here. Don't limit the types of stoves and appliances we have in our homes. Quit overreaching.

Mr. Chair, allow Americans the freedoms that our Constitution protects and pass this bill. Our bill will prevent the administration from banning gas stoves or cooktops or imposing any standards that make gas stoves unaffordable.

I appreciate the leadership throughout this House from the Speaker and everyone else to bring this bill to bear. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the HALT Fentanyl Act, which will help end thousands of deaths from this tragic situation.

I am speaking on behalf of parents like Joe Warnick and Donna Johnson of Odessa, Texas, who lost their son, Jackson, to fentanyl poisoning. I am speaking up for thousands of families across the United States.

How can you oppose this? Literally, how can you oppose this?

Every day we hear more and more stories of lives ended by fentanyl. It is our responsibility to act.

The HALT Fentanyl Act will help end the fentanyl crisis by cracking down on criminals who are trafficking deadly fentanyl across the southern border and into our communities. It will ensure law enforcement has the tools they need to keep these extremely lethal and dangerous drugs off our streets.

The moms and dads that I have talked to are tired of words. They want action, and the HALT Fentanyl Act is the action that we need to take. Lives are on the line.

Mr. Chair, I am very proud of my Republican Conference for proposing this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of all Texans and all Americans whose lives have been put at risk by the untenable crisis at our southern border.

Let's just look at the numbers. In the 2 years that this President has been in office, there have been over 5 million encounters at the southern border, 1.4 million got-aways, and countless numbers of people who matched not only the terrorist watch list, but also criminal organizations. That totals nearly 6\1/2\ million people.

To put that in perspective, that is bigger than over 33 States in the United States. Among those 5 million, our Border Patrol have caught nearly 200 known and suspected terrorists trying to cross into our country illegally. This should not only concern every American, but it also outrages Americans who want law and order and safety to be considered.

What I am even more concerned about is: How many among the 1.4 million got-aways would match that list that we don't know about?

This is something that I have been sounding the alarm bells for my entire time in Congress. It is something that, unfortunately, my Democrat colleagues have buried their heads in the sand and refused to address for the last 2 years.

I could continue talking about the terrible numbers all day, about the 15,000 criminals arrested, the 14,000 pounds of fentanyl that have been seized, which, by the way, is enough to kill 3 billion people, and that is just in the last 6 months.

Instead, I will turn the focus of today's discussion about border security back to the tragedies, the human tragedies, which are affecting every district, including mine.

Americans like Elisa Tambunga whose 7-year-old daughter and 71-year- old grandmother were tragically killed by human traffickers doing 105 miles an hour with 11 illegal immigrants in the back seat who hit their car and instantly killed them. They are the victims.

Let's talk about the 700 unaccompanied migrant children who have been

displaced and separated. These 700 unaccompanied migrants were dropped off in Midland, Texas, trafficked by traffickers away from their parents, and dropped off in the middle of the night. They are the victims.

What about fathers like Joe Warnick of Odessa, Texas, who found his 17-year-old son dead after taking a pill laced with fentanyl. He is a victim, along with 110,000 Americans last year who lost their lives to fentanyl.

The 53 migrants who died in the sweltering heat in the back of a tractor trailer south of San Antonio, Texas, last year, they are the victims. These are real people.

This is not just a border crisis. This is a national security emergency. Texans demand a solution.

Today, I am proud to join my colleagues in supporting H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act.

The timing of this legislation could not be more precise with the ending of title 42. Our bill will force the administration to restart construction of the border wall. It will deploy much-needed technology to the border. It will increase the number of border agents and give them the well-deserved bonuses that they need to maintain their services.

Several of my original provisions have been included in this package to require the administration to own up to the total number of known got-aways or known and suspected terrorists crossing the border each month, as well as outlining the costs that are incurred by States like Texas.

Mr. President, how many more lives will be lost?

How many will it take to take action?

That is why Republicans are not ignoring this crisis. We are taking action. We are restoring the security of our border.

I am extremely proud to stand here with Chairman Mark Green and his efforts, and Speaker McCarthy, to pass a bill that will finally secure the border and do what Americans put us here to do.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the beloved father, husband, son, and hero, Specialist Steven Ray Givens, who gave his life in service to our country.

As a young child, Steven was inspired by his grandfather and made the decision to serve.

In May 2005, Steven gave his life in Balad, Iraq, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

Steven is remembered for his incredible service and deep love and commitment to his family. He loved playing video games with his son in his lap, hunting and fishing, and chatting about military history.

Steven is survived by his mother, Joyce; his son, Blake; and his wife, Cayssia. Cayssia serves as the Gold Star Congressional Fellow in my Killeen, Texas, district office and honors Steven's legacy daily by serving our veterans, Active-Duty servicemembers, and other Gold Star families at Fort Cavazos and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, Camille and I thank Cayssia, Joyce, and Blake for their incredible sacrifice, and we join them in remembering Steven.

Mr. Chair, I rise today to support H.R. 1, the most important bill and the priority for this Congress.

When I came to Congress, I made it my mission to spread the word about the Permian Basin, the heartbeat of American energy and the largest secure supply of oil and gas.

I am incredibly proud to represent the men and women of the Permian Basin, who have revolutionized the way we produce energy in order to provide us with an incredible national security and economic asset.

Unfortunately, President Biden has demonized the very people that I represent. He has demonized the people of West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

From his policies, like killing the Keystone XL pipeline and shutting down drilling permitting, but however, begging foreign dictators to produce more oil, his rhetoric, literally promising to end fossil fuels, he has used every tool in the toolkit to build a bureaucracy that is completely obsessed and opposed to killing American energy. His policies have driven energy costs and inflation through the roof.

Today, I say to the American public: You are going to hear a lot of misinformation about the Inflation Reduction Act, which did nothing to curb inflation.

Energy policies by this administration have increased costs for American families. Americans are being forced to pay 40 percent more on gasoline since the President took office, 20 to 30 percent more on their electricity bills. It is all in the name of a climate crusade, which can't even come close to what the Permian Basin and other producing areas in this country have done to reduce harmful emissions and provide affordable and clean reliable energy.

In fact, I spoke to the president of IPAA yesterday. What we just heard was that the Independent Producers of America support the Democrats' policies. That couldn't be further from the truth. I asked them that. They said no, industry was not consulted.

Over the past 10 years we have brought down methane emissions by almost 15 percent. No government mandate could come close to that. We are only beginning to tap into the incredible asset that is liquified natural gas. Not only is it good for our environment, but it is good for the economy.

We heard this when we took the Energy and Commerce Committee on the road and we talked to Mayor Blong in Midland, Texas, and we heard this from the producers. Today, we will likely continue to hear about Big Oil. The Big Oil boogeyman that doesn't actually exist.

The truth is, and I would face the Democrats, my friends and colleagues on the other side of the aisle, and tell you what the IPAA told us, and what they continue to tell us: 90 percent of our energy is produced by small, independent producers, companies that have 10, 20, 30 employees. Big Oil?

You are talking to the people of West Virginia when you say that. When Democrats and this administration blame Big Oil, they are talking about my district.

H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act is a complete rejection of the Biden administration's anti-energy policies that have been aimed at workers throughout this country for 2 years. We are fighting back. We want to produce American-made oil. We want to boost American products in order to reduce inflation.

I am extremely proud to have worked on this legislation that includes my bill to reduce taxes on natural gas. This is just the beginning. House Republicans are going to follow through on our commitment to the American public and on our commitment to American families.

Mr. Chair, passing H.R. 1 is just the beginning. The American public put their trust in Republicans under Speaker McCarthy and Chair McMorris Rodgers to lower costs, and that is exactly what we are going to do by boosting American production instead of siding with Russia, Iran, and China.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to stand with America to pass H.R. 1.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment with Congressman Crenshaw.

The only thing dangerous about this is not implementing this, not moving at the speed of relevancy. That is what we are trying to accomplish here. I agree with my colleague from Texas (Mr. Crenshaw) that this should be bipartisan.

We should be allowing the States to do what they do to reduce those emissions. This amendment is critical to ensure the States can deploy carbon capture utilization and storage technologies.

As was mentioned, the Safe Drinking Water Act allows States to apply for primacy enforcement responsibility of underground injection control wells, including class 6 wells that are used for injection of CO2 into the deep subsurface formations for long-term storage.

Only two States, North Dakota and Wyoming, currently have received a delegation of primary enforcement responsibility over class 6 wells. States' historic experience with handling these permits and the familiarity with their own geology translates to faster review times. It does not negatively impact drinking water. The freedom to craft those programs in a manner that makes sense the most should be relied upon at that local level.

Unfortunately, those applications for primacy are often held up with the EPA without any clarity. As you heard, those 270 days are completely unfortunate to moving at that speed of relevancy.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote for this amendment, to pass this, to let the States do what they can do to help not only drinking water, but emissions control.

Madam Speaker, for nearly 3 years now, the truth about COVID-19 and its origins have been hidden from the American people. We are at a real crossroads here. There should not be a single partisan fight over this issue.

We are talking about the lives of so many people, not only in our country, but also throughout the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, Big Government bureaucrats like Anthony Fauci abused their positions of power to disguise and distort the facts and to further a tyrannical approach to our country.

Anyone who dared ask the question about the origins of COVID, or chose to make an independent healthcare decision for their own family, were silenced, censored, and ostracized as conspiracy theorists.

Lo and behold, we stand here today with so many of these truths that were previously called conspiracy theories turning out to be true; the most glaring example being that Fauci knew as early as March of 2020 that the coronavirus leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China.

He spent the next 3 years dodging, misleading, mischaracterizing the possibility, and even using American taxpayer dollars to pay for studies to discredit that very thing.

This is not just unfortunate, this is truly astonishing. We wonder why the American people have a lack of trust in our government; it is because of these kinds of things.

My constituents deserve to know the truth. Everyone that is here, their constituents deserve to know the truth.

Republicans delivered a Commitment to America that we would deliver accountability; that we would have a government that is accountable, and it starts with things like this.

We shouldn't fear government institutions. We should not fear the decisions that are made. But when you hide things, you mischaracterize things, and you mislead the public, we do.

That is part of our Commitment to America, to uncover these things and make accountable and transparent; to put things on the table and let people know the facts. That accountability is going to have to be for the lives that were lost, the livelihoods that were destroyed, and the years together that families were robbed of.

Pass this bill. Declassify this information, and let's get the truth.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the hard work of San Angelo's very own James Huffman, who is being rightly being recognized with the Texas Southwest Council, Boy Scouts of America's prestigious Distinguished Citizen Award--an annual recognition of those who give freely of their time and talents to improve the quality of life for our community, Nation, and world.

James is an Eagle Scout, a family man, distinguished businessman, and servant to our community. His impact to San Angelo and the greater area cannot be overstated.

He earned his degree in Agricultural Economics from Texas Tech University and embarked on a career that led him back to San Angelo in 1984. Later, he earned his CPA certification and opened his own accounting practice.

Through the years, Mr. Huffman has been awarded for his achievements including his 1995 Small Business Administration's San Antonio-District CPA of the Year Award and in 2004 Innovation in Texas Award for his Cross Cut Wood Company from the Texas Railroad Commission.

Mr. Huffman has been very involved in many civic duties in West Texas. He serves, or has served, on the Rawls of School of Business Dean's Advisory Council, as a Board member of the Concho Valley Center for Entrepreneurial Development, a member of the Sonora Downtown Lion's Club and San Angelo Jaycees, on the board of the San Angelo Areawide Foundation, and he helped establish the San Angelo Safari Club chapter in 2014 as a board member as well as serving as the Vice President from 2014 to 2021.

In 2011, James joined the Board of Directors for the Boy Scouts of America's Texas Southwest Council, serving on the executive committee and as Chair of the Property Committee.

I am grateful for the impact James has made on our community.