Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, in the last 15 months, President Biden and House Democrats have dumped trillions of dollars on the struggling economy already weighed down by left-wing overspending.

We warned them that if they continued to print money to fund their reckless liberal wish list, inflation would hammer the American people. Now, inflation will cost the average American family an extra $5,000 this year. Folks are traveling less; they are buying less because of Joe Biden. Inflation is crushing the working-class people.

Last week, I introduced the Household Income Tax Suspension Act to provide the equivalent of a 6-month Federal income tax holiday for millions of hardworking Americans.

Americans want relief. Let's allow them to keep more of their own money instead of weighing down the economy with ineffective stimulus. This is common sense. We need to put more money back into the working people's pockets.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor an outstanding group of young men from my hometown who represented both their school and state this season.

Enterprise Native, Head Coach, and friend, Coach Rhett Harrelson, led his team to their first-ever Wildcat 7A championship win. This team showed dedication and determination this season as they rallied around one another for the final game. To the players, Keion Dunlap, Jordan Hines, Elijah Terry, Tomar Hobdy, Kenneth Mitchell, Jr., Tre Kemmerlin, Mykel Johnson, Eric Winters, Dylan Baldwin, Tristan Agard, Quentin Hayes, Matther Reed, Nick Roberts, Talmadge Sessions, and Reese Dowling, cherish this win and continue to represent the wildcats with the same attitude you showed throughout the season and through long hours of practice. You knew as a team what it meant to get to this point in your basketball career and how to accomplish the goals you set for your team and yourself. Celebrate this win and remember the legacy you are creating as the first team in Enterprise history to win the championship.

To assistant coaches and staff Clark Quisenberry, John Wadsworth, and Keith Sesions, I thank them for molding these students into the young men that we see today. I thank them for their dedication to their student-athletes as they worked long hours to teach them not only how to play the game well, but also how to love the sport. I know they will cherish this win and will continue to mentor students for years to come.

To the fans, we thank them for always going the extra mile to be at games and always making sure their team was represented throughout the season.

As a fellow wildcat, I want to honor this amazing team for all that they have accomplished, and I can't wait to see their legacy continue. May this commemoration forever be preserved.

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, President Biden is planning to lift President Trump's successful title 42, a tragic decision that will endanger every American's safety.

Recent reporting further exposes the devastating consequences of President Biden's doubling down on his far-left, open-border agenda. Not only will Biden's reversal welcome in countless new illegal immigrants, but Biden wants Americans to pay to vaccinate them.

But it gets worse. According to this report, the Biden administration is even considering pulling medical personnel from the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist at the border, taking much-needed medical care away from our veterans, our very own veterans.

I ran for office because of our veterans, because they are not receiving the care they have earned. That is why I have asked to serve on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

These reports should outrage every patriotic American, regardless of party, Republican or Democrat. We must never prioritize foreign citizens illegally entering our country over our very own veterans.

I was watching this morning, and we see these unaccompanied males coming into our country by the busloads. We have an invasion on our southern border, and our administration, this President's administration, wants to take our veteran care and our healthcare workers to help treat the invading army.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great privilege to honor Enterprise High School men's basketball team on winning their first- ever Class 7A championship.

As a Wildcat alum, I could not be prouder of these men for their dedication and performance. The players who sweated through countless practices, the coaches who led them, and the faithful Wildcat fans who traveled to support the team should all be proud of this remarkable achievement.

Coach Rhett Harrelson, a friend and fellow Enterprise native, and his staff deserve great credit for leading our young men to this championship. Our fans have our sincere appreciation for ensuring that the home games were rowdy and our team always had familiar faces screaming at the away games.

As a fellow Wildcat, I want to honor this amazing team for all they have accomplished, and I look forward to watching this program continue to grow.

Madam Speaker, we are in the depths of the Biden energy crisis.

On day one of Joe Biden's Presidency, he launched his war on American energy when he killed the Keystone XL pipeline, which could be supplying 830,000 barrels of oil a day from Canada to U.S. refineries. As recently as a few days ago, we imported 600,000 barrels of oil from Russia.

During the State of the Union, President Biden claimed he wanted to ``Buy American.'' But regrettably, he did not apply that to our oil or our natural gas. Biden has made it crystal clear that his anti-energy agenda would continue.

He also announced that he would once again tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and release 30 million barrels of oil in another desperate attempt to reduce gas prices here at home. The SPR is supposed to be used for national security emergencies and

for major weather events, not for Biden to use as a political Hail Mary when his policies fail us. Energy security is national security.

Let me say this: Winston Churchill said appeasement is like feeding a crocodile and hoping he eats you last. We must stop appeasing Russia. We must be Churchill in this moment, not Chamberlain.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to mark the 1-year anniversary of the Biden administration. And what a year it has been.

The crisis raging across our Nation because of the incompetency of this administration threaten the lives and livelihoods of countless Americans.

On his first day in office, President Biden gave a taste of what was to come by spitefully eliminating President Trump's border policies and stopping the wall, fueling a border crisis that we have not seen in a generation.

The drug and human trafficking that we have seen at our porous border reaches every community in our Nation. Untold numbers of American families who have lost loved ones to drugs and violence, those families will be broken forever.

But instead of coming after criminals, Biden's Justice Department has focused its crosshairs on engaged parents--moms and dads--and labeling them just because they had concerns about CRT or maybe mask mandates, they are labeled as domestic terrorists and now are charged with hate crimes.

Our economy is in shambles. The Biden jobs deficit, the difference between jobs created and those he promised to create as part of his so- called stimulus from March, has swelled to 1.11 million.

Historic inflation has surged to the highest level in four decades. Gas and energy prices are at the highest they have been since the Obama-Biden administration.

The supply chain crisis has brought any economic recovery to a standstill. Have you been to the grocery store lately? Retailers are facing a 12 percent out-of-stock level on many household

staples. Empty shelves are the new norm.

And let's not forget the pandemic. President Biden centered his campaign on having a solution for the virus. It is clear now that like every other crisis we face, Biden has no plan.

By resorting to harmful and unconstitutional mandates and shutdowns, President Biden is threatening the very liberty that is the foundation of this great American experiment.

And then there is Afghanistan, an issue that is very personal to me. What the Biden administration allowed to happen there, leaving so many Americans and allies behind to the Taliban is a historic tragedy.

But does Joe Biden seek unity? No. He resorts to smearing over half the American people who disagree with his radical agenda.

But that is how this leadership of the Democratic Party in Washington thinks. They believe that the country is theirs to govern as they wish, to force their will on you and me.

Well, we have had 1 year of Democratic Party control; and in only 1 year, the Democratic Party has tried to take our country from us. I say it is time we take it back.

Mr. Speaker, today the latest Consumer Price Index numbers were revealed, confirming what Americans buying gas, groceries, and other necessities already know. Over the past year, the CPI increased an astonishing 7 percent.

That is the highest inflation rate we have seen in four decades. The last time we saw inflation like this, the University of Georgia football program had already begun its historic 40-plus-year championship drought that ended this week.

This catastrophe could have been avoided, could have been headed off. But last July, despite economists insisting it was a fantasy, the Biden administration brushed off inflation concerns as just a transitory inconvenience.

Of course, Biden--or at least his string-pullers--knew better, but he did not want the daunting economic realities facing American families to get in the way of this massive socialist tax-and-spend agenda.

You don't need an economics degree to know that trillions more in government spending will drive up inflation. Unfortunately, that is exactly what we are seeing.

If the Biden administration and the House Democrats get their way and pass this harmful Build Back Better scheme with trillions more in spending, inflation will soar like never before.

Americans are suffering. We must defeat the Democratic agenda, restore fiscal sanity, and take meaningful steps to combat the record inflation crushing American families and businesses.

Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment to replace the underlying bill with the text of my bill, H.R. 2047.

This amendment would provide additional eligibility for members of the National Guard who are called up on Federal Active-Duty orders for service other than for training.

As a former member of the National Guard, I know all too well the challenges that they face. The National Guard has transitioned in recent years from a reserve force for domestic missions to a full-time force operating around the globe.

My amendment would remove the Presidential declaration requirement that has restricted benefits for so many members of the National Guard in the past. It would make it so that members of the National Guard would receive eligibility for the time spent under any Federal Active- Duty orders that are not for training.

This would provide eligibility for Federal benefits to those who support COVID-19 relief, respond to natural disasters, and protect our southern border.

I agree with Chairman Levin that we must take a hard look at duty status reform and the expansion of benefits afforded to the National Guard and the Reserve component while operating under Federal Active- Duty orders.

My amendment would make it clear that if you are called up on Federal orders for something other than training, you should receive eligibility for GI Bill benefits.

However, I am concerned that the expansion proposed in his bill is a little too broad. We should allow the DOD to complete their efforts to better align benefits to certain duty statuses before we move forward with such a broad expansion. I think General Bergman hit on that point today, that we need to give them time to work through the process.

An expansion of every day in uniform could cost over $2 billion over the next

10 years in mandatory benefits, where my expansion is only $16 million.

We talked about inflation in the hearing today. We have seen the highest increase in 40 years. I think we need to try to get a handle on this kind of runaway spending. I think my approach is more surgical, if you will. It allows the benefits to our Guard and servicemembers without just painting a broad brush for everyone in uniform.

My amendment ensures that members of the National Guard that are called to action receive access to educational programs, like all other veterans, while doing so in a fiscally responsible manner.

Finally, I would like to thank Ranking Member Bost and all his staff for their support on this amendment.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost), the ranking member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss an important issue in Alabama and across the Nation. Chronic wasting disease is a neurological disease that affects deer, moose, and elk, and it is 100 percent fatal. Unfortunately, there is no known cure. CWD could absolutely devastate deer hunting in Alabama and the revenue it brings in each year.

I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 5608, the Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act, which passed the House of Representatives last month.

This bill will help research and prevent chronic wasting disease from spreading further, protecting Alabama's deer herds, outdoor economy, and traditions.

Last week, the first case of CWD was reported in Alabama. While there is currently only one case, it is important that we do what we can to prevent this terrible disease from spreading even further. I am hopeful the Senate will answer the call and take up this legislation so important to Alabama and our Nation.

I will do whatever I can in Washington to help prevent CWD from taking hold in Alabama.

Madam Speaker, today I would like to bring to your attention Operation Iron Ruck, an event led by the University of Alabama and Auburn University's Student Veteran Associations to raise awareness of the critical issue of veteran suicide. Operation Iron Ruck is held every year ahead of the Iron Bowl, the classic football game where the Auburn University Tigers face off against the University of Alabama Crimson Tide.

Unfortunately, each day, twenty-two veterans and active-duty service members take their lives. To raise awareness of this tragedy, Operation Iron Ruck participants hike 151 miles from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, all the way to Auburn. Participants carry twenty-two pounds of gear to represent each of those fallen warfighters.

Once at Auburn, the items inside the rucks are then donated to Alabama State Veteran homes and to Three Hots and A Cot, a nonprofit organization committed to securing housing for veterans in need. Additionally, over $5,000 was raised this year to further support these organizations and other support groups, such as Mission 22 and the student veterans' associations of both universities.

Madam Speaker, we owe it to every American who has ever worn a uniform in military service of our great nation to honor their sacrifices and ensure that they never face a scenario where they falsely believe their last option is to tragically take their own life. As a country, may we renew our dedication to these men and women and care for those who have put their own lives on the line for our liberty and safety. Let this commemoration forever be preserved in the Congressional Record of the United States, and may the world never forget the sacrifices of these brave men and women.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate your leadership on this.

Madam Speaker, I rise today alarmed by the unprecedented wasteful spending from Washington that is fueling inflation and risking the future of our Republic.

Last week, this Congress passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. Despite the bill's characterization, less than 10 percent went to traditional--what us southerners and commonsense people call roads and bridges. But $200 million went back to a park in Speaker Pelosi's own backyard.

According to The New York Times, certainly not an ally of the Republicans, the Democrats' reconciliation bill before us this week includes a $4.1 billion tax break for people who buy electric bicycles; $2.5 billion for tree equity--I am not sure what that is; and another $2.5 billion to help contingency fee lawyers recoup expenses.

Madam Speaker, this captures exactly what is wrong with Washington. Too many politicians up here will gladly endorse trillions in new spending for a few pennies of pork to come back to their district. They put their political futures above our own Nation.

Well, I am sick of it, and the American people are, too. Congress is bleeding the American people dry with waste and pet projects it claims is being spent in their own best interests.

Sure, I would love for the Federal Government to build a new road in my district, but I refuse to sacrifice the health and viability of this Nation to get it. Most patriotic Americans would agree with me.

Roads and bridges come and go, but if we foolishly squander the Nation our forefathers fought so hard to create, we will selfishly allow this great American experiment to die because of our own greed. Shame on us because we will have ultimately failed those who elected us and sent us here to protect their best interests.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of the Senate version of my bill, the Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act.

Members of our military and their families sacrifice so much in service to our country. As a grateful Nation, we have accepted a responsibility to ensure that the educational needs of the survivors and dependents of our fallen heroes are provided for.

The Dependents Educational Assistance program currently provides $1,224 a month to eligible participants to help cover the costs of higher education. The program is available for survivors, dependents of certain servicemembers who died on Active Duty, or later found to be 100 percent service-connected disabled or died in a service-connected disability.

The Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act would expand the DEA program benefits, requiring GI Bill eligible schools to extend in-State tuition benefits to beneficiaries of the Dependents Educational Assistance Program, bringing the rules for this program in line with the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

It is fitting that this bill bears the name of U.S. Army Colonel John McHugh. Colonel McHugh was tragically killed 11 years ago by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. The loved ones left behind by this fallen hero have suffered unimaginable pain. The least we can do for his family and others like him is to honor our commitment to them and ensure their education is affordable. Colonel McHugh's family resides in my southeast Alabama district in Enterprise. It gives me great pride to name this bill in honor of the Colonel McHugh's legacy.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is a commonsense solution to help our heroes' families meet their higher education goals. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the 77th National Peanut Festival in Dothan, Alabama, the ``Peanut Capital of the World.''

As the men and women of my home state of Alabama know well, we have been blessed with a rich history in agriculture--largely thanks to the peanut.

In the early 1900s, as boll weevils devastated cotton crops and producers across the southeastern United States, Alabama farmers began to instead plant peanuts. This decision to diversify ultimately preserved the struggling region and led to new levels of success for its people.

Having grown up on a family farm, I know firsthand the hard work and dedication that it takes to succeed in farming. Genesis 2:15 says, ``then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.'' That is exactly what our farmers continue to do in South Alabama.

Today, we are proud to boast that the majority of all peanuts produced in the United States are grown within a 100-mile radius of Dothan, Alabama.

Since November of 1938, when Dr. George Washington Carver addressed the very first National Peanut Festival, countless friends and families have gathered to celebrate the annual harvest and the many successes the peanut has brought to the Wiregrass.

The festival has grown from a three-day event in 1938 to a full ten- day celebration in 2021, with over 200,000 expected attendees.

I am proud that Alabama has continued this tradition--a tradition that commemorates the true grit of our people and the pride we have in our history.

I join the Second Congressional District of Alabama, as well as the entire state, in congratulating the National Peanut Festival on its 77th year, and I look forward to celebrating with this community for many years to come.