Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it is a bright, new day. Today, we begin to deliver real results for the American people by passing legislation to block the Biden administration from unleashing 87,000 new bureaucrats and agents at the IRS on families and small businesses.

Last Congress, Democrats voted to supercharge the IRS with $80 billion of taxpayer money focused on IRS enforcement and hiring more auditors to squeeze taxpayers.

It is not just wealthy Americans. With that expanded audit capacity, the IRS can squeeze more money out of middle- and lower-income families and small businesses, as well.

The Democrats' American Rescue Plan called for the IRS to require payment apps like Venmo and PayPal to report Americans who made over $600 in transactions.

Imagine what 87,000 new agents will do.

Republicans want an IRS that works for taxpayers, not targets them. That is why this bill leaves in place the IRS funding for improvements to customer service and technology.

Because Americans demand and deserve a government that is accountable, not to the powerful but to the people, repealing funding for Biden's army of auditors is a great first step in the right direction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with sorrow to honor the life and memory of the late Virginia delegate, Ronnie Campbell, who passed away following a hard-fought battle with cancer.

Ronnie cared deeply for his community and for the Commonwealth and devoted his life to serving others. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates, and proudly represented all of the residents of the 24th District.

He made a career in law enforcement, first as a State trooper with the Virginia State Police in Northern Virginia and then as a contractor, which gave him insight into the impact that government regulations have on small businesses.

Ronnie was driven to serve both his Rockbridge community and his home county of Augusta. He represented constituents as a member of the Rockbridge County School Board and as a member of the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors.

Ronnie spent countless hours dedicated to public service, and he will always be remembered as a stalwart conservative voice and strong leader. Above all, he was a loyal friend and neighbor to all.

Our hearts and prayers are with Ronnie's wife, Ellen, and his five children during this difficult time. May Ronnie's memory be eternal.

Mr. Speaker, enough is enough. Here in the waning days of one-party control, Democrats are grasping at straws to push more of their radical policy agenda on the American people. They are hoping the lameduck House will help jam through a monstrous $1.7 trillion omnibus down our throats before Christmas so incoming House Republicans can't use the budget next year to impose fiscal responsibility and check Biden's disastrous agenda.

Even though voters demanded change in November, House Republicans have had no seat at the negotiating table. This one-week CR will continue funding for President Biden's policies that have created crisis after crisis.

Under his watch, the Nation is experiencing a historically bad crisis at the southern border, a botched withdrawal from Afghanistan that cost American lives and created tens of thousands of refugees, his quest to provide abortion on demand, his illegal and regressive cancellation of student loan debt, his anti-energy agenda, and an inflation crisis that makes Americans poorer.

The American people cannot afford another Democrat-led spending measure that would exacerbate inflation and continue to fund the very agencies waging war on their freedoms.

Every Republican must reject this lameduck spending spree and let the incoming Members of the new Republican majority, who will be accountable to the voters, work to reach a more balanced agreement than this liberal spending spree.

We must use every opportunity at our disposal, especially through the constitutional power of the purse, to fight for the American people and change the broken status quo in Washington. Republicans must stand strong and oppose this last-ditch power play by Democrats.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Fincastle Volunteer Fire Department for 75 years of service.

Since its beginning in 1947, the Fincastle Volunteer Fire Department has been a 100 percent volunteer organization and remains strong with 30 volunteers currently.

These brave men and women play a crucial role in working alongside Botetourt County Fire and EMS services, offering critical localized emergency fire prevention and mitigation support for the people of Fincastle.

The volunteers who serve as firefighters and EMTs within the department go through extensive training, giving up their time, energy, and safety to help others.

Working alongside the firefighters and EMTs are support personnel who perform the vital administrative work and fundraising that keeps the station functioning.

They are led by current officers Chief Dustin Ware, Deputy Chief Ben Campbell, Captain Matthew Webster, Lieutenant Kyle Setliff, Lieutenant Frank Schermer, and Lieutenant Jordan Campbell.

The Fincastle Volunteer Fire Department's longevity stands as a testament to the civic spirit of the town and an example we should all follow.

I thank the Fincastle Volunteer Fire Department for their selfless service and wish them another 75 years of success.

Recognizing Stuarts Draft Cheerleading Team

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Stuarts Draft Cougars cheer team for winning this year's Class 1 and 2 Virginia State cheerleading championship. This victory marks the program's fifth State title in 6 years.

The Cougars faced numerous hurdles to reach this victory, placing second behind Fort Defiance during the first round. However, before the second round began, Coach Tammy Carter told the team to be ``the athletes they trained to be,'' and they did just that.

By focusing on what they needed to improve, the Cougars left it all on the mat and increased their score by 30\1/2\ points, earning the State title.

These talented athletes include Lexi Almarode, Addison Colvin, Jenna Comer, Sofia Coppola, Taylor Huffman, Zoe Mader, Zane Marshall, Abby Mikolay, Caydence Morris, Tarynn Morris, Baleigh Painter, Eiko Puckett, Olivia Puckett, Alyssa Sanner, Holly Stevens, A'mya Swats, and Natalie Thompson.

For six seniors on the team, Sofia, Zoe, Zane, Abby, Caydence, and Baleigh, this was their memory of cheering together, an outpouring of emotion hoisting the State championship trophy one final time.

Senior Zane Marshall said of his class' historic reign: ``To have three [State championships], I don't even know how to feel. It is crazy,'' he said.

The seniors will leave their high school cheerleading careers with their heads held high, knowing their leadership and performance have left a lasting legacy on the team.

Congratulations to all the talented athletes and dedicated coaches on this incredible victory. They have earned it.

Mr. Speaker, American families are ready for a joyous holiday season. Unfortunately, the Biden administration is the grinch that stole Christmas, as its failed Green New Deal agenda is forcing folks to pay record-high costs to heat their homes, fuel their cars, and feed their families.

From diesel to fuel oil, energy prices have skyrocketed. Households will pay an average of $1,359 on energy bills this winter, the highest in 25 years.

Diesel prices are up 50 percent, and we shouldn't be surprised. President Biden likes to say: ``I guarantee you, we are going to end fossil fuel.'' He has worked with the Pelosi majority to continue to push anti-energy policies.

Just last week, the Biden White House doubled down, saying they are still committed to phasing out fossil fuels. Well, they should look at what is happening over in Europe. After the European Union struck a deal to ban new fossil fuel cars and speed up the switch to electric vehicles, Switzerland is now going to ban electric vehicles if it faces blackouts this winter. You can't make it up.

It is time for this administration to end its war on American energy. If we are going to regain our energy independence, we need an all-of- the-above approach.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great Virginian, WDBJ7's legendary meteorologist, Robin Reed, as Reed recently announced his well-deserved retirement from local news.

Since graduating from James Madison University in 1978, Reed pursued a career in local journalism. Forty of his 44 years in the business have been at WDBJ7 out of Roanoke.

Even though weathermen take undeserved hits for nasty weather forecasts, Reed's long-running weather reports were a favorite of the community, sunshine, rain, or snow.

Additionally, Reed teaches as a professor of practice at Virginia Tech School of Communication, a position he will continue in, preparing the next generation to improve their communication skills for the betterment of society.

Reed is also a devout family man, as his children remember him regularly coming to big events in their lives, from marching band performances to camping in the Adirondacks with the Scouts.

Among numerous journalistic accomplishments, Reed received the Citizen of the Year Award in Media from the Roanoke branch of the NAACP and was honored as a favorite member of the Virginia Tech faculty after being nominated by numerous students.

I join countless Roanoke Valley residents and viewers in wishing Reed a great retirement and thank him for his lasting contributions to local journalism.

Mr. Speaker, if you drive around Harrisonburg, Virginia, you are bound to see an officer with the Harrisonburg Police Department, keeping residents, visitors, and college students safe.

As HPD reminds us, ``So many things have changed since those handwritten meeting notes of November 12, 1872 . . . when the 700 residents of the town of Harrisonburg at that time wrote the single-man police department into being.''

By January 1, 1873, the force was comprised of the Chief of Police, Joseph Kelly, and a ``police aide,'' Officer Willis.

Current HPD Captain Jason Kidd said of the anniversary, ``It is so important to reach this milestone because the city has grown tremendously and developed tremendously during these past 150 years. The growth of the department, personnel, added positions, and technological improvements have allowed the department to police better and police smarter and just do the best job they can for the community.''

To celebrate this milestone, HPD established a 150-year committee, and the officers will be sporting a 150-year badge to mark the occasion. HPD will also be building a time capsule to look back on this milestone in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I join the citizens of Harrisonburg in thanking the Harrisonburg Police Department for their 150 years of service.

Thanksgiving Holiday Season Inflation Woes

Mr. Speaker, the American people are all looking forward to the holiday season.

Unfortunately, the annual pre-Thanksgiving shopping receipt will be a sad reminder that Washington hasn't been working for them.

Up and down the grocery store aisle, prices have risen on all our Thanksgiving necessities. Turkeys cost 23 percent more, eggs cost 43 percent more, butter is up 27 percent, and milk up 15 percent. The overall price of groceries over the last year has risen 12.4 percent. For those traveling far to see their families and loved ones this year, airline fares are up 43 percent over last year.

While everyone is having to tighten their budgets, those working two jobs or on fixed incomes are getting hit the hardest, forcing roughly one in four Americans to forego Thanksgiving dinner altogether.

An additional $9 trillion in government spending has fueled this inflation crisis, and hardworking Americans are paying the price.

If we are going to get this country back on track, Congress needs to cut spending, unleash American energy independence, and push pro-growth policies.

It is time to fix a broken Washington and save America from this administration's failed economic agenda.

Stuarts Draft Cougars Cheer Team Wins Again

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Stuarts Draft Cougars cheer team for winning this year's Class 1-2 Virginia State cheerleading championship. This victory marks the program's fifth straight title in 6 years.

The Cougars faced numerous hurdles to reach this victory, placing second behind Fort Defiance during the first round.

However, before the second round began, Coach Tammy Carter told the team to be ``the athletes they trained to be,'' and they did just that. By focusing on what they needed to improve, the Cougars left it all on the mat and increased their score by over 30 points, earning the State title.

These talented young ladies include Lexi Almarode, Addison Colvin, Jenna Comer, Sofia Coppola, Taylor Huffman, Zoe Mader, Zane Marshall, Abby Mikolay, Caydence Morris, Tarynn Morris, Baleigh Painter, Eiko Puckett, Olivia Puckett, Alyssa Sanner, Holly Stevens, A'mya Swats, and Natalie Thompson.

For six seniors on the team--Mses. Coppola, Mader, Marshall, Mikolay, Morris, and Painter--this was their last memory of cheering together. There was an outpouring of emotion hoisting the State championship trophy for one final time.

Senior Zane Marshall said of her class' historic reign, ``To have three State championships, I don't even know how to feel. It is crazy.''

The seniors will leave their high school cheerleading careers with their heads held high, knowing their leadership and performance have left a lasting legacy on their team.

Congratulations to all the talented athletes and dedicated coaches on this incredible victory. They have earned it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the people of the Sixth District of Virginia who are contacting my office right now expressing their outrage at this failed, do-nothing Democratic majority who has brought us to the brink of a government shutdown. They are furious, furious because Democrats control the House, the Senate, the White House, and still, here we are at the point where we have to keep the government running, and instead of confronting these crises that are leading us to this shutdown, this Democratic majority is kicking the can down the road until after the elections in November.

The American people are furious at a broken, business-as-usual Washington that refuses to confront the crises. In fact, it exacerbates the crises created by President Biden and the Democratic majority.

This continuing resolution we are voting on today, once again, makes clear that the Democrats' business-as-usual Washington must end.

Just look at some of these policies that Democrats have stuffed in this bill, thrown taxpayer dollars at Biden's wide-open border crisis, the raging inflation crisis, and the skyrocketing energy crisis.

$57.5 billion for DHS to continue wide-open border and amnesty policies that have allowed illegal migrants to pour across our southern border and drug cartels to smuggle deadly fentanyl into our communities under Secretary Mayorkas' failed leadership.

$10.8 billion for the FBI that the Biden administration has weaponized against Americans who disagree with its policies, including parents concerned about their kids in schools.

$12.6 billion for the IRS, on top of the $80 billion that Democrats just gave to hire 87,000 new agents to spy into the bank accounts of Americans and conduct more audits on small businesses.

$728 billion to a Department of Defense that is more focused on promoting the radical left's woke ideology than protecting our national security here at home and abroad.

$3.8 billion for a Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program that pays for the increased energy costs for those that live in anti- fracking States like New York, without addressing the real cause of the energy crisis, which is the Democrats' socialist Green New Deal agenda.

Americans are hurting and their paychecks are declining in value, but Democrats continue to fund these out-of-touch policies, and that is why I am voting ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, Americans are hurting. Their paychecks are declining in value, but Democrats continue to fund these out-of-touch policies with billions of taxpayer dollars from hardworking Americans. That is why I am voting ``no.'' I hope my colleagues will join me.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Dr. Daniel Harrington, the vice dean of Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine in Roanoke, Virginia, who is set to retire at the end of this month after more than 14 years of service.

From humble beginnings, Dr. Harrington attended West Virginia University for both his undergraduate and medical degrees. He then took a residency at the University of Virginia, and it was there that he learned about Carilion's nascent psychiatry residency program, which would give him a chance to develop something that was all his own.

Dr. Harrington took that opportunity in 1990, and he and his family moved to Roanoke.

In 2006, former Carilion CEO Ed Murphy approached Dr. Harrington with the idea of partnering with Virginia Tech and starting a medical school.

Dr. Harrington began traveling the country with then-Virginia Tech President Charles Steger and operated a public-private academic partnership to make the dream a reality.

Ever since, the school has been led on multiple fronts by the strong leadership of Dr. Harrington.

Mr. Speaker, I wish Dr. Harrington and his wife, Gil, best wishes for a well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 250th anniversary of Fincastle, Virginia.

In 1772, western-moving settlers John Mill and Israel Christian founded the town of Fincastle, and by 1784 there were 59 homes as well as taverns and the early formation of a justice system.

Once Virginia's gateway to the West, Fincastle is the county seat of Botetourt, which once extended to the Mississippi River. Meriweather Lewis and William Clark visited Fincastle during their great expedition into the West. William returned to Fincastle and married Julia Hancock in 1808 in the historic home, Santillane. The town has been nationally recognized as a Lewis and Clark community.

Passing settlers stopped in Fincastle on their way into the interior of what would become the United States, conducting business and buying goods from the merchants in town.

Today, Fincastle proudly maintains its heritage and history.

Their version of the Botetourt County Courthouse, designed by President Thomas Jefferson, is located in Fincastle and contains records going back hundreds of years.

Fincastle's annual Historic Fincastle Festival will be a bit more special this year, celebrating the town's 250th anniversary, and being held this weekend.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent this historic town, a bedrock of the oldest colony and the great Commonwealth of Virginia.

biden's radical agenda

Mr. Speaker, I rise to criticize President Biden and House Democrats in Washington for turning their backs on hardworking families.

Month after month, they have continued to advance a radical agenda that has crushed the American Dream.

Grocery costs are up 13\1/2\ percent, electricity costs are up 15\1/ 2\ percent, fuel oil costs are up nearly 70 percent. Everything has gone up since this failed President took office. Why? Because Biden and the Democrats are obsessed with spending taxpayer dollars and pushing Socialist Green New Deal policies.

Last week, after yet another inflation report showed that prices were up again, Joe Biden and the Democrats threw a party at the White House. To add insult to injury, on his recent interview on ``60 Minutes,'' President Biden had zero remorse for the devastating effects of his raging inflation crisis.

He continues to claim that the economy is great and that tons of jobs are being created. That is a lie. Here is what he is not telling you. Full-time jobs are way down, and it is only part-time jobs that are growing.

Biden and Democrats have sent a clear message that they don't care about American families. There is one solution to this problem: Stop reckless government spending. Virginia families are sick and tired of paying the price for Biden's radical agenda.

When Republicans retake the majority next year, we will end this inflation-fueled spending, fix this broken economy, and deliver power back to the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to the human tragedy that is President Biden's border crisis.

From day one, the Biden administration has blatantly ignored U.S. immigration laws and policies that are designed to keep America safe. The consequences from the human trafficking, the sex trafficking, and the drug trafficking are devastating.

Under the incompetent administration of Biden and his Border Czar, the Vice President, and DHS Secretary Mayorkas, savage drug cartels now control our U.S. border and are sending massive amounts of deadly fentanyl illegally into our communities, including mine in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Worse, they are now smuggling rainbow- colored and candy-flavored drugs across our border in an effort to target our children.

Biden's disastrous open border and amnesty policies have made this crisis worse every single day, but he is blind to see the chaos at our border. Americans are justifiably outraged by his failed leadership.

Border Czar Kamala Harris recently said that the border is secure. The only thing that is secure is the cash flow to the drug cartels so long as Biden's border crisis continues.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, we know the real story. We know what happened a year and a half ago when the so-called American Rescue Plan was passed--40-year high inflation rates resulted. We see now what the result is from the Build Back Better plan that had no chance of passage in the Senate. This is the offspring of Build Back Better.

Even Bernie Sanders, a socialist who can come up with a million flawed excuses to spend your tax dollars, says he can't find a way to even say this would reduce inflation one iota.

We know that instead of fostering American energy independence, increasing purchasing power for the American family, and reducing inflation, this bill includes:

$16.5 billion in higher taxes for those making less than $200,000 a year;

$38 billion in new taxes on American oil and gas producers, which will be passed along to consumers in the form of even higher costs for heating homes and gas prices, and;

$480 billion in tax hikes that will hit workers through slashed wages.

Half the bill is Green New Deal climate change special interest funding, including taxpayer-funded subsidies on electric vehicle purchases, and;

$80 billion to double the size of the IRS, creating an army of new enforcement agents.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on this horrible legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

My fellow Americans, the Democrats are coming for your guns. This assault weapons ban is unconstitutional because it would ban firearms that are currently in common use, making the scope of the bill, a semiautomatic assault weapons ban, overly broad by capturing millions of sporting rifles, shotguns, and pistols that simply have certain accessories and cosmetic features. In fact, the bill focuses mostly on appearance, which would arbitrarily ban some firearm models while exempting others with the same functionality.

This bill would not reduce violent crime, as Democrats claim. Studies have shown that the effect of the last assault weapons ban in 1994 on violent crime was perhaps too small for a reliable measurement. Instead, what this bill and all other legislation from Democrats aimed at gun control would do is directly infringe on the rights of law- abiding Americans.

They are not going to stop here. There will always be a scary-looking gun that they think needs to be banned. There will always be another loophole that they have created out of thin air that they need to close with more bans.

Mr. Speaker, this document says ``shall not be infringed.'' I urge a ``no'' vote.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to salute and pay tribute to a member of the Greatest Generation in celebration of his 100th birthday. Donald Keller is a World War II veteran who has lived in Strasburg, Virginia, for almost his whole life.

At 21, Keller joined the Army as a radio operator, and he served in the military for almost 2 years from 1943 to 1945. During his deployment, he was awarded two Purple Hearts, one after being wounded in Normandy and the other when he was injured in Luxembourg during the Battle of the Bulge. Keller later received the French Legion of Honor for carrying two injured soldiers to safety while he himself was injured.

After Keller fought in the war, he returned to Strasburg where he served the city by opening his own radio repair company.

The Sixth District thanks Donald Keller for his service and contributions to the city of Strasburg.

His commitment to the city is clearly shown by the community's commitment to celebrate his 100th birthday.

So, again, I thank him for his service, and I wish Donald Keller a very happy 100th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, as a former prosecutor, I saw many different types of crimes committed and many different criminals through court, but

none so heinous as the targeting and abuse of our Nation's children.

That is why I urge the House to consider legislation that I introduced last year, the Child Rescue Act, which is currently in the House Judiciary Committee.

This bipartisan bill, which I introduced with Congresswoman Spanberger, requires the Department of Justice to convene with experts to focus on protecting children who are suffering abusive situations, whether this be trafficking, sexual abuse by family and trusted adults, or pornography.

Technology companies report more than 45 million photos and videos online of children being sexually abused in 2018, and the U.S. Sentencing Commission also released a report last year which studied child sexual abuse image producers and found that these crimes had increased by 422 percent over the last 15 years.

I am proud to join this bipartisan effort to develop proactive solutions to protect our Nation's youth and safeguard them from heinous predators. The Child Rescue Act is a targeted solution supported by child protection advocacy organizations, and I urge Chairman Nadler and the Judiciary Committee to act on this legislation as quickly as possible.