Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the selfless efforts of the Lynchburg Area Veterans Council.

Come rain or shine, snow or sleet, nothing stands in the way of this group gathering at Monument Terrace in downtown Lynchburg every Friday to honor and support our troops.

This weekly gathering began nearly 20 years ago following the attacks on September 11th as American soldiers were heading into Afghanistan.

Since that time, the rallies have grown and those who drive by honk in support--which they say is the sound of freedom.

Their dedication to this endeavor has been unwavering, and last Friday I was proud to join them as they marked the 1000th consecutive week that folks have gathered at Monument Terrace to express their appreciation for our servicemembers.

And while I applaud the Council on this incredible milestone, I would also like to thank them for all of their work to get homeless veterans off the streets and into housing.

The Lynchburg Area Veterans Council, whose members consist of individuals who have fought in every conflict for the past seventy years, has done so much for our community, and the Sixth District is forever grateful.

Mr. Speaker, I would agree with the gentleman. Our families are hurting. Our farmers are suffering, and our small businesses are failing from the shutdown policies of Democrat governors like mine in Virginia. They need our support as we manage through this pandemic.

But what they don't need is a $1.9 trillion package packed full of Democrat wish list items that will cripple our economy, including a minimum wage increase that would destroy 1.3 million jobs, according to the CBO, and hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to bail out poorly run State governments.

Mr. Speaker, 1 month ago the last COVID relief bill, nearly $1 trillion, was signed into law and, together with previously enacted stimulus laws, over $1 trillion remains unspent. In fact, the CBO, just this week, announced that they project our economy to bounce back over the next several months, without trillions of dollars in additional stimulus aid from Congress, and that much of our recovery hinges on the removal of these shutdown requirements and the pace of vaccinations. That is where our focus should be, ensuring that those who want to be vaccinated receive it, and ensuring that we reopen our businesses and schools as soon as possible.

As a new member of the Budget Committee--or I hope to be a new member of the Budget Committee; we haven't even organized yet for this Congress--I am outraged by the slipshod way this resolution is being rammed through the House. It is like being a member of the Judiciary Committee and having impeachment rushed directly to the floor without hearings. Whoops, did that.

I see the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee still here. I don't know that he would like it so much if we had tax bills that came directly to the floor without going through Ways and Means.

What is next, a farm bill that doesn't go through the Agriculture Committee? A transportation bill that doesn't go through the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee?

You know, the circus being run by House leadership gives a bad name to circuses everywhere.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time, and I thank the President for his words. Above the entrance to the House of Representatives is a sculpture called the Apotheosis of Democracy. It depicts allegorical peace dressed in armor and protecting the genius of America.

Last week, that peace was tragically torn apart as our U.S. Capitol was invaded for the first time since the War of 1812. A violent mob, including many with the most hostile of intentions, broke past security barriers and unleashed destruction and chaos throughout the Capitol. When it was over, six individuals were dead, including two Capitol police officers.

I have always supported the rights of citizens to peaceably assemble, but those who breached the Capitol and assaulted and killed Capitol police should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. If their intent was to stop the constitutional requirement of this body to count electoral votes, they should be charged and prosecuted for insurrection against the government.

But we are a Nation of laws, not of men, and the legal standard for incitement to violence has not been met.

Now, a week since the riots threatened the people's House and a week until a new President takes office, we are rushing through an impeachment without all of the facts and evidence and without due process.

We don't know what kind of information the offenders have, what evidence will come out during their trials, whether it bolsters the majority's claims or the minority's views, or whether it implicates other individuals, groups, or other officials in the attack on this hallowed institution. We just don't know, and that is why we must treat the power of impeachment and our responsibility as holders of this power with the seriousness and solemnity it deserves.

Let us gather the evidence. Let us hear the judiciary, make an informed decision together. This action will only further fuel the political divide among our citizens and will be detrimental to the long-term efforts to unify our country.

I reiterate my call from last night. Let us work together. Both President Trump and President-elect Biden have called for a peaceful transition of power. I humbly beseech my colleagues to work toward this end to unify our country and not go down this dangerous path.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H. Res. 21, calling on Vice President Pence to invoke section 4 of the 25th Amendment.

Like all of us, I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the violence that occurred here in our Nation's Capital last week. Political violence is never the answer, regardless of which side of the political spectrum it occurs. And that is a strongly held position on which I have been clear since well before my time in Congress.

Let's be clear about a few things. The adoption of this political resolution would be divisive rather than unifying. The Vice President has said he has no intention of taking action under the amendment. So, this process is pure political theater on the part of the majority.

In addition, no due process has been provided. As a former prosecutor, if law enforcement brought evidence of a crime to me and said take this to the jury tomorrow for a jury trial, there would be no chance for the defendant to prepare any defense. I would be violating half the Constitution, the code of Virginia, and over 100 different rules of procedure.

In the more than 50 years since the 25th Amendment was ratified, section 4 has never been invoked. As such, there are no judicial or authoritative opinions that would evaluate its implementation. Absent this, we must look to the legislative intent of the Congress that passed its language, and nowhere in the legislative intent is the current situation envisioned. It is meant to be used for incapacity, not for political ends with 8 days remaining in a President's term.

Last week, Vice President Pence was lauded by the majority for not yielding to pressure to exert power beyond his constitutional authority to determine the outcome of the election. Yet, the majority today is attempting to pressure him to exert power beyond the intention of his constitutional role in section 4 of the 25th Amendment.

This action will only further fuel the political divide among our citizens and will be detrimental to the long-term efforts to unify our country.

Mr. Speaker, both President Trump and President-elect Biden have called for a peaceful transition of power. I would encourage members of both parties to work toward this end and vote against this rushed, misguided, politically motivated resolution.

Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member and the chairman of the full committee for their work on this issue, and I thank all those who worked on what has been a bipartisan effort. This is exactly the type of substantive issue that we should be focused on in the Judiciary Committee.

On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked America and our way of life. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks in New York, northern Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

When the shocking images of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon first appeared on television, first responders were already on the scene. In the weeks and months that followed, these first responders and construction workers worked hard to find victims and to clear debris.

At the time, they were told the air was safe to breathe. They and the American people found out later that wasn't true. The health impacts for

those who worked and lived in lower Manhattan in the months after the attacks are real and, in many cases, have been crippling and even deadly.

That is why Congress passed legislation in 2010 to open the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund to first responders, construction workers, and others. It covers the cost of treating illnesses associated with exposure to toxins following the attacks.

During the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties hearing last month, we heard from those suffering from illnesses tied to their service after the 9/11 attacks. Those who testified moved me and the Nation as they discussed the illnesses that have beset them nearly two decades after the attacks.

I am pleased to be a cosponsor of legislation to renew the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund permanently. In honor of the sacrifices of James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez, this bill is called the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act. It honors thousands of others like them who have succumbed to their 9/11-related illnesses.

Madam Speaker, now is the time for us to move this bill. I urge the Senate to pass it after the House, and I urge the President to sign it.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table H.R. 3401, with the Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment. This bipartisan bill passed the Senate with 84 votes and could be sent to the President's desk for his signature today.

Madam Speaker, today I would like to recognize James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

JMU was recently announced as having the highest postgraduation employment rates out of all of Virginia's colleges and universities. This is an outstanding accomplishment for one of the Commonwealth of Virginia's largest colleges.

Institutions like JMU educate students and prepare them for opportunities that they might not have had without a college degree. Graduates of 4-year colleges have completed the work and are now tasked with the responsibility of finding employment. Fortunately, for recent graduates, demand for talent is high and unemployment is at a record low.

Congratulations to JMU on this monumental achievement.

Go Dukes.

Mr. Speaker, America would not be the greatest Nation in the world today without the valiant effort of our military personnel.

The reason we are the greatest country in the world is because we have the strongest, most dedicated men and women on the frontlines defending our freedoms.

Unfortunately, many soldiers come home with scars: some visible, some not.

Today, I want to take the opportunity to recognize two veterans from Virginia's Sixth District who started an organization called the Living Waters Farm Initiative.

Travis Coyle and Mark Lambert returned home from the war in Afghanistan and began experiencing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.

After receiving help through the Department of Veterans Affairs, equine therapy, their faith, and realizing that sufferers from PTSD do not have to bear this burden alone, Travis and Mark decided they would like to provide similar support to other servicemembers.

The Living Waters Farm Initiative was started to provide those living with PTSD a supportive community that can stand together and learn from others with firsthand experience.

They already have horses and goats at Living Waters Farm and hope to add a garden soon.

As PTSD Awareness Month begins, I want to thank Mr. Coyle and Mr. Lambert for their service and dedication to other veterans.

Mr. Speaker, to save lives at the border, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 3056, an emergency supplemental to provide critically needed funding for the humanitarian crisis at the border, and I ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time, and I want to recognize the gentlewoman from Texas for her remarks because, as a fellow member of the Judiciary Committee, we all stand for the rule of law. I, too, carry a Constitution with me.

The Constitution explicitly creates a system that is representative of the people, where the people are elected by their constituents to come up here and represent their views in Congress and vote for them. It is not to come up here and to hand off control, to hand their vote to the majority leader, to the Speaker, and to the majority whip and let them vote for them and for the people of their district whether or not to go to court.

The votes to enforce subpoenas, the votes to hold in contempt should be votes of the Representatives of the people. That is why this resolution today is such a travesty.

Mr. Speaker, I have only been a Member of this body for a few months, and I was proud to be named a member of the Judiciary Committee, but unfortunately, the circus that I have witnessed over the last few months is shocking, as the Democratic majority tries to find some reason, any reason, to impeach this President now that the Mueller investigation has wrapped up with no crimes found.

If they want to go back and repeat the last 2 years of the investigation, the millions of dollars, the hundreds of subpoenas, they are certainly entitled to do that, but I would argue it would be a waste of time for the American taxpayer and the American people.

Mr. Speaker, we had a hearing earlier today on the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, and the chairman did a masterful job of arguing in favor of that legislation, of which I am a cosponsor. It is bipartisan legislation. It is going to be marked up tomorrow. That is the way that this Judiciary Committee should operate.

Instead, we have hearings with empty chairs for the Attorney General, we have a hearing with an empty chair for the White House counsel.

Finally, yesterday we had a hearing with people in the seats, but they were all MSNBC and CNN commentators.

Mr. Speaker, this is a travesty of justice. I would urge my colleagues to defeat this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank the American people for sending a message to this Congress that they do not want the pay raises for Members of Congress to go through. However, their work is not done, and they need to keep it up.

They have successfully delayed the Legislative Branch appropriations bill from being considered as part of this omnibus bill that is going to be considered tomorrow, but it has only been delayed. It hasn't been removed just yet, so stay on the phones, stay on the emails, and stay on Facebook.

Get in contact with Members of Congress to let them know that their constituents don't think that they deserve a pay raise. They have more work to do. There is much to be done, in terms of addressing the crisis at the border and continuing in the economic success that we have. Instead, we have many committees that are holding officials in contempt of Congress.

We have more to do, so I ask the American people to keep up the great work.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her remarks. She alluded to a number of reforms to our legal immigration process, and yes, I stand ready to work with the gentlewoman on those issues, but none of the legal reforms that are necessary to balance this legislation are in this bill.

In fact, this bill is called the American Dream and Promise Act, but if we are looking for reforms that will secure our border, we are dreaming. The only promise being kept is the promise to put people who are here illegally ahead of legal immigrants in line for citizenship. It is a grave disappointment and a violation of this document, the Constitution of the United States.

The American people might think, when tuning in, hey, great, we are finally addressing immigration, so maybe we will find a way to secure our borders. But this bill has no language to secure our borders, no language to build the wall, no language to help children and families in terrible conditions at the border, no language to reform our asylum programs or our visa programs to make them more efficient, and no language to stop the thousands of caravans of illegals crossing over the border, over 5,000 each and every day.

Instead, it does the exact opposite. It incentivizes illegal immigration. It incentivizes the dangerous journey that these families are taking.

We have heard a lot from the other side about individuals here illegally who are achieving, but we can cite every individual who is currently facing enormous danger, children facing enormous danger on this journey to the border, one in three women who are facing sexual assault on this journey to the border, families right now who are deciding whether or not to put their children at risk of death by marching up to the United States because they are hoping that there is an incentivized program like this in place when they get here.

We need to take action to control our border. We will never stop the flow of illegal immigration coming into this country until we get serious about securing the border and until we follow through on the enforcement mechanisms that Congress has and continues to put in place. Until we do that, human trafficking, drug smuggling, and cartels will continue to thrive.

This bill is unfair to immigrants who have obeyed the law to enter our country legally. America welcomes all who are coming to our Nation who respect the rule of law and want to contribute to our society. Unfortunately, they will be left to wait while USCIS attempts to process the millions of applications that today's legislation would authorize.

It creates a system that is ripe for fraud and abuse. It includes a laundry list of unverifiable documents that can be used to obtain green cards.

Mr. Speaker, there is nothing in this legislation that fixes what is wrong with our immigration laws. This is the wrong way to go. I hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will quit playing politics with people's lives and work with this side of the aisle to fix our broken immigration system and replace it with a system based on merit.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

I am in its current form.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, the American people are sympathetic, forgiving, and reasonable people. They understand the idea of providing some type of certainty and stability for the approximately 700,000 DACA-eligible recipients who were brought to the United States by their parents at a young age and who otherwise have played by the rules while growing up in this country.

Mr. Speaker, what they don't understand is providing green cards and a path to citizenship for violent gang members, national security threats, and those who, through their disdain for our laws, thumb their noses at Lady Liberty and the Constitution of the United States.

They definitely don't understand why this bill treats men and women at the Department of Homeland Security like they are the dangerous ones, preventing them from receiving and utilizing readily available information in order to remove gang members, national security threats, and other public safety threats from our country to keep our families, our communities, and our Nation safe.

This motion to recommit simply says that if an alien has been designated a danger to Americans, then they don't deserve to become an American.

It provides that aliens whose applications are denied on the basis of criminal activity, national security risks, or as violent gang members are automatically referred to the Department of Homeland Security for a determination of removability from the United States.

Under this bill, information about criminal activity provided in an application for a green card may not be used for the purpose of immigration enforcement, even if the application is denied or withdrawn.

In practice, this means that, if an applicant has a murder conviction or if the applicant is a gang member and DHS knows about it because of the application, they can't refer that person for removal. It is just wrong.

The perverse and practical effect of H.R. 6 is that criminal aliens, gang members, terrorist threats, and other public safety threats who could be denied a green card will simply stay in this country, as if we are simply a sanctuary nation.

Mr. Speaker, some cities might want to be sanctuary cities, but most Americans want safety from crime, not sanctuary for criminals.

This MTR also does not affect the stay of removal provisions in H.R. 6 or the provisions relating to finality of adjudication in the bill. Thus, the alien cannot be removed until they have exhausted their appeals and received a final decision on their application.

If Democrats see fit to exclude criminals, national security risks, public

safety risks, and gang members from receiving green cards, then they should vote for this motion to recommit to ensure those dangerous aliens are also denied a safe haven in the United States.

I am sure most of the individuals who will take advantage of the provisions in this bill respect the U.S. Constitution and obey the laws of this Nation, but history has proven that criminal aliens, gang members, terrorists, and other public safety threats apply for immigration benefits all the time. If they didn't, we wouldn't have to have section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which makes such aliens inadmissible.

Even under DACA, under President Obama's program, criminals have applied. In fact, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, almost 8 percent of total DACA requesters, 59,786 individuals, had arrest records, which included such offenses as assault and battery, rape, murder, and drunk driving. And 199 individuals who requested DACA had 10 or more arrests.

H.R. 6 also provides green cards to gang members. Criminal gangs are a scourge on our communities, preying on vulnerable populations while committing a vast array of criminal acts.

H.R. 6 should not give gang members a foothold in the U.S. by fast- tracking them to a green card.

This MTR makes it easier for DHS to deny the applications of gang members by making it an eligibility requirement that an alien is not a gang member and by explicitly permitting DHS to take into account the information found in gang databases.

Hear me clearly: No matter what Democratic colleagues may say in the next few minutes, if Members don't vote for this MTR, they cannot look their constituents in the eye and honestly say that criminals will not get green cards.

If the Democrats want to prevent such dangerous individuals from getting green cards, they must vote for this MTR. To do otherwise is to prevent a commonsense change that will ensure the safety of law-abiding Americans, as well as those who are seeking to be part of the greatest nation on Earth, the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Madame Speaker, I rise today to recognize 100 years of the American Legion and specifically Post 13 in Staunton, Virginia. In March of 1919, Congress chartered and incorporated the American Legion as a veteran's organization that works to strengthen communities while encouraging patriotism and honor. The American Legion is dedicated to its fellow servicemembers and veterans.

Soon after its national charter was passed, a group of veterans of World War I gathered at the YMCA on Main Street in Staunton, Virginia, to organize a local American Legion post. This year, in 2019, that post celebrates its centennial. For the past 100 years, the Clemmer-McGuffin American Legion Post 13 has shown unwavering support to veterans, servicemembers, and the communities of Augusta County and Staunton, Virginia. This Staunton American Legion post is named after two local servicemen, Augusta County resident Jay F. Clemmer, and Staunton resident Robert A. McGuffin. Both young men were students at the Staunton Military Academy and were killed in 1918 during World War I. Today, I recognize the Clemmer-McGuffin American Legion Post as they celebrate their 100 years of assembly in the Shenandoah Valley.

Mr. Chairman, well, here we go again, another bait and switch by the Democrats.

We have a great bill, the CREATES Act, that allows consumers to access cheaper generic drugs, driving down costs, saving Americans $3.9 billion over 10 years.

What have they done with it? They have stuck in poison pills designed to take choice away from Americans when it comes to their health insurance plans.

As lawmakers, we owe it to Americans to protect their rights to make their own decisions, particularly as it relates to healthcare. The fact that we are here debating even further reducing these options available to Americans proves that we are not keeping up our end of the bargain.

ObamaCare created a healthcare paradigm that aimed to take away options from Americans and give that authority to the government. As a result, premiums are skyrocketing, with the highest in the country being in my home State of Virginia.

President Trump, thankfully, has stepped in to allow flexible, short- term, limited-duration plans to help those in my district, where my constituents are pleading for more choices in health insurance. This administration is simply trying to give more options to Americans in this desert of choice.

We should be creating an environment that encourages more choices for individuals and families. This includes a more individualized market, particularly with regard to employer-sponsored health insurance.

It also means increasing pricing transparency at the point of sale to avoid surprise medical billing, which the President championed last week.

Finally, we should address consolidation in the healthcare system through increased enforcement from the FTC and the DOJ under the Sherman Antitrust Act.

This legislation is the height of arrogance. Government knows best, yet again. The American people know nothing about their own choices when it comes to health insurance.

To double down on ObamaCare and take away the few options that are left for constituents, and giving those choices to those who caused this failure in the first place, the Federal Government, is beyond offensive to American citizens.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to join me in rejecting this legislation. Reject this idea that government knows best, and stand up for affordable and accessible health insurance for all Americans.