Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, for months the other side has held our economy hostage. Today, we have their ransom demands. This rip-off kills millions of jobs, guts working family benefits, and sabotages tax fairness.

Now, I have listened today, and many times both sides are saying the same thing, reading off the same page. They all can't be right.

Look at the facts. This is not about deficits. This shakedown lets wealthy tax cheats off scot-free and balloons the deficit by $120 billion. Please respond to that: $120 billion deeper in debt. Do not fall for this total sham. Today's smorgasbord of policy goals is a cynical distraction from the horrifying impacts of this extortion.

Mr. Speaker, Social Security, Medicare, veterans' care, and homeownership are at stake. I am sorry to say we have come to this.

Mr. Chair, I rise today because the Republicans' so- called energy legislation is a farce. This bill does nothing to lower energy costs. It instead increases our deficit by $2.4 billion in handouts to Big Oil.

In Ways and Means, the Oversight Committee clearly presented a report last year that clearly showed the oil companies themselves lied. Not Biden but the oil companies raised the price beyond belief.

I tried to offer a simple amendment to this bill that expressed support for offshore wind development, a clean energy source. That is it. It was blocked. At the same time, an amendment on their side was added, which gives hot air to fictions about offshore wind. So much for regular order.

Let me be clear, the experts agree. NOAA agrees, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the experts agree that offshore wind is not harmful to marine life. They would support it.

The author of one of these amendments was once a big supporter of wind energy. Now, he is leading the misinformation campaign against offshore wind.

How do you like that?

Republicans don't listen to experts or science. We know that. Their attacks on clean energy are rooted in pure bad faith.

Wind power is clean energy. It supports good-paying, union manufacturing and construction jobs.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in rigorous opposition to this shortsighted bill, but thank you for allowing us the opportunity to lay the facts on the table.

I mean, it is stunning that while you peddled those falsehoods, you seek at the same time to add $114 million to the deficit. The chairman said it. Everybody said it.

Republican budget cuts have left the IRS with 2,284 fewer skilled auditors to keep wealthy taxpayers from cheating than it had in 1954. That makes no sense. You know it is more complicated. We taxed work before. Now we tax assets, and we cover them up when we do our taxes.

Who the heck are you kidding? The GOP plan would aid and abet a flood of tax cheating by Wall Street tycoons. That would be the direct impact of this bill. Thankfully, it is going to be dead on arrival when it goes to the other side of the building.

Republicans love that our massive tax gap keeps growing, and they want to make it worse.

Madam Speaker, on September 19, 2022, I missed one roll call vote. Had I been present, I would have voted YES on Roll Call No. 438, on Passage of S. 3895--United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2022.

Madam Speaker, on September 15, 2022, I missed one roll call vote. Had I been present I would have voted YES on Roll Call No. 437, on passage of H.R. 2988.

Madam Speaker, on September 14, 2022, I missed one roll call vote. Had I been present I would have voted YES on Roll Call No. 424, On Ordering the Previous Question.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, the American people put Democrats in charge to raise our Nation from its knees--unless we have short memories.

We are putting people over powerful interests. We are rebuilding our economy for working families. We are providing historically low healthcare premiums for nearly 12 million Americans, including over 20,000 in my own district of New Jersey.

We are making the single largest investment in clean energy to secure a livable future. Our planet is at the precipice of catastrophe. So we are combating climate change and creating 9 million jobs in the process.

Not bad, Madam Speaker, not bad.

Our bill includes legislation I happen to champion to expand zero- emission nuclear energy and offshore wind, where New Jersey leads the way. I worked on a bipartisan basis on those two issues, and there is nothing said today about that by my friends on the other side.

For years, Republicans sabotaged the IRS. The record is clear. They safeguarded loopholes to help a privileged few pay a pittance in taxes. And that ends today.

Five years ago, Republicans passed a $2 trillion tax scam for the rich and the corporate tycoons. Today, we are closing the tax gap and providing tax fairness.

Democrats are making prescription drugs affordable.

Democrats are lowering healthcare costs.

God bless our great country.

Madam Speaker, on July 29, 2022, I missed four roll call votes. Had I been present I would have voted:

YES--Roll Call Vote 414--Continental Divide Trail Completion Act;

YES--Roll Call Vote 415--Big Cat Public Safety Act;

YES--Roll Call Vote 416--STREAM Act; and

NAY--Roll Call Vote 417--To include certain computer-related projects in the Federal permitting program under title XLI of the FAST Act, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the more than 124,000 of our neighbors in the 9th Congressional District who rely on Social Security each and every month.

I rise also, Mr. Speaker, because 26 years ago, when I first ran for Congress against an incumbent, I was fighting for Social Security because it was an issue in that election of 1996, when you had choices.

Choices. Privatize, and that is the way to get to the goal line, and senior housing, senior development, one after the other. The first thing I heard when I walked in the door when I was campaigning in the first congressional campaign of my life was, ``What are you going to do about Social Security?''

The number of 124,000 is growing in every State every single day. It is not getting smaller. We have more of an older community in the United States of America. I am proud to have been part of that community for a few years. We will leave it at that.

Social Security is one of our Nation's greatest success stories, and after 86 years, Social Security still stands as a monument for decency, dignity, and hardworking Americans. We talk about them a lot. We talk about the middle class. We talk about the poor. That is what we do, we talk a lot about it.

Yet throughout that storied history, Social Security has been under attack. Going back to 1935 and FDR, from day one it has been the subject of scurrilous attacks and lies. Those lies continue to this day. It has taken its toll.

Social Security is no grab-bag giveaway, but benefits that you have earned, you paid into with your own sweat and toil. Without aggressive action, it teeters toward insolvency.

Congress has a sacred responsibility to protect Social Security for today's seniors and for tomorrow's: their kids, their grandkids.

I am proud to stand here with my very good friend, Representative John Larson, as a strong supporter of his Social Security 2100 Act. This historic bill will ensure the strength and solvency of Social Security for today's seniors.

The Social Security 2100 Act provides fully paid-for benefit enhancements, not cuts in benefits. Oh, please notice who is advocating for those cuts. Not just seniors; those to-be-seniors and their kids and grandkids. It keeps President Biden's promise to not raise taxes on middle-class families. This is a no-brainer.

Among its many improvements, this bill eliminates the unnecessary 5- month disability benefits waiting period. That, coupled with the inadequacy of our postal officials, is enough to do away with the seniors, I will tell you that. I hope that is not the plan.

Additionally, it will ensure Americans suffering with terminal and debilitating disorders like Huntington's disease get the help they need without red tape or delay.

Importantly, we have updated the legislation so that our firefighters, police, teachers, and other public servants--we are always putting our arms around them--will now receive the full Social Security benefits that they have earned.

Social Security lifts more Americans out of poverty than any other Federal program. 21 million each year. For over 40 percent of senior beneficiaries, it provides a majority of their income. Their lives literally depend on it. That is not an exaggeration, Mr. Speaker. That is the importance of Social Security to America.

We are fighting for our seniors who have worked their entire lives, and we are fighting for working families so that no one who pays their whole lives should ever retire in poverty. That is a scourge.

With unified control of government, we must get this done. There are no excuses. Congratulations to the committee and its chairman to get us this far.

Madam Speaker, I missed one roll call vote. Had I been present, I would have voted YES on Roll Call No. 338, Speier of California Part A Amendment No. 395.

I was proud to vote for final passage of H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 that included Rep. Speier's Amendment No. 395.

Mr. Speaker, this pandemic has been a grave hardship for our first responders. Men and women in blue have risked their lives every day. Last year was the deadliest ever for law enforcement.

During National Police Week, we honor these heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice. They protect us, and we must have their backs. Period.

I have been co-chair of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus for many moons. I know our cops must have the training, the resources, and the personnel they need to keep our communities safe.

This bipartisan Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Law Enforcement Training Act is a vital step. It will provide crises intervention training grants. These Federal funds will help officers handle different interactions with those suffering from TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder.

I founded the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force in 2001, along with Dr. Greenwood. He was a Republican; I am a Democrat. He was from Pennsylvania. He did an outstanding job and continues do it in this area, which is so misunderstood, Mr. Speaker. We didn't get to it until late into Iraq and Afghanistan with our veterans and with our soldiers on the front lines. Of course, it was major injury in both of those wars--post-traumatic stress disorder and TBI, traumatic brain injury.

So forward 20 years, we worked to draw attention to the struggle of millions of Americans living with long-term disabilities caused by traumatic brain injury. Now, of course, we take good care of our vets. Can you imagine, we went to war, and we had no money in the budget. We had no programs to help those who were most injured in the two wars that we got into. We were not prepared, and we suffered tremendous amounts of injuries because of it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Nadler and Chairman Pallone and their dedicated staff for their diligent work to bring the TBI and PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Law Enforcement Training Act to the floor. I also thank Representatives Demings, Rutherford, and Bacon for co-leading this bipartisan effort.

Finally, I thank our law enforcement and TBI community stakeholders who helped us craft and advance this important policy. These past couple of years have been difficult for our communities and especially so for our men and women in uniform.

Mr. Speaker, the House stands with them during Police Week and after 2022. I am honored to present this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, as an original member of the Homeland Security Committee, I had the pleasure of serving with Chairman Thompson. It has only been lately that we understand what he means to this country. Together, we worked to establish and grow the Nonprofit Security Grant Program into what it is now.

I associate myself with the words of the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski) and our associates from Arkansas and Kansas. I hope people listened to what they had to say on the previous bill because knowledge is power in trying to keep the American people safe.

From Jersey City, to Colleyville, to Pittsburgh, our faith-based communities have become targets. Our churches, synagogues, and mosques are facing increased volatility, unpredictability, and threats. Now, that is either a fact or it is not a fact.

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program is a vital tool to help keep people safe from this dire threat. H.R. 6825 recognizes this growing threat by increasing the program's authorization, as you just heard. It is money that will be well spent.

We must ensure that every community can get these resources. Too many communities do not have the historic ability to even write a grant, believe it or not.

But revising the formula should not create obstacles for high-threat communities or regions, like my home State of New Jersey. I am closely monitoring the new formula FEMA has offered. It will give preference to applications with a higher Social Vulnerability Index.

It is one of the pillars of America that our neighbors are secure in their houses of worship. I will fight hard for fairness in distributing these funds.

I applaud Chairman Thompson for bringing this bill to the floor. Domestic terrorism threatens every community in our Nation, and we blew it 12 years ago. It is something I have warned about over a decade, and it is not abating but growing.

This funding will save lives and secure houses of worship. I urge swift passage of H.R. 6825.

Madam Speaker, I missed three roll call votes. Had I been present, I would have voted:

YES on Roll Call 147, Joyce (OH)/Carson Amendment;

YES on Roll Call 155, on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass the United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act; and

YES on Roll Call 162, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended the Russia and Belarus SDR Exchange Prohibition Act.

Madam Speaker, to Mr. Meeks and Mr. Wilson: Thank you for your hard work on this legislation.

Now, the Lord works in strange ways. As you get older, you can list the ways. The country is closer together in a most weird way for a common objective. We speak of unity more now than we spoke of division 8 months ago.

Russia is bombing hospitals--war crimes. Russian soldiers are violating women and murdering children. Russia is seeking the total destruction of Ukraine.

Against all odds, Ukraine and the Ukrainian people have pushed Russia back. Russia and Putin are losing.

This war will not end soon. Putin is deranged and humiliated. The violence will only intensify. It is the responsibility of our government and every single American to support the Ukrainian people.

Before Pearl Harbor, America enacted the Lend-Lease Act to keep democracy alive. Our legislation channels the same spirit and the same purpose. In 1940, FDR awakened America's arsenal of democracy. With it, we preserved freedom.

With our action today, we reawaken that arsenal of democracy once more. We again are witnessing a conflict of civilization versus darkness, freedom versus tyranny.

New Jersey's Ninth District has one of the largest Ukrainian-American populations in America. They cry out for help. We cry with them. The brave Ukrainian people have undaunted courage. They must know America stands with them no matter what.

God bless Ukraine, and God bless the United States of America. The Lord does work in strange ways.

Madam Speaker, the Affordable Insulin Now Act will cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 a month--not a miracle by any stretch of the imagination. And anyone who supports legislation in this order and others where we address other diseases obviously, we are working on new situations just about every month. So because you are working on it and you are trying to find a balance of the free market, and where the price goes without fixing the price of what something will cost, I mean, we have been called worse things than Socialists. When you come to this debate, I'll settle on that word.

Well, what does that mean?

You want to get into a debate about socialism?

I served in the Armed Forces. I fought for my country. I am tired of being called names.

Seven million Americans who use insulin want to stay alive. The average insulin costs rose 54 percent. We have heard that before.

Madam Speaker, when insulin was discovered, Warren Harding was the President and the New York Giants won the World Series, yet there was no television to watch the New York Giants.

Insulin costs are a national disgrace. For a drug discovered over 100 years ago, $1,000 price tag for a single vial is an outrage. You know it, and I know it.

So get beyond the argument that we are all a bunch of Socialists because we want to help people. We are doing what the folks sent us here to do. We can't do it on every drug. We need the technology. The gentleman from Arizona is right on target. It will save lives.

If we can't do that, then what the heck are we doing here?