Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 111, the Providing Accountability through Transparency Act which the House will be voting on today.

This commonsense bill has been a bicameral effort for several years and I'm hopeful it will pass the House today so it can finally be sent to the President's desk for signature and become law.

Since the creation of the Administrative Procedure Act in 1946, federal agencies have been required to keep the public informed of their respective rulemaking processes. All rules and regulations are also published in the Federal Register, so there's a lot to keep up with.

The federal government produces hundreds of rules, regulations, and laws every year. And most of these government agencies unfortunately have a habit of creating long-winded and convoluted rules that frankly don't make sense unless you're an expert in that field.

American small businesses have enough to worry about--especially in this economy. They don't have the time or resources to keep track of the latest in government red tape or figure out if they need to abide by agency suggestions that are often confused for laws. And that regulatory burden shouldn't be on them.

In my capacity as Vice Chair of the House Small Business Committee, I'm constantly hearing from small business owners who have run into issues like this. And I'm sure many of my colleagues have also heard from constituents who need help navigating the American regulatory maze.

The Providing Transparency Through Accountability Act is a straightforward, commonsense solution to this problem.

This bill would simply require agencies to create a short, plain language summary and a website link to make it easily accessible so that all Americans can easily find and understand the rules being proposed by the administration.

Giving Americans--and especially small businesses--a one-hundred- word, plain language summary for an otherwise convoluted government rulemaking provides much needed streamlining and transparency.

I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will vote for this bill to help the small business owners who create jobs and economic growth nationwide focus on running their businesses, not sifting through long-winded government documents.

I thank Senator Lankford for getting this bill across the finish line in the Senate. I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of the Providing Accountability Through Transparency Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Economic Development Council of St. Charles County who is celebrating their 30th Anniversary.

Over the last 30 years, the EDC Council of St. Charles County has offered its tenants an affordable location for to start and grow. The incubator has played an integral role in the regional startup community. Hundreds of businesses encompassing thousands of jobs have launched in the incubator and gone on to flourish in the community.

Many tenants attribute their success, in part, to the all-inclusive wraparound support received by the EDC. Benefits unaffordable to many start-ups include but are not limited to IT support, staffed reception area, and access to conference rooms. They offer business counseling, in-house financial resources, and month-to-month leasing.

When starting a business there are several things to consider. The incubator allows an affordable option to test out ideas and grow business without sacrificing financial security.

In both 2020 and 2021 the EDC of St. Charles County is named the largest SBA 504 lender in the St. Louis region by the St. Louis Business Journal.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the Economic Development Council of St. Charles County on 30 successful years and in thanking them for their service to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 300th anniversary of Old Mines French Project in Washington County, Missouri.

Over the last 300 years, The Old Mines has built a rich history and countless achievements. Before Missouri became a state, the French, led by Philippe de la Renaudiere, began the mining of lead which became known as the Old Mines village. Due to its French heritage, the Old Mines became a main area of Missouri where the French language and culture is practiced. The French were mostly Catholic which led to the creation of the St. Joachim Church, one of the oldest standing churches in Missouri. It is also where the celebration of 300 years will be held.

The Old Mines are a unique part of Missouri history, and this milestone is a perfect example of a community supporting their collective heritage and taking pride in their home. I certainly join them in being proud to call rural Missouri home.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the Old Mines community and the people of Washington County on the Mines' 300th anniversary and their exceptional place in Missouri's history.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Max Cook and his 32 years of service at the Missouri Bankers Association. His leadership, dedication, and advocacy for community banking has strengthened business throughout Missouri.

Under his stewardship, Max led the effort to forge the next generation of banking professionals in Missouri. In celebration of his retirement, an endowment established in his name will send emerging industry leaders to meet policymakers here in Washington. Max's legacy will be felt throughout Missouri for years to come.

In addition to congratulating him on his illustrious career, I thank Max for his friendship. He's a good man who has done great things for many people.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in wishing Max Cook a very happy retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1076) to require the Comptroller General of the United States to carry out a study on the trafficking into the United States of synthetic drugs, and related illicit finance, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1076, the Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act.

As we are all painfully aware, fentanyl is a poison that is afflicting every community across America. This poison is a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Just 2 milligrams, equal to 10 to 15 grains of table salt, is enough to be lethal.

That is why I am grateful that Members like Congresswoman De La Cruz have hit the ground running on commonsense legislation like H.R. 1076 to sever the lifeblood that keeps the fentanyl business model going, which is its financing.

As we heard in the Financial Services Committee hearing titled, ``Follow the Money,'' ``Financing is essential to support and sustain the command and control, personnel, arms, communications, logistics, and operations of organized crime groups. For this reason, following the money trail and depriving criminals of illicit financial flows can disrupt and disable these networks.''

I recognize there are many challenges to attacking the fentanyl crisis, including our unsecured border, but from a Financial Services Committee perspective, we can only address what

is in our jurisdiction, and that is its financing.

Congresswoman De La Cruz's study will help inform Congress on the next best step to disrupt and dismantle synthetic drug trafficking and its financing.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. De La Cruz), the sponsor of this bill, a new and dynamic member of our committee.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I think the bill's sponsor, Ms. De La Cruz, and cosponsor Mrs. Beatty, have both articulated very well the need for this bill. It is a good idea.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues' support for the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1156) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct a study and report on the exposure of the United States to the financial sector of the People's Republic of China, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1156, the China Financial Threat Mitigation Act. This is a measure that originated in the Committee on Financial Services, where it was first introduced by our former colleague, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio. I am pleased to see his cosponsor, Ms. Spanberger, continue to champion the measure in this Congress.

The China Financial Threat Mitigation Act is based on the notion that China's financial system is so opaque that it may hide risks for the global economy of which we aren't aware. The bill requires the Treasury Secretary to study and report on these risks so we can take effective countermeasures.

As we all know, China has been cracking down on Western firms and executives due to fears that the private sector's information gathering and due diligence efforts pose a threat to the Chinese Communist Party. The CCP clearly views transparency as inconsistent with its self- interest. This should alarm us all.

Due to the state-owned nature of many Chinese financial institutions, there are already fewer market signals that can alert us to problems in time, and the central government may be on the hook for liabilities of unknown scope.

The Financial Stability Oversight Council has touched on the possibility of risks in the country, including those arising from China's housing sector, but these have been broad-brush efforts. We need to dig deeper, and that is what the reporting in this legislation will require.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams), our baseball coach who has distinguished himself not only here in Congress but also on the baseball field.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I thank the sponsors of the bill, Mr. Williams, Mrs. Beatty, and Ms. Spanberger for their hard work on this good piece of legislation. I think it is something that is very important. They have already expressed the need for it.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life and legacy of fallen officer Detective Sergeant Mason Griffith.

Detective Sergeant Griffith exemplifies small town America and the commitment to service. He was a Detective Sergeant of the Hermann Police Department, the Chief of Police of the Rosebud Police Department, a Reserve Deputy of Gasconade County Sheriff's Department and a member of the Gerald-Rosebud Fire Department. On March 12, Sergeant Griffith was shot and killed in the line of duty. He leaves behind a loving wife, two children, and an entire community who will deeply miss him.

This tragedy stands as a somber reminder to our Nation that law enforcement officers and their families sacrifice every single day to ensure our families are safe. We will never have another Sergeant Griffith, and for that our entire community is worse off. We will forever remember him as a man committed to his family and community and as a hero who gave his life to keep us safe.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in offering our deepest condolences to the Griffith family, his fellow officers, and the entire community who are suffering this tragedy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 399, the Small Business Advocacy Improvements Act of 2023.

America's regulatory environment plays a huge role in the way small businesses operate. They don't have access to the teams of lawyers needed to navigate the maze of government red tape that currently exists, and they certainly don't have the resources to make their voices heard on the international stage. This bill, which is identical to the bill that passed the House in the 117th Congress, gives small businesses that voice.

Specifically, H.R. 399 gives the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy the authority to represent small business interests before foreign governments and international entities. That representation is critical as the government renews and negotiates trade agreements and international commerce.

I thank my colleague, Congressman Troy Carter from Louisiana, for working with me in a bipartisan manner to improve the SBA's Office of Advocacy.

I thank Chairman Williams for helping bring this legislation forward and congratulate him on his new role as chairman of the Small Business Committee. As a proven champion for Main Street America, small businesses are in good hands with Chairman Williams at the helm.

Mr. Speaker, I recommend a ``yes'' vote on this bill that puts America's small businesses first.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Blair Oaks Falcons Football Team on their victory in the Class 2 State Championship.

Blair Oaks claimed the Class 2 title in 2004, 2006, 2018, and now in 2022. To secure their win, the Falcons endured a grueling 15-week season and won in a nail-biting game with a fourth quarter defensive stop. The Falcons should be commended for all their hard work throughout the past year and for bringing home the state championship to their school and community.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing the Blair Oaks Falcons for a job well done.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume and rise in support of H.R. 3462, the SBA Cyber Awareness Act, as amended by the Senate.

Cyberattacks are too common in today's world. They cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars each year and have the ability to harm and shut down small businesses, which often operate on the thinnest of margins.

Any cyber intrusion on a small business creates great pain and uncertainty. H.R. 3462 takes important steps to enhance and support our small businesses and the Federal Government from bad actors.

This bill strengthens cybersecurity operations at the Small Business Administration by requiring the agency to issue a report to Congress that assesses its ability to respond to cyber threats.

Additionally, H.R. 3462 requires the SBA to assess its own cybersecurity framework and report on any incidents in a timely fashion.

H.R. 3462 passed the House last year with a vote of 423-0, Mr. Speaker, and was recently approved by the Senate with an amendment to strengthen reporting requirements by focusing on supply chain and foreign technology risk.

I thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Crow), the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim), and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Flood) for working together to protect small businesses, as well as our Senate colleagues who worked on this bill. I also thank the chair for pushing this bill forward.

I urge my colleagues to support the Senate amendment to H.R. 3462, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, the threat of a cyberattack on a small business is constant. A cyber intrusion, no matter the magnitude, could have devastating and consequential impacts for the Nation's smallest businesses.

We must ensure the agency charged with helping the Nation's over 33 million small businesses is prepared. H.R. 3462 and the Senate's corresponding amendment do just that.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the legislation before us today that will better protect the Federal Government and America's small businesses from cyberattack, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8844, the STEP Improvement Act.

Small businesses are the drivers of innovation, leaders in job creation, and beacons of American ingenuity across the globe.

The State Trade Expansion Program, or STEP, is a valuable tool for small businesses looking to export and expand into global markets. This program has made a real impact on small business owners who have used the program to internationalize their websites and create relationships on foreign market sales trips.

In my district, this program has helped a veteran-owned business expand into 10 countries in Southeast Asia and helped a consulting company transition from zero percent to 75 percent international sales.

The legislation will ensure small businesses can continue to benefit from STEP by reauthorizing the program through 2026. Additionally, H.R. 8844 will improve the program by creating a standardized application process.

Further, the legislation requires the SBA to report best practices, lessons learned, and the program's performance metrics.

I applaud Representatives Kim, Flood, Evans, and Newman for their bipartisan work on this legislation.

I also thank the chair for holding multiple hearings on the topic and for moving this legislation forward.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Flood), one of our newest members on the committee, but he is a staunch supporter and has worked tirelessly for the small businesses in his community as well as those around the country.

Mr. Speaker, in a growing global economy, we must empower our small businesses to compete on the world stage.

This legislation will ensure that entrepreneurs have ample opportunities to engage in international trade.

H.R. 8844 also ensures accountability, which is very important, requiring an analysis of the performance metrics of the program to ensure that it is effectively and efficiently supporting small businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 8844, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the House Amendment to S. 1687, the Small Business Cyber Training Act of 2022.

All businesses, regardless of size or available resources, are susceptible to cyber threats. If large businesses can become victims of cybercrimes, small businesses are even more vulnerable.

This bipartisan legislation directs Small Business Development Centers, SBDCs, to provide training to thwart potential attacks and educate small businesses on the most up-to-date cybersecurity practices. With over 1,000 local centers nationwide, SBDCs are well- positioned to assist small businesses with their cybersecurity needs.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Garbarino for his leadership on this issue and commitment to enhancing Missouri's economic competitiveness and cyber resiliency.

I also thank my counterparts in the Senate for their work on this legislation.

S. 1687 passed the Senate in September, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill we have before us today that does not include unneeded reimbursement provisions included in the final form.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

S. 1687, as amended, takes important steps to prepare small businesses to combat cybersecurity threats.

This bipartisan bill to expand services at Small Business Development

Centers will ensure small businesses have the resources necessary to create a cybersecurity plan and detect cyber risks.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1617, the Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act.

Whether it is a hurricane, tornado, fire, or flood, we are all too familiar with a natural disaster's devastating impact on our communities and constituents. Following a disaster, the SBA provides valuable services and loans to businesses and homes affected.

Due to the rural areas being sparsely populated, they are often outliers when it comes to disaster assistance. This important legislation corrects this unintended consequence by creating a rural category for SBA-declared disasters.

Additionally, the legislation requires the Government Accountability Office, GAO, to report on how rural areas are specifically impacted by disasters, and the legislation requires the SBA to annually report on all rural disaster declarations.

Small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy in rural communities, and we must ensure that they have the ability to receive SBA assistance when a disaster strikes.

I thank my Senate colleagues for their support for rural communities and their work on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, S. 1617 will provide rural areas with enhanced eligibility for SBA-disaster-declared loans. This bipartisan bill takes an important step to aid rural communities and small businesses when a disaster strikes.

Mr. Speaker, S. 1617 passed the Senate in September, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Blair Oaks Lady Falcons on their victory in the Class 3 Girls Volleyball State Championship.

The Lady Falcons had a stellar season, with a 33-3-1 record. The Lady Falcons should be commended for all their hard work throughout the past year and for bringing home the state championship to their school and community.

Please join me in recognizing The Lady Falcons for a job well done.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Fatima Lady Comets on their victory in the Class 3 Softball State Championship.

These young women had a stellar season, ranked number 1 with a 33-3 record. In their championship game they overcame a 10-run deficit to claim their title. The Lady Comets should be commended for all their hard work throughout the past year and for bringing home the state championship to their school and community.

Please join me in recognizing the Lady Comets for a job well done.