Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly) from cosponsorship of H.R. 972.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate St. Mary Grade School's fourth Blue Ribbon Award. Located in Southwest Ohio and serving students across the region, St. Mary Grade School was founded by the Sisters of Charity. Opening its doors in 1908 with 100 students, the school has expanded and now has well over 400 students enrolled annually.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program seeks to honor schools from around the country that have a vision of excellence and hold their students and faculty to a high standard, and I can't think of a more worthy school than St. Mary Grade School. For over a century, this school has pushed each and every student to be the best they can be, academically and spiritually, and they continue to serve the local community to this day.

I, like the thousands of other graduates who began their educational and spiritual journey at St. Mary Grade School, owe so much of our educational foundation to the dedicated faculty who have devoted years of their lives to ensuring that future generations of Ohioans will continue to prosper.

I am incredibly proud that the National Blue Ribbon School Program has chosen my alma mater to be one of the forty private schools honored this year as the school is so deserving of this distinction. I am looking forward to their continued success in the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Village of Wellston, Ohio. Since its founding in 1873, the Village of Wellston has been an important industrial and historical center of Southeast Ohio for nearly 2 centuries.

Harvey Wells, a Civil War veteran and Ohio native, used part of his Jackson County property to establish Wellston. Wellston was officially incorporated as a Village in 1876 with the hopes of being the ``New Pittsburgh of the West.''

With the construction of numerous blast furnaces, the Village of Wellston solidified itself as an important industrial and mining town in Southern Ohio. Wellston also played an important role in the Underground Railroad system acting as one of the first stops in the North and became the settling point for several freed slaves.

Throughout its history, the Village of Wellston has been a beacon of prosperity and freedom for Southern Ohio, and I am honored to represent a town with such a rich history and strong sense of community.

Again, I want to congratulate the Village of Wellston on celebrating its 150th Anniversary and recognize their importance to Jackson County and all of Southern Ohio. May they continue to prosper over the centuries to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the career of General James C. McConville, Chief of Staff of the Army, and congratulate him on his retirement.

General McConville graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1981 and was commissioned as an Infantry officer shortly thereafter. Throughout his distinguished military career, General McConville served our country in the Iraq War, as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and during the war in Afghanistan, he was part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

General McConville earned 2 Distinguished Service Medals, 3 Legions of Merit, 3 Bronze Star Medals, 2 Defense Meritorious Service Medals, 3 Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, 2 Army Commendation Medals, 4 Army Achievement Medals, the Combat Action Badge. In 2019, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Army, following 2 years as Vice Chief of Staff.

As a soldier and member of Congress, I can honestly call General McConville a ``Soldier's Soldier.''

General McConville's life work is an example of patriotism, sacrifice, and commitment--qualities that all in the U.S. military strive to emulate. We are grateful for his dedication to this country, and I wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Wheelersburg High School Softball Team on winning the 2023 Ohio High School Athletic Association Division III Softball State Championship.

The Wheelersburg Pirates won their second straight state championship following a 6-0 shutout victory over Indian Lake. The Pirates have posted an impressive 57-1 record over the past two seasons and a perfect 32-0 this season. Wheelersburg head coach Teresa Ruby remarked that she was ``speechless'' and so proud of how her team played this season.

The Pirates broke the game open in the 3rd inning, scoring four runs, and Pitcher Andi Jo Howard took control after, recording two strikeouts and only allowing two hits in a shutout.

I want to congratulate Coach Ruby and her players, including four of whom were named to the All-State team, on their amazing season. I look forward to watching them chase a three-peat next spring.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Clermont County Deputy Bobby Hau Pham, who was awarded the Medal of Valor by President Biden for his heroic efforts while on duty, rescuing the life of a woman trapped in a car sinking underwater.

On November 23, 2021, Deputy Pham sprang into action after a woman drove her car into East Fork Lake, submerging it under water. Fighting through dark, frigid conditions, Deputy Pham sprang into action, jumped in the water, and fearlessly worked to rescue the driver from the sinking car.

Through his bravery, Deputy Pham saved her life, and he said he would do it all over again wherever needed. Deputy Pham is an example of the extraordinary actions our law enforcement officers make each and every day to protect our citizens and communities. I want to thank all who put on the uniform and risk their lives to protect us every day.

I thank Deputy Pham for his service and courage. I congratulate him on being recognized with the Medal of Valor, our Nation's highest honor for bravery by apublic safety officer, for his actions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the University of Cincinnati Clermont Women's Basketball team on winning the 2023 Small College Division II National Championship.

The UC Clermont Lady Cougars captured the title after a 60-46 win over Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte. Head Coach Ken Lowe's vision was complete after the team made it to the Final Four in the previous season but fell short of a championship.

The Lady Cougars rallied early with a 24-0 run, and 27 points from senior Captain, Ashley Moore. Junior, Tyra Murphy and Grad Student, Kristi Duncan, both recorded double doubles in the Championship game.

There is no doubt that the leadership among the coaching staff and the Lady Cougars in the locker room and on the court helped this team turn their dreams into reality.

Again, congratulations to Coach Lowe, the rest of the coaching staff, and the players for their amazing achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Village of Oak Hill, Ohio. Since its founding in 1873, the Village of Oak Hill has remained a pillar of Jackson County for nearly 2 centuries.

Six Welsh families found themselves stranded along the Ohio River in 1818, choosing to settle in the area Oak Hill was established in 1832 in the hopes that it could become the new Jackson County seat.

In the mid 1800s, the Village of Oak Hill became a Midwestern transportation hub, and included new switch railroad stations and new roads to connect the village to Portsmouth.

Throughout its storied history, the Village of Oak Hill thrived as a crossroads town, connecting people to new areas of the mid western region. I am honored to represent the Village of Oak Hill, an area of the state with such a rich history and strong community.

Again, I want to congratulate the Village of Oak Hill on celebrating its 150th Anniversary and recognize their historical significance in Southern Ohio. May they continue to prosper over the next 150 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and congratulate my good friend Todd DeGarmo on his acceptance of the 2023 William Howard Taft Medal from the University of Cincinnati for notable achievement in the field of architecture.

A graduate of UC, Todd put his blood, sweat, and tears into a career in architecture that has spanned nearly 35 years. Todd has worked for and led STUDIOS Architecture, overseeing numerous projects and renovations during his tenure.

Todd founded the company's New York office in 1995 and, ten years later, was named the first CEO of STUDIOS. Under his stewardship, STUDIOS opened new offices in the United States and around the globe, including in Mumbai, India and Lyon, France.

I want to commend Todd for his career at STUDIOS and his many meritorious projects that earned him the 2023 William Howard Taft Medal. Todd deserves this.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the late Zach Benjamin Merrill of Aberdeen, Ohio, who recently passed away after a long battle with cancer at the age of 37.

Zach was a proud Marine who served his country bravely in Iraq with his brothers in Lima Company. On May 11, 2005, 15 members of Lima Company were killed by an IED. Zach lost friends and brothers during his service and again survived an IED attack in August 2005.

In September of 2016, Zach was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Throughout rounds of chemotherapy and treatment, Zach never wavered. He continued to fight for his life until the very end.

Zach is an example of the patriotism, sacrifice, and commitment we associate with the finest examples of our nation's military. We are all safer because of his dedication to this country and we will miss him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the life of the late Corporal Helen M. Lattal, a proud World War II veteran who passed away in March at the age of 103.

Helen enlisted in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in 1942. In 1943, President Roosevelt transformed the WAAC into the Women's Army Corps, giving women full military status. She served in the headquarters of the 8th Air Force of the Army Air Corps under the command of Gen. Jimmy Doolittle.

After the war, she returned to the United States and worked as a counselor for soldiers. In her later years, she would serve as a volunteer with the Red Cross. She was a 57-year member of the American Legion where she served a term as post commander.

Cpl. Lattal's life's work is an example of the patriotism, sacrifice, and commitment we associate with the military. We are grateful for her dedication to this country, and we will miss her.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), which celebrates the 50th anniversary of its charter this month.

Over the past half-century this Chapter has served the Cincinnati metropolitan area, fostering community among retired, active, and former officers of the uniformed services and providing useful services for them and their families.

Since March 1973, the Chapter has been a leading advocate for all personnel of the uniformed services. Its members have served faithfully as MOAA's ambassadors, supporting programs that make a difference in the lives of others, going the extra step to give back to our community, Ohio, and our Nation in the truest sense of servant leadership. I am proud to be a member of this Chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in congratulating the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, and extending our very best wishes for its continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 619, the COVID- 19 Origin Act of 2023. The American people deserve answers on the origins of the COVID-19 virus, a novel coronavirus that sparked a pandemic and has killed nearly 7 million people worldwide to date.

The impact of the pandemic on the American people has been catastrophic. We lost loved ones. Everyone has been touched.

Our physicians, nurses, and healthcare workers were strained beyond capacity. We had to contend with lockdowns and school closures resulting in learning loss, as well as shutdowns and job loss, and depression and suicide that spiked after these measures.

Many Americans still suffer physically, mentally, and economically from the impact of the virus and the measures taken during the pandemic.

This bill will provide some sunlight for the American people, scientists, and physicians. I am honored to be one of seven physicians on the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, as Dr. Bera referenced earlier.

In order for us to be able to predict, prepare, protect, and prevent against a future pandemic, we need to know how and where this pandemic began.

There are sound reasons to conclude that this particular virus may have resulted from a lab leak in the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

In the fall of 2019, well before Americans were aware of a problem in Wuhan, four unusual things happened at the Wuhan lab. Multiple researchers became sick with COVID-19-like symptoms, according to a State Department fact sheet. The Wuhan institute deleted the sequences of viruses that they had in their library. They changed control of the lab from civilian to military--highly unusual--and had a contractor redo the ventilation system in the laboratory. Furthermore, we know the Wuhan Institute of Virology was conducting gain-of-function research on novel bat coronaviruses by creating chimeric viruses, combining two viruses together to test infectivity, and infecting mice with these viruses for study.

The Wuhan lab applied to receive U.S. grant funding in order to insert what is called the furin cleavage site into novel coronaviruses, the same unique genetic aspect of COVID-19 that made it more infectious to humans.

Last Congress, I was honored to lead the House Intelligence Committee Republicans in producing our second interim report on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. This Congress, I am fortunate to continue this work as the chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, where we will work on a bipartisan basis to follow the facts, conduct a fair investigation, and seek to deliver the truth to the American people.

This bill we are voting on today to declassify information on the origins of the COVID-19 virus will provide much-needed transparency for Americans who have lost so much in this tragedy, but it is only a start.

I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in this endeavor.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, which condemns the wave of attacks on pro-life groups and facilities.

As a Nation, we are blessed to have a nationwide network of faithful, dedicated pro-life pregnancy centers that provide care for pregnant women and their babies.

Women deserve to be offered the full range of health support that can help them in their time of need. Pro-life pregnancy centers do exactly that, offering a compassionate support system for pregnant women.

Shamefully, since the Dobbs decision was rendered, these pregnancy centers have been under attack by radical abortion activists. We have seen horrific displays of vandalism, threats, and intimidation directed at pro-life groups and facilities for the simple fact that they support life and serve to help pregnant mothers in need.

No one is forced to receive care at a pregnancy center, yet we see people committing violence on pregnancy centers. Why? Are they angry that so many choose to not terminate the life of their own baby and let their child live, like all of your mothers did, rather than violently terminate the life of their own baby?

Madam Speaker, I ask Congress to stand together and strongly condemn this violence by passing this resolution.

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

I thank Chairman Davis. I appreciate his work in bringing H.R. 8876, the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022, through our committee, and I am proud to support this effective legislation named in honor of our dear friend, Representative Jackie Walorski. Jackie had a servant's heart, and we shared not only a strong friendship but a passion for creating opportunities to help others beyond just one day, with life-changing measures and positive outcomes.

In this case, those that are served are mothers and their new children, those that otherwise have many obstacles that can often lead to costly and negative health outcomes. Jackie worked tirelessly and passionately on this program with Dr. Davis. The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program is a program that is successful, and the data supports that.

What does success look like? A healthy mother with a caring support system delivering and raising a healthy new child that is ready to grow, learn, and thrive.

Earlier this year, I visited Every Child Succeeds, a Cincinnati nonprofit that helps support mothers and young children. During the roundtable discussion with local moms and home visitors, I heard firsthand how the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program, MIECHV, as we call it, we heard how it is working. I also heard kids being loud and laughing, and I thought to myself, that is the sound of happy, healthy children.

Our bipartisan legislation reauthorizes MIECHV for 5 years and will serve more moms and babies by growing the capacity of the program in partnership with the States. MIECHV is a successful program, first of all, by phasing in a State match to vulnerable populations. We will expand the research of evidence-based home visiting programs across the country by adding $174 million in new State funding.

Second, we target funds to families in poverty by directing three- quarters of additional MIECHV funding based on the number of children under 5 in poverty in each State.

Third, the bill improves outcomes reporting so more people will have visibility and access to the good work being done by home visitors.

HHS will also be required to implement a State outcome dashboard, so we have more transparency on program performance measures and clinical indicators to show actual impact on families.

Lastly, we apply lessons learned from the pandemic and allow virtual visits to continue on a limited basis while maintaining MIECHV's commitment to in-person visits and high evidence standards.

As a physician, I am very familiar with the evidence-based benefits of in-home support for both new parents and children, and I am glad we are able to find common ground to provide stability for the program and the vulnerable families that the program serves. This program helps maternal and child health, family safety and stability, and readiness for school.

People said to me on my visit, ``I don't think my child would be healthy without this program, but home visiting made all the difference for us.'' That is proof that this program really works.

I also want to take a moment to celebrate and honor my good friend and battle buddy, Jackie Walorski. I am honored to continue her work here today. I can't think of a better way to honor her than seeing this bill through. She was a devoted public servant who cared deeply about this issue.

Today, this morning, another dear friend of mine is unexpectedly being laid to rest, another physician that believed in this program. Dr. O'dell Owens, a well-known and loved healthcare hero in Cincinnati, Ohio, a man for others, a true public servant, my hero and mentor.

Dr. Owens, as an OB/GYN, brought the gift of life to so many, specializing in caring for expecting mothers that face many challenges, always concerned about the health and well-being of the mothers that he cared for as well as the babies he would bring into the world.

Dr. Owens' services to the community extended well beyond the delivery room and into education, public health, and even served as coroner. Dr. Owens loved the MIECHV program and the long-term, evidence-based positive effects that the program has had on so many lives and families.

I can say with confidence that Dr. Owens and Jackie Walorski would strongly urge the reauthorization of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank, again, Chairman Davis and the late ranking Member and dear friend Congresswoman Walorski for spearheading this issue and their work on this subcommittee. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady), the ranking member of the committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Murphy).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Ferguson).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly), my friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Miller), my neighbor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Yakym).

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank everyone involved with this really wonderful moment that we are experiencing here on the floor, not only in memory of Jackie Walorski but in the work that she put in and how much was accomplished here, especially in a bipartisan fashion on behalf of so many people across America that are going to benefit from this great program--the mothers and the children, especially.

I take a moment to thank Jackie's husband, Dean, who shared Jackie with us here in the House of Representatives, where she was able to do so much good work, and this being one of the very highlights of her career. It spoke so much about who she was and who she is.

This is a special moment for me, as I know my friend Dr. Owens in Cincinnati--who took care of so many mothers that benefit from this program--is being laid to rest today, and he was so proud of what we were doing with this program. Well, he is with Jackie now. But we are all blessed to have had so much hard work put into this across the aisle.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Davis, who worked tirelessly on this, as well. This was definitely a dual effort, and I am grateful for all those who have participated, to the entire community, the Committee on Ways and Means, the subcommittee, and to all those involved.

I am very proud that we are moving this bill forward today. I urge its reauthorization and encourage all of our Members to support this wonderful program.

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

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