Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Louisiana for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the rising number of drug overdoses. It is one of our greatest public health threats, and illicit fentanyl is the main driver.

The class-wide ban of fentanyl analogs expires February 18, and if Congress does not act to extend the ban on fentanyl analogs, many of these illicit drugs would essentially become street legal.

For context, fentanyl analogs have been found to be four to five times more potent than fentanyl, and fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin.

In Kentucky, fentanyl was responsible for over 70 percent of all drug overdoses in 2020, and even tragically, took the life of a 2-year-old who ingested opioids laced with fentanyl that he found in his mom's purse.

More recently, a 13-year-old overdosed from fentanyl in Connecticut, and authorities recovered around 1,000 bags of fentanyl in his bedroom.

The purpose of permanently scheduling in a class-wide ban is to save lives by reducing a criminal's incentive to develop new variations of fentanyl analogs to try to evade law enforcement. And we have seen fewer new fentanyl analog encounters during this ban.

I am working to permanently schedule fentanyl analogs by passing the HALT Fentanyl Act. And I am disappointed that today the Democrats blocked consideration of the HALT Fentanyl Act.

Now is not the time to scale back our fight against these deadly drugs. We need to permanently schedule fentanyl analogs and secure our southern border to stop these poisons from reaching our communities, or else thousands more American lives will be at stake.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 77 Kentuckians who lost their lives to the horrific tornadoes that devastated our Commonwealth this December. May we continue to lift up all of those who were affected by these storms and support the rebuilding of homes, businesses, and livelihoods.

We lost 17 Kentuckians in my district, all in my home county of Warren County. We must ensure their memories are never forgotten, and I ask that Americans keep these families and these names in their prayers: Alisa Besic, Alma Besic, Elma Besic, Samantha Besic, Selmir Besic, Nariah Brown, Nolynn Brown, Nyles Brown, Nyssa Brown, Rachel Brown, Steven Brown, Terry Jayne, Say Meh, Cory Scott, Victoria Smith, Mae White, and Robert Williams, Jr.

May they rest in peace.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Eric Bergren's 27 years of service to Kentucky's Second District.

Eric, a graduate of UMass, started working for Kentucky's Second District in 1994. Eric worked his way up from an intern to become the chief of staff under Congressman Lewis, my predecessor. During that time, Eric met his wife, Kathy Reding, a native of Howardstown, Kentucky, in the Second District. Eric and Kathy are now proud parents of Cecelia and Julia.

Eric has been at my side since 2009 when I was sworn in. I believe I have had the best chief, and others have affirmed that. On a personal note, we have both watched our kids grow up and shared with each other the joys of being a father.

Madam Speaker, I am losing a chief but I am not losing a great friend. Thanks for everything, Eric, and I wish you the best for your next chapter.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Connected Nation. Beginning in 2001 at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Connected Nation has grown and evolved to the national non-profit it is today.

For the past 20 years, the people behind Connected Nation have devoted their efforts to expanding access to and the adoption of broadband and related technologies. The non-profit's work includes job skills training, research, mapping, and free connectivity and devices to at-risk youth.

The non-profit's mission statement reads in part, ``Everyone belongs in a Connected Nation.'' Closing the digital divide is critical for Kentuckians and Americans across the country. Federal and private partnerships are key as we work to expand broadband access. Congratulations to Connected Nation on more than 20 years serving communities across the country.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3537, the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act.

I am a proud cosponsor of this bill and want to thank Representatives Fortenberry and Quigley for their tireless efforts to move this bill forward. We would not be here today without your hard work and the tremendous advocacy efforts of the ALS community, who have so passionately made the need for this legislation known to Congress.

ALS is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Many people lose the ability to speak,

eat, move, and even breathe. Over 5,000 people are diagnosed with this disease each year, and the average life expectancy is only 2 to 5 years after diagnosis.

Recent years have brought a wealth of new scientific understanding regarding this disease. There are currently five drugs available to treat ALS, and while this is a remarkable achievement, we have more work ahead of us.

H.R. 3537 establishes a grant program through HHS to support research and access to investigational therapies to treat ALS for those patients who cannot access clinical trials. It also directs HHS to establish a public-private partnership for neurodegenerative diseases, which will advance the development and regulatory approval of drugs to help treat ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.

This bill will ring hope to those with ALS and their loved ones by promoting access to potentially breakthrough treatments and help us to one day find a cure for this vicious disease.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the distinguished Republican whip.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, there are over 300 cosponsors, and we all know that is not an easy task to do at all. It takes a lot of work, a lot of leg work, a lot of effort. The two hardest working people that we have seen this session are Mr. Quigley from Illinois, and my good friend Jeff Fortenberry from Nebraska, who put such effort into this.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry).

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

Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I didn't mention a family as well.

Mr. Speaker, when you first come to Washington, you start getting to know people who come to advocate for diseases and treatments like this. I met the Ensor family. A lady named Kay Ensor came here with her 11- or 12-year-old daughter at the time, Shelby. Shelby came to my office and said:

I can't get a hug from my father anymore, and I don't want

any other little girl to feel this way. It may be too late

for us, but I don't want it to be too late for somebody in

the future.

I got to know them, and I visited them in Lebanon Junction, Kentucky.

Their son, Tanner, was probably 8 or 9 at the time. They rigged up a wheelchair so he could go hunting with his father. But then it got to the point where they couldn't do that at all. Then, unfortunately, I was able to attend Mr. Ensor's funeral.

I don't have personal experiences in my family, but just seeing the effort that a family has to go through and the love that they do it in was an example for me to get involved in this issue, and the suffering that the patient goes through but also the extremely difficult circumstances for a family but how they were so loving in everything they did.

I want to close with this: I know that Brian and his wife, Sandra, were there at the hearing and touched every one of us. I want to yield back in honor of the Ensor family from Lebanon Junction, Kentucky, Mr. Speaker.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5487, the SHINE for Autumn Act of 2021, led by Representatives Herrera Beutler, Roybal- Allard, Mullin, and Castor.

Each year, about 24,000 babies are stillborn in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite medical innovations, stillbirth rates remain relatively unchanged and affect women of different ages and backgrounds.

No family should have to go through such an unthinkable tragedy, and this is, unfortunately, far too common.

H.R. 5487 aims to prevent stillbirth through enhanced research, surveillance, and reporting. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to better support States in collecting more complete stillbirth data. It also establishes a National Institutes of Health fellowship program focused on stillbirth research and pathology.

This legislation will help provide much-needed outreach and education on stillbirths, giving healthcare providers additional tools to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies who deserve a fighting chance at life.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close.

This is an important bill. I can't imagine what Autumn's mother has gone through; what so many families have gone through with the stillbirth of their child. I encourage all my colleagues to vote for this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 5561, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act, which is also co-led by my Energy and Commerce Committee colleague, Representative Matsui.

Hearing loss in children continues to be all too prevalent in the United States. According to recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, almost 15 percent of children ages six to 19 experience either low or high-frequency hearing loss in one or both ears.

The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program, administered through CDC and the Health Resources and Services Agency, has helped providers to quickly identify babies and young children who are born deaf or hard of hearing, which has led to improved health outcomes and brought hope to so many families.

H.R. 5561 reauthorizes Federal support for these important statewide programs that promote early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of deaf and hearing impaired newborns, infants, and young children through 2026.

My bill will redouble our efforts to truly open the world of communication to children experiencing hearing loss. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5551, the Improving the Health of Children Act, led by my Energy and Commerce Committee colleagues, Representatives Carter and Trahan.

Birth defects, unfortunately, are very common in the United States. According to recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, 1 in every 33 babies are born with a birth defect each year, and birth defects are the leading cause of death for all babies.

H.R. 5551 reauthorizes through 2026 the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, which has been critical to improving the lives of children with birth defects and their families.

This would reestablish critical programming related to birth defects, intellectual disabilities, and child development in order to bolster the center's research efforts and improve more lives.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote for this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1193, the Cardiovascular Advances and Opportunities Legacy Act, or the CAROL Act, introduced by my good friend and fellow Kentuckian, Representative Andy Barr.

Mr. Speaker, Congress is like a family, and we certainly laugh together and we certainly argue with each other, but there are times we cry with each other. I will never forget the phone call that I received from Robert Aderholt telling me that Carol Barr, who was a wonderful woman, wonderful wife, and wonderful mother, had passed away.

Our friend and colleague, Representative Andy Barr, has introduced this bill to honor his wife, who passed away from mitral valve prolapse.

Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death for most demographic groups in the United States. Over 600,000 Americans die from heart disease each year. This is equal to one person every 36 seconds.

We know that taking early action is critical to surviving a heart condition. People need to know the warning signs and symptoms. Understanding the gaps in education and information sharing will help the healthcare system better detect these warning signs.

This bill authorizes grants administered by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to support research on valvular heart disease and convenes subject matter experts to identify research opportunities to develop more

informed treatment guidelines for patients with valvular heart disease.

It also instructs the CDC to increase public awareness about the symptoms associated with valvular heart disease and effective strategies for preventing sudden cardiac arrest.

This bill will provide timely investments to adequately inform others about valvular heart disease and ultimately save lives.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, every 36 seconds, one person dies from heart disease. It is a life; it is a wife; it is a mother; it is Carol Barr. That is who we are here today to honor. We should use the horrible tragedy that the Barrs have gone through to prevent other families from going through the same thing.

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

Mr. Speaker, I almost always enjoy when the Republican leader comes to Kentucky, whether it is going to see Corvettes or the Abraham Lincoln birthplace. Unfortunately, we got to spend time together honoring Carol when we attended her funeral in Lexington.

I know he was a dear friend of Carol's. He is not just our Republican leader, but he was a dear friend of hers as well.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy), the Republican leader.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the Republican whip.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr), my good friend.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga), another dear friend of my colleague from Kentucky and his wife, Carol.

Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup), a good friend of Andy's, and I know he has taken Andy under his wing over the last year. It is hard to believe it has been over a year.

Madam Speaker, again, this is a great legacy for a great woman and her children. Every time I see them, we all tear up but we know that they are carrying on her legacy. I know that her husband is here today moving forward with her legacy.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the passage of the bill, and I thank the gentleman for yielding to the gentlewoman from Washington.

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

Madam Speaker, today, on the 80th anniversary of the attacks on U.S. naval forces at Pearl Harbor, we remember poignantly the courage and sacrifice of America's Greatest Generation.

That legacy of service is rich in Kentucky's Second District, exemplified by the seemingly insurmountable challenges faced by Company D of the 192nd Tank Battalion, which included the Harrodsburg Tankers.

On December 8th, across the international dateline and just hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese bombers descended on Company D and other U.S. forces who were stationed in the Philippines at Clark Field. A young private and Kentuckian by the name of Robert H. Brooks attempted to sprint to his station to fight back against Japanese forces. Sadly, he lost his life during his heroic action. He was the first casualty of the U.S. Armored Forces in World War II.

The fighting in the Philippines was relentless for the U.S. service members and Company D. All of the remaining 66 Mercer County natives-- known today as the Harrodsburg Tankers--survived the initial conflict. However, 29 soldiers were lost to the unimaginable conditions during the three years they were held at prisoner-of-war camps.

At Fort Knox there is a parade field named after Private Brooks, called Brooks Field, and we will never forget him and those brave soldiers. The bravery of Private Brooks, Company D, and its tankers from Harrodsburg are an indelible reminder of the price of freedom for all that we must never forget.

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

Mr. Speaker, current data clearly suggests that vaccinations for women during pregnancy can protect mothers and newborns against infectious diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has long recommended various vaccinations for pregnant women to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

Despite these recommendations, vaccination rates among pregnant women remain relatively low. But according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, when a vaccine recommendation comes directly from a patient's own OB-GYN, the likelihood of accepting that vaccine could be up to 50 times higher.

The Maternal Vaccination Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to include obstetric providers in existing vaccination public awareness campaign programs to help increase vaccinations among pregnant and postpartum women.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a common virus in the United States, infecting about 13 million Americans each year. While 9 out of 10 HPV infections are benign, in some circumstances, HPV can cause cancer. Records from the CDC indicate about 36,000 cases of cancer each year are caused by this virus. Sadly, many of these infections and cancer diagnoses can be prevented by the HPV vaccine.

H.R. 1550 would carry out a national campaign to increase awareness for healthcare providers and patients regarding these cancers. Additionally, the campaign will highlight the benefits associated with HPV vaccines in preventing HPV and HPV-related cancers.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa).

Mr. Speaker, 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. 550, the Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act, a bill introduced by my Energy and Commerce Committee colleagues, Ms. Kuster and Mr. Bucshon.

Immunization information systems, or IIS, are important tools in providing immunization care for patients by allowing providers to view a patient's comprehensive immunization history to determine the appropriate vaccinations throughout their life.

The Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct activities to improve immunization information systems. These activities include designating data and technology standards, developing public-private partnerships, and awarding grants or cooperative agreements to health departments to enhance their systems.

Modernizing our immunization infrastructure will give us a better understanding of our current vaccination efforts and will also help us determine which communities may need additional vaccination outreach-- better targeting our efforts to improve health outcomes across the country.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bucshon).

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2355, the Opioid Prescription Verification Act, a bill led by Representative Rodney Davis along with Representatives Bilirakis and Wagner.

The opioid epidemic continues to devastate communities across the country. According to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, there were over 100,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States from April 2020 to April 2021. That is a 28.5 percent increase from the previous year.

The Opioid Prescription Verification Act directs Federal agencies to develop, disseminate, and periodically update training materials to help pharmacists identify and report potential cases of bad actors who attempt to buy and sell controlled substances for illicit use.

The bill also incentivizes States to utilize prescription drug monitoring programs and requires certain controlled substances to be prescribed electronically. Additionally, this bill includes data entry requirements that help reduce the potential diversion of prescription drugs.

This bill will help stop criminals who perpetuate the vicious cycle of addiction. It is a crucial step toward ending the opioid epidemic and making our communities safer. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), my good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis).

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

Mr. Speaker, our beloved home State has areas that have been really affected by the opioid epidemic. We also know that our colleagues back home who serve in our general assembly have spent an enormous amount of time trying to get verification through prescription programs and other programs moving forward.

There is so much to do and so much we need to do through treatment and through other methods, but this is an important tool that will help our pharmacists realize when people are going around trying to get different prescriptions.

I strongly support this bill and thank my friends for working on this: Representatives Davis, Bilirakis, and Wagner. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2364, the Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness Act. Synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances, have been the primary drivers of the rise in overdose deaths that we have seen over the past year and beyond.

H.R. 2364 requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement a public education campaign related to synthetic opioids. Additionally, the Secretary is required to publish a training guidance and webinar for first responders and other individuals to better understand synthetic opioid exposure prevention. This campaign will promote awareness around the dangers of synthetic opioids and provide information about available services to address synthetic opioid abuse.

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