Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my friend, Patrick Cunningham Oxford, of Houston, Texas. He passed away on Sunday, February 13, 2022, at the age of 79.

Patrick was born in Beaumont, Texas, to Hubert and Virginia Oxford. He attended Catholic school in Beaumont, graduating from St. Anthony's Catholic High School. Patrick grew up playing football and baseball and working for his father's business, Oxford Building Material, LLC. As he got older, Patrick's love of baseball never faded. His friends and family cherished his knowledge of the game, its history, and his ability to make analogies of many situations in life or business to the game of baseball.

Patrick and I attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a Bachelor

of Business Administration with honors in 1966 and a law degree with honors in 1967. He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and the Texas Cowboys, an honorary student organization. While in law school, Patrick was the Managing Editor of the Texas Law Review and a member of the Friar Society. In 1997, he was appointed to serve on the Board of Regents for the University of Texas System for a six-year term. He also chaired the Health Affairs Committee, which oversaw the operations of six health institutions within the University of Texas System.

In 1973, Patrick joined the firm of Bracewell & Patterson, now known as Bracewell LLP, and immediately became its 13th partner. He specialized in business and transactional law at the firm, focusing on real estate, energy, and banking. Later, Patrick served as Managing Partner and led the opening of the firm's New York City office. Patrick took great pride and interest in recruiting and mentoring young lawyers at the firm; he genuinely cared and was a brilliant attorney who loved to share his passion for the law with others.

Patrick believed that Houston's business leaders had an obligation to further the city's success. He took an active role in many civic and business organizations, including Chairman, the Greater Houston Partnership; Director, M.D. Anderson Services Corporation; Chairman Emeritus, Texas Medical Center, Inc.; Advisory Board Member, Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University; and Board Member, the Kinder Institute for Constitutional Democracy at the University of Missouri.

Patrick believed deeply in the ideals outlined by our Founding Fathers and in our constitutional system. He spent hours assisting candidates he believed would improve the city, state, and country. In fact, Patrick twice served as chairman of the campaign committee for Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and was a leader in the gubernatorial and presidential campaigns of George W. Bush. He also served as counsel for many statewide and local officeholders in Texas.

Patrick was a man of deep faith. He attended Mass daily at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Houston and served as a Eucharistic Minister and Continuing Catholic Education (CCE) teacher. He also contributed to the educational and service ministries of the Archdiocese of Galveston- Houston.

Patrick is survived by his wife of 32 years, Katie Oxford; his daughters, Elizabeth Pagan and Virginia Fleming; his sons-in-law, Greer Pagan and Lee Fleming; his grandson, Charlie Pagan; his brothers, Hubert Oxford III and Denis Oxford; his sister, Virginia Thompson; his sister-in-law, Canice Garth and her husband, David; his brothers-in- law, Kit Herrington and Tommy Herrington; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. Patrick is preceded in death by his parents, Hubert and Virginia, and sister, Mary Englander.

Madam Speaker, it is a special privilege to honor my dear friend, Patrick Cunningham Oxford, who devoted his life to serving others. The Houston community will not forget him or his significant impact on the city, and my heartfelt prayers remain with his family and friends during this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Louisiana for having this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, there are multiple crises. That is exactly right. It is nearly impossible to discuss President Biden's self-inflicted economic crisis without mentioning his excessive spending. I am not talking about money to strengthen our military or to make America more competitive in the world. Biden and the Democrats have no interest in that. This out-of-control spending is necessary only to appease the radical Democrat base who prioritize radical climate change policies without a care in the world for their consequences.

As a result, inflation sits at a 40-year high and our national debt has increased by trillions of dollars. For years, my colleagues across the aisle have worked tirelessly to desensitize Americans to the word ``trillion,'' and they have succeeded for the most part because a trillion of anything is such a mind-boggling figure for the average human to wrap his mind around it.

When I was elected to Congress in 2014, our national debt was $17 trillion. Fast-forward 8 years later, our national debt has topped $30 trillion. This should shock every American taxpayer, but it doesn't seem to. Allow me to put this into perspective.

If you owed $1 trillion, and you decided to pay $1 per second until your debt was paid off, it would take you around 31,700 years to become debt-free. Now, multiply that by 30, for $30 trillion of our national debt. I am no mathematician, but this amounts to approximately 951,000 years. So if we paid $1 per second until our $30 trillion national debt is paid off, it would take us just shy of a million years to become debt-free.

President Biden and the Democrats must be stopped. American solvency must be preserved. Generations of future Americans are counting on us to regain control of Washington's unsustainable spending. We literally cannot afford to fail.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Florida, Mrs. Cammack, for having this and honoring law enforcement in this Special Order.

Madam Speaker, the surge and violence across the country and the targeted attacks on our brave law enforcement officers are happening thanks to the Democrats' relentless calls to defund the police.

The left has brazenly stripped the police departments of necessary funding and enacted new laws that actually ensure that violent criminals have the freedom to inflict more harm. To be clear, violent criminals are being released on little to no bail only to kill again.

This is the Democrats' America. These shameful and purely political policies put criminals above law-abiding citizens. Our law enforcement officials should be respected and honored for their role in keeping us safe.

Tonight, I want to highlight one such individual, Tyler County native, growing up in Spurger, Texas, Texas Ranger, Joe Haralson, from my county, Tyler County, Texas.

Joe was an Army infantryman during the Vietnam war and earned the Bronze Star and Air Medal, with Oak Leaf Clusters for both, for his heroic service. Less than a year after returning home in Vietnam from 1971, Joe enrolled himself in the Department of Public Safety's 18-week training academy in Austin, Texas. After a decade of hard work as a DPS officer, Joe finally received his Texas Ranger badge.

This year marks Joe's 41st year with the Texas Rangers. He is the longest serving Texas Ranger in Texas' illustrious history, and what a hero he is. He has served his fellow Texans for more than half a century, and his time in law enforcement is nothing short of amazing and inspiring.

Over the decades, Joe has worked on cases involving murders, robberies, kidnappings, rapes, and much more. He has seen the face of evil countless times, yet is one of the humblest and kindness men that you will ever meet.

It is a privilege to have this American patriot as a friend, share his story, express my sincerest gratitude for his devotion to our community and to our State of Texas. These are the heroes that radical Democrats have abandoned, but I never will.

God bless you, Joe.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my longtime friend and community leader, James Allan Guthrie of Pasadena, Texas, who passed away on December 18, 2021, at the age of 70.

James was born in Houston, Texas, on April 27, 1951, to James and Loretta Guthrie. A devoted member of the Zion Lutheran Church in Pasadena, James was baptized on June 5, 1960, and confirmed on June 6, 1965. He attended Zion Lutheran School in Pasadena, graduated from Lutheran High School in Houston, and went on to study at San Jacinto College. At age 18, James became a real estate broker and he worked alongside his father in that industry for 30 years.

On May 6, 1977, James married the love of his life, Ms. Pamela Ann Rothermel. Last May marked their 44th year of marriage. James and Pam were blessed with a daughter, Moriah Ashlee Guthrie, on October 18, 1984.

James, Pam, and Moriah never missed an opportunity to serve their community. They could often be seen side-by-side at many church, community, and civic functions. James' passion for helping people and supporting his community remained throughout his entire adult life. He served on the following organizations:

Councilman, city of Pasadena, Texas; vice chairman, city of Pasadena's Texas Planning Commission; chairman, Pasadena Chamber of Commerce; board member, San Jacinto College Foundation; board member, Pasadena Independent School District Education Foundation Board; member, Bridge Over Troubled Waters; founding board member, Habitat for Humanity Pasadena; chairman, Pasadena Philharmonic Orchestra; founding board member of the Pasadena Kiwanis Club; board member, Preston Trails Homeowners Association; chairman, Pasadena Salvation Army Advisory Council; chairman, Innovative Alternatives; board member, Pasadena Rotary Club; board member, Pasadena Community Pregnancy Center; board member, Armand Bayou Watershed Partnership; and board member, Advisory Council of the Methodist Retirement Community--The Crossings. Few have done more than Mr. Guthrie.

Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to recognize my wonderful friend, James Guthrie, today on the House floor. He was a one-of-a-kind leader in the 36th Congressional District that I have been privileged to represent, who left behind a legacy that will long be remembered.

His loyalty and his friendship will be deeply missed by myself and countless others in our community. My heartfelt prayers remain with his family and friends during this difficult time.

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

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack).

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

I stand in strong opposition to what should be called the concedes act. Once again, we are voting on a bill that was forced through this Chamber in a partisan fashion, and one that lacks the policies needed to bolster our competitiveness and combat the threats from our foreign adversaries.

The hard work and the bipartisan collaboration of the Space, Science, and Technology Committee has, once again, been obliterated so that the left can pass partisan policies.

Once again, in a sincere and goodwill attempt to work across the aisle on important policy, I introduced an amendment that would have reauthorized NASA's enhanced-use leasing program for 1 year, a timeline supported by both parties. But to no surprise, the Democrats put messaging over good governance and refused to make that noncontroversial amendment in order.

And just a few weeks ago, we had a bipartisan EUL bill that had already passed this House. It was stolen from us, gutted, and turned into a Federal election takeover bill.

Instead of focusing on commonsense solutions to our China problems, H.R. 4521 hurts the American people. It lets China off the hook for failing to contain COVID-19. It fails to ban funding to CCP-tied organizations. It fails to punish the CCP for its blatant human rights abuses, and it fails to stop China's theft of America's intellectual property.

Today, we had another opportunity to pass important legislation to support American technology and to hold foreign adversaries accountable. Instead, we are, once again, wasting the American people's time, and I urge every single one of my colleagues to vote ``no''.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I take great offense at what I just heard, that we are supposedly Asian bashing. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is typical Democrat accusations, politics, and identity politics; I should say this. We have never bashed anybody for their heritage whatsoever. Our argument is totally 100 percent countering the Chinese Communist Party. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the heritage of any people whatsoever.

Our greatest adversary in the world today is the Chinese Communist Party. If we can't push back on the Communist Chinese without being accused of racial accusations and racism, which is so typical of this other side, I feel like this country is not being well served at all.

Madam Speaker, with that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

During the past 2 hours of debate, you have heard my colleagues mention dozens and dozens of flaws in this bill, and they haven't even covered all of them.

There is an excessive transfer of taxpayer dollars to international climate slush funds, with no guardrails preventing that money from going to China, our greatest adversary today.

There is a dramatic expansion of the Treasury's authority, giving them unchecked power to block Americans' digital currency payments worldwide. There is the permanent extension of the healthcare tax credit for trade adjustment assistance beneficiaries with no justification. There are Solyndra-style loan guarantees.

It seems like this bill has everything in it except for the one thing that it desperately needs: a focus on countering the growing danger we face from the Chinese Communist Party.

There is no question in my mind that the Chinese Communist Party is the greatest threat that we face as a nation today. I was proud to work on bipartisan House Science, Space, and Technology Committee legislation to make America more competitive and more secure. I had high hopes that we could take our proposals, which passed the House with broad bipartisan support, and conference them with the Senate to create a strong, strategic approach for America's continued technological growth and global competitiveness.

Unfortunately, the Speaker had other priorities. Instead of moving forward on a true China bill, she created a massive Christmas tree with unrelated liberal priorities hung from every branch like ornaments.

We cannot afford this partisan gamesmanship. The threat is too real for the American people and our national security.

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

Madam Speaker, this bloc of amendments includes nearly every single Democrat amendment that was made in order by the Rules Committee. I can't pretend to know why these particular amendments were made in order because that decision was made behind closed doors rather than in a bipartisan manner.

I will say that the sheer number of amendments being considered en bloc shows that even Members of the Speaker's own party didn't have the chance to contribute to the underlying bill until now.

I will also say that, unfortunately, most of these provisions take a bad bill and simply make it worse. These amendments add studies on declining salmon populations, direct USDA to research fake meat, and establish an entirely new institute to focus on zero-emission locomotives.

Whether or not any of these are worthy policies, I think we can all agree that they do not belong in a legislative package meant to address the threat of the Chinese Communist Party and to make America more competitive globally.

America's economic success for generations has been driven by our investment in transformational basic research. The Chinese Communist Party wants to copy that success and take over as the global leader in science and technology. They are investing more money in R&D than we are and graduating many more STEM professionals than we are as well.

They have a laser focus on surpassing the United States and reaping the economic and national defense benefits that come with technological superiority.

They aren't wasting time on fake meat and trains, and we should not be either.

I urge my colleagues to oppose these amendments, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

This bloc of amendments we are now considering includes 51 bipartisan provisions that were handpicked by the Rules Committee and Democrat leadership out of more than 600 amendments that Members submitted for consideration.

I appreciate these Members taking a page out of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee's playbook and working across the aisle to try to move these provisions forward.

If the entire bill had been done in this way, we would certainly have a more focused and effective legislation that could have garnered bipartisan support.

This block of amendments includes several provisions that have gone through the proper channels of being marked up and reported out of the committee.

Unfortunately, it also includes provisions that have not gone through regular order. Members weren't given the opportunity to review, improve, and vote on these policies in committee. Having a Democrat and Republican cosponsor an amendment does not mean they are fully vetted or bipartisan either.

But by tossing together a massive partisan package, the Speaker has made it clear that she does not value regular order. And by ignoring regular order, she has limited Member input. So Members feel the need to take advantage of any opportunity to move their priorities, even if they have nothing to do with increasing our competitiveness with China.

Much like the expansive jurisdictional reach of this legislation, this block of amendments is simply a smorgasbord of policies, and they would best be considered individually rather than en bloc.

I will leave it to the amendment sponsors to explain why Members should support this en bloc.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Madam Speaker, this block of amendments includes nearly every single Republican amendment that was made in order by the Committee on Rules.

Out of more than 600 amendments submitted to the Committee on Rules, only 37 Republican amendments were made in order. There is no rhyme or reason to which amendments were accepted and which were rejected. I want to be very, very clear, that I do not support the underlying legislation here. But that said, the amendments being considered in this block were the only chance that most Republican Members have had to have any impact at all on this massive, nearly 3,000-page bill.

Because so few committees held markup or bipartisan discussions in their provisions in this bill, there have been very few opportunities to review or revise this legislation. Among this block of amendments were safeguards, improvements, and cost-saving measures.

My colleagues, Representatives Garcia and Burgess, offered an amendment that would prohibit the massive climate change provisions in this bill from taking effect until the Secretary of Energy can certify that they will not reduce our energy independence.

Representative Grothman's amendment that would strike the $8 billion in taxpayer funds from being given to a U.N. climate fund--a slush fund, if you will--the same fund that has given the Chinese Communist Party already $100 million. And Representative Bice's amendment would demand accountability from the administration before allocating any funding to this fund.

Representatives Gimenez and Burgess would require the Secretary of Energy to ensure that no provisions in

this bill will raise energy costs for Americans.

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, these amendments improve on the underlying legislation but cannot ultimately fix this legislation. So while I urge my colleagues to vote for these amendments, I remain opposed to this sprawling partisan bill.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, my Democrat colleagues have made it absolutely crystal clear that they have no intention of holding Communist China accountable, for anything. Whether it is stealing our intellectual property, flooding our colleges with Communist propaganda, committing academic espionage, or unleashing COVID-19 onto the world, this malicious regime does whatever it wants to and with zero consequences.

Most shocking of all, is that much of their treacherous behavior is being covered up by the Democrat Party, who are more interested in Beijing's success than our very own American success. Let's be clear, the American COMPETES Act is not about contending with China; it is about surrendering to the Chinese Communist Party.

While our country deteriorates from skyrocketing inflation, raging crime, open borders, crumbling supply chains, over 100,000 American deaths from overdoses on Chinese fentanyl, the Democrats spend their time empowering our adversaries with bad policies and American tax dollars.

Democrats claim to care about human rights, but they will not make the Chinese Communist Party answer for its atrocities against the Uyghurs. Democrats prioritize climate change above everything else, but make no effort to call out China, the world's biggest polluter. Democrats fight to keep COVID-19 in the spotlight, but refuse to hold a single hearing about the virus' origins. Shameful. The list goes on and on.

Americans can see this is hypocrisy, and as my friend from Louisiana said, there will be a reckoning this coming November. The American people deserve better from those that they elect to keep them safe.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th birthday of World War II veteran Travis Adam Stark.

Travis Stark was born on January 31, 1922, in Blox, Texas, to parents George and Georgia Stark. The eldest of nine children, Travis spent his youth working on the family farm in Bon Wier, Texas. At 19, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and was sent to work in Zavalla, Texas. While employed with the CCC, he was chosen to assist a local college with trapping foxes for research purposes. Due to the economic instability brought on by the Great Depression, he sent most of his wages back home to support his family. After 11 months with the CCC, Travis accepted a job at the local shipyard and was there only a few weeks before being drafted by the United States Army.

On November 4, 1942, Travis was assigned to Company C of the 844th Engineer Aviation Battalion. His job within the battalion was to build airstrips and operate and maintain heavy equipment. His company was sent to England just before D-Day. After our forces invaded Normandy, Travis' company was sent to France. He was later stationed in Germany and then in Austria. While in Austria, he and 11 other ``good old boys'' from Texas and Louisiana were asked to hunt game to supplement the Army's rations with fresh meat. After doing his part to fill the stomachs of his fellow warfighters, Travis's company was sent back to France, where they boarded a ship and returned to America. For his military service, Travis received an honorable discharge on January 1, 1946, along with a European-African-Middle Eastern (EAME) Campaign Medal, a Victory Ribbon, one Service Stripe, five Overseas Service Bars, and an Expert Rifle Badge.

After his time in the Army ended, Travis returned to Southeast Texas. He began working for Texaco, Inc., where he would remain for the next 39 years. Later, Travis married Bernis Kraus, and they had one daughter. He later became the proud grandfather of two granddaughters and the great-grandfather of five great-grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, Travis spent his life loving God, his family, and his country. It is my honor to recognize him as an American patriot who valiantly answered the call to protect and defend this great nation during the Second World War. I thank him for his inspiring service and dedication to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I want to just say how much I appreciate the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for having this very, very valuable worthwhile Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of the 63 million babies who have tragically been aborted since the Supreme Court's devastating decision in Roe v. Wade.

However, in the 49 years since that fatal decision, science has unmistakably proven that unborn babies can feel pain as early as 15 weeks. They even have a character. We can see it on sonograms.

But the left likes to ignore this fact. They seem to only value the type of science that supports their political agenda. It is time for the ``party of science'' to actually follow the science and to protect the unborn.

I will always fight for life. I am proud to be up here with my colleagues today standing up for these unborn, innocent, little human beings. I sincerely pray that the Supreme Court of the United States will make the just decision to overturn Roe v. Wade this very year.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman, my good friend right across the Sabine River, for yielding.

No President has ever had a worse first year in office than Joe Biden.

And sadly, his deteriorating 42 percent approval rating perfectly mirrors the deteriorating state of our country.

We are facing crises on nearly every front, and our Commander in Chief who, by the way, is responsible for creating each and every one of these crises, is doing absolutely nothing to stop them.

However, the most threatening of these concerns is still the unmitigated disaster that is raging on our southern border.

More than 1.7 million illegal alien apprehensions happened under Biden's watch last year, and those were just the ones that we caught.

Instead of securing our borders, this administration spent all of 2021 sweeping the rule of law under the rug and using the cover of darkness to fly thousands of unvetted and untested for COVID illegal aliens across the country to be released into our neighborhoods.

How many more innocent women and children need to be assaulted, raped, and trafficked?

How many more Americans need to overdose on Chinese fentanyl that is being smuggled across the border?

How many more terrorists need to be caught trying to infiltrate our Nation?

What level of threat do we need to reach to finally garner some action from this President?

Americans are tired of paying for this administration's ignorance and political games.

This is a new year, Mr. President. Use it wisely.

It is past time that you live up to the oath that you swore.

Madam Speaker, I really appreciate the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Banks), the chairman of the Republican Study Committee. I thank him so much for having this very important Special Order.

Madam Speaker, this week marks 1 year since Joe Biden became President, and what a lawless year this has been. Never in my entire life would I have dreamed that we would have a President who prioritizes criminals and illegal aliens over law-abiding American citizens. But here we are.

The reckless policies coming out of this White House and the Democratic Party as a whole have put you and your families in grave danger.

It is not hard to see where the left's demonization of law enforcement and the decision to gut police department funding has gotten us. Thanks to the Democrats, we are now in the midst of a crime wave with record-high homicide rates in more than a dozen major cities across this great country of ours. The city of Chicago alone saw at least 800 homicides in 2021, a number that we haven't seen in decades. Bad policies lead to bad consequences. And folks, we are living these in technicolor.

More than 100 of our brave police officers were shot in ambush-style attacks last year. Meanwhile, we have seen violent criminals released into our neighborhoods to commit more violent crimes.

It is happening in my own district in Houston, Texas, in the 36th Congressional District, which had its deadliest year in nearly 40 years. In Harris County, 113 criminals were granted bond after capital murder charges in 2021. Yes, you heard that right: capital murder charges.

Numerous Harris County citizens have been murdered by repeat criminals out on bail, murders which, tragically, could have been avoided. Innocent Americans are being hurt and killed by this foolhardy Democrat policy. But accountability starts at the top. Will this crime wave be just another crisis to go unresolved in 2022, or will this President and his party come back to reality and work with us to stop it?

America is watching.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Michael ``Mike'' K. Shields for his outstanding service to the City of Baytown and

West Chambers County, Texas. After serving as the Executive Director of the Baytown-West Chambers County Economic Development Foundation for the last 36 years, Mike will be retiring this month.

For nearly four decades, Mike has been a driving force for regional economic growth. Without a doubt, his work has improved the quality of life for all living in the City of Baytown and the surrounding community.

Over the years, Mike played a major role in landing many significant developments and project expansions, including the establishment of a regional logistics hub, a distribution center for a multinational retail corporation, a multinational steel-making company, and the largest master-planned, rail-and-barge-served industrial park in the U.S. He was also instrumental in creating the Cedar Bayou Navigation District as well as the various improvement districts in Chambers County. These projects yielded numerous high-paying jobs for Baytown and generated a multitude of support from countless businesses in the Greater Houston area, including critical industries along the Houston Ship Channel.

During his tenure, Mike collaborated with key stakeholders, such as the City of Baytown, Chambers County, Harris County, the Port of Houston, the Greater Houston Partnership, the State of Texas, the Houston-Galveston Area Council, and the Baytown Chamber of Commerce to diversify the economy and enhance growth and prosperity within the region. In addition, he actively contributed to the industrial development of the Greater Houston area through his memberships in the Texas Economic Development Council and the International Economic Development Council.

As if these significant accomplishments were not enough, Mike also served his nation honorably as an infantryman in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. During the war, his unit ran Reconnaissance-in-Force (RIF) missions to determine the location of enemy combatants for artillery strikes.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mike Shields for his momentous contributions to the economic development of the City of Baytown, West Chambers County, and the surrounding communities over the last 36 years. Our region has a flourishing economy, in large part to Mike's efforts, and I wish him and his family all the best in retirement.

Madam Speaker, I am prevented by House rules from using the profanity that I would like to because I stand here absolutely outraged. I am outraged because the Democrats have outdone themselves with this lie. I am outraged because the Democrats have made a mockery of bipartisan collaboration for cheap political gain. I am outraged because Democrats have not an ounce of respect for this institution or the rules or the consequences of their actions in this Chamber.

A few hours ago, H.R. 5746 was the NASA Enhanced Use Leasing Extension Act, a simple three-page bill that was good for NASA, good for our space industry, and good for our taxpayers, a bill that I was very proud to cosponsor.

Now, in the dark of night, this bill has been hijacked and mutilated to become the latest iteration of the Democrats' Federal takeover of our election system--a wolf in sheep's clothing. In fact, the only thing left from this original bill is its number.

What is worse, I can't even remove my name as a cosponsor. Isn't it ironic that the same bill the Democrats are using as a vehicle to steal elections in perpetuity was itself stolen? I can't say that I am surprised. Just like with elections, if they can't do it legally, Democrats will find a way to hijack and steal it--all of this from the party who claims Republicans are the obstructionists. Give me a break.

Madam Speaker, I demand that my name be removed from this Trojan horse, and I urge every single one of my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my friend, Joseph ``Joe'' Eggleston Gardner, Jr., who passed away on Thursday, December 16, 2021, at the age of 72, in San Antonio, Texas.

Joe was born in Washington, D.C., on March 26, 1949. However, he was raised in Corpus Christi, Texas. He graduated from Sewanee Military Academy and earned degrees at both the University of Texas and Texas A&M University.

Joe contributed generously to civic organizations by serving on the Texas Water Development Board, the Nueces River Authority, and the Del Mar College Board of Directors. He also co-founded the Animal Rescue Foundation in Seguin, Texas. Joe was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Corpus Christi and I was a board member of Saint Joseph's Anglican Church in New Braunfels.

Joe and I first met 40 years ago when we served on the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners together. Joe was the first public member ever appointed, and I was the youngest dentist ever selected for the board. We were the new guys, but I knew dentistry, and Joe knew ``Robert's Rules of Order,'' a guide of parliamentary procedure, and it was not long before we made our mark.

We had much in common, and our friendship endured long after our Dental Board tenures. He was a student of history and an astute political mind. Since his teenage years, Joe was an active member of the Republican Party. He was on the staff of Senator John Tower, the first Republican Senator elected from Texas since the Civil War. Joe also served on the Congressional Republican Caucus, and he was, at one time, a candidate for U.S. Congress. He did not win, but he never gave up, and he never gave in on his strong conservative beliefs.

Joe is preceded in death by his mother, Neely Laura Procter Gardner of Houston, Texas, and his father, Joseph Eggleston Gardner, M.D., of Greenwood, Mississippi. He is survived by his daughter, Rebecca Sarah Gardner of Savannah, Georgia; his son, Joseph Eggleston Peyton Gardner of Austin, Texas; and his brother, William Frank Gardner of Houston, Texas.

Madam Speaker, it is a privilege to honor my friend Joe Gardner today on the House floor. He was one-of-a-kind, always faithful, funny, and someone you could count on in good times and bad. I will be forever grateful for his friendship and will miss him dearly. My heartfelt prayers remain with his family and friends during this difficult time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my friend, Doyle Orval ``Korn Bread'' Cowart, and his wife, Kathy Anne Moore Cowart, both of whom passed away on Thursday, December 16, 2021.

Doyle was born in Colmesneil, Texas, on September 10, 1937, to Doyle and Trudie Cowart. He worked as a supervisor in the petrochemical industry for 38 years before retiring. Doyle had a passion for syrup making, trail riding, and farming. Doyle and I served together in The Gideons International. Kathy was born on February 22, 1940, also in Colmesneil, Texas, to Moot and Alice Moore. She worked as a bank teller for 40 years before retiring. Kathy's passions were hospitality, gardening, and community fellowship.

Doyle and Kathy were high school sweethearts, and their love led to a wonderful marriage. They spent 63 lovely years together before going home to be with their Lord and Savior. The couple were lifelong residents of Colmesneil, Texas, and devoted members of First Baptist Church Colmesneil, where Doyle served as a Deacon and Kathy sang in the choir. Doyle and Kathy never met a stranger and welcomed all into their home to share a warm meal, a time of prayer, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Together, they built the Gathering Place, an event venue, in Colmesneil which served as a perfect representation of the passion they shared for their community, fellowship, and Christ's love.

Doyle and Kathy were preceded in death by their parents, Doyle Cleveland, Trudie Ollie Davis Cowart, Moot Jacob, and Alice Victoria Woodward Moore. They are survived by their daughter, Amy Hornsby of Anahuac, Texas; son, Doyle Orval Cowart, Jr. and his wife, Shelley, of Port Neches, Texas; son, Jerry Vance Cowart, and his wife, Tina Cowart, of Colmesneil, Texas; Kathy's brother, L.B. Hanks, and his wife, Joyce, of Port Neches, Texas; and her sisters, Wilma Jo Thweatt and Iris Gall, of San Antonio, Texas. They also leave behind their grandchildren: Amanda Abshier, Heath Abshier, Harlie Cowart, Kallie Cowart, Travis Cowart, and Brandon Cowart and his wife, Clara, and their great- grandchildren: Bella Abshier, Maddox Abshier, Bentley Abshier, Thomas Cowart, Peyton Cowart, and Paisley Cowart.

Madam Speaker, today, please join me in remembering Doyle and Kathy Cowart, two Godly people who will be missed. My heartfelt prayers remain with their family and friends during this difficult time.