Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, America is the envy of the world for our leadership in biomedical innovation. People from all over the world have an incredible amount of hope in the promise of our lifesaving, breakthrough research for more cures and treatments.

That is why I have been a longtime supporter of NIH and projects like the BRAIN Initiative intended to speed scientific research necessary to accelerate cures for neurologic diseases.

When the concept of ARPA-H was first proposed to me, I expressed a healthy dose of skepticism.

First, I was concerned about a clear and targeted strategic mission. I was concerned an unfocused agenda would not be a recipe for success.

The second was the issue of duplication. The Federal Government has several agencies that advance biomedical innovation. Within the National Institutes of Health alone, we already have the National Center for Advancing Translational Science, the Cures Acceleration Network, the Common Fund, and the Foundation for NIH's Accelerating Medicines Partnership Program, to name a few.

Third, I was concerned that the creation of a new agency would lack sufficient transparency and oversight. My questions to supporters of ARPA-H included:

How will projects be selected?

How will the public be kept informed of projects and project funding?

Who will be assessing for duplication of Federal programs, and how will it be managed?

What measure will be used to define success?

What are the guardrails to ensure that we are supporting American innovators?

These concerns were validated earlier this year when the administration began implementing the $1 billion that was appropriated to set up ARPA-H with little to no congressional direction. The Biden administration proposed 14 offices within ARPA-H. DARPA has six to eight. They also placed ARPA-H within NIH, which has its own issues in lacking transparency and accountability related to federally funded research and the origins of COVID-19.

We needed to ensure proper oversight and provide guardrails through congressional direction, so we plowed the hard ground necessary to legislate through the Energy and Commerce Committee. Chairman Frank Pallone and Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Anna Eshoo listened to my concerns. We had very productive negotiations to properly define ARPA- H's mission and place strong safeguards for transparency and accountability.

This bill defines ARPA-H's mission so that it is laser-focused on high-risk breakthrough technologies in health and medicine that are not being addressed by the private sector or current Federal programs.

This bill also prohibits Federal funding to China, Russia, and other recipients subject to malign foreign influence.

It moves the agency back outside of NIH.

We are also making sure ARPA-H sets the right priorities. The director must provide Congress with a strategic plan within 1 year of enactment and every 3 years on how ARPA-H will carry out projects. Projects will be evaluated every 18 months, and those not meeting milestones are expected to be terminated.

We placed guardrails on ARPA-H to prioritize projects that provide the greatest return on investment to improve human health and lower healthcare costs.

This bill also keeps the focus on lifesaving research. The director will have the power to hire and make appointments based on merit and expertise, not based on provisions that reward government bureaucrats.

We require those who receive ARPA-H funding to provide a public itemized report on indirect facilities and administrative costs.

To further cut down on duplication and mission creep, we limited the number of offices to 6, not the 14 proposed by the administration. Of those offices, at least four must be exclusively focused on R&D. In addition, not more than 15 percent of the total agency funding is allowed to go to administrative costs.

Mr. Speaker, I will close by thanking my colleagues for working together on this. I especially recognize the leadership of Chairman Pallone, Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Eshoo, Health Subcommittee Republican leader Brett Guthrie, as well as the 21st Century Cures leaders Fred Upton and Diana DeGette.

I am pleased we were able to come together. We put ARPA-H on the right path with a targeted mission, increased accountability and transparency, and a laser focus on promoting American innovators. It is a strong example of E&C's bipartisan record of success in moving legislation that will continue America's global leadership in biomedical research.

Mr. Speaker, before I close, I want to applaud and thank the members of my team: Grace Graham, Kristen Shatynski, Seth Gold, Kristin Flukey, and Kristin Ashford.

They say that Energy and Commerce has the best staff on the Hill, and that is certainly evident through their service to deliver hope and healing, both through this bill and through the package just before us with the mental health package. At every step of the way, I am grateful for their hard work and passion.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 5585, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Health Act.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I was not present in the House Chamber for the vote on Retaining Title II of H.R. 7910, Roll Call vote 238. Had I been present, I would have voted No on this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7667, the Food and Drug Amendments Act.

The Committee on Energy and Commerce plowed the hard ground necessary to legislate in a strong bipartisan way on this bill. We held three hearings in the Subcommittee on Health in February and March. In April, we introduced legislation, and then over the next week, the subcommittee voted.

H.R. 7667 passed out of Committee on Energy and Commerce by a vote of 55-0, and at each step, members' ideas were included to improve the legislation.

Today, we consider a suspension print with further improvements. It adds another provision for more drug manufacturing in America by providing the regulatory clarity needed

and the training necessary to utilize novel manufacturing technologies.

Overall, the FDA Act will reauthorize four user fee programs created to expedite the review of critical medical products that people depend on to live healthier and longer lives.

In addition to delivering drugs and medical devices to people faster, the FDA Act includes policies to lower healthcare costs, spur more lifesaving innovation, secure our supply chains, and provide hope to patients in need of breakthrough drugs and therapies. Those treatments won't make it to patients if FDA doesn't have the right tools to keep up with science, such as accelerated approval pathway.

Chairman Pallone and I initially had quite different versions for how the accelerated approval process should be updated, but we focused on where we could agree. We streamlined the process to remove drugs that no longer show effectiveness in post-market studies and made sure that real-world evidence can be used. We also made sure rare diseases aren't left out of accelerated approval because of a lack of knowledge and interest in developing the biomarkers necessary.

Lastly, not only is this legislation necessary to preserve patient access to new medical breakthroughs, it is fiscally responsible. It ensures FDA's timely review of medical products at a reduced cost to the taxpayer, and it reduces the deficit.

Many other members have priorities included in this legislation.

Mr. Buchanan has a bipartisan bill to make sure that we are moving away from preclinical testing on animal models where alternatives can work just as well.

Messrs. Griffith, Carter, and Hudson all have legislation to hold FDA accountable regarding inspections of foreign manufacturing facilities and pilots for FDA to give companies with novel manufacturing technologies more certainty.

Mr. Guthrie has a solution included to help insurers plan for breakthrough future treatments. This will help patients avoid sticker shock and protect earlier access to those treatments.

These are just some of more than a dozen examples of member priorities in the FDA Act. I strongly urge support of this legislation, and I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, this is for patients and families in every district and every corner of America who are relying on a generic drug, a medical device, like a pacemaker, or a novel cancer treatment. Those patients are relying on Congress to do its job so their drug approval isn't stalled.

I think about all the advocates, the hundreds of disease and rare disease groups who come to the people's House to share their stories with us. They have an extraordinary amount of hope in the promise of American innovation for new cures and access to treatments.

For them, I am supporting this legislation, and I am committed to work to get this signed into law on time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the founding of Odessa, Washington. To outsiders, Odessa may seem like a small rural town in Eastern Washington, but to those of us who know it well, it is a town full of entrepreneurial spirit, love for America, and passionate people--past and present.

First settled in the 1880s by cattlemen, Odessa is nestled in the Channeled Scab lands of Eastern Washington, which is one of the seven wonders of the Evergreen State. Shortly after, the Great Northern Railroad was built, and railroad officials sought to attract immigrants to buy up land, grow wheat, and ship the crop by rail. This transformed the town from a painted sign to a booming economy.

Homesteader George Finney, seeing the potential for greatness, donated his land to establish Odessa in 1899. He was right. In just a few short years, more immigrants arrived, participating in the local economy and growing the town culturally and spiritually.

Today, Odessa is a vibrant community that more than 1,000 residents call home. The town's rich tradition of hard work and grit makes it a shining example of small town America and the hope of a better future. With approximately 80 percent of Odessa residents able to trace their ancestry to the Black Sea and Volga Germans, the town will celebrate their 51st annual Deutschesfest this September with authentic German food, live music, a city-block large biergarten, parades, and a street fair.

As the representative in Congress for this one-of-a-kind town, I am so inspired by Odessa's dedication to keeping its heritage alive through education. The residents are committed to ensuring their kids become the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs, just like their ancestors. On this most special day, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Odessa's 120 years of remarkable history and celebrating their personification of the American spirit.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the historic partnership between Washington State University (WSU) and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL).

On Monday, April 18, 2022, Washington State University announced a gift of $20 million from Dr. and Mrs. Ed Schweitzer and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories. This is

the single-largest philanthropic donation ever made to WSU's Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, and it will go towards building the brand new, state-of-the-art Schweitzer Engineering Hall at WSU's campus in Pullman, Wash.

Dr. Schweitzer is a WSU alumnus and former professor who has participated in years of research collaborations with the university. He is also the founder of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, which is Washington's 5th Congressional District's largest private employer.

Since its founding, SEL has employed hundreds of Washington State Cougars, including nearly 450 currently working at the company. This historic contribution represents an exciting new chapter in a long- standing and successful partnership between WSU and SEL that will undoubtedly contribute to new learning opportunities for the next generation of leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs.

I am incredibly proud of the leadership at WSU and SEL, and I am grateful to call the Schweitzers my friends. Their generous contributions and unwavering commitment to the future leaders of our nation is vital to ushering in a new era of innovation that will take America to new heights.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this historic partnership and the tremendous impact it will have for students in Eastern Washington. I wish them nothing but success as they embark on this journey together.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 50th Anniversary of the Family Medicine Residency Spokane program.

Serving the Spokane community since 1972, this residency program is the oldest family residency program in Washington and graduated the first class of three family medicine physicians just two years after launching. Over the last 50 years, interest in the program has blossomed and residency classes have grown. In 2014, the program grew again with the help of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education funding program.

The 365 graduates of this program have gone on to provide primary care services in their communities, taken on leadership roles in other residency programs, received prestigious national appointments to various associations, and some have even returned to the Family Medicine Residency Spokane program as faculty to help mentor incoming resident physicians.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Family Medicine Residency Spokane played an integral role in the continuation of care delivery by serving as urgent care overflow. Their commitment to care helped ease the burden on urgent care facilities and emergency rooms across Spokane. They also provided telemedicine care to patients who were unable to visit in-person, administered immunizations to community members during one of the first vaccine clinics in Spokane, and stood ready to assist in our hospitals.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the many accomplishments of the Family Medicine Residency Spokane program. They are truly frontline heroes, and I wish them the best during this 50th year of service and beyond.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for bringing us together this evening to honor some of the finest that serve our communities to protect our communities day in and day out.

And today, I rise with a broken heart to honor two of Washington State's finest: Pierce County Sheriff's Deputy Dom Calata, and Everett Police Officer Dan Rocha, both tragically shot and killed in the line of duty, protecting and serving the communities that they called home.

For years, these 2 men, like so many others, put on the uniform each day, hugged their kids and kissed their wives and went to work to keep us safe; not knowing if they would ever walk back through the door at the end of the night.

Deputy Calata and Officer Rocha made the ultimate sacrifice and my heart breaks for their grieving families and the families of the other 685 officers killed in the line of duty since 2021.

Madam Speaker, we must do better. This is the United States of America and we cannot allow these assaults on our law enforcement to continue. We must fund the police and give them the resources they need to keep us safe, and make sure they make it home safe at the end of the day.

All around our communities, we see a surge of violent crime. We see heartbreaking drug abuse, violence in our schools, homelessness; and law enforcement is fighting an uphill battle, and they are on the front lines day in and day out. They need our support. Now, more than ever, we need them to do their jobs to address all of these issues.

The anti-police rhetoric only makes things worse, and it has infected too many hearts and minds. These individuals are our heroes.

Dom Calata was a hero. Dan Rocha was a hero. Each and every selfless man and woman in blue who gave their last breath in service to our community was a hero. And today, their families are without them. We must never forget their sacrifice and always back the blue.

I am encouraged tonight so many of my colleagues are joining together as Americans to recognize the fallen, and to remember them for who they are, heroes.

My heart goes out to those who are grieving this tragic loss, and I pray that God keeps watch over all those still serving.

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

We all share the goal of reducing the cost of insulin. This bill, however, is not the right answer. This is an attempt to revive Speaker Pelosi's proposed government drug-pricing scheme, part of a socialized medicine approach that would lead to fewer cures.

It is the largest expansion of the Federal Government's role in private health insurance design since ObamaCare. It will cost more than $11 billion over the next 10 years through higher subsidies for higher premiums.

Just this morning, Axios reported: ``But legislation like a House bill from Representative Angie Craig . . . that will be debated on the floor today wouldn't address the core problem of rising prices for insulin. It would instead shift more of the cost onto health insurers and employers and result in higher premiums, according to experts.''

That means people who can't afford day-to-day life because of inflation and spending will face higher costs somewhere else.

Today, it is the government fixing the price on insulin. What is next? Gas? Food?

History tells us that price-fixing doesn't work. It shifts the problem somewhere else so the powerful have the excuse for more subsidies, more spending, and more control.

This bill does nothing to address the real reasons insulin prices are going up. One of those is the pharmacy benefit managers and other middlemen who negotiate for high list prices and then hide the lower costs from the patients. This bill gives the middlemen who are making the money a pass because again, in this bill, the Democrats delay the rebate rule that would ensure that the real savings go into the pockets of the patients.

Madam Speaker, we have a solution. We have a bill that we have been working on for several Congresses. It enjoys bipartisan support. It is H.R. 19, the Lower Costs, More Cures Act.

It would lower the costs of all prescription drugs, including insulin. It caps seniors' out-of-pocket insulin costs at $50 per month through Medicare. It also allows high-deductible plans to cover insulin before the deductible kicks in. It increases low-cost options with more generic and biosimilar competition. There is exciting innovation on the way being built right now. And it creates more price transparency.

We should be lowering the costs without going down the road of price controls that destroy the hope of so many people in this country for lifesaving cures.

I urge us to reject H.R. 6833. Let's work on a solution for all diseases. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would just remind the body that the measure that the majority leader referred to failed in the Committee on Energy and Commerce with opposition from Democrats and Republicans because the proposed capping, price-fixing of drugs that the Democrats are promoting, would jeopardize cures; cures for people with Alzheimer's, cancers, diabetes.

This bill does not bring down the cost. It only shifts the cost. And in fact, their definition of negotiation would allow the government to impose a 95 percent tax on the innovators.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie), leader on the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Health Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bucshon), a great member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

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 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), an outstanding member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I hear the Democrats talking about this helping all Americans. This does nothing to help those without insurance. Let me repeat this. If you do not have insurance, this does not lower your cost, it may actually increase the price of your insulin.

Increasing competition to lower prices, as we do in H.R. 19 is the way, not dictating a price cap. We have break-through biosimilars right now. We had two approved last year; biosimilars that would help bring down the costs; costs savings within all markets so that patients would have access to lower-cost insulin.

The problem is getting those savings to the patients. The PBMs are the ones pocketing the money. Net prices have come down because of innovation. We can lower costs without shifting them. Let's go to work. Republicans and Democrats, we all want to lower the price of insulin and we can do it without government price controls and we can do it by working together and actually solving the problem.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the month of April as the Month of the Military Child.

I have always said that when someone joins the military, it is not just a job; it is a family commitment to our country. This is especially true for the more than 1.6 million children who have a parent on Active Duty serving our Nation, including nearly 2,000 who call Fairchild Air Force Base in eastern Washington home.

Over the next few weeks, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the thousands of brave men and women who demonstrate their courage and commitment to freedom, selflessly serving our country around the world. Let us take this time to say thank you to those in uniform keeping us safe and remind them that while they are taking care of us, we are taking care of their children.

To all the children of Active-Duty servicemembers, we salute you. We recognize your commitment to our country. We share in your struggles of not seeing your mom and dad. We support you unconditionally. Just like your parents, you are a hero in your own way, and in April, we celebrate you.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the incredible sacrifices of military children across the country and invite my fellow Americans to help us honor them with unwavering support and appreciation today and every day.

Madam Speaker, my heart is heavy as I rise today with Rep. Gary Palmer to honor the life of my dear friend, Bob Williams, who passed away on March 15, 2022. My prayers are with Bob's wife Jane, his family, and all who loved him as we mourn his passing.

Bob was a humble public servant who loved Washington with all his heart. He dedicated a decade of his life to serving the people of Washington in the State House of Representatives and even made a run for governor in 1988.

Shortly after, I met Bob for the first time in Olympia. I had just been elected to the State House, and I remember being struck by his big smile and even bigger heart. We became fast friends, bonding over our common pursuit of a more perfect Union. I was inspired by Bob's commitment to individual liberty, free enterprise, and a limited accountable government.

In 1991, he founded the Freedom Foundation to advance those very ideals we both held dear. Since its founding, the Freedom Foundation has been a beacon of Bob's vision for America, and his legacy will live on in their work for years to come.

Bob was one of the brightest minds I've ever known, and I will always miss him stopping by the office with a new idea or a word of encouragement. His commitment to fighting for freedom and opportunity for all was unwavering, and it inspires me to this day. He believed in the importance and value of covering every day in prayer and impressed upon me how time on the plane was prime time to read my Bible and pray. Each and every one of us who had the privilege of knowing Bob in this life are better because of it, and I thank God for giving me the blessing of calling him my friend.

Madam Speaker, Bob Williams lived an amazing life that deserves to be celebrated. In honor of his legacy, passion, and contributions that inspired so many, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Bob Williams. May God grant him eternal peace in His kingdom.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman, my good friend, Dan Newhouse, chairman of the Western Caucus, for his great leadership for bringing us together tonight.

This is a pivotal moment in our Nation's history. We are witnessing the real dangers of undermining our independence because of a rush-to- green agenda and what it means for our national security, our geopolitical power, and our standard of living here in the United States of America.

Energy is foundational to everything that we do. Actions to shut down American energy disarms us, and it disarms our security. By boosting our domestic production of oil and natural gas, we could be helping our allies in Europe, standing with Ukraine, and countering Putin's war.

Shutting down American energy drives people into poverty. Energy prices here at home are surging. Gas prices are the most expensive in the United States' history, breaking the record that was set by the Obama administration in 2008. Filling up the gas tank now will cost a typical family an additional $2,000 this year. This is not ``Putin's price hike.''

How did this happen? How did America get into this energy crisis? These are the facts:

Under President Biden, domestic oil production declined by more than 1.5 million barrels per day, while Russian imports to the United States reached an 11-year high.

President Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline and imposed a moratorium on energy development on Federal lands.

The administration is currently sitting on more than 4,500 permits to drill.

Regulatory uncertainty surrounding pipeline approvals have already led to the cancelation of at least four major

pipeline projects that could have served over 25 million homes.

The cancelations of these four pipelines restricted nearly 10 percent of our natural gas production. And other pipelines are under threat of closure, like Line 5, which is critical to those who live in Michigan and Ohio.

But what is the administration's solution to this self-made crisis? What they really want to do is ban all oil and force a faster transition to their radical agenda. The President is doubling down on the rush to wind, solar, and electric vehicles--he stated so in the State of the Union--while at the same time saying that he wants to make things in America.

In order to make things in America, we must cut the red tape for domestic mining, the processing of minerals that right now is nearly impossible in our Nation. China is controlling 80 percent of the critical minerals and materials needed to manufacture renewables and batteries. We can't trade American energy security, reliability, and affordability by rushing to green technologies that make us reliant on the Chinese Communist Party.

America is the number one energy producer in the world, and we should act like it, yet the actions we are taking right now are not helping. We could boost our domestic energy production. It is vital to our way of life, our security in bringing down energy prices.

This Congress should move the legislation that I introduced with my friend Bruce Westerman, who is the ranking Republican on the Natural Resources Committee. It is called the American Energy Independence from Russia Act.

It would immediately remove restrictions on U.S. LNG exports so that we could deliver natural gas to our allies in Europe rather than them continuing to be dependent on Russia. They get 40 percent of their natural gas from Russia.

It would restart the oil and gas leasing on Federal lands and offshore so that we could regain our energy dominance, our energy independence.

It would protect American energy and mineral development from unilateral shutdowns by the Biden administration just revoking permits.

And because we need more pipelines, pipelines that are the safest way to move product, we would approve the Keystone XL pipeline.

Second, the administration must stop delaying the permits and put Americans to work on energy infrastructure in America. Right now, it takes on average 6 or 7 years to review a project.

Third, we need to embrace innovation for abundant, affordable, and clean energy for us and the rest of the world. It means reducing the permitting and regulatory burdens around nuclear. We should be leading in advanced nuclear technology, for us here in the United States and around the world, but right now the permitting is so costly and time consuming, it is delaying our progress.

With an all-of-the-above strategy, we can say ``yes'' to America's global leadership and lower energy prices. I continue to urge my colleagues across the aisle to work together on this. Let's flip the switch on American energy to ensure a better life and a more secure future for all.

For sure. We need energy to do everything.

We need to be leading. It is American leadership; it is American competitiveness; it is our security. Let's do it.

Madam Speaker, on March 8, 2022, the House voted on H. Con. Res. 70, a measure condemning threats of violence against historically Black colleges and universities and reaffirming support for HBCUs and their students. I was not present for this vote, but had I been in the House Chamber, I would have voted Yes on H. Con. Res. 70.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

We are all inspired by the people of Ukraine and the leadership of President Zelensky and Mayor Klitschko.

Today, Christian Ukrainians asked for Christians around the world to join in praying, specifically, Psalm 31. So please join me.

O Lord, we come to You for protection. Don't let us be disgraced. Save us, for You do what is right.

Turn Your ear to listen to us. Rescue us. Be our rock, our protection, our fortress, where we will be safe.

For the honor of Your name, lead us out of this danger. Pull us from the traps of our enemies, for we find protection in You alone.

We entrust our spirit into Your hand. Rescue us, Lord, for You are a faithful God.

We will be glad and rejoice in Your unfailing love. You have seen our troubles and You care about the anguish of our souls.

Have mercy on us, Lord, for we are in distress. Tears blur our eyes. Our body and soul are withering away. We are dying from grief.

We are scorned by our enemies, despised by their neighbors. Even our friends are afraid to come near. When they see us in the streets, they will run the other way.

We are being ignored as if we were dead, as if we were a broken pot.

We have heard the many rumors, and they are surrounded by terror. Their enemies conspire, plotting to take our lives.

But we are trusting You, O Lord, saying You are our God. Our future is in Your hands. Rescue us from those who hunt us down relentlessly.

Let Your favor shine on Your servants. In Your unfailing love, rescue. Don't let us be disgraced, O Lord, for we call out to You for help. Let the wicked be disgraced. Let them lie in silence in the grave.

Silence their lying lips, those proud and arrogant lips that accuse the godly.

How great is the goodness You have stored up for those who fear You. You lavish it on those who come to You for protection, blessing them before the watching world.

You hide us in the shelter of Your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter us in Your presence, far from accusing tongues.

Praise the Lord, for He has shown us the wonders of His unfailing love. He has kept us safe when my city was under attack. In panic, we cried out, ``We are cut off from the Lord,'' but You heard our cry for mercy and answered our call for help.

Love the Lord, all you godly ones, for the Lord protects those who are loyal to Him, but He harshly punishes the arrogant.

So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Amen.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge immediate consideration of the American Energy Independence from Russia Act.

Innocent blood is being spilled in Ukraine as we speak. Women and children are being separated from their fathers. Democracy is under attack. Freedom must prevail. What do the people in Ukraine want? They want self-determination and independence from Russia.

Mr. Speaker, Russia's economy is entirely dependent upon energy production and exports. Putin uses energy and pipelines as weapons, threatening to cut off supplies or hike prices when the West confronts Russia's aggression. Russia's energy exports fund its military and its current attack on Ukraine. America, not Russia, is the world's number one energy producer. We should act like it and lead.

President Biden must restore American energy dominance and use energy resources to help Ukraine and Europe fight back. We shouldn't be buying a single barrel of oil from Russia, and our allies shouldn't be beholden to aggressors that attack their freedom. Europe should have the choice to buy American energy and say no to Russian pipelines and Nord Stream 2.

That is why Congressman Bruce Westerman and I are leading on the American Energy Independence from Russia Act. This bill flips the switch on American energy. We need more pipelines, including Keystone XL, so this bill immediately approves the Keystone XL pipeline so that we can import crude oil from Canada, not Russia.

It also removes all restrictions on U.S. energy exports to deliver natural gas to our allies in Europe, and it restarts oil and gas leasing on our Federal lands and offshore waters.

This is how we shut down Putin's war chest, stand by Ukraine, empower our allies, protect our national security, and create jobs here at home.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to say ``no'' on this previous question and ``yes'' on the American Energy Independence from Russia Act.