Floor Statements

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, we are now well into the month of July and less than 3 months away from the current Farm Bill extension expiring. As such, I would like to bring renewed focus on the framework proposed by my colleague and Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. I commend my friend Senator Boozman from Arkansas for presenting us with a framework that answers the call of farmers, ranchers, stakeholders, and taxpayers across the country.

For the greater part of 2 years, we have heard time and time again from those who elected us to be here: ``In the next Farm Bill, Congress must''--and these are some of the things they say we must do: Strengthen the farm safety net--ARC, PLC, disaster assistance, and crop insurance, among other important safety net mechanisms; enhance conservation programs, especially those designed for our working lands, such as the CSP and EQIP programs; provide greater opportunities for U.S. agriculture in the global marketplace; ensure that our domestic food assistance programs serve as a hand up and not a handout; offer better access to credit and financing, particularly for young and beginning farmers; dedicate adequate resources to our rural communities, which are built around agriculture; invest more in agricultural research, in which America is currently lagging behind our competitors and adversaries, despite having the brightest minds in the world and a storied history of innovation; modernize existing policies pertaining to forestry, energy, and horticulture among many others. In short, put more farm in the Farm Bill.

The farm bill framework released by our Senate Agriculture Committee ranking member would achieve all of these things and in a bipartisan, fiscally responsible manner.

It is our responsibility in Congress to listen to those who know best about what they need to make a living so they can continue to feed our Nation and the world. When the Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade conducted a hearing last year on producer perspectives of the farm safety net, a producer described the current farm safety net as being ``two inches above the concrete.'' That is insufficient in today's farm economy, where producers face extraordinary volatility, historic inflation, record high input costs, catastrophic natural disasters, and geopolitical tensions that disrupt markets.

Times are changing. New challenges and threats to rural America emerge every day. This is why Congress revisits this important multiyear legislation: to keep what is working, fix what is not, and eliminate what is no longer necessary.

I commend the House Agriculture Committee for advancing a strong, commonsense farm bill proposal out of committee, and I commend our Senate Ag Committee chair for all of her efforts throughout this process.

But the bottom line is it takes time to move away from partisan disagreements. It is time to do that and, instead, work on finding common ground. It is time to graduate from concepts and proposals and, instead, start advancing actual legislation. Simply put, it is time for Congress to enact a new farm bill, one that our farmers, ranchers, and rural America have been asking for, for quite some time.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, my pro-life colleagues and I most certainly do not oppose any individual's freedom to travel across this great country, but we do take issue with this effort to give bad actors cover from prosecution.

While this bill poses as protecting pregnant women from prosecution, it would actually put vulnerable women and girls in harm's way if it became law. This would allow traffickers and abusive partners, parents, or relatives to take vulnerable women and girls across State lines to obtain abortions in an attempt to cover up their abuse.

These same abusers would also be given the freedom to travel across State lines to stockpile dangerous chemical abortion drugs to bring back to a life-affirming State. The chemical abortion regimen can pose dramatic complications that a woman or girl should never have to deal with, especially without medical care at her home.

According to the FDA's own label, these abortion drugs send roughly 1 in 25 women to the emergency room.

With this legislative effort before us, we see pro-abortion advocates promoting the scariest possible scenario by allowing a teenage girl to start the chemical abortion process across State lines with mifepristone, only to be sent back to her home State to deal with the physically and emotionally painful process alone.

We can and must do far better to protect women and girls from this heartbreaking and dangerous situation, and we certainly should not be shielding bad actors from prosecution.

It is for these reasons that I must object.

Mr. President, in a few moments, I would like to ask unanimous consent for the Senate to take up and pass legislation I have introduced to support genuine solutions to infertility and empower couples with autonomy over how they build their families.

First, I want to take a moment to recognize the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision, a ruling that underscores the great significance of bringing life into this world. It still doesn't feel real that we were able to overturn Roe. What a blessing for this country that that was.

However, we are still fighting daily to protect Americans from the harmful pro-abortion agenda being pushed by the Democrats. Pro-abortion advocates have been creative in spreading fear by using issues that Republicans support, such as access to IVF.

I have been clear about my strong support for access to IVF and am grateful for its ability to bring God's beautiful creations into this world. And while the left wants to stoke fear in this arena, it is time that we hone in on the real problem and find long-lasting, affordable solutions.

Infertility affects 15 to 16 percent of couples in the United States and is a profoundly emotional experience. While IVF is a procedure used to create life, it does not treat the underlying conditions that cause infertility and make it difficult for a woman to sustain that life in the womb.

If we are going to address the issue of infertility, then we need to start with solutions that promote genuine healing. This is the mission behind the RESTORE Act, which I introduced with Senator Lankford last week. ``RESTORE'' stands for reproductive empowerment and support through optimal restoration.

Provisions of this budget-neutral bill include: educational tools for women seeking information about reproductive health conditions and restorative reproductive medicine, training opportunities for medical professionals who feel called to help couples build their families.

They will learn how to diagnose and treat reproductive health conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, uterine fibroids, blocked fallopian tubes, hormone imbalances, and thyroid conditions, ovulation dysfunctions, and other health conditions that cause infertility and painful menstrual cycles.

The RESTORE Act also directs HHS to conduct data collection and implement ongoing reports to assess the access women have to restorative reproductive medicine and infertility care.

We also ensure strong religious and conscience protections in the bill. What we are trying to do here is promote long-term healing for couples struggling with infertility. We want to empower childbearing generations so that families can address fertility concerns in a cost- effective manner.

This bill is separate and complementary to IVF. We have seen great success numbers come from fertility clinics that take a holistic approach to healing the root cause of infertility, and if IVF is still necessary, these clinics see a greater success rate in the first round of IVF.

This pro-family bill is one more step toward increasing successful fertility treatments for women and men.

I will continue to support those going through infertility and search for ways to help families who dreamed of bringing children into this world.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be discharged from further consideration of S. 4533 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration; further, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Madam President, I also rise today to honor the life and legacy of my friend Patrick Gottsch, the founder and president of Rural Media Group, who passed away May 18.

Mr. Gottsch was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend who dedicated his life to supporting and promoting rural America through television.

Patrick was born on June 3, 1953, in Elkhorn, NE, and raised on his family's farm and cattle operation. From a young age, he learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and the unique value that rural communities bring to our Nation.

Having worked as a commodity broker on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, in home satellite sales, and as director of sales for the Superior Livestock Auction, he founded Rural Free Delivery Television, RFD-TV, in 2000. And it is on my TV every day.

Rural Media Group grew to additionally consist of many other things, including the Cowboy Channel--one of our very favorite--giving rural America the visibility it lacked through traditional media outlets.

Rural America owes much to Patrick's innovation and his tenacity. Not many people have the ability to articulate and describe the true essence of how special life in rural America is like Patrick did. Rural communities are the heartbeat of our Nation, often overlooked but essential to our Nation's survival and prosperity.

Patrick gave rural America a voice. In an increasingly urbanized world, Patrick reminded us of the value of rural America. He advocated for the 2 percent of Americans who feed the other 98 percent. He reminded Americans that our clothes and food don't magically grow on shelves at the store.

We honor Patrick Gottsch for his unprecedented work to promote the American rural way of life that my family and I get to enjoy every single day. He was truly a great ambassador for rural America, and I know he would want us to continue to tell the story to the entire world.

I offer my deepest condolences to the Gottsch family during this time, and I will strive to honor Patrick's legacy by stressing the continued need for access for rural and agricultural media and programming for all Americans. May Patrick's determination, love for rural America, and persistence in telling the great story of rural America never be forgotten.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, every year, our Nation comes together to honor and remember the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their fellow citizens. This week, National Police Week, stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication and sacrifice of law enforcement officers across our Nation, including those in my own State of Mississippi.

Every day, our law enforcement officers put on their uniforms, kiss their loved ones goodbye, and head out into the unknown, knowing that they may encounter danger at any moment. They stand as guardians of our communities, ensuring that peace, law, and order prevail, often at great personal risk.

We owe a debt of gratitude to these heroes, whose selflessness and bravery serve as an example of what it means to be a patriot. Their commitment to uphold the law, protect the innocent, and serve justice is at the foundation of what makes our Nation great.

As we honor those who have fallen, it is important that we also remember the families they have left behind. This week, we, as a nation, join the spouses, children, parents, siblings, fellow officers, and friends in mourning the loss

of these men and women. Their sacrifice is no less profound, and their resilience and strength get at the heart of what it means to be an American.

Even in the face of adversity, our officers have remained steadfast in their commitment to serve.

It is important to me that every officer in Mississippi knows that I greatly admire you for your loyalty, grit, and determination throughout such challenges. I will continue to work to ensure you have the resources you need to do your job.

My State of Mississippi is blessed with amazing law enforcement, who are not only hometown heroes, but also an integral part of our communities. Every loss of an officer is deeply felt by all.

I would like to specifically remember and honor the two fallen officers from Mississippi whose names have been added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial this year. These officers died heroes in service to their communities, and we are humbled by their service and sacrifice.

We remember: Madison County Police Department's Officer Horren Randy Tyler, 64, who was tragically shot and killed on June 1, 2023, after a man opened fire on officers during a hostage negotiation. Randy's colleagues regarded him as a leader and mentor, seeking his guidance in challenging situations, trusting his 27 years of experience. He leaves behind his wife, four children, and three grandchildren.

And we also remember: Mississippi Bureau of Investigation's Lieutenant Jeris Deon Davis, 51, who succumbed to Covid on December 29, 2020. Lt. Davis served in law enforcement for 22 years, including as an officer with the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

As we reflect on the lives lost and the sacrifices made, let us recommit ourselves to supporting those who serve and protect us. Let us stand shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement officers, offering them the respect, appreciation, and support they deserve.

Let us honor the memory of those who have fallen, and pledge to carry forward their legacy of courage, integrity, and service. In doing so, we ensure that their sacrifices will never be forgotten, and that their spirit will continue to guide and inspire us for generations to come.

I will continue to be an advocate for law enforcement professionals and provide support where possible and do all I can to honor their sacrifice.

I am praying that their families and loved ones of our fallen officers find comfort in knowing that not only is their loss deeply felt, but it will also never be forgotten. God bless our law enforcement officers, their families, and the United States of America.

Madam President, the Biden administration continues to fail the American people with its consistent attacks on our Nation's energy supply and production. These attacks are happening as Americans continue to suffer through the burden of record inflation caused by this administration.

Energy is the lifeblood of civilization: lighting our homes; fueling our transportation; powering innovation; and for those of us in rural America, heating our poultry houses--much like the area where you and I come from, Madam President.

Energy of all forms--from oil and gas to nuclear, to wind, to solar-- not only powers our world, but it protects our world. To threaten any energy source is to threaten the vitality of our Nation and its communities. But from day one, President Biden did just that. It started with a barrage of excessive Executive orders aimed at American energy production, including the cancellation of the Keystone XL Pipeline, and only got worse from there.

Agencies under this administration have been emboldened to ram through harmful policies and rules that are driving us straight toward a cliff. The Department of the Interior continues to hold domestic energy production back by releasing a 5-year leasing plan for oil and gas production that contains the lowest amount of lease sales in history, with the option for the Secretary to cancel any one of them as she deems necessary.

The Bureau of Land Management has issued rules that weaken our domestic energy production and create additional more redtape. The Environmental Protection Agency has issued rules that weaken our domestic energy production and limit consumer choice for vehicles. The Department of Energy has issued rules that weaken our domestic energy production, limit consumer choice for natural gas appliances in our houses, and place a pause on liquefied natural gas export. It makes no sense.

Even the Securities and Exchange Commission has now decided it wants to get involved with climate policy, releasing a greenhouse gas disclosure rule that would lead to mountains of burdensome paperwork for companies and higher costs for consumers. The SCC is meant to protect investors, facilitate capital formation, and maintain markets. It has absolutely no authority to address political or social issues, much less serve as a climate change taskmaster.

If you threw a dart at a dartboard labeled with all the Biden Agencies that have a hand in targeting energy production, chances are that you will hit an Agency that has committed an overreach of its statutory authority.

The administration continues to slow-walk permitting, most recently attacking LNG facilities for climate considerations, whatever that is.

Well, is the administration aware that by continuing to ignore the law and not holding lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico, it hamstrings future GOMESA funds that would come back to the Gulf States to support critical coastal protection activities, including conservation, coastal restoration, and hurricane protection? That is right. The administration's Interior Department is jeopardizing actual climate and conservation goals for my State, and we aren't the only State sounding the alarm on these terrible policies. These policies are driving up energy costs and emboldening our enemies.

President Biden and his allies continue to paint the fossil fuel industry as the enemy, but both the Secretaries of Energy and Interior have stated that fossil fuels will be around for a long time because they are needed. Yet they continue to try and diminish its production without the necessary technology and grid capacity replacements.

Not only could we see higher energy costs under these policies, but we could see more blackouts during extreme weather events, something that has Mississippians very concerned.

The American people deserve better than failing energy policies from a tone-deaf administration and Agencies that are doing everything they can to circumvent Congress and force their radical energy agendas on this entire Nation.

Still, the hard-working people in our energy industry are not letting President Biden crush their spirits. My colleagues and I are battling back with everything we can to challenge these rulings on behalf of the American people.

With CRA resolutions of disapproval, appropriations, and committee hearings, we have the opportunities to try to hold these Agencies accountable for their continued overreach.

I will keep fighting alongside my colleagues until this ship is back on the correct course of independent energy production for the betterment of the United States.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I wish to pay tribute to the life and service of a Mississippi coaching legend and close personal friend, Coach Bob Tyler, who passed away on April 28, 2024.

Born and raised in Water Valley, MS, Coach Tyler attended Water Valley High School and, later, the University of Mississippi.

Following his service in the U.S. Army, Coach Tyler began his remarkable 45-year career as a coach and teacher. This journey started at Water Valley High School, with stops at high schools in Okalona, Corinth, Senatobia and Meridian. After posting an impressive 91-19-6 record over 11 years at the high school level, Coach Tyler began coaching at the collegiate level, including years at Northwest Community College, North Texas State, Millsaps College, and on John Vaught's Ole Miss staff, Bear Bryant's Alabama staff, and

as head football coach and athletic director at Mississippi State University.

Induction into the Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame, the Mississippi State Athletics Hall of Fame, and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, are among the numerous honors awarded to acknowledge Coach Tyler's achievements. In 2023, the North Mississippi Fish Hatchery was also renamed the ``Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery,'' in his honor.

Coach Tyler's accomplishments and impact extended far beyond the football field. Following his retirement from coaching, he would go on to serve as deputy director of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, help start the Archery in Mississippi Schools program, and support the Fallen Officers Memorial. He also served as the director of economic development for Yalobusha County for 15 years until 2022.

Coach Tyler, an active member of the First Baptist Church of Water Valley, MS, was a dedicated family man, married to his high school sweetheart and wife of 69 years, Dale. They raised three children-- Breck, Cam, and Drew--and wholeheartedly welcomed eight-grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

For myself and all those who knew Coach Tyler, I honor his years of service and a life well lived. He will be remembered as a great Mississippian, who dedicated his life to the game that he loved and to the generations of players and people that he educated on the field and in life.

I pray his family and friends find solace in that legacy. My condolences go out to all of them.

Mr. President, Americans across the country, led by Concerned Women for America, CWA--the Nation's largest public policy organization for women--and other faith-based organizations will again celebrate April as Faith Month. I commend this noble effort calling on all people of faith to join in prayer, to give thanks, and to celebrate their faith.

Faith is at the very core of who we are as Americans. Every nation before us was based on either a shared ethnicity, a common language, or a unifying monarch. But the United States of America was the first nation in history founded on the belief that every human being has inherent value and natural rights granted to them not by any earthly government, but by an all-powerful God. In the words of our Declaration, we are ``endowed by [our] Creator with certain unalienable Rights,'' based on ``the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God,'' acknowledging our ``reliance on the protection of divine Providence.''

Many of our Nation's earliest settlers were people of faith, seeking a land in which they could freely practice their beliefs. The Puritans of New England, the Pennsylvania Quakers, and the Catholic founders of the Maryland Colony were all men and women who came to these shores in search of a haven for religious freedom. The Founding Fathers after them carried on that faithful torch by enshrining that freedom of religion in the very First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as well as ``the free exercise thereof.'' They knew that a nation founded on the belief in a higher power must encourage a faithful population.

When religious freedom is protected, communities thrive. Ample research shows that faith strengthens the family unit, promotes stable marriages, and discourages drug abuse and violence. Regular church attendance is linked to lifting young people in inner cities out of poverty, and faithful people tend to be happier and more satisfied in life.

The role of religious organizations in America is invaluable. An estimated 350,000 religious congregations operate schools, pregnancy resource centers, soup kitchens, drug addiction programs, homeless shelters, and adoption agencies throughout the Nation, with more than 2,600 of them in my state of Mississippi alone. These organizations selflessly care for their communities and deserve to be celebrated and uplifted for the work that they do.

Today, it is distressing that attacks against particular faith communities have become all too common. Individuals and charities alike have been forced to compromise their sincerely held beliefs to keep their jobs or participate in certain government programs. Worse, some Federal Agencies are promoting policies and regulations that make it harder for faith-based charities and social service organizations to care for the need.

It is a sad fact that, today, too many people of faith feel unsafe on their college campuses, in their workplaces, or where they worship as attacks against their communities rise. No religious American should be afraid to openly practice their faith in the land of the free. It is imperative that the American Government clearly state that such discriminatory actions and hateful attacks are intolerable and that they must be met with speech that unwaveringly speaks the truth and calls out evil for what it is. Attacks against faith, against the freedom of conscience, undermine the very foundation of America.

In a 2023 Gallup Poll, nearly three out of four Americans said they practice some kind of religious faith. This rich, diverse religious heritage is to our credit and should be encouraged. This Faith Month, I join millions of Americans in honoring the right to worship freely and openly, with public displays and celebrations, unashamed to share in our common American heritage as a people of faith. In this manner, we reaffirm our commitment to the religious liberty principles of our founding.

Mr. President, I also rise to discuss the Biden administration's failure to contain the crisis at our southern border and how that is having extreme consequences and endangering our very own citizens.

Time and time again, Republicans have warned about the damage being done to our country by open border policies launched on President Biden's first day in office.

For more than 3 years, we have witnessed this President and his administration tell us over and over that there is not a border crisis and that the border is secure. I, like most Americans, know that is absolutely not true.

President Biden will deliver his State of the Union Address tonight, and I hope the American people will listen with some level of skepticism should he discuss his recent election-year plans to address illegal crossings at the border. The American people deserve for him to be forthcoming about the border crisis, a crisis that is manifesting itself more and more in serious and violent crimes committed by illegal migrants allowed to stay in our country.

The American people deserve to know why or how Executive action would be better than simply enforcing the law--the laws that are currently already on the books. Yes, Executive orders have the force of law, but they are based on existing statutes. Simply put, this administration needs to enforce the law. Americans are taking the brunt of Joe Biden's policies as crime runs rampant at the hands of illegal immigrants.

Last year, Border Patrol agents encountered thousands of illegal aliens

with prior criminal convictions, including assault, rape, and murder. Make no mistake, it is thanks to Joe Biden's policies and his refusal to enforce the law that has allowed such criminals into our country, and now Americans are becoming victims of their crimes all across the country. Over just 2 weeks this January, law enforcement arrested more than 100 illegal immigrants in 25 different U.S. cities. Over half of the illegal aliens arrested had convictions or pending charges for assault against children, including sexual assault against children.

A month ago, just outside of Minneapolis, a man who was previously detained, dressed as a delivery driver, snuck into a home and murdered three people while two small children witnessed this crime.

Just a few weeks ago in New York, several migrants were arrested for assaulting a pair of police officers. Of course, they were almost immediately released when the Manhattan District Attorney's Office did not seek bail. They were seen smirking and using obscene gestures for the media, showing no remorse for their actions. From the same mob assault, one of the migrants allegedly involved was arrested again just days later--this time, for robbing a Macy's in Queens.

Now, just the other week, a University of Georgia nursing student, with her whole future ahead of her, went running on a popular trail in broad daylight only to be brutally murdered. The man charged with her murder entered our country illegally.

These crimes, combined with the liberal district attorneys and mayors across the country--those who advocate for sanctuary cities and other soft-on-crime policies--have created a nightmare for everyone who wants to live peacefully and safely in their homes and communities without violence.

Where is President Biden's compassion for American families and communities experiencing these horrible acts? During his brief and sanitized visit to Brownsville last week, why did the President dodge questions about the murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley at UGA? Why is his administration reluctant to prioritize their safety?

I pray that the perpetrators receive justice, and I pray the families of these victims receive God's comfort.

Sadly, my home State of Mississippi has also felt the consequences of Joe Biden's policies with the many instances of human trafficking.

Last year, four illegal immigrants were discovered with a 7-year-old migrant child after being pulled over and detained for driving without a license. After Homeland Security Investigations was contacted, the driver attempted to flee on foot and was captured. HSI determined the child was not related to anyone in the vehicle.

In another situation, a Mississippi Highway Patrol trooper identified an illegal migrant driving on I-10, in Jackson County, with no ID. A passenger--also an illegal immigrant--revealed that they were on their way to Houston, TX, to pick up another man or woman and three or four children. After a legal search of the vehicle, items consistent with human trafficking were discovered in the vehicle.

Instances like these are, unfortunately, happening across the country, and our communities are in danger. If you think this isn't happening in your backyard, then think again. Because of the state of our country, there is growing concern and fear among Americans, who are wondering if they or someone they love will be the next target.

In fiscal year 2023, there were over 15,000 criminal noncitizen arrests. There were over 2,000 criminal illegal drug possessions and trafficking convictions. Additionally, there were almost 9,000 driving under the influence convictions. There have been nearly 200 murders committed by illegal immigrants since Joe Biden took office--200 lives lost under President Biden's watch. This is not how the greatest country in the world should operate.

Robberies, sexual assault, crimes against children, human trafficking, and murder are just some examples of the crimes these illegal migrants are willing to commit in our country. We have to stand against this.

President Biden claims he needs more authority to get control of the border. This is blatantly false. The previous administration successfully enforced border laws to get crossings to record lows. The Biden administration repeatedly refuses to acknowledge the border crisis for what it is--a crisis. He opened the border, and he can close it.

As the President prepares his State of the Union speech, I call on the Biden administration and the Democrats, who simply need to enforce the law. Let's just start with that. We must make this a priority. Americans deserve nothing less.

I yield the floor.

Reserving the right to object.

Madam President, I support the ability for mothers and fathers to have total access to IVF in bringing new life into the world. I also believe human life should be protected. These are not mutually exclusive.

Let's be clear about what the Alabama case is about. This was a case brought by families whose human embryos were killed when an unauthorized individual walked into the fertility clinic through an unsecured door, removed several human embryos, and dropped them, causing their deaths.

The court's holding in favor of the parents found that these frozen human embryos are children under Alabama law. It did not ban IVF, nor has any State banned IVF.

The bill before us today is a vast overreach that is full of poison pills that go way too far--far beyond ensuring legal access to IVF. The act explicitly waives the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and would subject religious and pro-life organizations to crippling lawsuits.

Religious and pro-life organizations could be forced to facilitate procedures that violate their core beliefs, including their health insurance plans. This would be the first time the bipartisan Religious Freedom Restoration Act introduced by then-Representative Chuck Schumer was explicitly waived.

The bill's expansion definition of ``artificial reproductive technology'' sweeps in much more than IVF and has far-reaching implications. It would legalize human cloning. It would legalize commercial surrogacy, including for young girls without parental involvement. It would legalize gene-edited designer babies and lift the Federal ban on the creation of three-parent embryos. It would legalize the creation of human-animal chimeras. Other developed countries like Germany, New Zealand, and Australia, as well as States like Louisiana, have policies that allow for IVF coupled with commonsense protections to respect human life.

Creating rights to human cloning, the genetic engineering of human embryos, and surrogacy is too extreme and goes far beyond IVF. This bill misses the mark.

We should strive to do both, and this bill does not do that. Therefore, I object.

Mr. President, it is an honor to pay tribute to Mr. Jack Winstead who, for years, has shown an overwhelming dedication to serving the Friends of Mississippi Veterans nonprofit as a member and former board president. I have had the honor of knowing Mr. Winstead and seeing firsthand the valuable impact his service has on communities throughout Mississippi. Jack has gone above and beyond the average citizen in honoring our Mississippi veterans, and I have the highest admiration for his work.

Jack's commitment to service and being a positive influence in his community has a significant track record that started long before his appointment as board president of Friends of Mississippi Veterans. A native of Neshoba County, MS, Mr. Winstead received his undergraduate degree in agriculture from Mississippi State University. In addition to being the owner and operator of a purebred beef cattle farm for more than 20 years, he was the past chairman of Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission, vice-chairman of the board of trustees of East Central Community College, and president of Mississippi Association of Conservation Districts. He also served 37 years at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service, which benefited from Mr. Winstead's profound knowledge on soil and water conservation. Today, Jack is a consultant to the Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce and is a board member for multiple organizations.

As a Mississippi Air National Guard veteran, Jack has worked tirelessly to advocate for and help other veterans in Mississippi. He was instrumental in the 2007 founding of the Friends of Mississippi Veterans, which set an initial goal of establishing a veterans cemetery. Thanks to their leadership and hard work, our brave soldiers can now be laid to rest in two beautiful, State-operated veterans memorial cemeteries in Newton and Kilmichael. Mr. Winstead's work to not only ensure our veterans have a respectful final resting place but also to see to it that their families have a hallowed place to honor their loved ones is truly laudable.

The Friends of Mississippi Veterans has become a crucial voice and support organization for the veterans in my State, particularly those residing in four veterans' nursing homes, where it offers assistance for construction and improvements and helps cover expenses related to the veterans cemeteries. It also actively promotes the Wreaths Across America national program.

Mr. Winstead has time and time again stepped up as a leader in his community. He has shown true commitment and passion for everything he does, and for that, he has earned numerous special recognitions. In 2007, Jack was named to the Southeastern Association of Conservation Districts' Hall of Fame. In 2008, Jack was recognized as Newton County Citizen of the Year, and he was named East Central Community College's Alumnus of the Year the following year.

In conclusion, I am so grateful for Mr. Jack Winstead's years of service to Mississippi and for being able to consider him a dear friend. I applaud him for his many accomplishments and commitment to our veterans, and I commend him for the positive impact that is felt throughout Mississippi thanks to his influence.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I rise to tell you the story of one of my constituents named Hannah. When faced with an unplanned pregnancy, Hannah chose life for her baby with the help of a pregnancy center. Despite coming from a long line of single mothers and from a family background plagued with alcoholism, drugs, and dysfunction, Hannah was able to overcome her circumstances and create a better life for herself and her daughter.

At 18 years old, Hannah learned she was pregnant. Her child's father drained her savings and spent it on drug abuse. Disgusted, alone, and hopeless just weeks into her pregnancy, Hannah went to her local pregnancy center, Women's Resource Center in Gulfport, MS, where she began to receive weekly parenting classes.

In November 2014, Hannah gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Ava, a name which means ``life.''

As a single mother, bringing a child into her circumstances was not easy, and Hannah struggled to overcome severe postpartum depression in the early months after the birth of her daughter.

When she turned 21, Hannah got a job at a casino--an answer to her prayers. This job gave her a sense of pride and independence.

When Ava turned 3, Hannah met Nuno, the love of her life, and together they welcomed another daughter, Maisy. After Hannah and Nuno got married in 2020, Nuno legally adopted Ava before she started kindergarten, stepping in to be the father she never had before.

This year, Hannah felt God's call and now works as a volunteer at the same Women's Resource Center in Gulfport, MS, that helped her as a client nearly a decade ago. There, she uses her life experiences to give hope and help to women facing unplanned pregnancies.

Hannah writes:

With God, we don't have to be victims of our circumstances;

we can be victors who will rise up from anything.

Hannah's story is part of the untold story of the pro-life movement that goes on at many other pregnancy centers in Mississippi and across the Nation.

Last week, the good works conducted by pregnancy centers and maternity homes were recognized by the tens of thousands of pro-life Americans who came to Washington, DC, last Friday for the 51st annual March for Life. They marched not only for the protection of every unborn child from the moment of conception but also to support mothers. This year's March for Life theme--``With Every Woman, For Every Child''--highlighted the fact that no woman should ever feel alone in her pregnancy journey.

The life-affirming impact of pregnancy centers is considerable and growing following the Dobbs decision that allowed lifesaving laws to take effect in States across America.

In addition to having loved ones and communities to lean on, every woman should know of the lifesaving work of pregnancy centers and maternity homes across the country. A new Charlotte Lozier Institute study found that 2,750 pregnancy centers provided more than 16 million client sessions and over $358 million in free, life-affirming goods and services in 2022. These included free sonograms, pregnancy tests, diapers, parenting classes, pregnancy counseling, adoption referrals, and other compassionate support and resources.

Despite what the radical, pro-abortion left wants us to believe, the pro-life movement is also a pro-women movement with a long history of empowering women during pregnancy and after. I believe Congress must build on that history by promoting policies that support pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and strong families so that more pregnant women will have the support they need as they embark on a beautiful and sacred chapter of their lives.

Every human life is a priceless gift, but the costs and challenges for new parents are very real. We need to start putting our money where our mouth is. To that end, I, along with Congresswoman Carol Miller of West Virginia in the House, introduced the Pregnancy Center Support Act. This legislation would create a first-ever Federal tax credit for pregnancy centers. It would reimburse 50 percent of up to $10,000 in donations to these centers. This would empower pregnancy centers with much needed resources to meet the growing demands of supporting women and families in a post-Roe America.

My legislation would build on the work of my State of Mississippi. In

May 2020, a month before the Dobbs decision, the Mississippi Legislature enacted a groundbreaking State tax credit for donations for pregnancy centers. Mississippi currently spends $10 million each year on its credit, and I am glad to see that other States are also considering similar credits to provide life-affirming support to pregnant women in need in their States.

At this very moment when pregnancy centers are needed the most, they have come under unprecedented attacks, including vandalism and firebombing. According to Catholic Vote, there have been over 88 violent attacks on pregnancy centers and pro-life groups documented since the leak of the Dobbs decision in 2022. Pregnancy centers have also come under attack from pro-abortion politicians, Big Tech, and state attorneys general, which have sought to fine, censor, or regulate them out of existence.

In particular, I am deeply concerned by the Biden administration's recently proposed rules targeting pregnancy centers, aiming to strip away millions of dollars through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, or TANF, Program that now supports these centers in several States.

We must fight back against this. Alongside Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey, I have introduced the Let Pregnancy Centers Serve Act. This bill would block the administration's proposed action and protect pregnancy centers that are serving countless women from discrimination. The Democrats' attacks on pregnancy centers are disgraceful, and we must do more to support their lifesaving work.

The pro-life movement believes that every life counts--every mother, every father, and every child--and that is why we strive for an end to abortion. We must also support families and come alongside pregnant women in need.

To all the Americans who marched for life last week and to women like Hannah, who has chosen life and now works at a pregnancy center to help others choose life, thank you for standing with every woman and for every child.

I yield the floor.