Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Mann for his leadership and also for hosting us tonight on this special occasion to talk about American agriculture.

I am truly proud to stand with my colleagues to talk about something that affects and impacts every single person not only in this room but listening tonight: the American agriculture industry.

In central Washington, where I am from, I know our industry is made up of honest, hardworking, freedom-loving Americans that provide food and fiber for this Nation. My community is home to some of the most dedicated, innovative agricultural producers in the entire country.

Washington farmers and ranchers produce over 300 different commodities, including high-quality hay, wheat, beef, dairy, wine grapes, hops--which I raise--potatoes, cherries, mint, and, of course, Washington's iconic apples.

Blessed with the conditions to produce such a diverse range of crops, central Washington is proud to share its natural abundance to help feed the country and feed the world. Those of us who live there have a deep appreciation for our Nation's farmers and recognize how important it is that we have a strong domestic agricultural sector.

But lately, unfortunately, the President and his far-left Democrats are so focused on radically altering the country with their trillion- dollar spending proposals, they are blind to the impacts their own policies are already having on Americans across the country. The cost of living is at a 40-year high and still going up. Now, they are looking to raise taxes again on small businesses, on family farms.

As a lifetime farmer and former director of the Department of Agriculture for the State of Washington and current chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, I understand the vested interests that we all share in supporting our agricultural producers. I am proud to join my House Republican colleagues in advocating against burdensome regulations that impact rural communities and for real solutions, not just empty promises, to help our farmers and our ranchers, our farmworkers, and all Americans, who deserve a strong food supply chain.

I introduced the first serious agricultural labor reform bill to pass the House in over 30 years, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, to ensure that those who wish to come to our country, abide by our laws, and contribute to our farms, ranches, and local communities are able to do so.

I, along with my Republican colleagues, am leading efforts to stop our foreign adversaries, such as Communist China, from gobbling up American farmland and taking control of our food supply chain.

I am protecting our hydroelectric dams in the Northwest that provide irrigation water, baseload power for central Washington and beyond, and serve as a sustainable and efficient way to transport our Nation's crops. The Columbia River barges carry more than 50 percent of U.S. wheat destined for export, and barging on the Columbia and Snake Rivers system keeps--get this--700,000 semitrucks off the roads and their emissions out of the air each and every year.

I am leading the entire Congressional Western Caucus in fighting against this administration's efforts to revive the single-most overreaching Federal regulatory action in history. It is called the waters of the United States rule, or the WOTUS rule. This dangerous policy empowers Federal bureaucrats to place every single body of water--every ditch, every puddle, every stream--under Federal regulation. As a result, the livelihoods of our farmers and rural communities across the Nation--not just in Washington; all over the country--are at stake.

While it is clear to me, just as I know it is clear to my constituents, President Biden and Democrats are failing to display the leadership America needs and deserves, there is a silver lining here. American agriculture is strong. We have overcome far worse, and we will not let these radical policies hold us back from the job of feeding this Nation.

I call on the administration to take a good long look at how their policies are harming us here in central Washington and in rural communities across the country and take immediate steps to reverse them. We deserve far better.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Mann for helping recognize the importance of American agriculture, and I appreciate his leadership.

Madam Speaker, today, in recognition of Women's History Month, I rise to honor three incredible women from central Washington.

Shannon Polson of the Methow Valley became one of the first women combat pilots in the U.S. military. After graduating from the University of Alaska ROTC, she was commissioned as an Army aviator and was one of the first women to fly the Apache attack helicopter. She served two tours as an Apache platoon leader, and one as a company commander, deploying to three continents.

Kathy Bryson of Richland is the Pacific Northwest disaster response coordinator for the United Methodist Church. Kathy has provided the overall leadership for recovery from fire disasters in Okanogan and Whitman Counties over the last 2 years, as well as for the wildfire disasters in Oregon and northern California.

Kayla Barron of Richland was not only a member of the first class of women commissioned into the submarine community for the U.S. Navy as a submarine warfare officer, but is currently serving as mission specialist of the NASA SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station. In fact, just yesterday morning, she successfully completed a spacewalk. She has accomplished much since graduating from Richland High, and you can bet that we are all rooting for her every step of the way.

These women exemplify the very best of central Washington: Service to community, determination, integrity, and grit. They have paved the way for women in our communities and across the world. Their stories are an inspiration for all of us in central Washington, and it is a privilege to honor them during Women's History Month.

Congratulating Jared Balcom

Madam Speaker, today I rise to congratulate National Potato Council's newly elected president, and fellow central Washingtonian, Mr. Jared Balcom.

Jared is the owner of a fourth-generation potato growing and fresh packing company, Balcom & Moe, based in Pasco, Washington, so he knows firsthand the challenges our central Washington producers face and how to best address them.

I have had the pleasure of working with and getting to know Jared over the years and know that he is well-equipped to advocate for the potato farmers who provide so many jobs and boost our local economy.

Congratulations, Jared, on this new role. I look forward to continuing to work together to advance our shared goals of modernizing water infrastructure, improving trade agreements, supporting agricultural research, and fixing our agricultural labor crisis.

Honoring the Service of Clifton Malm

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor one of central Washington's veterans, Clifton Malm of Omak.

Clifton served our country honorably as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and risked his life to protect his fellow servicemembers. His courage earned him a Purple Heart which, unfortunately, he never received until just now. While it may be just a small piece of metal, it represents what I believe is the gratitude of a truly thankful Nation.

Clifton, thank you for your service and for your continued dedication to

the United States of America. Your story is a reminder to all of us of the sacrifices the men and women in our Armed Forces make every single day.

Madam Speaker, before I begin, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of my special order.

Madam Speaker, I hope it is clear to all of my colleagues in this body that rural America faces a myriad of challenges.

Every day, members of the Congressional Western Caucus, of which I am very honored to be chairman, and many partners throughout rural America are working to ensure that local communities across the country are heard in our Nation's Capitol, right here, and that these challenges do not go unaddressed.

For many in big cities and urban areas, I think it can be pretty easy to overlook our rural communities. But we truly are the backbone of our great country, and our challenges are not our challenges alone. Rather, they are reflective of the entire Nation's challenges, things like managing public lands and fulfilling the government's multipurpose-use doctrine, or supporting local economies and encouraging economic development, promoting critical infrastructure like roads and bridges and dams, ensuring a strong agricultural industry that feeds the world, and empowering the communities that we represent to embrace expanded domestic energy production and clean energy technologies.

Our State, local, and private land managers are conservation partners. Small businesses and local communities are eager to take the reins and make the improvements that we need, but they are consistently held back by bureaucratic red tape, delayed permitting processes that add years and millions of dollars in cost to projects, and outdated laws that don't take into account the best available science of modern technologies.

Over and over again, I hear from my constituents in central Washington State, and also from community leaders from across the United States, that we need to get the Federal Government out of the way.

That is why, throughout this month of March, Congressional Western Caucus members are taking the opportunity to highlight why reforming our duplicative and burdensome permitting process is the key to unlocking rural America's potential.

Madam Speaker, broken permitting systems negatively impact the progress that we could be making at nearly every step of the way. The National Environmental Policy Act, or what many refer to as NEPA, is one of the most egregious examples of a well-intentioned law turned into a bureaucratic nightmare for those of us who are working to improve the communities where we live, work, and farm.

The Endangered Species Act is another. This landmark species protection law has become outdated, and it is now used as a weapon by serial litigators and misguided environmentalists, who want nothing more than to sue and settle, wasting our limited government resources, which are stalling projects across the United States and disincentivizing investment in rural America.

Both of these laws play an important role in protecting lands, waters, and wildlife that we cherish throughout the West and across rural America. But because Congress has not been able to meaningfully reform them, they have actually begun to work against us.

ESA regulations can add decades to the permitting processes for forest management projects or projects that would help prevent catastrophic wildfires across the West.

In my own home State of Washington, and across the Pacific Northwest, the policies surrounding the northern spotted owl wreaked havoc on our forest industry, destroying--literally destroying--local economies. Now, our region experiences some of the worst wildfires in our Nation's history.

Madam Speaker, that is not a coincidence. Delays and roadblocks, and I intend to insert a pun there, Madam Speaker, that are caused by NEPA regulations have slowed or completely stopped infrastructure projects like highway improvements or installation of new hydropower technologies that generate clean energy and provide increased fish passage.

Just last week, our members met with former Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, who worked within the Trump administration to streamline inefficiencies and cut the environmental review process from 4.5 years, if you can believe that, down to no more than 2.

The Biden administration, of course, is now reversing this progress and bending to politically motivated interest groups at the expense of rural communities.

It is clear to us in the Western Caucus that it is time for Congress to act. For decades, rural America has been kept in regulatory limbo at the mercy of each changing administration.

Congress is a coequal branch of government, and we need to, we should, assert our authority to ensure that our communities have the certainty that they need to move forward on these critical projects.

Our rural communities deserve the investment and the development that is disincentivized by our broken permitting processes.

I know we have Western Caucus members here today who will help shed some light on some of these examples in their home districts, in their States. We will continue to demonstrate the harmful impacts of the status quo and outline our vision for a future that empowers rural Americans to tackle our challenges head-on.

I am very happy to have a group of colleagues here who are very interested in this topic, and I will first turn to Mr. Bruce Westerman, who is the vice chair of the Western Caucus, one of my vice chairs, but also the ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee.

I yield to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman).

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Westerman for his comments. It just goes to show that it is not just Washington State, but clear across the Nation in Arkansas as well.

To further prove that point, I would like to turn to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Keller), my good friend and colleague from the northeastern part of the State, a place where I have had the privilege to visit and see the great things that are happening in the energy sector there.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Keller for reminding us that these policies and decisions have impacts not just domestically but truly impact our relationships and our position of strength throughout the world, and especially in the situation we find ourselves in today.

Next, I yield to the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers), a good friend and colleague, the ranking member on the Energy and Commerce Committee, someone I have served with for a long time, not only in the statehouse in Washington State but here in the people's House in Washington, D.C.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman very much for helping to bring home the impact this is going to have on Americans, on families, on people just trying to get to work every day and having to fill up their gas tanks. These policies have consequences, and we need to understand that.

We do absolutely.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks), one of our great Members who has truly been a champion in helping to reduce red tape and improve the regulatory picture for people throughout this country.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentlewoman's work on WOTUS and the navigable waters issue. I think I have heard her say something like those things, WOTUS, is truly the most--the worst regulatory overreach in our Nation's history and it is something we have to stop. I thank the gentlewoman for her work on that.

I would like to go just a little bit south from the State of Washington to another State that adjoins my State, and the good gentleman from Oregon, in his first term in Congress, but just doing an excellent job; and I am just delighted to have him as part of this effort.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Bentz).

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for focusing on a very important issue for us in the West. Every summer we hear the West is burning. We have got to change our policies in order to prevent the loss of property, loss of life, the detriment to our environment.

I would like to turn the floor over now to someone who is--you know, we are the Western Caucus, right? But we have members from all over the country. And one of our members represents almost the furthest east in our caucus. The good gentleman from the great State of Georgia.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the great State of Georgia and the beautiful community of Savannah (Mr. Carter).

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for helping illustrate the impact that this has on local communities, the costs, not only in dollars, of the long permitting process, but the delay to communities for these much-needed projects.

Now, this could probably come under saving the best for last. The great Representative from the great State of California, I would like to say is was one of the premier members of the new freshman class. I appreciate Mr. Valadao, a fellow farmer, a fellow West Coaster, being here being part of this Special Order to talk about some very important issues here.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Valadao).

Madam Speaker, the gentleman is right. What is more precious than water? And those of us in the West understand that very well.

So, Madam Speaker, let me just say I am very grateful to have colleagues from across this great country join me tonight to talk about these issues, and to discuss our efforts in the Western Caucus as it relates to permitting month.

As you have heard, the broken processes surrounding permitting throughout the Federal Government have truly kneecapped our rural communities. This has slowed progress and has cost millions and millions of dollars.

In order to truly unleash American potential, we have to reform this process, and we will. Between the Western Caucus and those of us in Congress, we will continue to advocate for commonsense policies that are going to do just that.

Madam Speaker, I am grateful for the Special Order opportunity this evening, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, Dr. Joyce, from the great State of Pennsylvania and the HEAT Team for providing this opportunity for a Special Order because the American people need to know.

They need to know that for months the Biden administration has been using the excuse that global markets are complex and there are dynamics out of our control that have led to the highest average gas prices since 2008 and spiking oil prices around the world.

This, I want you to know, is disingenuous at best, and the reality is simply not true.

As my colleagues in the Congressional Western Caucus and the House Energy Action Team have been saying, we have the ability to achieve our own secure energy future. In fact, we achieved just that, that energy independence, just a few short years ago. But with this President and his administration at the helm, we have thrown that energy security out the window.

Don't believe the President's revisionist history of blaming Vladimir Putin for high gas prices.

You can be sure the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline, the moratorium on oil and gas leasing on Federal lands, the lack of action on the offshore leasing program, and the commitment by this President and his administration to make American energy producers obsolete in just a few short years, yes, all of those are reasons to hold this President responsible for the burden now placed on the American people.

These rising prices started long before this conflict, and we will continue to hold this administration accountable for the burden they have placed on the American people.

Again, Madam Speaker, I thank Dr. Joyce; the American people need to hear this.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate one of Central Washington's native sons on his remarkable accomplishments, and to commend him on his sportsmanship, character, and honorable representation of his community. From his time as a student athlete at Davis High School in Yakima to his impressive career at Eastern Washington University to leading the Los Angeles Rams to a show- stopping win and being named MVP at Super Bowl LVI, Cooper Kupp

is an inspiration and source of pride for Central Washingtonians and Americans across the country.

While his achievements on the field are truly laudable, it is Cooper's character off the field that makes him a role model to whom we can all look up to.

A dedicated teammate, father, and husband, Cooper has demonstrated sportsmanship, humility, faith, and gratitude--offering thanks to God and family for his successes, rather than taking credit for himself. His words in the wake of winning the most anticipated sporting event in the country remind us that we should all live in service of something greater than ourselves, and that we should operate ``from victory, not for victory.''

As someone who has spent my life in the Yakima Valley, I want to thank Cooper Kupp for serving as a shining example of the very best our community has to offer. I congratulate him and his teammates on their victory in Super Bowl LVI, and I wish the entire Kupp family a joyous and restful period of celebration. Cooper's hometown couldn't be more proud of him.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mrs. Cammack very much for yielding. I am proud to join my colleagues and rise today in honor of the brave men and women in blue who serve and protect us each and every day.

According to new statistics released by the FBI, intentional killings of law enforcement in 2021 were the highest in 20 years. Every day police officers across central Washington, as well as the United States, put on a badge and go to work knowing that they may face extremely dangerous situations, exacerbated by significant economic uncertainties, open border policies, and the raging opioid crisis.

We owe a debt of gratitude to these individuals who risk their lives to enforce the law and protect our communities. Law enforcement officers take time away from their families and their loved ones, often without the thanks that they deserve and often putting themselves in harm's way.

Before I highlight some of our officers who are currently serving the great State of Washington, I would like to ask for a moment of silence for the victims of today's tragic shooting in Richland, Washington, and the officers who are currently investigating that incident.

Trooper David Brandt of the Tri-Cities was selected as the 2020 Washington State Trooper of the Year. Trooper Brandt not only demonstrates a strong commitment to law enforcement, but takes the time to personally connect with his community; from reading books to schoolchildren to conducting safety classes for women to delivering meals to families in need.

King County Trooper Patoc also goes beyond above and beyond the line of duty and just last year saved the life of a man on the brink of committing suicide, who is now receiving the critical help that he requires.

These officers are the kinds of heroes that we need, and they deserve our utmost support and recognition. I also want to recognize some officers whose lives were recently lost.

In just January of this year, we lost Trooper Robert LaMay of Yakima, who served honorably for over two decades. In October of last year, we lost Trooper Detective Eric Gunderson of Tacoma in the line of duty. These and all of our fallen officers will not be forgotten.

I want to personally thank the police and sheriff's departments of Washington State Patrol, and all of the officers who keep central Washington's communities safe. Today and every day we offer our appreciation and respect for law enforcement officers across the Nation.

Madam Speaker, I also want to thank Mrs. Cammack, my friend, for putting together this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of two outstanding cultural leaders in Washington State.

First, I want to thank Mr. Mike LaPlant. For years Mike has been a fierce champion of agriculture in Washington, serving as the president of the Washington State Farm Bureau since 2011. Washington State is home to one of the most robust and vibrant agricultural industries in the country. With over 300 different crops and virtually every type of livestock raised in our State, the hardworking men and women who make the industry run face challenges as diverse as they are.

That is why it is so important that they have solid, experienced, and servant-minded people working to raise their voices. Not only has Mike been a strong advocate for the industry in Washington State and beyond, but he has been a valuable partner in my work on behalf of the farmers, ranchers, and growers in my district. He has my thanks for his years of leadership and my best wishes for the next chapter in his life.

I also recently had the opportunity to meet with Mike's successor as Farm Bureau president, Rosella Mosby. Rosella, like Mike, will be an effective voice for Washington State agriculture. I look forward to a continued partnership with the bureau under her leadership.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all central Washingtonians, I say congratulations to Rosella and thank you to Mike.

Honoring the Career of Chief Ken Hohenberg

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of one of my constituents, longtime chief of the Kennewick Police Department, Ken Hohenberg, and to congratulate him on concluding 40 years of service to his badge and to his community.

Chief Hohenberg is the city of Kennewick's longest serving employee, having joined the force in 1978. Back then, Kennewick had just over 20,000 residents. Although the town has changed a lot over the years and now has over 80,000 people, Chief Hohenberg's commitment to protecting his community has never wavered. Through good times and bad, economic downturns, and social unrest, Chief Hohenberg has spent the last four decades putting himself in harm's way for the good of his friends and neighbors. We owe a debt of gratitude to all men and women who don a badge and a uniform. Chief Hohenberg stands out as a shining example of what it means to serve and protect.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of central Washington, I extend my sincere gratitude and best wishes to Chief Hohenberg. Thank you for your service, Chief.

Honoring Congressional Award Winner Cara Elzie

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate one of my constituents, Cara Elzie of Yakima, on earning the Congressional Award silver medal. Cara served her community, spending over 420 hours with the 4-H group called Youth Advocates for Health which engages with young people to teach the importance of healthy living. Cara's efforts helped reach over 1,500 young people in Yakima County through various events. She committed herself to personal development, spending more than 300 hours learning about journalism through her work as a journalist and photographer for the Yakima Herald-Republic's Unleashed program.

Cara also improved her musical talents by practicing the guitar and piano for over 750 hours. She dedicated herself to personal fitness by working on her goals for more than 450 hours, with an emphasis on yoga. Finally, Cara completed five expeditions, traveling to new places as far away and diverse as Boston, Scotland, London, Spain, and Italy. In each location she learned about history and immersed herself in different cultures.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Cara for all her hard work. I congratulate her on this remarkable achievement and wish her the very best of luck in her future endeavors. She truly represents the best of our region and is a source of hope for the future.

Honoring Congressional App Challenge Winners

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the accomplishments of three of my young constituents: Andrew Modine, Torin Rauch, and Tyler Iverson of the West Valley Innovation Center.

These three students won the 2021 Central Washington Congressional App Challenge with their app, Beating Heart Health, which aims to promote teen health and wellness by offering tools to practice and improve mindfulness and healthy sleep habits.

On Monday, I got to see the West Valley Skills Center where Andrew, Torin, and Tyler developed their winning app. I am very pleased to see the work going on. Cultivating robust STEM education opportunities for our students is critical to ensuring the United States remains a competitive leader in the global economy. The app challenge is one way we can foster a passion for STEM among our young people and help them become the innovators and industry leaders of tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Andrew, Torin, and Tyler on their achievement and offer my thanks to West Valley educators for all of their hard work.

You always have trouble with that.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Davis for yielding, and I thank him very much for organizing this Special Order honoring Vicki here on the House floor. It truly is something that she deserves because this institution of Congress, she held it in high regard, as you know. So it is an honor for me to be able to stand here and honor her and honor her life. I call her a friend, Victoria Lynn ``Vicki'' Sands Dixon.

I only had the pleasure of knowing her, I think, for about the last 5 years, but I have to tell you, it soon became clear after meeting Vicki that she is one of those people that you could really call an angel on Earth. She treated her friends just like family, and honestly, she would do anything for her friends.

As you mentioned, Vicki was a really close friend of my wife, Joan-- she is going to kill me for saying this--for over 42 years. In fact, Vicki was even the maid of honor at our wedding. That is how close she was to us.

Vicki was considerate and thoughtful, gracious and funny, generous to a fault, and always the first to lend a helping hand. I can't tell you how many times Vicki, not even being asked, came to the rescue.

One time, Joan and I had just moved into a new house in the middle of winter, and the gas hadn't been turned on yet. We couldn't get the gas company to respond. Vicki, before the end of the night, when the house temperature got down into the 40s, we had no less than six little heaters trying to keep that house warm. That is the kind of person she was. Vicki was always there to help.

I know you have heard from some of our friends tonight, and there are so many people that would agree with them that Vicki truly was a friend, but she was more than that, too. Vicki was a dedicated American. Vicki was faithful to her country, certainly proud of her party, proud of her home State of Illinois, and, as you heard, a devoted public servant.

It truly is a loss as we lose Vicki, but if there is anyone that I can think of, anyone worthy of moving on to a better place, it is her. Vicki was an example of the engaged and selfless citizen that we really all should try to emulate.

I know Vicki's family and her community continue to be blessed by her memory. May Vicki rest in peace with her beloved Bob Michel.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my sincere gratitude, and the gratitude of all Central Washingtonians, to Detective Sergeant James A. Raebel, and to congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement.

During his more than forty years of service with the Pasco Police Department, Det. Sgt. Raebel has truly embodied what it means to ``serve and protect'', working as a K-9 handler, an undercover narcotics officer, a detective, and a sergeant. Because of his work, the Pasco community truly was safer.

Without dedicated public servants like Det. Sgt. Raebel, our Republic, which is sustained by a system of law and order, and our very way of life could not endure.

I wish Det. Sgt. Raebel the very best as he enters this next chapter of his life. I commend him on a lifetime of service to his friends, family, and neighbors, and on behalf of all Central Washingtonians, I thank him for his service.

Mr. Speaker, our country is in a time of crisis. President Biden's policies have broken our supply chain; caused nationwide shortages and delays; and now, President Biden is holding the workers who keep our country running hostage through his vaccine mandates, further threatening our economic stability.

Federal employees throughout central Washington who operate and protect critical facilities are facing termination over what should be a personal medical decision. They don't deserve to be fired.

That is why I introduced the Exemptions for Critical Workers Act, to ensure these critical workers, who kept our industries functioning long before a vaccine was available to them, can make the health decision that is right for them while continuing their important work.

Just this week, three Federal courts halted the administration's mandate in certain parts of the country for healthcare workers and Federal contractors. Clearly, these mandates are unconstitutional.

I stand with the men and women who were asked to stand on the front lines for our sake, and I urge my colleagues to support my legislation.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of one of my constituents, Robert Larson, and congratulate him on his retirement.

For 27 years, Bob served as commissioner of the Port of Benton and has dedicated himself to serving his neighbors and his community.

Thanks to Bob's efforts, the U.S. Navy and the Port of Benton were able to partner to bring a section of the USS Triton submarine to Richland in honor of veterans who served in Navy submarines.

From strengthening local supply chains to preserving the history of the Hanford Site and so much more, Bob's contributions to the Port of Benton, the greater Tri-Cities, the State of Washington, and our country are a true testament to his spirit of service.

As a lifelong Washingtonian, on behalf of the people of the Fourth Congressional District, I extend my heartfelt thanks to Bob for his decades of public service and wish him all the best in retirement.

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt about it, we are in a time of crisis largely fueled by the Democratic Party and President Biden's policies. Store shelves are increasingly empty, the cost of basic goods is soaring, supply chains are failing, ports are backlogged, and government restrictions on domestic energy have driven the price of gasoline to 7-year highs. Who is it that foots the bill for these progressive policies? I will tell you, it is hardworking American families.

Rather than address the underlying causes of scarcity by bolstering American production and enhancing our Nation's energy independence, the Biden administration has worsened the situation with their dictatorial policies and mandates, most recently in the form of an executive order requiring all Federal employees and contractors be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 22 and December 8, respectively.

The alternative? Termination.

This mandate goes too far and has become a model for Democratic Governors across the country--including my own State of Washington's Governor Inslee--who are using it to justify their own drastic actions and impose similar State-level mandates.

Now, in addition to the hundreds of State emergency personnel who are already out of work, threatening the safety of our communities, central Washington also has hundreds of Federal workers and contractors who are facing termination.

American businesses have been struggling enough to find workers, fill production shifts, and deliver goods. President Biden's one-size-fits- all vaccine mandate will further hammer our small businesses, driving up prices, slowing down deliveries, and exacerbating supply chain problems.

First responders and frontline healthcare workers are also being fired for not complying with COVID-19 vaccine mandates. In the State of Washington, we have seen hundreds of our brave law enforcement officers forced to choose between vaccination and doing their jobs. Leaving our communities, which are facing rising crime rates, unprotected is not going to increase anyone's safety.

Hospitals and health clinics are experiencing staffing shortages as well. The remaining employees are then overworked to compensate, leading to burnout and increased staff turnover. Leaving our hospitals understaffed is not going to help our communities overcome this public health crisis.

President Biden's deadline for the vaccine mandate brushes right up against the peak holiday season. Since cargo distribution companies are already battling unprecedented labor shortages, this mandate is likely to wreak havoc on the global supply chain when it is stressed the most, during the holidays. Leaving our tables empty and the space under our Christmas trees bare is not going to improve morale.

But why is President Biden perpetuating a permanent state of emergency? The only answer that comes to mind is that he is more concerned about expanding governmental control than the safety and stability of our workforce or the protection of our individual rights.

Not only does this mandate go against our inalienable rights protected in the Constitution, but it ignores the fact that natural immunity also provides protection against infection from the virus. In fact, other countries have adopted policies upholding this as a valid, science-based exemption from vaccine requirements. The mandate also doesn't allow workers to opt out through frequent COVID testing, as many private businesses have chosen to do.

Federal employees who have opted not to receive the vaccine because they have natural immunity developed after recovering from the virus do not deserve to be fired, especially when those same men and women have worked tirelessly to keep our communities safe and healthy before there was even a vaccine available. These men and women, who have been on the front lines since the beginning of the pandemic and risking their families' health and safety to ensure our Federal and State projects continued and that our communities remained protected, deserve our respect, not our condemnation.

But the President has doubled down on his policies, stating that he absolutely thinks police officers and emergency responders should be fired if they do not comply with this mandate.

That is why I introduced the Options Over Terminations Act. This legislation would provide an exemption to the Federal COVID-19 mandate for any Federal employee or contractor who provides proof of COVID-19 antibodies.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support my legislation and provide our workers with a smart, science-based alternative to President Biden's vaccine mandate.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate the newly- elected national FFA president, Cole Baerlocher, who hails from the great State of Washington. Cole, a native of Colfax, is now honored with this tremendous opportunity to represent our State and our entire Nation.

For more than 90 years, FFA has provided students with premier leadership training through agricultural education and advocacy. As a former FFA member myself, I can attest that my experience not only helped shape my career as a farmer, but helped prepare me to represent the Fourth District of Washington in Congress.

Throughout his year of service to FFA, Cole and his fellow national officers will lead workshops and conferences across the country, cultivate relationships with national agriculture leaders, and help set policies that will guide the future of FFA.

Cole: Washington's entire agricultural community is proud to have you representing us, and we look forward to following your journey on behalf our Nation's producers.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to please join me in congratulating our national FFA officers.

Madam Speaker, this week we learned that either President Biden ignored the advice of his top military advisers and lied to shift the blame for his disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal or that those advisers lied to Congress under oath.

General McKenzie and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Milley both informed the Senate and House Armed Services Committees that they recommended to President Biden that we keep 2,500 troops in Afghanistan. Yet President Biden has adamantly claimed that he never received such advice.

Americans have been abandoned, left to the mercy of a terrorist regime that wants to destroy Western culture and institutionalize widespread and systemic gender apartheid.

Our military weapons and equipment have been turned over to our adversaries for their use against us.

And our President continues to negotiate with terrorists after our servicemen and -women have been murdered.

Every last American must make it home. Anything less is inexcusable and a dereliction of his sworn oath.

The President's lack of leadership is not only failing us abroad, but it is also threatening our safety here at home. Just this year more than 1.3 million people have illegally crossed our border, including known terrorists.

An open southern border threatens our national security and the safety of all Americans, and I hope we can all agree that we must do something to stop this disturbing trend.

The President has a duty to act. Our Federal Government must enforce our

Nation's immigration laws, reimplement successful policies from the Trump administration, and commit further support for our Border Patrol agents and our Customs enforcement officers.

That is why I signed on to a resolution calling for the President to fully enforce our immigration laws in light of the current surge at the border and the ongoing self-created border crisis.

Lastly, the President and his far-left Democrats are racking up debt that Americans cannot afford, exacerbating the current inflationary crisis that we are facing.

The proposed $4.3 trillion tax-and-spending spree is a continuation of the Biden administration's reckless policies that have created an unstable outlook for our economy, for our Nation's future, and for the next generation of Americans.

Not only does this package unravel the progress we have made to encourage work and raise wages, but it increases the national debt by up to $17 trillion, putting our national security further at risk.

The Speaker and the far left are wildly spending tax dollars on their socialist priorities, while increasing taxes on small businesses, on family farms, and by raising the corporate tax to a rate higher than Canada, higher than Italy, higher than the U.K., and even higher than Communist China, which we know will directly hurt job growth and wage growth for men and women across our communities.

Our economy is already running at the highest rate of inflation in 13 years. To recklessly increase our spending is fiscally irresponsible and downright dangerous. As Senator Manchin even said, it is truly the definition of fiscal insanity.

Madam Speaker, it is clear to me, just as I know it is clear to my constituents, the President, time and time again, is failing to display the leadership America needs and deserves. He must uphold the promises he made to the American people, and I call on him, I ask him to put an end to the era of crisis that we are now under.

National Hispanic Heritage Month

Madam Speaker, today I rise in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month and the histories, cultures, and contributions of Latino and Hispanic Americans throughout the United States.

Growing up in Sunnyside, Washington, I have witnessed firsthand how Hispanic Americans contribute to our communities through entrepreneurship, military service, and cultural diversity. They are our friends, our family, our neighbors, and our coworkers. They are small-business owners, doctors, police officers, and soldiers.

In central Washington and across the country, we are proud of our Hispanic friends and neighbors who prove that the American Dream is alive and well. Because of them, we are a stronger, more diverse, prosperous society.

Today I ask my colleagues, join me in honoring our Hispanic-American neighbors and in recognizing National Hispanic Heritage Month.