Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is with great respect that I rise today to recognize Senior Master Sergeant David Houtz. After 24 years of dedicated and honorable service in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, SMSgt Houtz will be retiring at the end of this month.

I have a profound admiration for those individuals who answer the call to serve and dedicate themselves to our country and community. SMSgt Houtz is actively engaged in strengthening his community and serves as an important role model for both fellow airmen and our younger generations.

Throughout his distinguished career, SMSgt Houtz has received various awards and accolades, including the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal. He has also served as a Boy Scout leader, a coach for various youth sports, and a member of the Myerstown Water Authority.

I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking SMSgt Houtz for his dedicated service to the United States and his many contributions to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We wish him the best as he enters this next chapter in life.

Madam Speaker, It is with great respect that I rise today to recognize Mr. Don Kivler of the Lake Silkworth Volunteer Fire Department. Don, who currently serves as President of the fire department and as Captain of the Fire Police, recently celebrated his 90th Birthday.

Don has been a member of the Lake Silkworth Volunteer Fire Department for over fifty years. A man of humility and integrity, he has bravely responded to countless emergency situations and dedicated over half of his life to promoting the safety and security of his friends and neighbors.

Don has strengthened the department and shaped his community for years to come. He is truly a cornerstone of Lake Silkworth and serves as an example to those around him. As Don embarks on his 90th year, I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking him for his dedicated service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and wishing him many more happy and healthy years.

Mr. Speaker, I am new here, but I am almost speechless. We just had, moments ago, a vote that would have provided pay to the Federal workers who have not received their paychecks this year.

Americans agree that we must provide for our border security, reopen the

government, and end this shutdown. But since House Democratic leadership has refused to come to the table and negotiate in good faith, the least we could do is ensure our Federal workers don't suffer because of Washington's dysfunction.

Last week, only six Democrats joined every Republican to vote to pay our workers. This vote took place moments ago, and 10 Democrats joined us again. We have heard speeches today on the floor, in the media, and all over the news by Democrats who claim to empathize with Federal workers who have gone unpaid. But when they had the chance today to pay them, for the most part, they have declined.

We need to listen to the people, pay our Federal workers, secure our borders, and end this shutdown.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to voice the frustration of the residents of my district in Pennsylvania.

Two weeks after the start of the 116th Congress, the Democrat leadership in the House continues to refuse to come to the table, negotiate a compromise, secure our borders, and put an end to the shutdown.

I have been hearing every day from hundreds of people in my district: do our jobs, secure the border, put partisanship aside, and get things done. Reopen the government, yes, and build a barrier securing the most vulnerable parts of our southern border and put an end to this humanitarian and national security crisis.

It is in our hands. This is what the people want, and this is what they expect. Instead, Democrat leadership appears to be treating this like a game, like we have taken an important issue--disaster relief for tragedy-stricken parts of our country--and poisoned it with partisanship.

This is a messaging bill that makes for good talking points on TV, but does nothing to make our country safer or end the shutdown. Let's negotiate and do what the people expect of us.

We were sent here to serve the people, not our political ambitions. It is long past time we start doing it.

Madam Speaker, I urge a no vote on the rule and on the underlying bill, and I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, the information is clear:

17,000 criminals were apprehended by Customs and Border Patrol agents at our southern border last year.

90 percent of the heroin ravaging American families comes across our southern border.

400,000 immigrants were apprehended attempting to come here illegally last year.

2,400 pounds of fentanyl were seized by our Border Patrol last year alone, enough to kill every living American.

The Customs and Border Patrol agency states, in no uncertain terms, a barrier or a wall is essential to do their job.

Even if these facts are trivialized, no one in Congress can seriously claim that we do not have a crisis at our southern border. It is up to Congress to act. The first duty of government is to afford protection to our citizens, and our citizens are demanding it.

I have received hundreds of calls to my office, urging us to follow the plan offered by Homeland Security experts to secure our border, build a barrier, enforce our immigration laws, and do our jobs.

Madam Speaker, it is with a great sense of honor, respect, and patriotism I make my first address on this floor.

This government shutdown needs to be resolved. The people know it is up to this Congress to do it and to do so in short order.

Despite the high level of political morass we must wade through in these first days of the 116th Congress, I continue to believe that this Congress can do things better and actually work together to get things done for the American people.

The need exists to advance and improve our border security, as well as correct aspects of our illegal immigration laws.

The problem-solving, however, starts with securing our borders. Our borders are a serious problem. We all know this. The data is indisputable by anyone who seriously reviews the information.

We have hundreds of thousands entering our country illegally every year, and our Border Patrol agents cannot manage the situation with the resources and tools Congress has appropriated.

There is a cost and a plan to make our borders properly secure. Congress has the responsibility to provide the right level of funding so border security staff can, in fact, do their job and so our country has lawful immigration.

The experts at Homeland Security say this cost is $5.7 billion. There are many in this Congress who will not vote for this, but less than 7 years ago, these same Members voted for border security funding which did, in fact, include a physical barrier.

Politics has no place in this serious matter. The border agents, including Chris Cabrera of the National Border Patrol Council, emphasizes that a wall, or a barrier, is an essential tool. We here in Congress must provide the means so Border Patrol can do their job.

I, myself, do believe in a policy of high fences and wide legal gates, but before we can talk about legal gates and deal with the issues such as DACA

and extended work visas for agricultural workers, we must secure the border.

The people want us to work together for our country, not for ourselves or our political parties. Let's not continue to let the people down. Let's show that this Congress can do things better.

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

Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 7 o'clock and 50 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, January 9, 2019, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.