Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman McCaul very much for his assistance and leadership in bringing this resolution to the floor and for his leadership on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

I also thank Representative Tenney, my good friend, for everything she has

done to advocate on behalf of Ryan Corbett, as well as Representative Keating and others who are engaged in this important resolution.

I do rise today in strong support of this resolution, which calls for the immediate release of Ryan Corbett, who has been wrongfully detained by the Taliban since August 10, 2022.

Ryan, who is originally from Susquehanna County in my district, relocated his family to Afghanistan in 2010 with the mission of aiding and assisting the Afghan population, eventually founding Bloom Afghanistan, a firm that provides consulting and microloans to Afghan small businesses.

After evacuating his family in the wake of the Afghanistan withdrawal, Ryan returned to Afghanistan in 2022, during which time he was imprisoned by the Taliban and forced to endure the most inhumane conditions, rarely being able to communicate with his family. He has never been accused of a crime.

My team and I, and many teams, as you can see here, have been involved in efforts on behalf of Ryan Corbett. We have all met with Anna Corbett, who has been mentioned here now several times, and her children many times.

Anna Corbett is working tirelessly, covering every department that she possibly can, having meetings from the top people at the State Department to all Members of Congress and with other nations' ambassadors, doing everything possible for the release of her husband, Ryan.

Today, we continue to implore the State Department to use all appropriate pressure to ensure Ryan's release.

Alongside calling for his immediate release, we also recognize Qatar for its effort in helping free Ryan and facilitating many visits, calls, and medical check-ins.

The humanitarian funding from USAID for the Taliban should be, Madam Speaker, scrutinized, minimized, or perhaps terminated until all wrongfully detained Americans in Afghanistan are returned home.

Ryan has been held hostage, as has been stated, by the Taliban for 671 days. Any sign of appeasement from the Biden administration should be hardened, and we should deal from strength. We certainly need more stick and less carrot when it comes to the release of American hostages.

We appreciate the work of the State Department, but we need to get the job done. That means getting Ryan and other American hostages in Afghanistan home immediately.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, what we saw in New York City this past few weeks was an abuse of our justice system against an individual who happened to be the former President of the United States and perhaps the next President. It was a frivolous case, and it was a clear attempt to undermine democracy.

Between the lack of evidence, the inability to clearly define a crime, the questionable players involved, and the timing, the American people saw it for what it was. Prosecuting political opponents like this happens in Third World countries, not in America.

I look forward to the players involved, the district attorney, having to answer for their actions before the Judiciary Committee's Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government in near time.

Make no mistake that this verdict will be appealed and the outcome overturned.

Mr. Speaker, as we approach Memorial Day, we honor the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice protecting our great country and preserving the freedoms we hold dear.

As Benjamin Franklin said: It is `` . . . a Republic, if you can keep it.'' It has been kept for nearly 250 years, largely thanks to patriots who have sacrificed so much.

Let us renew our commitment to the ideals for which they fought. As Abraham Lincoln said: ``We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.''

May we strive to build a Nation worthy of their sacrifice, where liberty and justice are more than words, but a reality. Their legacy will live on through our dedication to these principles.

On Memorial Day, we will be flying a flag to remember our Nation's heroes, but it is up to us, the people, to keep our flag flying, and we do this by continuing to strengthen our faith in America, our patriotism, our economy, and our national security.

May God bless America and those who have died protecting it.

Mr. Speaker, on this National Police Week, I rise to honor the brave men and women of law enforcement.

This week could not have come at a more important time. Many members of law enforcement, both rookies and 30-year veterans, are disheartened far too often by the treatment police officers have experienced in recent years.

Their dedication is to protect and serve their communities, yet far too often, they are disrespected, defunded, demoralized, and even demonized--not by many, but enough, and too often by elected community leaders. This must stop.

Many criminal prosecutors also need to do their jobs. There are too many violent criminals who break firearm possession laws and are released. We must enforce the firearm laws that exist. This will reduce so-called gun violence.

Too many prosecutors are failing to prosecute violent criminals. This endangers citizens, diminishes public safety, and puts police officers at high risk.

As the son of a former police officer, I always back the blue. There is always room for improvement, but we all should always respect the men and women who do, in fact, risk their lives to protect and serve and too often give their lives for their job, community, and for the people they work for.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Nurses Week.

This year's theme is Nurses Make the Difference. Nurses fulfill diverse roles as caregivers, advocates, educators, and leaders, leaving a profound impact on their patients and communities.

In Congress, I am dedicated to strengthening America's nursing workforce. I have supported increased funding to title VIII nursing workforce programs, which include crucial funding to Nurse Corps Loan Repayment and Scholarship programs.

These programs will make nursing schools more accessible and help bolster the nursing workforce, especially in rural areas. I have also cosponsored the National Nursing Workforce Center Act, which seeks to curb burnout and address nurse retention issues.

I am also fighting to close the pay gap between clinical nurses and nursing educators.

Mr. Speaker, this week, let's thank a nurse in Pennsylvania's Ninth from Sayre to Pottsville, to Sunbury to Williamsport. We are so very grateful for our great nurses.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the tragic loss and memory of Bryan Kendall. His tragic passing in a farm accident last weekend has left an immense void in our community, touching the hearts of Lebanon County and beyond.

Bryan was a proud dairy farmer, and he was known as the heart of Villa Dale Farm, a legacy spanning three generations.

Though his life came to an end far too early, Bryan's memory lives on in the hearts of those who knew him. He cherished his role as a devoted husband to Alyssa and as a father to two sons.

Farmers like Bryan are essential to keeping food on every American's table. It is important to recognize the risks that farmers face in their profession, and we should all be thankful for the hard work of the men and women who feed our nation.

In echoing the sentiments of countless others, Bryan will very surely be missed.

Mr. Speaker, I thank our chairman, Mr. Roger Williams from the great State of Texas, for yielding and for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Small Business Week in support of H.R. 5333, the Investing in All of America Act of 2023, introduced by myself and Representative Scholten. This legislation aims to incentivize greater private capital investments in small businesses located in rural or low-income areas, and those operating in the national security sector by providing additional bonus leverage for funds participating in the SBA's SBIC program.

The Small Business Investment Companies are privately owned companies that are licensed and regulated by the SBA. SBICs raise private capital that is matched with leverage by the SBA, currently capped at $175 million for individual licensees. SBICs then deploy these private funds, along with the SBA-guaranteed funding, to invest directly in small businesses.

It is important to note that the SBIC leverage operates at zero subsidy cost to the American taxpayer. In other words, taxpayer funds are not utilized for the credit extended in SBIC investments.

Throughout the last two decades, SBIC-backed businesses have created 5 million new jobs and supported an additional 10.5 million jobs. Last year alone, SBICs invested over $8 billion in small businesses across America, including $412 million in small businesses located in my home State, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Though, the SBIC program has been very successful in responsibly deploying capital to small businesses, recent studies have shown that close to 20 percent of the SBIC investment reaches only 20 percent of low- to middle-income communities, but with this legislation this number will significantly increase.

The Investing in All of America Act would incentivize the deployment of additional capital to small businesses located in rural or low- income areas as well as small businesses, again, in the national security technology sector.

Dollars invested in these areas will not count against individual SBIC's $175 million leverage cap. By creating this incentive, the Investing in All of America Act will increase investment for these underserved communities.

It is important to note that the bonus leverage included in this legislation does not change the cost or risks of the SBIC program. The existing successful private capital ratio to SBA leverage that has kept the program operating at no subsidy will remain the same.

This legislation would also adjust the SBIC leverage caps to account for inflation. SBIC leverage caps have not been adjusted since 2015 for single licensees and since 2018 for a family of funds. Since the last adjustment, as we know, inflation has risen rapidly. As we continue to deal with increasing inflation, reinstating the inflation adjuster for the leverage cap is necessary to ensure the investment power of the SBIC's remain consistent with the broader markets and ensure the program can continue to provide small businesses with the capital they need.

Recently, the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access, which I chair, held a hearing examining the SBIC program. In addition to discussing the positive effects of the program, we discussed the improvements that could be made. I am happy to say that a number of the reforms suggested by the witnesses are included in this legislation.

While there is more work to do, this legislation will make a very positive impact on those participating in the SBIC program and assist them in deploying even more capital to these worthy small businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Scholten for her partnership on this legislation and the bipartisan group of 14 Members who have cosponsored it. Again, I thank Chairman Williams and the ranking member for their leadership and support of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, just the latest devastating consequence of the atrocious Biden border crisis is the dramatic rise in the number of illegal immigrants squatting in American homes.

We have heard story after story of migrants squatting on Americans' property to the point of a viral Venezuelan TikToker urged illegal immigrants to take advantage of States' adverse possession laws, which caused even more migrants to squat.

Just last week, Homeland Security officials arrested eight illegal immigrants on drug and gun possession charges who had been squatting in a Bronx, New York, home.

I am taking action to curb this trend, which is why I recently introduced the Safeguarding Homes from Illegal Entry, Living, and Dwelling Act, or SHIELD Act. My bill would make trespassing a deportable offense for illegal aliens, as well as deem the alien permanently inadmissible for entry or return back to the United States of America.

This legislation should serve as a deterrent and make illegal immigrants think twice before attempting to trespass on our homes in an unlawful manner.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 100th anniversary of Battery Council International or commonly known as BCI. In March of 1924, 25 firms launched the National Battery Manufacturer's Association--the group that would eventually become Battery Council

International. Since then, BCI has been the leading trade association for unlocking the potential of energy storage and supporting the commercial integration of essential products. BCI members are committed to safe, responsible battery manufacturing and sustaining the world's most successful circular economy.

The domestic lead battery industry is an American manufacturing story that should make us all proud to be a part of. The industry in the United States has more than 165 GWh of manufacturing capacity, 39 lead battery manufacturing facilities, over 250,000 lead battery collection and distribution sites, and 9 lead battery recycling facilities. Lead batteries have a nearly 100 percent recycling rate, an industry sustainability achievement deserving of our recognition.

The U.S. battery industry powers roughly $8.1 trillion worth of domestic industrial economic output annually, or roughly 20 percent of the U.S. economy. Forty-eight million jobs are related to or reliant on the battery industry and related downstream businesses. And the industry continues to invest to meet the future.

The batteries made by BCI members over the past century have powered nearly a billion vehicles in the U.S. alone--a staggering contribution to American mobility. Fifty percent of the world's energy storage capacity is reliant on lead batteries, which are a particularly vital part of virtually every industry sector, including transportation, traditional vehicles, electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles emergency and remote power, data centers, telecommunications, and renewable energy storage.

I am especially proud of the work of East Penn Manufacturing, which is the largest single-site, lead battery facility in the United States. East Penn is located in my former congressional district in Lyons, Pennsylvania, and employs over 10,000 people.

The President and CEO of East Penn, Chris Pruitt, leads this important company with its remarkable workforce in our state, and also currently serves as the Chairman of the Board for Battery Council International.

The battery industry continues to be vital for our economy, our low carbon future, and our manufacturing sector, as well as the many industries that rely on energy storage.

I would like to congratulate my friend and BCI board chair, Chris Pruitt, as well as BCI President, Roger Miksad, and all of the members on the 100th Anniversary of Battery Council International.

Mr. Speaker, last week, President Biden claimed here in this House that the state of our Union is strong, but the American people disagree.

From soaring inflation, the national debt, a catastrophe at our southern border, an assault on American energy, rising crime, and geopolitical chaos, the state of our Union, sadly, is not strong. It has been in decline for 3 years, 1 month, and 22 days.

Americans feel the cost of inflation whenever they check out at the grocery store. They feel the anti-American energy agenda whenever they fill up their gas tanks as they remember the prices of January 2020.

They see this administration's failure as they watch millions of migrants illegally cross our border and watch the world thrown into global conflict as a result of the policies of appeasement.

The President has claimed that crime is improving. Not only is crime not down, but it is out of control. Americans, unfortunately, feel it and see it in our streets almost every day.

What is needed is a recognition of the realities our Nation faces and a real plan to correct course. Rather than the state of the Union, President Biden's address was a state of delusion.

Mr. Speaker, there are real concerns throughout our Nation about the violence in our streets. There has been a failed social experiment on the part of the left that has resulted in high levels of crime.

Leftwing officials, Mr. Speaker, have defunded and discredited police forces across the country, as well as appointed liberal prosecutors who are not prosecuting.

The facts don't lie. Here in Washington, D.C., the city has cut $100 million from the Metro PD's $600 million budget since 2017, and the prosecution rate of arrests in the Nation's Capital has been around 30 percent in recent years. Whereas a short time ago, it was upwards, near 70 percent. Therefore, it should be no surprise that violent crime is soaring in Washington, D.C.

Carjackings, for instance, were up more than 100 percent from last year, which was at an all-time high. Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, they are all the same. Crime has gotten so out of hand in New York City, the Governor just deployed 1,000 National Guardsmen to help secure the subway system.

However, it is not just in the cities. Radical ideology has expanded into the suburban communities, and crime has come along with it. Just this week, I met with members of the Fraternal Order of Police. They shared with me their concerns about the rising antipolice sentiment and detailed the skyrocketing violence against law enforcement officers.

Last year, Mr. Speaker, tragically, 378 police officers were shot in the line of duty, 46 of whom were killed, and this was up from 323 officers shot in 2022. It is disgraceful.

One piece of legislation to address these issues is my Holding Prosecutors Accountable Act, which has been endorsed by the National Police Association. It would force ideological prosecutors to do their jobs by mandating they prosecute at least 67 percent of violent crimes. If they don't, their jurisdiction will lose access to Federal DOJ grant funding.

It would also require prosecutors' offices that serve highly populated jurisdictions to publish their prosecution rate data. Americans deserve to know if their elected prosecutor is deliberately releasing violent criminals back onto the streets.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, this ideological social experiment starts at the top. Joe Biden and Vice President Harris have not shown support for law enforcement. It is that simple. Just look at their criticism of the border agents that were on horseback, who they accused of whipping migrants, despite knowing that that was categorically false.

These border agents were doing their jobs. There was no whipping that took place, and when the truth finally came out, there was no apology from the White House. Also, when Vice President Harris had the opportunity to disavow the defund the police movement during an interview on ``The View,'' she refused to answer, showing an utter lack of support for the brave men and women who protect and serve our communities.

This is, Mr. Speaker, in stark contrast from the former President, who would speak strongly in favor of police officers and backing the blue. President Trump sent a clear pro law enforcement message, but now, under President Biden, we are dealing with rampant smash-and-grab situations, crimes, migrant crime due to our open borders, out-of- control violence in our streets, and gangs riding around on dirt bikes victimizing innocent citizens and small businesses.

We have a serious issue before us that has been created over the last 3 years. Therefore, as a society and as elected officials, we need to come together to correct course, or the American people must elect those that will make national security and public safety job one.

Mr. Speaker, under the past Trump administration, there was no invasion of Ukraine, there was peace in the Middle East, and there was less tension between China and Taiwan. As well, the terrorist state of Iran was defunded because of the strict sanctions on their oil exports.

However, today, Biden's weaknesses on the world stage have plunged the world into chaos. We are now dealing with the horrific invasion by Putin into Ukraine. The Middle East went from peace to chaos, with hostage taking, massive slaughters, and death. Additionally, many parts of our neighboring country, Mexico, have turned into gangland due to the border policies from this administration.

Further, our relationship with China is one of disrespect, not respect.

Plus, Iran is now enormously well funded and responsible for the bulk of terrorism that exists worldwide, from Hezbollah to the Houthis to Hamas. Despite this, we have an administration that has an irrational affinity for gaining some sort of deal or agreement with the terrorist state of Iran.

In addition, perhaps what is worse, Mr. Speaker, there is no plan to take corrective action. Once again, it is just more of the same, and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are asking the American taxpayer to fund the results of the Biden administration's disastrous geopolitical policies.

As former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo put it, this is an America that is on its back foot. Our friends don't trust us, and our adversaries insufficiently fear us.

Mr. Speaker, I could not agree with him more.

Mr. Speaker, on day one of the Biden Presidency, the President reversed many, if not all, of the successful border policies implemented by the previous administration, the Trump administration, that kept our Nation safe and kept our border secure.

Joe Biden ended remain in Mexico, halted border wall construction, loosened asylum requirements, issued a moratorium on deportations, essentially telling the world: Our border is open. Come on in.

Meanwhile, Customs and Border Patrol, on any visit you make to the border, will tell you that just by instituting remain in Mexico, 75 to 80 percent of those trying to enter our country illegally would be deterred and would not enter.

These policy reversals led to, at the time, caravans of migrants in Mexico wearing ``Biden, thank you'' T-shirts as they approached the United States border.

Since that time, Mr. Speaker, there have been 8.5 million illegal border crossings, as well as an estimated 1.7 million got-aways, over 10 million illegal entries, most of whom we don't have any idea who they are or where they are throughout the United States of America.

So why did President Biden take these actions? Ideological idiocy? What he did was anything but humanitarian or rational. Migrants made this journey here, Mr. Speaker, under false, deadly pretenses. People have drowned. People are drowning. Probably today, Mr. Speaker, people are drowning in the Rio Grande and under false pretenses coming to our country.

People are being killed. The reports are that one-third of women are sexually assaulted. At the same time, drug cartels are getting rich, coyotes are getting rich, and much of Mexico, thanks to the Biden administration's wonderful policies, is a gangland.

Along with the suffering of the migrants, the American people are suffering. During Biden's time in office, there have been over 300,000 American deaths from fentanyl and other opioids which were smuggled across the southern border--nothing to smile about.

American teens and young adults are dying at alarming rates. To date, this administration has done nothing to correct course. We are experiencing all of this locally. Don't we all know an individual, usually a young person, who has died from a fentanyl overdose?

While it is no match for the cost of life that has been lost, we cannot forget the immense financial cost our cities, States, and taxpayers have incurred as a result of Biden's disastrous border policies, exponentially disastrous.

The Center for Immigration Studies reports the annual cost of Biden's immigration crisis to the United States is $452 billion of American taxpayer funds. The Federation for American Immigration Reform notes that the cost to my home State, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is $1.64 billion per year.

Mr. Speaker, what about the crime epidemic? We now have something called migrant crime. Mr. Speaker, is there anything more horrific than we have seen from the Laken Riley situation, how an illegal from Venezuela made it across the border illegally, went to New York, committed all kinds of crimes, was let out by the weak, foolish, ideological prosecutors in New York, and then went on to Georgia and murdered a beautiful young girl?

To add insult to this injury, the Biden administration takes the American people for idiots by trying to blame this border crisis on Republicans and Donald Trump, after 3 years of Secretary Mayorkas and Vice President Harris and everybody else in the Biden administration telling us that the border is secure, along with 90 percent of the media.

Mr. Speaker, the American people are not buying it. The facts don't lie. Our eyes don't lie. No matter how many times they tell us they do, this unmitigated disaster is a direct result of this administration's weak policies, and it is the height of hypocrisy.

After causing this catastrophe, President Biden going to the border today is clearly nothing more than a sad, sorry attempt to save him from a political standpoint. This trip is not about solving the border problem. It is about solving a political problem that is getting worse.

Perhaps more shameful is Biden's attempt to blame those who want to protect our border for a lack of support for Ukraine. That, too, is outrageous. We can do both. The will of the American people matters. Let's not forget who we represent in our constitutional Republic.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the vice chair of our Conference, for his leadership on these important issues.

Mr. Speaker, Mark Twain once said: Loyalty to the country always. Loyalty to the government when it is deserved.

From Joe Biden's self-induced crisis at our southern border to the repeated assault on American energy to foreign policy blunders, this administration's policies have been a disaster for our country.

It seems every decision coming from this White House from a national security standpoint and an economic standpoint makes the United States weaker and more vulnerable both here and abroad.

Even the latest LNG export pause is of great concern to our European Union allies, who stopped purchasing natural gas from Russia because they invaded Ukraine and are now counting on the United States. They are rattled by this White House's so-called pause.

The whole country now knows that we, the United States of America, are allowing a record number of potential threats into our country at our southern border, including deadly drugs, terrorists, human trafficking, and crime.

On top of the nearly 10 million persons here illegally who have crossed the border under Joe Biden's watch, 361 individuals were on the terrorist watch list. How many were there under the previous administration, under the Trump administration, over a 4-year period? Just 11.

Why has there been a 3,000 percent increase in terrorists crossing our border? Is it because our enemies know that this is a good time to take advantage of the United States of America? The threats aren't just coming from Central or South America or the Middle East for that matter. The threats are coming from all over the world.

Customs and Border Protection says they have encountered illegal immigrants from 120 different countries, which is deeply troubling given the geopolitical conflicts created around the world in the last 3 years. Even ``60 Minutes'' expressed concern that 37,000 Chinese nationals crossed our border illegally last year, 50 times more than the previous 2 years.

What does the Biden White House propose to solve the crisis? Symbolism of a policy, well over substance, really a do-nothing, politically motivated bill that fails to include reimplementation of the Trump administration's remain in Mexico policy. Per Customs and Border Patrol, this is the most crucial piece to solving the border catastrophe.

If we don't require illegal migrants to claim asylum in the first safe country they enter, we will simply never solve this crisis. This is why we are not favorable to the Senate bill, because they will just keep on coming illegally.

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry to say, the Biden administration really doesn't seem to care about protecting the interests of the United States. They made that clear by failing to enforce the laws that exist, which the Trump White House used to secure the border.

From an economic standpoint, the Biden White House made a surprising and inexplicable decision to pause American LNG exports. This misguided policy failure will only drive our allies, as stated, into the arms of our adversaries, supporting Russia's economy.

This White House can be counted on for one thing, and that is to blame others for the crises they create. Harry Truman was known for his saying, which sat atop his desk: The buck stops here. The name placard sitting in this Oval Office should be: Pass the buck. That is why Republicans have taken decisive action to hold the Biden administration accountable.

We impeached Secretary Mayorkas just yesterday for his failure to enforce our border laws and for the blatant dereliction of duty and violation of his oath of office that has created grave dangers for our country. Tomorrow, we will pass the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act to repeal the ill-conceived, ideologically guided restrictions on the export and import of natural gas.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans will continue to fight for American energy, American national security, the American economy, and the American people because this administration simply will not.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, Dr. Joyce of Pennsylvania, for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my very serious concerns over the Biden administration's misguided, out-of-touch decision to pause pending approvals of liquefied natural gas exports, the latest assault by this President on American energy.

I represent the Ninth District of Pennsylvania, which encompasses a large portion of the Marcellus Shale natural gas region, one of the largest reserves of natural gas in the world. Not only does the natural gas industry support over 125,000 jobs in Pennsylvania, Mr. Speaker, but it also contributes $25-plus billion to the Commonwealth's GDP, meaning Biden's continued assault on American energy, including on the natural gas industry, is truly an assault on Pennsylvania's workforce and economy.

The President's gas-backward energy policies directly impact companies in my district like Coterra, Seneca Resources, Chesapeake, Southwestern, and the many thousands of people they employ, including their families.

Yet, Joe Biden doesn't seem to care. Since taking office, he has issued a moratorium on natural gas leasing activities on various of the United States' resources, increased regulatory building codes that disincentivize the use of natural gas, issued an ESG rule hindering investments in natural gas companies, and implemented a new $8 billion tax on companies that produce, process, transmit, or store natural gas. He significantly raised requirements for assessing proposed natural gas pipelines.

The list goes on. He has proposed overly stringent natural gas infrastructure project reviews and proposed a rule to severely restrict power generation at new and existing gas-fired power plants. Outside of that, he is wonderful.

Now, on January 26, the Biden administration announced its most harmful and inexplicable energy decision yet--to pause all approvals on LNG exports, which threatens our economy, our national security, and our ability to reduce carbon emissions.

On an economic front, the benefits of natural gas for America cannot be overstated. The U.S. natural gas industry is a powerhouse, supporting over 10 million American jobs and contributing $1.8 trillion in U.S. GDP.

By fostering a robust natural gas industry, we stimulate investment, drastically enhancing domestic American-made goods and manufacturing and, of course, creating well-paying jobs across various industry sectors.

The Biden administration's decision will hinder all of this. This heavyhanded, Big Government approach is going to cause a great disruption to long-term LNG infrastructure initiatives.

At a time when we should be growing the industry, increasing production, and boosting exports, the Biden administration instead wants to limit our ability to be a world leader on the natural gas stage.

Beyond the economic implications, resuming the consideration of LNG export applications is crucial to our national security and strategic interests. Our allies depend on a secure, reliable source of LNG. By withholding these approvals, we risk pushing them into the arms of less stable, potentially adversarial suppliers like Russia, as my colleagues have been bringing up.

LNG export projects are indispensable for ensuring that we continue to function as the economic arsenal of democracy during geopolitical incidents, such as the war on Ukraine. Simply put, energy security is national security.

Mr. Speaker, while this administration claims to want to reduce carbon emissions, their actions related to natural gas are doing the exact opposite.

Clean natural gas emits almost 50 to 60 percent less carbon emissions than other fossil fuels. Let me tell you, the way we extract and process natural gas here in the United States of America is far cleaner than it is in Russia, Iran, China, or Venezuela. Does anybody doubt that? Of course not.

Joe Biden's crusade against the natural gas industry is not only detrimental to consumers and producers, but it is detrimental to America's ability to regain the energy dominance we secured under President Trump.

We must embrace an all-of-the-above and all-of-the-below energy solution. The only people who benefit from Joe Biden's anti-American policies are our adversaries overseas.

Joe Biden, Mr. Speaker, is choosing Moscow over communities in my district like Montrose, Pennsylvania. He is choosing Tehran over Towanda. He is choosing Venezuela over Pennsylvania and Saudi Arabia over Sayre, Pennsylvania. This makes absolutely no sense.

The global uncertainty caused by Biden's pausing of LNG export hinders our ability to bring American natural gas to the world markets and limits our strategic advantages that the United States can provide to our allies.

We must support our economy. We need to be looking out in a serious way for our national security. We want to support Pennsylvania's workforce. I urge the Biden administration to reverse its pause.

Mr. Speaker, lastly, the administration needs to check their extreme ideology at the door and focus on outcomes, not ideology. We need to wake up and woke down.

Mr. Speaker, with a heavy heart, I stand before you today to pay tribute to the remarkable life and legacy of Williamsport resident, Rebecca Powell Swanson, who passed away on December 31, 2023.

Rebecca was a longtime substitute teacher in Warren, Pennsylvania, where she began her teaching career in the Warren County School District. She taught first at Sheffield Area High School, then at Beaty Middle School, and finally at Warren Area High School, where she retired in 1987.

Rebecca's unwavering commitment extended beyond the classroom. She proudly served as a member of the Warren First Presbyterian Church, where she taught Sunday School, took on the role of a Deacon, engaged in Bible Study circles, and later assumed the position of Secretary for the Presbyterian Women's Coordinating Team.

Rebecca's involvement reached across various organizations, including the Warren Association of College Women, Retired Women Teachers of the City of Warren, Warren Forest Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees, and as a Full Life Member of the PASR.

Away from her commitments, Rebecca found joy in travel, literature, piano, crossword puzzles, and enjoyed many bridge games with friends. Most importantly, she enjoyed cheering on the Penn State Nittany Lion football team while surrounded by her loving family.

Today, I encourage my colleagues in Congress to join me in commemorating the life of Rebecca Powell Swanson. May the memory of Rebecca bring solace and blessings to her family, friends, and the community.