Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained en route to vote.

Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 7.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Senator Bob Dole, one of America's greatest. I have so many different memories from over the years, it is hard to know where to start or where to finish.

Though I first came to Capitol Hill when Senator Dole was still in the U.S. Senate, my first extended interaction with him was when his wife, Elizabeth, was running for the U.S. Senate to succeed my current boss at the time, U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, who was retiring.

There was one day I remember so well. I had taken time off from my work to help with Elizabeth's campaign. And of course, Bob Dole, no stranger to North Carolina, came to town several times to campaign for her.

On this particular occasion, we had lined up a number of visits for Bob Dole that included a stop at a tobacco receiving station in Smithfield, and then on to several other stops in Goldsboro.

As is the case with any campaign, there was little down time, which is just how Bob Dole liked it. He had a real knack for retail campaigning. He was never at a loss for words, always had a quip, and always left everyone laughing.

As I recall, it was about 11:30 a.m. that day, and we had just finished up the stop at the tobacco receiving station where we had met with a number of tobacco farmers. Now we were on our way to Goldsboro. I wasn't that hungry, but I could tell the campaign staffer driving Bob Dole was ready to find some lunch somewhere.

Well, Bob Dole was hungry too, but had a little bit different of an idea about it. So once we leave the tobacco receiving station, he directs the young man to stop at a local convenience store. Bob Dole goes in, talks it up with the lady running the cash register, buys a Krispy Kreme doughnut, and comes back out.

Sensing this was the only lunch stop Bob Dole wanted to make, the young staffer turned to him and said: ``Senator, don't you want to stop and get a real lunch somewhere?''

The Senator replied: ``Bob Dole doesn't eat lunch until after the election; as only Bob Dole can say it. And of course, he often talked in third person.

I would see Bob Dole from time to time after that election, but I didn't get to really know him until I came to Washington as a new Member of this House of Representatives. He would call from time to time to talk about my campaign; to see if I had an opponent; to talk about what was going on in the House and the Senate; or just to talk life and politics in general. I will always cherish those conversations.

A great Kansan from humble roots, Senator Bob Dole answered the call to serve his country, fighting for liberty for 79 years. It wasn't long ago that I got to visit the site where he was so badly injured in Italy.

As I looked around the landscape of that, that spot where he was wounded, so far from home in a foreign land, here was this very young man and so many others like him facing evil head-on.

Several years previous to that trip, I had gotten the opportunity to travel abroad to take a look at implementation of our country's food aid programs. I will never forget being in a very remote area of Ethiopia, looking at thousands of children who were eating porridge during lunch at school, and only because of the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. It was the only real meal those children received during the day.

Through his final years, months, and even until his final days, Senator Dole remained so involved and passionate for the principles that made this country great, while caring for our most vulnerable. The number of veterans and their families he greeted at the World War II Memorial during his final years would be far too many to count. And that is just a tiny glimpse of what he did to support, lift up, and encourage others.

There is no way to properly measure his impact, not just in America, but around the world. He was the embodiment of the American spirit and what it means to be a true patriot and statesman. His lifetime of commitment, dedication, and perseverance for this country was and is unmatched. His legacy of service and statesmanship will only grow greater through the prism of history.

Madam Speaker, there are those special individuals you get to know in life who help you keep it all in perspective. I will always be so appreciative of Bob Dole, the man, and what a giant of a man he was.

May God's peace and grace embrace his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Robin, as well as the rest of his family in the hours, days, and months to come.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding.

Madam Speaker, the 2,000-plus-page bill before us today has countless provisions that are going to substantially increase the debt, incentivize even more people not to work, and hike the taxes of the very ones who create the jobs.

It levies more than $400 billion in tax hikes on small businesses, and it includes a $1.2 trillion Made in America tax plan that is going to do nothing but send jobs overseas. It spends nearly $80 billion so the IRS can go after the average taxpayer and snoop around his bank account. It eliminates work requirements for welfare when, in fact, we have 10.4 million jobs available.

It prevents lifesaving drugs from coming to market and disincentivizes the innovation necessary to discover cures. It hinders domestic energy production and even imposes a tax on natural gas.

Should this monstrosity become law, it will hurt the economy, drive up the debt, and increase inflation even more--all of which means the standard of living of each and every American is going to decline.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Robert Powell Holding, III, of Wilmington, North Carolina. Thomas Jefferson once said, ``God who gave us life gave us liberty.''

North Carolina is fortunate to have an embodiment of this American spirit in Robert Holding, III, who is continuing his battle against pancreatic cancer by working on a new E.A. Morris/Robert P. Holding Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund.

Mr. Speaker, I first met Robert, or ``Robbie'', as so many of his closest friends and family in our home county of Johnston call him, when I was a teenager working on our family farm during the summers.

He drove up in his pickup, with his wrist resting on top of the steering--the window rolled down, of course. I don't know how I can recall that detail so vividly and not remember the exact year, but I think I was about 13 or 14.

He had stopped by the shop there at the farm to visit with my uncle for a bit. They talked weather and the crops and the latest news in the county for a good 30 minutes, maybe longer.

Now, that wasn't the first time I had seen a neighboring farmer come by in their pickup to talk, but it was the first time I had ever met a Holding. I had heard about the family for years--arguably the most influential family in Johnston County and eastern North Carolina--but I had never met one until that day. Years later we would be neighbors at McGee's Crossroads in Johnston County and in Wilmington as well.

Former U.S. Senator Lauch Faircloth said it best when he wrote about Robert Holding: Robert, you are one of the strongest people of faith I know. Lauch went on: I remember launching my campaign in your living room. You have been in the top leadership for Reagan in 1980, Senator Jesse Helms, myself, Senator Dole, and others.

My dear friend and former Congressman George Holding added: I watched my older brother work hard for years, building businesses in manufacturing, media, real estate, and finance. And I watched him tirelessly give back to his family and community.

I have personally seen firsthand how Robert Holding's hard work, mentoring, and insightful mind inspires others. He has helped make our State and Nation a much better place.

From the Nutcracker Company to vice president of promotional wholesale; from founder and CEO of Carolantic Communications and RP Industries; to founding Reedy Branch Farms, Robert has worked to be a contributor to his community.

From founder and CEO of Allied Communications, Delta Broadcasting and WKFT-TV, to CFB Construction Company, Jefferson Marketing, RP Holding Realty, the Coalition for Freedom, and the Vance Young Team at Intracoastal Realty, Robert has provided love, leadership, and jobs to employees and owners.

From Americans for Reagan to Helms, Faircloth, Dole, Leo Daughtry, the Congressional Club, and so many others, Robert Holding is a visionary business leader who stands for what he believes.

You can see his kind heart in how he continues to give back to our community locally through his nonprofit work, and by his help to champion to E.A. Morris Cancer Center at Duke University. He is helping lead projects in Johnston County to strengthen Providence Presbyterian Church, expand LifeSpring Academy, and support Friendship Baptist Church, as well as his work with the Wilmington Boys and Girls Club, and leadership of Monday night Bible study.

He has also worked tirelessly to champion wildlife conservation across North Carolina with legendary conservationist Eddie Bridges. His vision for the Eddie C. Bridges, Robert P. Holding Black Creek Youth for Christ Wildlife Habitat Conservation Grounds will help future generations value our amazing natural sources.

Like his father and grandfather before him, Robert Holding, III, is an example of the American spirit that makes this country great; the spirit of faith, family, and community; the spirit to be the best we can be and to help others.

God bless you, Robert, and thank you. May God bless your wife, Pam; your children, Bob and Amy; your six grandchildren; your brothers, Frank and George; your sister, Jane; and all those whose lives you continue to touch.

Mr. Speaker, it is truly an honor to know Robert and to recognize him today.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Michigan for yielding.

With Veterans Day just around the corner, I am pleased to join my colleagues to honor the brave men and women who valiantly answered the call of duty to serve and protect the United States.

In North Carolina, we have a rich tradition of military service, and we are blessed to have a large community of veterans in the Seventh Congressional District. It is because of their selflessness and heroism that the United States remains free and continues to be the greatest light for liberty mankind has ever known.

Their families have devoted just as much to this noble cause. Over the past year and a half many of our citizens across this great land have struggled with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, but none have been more affected than our veterans and their families.

Those veterans who have seen the horrors of war carry scars. Some are physical scars; others are emotional scars. Mental health has always been a need for many, given what they have been through. The botched withdrawal from Afghanistan has further exacerbated that mental anguish for so many who have served.

This is why now, more than ever, it is important that Congress pay tribute to our country's servicemembers and our veterans. It is also important for them to know that America supports them. To every veteran across this great land and their loved ones, we thank you and we are forever indebted to you. It is my honor to serve as a voice for North Carolina veterans in Congress, and I will continue to support vital measures to honor, provide support, and deliver results for our Nation's heroes. May God always bless them.

Madam Speaker, due to a previous commitment to co-host the WATERS summit in Greenville, NC for the purpose of identifying potential solutions to mitigate flooding of my constituents--and because of the schedule change by the Speaker--I was not able to make the vote on the debt limit increase. Had I been present, I would have noted ``nay'' on Rollcall No. 315.

Madam Speaker, where there is an abundance of energy, there is prosperity. Energy made in America creates jobs, lowers energy costs for American families and small businesses, and enhances our national security.

Unfortunately, the Biden administration is working overtime to undo all the progress made during the previous administration towards energy independence. They have banned new oil and gas leases on public lands and cancelled the Keystone XL Pipeline--killing thousands of American jobs and increasing our Nation's dependence on foreign countries.

Now, the liberals in Congress hope to pass their $4.3 trillion tax and spend spree that includes their radical new tax on natural gas. Natural gas, by the way, is the primary reason why carbon emissions today are substantially lower.

This extreme partisan provision will not only decimate American energy, but it will kill thousands of good-paying jobs, burden families with higher utility costs, and make the United States more dependent on our adversaries, whose economies produce dramatically more carbon than the United States.

While President Biden promised not to raise taxes on middle-class American families, this assault on fossil fuels breaks his promise in the form of higher energy costs on families who are already feeling the impacts of sky-rocketing inflation.

The Colonial Pipeline cybersecurity attack that took place earlier this year underscores the need to invest in a more robust and secure energy future. With the pipeline transporting nearly half of the East Coast's fuel supply, gasoline shortages threatened millions of Americans. This caused long lines at the pump and, in many cases, such as in North Carolina, no fuel at the vast majority of gas pumps. This is the perfect example of why we need more opportunities for reliable energy--not less.

As I stated at the outset: where there is an abundance of energy, there is prosperity. And instead of attacking American energy producers, this administration and Congress should be working to ensure our energy supply is more resilient--not more vulnerable.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidable detained and missed the following vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 247.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a very distinguished American and longtime public servant of the people of Southeastern North Carolina as well as the United States Congress.

Billy Barker has served this institution for 24 years, 18 years for former Congressman Mike McIntyre and 6 years with me as agriculture field director.

He also served a number of years for North Carolina's longtime Commissioner of Agriculture, the late Jim Graham. Following more than three decades of serving the citizens of North Carolina, Billy recently retired from his work in public service.

Billy was one of my first hires after I was elected to Congress in 2014. He is a great friend who has been an incredibly valuable source of information for me and many others. The contributions he has made to the agriculture community and our farm families cannot be measured. Sometimes it was help on a pressing issue with USDA; other times, it was just a friendly visit to talk local scuttlebutt and take a break from the stresses on the farm.

It is no exaggeration to say that North Carolina's farm economy wouldn't look the same without Billy's hard work and influence. Through numerous hurricanes and other storms, the COVID-19 pandemic, and every other challenge, Billy Barker has been a constant presence on the ground, providing our farm families and rural communities a steady hand to guide them through recovery and ensuring they have the resources they need.

Without question, the citizens of North Carolina are better off for his service. I wish him a well-deserved retirement and a relaxing and rewarding next chapter of life. I am grateful for his service to the State, and I am proud to call him my friend.

Tribute to Bob Sutter, CEO of North Carolina Peanut Growers Association

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my longtime friend, Bob Sutter, who will be retiring after serving 28 years as the CEO of the North Carolina Peanut Growers Association.

Prior to his lifelong career in agriculture, Bob honorably served his country for 2 years in the U.S. Navy and 5 years in the U.S. Navy Reserve. From there, he worked for the USDA Farm Service Agency, and then later took the helm of the North Carolina Peanut Growers Association as its CEO in 1993.

Bob has made countless contributions to the North Carolina agriculture community, everything from the formation of the National Peanut Board, educating the public on health benefits of peanuts, and advocating for research to improve yields. He leaves behind a successful legacy of helping peanut farmers and their families establish and maintain successful farms that support our Nation's abundant food supply.

Bob has also been a leading voice for North Carolina producers when it comes to developing strong national farm policy. His advocacy in the halls of Congress and the executive branch of the Federal Government, as well as the State legislature and beyond, has been critical to the development and implementation of policies that have helped many of our farmers survive major challenges and succeed--whether they were caused by the weather, trade distortions, or the market.

Bob has had a remarkable career, and on behalf of the agriculture community and the fine citizens of North Carolina, I thank him for his dedicated service to the State and to the many farm families he has represented all these years. I wish him and his wife, Sylvia, the best as they move into their next chapter of life.

Hyde Amendment

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the longstanding Hyde amendment. For nearly 45 years, the Hyde amendment has received support from Republicans and Democrats alike. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle understood that no taxpayer money should be used to fund abortion. Every President since Jimmy Carter has signed the Hyde amendment into law, including President Obama.

As a Senator, President Biden was a strong supporter of the amendment. Yet, in his latest budget proposal, he removed Hyde protections that would enable taxpayer funding support for abortions, meaning that tax dollars taken from those who oppose it will now be used for just that. Regardless of where one stands on the issue, it is fundamentally wrong to take taxpayer dollars of someone who is opposed to abortion and use their hard-earned tax dollars to fund the same.

On the question of life itself, the Hyde amendment is credited with saving more than 2.4 million innocent lives from abortions since 1976. It is our moral obligation to fight for and protect the lives of those who cannot speak for themselves, the lives of those who are no different than our own.

I call on my colleagues to pass H.R. 18, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, to stand up for pro-life Americans, preserve the Hyde amendment, and ensure taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortion.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in absolute and unequivocal support of the Cuban people protesting their evil and oppressive Communist regime. Unfortunately, there is nothing new about their brutality and willful violations of universally recognized human rights. The United States should make it very clear that we stand on the side of the Cuban people as thousands have joined one of the biggest anti-Communist demonstrations the country has witnessed during its 62-year dictatorship.

Since the protests began, hundreds have been detained or are missing, including: artists, peace activists, and priests. The Cuban people deserve and need our help. In the words of the late Senator Jesse Helms:

The United States must speak out clearly on behalf of those

whose own voices are choked by Communist repression.

Despite what many of our own people have been brainwashed by our education systems to believe, America is the greatest force for freedom and liberty that the world has ever known. I implore this administration, the Biden administration, and this Congress to utilize every tool of the U.S. Government to support the Cuban people in their effort to defeat the Communist regime and break the shackles of its oppressive government.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gimenez).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford).

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Carl).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Rose).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Lesko).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Baird).

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains?

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).

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

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann).

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time we have remaining?

Madam Speaker, I yield the remainder to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce).

Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today represents a missed opportunity to produce good, strong bipartisan legislation focused on the country's real infrastructure needs.

Instead, it is one focused on an agenda cloaked under the guise of the term ``infrastructure.''

This bill is all about Green New Deal mandates. In fact, for every $2 spent, $1 of that goes to meet these mandates.

The bill rejects widely supported bipartisan projects streamlining provisions that would save taxpayer dollars.

The bill creates 41 new programs and adds dozens of new eligibilities to existing programs for progressive priorities, which means true infrastructure needs are likely going to have access to fewer dollars.

The bill strips States of their ability to prioritize new roads and bridges. And we all know States need more flexibility to meet their infrastructure needs, not less.

Today's bill is also a missed opportunity to address our aging wastewater infrastructure.

In the most recent Congress, we reached a bipartisan agreement on a way to move forward on clean water infrastructure with realistic levels of funding that address the needs of our rural communities. Well, not this time.

Unfortunately, by choosing partisanship, the majority has chosen a very rocky path that will make it unlikely any final infrastructure package will be able to pass both Chambers and get to the President's desk during this Congress.

Mr. Speaker, it didn't have to be this way.

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

and I rise in opposition to the amendments en bloc.

These amendments en bloc would further expand upon the majority's wish list of progressive priorities for water infrastructure, just like the underlying bill.

These amendments create additional programs costing billions in taxpayer dollars.

In addition, several of the amendments create additional burdens and take discretionary, science-based regulatory decisionmaking out of the hands of the experts.

Again, this bill is nothing more than a partisan exercise, and this en bloc just throws together another bunch of bad ideas with little opportunity for input or debate.

This group of Democrat amendments we are considering at the moment is completely lopsided, and by considering them en bloc, they will not be subjected to the scrutiny of standalone votes or debate.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this en bloc amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers), the ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gibbs).

Mr. Speaker, if I could inquire how much time I have remaining.

Inquiry to the other side: Does the gentlewoman have other speakers as well?

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have listened to the debate today, and it is a real shame that a surface reauthorization bill and a wastewater reauthorization bill have to be partisan. They shouldn't be partisan. We wanted a bipartisan process, but that is not what we got. And here we are today. In fact, we probably could have avoided even en bloc amendments had we had the opportunity to have a bipartisan process. But that is not the path, unfortunately, that our friends in the majority chose to take; and that, Mr. Speaker, is quite regretful. It is regretful in a number of ways, but most regretful for the great citizens of this country.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to Lee amendment No. 132. This amendment would require that any applicant for wastewater infrastructure funds undertake an assessment regarding the potential impacts of climate change on the project and to adjust that project accordingly.

Well, that sounds well and good, but this layers a new Federal mandate on top of the multitude of Federal regulations that are already being imposed on States, Tribes, and local governments in order to maintain their wastewater infrastructure and serve their communities.

A one-size-fits-all regulation like this will create more process and increase project costs, but not add any more protection for projects, the environment or the climate.

States, Tribes, and local governments are already incorporating resiliency into their infrastructure project planning and implementation. This is not 1960.

For example, the State revolving loan fund programs already fund a wide range of projects to add resiliency and climate change. That makes this amendment unnecessarily redundant and an impediment for communities looking to upgrade their wastewater infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in my past career, I have served as a senior staffer in the U.S. Senate, under George W. Bush during his administration, as a member of the State legislature, and now as a Member of Congress. It is interesting to me that--and I have never quite understood this, but our friends on the other side of the aisle seem to think that Washington knows best about everything.

Our local communities, our States, our local partners, they know what they are doing. Let's give them the flexibility. Let's let them do what they need to do for their communities.

Climate change is not a new notion. It has been around for a little while. You have got a lot of States and a lot of folks in private enterprise, in fact, that are incorporating changes, not at the request of Washington, but because that is what they feel like they need to do.

We don't need a one-size-fits-all approach for any of this. In fact, a lot of this could have been worked out, had we had a bipartisan open process, but we didn't.

Mr. Speaker, that is regrettable. I encourage my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, again, we have had the opportunity here tonight and before to have a very open bipartisan process. And that is not what we have had, and that is quite regrettable. It is regrettable from not only a standpoint of this institution, but it is regrettable for the American people.

You know, all the proven successful surface reauthorization bills and wastewater reauthorization bills, they went through a thorough bipartisan process. That is not what we have had. Instead, we have just had lip service.

When House Republicans held the majority, we led every successful bipartisan effort in the last 30 years to reauthorize surface transportation programs.

However, this time around, there has been little opportunity for meaningful input from the minority, and this en bloc process just continues down that same road.

Look no further than the number of Democrat amendments that we have considered today, many of which have not been subjected to the scrutiny of a standalone vote or debate. More than 100 Democrat amendments have been approved by the Rules Committee, while less than 30 Republican amendments have been made in order.

The majority argues they are moving this through regular order and providing both sides with the opportunity to offer amendments. That is not true.

Both sides should be appalled that this en bloc takes away from our individual right to speak on these individual amendments and randomly groups them with other items with zero input given to the amendments' sponsor. It is all just a partisan move meant to further suppress the minority's rights to fairly represent their constituents.

I think we can all agree that every Member deserves an opportunity to be heard on these amendments.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote against this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the House Republican Conference, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission's 60th anniversary.

In 1961, six sweet potato producers chartered the commission to support growers and to maintain North Carolina's standing as a leading sweet potato producing State. They are now more than 400 sweet potato growers strong as well as packers, processors, and business associates who remain dedicated to supporting our State's prosperous sweet potato industry.

Since 1971, North Carolina has ranked as the number one sweet potato producing State in the U.S. with 65 percent of the Nation's sweet potato production. North Carolina sweet potato producers are family farmers who have been cultivating their land for generations growing many different crops. They work day and night, year after year to ship delectable, high quality, nutritious North Carolina sweet potatoes all across the country and the world.

Agriculture is the backbone of North Carolina's economy, and the sweet potato industry is absolutely critical to our food supply in North Carolina and in the country. It is not an understatement to say that the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission has more than fulfilled its founding mission to strengthen our State's sweet potato production, and I congratulate them on their 60th anniversary.

May they have many more years of providing every American with one of our Nation's safest, nutritious, and might I add, delicious vegetables grown.

Congress Must Aggressively Address the National Debt

Mr. Speaker, our national debt exceeds $28.1 trillion. Congress year after year continues spending money with seemingly no regard for the debts we are pushing onto future generations. While it was necessary to spend a significant amount of money to get us through the COVID-19 crisis, we must now move aggressively to address the national debt, in my opinion, the most significant domestic threat that our country faces. And the sooner we take action the better.

Unfortunately, the current administration doesn't seem to feel the need to pursue fiscal restraint. President Biden's spending agenda is hurting families and small businesses across the country. Meanwhile, he has sent Congress a $6 trillion budget request.

This additional spending will lead to even more inflation. The excessive spending Congress recently approved has already resulted in inflation. We

see it every day in the skyrocketing prices of goods. And if the President and Democrats in Congress get their way on major tax hikes, the economy and working families will be hurt even more.

Today, the American dollar is still king, which is how we can print and borrow money with seemingly little consequence. But huge debt-to- GDP ratios threaten that standing and could easily cause a significant decline in our standard of living.

Rampant inflation, which is really just a hidden tax, and a significantly devalued dollar could cripple our economy and easily lead future generations right back to the days of centuries before us.

Now, in contrast, the budget proposed by the Republican Study Committee for fiscal year 2022 balances the annual budget in 5 years by reducing spending and maintaining pro-growth policies. It is the most pro-life budget ever written, with 17 pro-life provisions included. It protects Second Amendment rights, secures our border, and offers real solutions to return our country to fiscal responsibility.

Mr. Speaker, the Republican Study Committee budget combats Washington's out-of-control spending and puts American taxpayers first. We should all be able to agree it is long past time to bring fiscal sanity to Washington.

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

Last Congress we worked together to ensure bipartisan support for several regional water bills, including this one.

H.R. 610 codifies the Environmental Protection Agency's existing restoration work in the San Francisco Bay estuary and establishes a San Francisco Bay program office.

I urge support of this legislation and reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I urge support of this bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, H.R. 587, introduced by Congressman Peters from California and others from his home State, is a bipartisan bill that aims to make permanent a regulatory exemption under the Clean Water Act. This exemption allows certain wastewater treatment facilities seeking to discharge to the ocean to apply for permit modifications that offer alternatives to the Clean Water Act's secondary treatment standards.

These alternative standards must be met every 5 years during the normal permit renewal period. This permit renewal process is lengthy, complex, and costly.

The city of San Diego's Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant has been operating under this regulatory exemption for well over two decades.

The objectives of this bill are worthy and a win-win for the city and the environment.

Madam Speaker, the bill will help ensure that San Diego has long-term certainty for its water supply and will save the city millions of dollars and protect regional ratepayers from billions in new costs by providing this regulatory certainty while preserving applicable standards.

Madam Speaker, I support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, H.R. 587 would support the water recycling and conservation efforts of the city of San Diego's Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant by making permanent its longstanding regulatory exemption under the Clean Water Act.

Madam Speaker, this is a good bill, and I urge support of this bipartisan legislation.

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