Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1836) to amend title 46, United States Code, to make technical corrections with respect to ocean shipping authorities, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material in the Record on H.R. 1836.

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

I am pleased to rise in support of my bill, H.R. 1836, my bill with Mr. Garamendi, who has been a partner in this work for years. This bill builds upon our work from last Congress to improve our maritime supply chain.

There are three main goals of this bill that I would like to highlight. First, our bill seeks to get tough on China. It protects U.S. ports and shippers from the influence of the Chinese Communist Party, or CCP, by first banning LOGINK and other state-sponsored logistics software. Second, it establishes a formal process to report complaints against shipping exchanges like the Shanghai Shipping Exchange. They will be able to make those reports to the Federal Maritime Commission for investigation. Third, the bill directs the U.S. DOT to contract an independent auditor to examine the influence of the People's Republic of China on the business practices of the Shanghai Shipping Exchange and report to Congress.

The second major thrust of this bill is that it will help streamline data sharing throughout the supply chain. It requires the FMC to work with industry experts to set a new data standard for maritime freight logistics including their ability to contract with an expert third party to develop a new standard, if needed.

Finally, our bill enacts general good government policies. It prohibits the FMC from requiring ocean carriers to report duplicative information that is already reported to other Federal agencies.

As I noted at the top of my comments, I do thank my partner, Mr. Garamendi. He and I serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and have really had a passion for the ocean supply chain.

A lot of people wonder why somebody in a landlocked State like South Dakota would care so much about maritime law. The reality is that 60 percent of South Dakota soybeans are exported overseas. South Dakota exports $7 billion a year of manufactured and agricultural goods. Madam Speaker, that is $7,700 a year for every single South Dakotan. Clearly, maritime law matters. Clearly, supply chains matter, and clearly, the Ocean Shipping Reform Implementation Act matters.

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

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Madam Speaker, I serve on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and we have heard expert after expert talk to us about the Chinese Government working to get coercive economic power over our country and, frankly, every other country in the world, and one of the primary tools of that push for coercive economic power is data.

One real focus of this bill before us is that it makes it harder for the Chinese Communist Party to be able to use the Shanghai Shipping Exchange or the LOGINK platform to be able to gather up all of this exquisite data about the world's supply chains and shipping information and have it be used against our country and others.

This also builds upon the strong bipartisan track record that Mr. Menendez spoke of, and it will make for a fuller and fairer supply chain and ocean shipping environment.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits football team on their second straight win in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision title. SDSU recently defeated the University of Montana Grizzlies 23-3 to secure the national title win.

This season, the Jackrabbits finished undefeated, winning all 15 of their games. Their undefeated season and ability to reach the playoffs for the last 12 seasons shows the players and coaching staff's dedication to success in the sport.

Under the leadership of first-year head coach Jimmy Rogers, the team finished with one of the best FCS defenses of the season and an offense that often outscored opponents by over 28 points on average. I congratulate the team for all their hard work this season and wish them luck as they prepare for another exceptional season this year.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted yea on Roll Call No. 635.

Mr. Speaker, to Maverick Kemp, because we love his parents, his birth on October 21 was much celebrated in our office. He is a cute little guy, cuter than most babies even.

His mother, Jazmine, is a dear friend, a trusted adviser, and a brilliant coworker. She spent 5 years working with me in service to this country, and what a blessing she has been.

Now, the other children of our office, A.J. and Max, Gabby, Dakota and Drew, Wyatt and Gavin, Stevie and Woodrow, would tell him that it isn't always easy to have a parent in this line of work. I know that he will understand it is work worth doing.

We are grateful that Jazmine and all of the parents of our office choose to serve, and we are very happy that Maverick is here.

Mr. Speaker, so often around here, we vote on half measures, narrow bills that, at best, address one issue in only a modest way. This is not that bill. This is an opportunity in one vote to shut the border, to keep the government open, and to reduce spending.

The five conservative leaders who, with me, crafted this proposal knew that bold action was needed.

Crisis one: We are $33 trillion in debt. That is pushing us toward insolvency. That number has grown by 50 percent in just the last 4 years. This bill puts us back on the right track and cuts billions of spending, even just in the next month.

Two, a shutdown accomplishes nothing. It does not save a nickel. In fact, it costs the American taxpayers billions. This stopgap funding measure makes sure our government stays open.

Three, 1.8 million illegal crossings at our southern border is unacceptable. This bill puts into place the policies that we know work to secure our border.

Mr. Speaker, I will admit to not understanding fully those who oppose this bill. I do not understand why anyone would choose open borders over an open government.

Mr. Speaker, we are here to solve problems. Chaos is not a legislative strategy. In a few moments, I will vote to keep the government open, to cut spending, and to secure our border. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Speaker, our debt, our deficit, and our spending are indefensible. Three years ago, our national debt was $23 trillion, a staggering sum by any measure. Since then, it has grown by 50 percent to $33 trillion.

We have heard allegations tonight from one side of the Chamber that everybody deserves blame for that crisis, so let me be very clear. During that time, I voted against $13 trillion in spending. Nevertheless, we find ourselves at a tipping point.

In the last 10 years, we have spent $3 trillion just on interest on the debt. In the next 10 years, we won't spend $3 trillion on interest, we will spend $10 trillion. For that money, our country gets nothing. No sailor, no soldier, no safety net. We get nothing.

Making matters worse, in 7 years, Medicare is insolvent and in 10 years, Social Security is insolvent.

We must get our fiscal house in order.

Now, the appropriations bills before us move us in that direction. They do so through real, robust, and significant cuts, billions of dollars in cuts.

Are the bills perfect? No.

Do I support every single cut in every single bill? No.

Can we balance the budget through nondefense discretionary cuts alone? No.

To be honest, these bills will not solve all that ails us, but they are a critically important step toward stopping this runaway train. Business as usual, Madam Speaker, is unacceptable. A ``yes'' vote acknowledges that and moves us in the right direction.

Mr. Speaker, in December 1890, Chief Spotted Elk and his band of Lakota, including many women and children, were moving from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, the reservation, to the Pine Ridge Reservation. As was mentioned, they were stopped by the Army's 7th Cavalry, and they were forced to make camp at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota.

The next morning, on December 29, the 7th Cavalry attempted to disarm the Lakota. A struggle ensued, a shot rang out, and before long, the 7th Cavalry was opening fire on the Lakota. Almost all of them were unarmed. As was mentioned earlier, most were women and children. More than 300 noncombatants were killed.

Mr. Speaker, this was a massacre. Too many think of Wounded Knee as something that happened in the long ago past and in a faraway place. The inaccuracy of that view was driven home to me in June when I went to the site, and I spoke to the descendants of Wounded Knee.

There, I sat at length with an elder whose grandmother survived that day. He grew up hearing from her own voice of the fear, the violence, and the tragedy of that day. Mr. Speaker, this was not a history book. This was his grandmother.

Close by, at St. John's Church, I looked at the site where the wounded and the dying were taken. The floorboards of that church are still stained with their blood. These are real people. These are real places. These are not ancient tales of a distant land.

Our Nation has struggled with how best to remember, to mourn that terrible day.

On the 100th anniversary of Wounded Knee, this body issued a formal apology and expressed deep regret for the actions of that day. That is, obviously, altogether appropriate, although on its own it is woefully insufficient.

Last year, the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe exercised tremendous leadership by coming together to purchase the 40 acres surrounding this site, an area that was mentioned was site to just an old trading post. The management of that site was not an appropriate memory of those who had died that day.

This bill, the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act, would place those 40 acres into restricted fee status; in essence, placing them into trust for the Tribes. That would provide the Tribes additional tools that they could use to better protect this sacred land.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize the leadership of the Tribal leaders involved: firstly, President Frank Star Comes Out, who graces our body with his presence in this Chamber today, but also Chairman Ryman LeBeau, former President Kevin Killer, and former Chairman Harold Frazier. We have spent months working together along with committee staff and the Department of the Interior to craft this important legislation.

My colleagues, I ask for a ``yes'' vote on this bill.

Wounded Knee is sacred ground. It has been hallowed by the blood of innocent women and children. It deserves protection. This act can give the Tribes, the descendants of those who died, the tools they need to do just that.

Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves), chair of the full committee.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).

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

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Smucker).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).

Mr. Chair, I would inquire how much time remains in opposition.

Mr. Chair, our Nation has always had a national commitment to infrastructure. Mr. Chairman, that has been true whether it has been the interstate highway system, universal telephone service, or rural electrification.

We don't ask each rural county to pay exclusively for their portion of the interstate or high voltage transmission line that resides within their county borders. That, sir, would be absurd. These are assets with national benefit.

Now, that is the same wisdom, thankfully, that we apply to our national aviation infrastructure. That

does not mean an airport everywhere, of course; not any more than it means an interstate everywhere. It does mean a national commitment to having the essential infrastructure necessary to bind together 50 States into one unified America.

This amendment destroys that national commitment to infrastructure and to essential air service. It is misguided, and I urge a ``no'' vote.

I will close, Mr. Chair, by noting this: There may be some airports within an hour, but there are many, including in South Dakota, that are 2 hours or 3 hours away from these hubs.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jerry Oster on his 49 years of broadcasting in South Dakota. Mr. Oster is retiring from his current position as News Director of WNAX in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he has become known across five states as the voice of the station.

Following his graduation from USD-Springfield, Mr. Oster took hold of the opportunity to start in the broadcast industry at the young age of 23. With his career spanning near]y five decades. Mr. Oster has covered some of the state's biggest stories and personalities.

It is now at the age of 70 that Mr. Oster has decided to retire. Throughout his career, Mr. Oster has dedicated an incredible amount of time, talent, and service to the state of South Dakota and to his loyal listeners, whom he says are the reason he stayed in the industry for as long as he has.

Mr. Oster leaves behind a legacy of reaching out and making a difference in the lives of his listeners. A legacy modeled after his inspiration, former SDSU football coach John Stiegelmeier and his ``Make a Difference'' Book.

I am proud to stand today and recognize Mr. Oster's dedication to his community in South Dakota and thank him for his hard work. I wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jerry Oster on his 49 years of broadcasting in South Dakota. Mr. Oster is retiring from his current position as News Director of WNAX in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he has become known across five states as the voice of the station.

Following his graduation from USD-Springfield, Mr. Oster took hold of the opportunity to start in the broadcast industry at the young age of 23. With his career spanning nearly five decades, Mr. Oster has covered some of the state's biggest stories and personalities.

It is now at the age of 70 that Mr. Oster has decided to retire. Throughout his career. Mr. Oster has dedicated an incredible amount of time, talent, and service to the state of South Dakota and to his loyal listeners, whom he says are the reason he stayed in the industry for as long as he has.

Mr. Oster leaves behind a legacy of reaching out and making a difference in the lives of his listeners. A legacy modeled after his inspiration, former SDSU football coach John Stiegelmeier and his MAD book, ``Make a Difference''.

I am proud to stand today and recognize Mr. Oster's dedication to his community in South Dakota and thank him for his hard work. I wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 2023 Truman Scholars.

This year the Foundation received 705 applications from 275 institutions. After a review of the students' records of leadership, public service, and academic achievement, the finalist selection committee selected 199 students from 133 institutions to interview. The final selection of students includes 62 students from 60 institutions.

This year's nominees are: Malhaar Agrawal, Lina Altaan Al Hariri, Andres Arocho Gonzalez, Bob Atkinson, Andee Baker, Malea Bauer, Zachary Billot, Maisie Brown, Grace Carter, Gabrielle Chiodo, Isobel Dernlan, Madeleine Dotson, Margot Duque, Abby Dziura, Yasmine Elkharssa, Maya Elsner, Colin Hall, Sky Harper, Jason Hess, Amarachukwu Ifeji, Luda Isakharov, Samiha Islam, Adam Johnson, Travis Johnson, Ayesha Khan, Azeem Khan, Catherine Kish, Nidhi Krishnan, Niko Malhotra, Dewayne Martin, Anna Mathis, Sandrien Mekany, Sarah Mickelson, Rafael Montero, Aaliyah Moore, Tay Moore, Rina Nagashima, Klemmer Nicodemus, Anchee Nitschke Durben, Shreeya Parekh, Joleece Pecore, Irena Petryk, Hattie Polson, Christian Gyles Ramos, Emily Robertson, Andrew Schumann, Cheyon Sheen, Michael Solomon, Caleb Swanson, Cameron Tiefenthaler, Jalen Travis, Martayn Van de Wall, Madison Van Der Mark, Pieter van Wingerden, Kaitlyn Vana, Iona Volynets, Corbin Walls, Caleb Weiland, Jonathan Weinberg, Aubrey Wieberg, Ambria Williams, and Carter Yost.

Established in 1975, the Truman Foundation is the nation's living memorial to the thirty-third president. According to the Foundation's website their mission is to recognize aspiring leaders at an important inflection point in their development. Students are recognized in their junior year of college and rewarded for their aspirations to enter public service. After being selected, students receive a scholarship for graduate or professional school, participate in leadership development activities, and have special opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government.

Congratulations to this year's nominees. I look forward to seeing where each of them will go in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Laurie Nichols on her retirement. Dr. Nichols is retiring from her current position as President of the Black Hills State University, where she says the highlight of her role was returning to the same region where she began her career nearly 40 years earlier.

Dr. Nichols has also served the education community as President of the University of Wyoming and held leadership roles at South Dakota State University and Northern State University.

During her term as President of Black Hills State University, she expanded the Rapid City campus, strengthened partnerships with the nearby Ellsworth Air Force Base, and continued to build on the academic partnerships with American Indian University of North America.

I am proud to recognize her accomplishments throughout her career and service to her community in South Dakota.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove the name of the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer) as cosponsor of H.R. 386.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and leadership of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, a global spiritual leader known universally as the Rebbe, and head of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.

The Rebbe was born in 1902, and lived through the darkest periods of history, the evils of Russian communism, and the horrors of Nazi Germany. In 1941, the Rebbe and his wife Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, arrived safely on the shores of the United States, where he worked tirelessly to rebuild and guide a demoralized world Jewry after the Holocaust.

With brilliant Talmudic and Hasidic scholarship, deep insight into the human condition, and his love for all of God's creatures the Rebbe exemplified an ideal and value that we need today: give of ourselves selflessly for the betterment of those around us.

The Rebbe encouraged rabbinical students to travel across the country to visit Jewish farmers, U.S. servicemen, and those isolated from their families or larger communities. This includes Ellsworth Air Force Base, and cities and towns across South Dakota. The rabbinical students sent by the Rebbe are often the only Jewish connection locals have with their faith.

The Rebbe urged all people to become ambassadors for goodness and kindness and explained that education must not be limited to the academics needed for making a good living, but rather focus on the ethics, morals, and values that have always been the basis of decent societies.

One result of the Rebbe's leadership is the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, which, by following his teachings and example, became the world's largest Jewish educational organization. Today, there are more than 3,500 permanent Chabad-Lubavitch centers providing educational, religious, and humanitarian programming in all 50 States and 109 countries around the world. It is thanks to the Rebbe's vision that our state has its first rabbi in almost forty years, with the establishment of the Chabad Jewish Center of South Dakota.

The Rebbe extolled America's unique role as a global superpower and had meaningful relationships with several of our nation's leaders who saw him as the moral guide of so many. For the Rebbe, America is a beacon of light to be utilized in influencing the betterment of all humanity, and he often pointed to the words in God we trust enshrined on our currency as a defining element of the great American story.

For more than four decades, every U.S. president declared the annual observance of Education and Sharing Day in honor of the anniversary of the Rebbe's birth, and in recognition of his contributions to the betterment of moral education for all people. It is to the eternal merit of our country and this august body that we honored the Rebbe's outstanding and enduring contributions toward world education, morality, and acts of charity by awarding him the Congressional Gold Medal.

Education and Sharing Day represents an excellent opportunity for us to reflect on the Rebbe's vision and leadership, and to take his teachings to heart, that starting with moral education, we each do our part to increase in goodness and kindness and bring the world to a state of peace for all people.

Mr. Chairman, I spent 6 years as a State energy regulator, and our focus was always on safe, affordable, reliable energy because we knew that that could power American prosperity.

Indeed, this abundance of American energy that we have been talking about can be a huge American competitive advantage in an increasingly uncertain world. Unfortunately, we have made it so difficult to do big projects in this country anymore.

If you need a strong piece of evidence, look at President Biden's unilateral canceling of the Keystone XL pipeline. Unfortunately, that is not the only piece of evidence.

It takes 5 to 7 years to permit an energy project in this country. It is an almost uniquely American problem. That same energy project could get permitted in less than half the time in countries like Canada and Australia.

H.R. 1, Mr. Chairman, is a huge step in the right direction. It prevents the constant relitigation of projects and of reviews that have already been settled. It moves the NEPA process into the 21st century by making sure that we have got an online permitting portal for projects. It creates deadlines for NEPA and other environmental reviews. Imagine that, a shot clock, a deadline, to make sure the government's work is done on time. Then, Mr. Chairman, it unlocks American energy by allowing the Department of the Interior to resume energy leasing and to repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas.

Mr. Chair, the abundance of American energy is a huge American competitive advantage. H.R. 1 makes that so.