Fred Keller

Mr. Speaker, I am here today to speak in support of S. 2899, the Prison Camera Reform Act of 2021.

Our team, along with Congresswoman McBath, introduced the House companion to this bill, which requires the Bureau of Prisons to evaluate their security cameras and address deficiencies so that the Bureau of Prisons can keep correctional officers and inmates safe, oversee misconduct, and limit contraband.

As the chair of the Congressional Bureau of Prisons Reform Caucus, our team has facilitated several meetings with officials from the Bureau of Prisons and the Council of Prison Locals.

During these meetings, we heard from corrections officers about major deficiencies and needed upgrades within the BOP's security camera system. These deficiencies have made it harder for corrections officers to protect themselves and maintain secure facilities.

The Prison Camera Reform Act works to address these concerns, requiring the BOP to evaluate current conditions of equipment and formulate a plan on how they will address any deficiencies identified.

The outstanding men and women who work in our Nation's correctional facilities deal with dangerous situations

every day. They deserve the tools and support necessary to keep themselves and the inmates whom they protect safe from harm.

Shane Fausey and Steve Markle, with the Council of Prison Locals, have been tireless advocates for America's corrections officers and staff, and their sage counsel was vital in developing the Prison Camera Reform Act, which has been a top legislative priority for our BOP Reform Caucus.

While the BOP faces many challenges, passing the Prison Camera Reform Act would be a major step forward for the agency, corrections officers, and security of America's Federal prisons.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to S. 3905, the Preventing Organizational Conflicts of Interest in Federal Acquisition Act, for the simple reason that it is unnecessary legislation.

The Federal Acquisition Regulation already contains provisions targeting conflicts of interest. The FAR includes specific examples of what is a conflict of interest. The FAR includes guidance for agencies to add contract clauses addressing conflicts that might arise.

Therefore, it seems we are telling the Federal Acquisition Regulation Council, the body responsible for Federal acquisition policy, to do something it is already doing.

As a result, this legislation will cause the FAR Council to do work it does not need to be doing, but they will surely feel compelled to produce something in the way of new regulations. That means it will become even more difficult for companies to do business with the Federal Government, and it is complicated enough as it is.

There are concerns that companies, especially small businesses, are deciding not to do business with the Federal Government because it is just too complicated.

From a process perspective, Oversight Committee Democrats marked up this bill without any hearings with relevant agency officials to determine if this legislation was truly necessary. My Democrat committee colleagues may point to their report regarding one specific company of concern and argue that was proof enough that we need to legislate in this already crowded space, but a simple case study is not a solid foundation for governmentwide legislation impacting all Federal contractors.

If there are issues with agencies enforcing existing conflicts of interest requirements, then Congress needs to conduct oversight over that Federal Government failure, not rush to pass more duplicative laws. In fact, that would be the responsibility of the Oversight Committee, which I could argue has not been doing proper oversight over the past couple of years.

There may be other anecdotes about conflicts of interest, but let's be clear: No matter what we do, there will always be accusations of conflicts of interest.

Republicans oppose conflicts of interest, but we also support responsible legislating. We also support holding those who are not following the current law or regulation accountable, rather than passing new laws.

With this bill, the most likely outcome is unnecessary work and a more complicated Federal procurement process. It will burden businesses and shrink the pool of eligible contractors, not reduce conflicts of interest.

Mr. Speaker, I urge opposition to this unnecessary, duplicative legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, despite addressing a valid concern, this legislation is simply unnecessary. Federal contractors are already supposed to provide impartial and objective assistance to Federal clients.

The risks of conflicts of interest are addressed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation. I am confident the American taxpayer and our national interests are already protected in this area of Federal procurement policy.

I know the gentleman mentioned opioids and a drug crisis. That is a concern for all Americans, but so is all the fentanyl that is killing Americans coming across our southern border.

I would hope my colleagues would force the administration to close our southern border and make sure these illegal drugs aren't coming over and killing Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I urge that we oppose this bill, which would burden companies, both large and small, that want to do business with the Federal Government, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say that it should be--and already is--illegal for people who are providing this guidance and service to misrepresent things under the False Claims Act. So it is our understanding that it is already a crime to do that, and they would be held accountable.

I know the gentlewoman said it should be a crime. It already is, and I don't know anywhere in the bill that it adds to that. So it should be a crime. People should not be doing things inappropriately. But as I mentioned, we already have the FAR that takes care of making sure people are doing the right things.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote against this unnecessary bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, reflecting on my time in Congress and in the

Pennsylvania General Assembly makes me think about how blessed I am, and we are as Americans. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to serve the outstanding people of Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District and Pennsylvania's 85th legislative district.

I am also thankful for all the lessons and people who God placed in my life. At a time when I needed guidance, God placed people before me to give me that guidance and that example, and then He gave me the wisdom to accept that guidance and put it to work.

My dad, at a very young age when I was very young, taught me a work ethic second to none. My grandmother taught me the importance of an education and how to be proper.

Max Bingaman, owner of Bingaman & Son Lumber in Kreamer, Pennsylvania, taught me business, leadership, and how to be an adult. I can't say enough about my wife and her family. My wife and brother-in- law are here today. I am so blessed to have them in my life. My wife and her family taught me kindness. My mother-in-law is the kindest person I have known. It is not always heard people talking about their mother-in-law so affectionately, but she was very kind. It is often said that behind every successful man there is a surprised mother-in- law. That is a little joke of mine that I say. But my wife's family is truly exceptional, and I am very blessed that I married into that family almost 38 years ago.

The list could go on, but the point is no one accomplishes anything alone. America is the greatest country on Earth. Nowhere else in the world can a poor kid like me go from picking up aluminum cans along the side of the road to owning his own home, running a business, starting a small business of his own, and get elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives or the United States Congress.

Growing up, we never were envious. If we wanted something for ourselves, we were taught that we had to work for it. Hard work and education is the way to succeed in America. We knew the American Dream was attainable no matter who you are or what you have.

We never used being poor as an excuse. In fact, my grandmother taught me many things at a very young age. I was about 12, she was about 75, and she sat us down at the table one day. I don't know what my brother and I had done. My brother was 1 year older than I. She said: Boys, people who make excuses are weak.

We never used an excuse. We never let anyone, or our government define us. In today's world, if we had grown up now, people probably would have tried to define us as at-risk or disadvantaged. No, we were just poor. Because if you believe in God, and you live in the United States of America, you are not disadvantaged or at-risk.

I have used the experience growing up and the examples that the many people taught me over my lifetime to shape me into the person and public servant I am today. It has been the honor of my lifetime to represent the good people of Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District over the past few years, and I thank them for having the confidence in me to do that job.

Our team worked to hold government accountable, create opportunities for workers and job creators, provide veterans with improved care, expand quality healthcare for rural communities, support our farmers, and bolster the Commonwealth's natural gas industry.

One of the best parts of representing Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District has been traveling the district and meeting the outstanding, intelligent, and hardworking people who live in our communities. That is where the real work happens and from where the solutions to our problems come. These are the people who make a difference.

As politicians, we all go out, we campaign for office, and we all talk about jobs and jobs and what we are going to do. My friend, Bob Garrett, the president of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, reminded me of this one time. He said: You know, Fred, you can't be pro-jobs and anti-business.

I think that is a lesson that people in the Beltway could learn because the job creators and the workers who work in those jobs are the people who are put on the line every day to work and create the wealth in America.

I can say with confidence that every day our team brought their voice and the values of the people of PA-12 to Washington, D.C.

I am incredibly grateful and honored for the work that we have accomplished. It was made possible by the integrity, passion, and commitment of our entire team.

Mr. Speaker, what an outstanding group of individuals they are. In fact, our district director and chief of staff is here today, and I just want to give a shout-out to Ann Kaufman who is one of the hardest working and intelligent people I know. I thank her for her work. Jon Anzur and Nick Barley are here with me today. They are just great people. I appreciate the passion and the commitment of the entire team. Without their efforts, their contribution, and their service, we would not have been able to serve Pennsylvania's congressional district so well. It would not have been possible.

Though I will not be in Congress next year, I am reminded of a quote from Ronald Reagan. President Reagan said: ``There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit.''

I see some of my friends. I thank Mr. Kelly so much, and I appreciate him being here, as well as Representative Miller-Meeks. I think I saw somebody else over here. Dr. Foxx is here. These are great individuals and public servants, but I would say these are people who have servants' hearts. They are people who have helped me throughout my time in Congress.

To the rest of the people here in the Beltway: America's greatness does not come from buildings and politicians. It comes from her citizens who are guided by our Lord God Almighty.

A personal example I can give to that, I mentioned a gentleman who has meant so much to me in my adult life and has been there to support my family whenever we needed it. His name is Max Bingaman. Max took this young kid, employed him, taught him business, and taught him how to behave and the taught him the right things to do. My life is better because of Max.

Max, our community, our Commonwealth, and our Nation are better because of you. You have touched so many lives and have been a great example to so many people.

Take that example of Max Bingaman, and there are many other people that do that. As I mentioned, it doesn't come from inside these walls. It comes from across our great Nation, and we need to make sure that we honor and respect those people for whom we work.

While our Nation still faces many challenges, I am more confident than ever that we will be successful if we continue to believe in the greatness of the American people.

Get government out of the way, protect our God-given freedoms, and allow Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money. In fact, they have earned it.

I am often asked what I plan to do next. The answer is, I do not know. Whatever the good Lord has in store for me next, I will build upon the work our team has accomplished to ensure America remains that shining city on a hill that forebearers saw from afar.

It looks like we have some other people.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly), my colleague.

Thank you, Mike, for your comments. Love you, pal.

Mr. Speaker, I have to say, about Dr. Foxx, I remember when I first got here, and they were working out committees because I came in in a special election. I had to promise not to create any trouble for Dr. Foxx, I think is what it was. But I think what it really meant was you better work hard. I think that is what it meant. You better contribute. You better work hard.

There isn't anybody who runs a better ship when it comes to making sure that we accomplish the goals on behalf of the people we represent than a great mentor, a great person who has become a friend over the past few years, Dr. Virginia Foxx.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Dr. Foxx. I certainly wasn't anticipating my friends being here today, but I do want to say to Dr. Foxx that she is a great example, and, of course, we have Representative Miller-Meeks here.

But I would like to say to Dr. Foxx, if I can, as I told my friend, Max Bingaman, when I decided not to run again, I said, Max, I don't have to be elected to serve. Think of all the people we represent that make a difference every day.

When they take a kid like me and invest time and resources in them, that is what the people across America do. That is what you do, that is what Mike Kelly does, that is what Representative Miller-Meeks does. I will stay in touch with all my friends that are here to make a difference. I thank them all for that.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller- Meeks).

Mr. Speaker, I thank Dr. Miller-Meeks for that, she is truly an outstanding individual, a veteran, one of the people that stood on the line to defend our freedom and our way of life. That is why we are here, so many fought, and so many cared about the idea that is America. There are so many people that will continue to do that, and for that I tell them thank you for your service.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert), my friend and my granddaughter's friend's dad. When you have grandkids, you sort of lose your title.

Can I just say you inspired me to think of something. This is the only place that does less with more; the only place that does it. I am sorry. You are talking about this efficiency and stuff, and I just look at this place.

And during COVID they talked about essential jobs.

Well, I tell you what: This is probably the only place on Earth where there are some jobs that are not essential.

But anyhow, sorry for taking your time, sir, but it just reminded me that this is the only place on the face of the Earth that does less with more.

Actually, I have an F-150 that I can run seven devices from anywhere in PA-12.

2022.

I got the F-150 so I didn't have to buy a generator because it has one in it. So that was my justification for that.

You are already here.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona for his insight. I have nobody else to speak in this hour, so I yield back the balance of my time.