Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, the latest Gallup poll shows most Americans are concerned about the cost and availability of energy now more than at any time in the last decade, and for good reason.

Thanks to President Biden's anti-American energy agenda, we are all paying more for the fuel necessary to fill our cars, heat our homes, and run our businesses.

One short year ago, I warned: If the President's destructive actions toward America's domestic energy production during his first week in office are any indication of where our energy policy is headed over the next 4 years, our Nation is on a dangerous path.

Today, that warning has come true. This destruction is entirely self- inflicted, and it is entirely avoidable.

To solve the energy crisis and deliver relief for the American people, President Biden must remove the ban on new drilling, reopen the Keystone pipeline, and unleash American energy dominance.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Mann for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, as National Agriculture Month comes to a close, I am reminded of a speech Paul Harvey delivered to the FFA in 1978. No truer words have ever been spoken about America's farmers.

Listening to the speech brings back memories of the days spent working with my stepdad on his farm. This is a tribute, again, to America's farmers, the work they do. And when I read this speech, it reminds me, I can see my stepdad those days working. But it is a tribute to all of the farmers in our great country.

So here are a few of the excerpts that I really like from this speech, and it goes like this.

It begins:

And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned

paradise, and said, ``I need a caretaker.''

So God made a farmer.

God said, I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from a

persimmon sprout, shoe a horse with a hunk of car tire, who

can make a harness out of haywire, feed sacks and shoe

scraps. Whose planting time and harvest season will finish

his 40-hour week by Tuesday noon, and then pain'n from

tractor back, put in another 72 hours.

So God made a farmer.

It had to be somebody who'd plow deep and straight and not

cut corners. Somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed, and rake

and disc and plow and plant and tie the fleece and strain the

milk and replenish the self-feeder and finish a hard week's

work with a 5-mile drive to church.

Somebody who would bale a family together with the soft,

strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh, and

then reply, with smiling eyes, when his son says that he

wants to spend his life doing what dad does.

So God made a farmer.

Thank you to America's farmers. This is a tribute to the

work that you do every day on behalf of not just the United

States, but our world.

Madam Speaker, this morning, I wish to address the American people and thank them for their hard work and their outstanding effort that funds our government and our Active Duty military personnel and veterans who have kept us safe, our law enforcement, our first responders, and all those who go to work every day making sure we are safe in our communities, safe in our Nation, and safe around the world.

I also want to thank all the people that go to work every day to earn a living and support their families. And, yes, those are the people, all of them, that provide the revenue by which America can operate, something I think President Biden has forgotten.

He has been in Washington, D.C., for half a century, and he proposed a budget earlier this week that spends $73 trillion over the next 10 years and increases our national debt by 50 percent by the year 2032. Under that budget, the debt will be $45 trillion.

And to say what the President said, a budget will show you your values. Well, evidently, he doesn't value our next generation.

We all want our children to do better than we did and have it better than we did. How can they do that when he proposes to saddle them with so much debt?

When you look at the national debt that we have, it is held by the public, it is held by foreign governments, and some of it is called intragovernmental debt, which means it is debt that is held by other government agencies.

The Social Security Administration holds about 13 percent of our debt currently. I think this budget puts our seniors at risk and their ability to live a good life in retirement on a program which they funded for so many years from their paychecks.

So, we look at the budget. I have read through it. All these items should be a red flag for anybody that wants to support this.

It is not supporting America's values. It is not supporting our next generation. It is not helping our seniors. It is helping priorities laid forth by a man who has been in Washington, D.C., for 50 years.

Evidently, he has gotten used to spending more than what the revenue brings in in our country.

I remember President Reagan. This is, I believe, the 41st anniversary of the assassination attempt. I think President Reagan, when someone would say, He is spending like a drunken sailor. Then the President would say, Well, at least the sailor is spending his own money.

We are entrusted with the money that the government takes from the citizens of the United States. We need to use it responsibly. We need to invest it in their priorities and not in the priorities of the people inside the beltway.

I think he is too far out of touch, and quite frankly, there are a lot of things that we can't afford.

What we should be looking at is protecting life. We should be looking at being responsible so that our kids are not saddled with so much debt and that our seniors can retire and count on a program they funded their entire lives.

We have already seen the real cost of President Biden's tax-and-spend policies at the pump, in the grocery store, on the farm, and on Main Street America.

It is time we stopped leaving a financial disaster for the next generation and put together a budget that meets the needs of the American people, not the needs of President Biden and Speaker Pelosi.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia. I rise in support of the Securing a Strong Retirement Act. As part of the Education and Labor Committee, our goal is to provide employers and employees with opportunities to access a safe, effective, and productive workplace.

We also work on policy that encourages people to save for retirement and provides opportunities for their families. This bill accomplishes both by improving employer-sponsored benefits to help workers make good decisions that will serve them well in the future.

The bill increases access to retirement accounts, lowers the cost of administering programs for small businesses, and provides incentives for workers to voluntarily put money towards savings.

It also requires the Department of Labor to review existing reporting and disclosure requirements, making them easier to comply with and understand, updates the dollar threshold for automatic distributions by plans to participants which was last updated in 1997.

It streamlines the collection of contributions to pooled employer plans and updates benchmarking guidelines to accommodate different investment products. The bill also adds tax incentives for small businesses that offer employee stock ownership plans, a great tool and benefit for employees to have a stake with their employer.

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 set a foundation for today's policies, but the measure needs to be updated to reflect the 21st century workforce.

I urge my colleagues to support this important measure and look forward to this legislation becoming law.

Madam Speaker, U.S. Customs and Border Protection information confirms what we know: The Biden border crisis is getting worse.

There were 164,000 illegal alien encounters in February of this year, up 63 percent from February 2021. You know what else is up? Fentanyl seizures. Also, what else is up is illegal aliens with criminal backgrounds.

What is down is deportations. When we are seeing record increases in people coming across our border illegally, deportations are down. What else is down is the morale of Customs and Border Protection agents. I know this because I traveled with them on a ride-along, and they told me that it is down because the current administration is making them out to be the bad guys. Those are their words.

We need to support our Customs and Border Protection agents to secure our southern border. We need to give them the tools they need to do their job.

It is time for the President of the United States to make sure he does his job and keeps America safe and secures our southern border.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me and for organizing this Special Order and all the great work that he does leading the Western Caucus.

We are really working on issues that impact not just rural America but all of America. And just to highlight a little bit of what is happening in Pennsylvania, currently in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvanians are paying on average $4.42 per gallon of gas. That is $1.39 more than they were paying a year ago.

The White House is frantically trying to spin a narrative that points to Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the catalyst for skyrocketing gas prices.

The truth is that the Biden administration set this energy crisis into motion on day one of his term in office by cutting American pipelines and halting leases for drilling on Federal lands. Blocking oil and natural gas drilling puts a stranglehold on domestic production and leads to higher prices for American families.

Not only has the Biden administration diminished American energy independence, but it also gave Russia the confidence to weaponize its energy exports. Pair this with Biden's refusal to unleash American energy dominance, and you have a United States, our United States that is dependent on tyrannical nations for energy.

American energy is right beneath our feet. We must kick production into high gear. We heard the President stand here and talk about buy American, made American. Well, we can't do that without American energy. We can't build American infrastructure without American energy.

To unleash that energy, the Biden administration needs to start listening to the people, needs to trust in the energy producers. We produce energy in the United States more cleanly than any other nation on the face of the Earth. We do it right, we do it environmentally friendly, and we do not want to enrich people who want to do harm to us or our allies. That is what we need to do.

We need expedited permits for LNG-exporting facilities. We need to get through the permitting process for drilling. We need to make sure we can drill on Federal lands. We need to make sure we complete pipelines. Those are the things that are halting American energy production, fueling inflation, and adding to the skyrocketing cost of energy for all Americans.

It is costing more to fill up our gas tanks. It is costing more to run our businesses and heat our homes. Simply, it is avoidable if the Biden administration would just reverse its policies and go back to where we were just 1\1/2\ short years ago, and that was energy independence. I look forward to working with Mr. Newhouse on many things that can help make America stronger and put Americans first.

Madam Speaker, the Biden administration imposed sanctions on Russian energy imports. Biden finally listened to Republicans, but it means nothing if he is unwilling to take action to restore American energy independence today.

The alternative is President Biden begging countries like Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and Iran for energy, in which case, all we have done is trade one tyrant for another. It is clear what we must do to lower energy costs: open the Keystone XL pipeline, encourage expedited permits, allow leasing on Federal lands.

It is unclear whether this administration is willing to put aside its Green New Deal pipe dream to make it happen. It is absolutely shameful that the President would rather make deals with our adversaries than build the Keystone XL pipeline or remove burdensome regulations on America's energy producers.

Under every single circumstance, Biden has chosen foreign energy over American energy, adversarial nations over the American people. That is the definition of America last. It is time to put America first.

Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague from Pennsylvania for yielding.

Madam Speaker, the Biden administration is breaking all the wrong records. Just this week, oil prices surged to a 14-year high, and gas prices topped $4 a gallon nationwide, hitting an all-time high.

Americans are spending more to heat their homes, put gas in their cars, and to run their businesses.

Yet, the Biden administration through all of this has refused to get behind American oil and natural gas producers. Instead, we are back to the days of begging OPEC and adversarial nations for oil.

America's energy needs can be achieved right here at home; a cleaner, more affordable option than importing it from Russia or other nations who don't have our best interests in mind.

President Biden is so fixated on dismantling American energy independence and imposing a radical Green New Deal that he has lost sight of what is best for the American people.

This administration's continued assault on American energy must end.

There is only one path that leads to lower energy costs and a stronger future for America. That path is American energy independence and dominance.

Madam Speaker, since November 2020, our team has pressured the National Personnel Records Center, the agency responsible for processing veterans' service records, to return to full staffing levels and expedite the requests of veterans, who in some cases have waited over a year for access to their benefits.

Most recently, the NPRC was operating at 25 percent capacity due to the pandemic, but it said it would fully reopen this month. However, the agency offered no plan on how it will tackle a backlog that has now grown to 600,000 records requests. That is 100,000 more added since June 2021.

The lack of transparency at the NPRC has made it clear that we must pass legislation, like the RECORDS Act, to direct the NPRC to fully reopen and report to Congress on its efforts to clear out the backlog of records requests.

Our veterans did not hesitate to sacrifice for America, and we must not hesitate in our duty to ensure they have a responsive government that is attentive to their needs.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana.

Madam Speaker, President Biden had an opportunity during the State of the Union address to communicate to the American people what his administration has learned from its policy failures of the past year and lay out a plan to correct course. Unfortunately, that didn't happen.

I was not surprised that the President used this address as a political tool to double down on his assault on American energy, mandates, and Big Government spending. These policy decisions have emboldened our adversaries and led to record high inflation, business losing workers, rising crime across the country, and a wide open southern border.

If President Biden really believed that doing the same thing will solve any of the crises his administration created, he is either totally out of touch or ignoring the facts. Either way, the President took the easy way out. What is easy is not always right.

Be assured, Republicans will not shy away from our duty to always put America first, to rebuild our economic engine, restore individual liberty, and renew the American Dream.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for organizing this Special Order, the important things for which we should all be very passionate about.

Defunding the police is not just a Democrat slogan, it is a dangerous policy that has been advocated by some Washington Democrats and is having devastating consequences for the morale and safety of America's law enforcement officers.

In 2021, 346 officers were shot, and ambush-style attacks increased by 115 percent from 2020. Last month, we all watched as NYPD officers lined the streets of Manhattan to honor two of their fallen brothers who were shot and killed in the line of duty.

Criminal acts of violence against law enforcement are becoming all too common. Despite this fact, Washington Democrats continue to call for defunding the police, and stoke division between the public and the heroes who keep us safe every day and sacrifice to do so.

Painting law enforcement out to be the bad guy doesn't make America safer. It does exactly the opposite, and it only serves to embolden more criminal behavior and lawlessness. Our officers protect us every day and they need our support now more than ever.

I stand with law enforcement, and I stand for law and order. I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for having this important Special Order.

Madam Speaker, today I recognize corrections officer and Local 148 Union President Andy Kline, who is retiring after 25 years of service at USP Lewisburg and FCC Allenwood.

In Congress it has been my pleasure to work with Andy on issues related to the Bureau of Prisons. His insight has been vital for our team in creating the Bureau of Prisons Reform Caucus and working on legislation to improve staffing shortages, inmate security, and emergency preparedness.

In addition to his career with the Bureau of Prisons, Andy served in the Army Reserves for 8 years and is heavily involved in helping others in his community. Andy is a Pennsylvania native and a dedicated servant who always puts others before himself.

While his retirement is well deserved, Andy's impact and leadership at the BOP will be missed.

Andy, thank you for the sacrifices you have made to keep our community safe. Enjoy your retirement with your family and congratulations on an outstanding career of service.

Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Foxx for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to amendment No. 260 which excludes certain educational institutions from participating in Federal Pell Grant Programs. It is absurd to prevent students from seeking an education, a quality education from the institution of their choice simply because that institution pays taxes. Get that. They pay taxes and people can't go to college there.

Meaningful education reform must establish a level playing field and give students more choice in how financial aid is used. A 4-year degree from a public college is not for everyone. The question to closing the skills gap and solving the labor shortage is rewarding institutions that demonstrate success and allow students to determine their own futures.

Instead of limiting their choices, my legislation, the CHOICE Act, would allow students in short-term occupational programs to utilize financial aid

for workforce readiness programs, which are needed now more than ever.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I urge my colleagues to oppose amendment No. 260.

Madam Speaker, since his first day in office, President Biden's decisions to halt construction of the border wall and reverse effective Trump border policies have had disastrous consequences. Every day, we see new videos and reports of humanitarian and national security crises at our southern border.

On top of the massive influx of illegal aliens, President Biden's open border policies have also created an equally concerning crisis, the overflow of fentanyl into America. Tragically, every community in our Nation has been impacted.

President Biden's failed policies have turned every State into a border State. This is not a rural or urban issue, it is an American issue, and one that requires the full force of the Federal Government to address.

Fentanyl seizures increased 134 percent in fiscal year 2021. That is enough fentanyl to kill every American, not once, not twice, but seven times.

President Trump's policies were effective. During his administration, Washington Democrats tried to politicize border security. Now that President Biden's policies have created a crisis, they are trying to ignore the issue.

These crises will continue to worsen until the Biden administration is forced to re-implement the Trump policies that worked. We will continue pressuring this administration to do exactly that.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for taking the lead on such an important issue.

Mr. Speaker, on the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, let's reflect on the importance of standing up for every human being's right to realize their full potential from the moment of conception.

In fact, Members of Congress have a solemn duty to defend those incapable of defending themselves, the most innocent among us, the unborn.

I will share a little bit of a personal story when my family chose life. This was when my son was 3 years old. He

was involved in an accident with a head injury, and he was on life support. And many times the doctors told us he wasn't going to survive. In fact, they said it is not an 80 percent chance, not a 95 percent chance, but it was a 100 percent chance that he was going to pass. We did not disconnect life support.

We chose life. We prayed. And Freddie started to recover.

Today Freddie is fully recovered, and though his accident was decades ago, this is an opportunity to learn about the value of human life.

Our creator has a plan for each one of us, and I will continue to support policies that ensure every life has the chance to realize its fullest potential.