Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, last week, a draft majority opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court that would overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked. This is troubling and unprecedented. All Americans should be concerned about this betrayal of trust in our Nation's highest court.

My position on life has always been clear. You can't be a champion for the future of this great country if you are going to limit its potential.

For the majority of the last 50 years, Democrats have controlled the House, the Senate, and the White House. In that time, they failed to codify Roe v. Wade. Today, we are witnessing calls from the extreme left to end the filibuster in the Senate and pack the courts.

This radical stance neglects the unborn and continues to ignore the struggles of hardworking American families who are trying to cope with soaring inflation, out-of-control food and energy prices, and the failed policies of the Biden administration.

Madam Speaker, I will always use my voice here in Congress to defend our most vulnerable and protect the unborn.

Mr. Speaker, today is Take Your Son or Daughter to Work Day. While my three sons are grown, I have the privilege of having a friend of mine, Seth Parish, with me today.

Seth is 12 years old and hails from Maryland. He is actively involved in baseball, playing center outfield, ice hockey, and has recently joined the Civil Air Patrol where he learns about aerospace and survival skills.

Our schedule is busy today as the House Agriculture Committee held a 2022 farm bill review hearing. Seth joined me for that, and he is also joining me for this speech today.

In 2009, Seth's dad was serving in the Army and lost his life a month before Seth was born. This is the fourth year Seth has joined me through a program called Tuesday's Children. Tuesday's Children uses its experience and expertise to help our military families work through their own losses.

Mr. Speaker, I hope Seth is enjoying being my shadow again this year, and I can't wait to see all that he can accomplish.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate John Martincic, president of Forest Scientific Corporation, for being named the 2022 Pennsylvania Small Business Association Small Businessperson of the Year, and the 2022 Western Pennsylvania SBA District Small Businessperson of the Year.

For more than 30 years, John has been involved with the design, repair, and manufacturing of computer numerical control machines.

John has always been an entrepreneur and, as the founder and president of Forest Scientific Corporation, his work in the CNC space has supported businesses of all sizes. His machines are used for a multitude of applications, ranging from sign making to aerospace.

In addition, John spends time promoting the education and training surrounding CNC and entrepreneurship at schools and FabLabs worldwide.

Congratulations, John, on this much-deserved award and recognition.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Dr. John E. Quatroche's 100th birthday on May 2 of this year.

Mr. Quatroche is a longtime resident of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He is an accomplished veterinarian and a World War II veteran.

At 22 years old, John enlisted in the Army Air Corps, which is now the United States Air Force. He was a transport pilot and flew C-47s. Throughout his service, he had many jobs, but one of the most important was towing gliders during the last airdrops of the Second World War.

After service, John returned to Punxsutawney, earning his veterinary degree, and he served as a local veterinarian for nearly 60 years.

I had the privilege of being with John and his wife, Irene, on Sunday. We celebrated his birthday a little early as a part of Loyalty Day in Punxsutawney.

John, congratulations on this magnificent milestone. I pray that God will continue to richly bless you; your wife, Irene; and your family. Happy birthday.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the full Agriculture Committee hearing that we held on March 16, the focus of which was the 2018 farm bill and the role of climate change.

Recently, The New York Times wrote a series of stories and produced several videos denigrating rural Americans for providing the country with the safest, most abundant, and most affordable food supply in the history of the world.

Let's set the record straight. U.S. agriculture accounts for less than 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, and that is according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Over the last 70

years, U.S. agriculture has tripled food and fiber production while usage of land, energy, fertilizer and other inputs has remained steady.

Early in the first session of this Congress, several of my Republican colleagues and I introduced a slate of climate-friendly and farmer- focused bills. These bills are driven by commonsense solutions to benefit our environment and our farm industry.

Our farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers are the original climate champions. While there is more to be done, we must prevent efforts to fundamentally upend our commodity, conservation, and crop insurance programs to appease Washington think tanks. We must also reject complicating our programs and making climate the focus of every title of the upcoming farm bill reauthorization.

Madam Speaker, under the umbrella of natural land solutions, which includes farmers that grow crops, livestock, and our foresters, the research has shown that at this moment, based on the technology they use, they are responsible for sequestering 6.1 gigatons of carbon annually, greenhouse gas emissions.

To put that into perspective, that takes care of all the greenhouse gas emissions that are emitted on those lands, plus sequestering an additional 10.1 percent. So truly, the American farmer, rancher, and forester are the climate change champions anywhere in the world because of our science, technology, and innovation.

We must ensure agriculture production remains viable in rural America to keep production from increasing in areas of the world with lower environmental standards, worse labor conditions, and fewer food safety considerations. And that is why a robust safety net is critical to keeping farms and production here in the United States while lowering overall global greenhouse gas emissions.

Madam Speaker, our country and our farmers face enormous and immediate challenges including higher food prices, record inflation, and input costs, attacks on our energy independence, crop-protection tools, and dependable labor.

Now, these are the issues I hear about as I travel my district and the country. These are the issues we should be addressing.

I hope at the end of the day we recognize that our voluntary, locally led, incentive-based conservation system is working as intended, and that we must not undermine its continued success in supporting the environment and producers.

American agriculture is science. American agriculture is technology. And American agriculture is innovation. The demands of a 21st century farm economy, and economically viable climate solutions, depend on tools and policies that continue to unleash and increase the United States agriculture productivity.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate National Library Week and National Library Outreach Day. This week is dedicated to promoting the importance of our local libraries.

Our libraries serve as a place to connect. Some use the library as a place to connect to the internet. Others may use it as a place to connect with new ideas or classes. Most importantly, our libraries connect our communities.

Today's focus, National Library Outreach Day, otherwise known as National Bookmobile Day, highlights the important outreach activities conducted by our local libraries.

Bookmobiles and other outreach events hosted by our libraries connect individuals who otherwise might not be able to access a local library. From events at elementary schools to senior living centers, these services are essential to our community.

Madam Speaker, I encourage you all to make a visit to your local library this week and thank the librarians for the work that they do.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gold Star Spouse Day.

Today, we honor the surviving loved ones of military servicemembers who died while serving our country. This day offers remembrance for the spouses and their families as well as a time of recognition of their sacrifices.

As an Army dad, I am blessed my son returned home. I am aware that this is not the case for all families, and we must take the time to remember, the time to respect, and the time to honor the spouses and their families of our fallen servicemembers.

Gold Star Spouse Day brings awareness of the sacrifices and grief these spouses and families have faced in the name of our country.

Mr. Speaker, let us all take a moment to remember that our freedom is not free. Gold Star families have lost a loved one and paid a heavy price, all in the name of protecting our freedom. They deserve our gratitude today and every day.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to announce we are one step closer to reducing poverty across the Nation.

In March, the House Committee on Education and Labor passed H.R. 5129, the Community Services Block Grant Modernization Act, on a bipartisan vote.

I was proud to introduce this bill with the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici). The bill would fund the community action agencies that help address the root causes of poverty in our communities.

These agencies are largely comprised of business and industry leaders. They provide a safety net for low-income families and individuals, but even more importantly, they help create opportunities for people to move from poverty to independence.

Despite the good these agencies do for our communities, the Community Services Block Grant program has not been reauthorized for 25 years. My bill will modernize CSBG to provide agencies the ability to tap their full potential.

Madam Speaker, this program has a long history of bipartisan support due to the great work it enables. It is my hope that this righteous bill is brought to the floor in a timely manner.

It is time for Congress to renew our Nation's commitment and further reduce poverty by reauthorizing CSBG.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Saint Marys Area Middle School in Saint Marys, Pennsylvania.

On March 17, students and staff participated in the Mini-THON. This is a smaller service of Penn State University's THON.

Throughout the day, students participated in various activities to raise money for the Four Diamonds fund to assist children and families in their battle with cancer.

One of the many ways students raised funds was through the ``duct tape your principal'' challenge. This brought in over $900. Dom Surra, the assistant principal, was duct-taped to the gymnasium wall.

Due to the tremendous support from students, staff, and the community, Saint Marys Area Middle School raised more than $12,237.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the students and staff for this tremendous achievement for such a righteous cause.

Mr. Speaker, this past Tuesday was Vietnam Veterans Day. The day was a reminder that our freedom is not free.

We stand together to thank and honor Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and their sacrifice. Across the country, we paused and remembered the service and sacrifices made.

Tuesday, in Indiana County, in the Pennsylvania 15th Congressional District, the Historical and Genealogical Society hosted their second annual program featuring guest speakers, music from the era, and an historical display relating to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., called ``The Wall that Heals.''

Vietnam Veterans Day and the programs are dedicated to honor the veterans who served Active Duty in the United States Armed Forces from November 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, the time period in which the U.S. had soldiers deployed.

In addition to a pinning ceremony for Vietnam veterans in attendance, wreaths will be placed remembering Indiana County residents who were killed in the line of duty or named as missing in action during the war.

Mr. Speaker, events like the program in Indiana County are a great way for our younger generation to learn and our older generations to be remembered. It is important we always find time to thank and honor our veterans for their service to our great Nation.

To my friends who are Vietnam veterans, welcome home.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Mann for yielding and for hosting this Special Order tonight on an industry that I believe is the most important industry in America. It is the industry that impacts and touches the lives of American families more times in a given day than any other. It is not just the food. It is the fiber; it is the building materials; it is the energy resources; it is the economy.

I am honored to be here. I am proud to be the Republican leader of the House Agriculture Committee, where we celebrate the contributions of American farmers, ranchers, producers, and foresters all year long.

Farm country is no stranger to struggle, and the past couple of years have been a punch to the gut. Between a global pandemic, historic fires and floods, wind events, and a President who is waging a never-ending war on agriculture, times have been particularly tough.

The supply chain crisis paired with skyrocketing inflation is kicking our farm families while they are down--folks who buy retail, sell wholesale, and pay shipping each way; the men and women who work around the clock to provide us with a safe and reliable food supply.

But rural America is tough; rural America is resilient; and rural America is the backbone of this Nation.

I am grateful to Congressman Mann for being on our farm team, as well as all the other agriculture advocates who will be speaking this evening.

Before I go, I specifically recognize Pennsylvania's contribution to agriculture, which is the Commonwealth's

number one industry. One out of every seven jobs is directly or indirectly related to agriculture: 59,000 farms; 280,500 direct jobs; and more than $135 billion in revenue, or about 18 percent of Pennsylvania's economy. Agriculture's impact in the Keystone State is undeniable.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the families, the men and women who work 24/7, 365 days a year to feed, to clothe, and to fuel this great Nation. Once again, thanks to Congressman Mann for leading this important Special Order.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the life and legacy of the gentleman from Alaska, Representative Don Young, the dean of the House.

Don was a dear colleague, friend, and brother in the Lord. He loved Alaska and respected the institution of the House, where he represented his constituents for five decades. As dean of the House, he was the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives' history.

He was a tireless fighter for Alaska and an unparalleled public servant. It has been a privilege to serve with such a strong longstanding Member, who was truly a force of nature. My closest moments with Don were shared on the House floor at our weekly Bible study where we discussed the promises of God's Word.

While we mourn his passing and lift his family in prayer, I will be celebrating a life well-lived.

Madam Speaker, Scriptures in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 instructs us with these words: ``Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.''

Don Young had hope.

Well done, good and faithful servant.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Agriculture Week, which begins on March 20, a week dedicated to honoring and acknowledging the efforts and hard work of American farmers and farm families.

While farmers, ranchers, producers, foresters, and farmworkers should be celebrated year-round, National Agriculture Week shines a bright light on where our Nation's food, fiber, and fuel come from. I have always said every American interacts with agriculture at least three times a day, whether they realize it or not: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is a fundamental part of our lives, and it is the backbone of the American economy.

Celebrated during National Agriculture Week, National Agriculture Day began in 1973 as a way to recognize the unique value that farmers, ranchers, and foresters contribute to our society, contributions that have only grown in importance over the past 2 years as the world faced a pandemic, global supply chain disruptions, economic instability, and, now, war in Europe.

Being a farmer has never been an easy job by any means. Feeding and clothing our Nation and the entire world is a monumental task. Every day, America's farm families dedicate their minds and bodies to achieving that feat.

Unfortunately, many farmers today are facing rising input costs, shrinking profit margins, and unrelenting supply chain issues, much of which has been self-inflicted by leadership in Washington, yet they continue to persevere.

As Republican leader of the House Agriculture Committee, I am honored to represent farm families in rural America and serve as their reliable voice in the Halls of Congress.

National Agriculture Week encourages every American to: understand how food and fiber products are produced; appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing a safe, abundant, and affordable food supply; value the essential role of agriculture in our economy; and acknowledge and consider successful career opportunities in the agriculture industry.

As the Representative of Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District, I have the great privilege of working firsthand with many farmers and foresters. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we are fortunate to have more than 59,000 farms. These men and women work hard to feed and clothe not just Pennsylvanians but our Nation and overseas. Their hard work results in agriculture being Pennsylvania's number one industry.

Agriculture and its associated industries contribute more than $135 billion, or about 18 percent of Pennsylvania's economy. The industry employs half a million workers, including 280,500 direct jobs.

I will end with one of my favorite quotes about agriculture from President Jefferson: ``Agriculture . . . is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.''

This sentiment rings just as true today as it did in President Jefferson's letter to George Washington in 1787. Our farm families truly embody the best of the American spirit through their moral integrity, hard work, and an unwavering dedication to their craft. Everyone in this Chamber and around the world benefits from the ``wise pursuit'' of agriculture, and we owe these patriots a resounding debt of gratitude.

I want to applaud the farmers, ranchers, and foresters who continue to devote their lives to American agriculture.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize March as National Red Cross Month. Since 1943, March has been recognized as Red Cross Month. The Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton in 1881 with the noble mission of preventing and easing human suffering.

Since its creation, the Red Cross has grown to one of the largest organizations in the country. Their efforts span from disaster relief, lifesaving blood collections, international services, and assistance with military families and veterans. In our current state of the world, the Red Cross is actively assisting with humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

The Red Cross is able to carry out their mission because of their vast and strong network of volunteers, donors, and partners. Whether help is needed in big cities or the smallest towns, the Red Cross is always ready to provide assistance.

Mr. Speaker, during American Red Cross Month, let's renew our commitment to the timeless ideals of caring for one another.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate National Small Business Development Center Day. SBDC Day unites nearly 1,000 Small Business Development Centers across the country and the hundreds of thousands of clients they serve.

Pennsylvania is lucky to have 16 SBDCs across our Commonwealth, and they are ready to assist entrepreneurs and small business owners with the knowledge and tools needed to make smart decisions and prosper.

The Pennsylvania SBDCs are a public-private partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and 16 universities and colleges.

Small Business Development Centers are there to provide resources for entrepreneurs of all ages and backgrounds, from underserved communities to veterans.

Madam Speaker, I grew up working for my family's small sporting goods business. I know firsthand the drive, dedication, and determination it takes to succeed.

If you are a small business owner, entrepreneur, or are looking to get started, be sure to check out a Small Business Development Center near you.