Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an incredible American, Mr. Houston Salter, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran who turned 103 last month on November 10th. Mr. Salter has sacrificed greatly for his Nation and community. He enlisted into the Coast Guard in 1942 during World War II, serving important and dangerous roles until 1945, such as unloading bombs from ships on Ellis Island and working port security at the Hellgate Bridge in New York City. After serving in the Armed Forces, Mr. Salter returned to his hometown of Harkers Island, North Carolina. He served his Nation and community honorably for another 28 years at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.

Mr. Salter is among the highly dedicated individuals who continue serving their country after they depart from the Armed Forces. This year, Mr. Salter was presented a Proclamation of Honor by the Carteret County Board of Commissioners and recognized as the oldest living member of the Coast Guard at the branch's 233rd birthday celebration this summer. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me in extending this chamber's tribute to this National Hero.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in special recognition of my dear friend, mentor, and former surgical chairman, Dr. J. William McRoberts, known affectionately as ``Mac.''

A native of Rochester, Minnesota, he graduated from Princeton University and attended Cornell University School of Medicine where he was elected class president.

After completing his surgical training at the Mayo Clinic, he was stationed as director of urology at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Bremerton, Washington. He continued to serve in the U.S. Navy as a captain in the Reserves for 20 years.

He began his academic career as an assistant professor at the University of Washington, excelling throughout the ranks and becoming chairman of urology in the division of surgery at the University of Kentucky.

As my chairman, Dr. McRoberts taught me a great deal about patient care, endurance, and professionalism. Despite long and oftentimes grueling hours, he kept a great wit and humor about him, challenging us all not only to be better physicians but better humans. He demonstrated that compassion and surgical skill are not mutually exclusive.

Once he retired from academic life in 2001, instead of just enjoying the fruits of his labor, he has served in underserved areas in Kentucky and for the last 3 years in rural eastern North Carolina.

Now, at the age of 90, I am releasing him of his medical obligation to enjoy his life with his wife, Marley; son, Porter; daughter, Jane; and their grandchildren.

My life has been a better one lived because of his professionalism, humor, and friendship.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an incredible pediatrician, Dr. David Tayloe of Goldsboro, North Carolina, who has spent his lifetime advocating for children's health and well-being.

At the beginning of his career, Dr. Tayloe already had an aptitude for recognizing the needs of his community. In 1977, when Dr. Tayloe was a solo pediatrician, he helped establish a level II Neonatal Unit at Wayne Memorial Hospital to help bring care to sick newborns. He has spearheaded systemic changes in our school systems to help low-income and at-risk children receive healthcare resources and special literacy tutoring.

Due to Dr. Tayloe's father being held legally responsible in a child vaccine injury lawsuit involving a developmentally disabled child who received a state-mandated vaccine, he was determined to find a solution to the vaccine liability crisis. His legislative advocacy proved successful. In 1986, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation to provide liability protection for physicians when giving state-required vaccines to minors. As all can see, Dr. Tayloe is most talented at wearing two hats as an advocate and a pediatrician.

Dr. Tayloe's good deeds extend far beyond Wayne County and the State of North Carolina. While serving in multiple leadership roles at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), including President, Dr. Tayloe made trips to the Middle East to help translate AAP materials into Arabic and to ensure more pediatricians around the globe could have access to AAP documents through low-cost international membership.

Dr. Tayloe has received numerous awards for his achievements. While this is only a sliver of Dr. Tayloe's long list of accomplishments and sacrifices to his community, I am grateful for the opportunity to extend Congress's sincerest appreciation and recognition to him. Dr. Tayloe is undoubtedly the epitome of servant leadership and has greatly contributed to fostering a healthier society in his community, State, and around the world. Please join me in honoring this outstanding American.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bipartisan amendments submitted by myself and my friend Congressman Costa which would transfer $1 million from the HHS Secretary's general department management account to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to begin to design the infrastructure for the Pediatric- Onset Epilepsies Consortium.

The Consortium would enable cooperative research studies, accelerate the development of knowledge about the epilepsies, and rapidly advance therapeutic options and their implementation to improve treatments and healthcare outcomes.

As a co-chair of the Congressional Epilepsy Caucus, along with Congressman Costa, I am proud to offer this bipartisan amendment to support millions of Americans with epilepsy.

Just to give you a few statistics. More than 3.4 million individuals and their families are affected by epilepsy in the U.S. today, with nearly 500,000 children having epilepsy in the United States. One in 26 individuals will be diagnosed with epilepsy during their lifetime.

As November is Epilepsy Awareness Month, we must continue to build awareness around epilepsy, reduce the stigma applied to it, and educate the public and physicians on epilepsy disorders.

I thank Representative Costa for his support and co-leading this amendment. This is personal to me, as I have a child who has dealt with epilepsy now for close to 16 years and is doing well, but I want other individuals from across the country to do well also.

Mr. Chair, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on the amendment.

Mr. Chair, I rise as the designee for the gentlewoman from

West Virginia (Mrs. Miller), and I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of amendment No. 122, which will prevent funds from being used to finalize or implement the proposed HHS Medicaid Drug Rebate Program rule.

This rule makes unnecessary changes to the MDRP that have been in place for decades.

If implemented, the proposed MDRP rule will discourage research and the development of medicines while jeopardizing Medicaid beneficiaries' access to affordable drugs. This change would be bad for patients, bad for doctors, and bad for manufacturers.

This rule is yet another overreach by unelected bureaucrats trying to make health decisions for our constituents without any statutory authority to do so.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and stop this rule from taking effect, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise this evening to try to correct a grave error made by CMS.

My amendment would prohibit funds from being used to finalize, implement, or enforce CMS's proposed nursing home staffing mandate rule.

It is insane.

The proposed rule would require nursing homes to provide 24/7 onsite registered nurse coverage and a minimum of 0.55 RN and 2.45 nurse aide hours per resident day.

As CMS noted in the proposed rule, the proposed NA and RN requirements exceed those in nearly all States, and if finalized, these new floors would increase staffing in more than 75 percent of nursing homes nationwide.

In other words, more than three-quarters of nursing homes in America today would not be compliant if the proposal went into effect.

To comply with the hours per resident day requirement, urban facilities would be required to hire an additional

10,495 RNs and 61,348 NAs, while rural facilities would be required to hire an additional 2,100 RNs, 15,000 NAs.

Likewise, to comply with the 24/7 RN requirement, an additional 1,900 RNs would be needed in urban areas, 1,300 in rural areas.

Collectively, the nationwide compliance cost for nursing homes is estimated to be $40 billion over the next 10 years. Those are CMS's own estimates.

Additionally, the rule requires States to collect and report on compensation for workers as a percentage of Medicaid payments for those working in nursing homes and intermediate care facilities, but for providers alone, implementation costs would be $9 million per year for 4 years, or $36 million over 4 years, and once the rule goes into effect in year 5, an additional $18 million per year for 6 years, totaling $144 million over the decade.

Mr. Chairman, I recognize the need to ensure that patients receive high-quality healthcare service. I have been doing it for 35 years. However, this rule as proposed would exacerbate existing workforce constraints throughout the Nation, particularly in rural communities, increase burdensome reporting requirements, and substantially impact the finances of nursing homes, ultimately limiting seniors' access to critical healthcare services.

It is an unfunded mandate on under-resourced facilities, and it is absolutely out of touch with reality.

In a study released just last week, more than 60 percent of nursing students today in nursing school don't even plan to treat patients after graduation.

We have a massive shortage now. We are not going to have ones coming in the future. How in the hell are we going to implement this going forward? Where are the nurses going to come from?

The ranking member of Connecticut said earlier today during general debate that we have a shortage of nurses today. I absolutely agree. This is not a partisan issue.

I would encourage CMS to work with Congress on reforms needed to ensure seniors receive the highest quality care. I encourage Members to vote ``yes'' on this amendment.

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

Mr. Chair, even the ranking member said earlier today-- let's roll back the film--there is a nursing shortage. There is a nursing shortage in our country.

While the rule may be well-intentioned and it makes you feel good, the nurses aren't there. They can't just come out of the middle of nowhere. They just can't. I would love for there to be more nurses. We could open up more beds at our hospitals and take care of more patients.

They are not there. They are not there, and this is where the Democrats are just so out of touch. I get that it makes them feel great. I am happy, but when reality strikes, it is hard. We don't have the nurses. Then you mandate these nursing homes to have nurses that they don't have, so guess what? They close.

Now, where are your parents going to stay? Where are your grandparents going to stay? Nowhere. It is absolutely out of mind that this is being proposed because CMS is absolutely out of touch with reality for the day.

Mr. Chairman, I ask my colleagues to vote for this amendment. It actually makes sense where the rule does not, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor those servicemembers whose lives were taken in the tragic Beirut bombing 40 years ago.

On October 23, 1983, 2 suicide bombers took the lives of 220 marines, 18 sailors, and 3 soldiers at the marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, wounding another 128 Americans.

A few minutes later, in a coordinated attack, another suicide bomber blew up the French barracks about 4 miles away, killing 58 French paratroopers.

On Monday, my good friend Congressman Greg Pence--who had been stationed in these barracks not a week prior to the attack--and I attended the 40th anniversary memorial service in my district, in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Jacksonville is home to the world renowned Camp Lejeune, for which the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit deployed to Beirut under the direction of President Ronald Reagan.

Their mission was a peacekeeping one. Today, etched in the stone of the Beirut Memorial in Jacksonville is a line that reads: ``They came in peace.''

Eastern North Carolina continues to grief today for the loss of life and the loss of loved ones in the devastating attack 40 years ago.

Mr. Speaker, in honor of these fallen heroes, I ask that the House observe a moment of silence.

Mr. Chair, I recognize the MVP of the baseball team very much for his heroic athletic ability during the climactic game that we had.

I rise today in support of H.R. 4394, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' civil works projects and the Department of Energy to enhance our energy security and bolster our economic competitiveness in FY24.

Under President Biden, Americans have been forced to pay record prices at the pump, and our Strategic Petroleum Reserve has been decimated. We have become further reliant on China for critical minerals, crushed by overregulation, and watched the woke agenda destroy America's energy independence.

This legislation rolls back America-last policies; robustly funds construction, operation, and maintenance of our Nation's ports and inland waterways; and provides $34.8 million for dredging in North Carolina's Third District alone.

This bill includes $6.3 million for dredging the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway--we call it the ICW--which is vital to the commercial and recreational fishing industry in my district, and $18 million for dredging the Morehead City port, where our Marine expeditionary units deploy from Navy amphibious ships and play a vital role in our national security. God forbid we have to use them soon.

Also included is funding for other important inlets that our fishing industry and ferries rely on, such as Manteo Bay, New River Inlet, Rollinson Channel, New Topsail Inlet and connecting channels, as well as Silver Lake Harbor.

Lastly, it includes $5.2 million for the channel from Back Sound to Lookout Bight, which connects the ferry system to Cape Lookout. It has not been dredged in over 30 years, and it is common for vessels to run aground that must be pulled off the shoal with a very expensive movement by the U.S. Coast Guard.

I am very grateful for the work of Energy and Water Development, and

Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman Fleischmann, aka the MVP of the baseball team, for putting forward a bill that recognizes the unique challenges and needs of our coastal communities across the country.

Mr. Chair, I support this year's energy and water development appropriations bill and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor those service members who died on October 23, 1983 when the Marine barracks was blown up in Beirut, Lebanon by two terrorists from Hezbollah.

There were 220 Marines, 18 Sailors, and 3 Soldiers who died on that ill-fated day.

A few minutes later in a coordinated attack, another suicide bomber blew up the French barracks just a few blocks away killing 58 French paratroopers.

In the summer of 1983, the Reagan Administration approved the deployment of the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit (MAU) from the world- renowned Camp Lejeune, which is in my congressional district.

This deployment was at the request of the Lebanese government, and the battalion landing team (BLT) was First Battalion Eighth Marines, now known as ``The Beirut Battalion''.

Their mission was a peacekeeping one. The Beirut Memorial in Lejeune Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville, North Carolina has this sentence forever etched in stone,

``They came in peace''.

They were there to help bring peace to the war-torn city of Beirut, Lebanon.

These American service members and the French paratroopers paid the ultimate sacrifice for their beloved nations.

Mr. Speaker, I want to offer my heartfelt condolences to the families of these noble men. Many who still live in my congressional district today.

God bless them for keeping the faith and enduring the loss of their loved ones. May they never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I want to include in the Record the poem on the Beirut Memorial in Jacksonville, North Carolina as it is fitting to do so on this solemn occasion.

``The other wall'' by r.a. gannon

It does not stand in Washington

By others of its kind

In prominence and dignity

With mission clear defined.

It does not list the men who died

That tyranny should cease

But speaks in silent eloquence

Of those who came in peace.

This Other Wall is solemn white

And cut in simple lines

And it nestles in the splendor

Of the Carolina pines

And on this wall there are the names

Of men who once had gone

In friendship's name to offer aid

To Beirut, Lebanon

They did not go as conquerors

To bring a nation down

Or for honor or for glory

Or for praises or renown.

When they landed on that foreign shore

Their only thought in mind

Was the safety of its people

And the good of all mankind

Though they offered only friendship

And freedom's holy breath

They were met with scorn and mockery

And violence and death

So the story of their glory

Is not of battles fought

But of their love of freedom

Which was so dearly bought

And their wall shall stand forever

So long as freedom shines

On the splendor and the glory

Of the Carolina pines.

God bless them and their outstanding families. Semper Fidelis.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Officer James Brown for his devotion to Eastern North Carolina as a police officer. Officer Brown has served for more than 65 years within the Jacksonville Police Department and received the lifetime achievement award from NC Project. Recently, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Officer Brown at the Homeland Heroes Banquet, an event recognizing first responders and law enforcement.

Residents of Jacksonville witness Officer Brown's dedication to his community every day as he manages traffic and leads local students across the City's busiest neighborhood streets. He is undoubtedly a man to admire as he is the oldest serving officer in Jacksonville's police department. In fact, he is thought to be the most senior serving officer in the United States.

I would be remiss if I failed to honor Officer Brown's service to our Nation during WWII. Those who continue their service in law enforcement after military deployments, like Officer Brown, are special people and among our Nation's heroes.

Officer Brown has said that he has no plans of ending his career. He is an incredible example of service, duty, and honor that our Nation cherishes. I want to say thank you to Officer Brown for his faithfulness to our Country and community and wish him a Happy 96th Birthday this November.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2795, a critical piece of legislation that extends the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to continue providing several essential services.

I am proud to have introduced the House version of this bill and grateful for Senator Tester's leadership in the other Chamber.

Mr. Speaker, my district is home to over 76,000 veterans, and it is my honor and privilege to represent them in Congress.

I thoroughly believe that when a man or a woman signs on the dotted line to serve our country, that is their contract, but when they come home, it is our contract to take care of them.

It is an absolute priority of mine to make sure that their VA benefits, which were promised and earned, are given to them.

This legislation enables the Department of Veterans Affairs to continue carrying out its duty to care for our veterans efficiently and effectively. It allows physicians and nurses that do veterans' compensation and pension plans to practice across State lines. It allows the VA to restore veterans' GI benefits if they use them at an educational institution that closes or gets decertified from the program. It extends the Veterans Health Administration's emergency preparedness measures to protect access to care during times of crisis.

Our veterans have made great sacrifices to protect our way of life and our freedom. It is only right that we, in turn, serve them and give them the benefits that they have adamantly earned.

Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to formally commend Dr. Robert Whitmore of New Bern, North Carolina for more than 40 years of service as a physician and his exemplary record of service. He has attended to our Eastern North Carolina community and our Nation honorably.

His reputation and accolades for patient experience are a testament to the great care and expertise he has consistently provided throughout his career. As a urologist myself, I understand that providing top quality medical care is more than simply treating a disease but taking the time to listen to patient concerns and answering their questions. His standing in our community as a caring doctor, who personally follows up with patients, shows his commitment to the profession and his great character. Furthermore, his CarolinaEast Beacon of Service Award attests to his expertise and ability to touch the lives of so many others.

I would be remiss if I failed to say thank you for Dr. Whitmore's service to our Country as a staff urologist in the U.S. Army. Military doctors endure so much, and it takes a special person to do the job. Dr. Whitmore is a true servant-leader with a heart for others and is revered among America's heroes.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring this incredible physician for all he has done and continues to do for the people of Eastern North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deep appreciation and admiration for Retired General Alfred M. Gray on the occasion of his 95th birthday. It is an honor to recognize General Gray's exceptional contributions to our Nation and his continued service to the Marine Corps.

General Gray's illustrious career spans over four decades as he dedicated himself to the defense and security of our great nation. His leadership and strategic vision have left a permanent mark on the Marine Corps and our Armed Forces as a whole. From his service as an enlisted soldier in Korea to his role as the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Gray's commitment to excellence and his unwavering dedication to duty have set a standard for all who follow in his footsteps.

A visionary on the battlefield, General Gray presided over changes in military training in the 1970s by placing more emphasis on large-scale operations in desert and cold-weather environments. His doctrine of maneuver warfare, adopted by the military in the 1980s, resulted in the Marine Corps' exceptional performance in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In addition to his 41 years of military service, General Gray has made significant contributions to policy research and national security through his leadership roles at educational institutions like the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies. Since his retirement in 1991, General Gray has ensured that the Marine Corps remains at the forefront of innovative thinking and preparedness. He has played a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape for our military personnel and has provided invaluable insights into key national security, science and technology, and related policy issues.

Throughout his career, serving in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, General Gray has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including two Defense Distinguished Service Medals. two Navy Distinguished Service Medals, Distinguished Service Medals from the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Coast Guard, the Silver Star Medal, two Legion of Merits with Combat ``V'', four Bronze Star Medals with Combat ``V'', three Purple Hearts, three Joint Commendation Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm and Star, as well as foreign awards from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Korea and The Netherlands.

As we celebrate General Gray's 95th birthday, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring him on this special occasion and in expressing our deepest appreciation for his remarkable lifelong service to our beloved country. His contributions to the Marine Corps, national security, and education system have had a lasting impact on our nation. General Gray's legacy of leadership, integrity, and innovation will continue to inspire countless future generations of Marines and patriots. May he have a joyous 95th birthday, and may his years ahead be filled with health, happiness, and continued blessings. God Bless and Semper Fidelis.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1163, the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the words ``unprecedented'' many, many times. Today we stand at an unprecedented crime scene.

During the course of the pandemic, the American taxpayers were subjected to one of the greatest heists ever committed, to the tune of about $191 billion in improper unemployment payments.

My colleague across the aisle said: Yeah, they received the money accidentally. Well, if I walk up across the street and find a $20 bill accidentally dropped by someone else, do I not owe that money back to them? Is it mine to keep? No, it is not. It is to be given back. This is what was done from payments to the American taxpayers who did not deserve the money.

Of course, the spending spree by the Biden administration wants to continue by adding ballooning debt to our national deficit.

Today, House Republicans are presenting a solution to this unprecedented problem. We are not raising taxes or spending our grandchildren's money. We are merely asking for money back that was not owed to those people.

It is simple. Why not reclaim the billions of dollars in improper payments before spending another cent of taxpayer money? Even schoolchildren would understand what is at issue.

It is past time to rectify this disaster and hold those accountable who got money that they did not deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, due to committee obligations, I was unable to vote on Roll Call No. 194. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 194 (House Res. 311).

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 39.

We are here today because the Biden administration is hell-bent on making the United States energy dependent upon China. They are hell- bent on signing this Nation's death warrant. In pursuit of everything green, the Biden administration has given a free pass for Chinese solar imports to flow into this country by all means, using an emergency proclamation.

The last time a President used an emergency proclamation was for lumber in 1946 when American World War II veterans were returning home and needed homes.

Today, Mr. Biden, or whoever is running the White House, is using it to waive tariffs on Chinese solar panels coming through Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam for 2 years.

Helping war heroes is an emergency, but speeding up total dependence on our greatest adversary is another. It is an absolute abuse of executive power. It is helping our greatest adversary take control of this country.

Why on God's green Earth are we handing this Nation's keys to the nation of China?

Chinese producers and the CCP are taking advantage of this system to circumnavigate the tariffs. They are cheating. Don't just take my word. Take the President's own Department of Commerce who determined that this would happen, even before President Biden did his emergency proclamation.

This is simply un-American and a crystal clear abuse of emergency power by this American President.

We need to prioritize American manufacturing, not Chinese manufacturing. We need to produce the energy here in the United States, not handing this to China, our greatest adversary.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, H.J. Res. 39.