Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mr. Daniel Reese Grime. Mr. Grime was born on March 31, 1930, and graduated high school in Monaca, Pennsylvania, where he lettered in football and worked at the St. Joe Minerals Corporation steel mill.

Mr. Grime enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1952, where he went through basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and completed the Sea School course at Norfolk Naval Base in Portsmouth, VA. It was at Norfolk Naval Base where Mr. Grime prepared for his duty aboard the USS New Jersey. He was soon promoted to Corporal and given the task to man the 16" and 5" guns aboard the prestigious battleship BB-62. While aboard the USS New Jersey, Mr. Grime was a part of one of the most famous battleships involved in the Korean War. The USS New Jersey took part in numerous engagements providing Naval gunfire support, which played a crucial role in disrupting enemy supply lines.

Mr. Grime would spend a total of six years in the Marines, including several years in the Marine Corps Reserves. Mr. Grime would go on to marry his loving wife, Janet, who he met while on leave in Washington, D.C. Together they raised four children. Mr. Grime would eventually return to work at the St. Joe Minerals Corporation steel mill and served as a volunteer fireman and as a volunteer at his local school system. He passed away on June 3, 2022, as a proud Marine and proud citizen of the United States.

Madam Speaker, please join me today in remembering the life and memory of Mr. Daniel Reese Grime and all he has done for our beloved country.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this reckless bill today. I want to speak specifically to one issue, and that is medicine.

As a practicing physician, I have seen miraculous curative advancements made in medicine over the last 15 years. This partisan package will destroy medical innovation and cripple independent private physicians. Up to 342 new lifesaving drugs will be prevented by this bill.

We all agree that the cost of medicine is way too high in this country, but instead of attacking the real causes, we are now going to be shifting Medicare dollars away from doctors, those who actually take care of patients, and give them to insurance companies and Green New Deal policies.

Some physicians will see, on average, a 40 percent reduction in reimbursement. Given the constant threats of Medicare cuts for physicians, who the hell would want to practice medicine or could afford to practice medicine in this country anymore?

This scheme will have long-lasting negative impacts on patients, physicians, and the solvency of Medicare, and it will set a dangerous precedent for future medicine to use Medicare as a piggy bank to subsidize unrelated policies.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4040. There have been a few silver linings that we have seen in the pandemic, and definitely telehealth has been one of them.

I will submit, I am personally thankful for this bill because I will say, maybe, perhaps I am the only sitting Member of Congress who, as a physician, has actually used telehealth.

In my surgical practice, I see patients from 2 hours north, 2 hours south, and sometimes 5 hours east out on the eastern North Carolina coast. So many of my patients who come from rural eastern North Carolina can't even afford gas in the inflationary environment we have to even travel these distances, much less sometimes across town.

While this bill is a good start, it is a very, very good start, it does not go far enough, and that is why I, with Dr. Burgess and Congresswoman Herrell, introduced a bill to permanently extend telehealth for federally qualified health centers and rural health centers. These are the medical practices that take care of our poorest and the most at-risk patients. These individuals need to be able to access telehealth because they have to travel long distances and don't have the resources that they need to be able to access physician care.

I subsequently urge my colleagues to support this initiative and urge them that we can do much more.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Major General Hugh Robert Overholt of the United States Army (Retired) for his lifelong service to our country's military, Eastern North Carolina, and our great Nation. Born in the town of Beebe, Arkansas in 1933, General Overholt attended the University of Arkansas where he earned both a bachelor's degree and a law degree. While attending law school, he served as the Comments Editor for the University of Arkansas Law Review.

Following his graduation in 1957, General Overholt entered the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. After his graduation from the Army's Judge Advocate General's school, General Overholt would go on to serve in various leadership roles within the United States Army including Assistant Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Army from 1981 to 1985 and Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Army from 1985 to 1989. General Overholt served a remarkable ten years as a General Officer, which included eight as a Major General. General Overholt used these years to increase the professionalism and the role of the Judge Advocate General's Corps through critical changes and reforms.

One of the finest accomplishments in General Overholt's career was the establishment of the Masters in Military Law (LL.M.) program at the Army's Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School located at the University of Virginia. General Overholt also greatly expanded the schools' facilities, automatized the delivery of Army legal services, and published a revolutionary code of professional responsibility for members of the Army's Judge Advocate Corps. General Overholt's changes modernized the Army's legal services and exemplified his ability as an outstanding leader.

General Overholt has received numerous awards in recognition of his life of service. These include the Distinguished Service Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster), Legion of Merit, the Department of Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster), and the Army Commendation Medal (Two Oak Leaf Clusters). Along with attending the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps Basic and Advanced Courses, General Overholt also attended Airborne School, Command and General Staff College and the National Defense University.

General Overholt has served on the North Carolina Board of Transportation (BOT) since 2009 and was instrumental in creating a new 2020 Department of Transportation (DOT) law that gave the BOT more oversight authority. This new legislation also shifted designation of board members from the Governor to the General Assembly. For the first time under this new authority, Speaker of the North Carolina House Tim Moore used one of the General Assembly's three appointments for General Overholt who was first placed on the BOT by Governor Beverly Perdue and was reappointed by Governors Patrick McCrory and Roy Cooper. General Overholt is the only BOT member who has been appointed by both Republican and Democratic Governors, plus a Republican Speaker of the House.

General Overholt in action means seeing good government work. Between 2009 and 2020, General Overholt was instrumental in delivering over $800 million in new road projects to Carteret, Craven, Jones, Lenoir, and Pitt Counties. Of particular importance has been his support for military related transportation projects. One of the most vital military projects is the new Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point Slocum overpass ramp. General Overholt secured over $30 million in special funding for the project as part of the North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) efforts to support the military and reduce traffic accidents and congestions in Havelock. He also advocated for the Highway 17 Bypass through Jones County that finally connected Camp Lejeune and MCAS Cherry Point with a four-lane highway. This was decades in the making and without General Overholt's leadership, it would not have become a reality.

Two other major projects General Overholt helped shepherd through to construction are the Havelock Highway 70 Bypass and the James City-New Bern Highway 70 reconstruction. Today, his focus as an at-large BOT member continues to support Craven and Carteret Counties, the State Ports, aviation, rail, and the Global TransPark as well as overall transportation-related economic development.

Prior to his appointment to the BOT, General Overholt was a Governor's appointee to the North Carolina Military Affairs Advisory Commission. He also helped lead the State's 2004 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) response team where he focused on advocating for MCAS Cherry Point. General Overholt was again successful in preventing the closure of this vital base.

General Overholt also serves as Chairman of the North Carolina's 3rd Congressional District Service Academy Nomination Board, where he assists in nominating high school students to attend our esteemed service academies. He continues to be a servant to the people and the impact he has made on the citizens of this great nation is truly remarkable. General Overholt and his wife, Ann, have two children, Scott and Sharon, two grandchildren, Grayson Overholt and Ashton Overholt Baker, and two great-grandchildren, Sebastian and Sawyer Baker.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the service of this great patriot and all he has done and continues to do for our great state and Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8351, the Formula Act.

I thank my friend from Nebraska, Mr. Adrian Smith, and Mr. Blumenauer for their leadership on this bill.

With families facing record-high inflation, with record-high food and gas prices, the last thing that parents need to worry about is being able to find formula, much less being able then to afford it.

H.R. 8351 ensures that families are not covering the cost of additional taxes on formula imported into the United States, and I am pleased with the relief that this bill will provide.

But, unfortunately, as has been the mantra of this administration, this crisis exemplifies just another self-inflicted wound that has been the point of the Biden administration. The administration knew about the impending shortage and failed to act to avert the crisis.

The incompetence of this administration has real world effects. We are talking about something that is basic sustenance for infants in this country. They need this, and this bill will help bring affordability to parents for their children.

Madam Speaker, I thank, again, my colleagues and encourage their support of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in enthusiastic support of H.R. 6411, the Support The Resiliency of Our Nation's Great Veterans Act, commonly known as the STRONG Act.

I am proud that this legislation includes language from my bill, H.R. 4233, the Student Veterans Counseling Centers Eligibility Act. I introduced this bill alongside Ranking Member Bost to aid veteran transition back to civilian life, especially for those looking to further their education.

Far too often, we see the tragedy of our selfless defenders losing their battle to mental health issues when returning from service. The intention of our provision is to aid more of our veterans who are readjusting to civilian lives by providing them with overdue access to vital mental health resources.

This is especially personal to my district, as I represent 89,000 veterans, many of whom are or will be receiving benefits via the Post- 9/11 GI Bill.

Regardless of which side of the aisle we sit on, we have an obligation to make sure that our counseling services are more accessible for our veterans, and I am glad that the STRONG Act focuses on this obligation.

My provision would expand counseling and mental health support to student veterans through the VA's readjustment counseling centers, also known as Vet Centers. These centers provide individual, group, marriage, and family counseling, as well as peer support opportunities for Active-Duty servicemembers, veterans, members of the National Guard and Reserve, and certain military family members. Vet Centers are community based, confidential, and free.

A recent RAND study shows that 20 percent of veterans on the GI Bill face feelings of depression from PTSD. That 20 percent amounts to over 170,000 veterans, double the number of veterans in my district.

Currently, the option of student veterans using school psychologists, in actuality, provides very little relief for our veterans. The director of policy and advocacy for the National Association of School Psychologists has reported that the national ratio of school psychologists to students is anywhere from 1 to 2,000 to 1 to 5,000.

I have heard personal stories from student veterans who have had to wait weeks or even months for a mental health appointment if their mental health crisis was not deemed in need of ``immediate attention.'' Unfortunately, many of our veterans do not have the luxury of weeks or months to see a mental health provider.

In addition, many of our universities' mental health counselors are actually not licensed professionals but, instead, graduate or doctoral students. Our veterans deserve better than this. They deserve the best healthcare from qualified professionals.

Helping students succeed in school and their civilian lives is one of the most important ways we can thank them for their service.

Tragically, the suicide rate among our veterans now is estimated to be anywhere from 17 to 22 suicides a day. Forty-six percent of military students

have reported suicidal thoughts, compared with only 6 percent of their nonmilitary peers.

If we can provide mental health services that are able to assist just a single veteran who is contemplating suicide to choose to live, I believe it is our sworn duty to do so. We have that opportunity now.

I am proud to support the STRONG Veterans Act, and I am very grateful to Chairman Takano and Ranking Member Bost for including my bill, the Student Veterans Counseling Center Eligibility Act. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 6411 in support of our Nation's veterans.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for allowing me to speak today.

I rise in opposition to H.R. 6087. I do this as a physician where I understand that diagnosing, treating, and certifying disability claims takes an expert's opinion--not general medicine, an expert's opinion-- and physicians have exceedingly more training and experience in dealing with what are truly complex medical issues.

Let's be very clear: Disability is a complex issue. It is a lifelong problem. This particular instance requires diagnosis, treatment, and evaluations continually. There is nothing wrong with the system that we have in this country. In many instances, we find that we work together well as a team. But I think our Federal workers really, in this specific avenue, deserve better, and I urge them to understand that physicians are the best ones to do this.

Using the claim that there is a physician shortage should not be an excuse to lower what I believe are standards for expert care.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Bost for yielding.

I rise today to advocate for H.R. 6604, as amended, the Veterans Eligible to Transfer Schools (VETS) Credit Act. It corrects issues that veterans are having when using their GI benefits when transferring schools after a school closure. The bill also includes provisions from my bill, H.R. 6458, which eliminates the requirement to specify an effective period of a transfer of post-9/11 educational assistance to a dependent.

I am grateful to Representative Vern Buchanan for attaching my bill to H.R. 6604.

As Members of Congress, we realize the overall importance of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. It has been a huge success in recruiting and retaining servicemembers. Many servicemembers use the added benefit of being able to transfer their education benefits to their family members. With the cost of college education so astronomical in this era, many servicemembers are using this opportunity.

Under current law servicemembers are eligible to transfer their 36 months of Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility to their dependents if they have served at least 6 years and incur a service obligation to serve an additional 4 years.

The nonprofit Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, otherwise known as TAPS, has brought to our attention that under current practice if a

servicemember accidentally puts on their GI Bill transfer form that the benefits for a child or other dependent expire on a certain date and the servicemember later dies before the benefit is used, there is no way for the record to be changed to allow a dependent to use the benefit.

If the veteran were still alive, they could go back in the system and change the date at any time. TAPS has seen this happen to several family members and has asked us to look into it and try to correct the problem. When we contacted the Department of Defense to see if they could address this with an administrative fix, we were told that a legislative correction was needed, and this is why we are here today to introduce my bill.

The bill, as amended, includes this change that would eliminate the requirement to specify a period of transfer of Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement to a dependent. This would prevent those entitled to post- 9/11 education benefits from accidentally inputting the wrong date and therefore preventing the dependent from taking advantage of the benefit.

It may seem a small detail, but for those individuals it is a very, very large benefit. I am grateful to TAPS for identifying this issue and grateful for Congressman Buchanan as well as Chairman Takano and Ranking Member Bost for their support. I would like to thank the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs for their assistance.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay a tribute to the heroic crew members of Tow Boat US Beaufort (TBUS). On February 13, 2022, TBUS was alerted to a possible downed aircraft east of Cape Lookout shoals near Drum Inlet. This aircraft was comprised of eight individuals, including four high school students. The honorable crew quickly departed towards the vicinity of the last known position of the aircraft. At this time, weather conditions were deteriorating, and seas were a rough 3 to 5 feet.

The wreckage of the aircraft was found before dark, and it was clear that there were likely no possible survivors. The next morning, emergency services called TBUS seeking their assistance in locating the aircraft on the sea floor. While local first responders focused on chasing floating debris offshore, the TBUS crew investigated where the plane struck the water using sonar to locate the wreckage. By 4:00 PM on February 14, 2022, TBUS confirmed they had found the crash site and had remotely operated vehicle footage of the debris on the bottom. That night, TBUS crews would be tasked with running the dive operations, while providing divers and surface support for body recovery.

The next day, February 15, 2022, TBUS had put together a dive plan and divers to try and access the aircraft. Water temperatures were around 52 degrees on the surface, the current was running approximately 3.9 knots on the bottom in 60 feet of water, and seas were rough at 3 to 5 feet, making this an extraordinarily difficult dive to achieve with limited bottom time. TBUS crews worked until the next day, when all the remains had been recovered for the families. While this was a strenuous job, the selfless heroes at TBUS thought it was a necessary mission to help the grieving families of the victims. Putting divers in during small craft conditions, 50-degree water, and heavy currents makes for very dangerous conditions that highlight the heroic actions of the TBUS crew.

TBUS crew members involved were Lee Sykes, Johnathon Evans, Jay Boone, Crockett Henderson, Luis Herron and John Wilson. None of this would have been possible were it not for the selflessness and servant attitude of the aforementioned members. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring these incredible and wonderful heroes.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of SECURE Act 2.0.

When our military members pledge a commitment to the United States, we promise, in return, to care for them and their families. As the proud Representative of close to 90,000 veterans in North Carolina, I am committed to supporting strong legislation that improves the lives of our veterans and their families.

When servicemembers change base assignments, their spouses often relocate with them, putting their own careers at stake and on hold. The SECURE Act prioritizes military family retirements by providing a tax credit for small employers that make more benefit plans available for military spouses.

Incentivizing job creators to hire and retain military spouses is an important step to strengthening military family retirement savings.

I am proud of the bipartisan effort by the Ways and Means Committee to lead the charge to support our military families, who so often face many uphill challenges in attaining retirement security. We must always fight for those who have given us so much to keep our safety.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in great sorrow. On March 18, 2022, Captain Matthew Tomkiewicz, Captain Ross Reynolds, Gunnery Sergeant James Speedy and Corporal Jacob Moore were killed as a result of a training accident in northern Norway under stormy conditions north of the Arctic Circle.

All four marines were participating in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) exercise, Cold Response 2022, when their MV-22B Osprey tragically crashed. These four brave Marines were assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 (VMM-261) at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Losing four brave, dedicated service members is heartbreaking and our prayers are with the families of these fallen heroes. Their duty and commitment to our great country will never be forgotten and I am forever grateful for all that they accomplished and for their service to our beloved country.

Madam Speaker, please join me today in remembering these great American patriots and recognizing all the sacrifices that they made for our beloved country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of a devoted public servant in our community who will retire this upcoming May, Dr. Richard Woodruff of Jacksonville, North Carolina. A selfless and dedicated administrator and City Manager, Dr. Woodruff has been in the service of others for over 27 years.

With over 50,000 marines and sailors stationed at Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station, Jacksonville is truly the home of the Marines. Jacksonville strives to provide quality services and a safe environment in which the marines, sailors and their families can live a peaceful life and work in recognition of their dignity. The services of the city provide support to the military families as their loved ones are deployed.

Operating under the Council Manager form of City government, the City Manager is appointed by the Mayor and City Council and is the chief administrative officer of the city. Working with a team of professional department directors, the City Manager is responsible for the daily operations of city government, the preparation of the annual budget and the hiring and, when necessary, the removal of city employees. Jacksonville is a full-service city, with an annual operating and capital budget of approximately $100 million including general government services. Managing the City of Jacksonville is no easy task and Dr. Woodruff has shown exemplary leadership ability in his role as City Manager.

After a 27-year career in public and private sector employment, Dr. Woodruff accepted the position of City Manager for the City of Jacksonville in 2010. Working with the Mayor and Council, the City Manager is leading a major renaissance in the historic downtown area of Jacksonville, including a new multi-purpose

downtown waterfront park and the development of the ``Freedom Fountain'' located adjacent to City Hall. These projects will have a tremendous impact in developing and rejuvenating the downtown area.

Dr. Woodruff is a graduate of Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina and earned a master's degree and Doctorate in Public Administration from Nova University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He and his wife Gwendolyn have three sons and six grandchildren. He served on Governor Perdue's Military Land Compatibility Task Force, which identified methods of land use to help protect the training mission of the military bases throughout North Carolina.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the retirement of this incredible and noble man and wishing Dr. Woodruff a happy retirement from his life of public service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of a critical and strategic asset for Marine Corps Aviation--Fleet Readiness Center East (FRC East) located in Havelock, North Carolina. Since 1943, FRC East on board Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, has played an important role in securing the national defense of our great country. Their workforce has earned a reputation for excellence in providing world-class maintenance, engineering and logistics support for Navy and Marine Corps aviation, as well as other armed services, federal agencies and foreign governments.

FRC East has accomplished this vital mission while maintaining a safe and healthy work environment. The depot's Safety and Occupational Health programs have been recognized at the state and federal levels, as well as within the Department of Defense. FRC East closed out calendar year 2021 with the lowest number of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable mishaps in the command's nearly 80-year history. The depot's superior standard of safety has also earned recognition from the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). VPP highlights employers with effective safety and health management systems that record injury and illness rates below the average for their industries.

In 2019, FRC East became the first Naval Aviation command to achieve OSHA VPP Star Status. The depot is one of only 21 VPP Star recognized sites in the entire Department of the Navy. FRC East was recently chosen as one of five sites for a Department of the Navy and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study aimed at evaluating VPP's effectiveness in reducing noncombat injuries. FRC East has also been recognized by the North Carolina Department of Labor. The depot was presented with two ``Million Hour'' awards and its fourth consecutive ``Gold Award.'' Million Hour safety awards are given to organizations that accumulate one million employee hours with no injuries or illnesses involving days away from work. To meet the Gold Award standard, an organization must have had no fatalities during the award year, and also post a Day Away, Restricted or Transferred (DART) rate at least 50 percent below the industry average.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring and recognizing FRC East for its unwavering commitment to workplace safety. FRC East's culture of safety ensures the depot's most valuable resource, the highly skilled men and women who work there, are protected. I would also like to express my appreciation to the outstanding employees of FRC East for their dedication and continued service to our nation, our allies, and the Eastern North Carolina community.

Mr. Speaker, today is day 14 of Putin's ruthless, senseless war on Ukraine. Yet, with all eyes on the United States, President Biden has still failed to impose the necessary full economic penalties on the Russian economy.

This week, Ways and Means Republicans and Democrats negotiated a strong bipartisan bill that added additional, much-needed economic punishments on Putin's war effort, a historic deal that stopped both U.S. imports of Russian oil and suspended normal trade relations with Belarus and Russia--that is, before the White House got involved.

To be clear, the only reason the White House is doing anything is because it is being politically expedient. They stopped and stalled negotiations.

The White House has subsequently watered down negotiations where now 40 percent of nonenergy imports from Russia can still continue under this plan, fueling his war efforts.

While banning U.S. imports of Russian oil is critical, this weakened legislation fails to go the distance and truly hold Putin accountable for his shameful war crimes.

There is a special place in hell for evil despots who bomb children's hospitals. We must do everything at our disposal to support Ukraine and prove to the world that a strong America will not allow brutal dictators to reign on this Earth without swift and ferocious consequences.

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, February 13, a catastrophic tragedy took place in a close-knit eastern North Carolina community.

A small plane carrying eight passengers, including four teenagers, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 4 miles east of the Drum Inlet. Tragically, all eight North Carolinians perished in the crash.

There are no words to describe the pain and devastation that our community has felt in the weeks following this tragic accident. Yet, through this heartbreak we have all been moved by the outpouring of love and support from all of those across North Carolina and our great Nation.

We cannot thank our first responders, U.S. Coast Guard, the Carteret County Sheriff's Office, State agencies, and community members enough for coming together in support of the families impacted by this heartbreaking tragedy.

Members of our community have participated in many loving tributes to honor those we lost. I am grateful to the volunteers, ministers, students, teachers, parents, grandparents, friends, and classmates who are helping to provide aid and support, as well as comfort to our Down East residents. Their selflessness and commitment to others is to be commended, and I honor their service.

We will always remember the beloved North Carolinians whom we lost: Douglas Hunter Parks, 45, from Sea Level, North Carolina; Stephanie Ann McInnis Fulcher, 42, from Sea Level, North Carolina; Jeffrey Worthington Rawls, 28, from Greenville, North Carolina; Ernest ``Teen'' Rawls, pilot, 67, Greenville, North Carolina; Jonathan Kole McInnis, 15, Sea Level, North Carolina; Jacob Nolan Taylor, 16, Atlantic, North Carolina; Noah Lee Styron, 15, Cedar Island, North Carolina; and Michael Daily Shepard, 15, Atlantic, North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask for a moment of silence to remember those who perished on that fateful day.