Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, this week, as the humanitarian crisis at our southern border escalates, House Democrats want to pass a bill that will actually make this situation even worse.

Daily border crossings at our southern border have hit record highs in a decade. Until just a few weeks ago, my colleagues across the aisle were calling this a manufactured crisis, but the numbers don't lie. On average, 4,500 individuals are apprehended each day trying to illegally cross our southern border.

Border Patrol is completely overwhelmed; ICE facilities are full; and HHS is at risk of running out of the resources necessary to take care of unaccompanied children. Yet my colleagues across the aisle want to just ignore this humanitarian crisis and, instead, pass a bill to actually encourage and reward illegal entrants and incentivize further illegal immigration.

H.R. 6 provides amnesty to millions of people, placing the interests of those who broke our laws above the interests of those who followed our laws.

The bill also has no enforcement provisions and includes loopholes that make gang members and other criminals eligible for green cards. It even requires that U.S. taxpayers fund grant programs to help illegal immigrants obtain green cards.

Most notably, it fails to provide any additional resources for law enforcement personnel at our border.

And let's be realistic about this. We all know this is dead on arrival at the Senate, and here we are just wasting our time.

Congress actually has the power and the responsibility to address the humanitarian crisis at our southern border. Unfortunately, my colleagues across the aisle are too busy playing party politics.

I want to thank Ranking Member Doug Collins for introducing legislation that will actually fix the root causes of the problem at our southern border, and I ask my colleagues across the aisle to end this desperate political showmanship and, instead, just work with us to address this devastating security and humanitarian crisis at our southern border.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Felix J. Lisovich, a World War II veteran from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

In 1943, three weeks after graduating from Charleroi High School, Mr. Lisovich enlisted as a Surgical Technician in the United States Army. After completing his training, Mr. Lisovich deployed to the Pacific Theater from March 1994 to January 1946, where he participated in amphibious operations to liberate the Philippines and he encountered kamikaze attacks from Japanese fighter planes

In 1945, Mr. Lisovich fought in the Battle of Luzon with the 172nd Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division. During the battle, he engaged the enemy under intense fire and aided casualty evacuations while tasked with capturing a hill overlooking Rosario-Damortis Road. Mr. Lisovich was wounded by grenade shrapnel while aiding a fallen soldier and survived multiple banzai attacks.

For his service and his actions in World War II, Mr. Lisovich was awarded the Combat Medical Badge, Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, Purple Heart Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with two bronze stars and one arrow, Army of Occupation Medal, and the Philippine Liberation Medal with one bronze star.

Madam Speaker, Mr. Lisovich represents the very best of southwestern Pennsylvania. Please join me in recognizing Felix J. Lisovich for his service, courage, and sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment in the U.S. House of Representatives.

One hundred years ago this week, right here on the House floor, Members began the process to recognize women's right to vote.

Pennsylvania, my home State, became the seventh State to ratify the Amendment, only 20 days after it passed the U.S. Senate.

One hundred years later, we honor the idea that our democracy works best when everyone participates.

One hundred years later, we recognize those who devoted their lives to

this worthy cause, such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Ida B. Wells.

We all have different perspectives, and by engaging with each other, we can develop the best policies to benefit all Americans and all freedom-loving people around the world.

Mr. Speaker, this week, communities across the country honored law enforcement officers in recognition of National Police Week.

Police officers put their lives on the line every day to protect our loved ones and neighbors. These brave men and women experience daily trauma and injury. In fact, the stress endured by our police officers contributes to a suicide rate that is 50 percent higher than the national average.

That is why I introduced the STOIC Act with my Democratic colleague from Pennsylvania, Madeleine Dean. This is a bipartisan bill to better address the mental health needs of our law enforcement officers.

I think that Republicans and Democrats should all be able to get together to fight against suicide and for the worthy cause of suicide prevention. Just yesterday, the Senate passed their version of STOIC with unanimous consent.

I want us to work together to unite our country, and I hope we can vote on this legislation that has strong bipartisan support. I hope that my colleagues from across the aisle will work with us to address the mental health needs of our Nation's law enforcement.

Madam Speaker, this week, as the humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border worsens, my colleagues across the aisle have failed to act. Instead, House Democrats chose to focus on issuing illegal subpoenas for the Mueller report, including its underlying evidence, investigative sources, and grand jury materials. House Democrats are effectively demanding that Attorney General Barr break the law.

For nearly 2 years, Democrats misled the American people about the special counsel's investigation. Now that it is clear that there was absolutely no collusion with Russia, my colleagues across the aisle are grasping at straws and completely ignoring the crisis at our southern border.

Daily border crossings at our southern border have hit levels that we have not seen in decades. Adding to the complexity and gravity of this crisis is the dramatic increase in the number of unaccompanied children and family units.

Customs and Border Protection apprehended more than 100,000 family unit aliens in 2018. That is up 600 percent since 2013. The overwhelming surge of migrants has stretched our facilities to a breaking point.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues across the aisle end the partisan showmanship and work with us to address this crisis.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my condolences on the recent passing of a true public servant from my district, Greene County Sheriff, Brian Tennant. All who knew Brian will remember his devotion to our community. He served as a police officer, emergency medical technician, and volunteer firefighter. In 2010, Brian risked his own life to save several others during a terrible house fire in Waynesburg.

Shortly after this heroic act, Brian learned that he had an inoperable tumor. Despite this diagnosis and during medical treatment, Brian continued to serve. In 2014, he started his service as Greene County Sheriff.

Brian fought his illness for years, all while serving his community. He was a devoted husband and father of four sons. I am proud to have met Brian, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 962) the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 41, a resolution rejecting white nationalism and white supremacy.

As a lifelong resident of southwestern Pennsylvania, I was devastated by the shooting that killed 11 Jewish worshippers and wounded six others at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 27, 2018. This despicable act of domestic terrorism reminded us that evil is alive in this world and must be confronted in a spirit of courage.

The day after this cowardly act of violence, I stood in solidarity with Americans of all religions, all races, and all ethnicities at a vigil honoring the victims of this heinous crime. There is no place for this kind of thinking in our country.

When the rights of any community are under attack, all of our rights are under attack. We must come together as a nation to stand up against hatred, white nationalism, and bigotry in our country.

I commend the leadership of my party for their strong response to any comments that divide our country, and I thank my colleague from South Carolina for introducing this important resolution.