Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I thank my good friend from Colorado for his kind words and also for yielding me the customary 30 minutes.

Madam Speaker, before I get into debate, I do want to talk about my good friend from Colorado. I know that he may be moving on in some months. I want to say I truly am looking forward to working with my good friend for the next few months. He is a gentleman and a good friend both on and off the floor.

Madam Speaker, the rule before us today makes in order two pieces of legislation, H.R. 1836, the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act of 2020 and also H.R. 4673, the EVEST Act.

As a former Navy JAG, I am deeply committed to supporting the military men and women who make sacrifices every day to protect our freedoms, both at home and abroad.

And that is why I am incredibly disappointed that neither of these measures received a legislative hearing in the House Veterans' Affairs Committee this Congress.

Without input from the VA, VSOs, and other stakeholders, it is absolutely unclear the impact these bills would actually have, let alone whether these are actually workable bills.

Take for example H.R. 1836. Republicans agree that we must address the benefit and equity for our National Guardsmen and simplify the law so that any time spent on Active Duty for service other than training would count towards GI Bill eligibility. But unfortunately, the broad expansion of benefits in H.R. 1836 could have very real impacts on retention in both the Reserves and Active Duty.

Additionally, it would be helpful to hear from VSOs and other stakeholders about the impact that increased interest fees would have on veterans' access to housing. This is a real problem, and I don't think we have properly addressed it or debated it.

These are issues that could have been explored. They could have been explored during a legislative hearing. They could have been explored to ensure a final product that meets the needs of our guardsmen and our veterans.

At the same time, while I agree that we must support transitioning servicemembers and we must do it by connecting them with VA hospital care and medical services, this has been an incomplete legislative process that makes H.R. 4673 completely problematic.

According to the VA 2022 Budget documents, 9.2 million veterans are enrolled for care and medical services while 7.1 million veterans actually receive treatment at VA or community care facilities. So given that the budgets are determined by historical enrollment versus actual utilization, increasing enrollment without understanding the impact on the VA healthcare system could create an imbalance between the budgetary needs and what reality will show. It would also be helpful to understand H.R. 4673's potential impacts on access to care for current veterans and the ability of VA staff and facilities to handle the influx of the new enrollees.

To that end, last Congress we passed the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019. This required the VA to submit a strategic plan to provide a healthcare plan to any veteran during the 1-year period following their discharge or release from Active Duty service. This strategic plan is currently expected to be released early in 2022. So it would make a lot more sense to wait until we receive the strategic plan before we move forward with a legislative solution.

Again, Madam Speaker, these are issues that could have been discussed at a legislative hearing. These issues could have helped ensure a veteran-focused approach to enrollment eligibility for VA healthcare. Instead, the majority is moving forward without a true understanding of the real-world impacts of these measures. I, therefore, urge my colleagues to oppose this rule.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time

Madam Speaker, during my opening statement, I referenced the strategic plan that the VA is undertaking that we are supposed to get in early 2022. And the reason for that is we typically need data before we legislate, but we do have data on another topic, and that is the damage that our children are facing by being kept out of school.

Madam Speaker, we have nearly 2 full years of data that show that keeping kids out of classrooms has caused massive learning loss, a mental health epidemic, particularly among our youth, and stressful situations for millions of families. Recently, children in Chicago have been forced to endure virtual hearings after the Chicago Teachers Union refused to do their jobs and show up for in-person classes.

House Republicans believe schools should be open and that our children come first. In some municipalities, bowling alleys have opened before our schools. It is shameful.

Madam Speaker, that is why if we defeat the previous question, I will personally offer an amendment to the rule to immediately consider H.R. 682, the Reopen Schools Act.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record, along with any extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Hinson), my good friend, the legislation's author, here to explain the amendment.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I appreciate my good friend from Texas talking about suicide. If we want to talk about suicide, let's look at the youth of this country. Here is the statistic:

The number of ER visits for suspected suicide attempts by 12- to 17- year-old girls rose by 51 percent in 2021 compared to 2019. Suicide attempts are up 51 percent. So let's talk about suicide and let's talk about the effect that these shutdowns are having on our youth.

I know my good friend from Colorado said this is just an issue in Chicago when we were talking about Chicago. Chicago is just an example of the shutdowns.

There are over 4,500 schools across the country that chose to begin the week of January 2 by shutting down, which clearly disrupted learning.

This isn't just a Republican stat. I have a New York Times article that has even more facts on this. Remember, it was President Biden who promised that he was going to shut down the

virus, not shut down the economy and not shut down schools. He has actually done the exact opposite.

Here is another statistic. More Americans have died from COVID-19 in 2021 than in 2020. That is under President Biden's watch.

We can hear excuses all day long about what can be done, but the fact is this: This is a crisis that Joe Biden and the other party across the aisle own. There is no excuse. They control the White House and the Senate, and they have the majority in the House. This has been done on their watch.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Hern) to talk more about this topic.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I am actually glad the economy came up because this is truly a disaster. We can talk about the stock market, but I can tell you that the people in my district don't care about Wall Street. They are focused on Main Street.

When everything they buy every day, whether it is bacon at the grocery store or gasoline at the gas station, costs more, it takes money out of their paychecks.

Don't take my word. Let's turn to some statistics.

The December jobs report was the worst of Joe Biden's Presidency, with the U.S. economy actually adding just under 200,000 jobs when it was projected to add roughly half a million jobs, grossly falling short of what all the economists were projecting.

The December jobs report was the worst of the Biden Presidency. The labor force participation rates decreased for the following demographics. African-American men 20 and older declined in job participation. African-American teenagers, Asian Americans, and Hispanic and Latino Americans all had falling numbers under the Biden economy.

Again, let's just look at inflation. Gasoline is up 58 percent. We haven't seen increases like this in gasoline since the last time that Joe Biden was in the White House. Car and truck rentals are up over 37 percent. As I referenced, bacon is up over 21 percent. Fish and seafood are up 10 percent. Eggs are up 8 percent. Coffee is up 7.5 percent.

What this means is the real wages of American workers, which have stagnated, are even worse than they were before this Presidency because everything the American worker buys costs more thanks to Joe Biden and thanks to the party across the aisle's economic policies.

I want to talk more about schools that were referenced. Let's talk about schools. I have a New York Times article. ``No Way to Grow Up'' is the title. American children are in crisis. It was published on January 4. This is a New York Times article.

Among third through eighth graders, math and reading levels were lower than normal this fall, according to NWEA, which is a research group.

Many children and teenagers are experiencing mental health problems aggravated by the isolation and disruption of the pandemic.

Three medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, recently declared a national state of emergency in children's health.

What is really shocking about this is the party across the aisle claims to be the party of science. I think the party across the aisle has forever forfeited the right to call themselves the party of science because nothing that they have done has been based on science--maybe political science, but not real science.

Here is the real science. Data now suggests that the many changes to school routines are of questionable value in controlling the virus' spread. Some researchers are skeptical that school closures actually reduce COVID cases in most instances.

Here we have the so-called party of science using unscientific rationale to shut down schools, which we know is damaging kids both from an education

point of view and a mental health point of view, damaging kids while having zero science to back that up.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore).

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Utah.

Madam Speaker, again, I just want to reiterate that I have said if we defeat the previous question I will personally offer an amendment to the rule to immediately consider H.R. 682, the Reopen Schools Act, to help our children who are in school who are suffering. That is why this is now an issue.

To speak more on that, Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Tiffany).

Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Wisconsin an additional 10 seconds.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I am a veteran in the Navy. I was a naval officer. I deployed to Iraq. I will talk about veteran issues all day long, and we can start by talking about the VA loan that needs reform so veterans can actually use this loan in a hot market where sellers simply will refuse to accept that loan. I will sit up here and talk about that all day, and I have been talking about veterans' issues.

But let's just step back. We have had almost 1 year of one-party rule, one party controlling the White House, the Senate, and the House for 1 year.

And what has that given us?

It has given us an absolute crisis--a disaster--at the southern border. It has given us rampant COVID deaths that actually exceed what they were last year despite the fact that this President inherited from President Trump Operation Warp Speed which gave him three vaccines and a list of therapeutics that could be used. Despite all that, this is still an unmitigated disaster that Biden and his Democratic colleagues have created.

We also have inflation and stagnation. American workers have less money to buy the goods and services they need. We have Russia poised to invade Ukraine. We have Communist China daily invading the airspace of the free and independent nation state of Taiwan. And don't even get me started on the fact that we ceded Afghanistan to the Taliban after 18 months of stability in a nation that saw zero American fatalities and stability for our Afghan allies, and we handed it over to the Taliban.

That is what 1 year of one-party rule has given this country: an unmitigated disaster.

Now, getting back to schools, I know that my colleagues on the left want to say that this is just an issue for Chicago or some other city. Forty-five hundred schools shut down the first week of January is a national issue.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Louisiana (Ms. Letlow) to talk more about it.

Madam Speaker, I would like my friend from Colorado to know that I have no further speakers and that I am prepared to close.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, as a former Navy JAG, I strongly support efforts to ensure our military men and women receive the care and benefits they deserve both during and after their periods of service. It is, therefore, incredibly disappointing to me that the two bills made in order under today's rule present numerous issues and numerous uncertainties that could have been addressed through what could have been just a robust discussion with the VA, VSOs, and other stakeholder groups.

I really hope that moving forward we can just work together to ensure that through the legislative process we address the needs of our Nation's veterans.

Again, I would urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question so that I can offer the amendment to Reopen Schools Act.

So, again, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question and ``no'' on the rule, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank my good friend and chairman of the Committee on Rules, Chairman McGovern, for yielding me the customary 30 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, in 2018, southwestern Pennsylvania witnessed the deadliest act of anti-Semitism in our Nation's history when 11 Jewish worshippers were killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill. That was the first time I ever spoke on the House floor; it was to condemn acts of anti-Semitism and hatred in all forms.

No one should ever be attacked and no one should ever be denied their human rights or dignity because of their religious faith. Republicans have opposed hate and discrimination of any kind, including Islamophobia, but the bill made in order under this rule is rushed. It is a partisan effort, and it fails to address real concerns highlighted by both committee Republicans and the Biden State Department.

H.R. 5665 creates a new State Department office and a new special envoy position to combat ``Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement.'' Those terms are not defined in Federal statute. They are also not defined in the bill. Without clear definitions, even First Amendment- protected speech could qualify for an investigation.

Under this measure, it would be up to unelected career bureaucrats at the State Department to determine what constitutes this phobia and to single out groups, to single out governments, to single out individuals who do not share the political views of those unelected, career bureaucrats.

My Republican colleagues on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs rightly noted the lack of definitions in this bill, and that lack could be used to promote anti-Israel sentiment. Unfortunately, efforts to address those concerns were wholly dismissed by committee Democrats. Further, committee Republicans highlighted that this bill is absolutely redundant.

Mr. Speaker, the State Department already operates robust human rights and religious freedom efforts, and those include, and I will list: the Bureau of

Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; the Office of International Religious Freedom; and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. We already have offices for what this bill seeks to do.

Creating a new envoy and office would simply duplicate those efforts; it would further fragment this important advocacy; it would increase the potential for conflict and delays; and it would thwart our efforts to actually help persecuted people.

Their concerns fell on deaf ears.

If House Democrats are serious about addressing anti-Muslim sentiment, then I encourage them to join the longstanding Republican efforts to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for their genocide against the Uyghur people.

Somewhere between 1 and 3 million Uyghurs are currently held against their will in modern-day concentration camps in Communist China. These people are subjected to atrocities that include forced labor, torture, and enforced organ harvesting.

Families are torn apart. The CCP even prohibits parents from teaching their Islamic faith to their children. Women are suffering forced sterilization and forced abortion to suppress Uyghur Muslim birth rates.

Anyone who truly supports religious freedom and stands against anti- Muslim atrocities should want to hold the CCP accountable for their genocide against the Uyghur people.

Yet, earlier this year Democratic leadership caved to the Biden administration and delayed a strong U.S. response to the Uyghur Muslim genocide, rather than sending the bipartisan, Senate-passed Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act to the President's desk. It was the Biden administration who slow-walked that.

Last week, we were finally given the opportunity to vote on that bill, only after the press highlighted Speaker Pelosi's inaction. Further, during the committee's consideration of H.R. 5665, Democrats voted down an amendment to focus the new office's efforts on the plight of the Uyghurs.

In closing, it is obvious this bill is not combating anti-Muslim violence and persecution. If it were, House Democrats would have worked with Republicans and the Biden State Department on this effort. Instead, the Democrats are advancing this rushed, partisan legislation that fails to address the religious persecution happening right now in China and across the globe.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad it was brought up, the so-called Trump Muslim ban, because it gives me a chance to set the record straight.

Let's be clear, the seven countries that my colleague was referring to--the seven countries specifically targeted with travel restrictions in Executive Order 13769, they were actually countries that were determined by Congress in the Obama administration to be countries of particular concern for terrorism activity pursuant to the Visa Waiver Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015.

In fact, the policies in the administration's travel restrictions apply to just 8 percent of the world's Muslim population, and according to Pew Research Center, only cover one of the top 10 countries in the world with the largest Muslim population, that country being Iran.

The courts even found that Trump's travel ban was ``facially neutral toward religion.'' The court also ruled that Trump ``set forth a sufficient national security justification.'' So I thank my colleague for giving me the chance to put in the Record the truth about the so- called Trump ban.

Mr. Speaker, let's talk about something that the American people are focused on right now. Thanks to the Biden energy crisis, Americans are paying 56 percent more for a gallon of gas.

In Pennsylvania, families are facing a 50 percent increase in their energy bills. Biden's war on fossil fuels continues to devastate the Nation this holiday season.

That is why, Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will personally offer an amendment to the rule to immediately consider H.R. 6235, the Strategic Production Response Act.

This legislation would require the Secretary of Energy to develop a plan to increase oil and gas production on Federal lands if the President uses the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for non-emergency reasons.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record, along with any extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton), one of the authors of the legislation, to explain the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Michigan an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, my good friend and colleague from Texas mentioned George W. Bush in her remarks. That is certainly a blast from the past. I was actually too young to even vote for President Bush when he was running in the primary. So I say that respectfully for my good friend from Texas.

But when we are talking about blasts from the past, the American people have not paid this much at the pump since the last time Biden was in the White House. It is true. The national average of gasoline is currently $3.32. Americans are paying 54 percent more nationally for a gallon of gas. In some parts of the United States the price for a gallon of gas has reached $7.59 a gallon.

So with Biden in the White House we are repeating ourselves once again--a blast from the past--and the American people are, unfortunately, paying every day at the gas pump.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin), my good friend, who is going to talk about that.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), who is my good friend and fellow Rules Committee member.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Crenshaw), my good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I didn't anticipate that we were going to talk about the pandemic, but since we are on the topic, let's just get one thing clear. There have been more deaths from this pandemic under President Biden than under President Trump. Remember, President Trump is the one that put forth Operation Warp Speed with our pharmaceutical industry to get a vaccine to market incredibly quick, in fact, in record-breaking time. So again, there were more deaths under President Biden than President Trump. So who is really ignoring the pandemic?

Let's talk about the Uyghurs. The Chinese openly and proudly refer to Uyghur concentration camps as reeducation camps. It is a sin how the Chinese are trying to cover up the modern-day concentration camps they have. They claim they are necessary to ``rid them of terrorists and extremist leanings.''

In these camps you have torture like sleep deprivation; people are being hung from walls; people are being locked in what is called a tiger chair, a steel chair with fixed leg irons and handcuffs that render their body immobile, often in very painful positions. Chinese officials have created a massive nearly week-long bonfire to burn documents that regard the oversight of these camps.

It is time that we call out the Chinese Communist Party for the atrocities they are committing on the Uyghurs.

When we are talking about legislation on this point it is actually the Speaker that slow-walked legislation by as much as 5 months. Let me explain the legislative history. The Senate passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which bans imports of goods made with forced Uyghur labor, in July of 2021 unanimously. That was in the Senate. Top House Democrats pointed to a procedural issue and promised future action and then finally passed the bill in December. Again, a 5-month delay for what?

Well, according to reports, the Speaker slow-walked this bill at the request of the Biden administration, who prioritized climate change and climate reforms over human rights violations in China. Further, the Biden administration asked that the bill be watered down, which is truly disgusting when you look at the human rights violations going on in China.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. Greene).

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 15 seconds to summarize.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time as I have no further speakers at this time, and I am prepared to close.

I applaud Chairman McGovern for his work on this piece of legislation. I applaud Senator Rubio, of course, and my colleague, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, for working on the legislation. And just to clarify, when I was talking about the watered-down version that the administration is trying to water down, I was talking about the Senate version of this bill. If I misspoke, I want to clarify the Record now. That is what I was speaking to.

But, again, I applaud anybody who is working on holding the Chinese Communist Party accountable for the atrocities they are committing on the Uyghurs. Let me be clear about something: House Republicans will continue to stand against all forms of hate and Islamophobia. We will continue to stand with Uyghurs in China and with all people experiencing religious persecution.

Unfortunately, H.R. 5665, this piece of legislation, is a rushed bill. It presents serious First Amendment concerns. It will complicate existing efforts to protect human rights and religious freedom around the globe. It is also incredibly duplicative. We already have the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. We already have the Office of International Religious Freedom. We already have the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. We already have institutions and bodies that are focused on this.

For those reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question and ``no'' on the rule. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, in Joe Biden's America, 70 percent of Americans describe this economy as poor. It is not hard to see why that is.

Inflation is at a 31-year high. This makes it harder for everyday Americans to purchase everyday items. It is also wiping out wages.

Gas prices alone are at a 7-year high.

American families are facing the most expensive Thanksgiving on record.

The backlog of ships that are waiting to deliver goods has grown by 43 percent since President Biden promised to fix our supply chain crisis last month.

Yet, here we are, about to consider the most expensive bill in American history. We are doing this instead of addressing the real problems that are facing real Americans.

Democrats are now doubling down on their failed tax and spend policies that will make Joe Biden's economic crisis even worse than it is now.

President Biden once said: ``Show me your budget, and I will tell you what you value.'' Well, the bill before us today makes one thing clear: Democrats value millionaires and billionaires over blue-collar workers and American families.

The Democrats' Big Government socialist spending spree provides tax cuts of up to $25,900 for millionaires, home buying and childcare subsidies for couples making over $200,000, and electric vehicle subsidies for couples who bring in more than half a million dollars a year.

Those are the values of my colleagues across the aisle. In total, there are $250 billion in tax breaks for the top 1 percent.

Who will be paying for the wealthy to buy a new mansion or maybe put a new Tesla in their five-car garage? That is easy. It is going to be middle-class Americans, working families who have to subsidize these extravagances.

The left-leaning Tax Policy Center found this bill would raise taxes on middle-class Americans by 30 percent. That doesn't even factor in the hidden tax of inflation that is over 6 percent now.

This tax scheme will also destroy up to 1 million U.S. jobs.

Just like millionaires and billionaires, China benefits from this bill, thanks to a ban on domestic mineral production and policies that make it better for foreign businesses to manufacture outside the United States rather than right here in America.

Far-left news organizations also luck out with a new tax cut, while millions of illegal immigrants will be granted amnesty and will be eligible for $45,000 a year in government benefits.

Butterflies, freshwater mussels, and desert fish also receive millions of dollars in this bill. There is also $2.5 billion for so- called tree equity.

How about middle-class Americans? We already know that they will be paying more in taxes and seeing fewer economic opportunities. But, surely, there is something in this bill for them.

Well, for starters, Democrats are hiring 87,000 new IRS agents to spy on their bank accounts. Their proposal will double the chance of being audited, with nearly half of all audits hitting families making less than $75,000 a year.

The Democrats are also implementing Big Government socialist price control schemes on prescription drugs, meaning that fewer cures and fewer treatments will be available for seniors and patients.

Also, thanks to a natural gas tax and more than $550 billion spent on Green New Deal policies, Americans can expect to pay higher prices for home heating costs, electricity rates, and gas prices. Keep in mind that heating bills are already expected to be up as much as 54 percent for some American households this winter.

So if President Biden's words are true and a budget is demonstrative of values, then it is very clear what my friends across the aisle value, and that is millionaires and billionaires, illegal immigrants, bugs and fish, and even this concept of tree equity.

Those are the values that are prioritized in this budget over the concerns and needs of everyday Americans, working-class and middle- class families.

The Democrats' Big Government socialist spending scam is full of far- left priorities and will further fuel the highest inflation and the highest spike in prices that we have seen in four decades. Sadly, it is going to be American workers, job creators, and families who will be forced to foot this bill.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I just want to cite something. While campaigning for the White House last year, President Biden repeatedly, repeatedly stressed that he would not directly raise taxes on individuals making below $400,000.

Information in an analysis by the Joint Committee on Taxation released Tuesday showed that the House version of President Biden's bill will start raising taxes as early as 2023 on middle-class families.

Additionally, tax increases fall heaviest on the lower and middle class, while the super-wealthy receive a generous tax cut until at least 2025.

I know my good friend from Colorado was talking about wages increasing. What is not being considered is that if wages are not increasing at the amount of inflation, people are actually having less purchasing power. So unless your wages have increased by 6.2 percent, your money earned is actually not what it was just a month or two or three ago.

So, yes, wages may be rising, but they are not keeping pace with inflation, so everyday Americans are paying what economists call the invisible tax of inflation, which hurts working-class and middle-class families the most, particularly when you look at the amount they have to pay for gas prices, which are at a 7-year high. By the way, the last time gas prices were this high, President Biden was again in the White House.

Additionally, something to consider, the budget resolution has three committees that are well over the budget resolution amount, which I believe is going to cause a problem in the Senate.

First, the Committee on Homeland Security was at $500 million in the budget resolution. It is almost three times that amount on the current CBO score. It is just under $1.5 billion.

If you look at the Committee on the Judiciary, you had a budget resolution number of just about $108 billion. The CBO came back at $115 billion, just over $115 billion, with $369 billion from 2032 to 2041.

Then you have the Committee on Oversight, which is almost just as egregious as Homeland Security's number. It was in the budget resolution as $7.5 billion. It is almost twice that, at $13.8 billion.

I am not the Senate Parliamentarian, but from my understanding, this is going to cause significant issues at the Senate.

But, Madam Speaker, I just want to talk about the previous question. If we defeat the previous question, I will offer personally an amendment to the rule to strike provisions in this bill allowing millions of illegal immigrants to live and work in the United States indefinitely and setting them on the path toward citizenship.

Madam Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record along with any extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan), my good friend and the former ranking member of the Judiciary Committee to explain the amendment.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, we are all here to represent our constituents, and I don't think it is a coincidence that House Democrats represent all but one of the 25 districts that benefit from the SALT tax provision. That includes Speaker Pelosi's own district. What this is, it is a tax break for millionaires and billionaires.

Let's just look at the tax consequences of this bill. Analysis by the nonprofit Tax Foundation found, ``Over 96 percent of districts across the United States would eventually see a tax increase'' because of President Biden's and House Democrats' socialist, Big Government spending spree. Ninety-six percent of districts will have higher taxes because of that. This hurts the working and middle class.

Even the left-leaning Tax Policy Center found that President Biden's and Speaker Pelosi's spending spree would raise taxes on middle-class Americans by 30 percent. That is 30 percent that you have to take into account when you have inflation at over 6 percent. In essence, it is a 36 percent-plus tax increase on middle-class families and working families.

This bill, though, delivers tax cuts to some people, and that is two- thirds of the country's millionaires. Two-thirds of the millionaires in the United States under this bill actually receive a tax cut.

Small businesses also get hurt. They don't get favored like millionaires and billionaires. This includes $400 billion in small business tax hikes, which some argue would take the effective tax rate of small businesses in excess of 57 percent.

Additionally, this bill hires 87,000 new IRS agents that are going to be used to increase audits on everyday, working Americans. Nearly half of those audits will impact families earning $75,000 a year or less. About one-quarter affected will be Americans who earn just $25,000 per year. This will damage the working and middle class severely.

This isn't just numbers. We can talk about tax rates all we want, but when Americans go to Thanksgiving Day dinner, they will pay more than ever.

If you just look at how much Americans are paying, steak is up 24 percent. Bacon is up over 20 percent; fish and seafood over 11 percent; eggs, 11.6 percent. This will be the most expensive Thanksgiving Day dinner in the history of the United States, thanks to Joe Biden's economy.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan), my good friend and colleague.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

My friend and colleague from Massachusetts was talking about taxes. I will stand here and talk about taxes all day because, at the end of the night, the American people will see that the second-biggest provision in this bill is actually a tax break to millionaires and billionaires.

Facts are facts. If you look at it, the Committee for Responsible Federal Budgets found that the SALT tax carve-out would ``be nearly 50 times as large as the benefit of the expanded child tax credits for a typical family over 5 years.''

SALT gives tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires in blue States. Who pays for that? Working families all over the United States.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

One thing we need to address here also is the tax on natural gas. This will increase nearly everything everyday Americans buy.

We already know that there are projections that people will be paying more than ever this winter to heat their homes, almost a 50 percent increase in some places.

If you look at the fees in this bill, the taxes, a $900 methane fee phases into $1,500 in production per metric ton. That just sounds like numbers, but think about it. If we are taxing natural gas, we are taxing Americans who use natural gas to heat their homes. We are taxing the industries that use petrochemicals to manufacture everyday products that we use and manufacture here in the United States. And consumers end up paying that tax, as well.

We are also making it more expensive to manufacture here in the United States because as you tax natural gas, it costs more to manufacture goods here at home. Again, the American consumer will end up paying this tax.

These taxes on natural gas will do nothing more than make it harder for Americans to heat their homes. It will make it more expensive for us to manufacture products, to pay for petrochemicals. It will make it harder for us to actually rebuild the economy.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde).

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I have heard a lot tonight about pharmaceuticals. This bill implements socialist price control

schemes for prescription drugs that will actually negatively impact seniors and negatively impact patients and those who have rare diseases in their families.

There seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding about this industry. On average, it costs $2.6 billion to take a drug to market. We, for whatever reason, focus on the cost per each dose. By the way, petrochemicals are used to make our pharmaceuticals, which this bill also taxes, as I said before. But there is a fundamental misunderstanding in how drugs are produced. If we get these socialist price controls in this bill, it will actually kill our innovation, or deincentivize any pharmaceutical company to actually reinvest and invest in new drugs and prescriptions, which will actually harm those with rare diseases and make it harder for those that are suffering from mental conditions to get the drugs they need.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would just note that this bill does not include the Hyde amendment, which will allow taxpayer dollars to be used to fund on-demand abortions.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, while I have tremendous respect for my colleague from Texas, I do want to point out that according to Moody's Analytics, consumer prices will rise 2.24 percent higher after the Biden infrastructure and the American Rescue Plan and the Build Back Better spending spree then in a Biden-free economy.

Madam Speaker, I think it should be noted that this bill actually impedes and bans domestic energy and mineral production, which will actually increase our dependencies on resource suppliers, from OPEC, Russia, and China. I just think that should be noted.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack), my good friend and colleague.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, with record high inflation and gas prices, supply chain shortages, and what is going to be the most expensive Thanksgiving on record, Democrats should focus on addressing real economic crises that are facing real Americans and real American workers every day. But instead, this bill before us would actually double lower- and middle-income earners chances of being audited. It would make it more expensive for them to heat their homes and fill their gas tanks, and it will actually drive businesses and jobs overseas; further damaging our economy.

Democrats are extending tax breaks in this bill, extending tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires and jamming through far-left radical policies that will only drive prices higher and make our paychecks lower.

If President Biden and congressional Democrats get their way, average Americans will be pinching pennies while our country's coastal elites will be legally evading taxes and getting tax subsidies and tax breaks to put another Tesla in their five-car garage.

Madam Speaker, for that reason, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Kristy Dubinsky, who selflessly painted portraits for the families of the 13 U.S. service members killed in evacuation efforts at the Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 26, 2021.

After learning of the suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 26, 2021, Kristy Dubinsky immediately knew she needed to honor the 13 U.S. service members killed in that senseless act. An accomplished artist herself, Ms. Dubinsky was already working on another piece for an art show in Michigan. However, she dropped what she was working on to paint a portrait of each service member who gave their life that day.

Ms. Dubinsky, an art teacher at Elizabeth Forward High School specializing in military themes, said that ``a voice in my head just kept telling me to paint the 13.'' Kristy documented the entire process. She posted daily on her social media platforms for others to follow along. While recording the progress over the 13 days, a disabled former Marine, Shelly Frontera, saw what Kristy posted and traveled from Michigan to honor the 13 soldiers by accompanying each painting with a red, white bud vase, and blue rose.

Ms. Dubinsky's portraits depict 12 of the 13 in formal dress: Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David Espinoza, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover, Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Pichardo, Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, Navy Hospital Corpsman Maxton Soviak, and Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan Page. Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole Gee is the only exception. Ms. Dubinsky chose to depict the iconic photo of her holding an Afghan baby as evacuation efforts continued.

Kristy's portraits are now part of the world's largest annual juried international art show, with 900 artists and thousands of visitors attending.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing the achievements of Kristy Dubinsky. Her work is exceptional and solidifies her reputation as a champion of the American service members in our region.

Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend, Ranking Member Smith, for yielding.

Madam Speaker, it was just 4 short years ago that Speaker Pelosi tweeted, ``Republicans shouldn't vote without an updated CBO score.'' Those were the Speaker's own words 4 years ago.

The Speaker even doubled down later in that tweet. She accused Republicans of attempting to ``jam this bill through without an updated CBO score of its impacts.'' Again, that was the Speaker 4 years ago.

Apparently, the Speaker has forgotten those words, because later today, Democrats plan to ram through this Big Government tax-and-spend proposal with no information from the nonpartisan CBO about the true cost and the true economic impact their spending spree will have on the American people.

So I guess it is fair to say that the Speaker subscribes to that age- old adage, ``do as I say, not as I do.''

Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend and fellow Rules Committee member, Dr. Burgess, for yielding me the time.

Madam Speaker, let's just look at the cost of this. This bill comes in at $4.1 trillion. That is more than double what my friends across the aisle claim this comes in at. And how do we pay for this?

I will tell you how, crippling taxes and budget gimmicks. This bill would levy $420 billion in tax increases on our Nation's small businesses, $800 billion in tax hikes on American companies, as well.

So what does this mean for Americans? What does this mean for the American consumer? Well, it means fewer jobs. It means higher prices. It means more reliance on China for our everyday goods.

If you thought that today's sky-high inflation, if you thought that our supply chain crises were bad, just wait until this bill goes into effect. H.R. 5376 includes a new tax even on retirement plans. It bans production of domestic energy, and it raises taxes on natural gas. All of these policies, all of them would be disastrous for American job creators, disastrous for American workers, and disastrous for American families.

But it is not bad news for all Americans, Madam Speaker. Millionaires and billionaires have it made under this bill. This bill restores the SALT deduction, giving the wealthy up to $72,500 in tax breaks each year. These are the individuals that benefit under this, the wealthy, the elite.

This legislation also includes $550 billion in green subsidies, ensuring that the top 1 percent that already benefits under this bill can put another Tesla in their garage.

You can clearly see where the Democrats' priorities lie. It is not with the American worker. It is with the American top 1 percent elite. Americans deserve better.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend and colleague, Congressman Bentz, for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to speak in support of the COPS Counseling Act. It is a piece of bipartisan legislation that I introduced with my good friend, David Trone from Maryland. Congressman Trone has been an incredible partner. I am really grateful for all of his hard work, and as everybody in this body knows, no one works harder than David Trone when he is pushing a bill. It is quite amazing to see and watch.

Mr. Speaker, every day, our Nation's law enforcement officers put their own lives at risk to keep us safe. That service does not come without sacrifice.

Last year, 178 current or Active-Duty law enforcement officers died by suicide. Just this year, 121 officers have already taken their own lives.

S. 1502 seeks to alleviate the stressors law enforcement experiences by establishing clear confidentiality standards for peer-to-peer counseling.

A Fraternal Order of Police survey showed that 73 percent of surveyed officers found peer-to-peer support counseling to be the most helpful mental health resource offered by police departments. Unfortunately, an officer's peer support communications can be discoverable on public record; it can be used in court proceedings; and worse, it can even impact and affect their employment.

By creating clear standards for confidentiality, the COPS Counseling Act would provide officers with peace of mind that their privacy is protected when they seek peer support services.

This legislation also encourages State and local first responder agencies to adopt peer counseling programs so more officers can take advantage of this important mental health resource.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support our Nation's law enforcement officers by voting for this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Andrew G. Uram, who passed away on October 3, 2021 at the age of 100.

Growing up during the Great Depression, Andrew displayed an incredible work ethic and selflessness at a young age. His widowed mother, despite the privation of the times, instilled in him the belief that it was better to give than to receive--a belief that would come to define Andrew's life. He graduated from Butler High School in 1937 and went to work for Armco Steel, clocking in as much as possible. Following America's entrance into World War II, Andrew put his career on hold and joined the U.S. Navy, serving as an Aviation Cadet.

After returning from service in 1945, Andrew went to work for Metropolitan Life as an agent. In just a few years, he was promoted to the company's field training division in New York City. In 1955, the company sent Andrew to Washington County, Pennsylvania to serve as a district manager in charge of 35 agents and 10 clerks. At the time, he was the company's youngest manager. In 1969, Andrew was hired as vice president at Mellon Bank's Washington branch. At 65, he retired from banking and transitioned to commercial real estate.

While he had a distinguished and successful professional life, Andrew would be the first to tell you his true passion was giving. Andrew became deeply involved with the Washington County Community Chest in 1956. By the mid-1960s, following their transition to the United Way, he was already bringing in $1 million for the organization. Andrew was also Chairman of the Catawba District of the Boy Scouts of America, President and Paul Harris Fellow of the Washington Rotary Club, Director of the Greater Washington Area Chamber of Commerce, and District Governor of Rotary,

Andrew truly left his mark on southwestern Pennsylvania. He was instrumental in securing the donation of Heritage Reservation, where local Boy Scouts have camped for generations. Andrew also helped build the current home of the Citizen's Library in Washington.

The community consistently honored Andrew for his generosity and leadership. The Jaycees gave him and his late wife, Julie, the Distinguished Service Award. The Boy Scouts named Andrew a Silver Beaver, their highest local honor. The Rotary Club of Washington not only gave him an international service award, but it also named the award in his honor. Notably, Andrew was named Philanthropist of the Year in 2016.

Madam Speaker, Andrew Uram was an incredibly accomplished community leader, philanthropist, and one of the kindest people in Washington County. It was a privilege to have known him. Andrew is survived by his sons James, Paul, Thomas, and Matthew, as well as his grandchildren, Brooke and Andrew. Please join me and the Uram family in celebrating his life.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and fellow Rules Committee member, Representative Fischbach, for allowing me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I really believe that the issue before us today comes down to a very simple question, and that is, what is the legislative purpose of the Select Committee subpoena on a private citizen. This is a very narrow legal issue.

And what the courts have held is that Congress has the power to secure information ``in order to legislate.'' So in other words, Congress's subpoena authority is valid only if it relates to the furtherance of a legitimate task of Congress.

Now, according to the Select Committee's own press release, the committee is attempting to tell a story and to find out what happened that day. But the courts have already determined that that is not a valid legislative purpose.

In the 1957 decision, Watkins v. The United States, the Court held that Congress has ``no general authority to expose the private affairs of individuals without justification in terms of the functions of Congress.'' Additionally, the quote went on in that case to say Congress cannot investigate private citizens for ``the sake of exposure.''

So then what is the legislative purpose before us today? What is the legislative purpose of a subpoena on a private citizen, including 11 individuals who merely filed and were granted permits to exercise their First Amendment rights to assemble and to petition the government? This cannot be perceived as an investigation and still fit within the framework of case law.

Again, let's be clear, the law is crystal clear here. If Congress does not have a legitimate legislative function, they simply cannot subpoena a private individual.

Now, the Constitution gives those powers to the executive and the judiciary branch. They don't give that power to Congress. So I can, therefore, only conclude that the purpose of the resolution before us today is to fulfill a partisan agenda.

If the Select Committee was actually serious about conducting a legitimate oversight, they would subpoena the former House Sergeant at Arms and the former head of the D.C. National Guard. That would be an investigation within the clear purpose of Congress and within the delegated power that we have in the Constitution.

Instead, we are here voting on a resolution with absolutely no legislative purpose. We are also setting a dangerous precedent that will have a chilling effect on the rights of private citizens in the future.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the city of Monessen, Pennsylvania, on the 100th anniversary of its designation as a city.

The land that would ultimately encompass Monessen was surveyed in 1897 by H. Dallas McCabe. Along with Colonel James M. Schoonmaker and colleagues, McCabe initially sought to expand the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie railway to reach coalfields further south. Industrialist William H. Donner approached the group and decided to bring his American Tin Plate Company to Monessen, forever changing its trajectory.

The construction of the first mill spurred further settlement by businesses and families

from around the world. On September 3, 1898, the community was officially founded, and the name ``Monessen'' was chosen because the community would be a ``New World Essen on the Monongahela,'' combining ``Mon'' for the Monongahela River and ``Essen'' for an industrial city in Germany.

Perfectly situated with access to the city of Pittsburgh, the Mon Valley's waterways, and the immense coal reserves of southwestern Pennsylvania, Monessen grew exponentially. By the early 20th century, it was an industrial hub, hosting the Pittsburgh Steel Works and the American Steel Hoop Company, among others.

On September 16, 1921, Monessen was officially designated a city under the leadership of Mayor Carl Woodward. At its peak, Monessen was home to more than 20,000 residents.

By the mid-20th century, Monessen had become a center of the budding American middle-class. So much so that it attracted the attention of organized labor leaders and prominent American politicians. President Harry S. Truman visited Monessen in 1956. President John F. Kennedy travelled there in 1962.

Madam Speaker, today Monessen is home to 7,600 men, women, and children. I am proud to represent this uniquely American city, and I have no doubt it will continue to make its mark on our Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise to remember the life of Washington County District Attorney (DA) Eugene ``Gene'' A. Vittone, II, who passed away on August 21st, 2021 at the age of 61.

A Washington County, Pennsylvania native, Gene Vittone grew up in Monongahela and graduated from Peters Township High School in 1977. He earned a degree in biological science, graduating from the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) in 1981. Gene later returned to Pitt to earn a master's degree in health administration and business administration.

Following graduation, Gene felt the call to help others and became a paramedic, later helping manage Ambulance and Chair EMS in Washington. Gene attended Duquesne University's law program, while still serving as a paramedic, and graduated in 1997. He maintained his paramedic certification for the rest of his life.

Gene started in the Washington County DA's office as an assistant DA in 1998. While there, he handled juvenile court and several trial lists and covered felony criminal trials. Gene also developed the Drug Treatment Court for the county.

In 2011, Gene was elected top prosecutor and began his term as the opioid crisis was unfolding in Pennsylvania and across the nation. As co-chair of the Opioid Overdose Coalition, he was adamant that law enforcement could not, ``arrest their way out of'' the opioid epidemic. Gene focused on treatment for users while aggressively pursuing dealers, oftentimes working across the aisle or with the federal government. He was instrumental in bringing lifesaving Narcan to Washington County and pioneered the establishment of prescription drop- off boxes.

Gene was one of the first DAs in the area to introduce a full-time victim advocate to work alongside attorneys on domestic abuse cases. He was also committed to addressing elder abuse and served on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's Elder Law Task Force. His care for others fueled his incredible work ethic, and he continued to work throughout his battle with lung cancer. A testament to how much his peers respected him, Gene was elected president of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association in July 2021.

Gene was a committed community member, father, and husband. He was an assistant Scout Leader for Troop 1419 in Bentleyville and coached baseball for the Bentworth Baseball Association. Gene sang with Washington Festival Chorale and his parish choir. He is survived by his wife, Jane Ann Vittone, and his two children, Michael and Laura.

Madam Speaker, even in his last days, Gene Vittone lived his life in service to others. He will always be remembered for the countless lives he saved in his fight against the ravages of the opioid crisis. I have no doubt that his incredible legacy will live on in Washington County and across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the John Corbly Memorial Baptist Church and congratulate them on serving God and western Pennsylvania for 250 years.

Originally called Goshen Baptist Church, what would become John Corbly Memorial Baptist Church consisted of two congregations. Meetings were held as early as 1769 on Muddy Creek and 1770 on Big Whiteley Creek. In April 1771, their first log meeting house was erected on Big Whiteley Creek in Garards Fort.

The congregation's first brick structure was completed in 1843, with the first service held on December 9 of that year. On February 24, 1907, a motion was made to rename the church in honor of John Corbly, the church's founder and former minister.

John Corbly was an Irish immigrant and prominent early settler of southwestern Pennsylvania. In, 1747, at 14, he started his life in the New World and was apprenticed to a Pennsylvania Quaker family. At the end of his term of indentured servitude, Corbly settled in Winchester, Virginia, and found God.

In Virginia, Corbly met Elder John Garrard, an emerging Baptist preacher in the area. He converted soon after their first encounter and became a reverend. His subsequent preaching was so impassioned and effective that it led to persecution from other Virginia religious groups. Reverend Corbly was consequently imprisoned for his beliefs.

Following his imprisonment, Reverend Corbly settled near Whiteley Creek with other Baptists. While he planned to practice his religion in peace, our nation's war for independence began and Reverend Corbly enlisted to fight, ultimately aiding in the founding of our nation.

After the Revolutionary War, Reverend Corbly returned home to raise his family and preach. Sadly, in May 1782, his wife and three children were killed on their way to church. Despite the incredible emotional toll, Reverend Corbly continued to preach and established 30 Baptist churches in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky before his death in 1803.

Madam Speaker, the story of the John Corbly Memorial Baptist Church is uniquely American. Their founder and original congregants endured religious persecution, the American Revolution, and the hardships of frontier life, yet maintained their commitment to the Gospel. The church has stood as a testament to their faith for 250 years and I look forward to what the next chapter has in store for their congregation and community.

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Speers Borough Mayor William ``Bill'' Lee, who passed away on December 18, 2020, at the age of 75. As a lifetime resident of the Mon-Valley, Bill will always be remembered for his commitment to his community, region, and country.

After graduating from California State College in 1967, Bill's amiability led him to a career in sales and in 1980, he joined his cousins at Lee Supply Company. With their rollout of HDPE pipe in the 1970s, Lee Supply Co. had become one of the largest suppliers of pipe and pumping systems for the eastern United States. As environmental sales manager, he was fondly known as ``Land Fill Bill.'' He retired in 2013 but remained active to mentor the next generation and represent Lee Supply Co. at trade shows.

Throughout his life, Mayor Lee's dedication to his community was clear. He served on the Mon Valley Progress Council, Charleroi Area Board of Education, the Water Authority Board of Charleroi and as chairman of the Charleroi Regional Police Department. Most remarkably, Bill served as Speers Borough mayor for more than twenty years.

Beyond public service, Bill was a pillar of his community. At St. Andrew of the Apostle, his booming voice was the first to lead parishioners in song. As the president of the Mon Valley Ancient Order of Hibernians, he sang his way through 40 years at the Pittsburgh St. Patrick Day parades, receiving many awards for singing ``Molly Malone.'' Bill was also well known for his impromptu but enthusiastic renditions of ``God Bless America.'' As a Meals on Wheels delivery man, he treated everyone with dignity and made their week brighter.

Madam Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I recognize the loss of Mayor William ``Bill'' Lee. Bill's outstanding legacy of service will have a lasting impact and he will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and community.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman and my friend from New York for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the rule before us today provides for consideration of three appropriations measures for fiscal year 2022. I first would like to start off by thanking Chair DeLauro and Ranking Member Granger and their committee staff for their tireless work on these measures. It is truly an honor to be part of the appropriations process on the committee, and I am very grateful for their efforts.

Unfortunately, though, Mr. Speaker, like the package of seven funding measures considered yesterday, the majority marked these three bills to unworkable 302(b) allocations, and the package before us today stands absolutely no chance of becoming law.

Collectively, these three bills provide for $147 billion in spending, which is a 13 percent increase from fiscal year 2021.

Overall, the majority's proposed spending levels increase nondefense discretionary spending by 17 percent while only increasing defense spending by 1 percent. That is not even enough to keep up with inflation.

This is at a time when our Nation and when our military faces threats from China, Russia, and Iran. Because of these threats, we should be investing in the U.S. and our partner nations, not underfunding our military and national security programs and obligations abroad.

While H.R. 4373, which funds the Department of State and Foreign Operations, does include support for our allies, Israel, Jordan, and Taiwan, it also places conditions on our strategic partner Egypt. These conditions will undercut national security efforts which is another hit to our defense operations.

Further, H.R. 4373 removes longstanding bipartisan policies including the Helms amendment which prohibits foreign aid from being used for abortions. It also doubles funding to the United Nations Population Fund. This organization has historically supported coercive abortion and involuntary sterilization.

Finally, this bill provides for more than $3 billion for climate change programs, including $1.6 billion for the Green Climate Fund. Even Secretary Yellen acknowledged the Green Climate Fund has oversight issues and has been mismanaged.

The rule before us today also provides for consideration of H.R. 4505, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Like H.R. 4373, this bill removes longstanding bipartisan language restricting the Justice Department from spending taxpayer dollars on abortion.

The measure also fails to include four bipartisan Second Amendment protections including two provisions that have been in the CJS bill since fiscal year 2006.

Finally, H.R. 4505 imposes new, unauthorized conditions on many State and local law enforcement programs, including Byrne JAG and COPS. Many of these conditions require legislation to be passed by States and localities and are outside the control of law enforcement agencies. These requirements will effectively defund programs relied on by our Nation's police officers, including initiatives that support training and equipment purchases, active shooter response training, and suicide prevention.

This measure also fails to address the real challenges facing our Nation, including cyberattacks on American companies, extortion plots on critical infrastructure, and the flow of deadly fentanyl at the southern border.

At the end of the day, if my colleagues across the aisle are serious about enacting appropriations measures before funding runs out at the end of September, it is absolutely critical they remove their far-left, radical policy riders to restore longstanding bipartisan provisions; otherwise, we will face a continuing resolution or a Democrat-driven shutdown.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), my good friend, my mentor, and the ranking member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The Biden administration has extended border shutdowns with Mexico and Canada, extended European and other international travel restrictions, and has reimposed mask mandates for fully vaccinated people, contradicting previous CDC guidance and, sadly, choosing to follow the political science, not the science.

But, Mr. Speaker, the chaos at our southern border, where illegal immigrants have been apprehended from over 160 countries, undermines any efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. That is why, if we defeat the previous question, I will personally offer an amendment to the rule to immediately consider Congresswoman Yvette Herrell's PAUSE Act of 2021.

This legislation would provide for stringent enforcement of Title 42, a public health order allowing illegal immigrants to be quickly expelled from the United States, and would prohibit HHS and DHS from weakening Title 42's implementation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record, along with any extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks), a doctor and my good friend, who is here to explain the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely disappointed that an amendment offered by my good friend, Mr. Michael Waltz from Florida, was not made in order under today's rule.

This amendment would support a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. I would actually support a total boycott of the Olympic Games in Beijing. But just looking at the diplomatic boycott, China has an abysmal record on human rights. They currently are housing Uighurs in concentration camps in western China, they are using slave labor, and even forced organ harvesting.

The CCP, the Chinese Communist Party, exports fentanyl to the United States, steals our trade secrets, and constantly threatens to invade the free and independent nation of Taiwan.

The last thing we need to do is to reward the CCP with the economic benefit and, frankly, the cachet on the world stage by hosting the Olympic Games. I just wish that my liberal colleagues across the aisle had allowed us to debate at least a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. McClain).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy), my good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington), my good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to my good friend.