Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding, and I appreciate his leadership on all issues related to our veterans in this great country. I appreciate the comments from the ranking member, as well, and his leadership of this committee over the last few years, too.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is simple. It closes an unintentional loophole in the law that hurts many of our Nation's veterans. It would equalize the treatment of servicemembers and veterans who paid into the Montgomery GI Bill, or the MGIB, but later used the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Presently, veterans may choose between the MGIB and the Post-9/11 GI Bill, both of which help pay for their education.

The MGIB requires a $100 monthly fee for the first 12 months of Active Duty. The quirk is that $1,200 is then refunded to servicemembers only as an attachment to their housing allowance. For veterans who do not receive a housing allowance from the VA, they also haven't been receiving the $1,200 that they are entitled to.

This is a complicated issue that no one ever intended to happen, but this bill closes the loophole by directing the VA to make the repayment before the servicemember exhausts their education assistance.

I appreciate the support for the bill. I hope that the people's House will pass it today so that we can fix this unintentional problem and do something important to help our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Tom Minnery, who passed away on Christmas Eve.

Tom will be remembered most for his devotion to family and to God. As one of the greatest champions of family values our country has ever known, I am proud to have called him a friend.

In 1987, Tom co-founded Citizen magazine with Dr. James Dobson, a publication dedicated to educating and encouraging Christians to become more engaged citizens. Tom cited Proverbs 11:11 in his very first column, ``The good influence of godly citizens causes a city to prosper, but the moral decay of the wicked drives it downhill.''

Tom also founded and became senior vice president of Focus on the Family's department of Government and Public Policy. He positioned himself in this role as a leading voice for family values in our nation's most important conversations. This colored his founding of Citizenlink--now Family Policy Alliance--in October 2013, in which he served as CEO and president until his retirement in 2017.

Even in retirement, he remained an active pro-family policy advocate. He was a beloved member of his church, where he served as an elder, and was the recipient of several awards from local civic and church groups. He is survived by his wife, Deb, their 3 children and 7 grandchildren.

This document stands as a testament to Tom's life and legacy, which so profoundly touched the lives of so many people. I pray his family finds comfort and peace, knowing they will be reunited with him again one day in the heavenly mansion in which he now resides with Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of John Elliott of Warsaw, Indiana, who passed away this month.

John was a cherished member of the Warsaw community who devoted decades of his life to civic and community service. John was a longtime, successful banker who retired from 1st Source Bank in Warsaw but is mostly remembered for his numerous roles in the community outside of work. John's contributions range from involvement with the Baker Youth Club, Indiana Right to Life, and the Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club, in which he attended over 2,392 meetings with perfect attendance. He played an instrumental role in bringing bands such as the Marine, Penn State, Oklahoma State, and his alma mater, Ohio State University bands to Warsaw, Indiana. John was a key supporter of athletics at Warsaw Community High School and Grace College, where he sponsored and hosted many of the teams that came for the Grace College basketball toumarnents. As a respected and accomplished soccer referee, he was at one point responsible for placing all soccer referees in the state of Indiana.

John is remembered as a selfless individual who was always ready to get involved to help others and his community, which he loved dearly. In the wake of his passing, I wish his wife Elaine, their children and grandchildren, peace, and comfort. Though he is no longer with us, his spirit and example live on for us to strive to emulate every day.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Tom Minnery, who passed away on Christmas Eve.

Tom will be remembered most for his devotion to his family and to God. As one of the greatest champions of family values our country has ever known, I am proud to have called him a friend.

In 1987, Tom co-founded Citizen magazine with Dr. James Dobson, a publication dedicated to educating and encouraging Christians to become more engaged citizens. Tom cited Proverbs 11:11 in his very first column, `The good influence of godly citizens causes a city to prosper, but the moral decay of the wicked drives it downhill.'

Tom also founded and became senior vice president of Focus on the Family's department of Government and Public Policy. He positioned himself in this role as a leading voice for family values in our nation's most important conversations. This colored his founding of Citizenlink--now Family Policy Alliance--in October 2013, in which he served as CEO and president until his retirement in 2017.

In retirement, he and his wife Deb prioritized spending time with their three children and seven grandchildren, even as they remained active pro-family policy advocates. Tom was a beloved member of his church--where he served as an elder--and was the recipient of several awards from local civic and church groups.

This document stands as a testament to Tom's life and legacy, which so profoundly touched the lives of so many people. I pray his family finds comfort and peace, knowing they will be reunited with him again one day in the heavenly mansion in which he now resides with Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Madam Speaker, Mark Souder, 72, went to be with the Lord on Monday, September 26, 2022. He was born July 18, 1950 in Fort Wayne, Ind. to Edward and Irma (Fahling) Souder. Mark grew up in Grabill, the area where his great-great-grandfather settled in 1848. He graduated from Leo HS (1968), Indiana University at Fort Wayne (1972), and the Graduate School of Business at Notre Dame (1974). He also received honorary doctorates from Tri-State University, the Indiana Institute of Technology and the University of St. Francis. Mark married Diane Zimmer of South Bend at the Bremen Apostolic Christian Church on July 28, 1974. Their first home was in Edina, Minn. where Mark had taken a job as the marketing manager for Gabberts Furniture. In 1976, he returned to his family business. Upon his return he was recruited by Dan Quayle and played a key role in his upset victory for Congress that year. In 1980, he assisted Dan Coats in succeeding Quayle in Congress. After Mark's father died in 1981 and the furniture store closed in 1983, the Souder family moved to Washington D.C. for him to serve as the Republican Staff Director on the House Committee on Children, Youth and Families. In 1988, Souder switched to the Senate with Coats, serving as his legislative director until mid-1993 when he moved back to Indiana. Souder was hired by Thom Blake as Vice-President of Manufacturing of Our Country Home of Grabill. Emmanuel Community Church has been their family church since 1993. In the fall of 1994, Souder was elected to Congress. He was elected to seven more terms, becoming the second- longest serving congressman in history representing the Fort Wayne region. Souder focused heavily on fighting for the core industrial jobs of the region as well as local interests such as saving the Veteran's Hospital and the Air Base. He served on three committees and seven subcommittees each term. He was the point person in the House on illegal narcotics, and co-founded the bi-partisan National Parks Caucus. A major accomplishment was introducing and passing the National Lighthouse Preservation Program, which had the National Park Service manage the transfer of hundreds of lighthouses from the Coast Guard to non-profit organizations to preserve access to the public. After Congress, he wrote regularly for Howey Politics Indiana, as well as in national books and publications on baseball and politics. His last book project was co-authoring Television in Fort Wayne, 1953-2018. Mark was passionate about his Lord, family, and country. He was a voracious reader of the Bible, history, politics, and sports. He adored his grandchildren and spent countless hours sharing experiences with them while teaching valuable life lessons. For being such a strong and courageous leader, he had a very kind and generous heart. When he crossed the state line, every time he would sing the song, ``Back Home Again in Indiana''. Souder is survived by his wife and best friend of 48 years, Diane; and children, Brooke (Jeff) Lyons of Fort Wayne, Nathan (Sarah) Souder of Grand Junction, Colo., and Zach Souder of Albuquerque, N.M.; as well as grandchildren, Grant Lyons, Reagan Lyons, Elias Souder and Ethan Souder.

Madam Speaker, yesterday, many of us celebrated the life of Jackie Walorski at the funeral in her district. Today, we honor her life on the floor of the House of Representatives, where she served for nearly a decade.

Jackie was a giant in Indiana politics, and she had a giant impact here in this institution, as well. Her lifetime of public service will be long-remembered, from her time on the mission field in Romania, to her time at the Indiana Statehouse, to the time that she spent serving our Nation here with all of us.

She embodied public service and putting others before herself. Her legacy, fighting for the unborn, for our veterans, and for the poor and disabled, is a legacy that we will honor here for a long time to come.

We also honor the lives of Zachery Potts and Emma Thomson, two staffers who should remind all of us of the sacrifices that our staffs make to serve each of us in our important roles.

I also want to say to the family of Edith Schmucker, who was involved in this tragedy as well, that we honor her life, the life of your loved ones, as well.

Tragedies like this one remind us of how fleeting and fragile our lives really are. But Jackie's life reminds us that we should live it to the fullest, just as she did, and that is how we can honor her best.

Mr. Speaker, our Constitution is clear: The President is the Commander in Chief.

Sidestepping the President and violating the chain of command is a grave crime.

According to Bob Woodward's book ``Peril,'' General Mark Milley directed senior military officials not to follow the President's orders, unless General Milley approved them first.

When I asked General Milley about ``Peril'' at an Armed Services hearing, he claimed he hadn't read it.

Senator Chuck Grassley and I sent a letter to General Milley asking him to verify or refute the book's claims. He hasn't responded.

I am calling on General Milley to set the record straight. General Milley is accused of secretly seizing the President's military powers. That is the most serious crime. If he is innocent, he has a duty to say so.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding and for his leadership, and I thank the chairman for his commitment to bipartisanship as well. I believe this NDAA is a true testament to that.

I rise today in support of H.R. 7900, the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2023 because our investments in modernization and innovation are more important than ever.

Our adversaries are focused on our defeat, on and off the battlefield. China is pouring money into research and development of emerging technologies, recruiting top scientists, and stealing intellectual property to gain a tactical edge.

This NDAA pushes the Department to accelerate innovation and strengthen its cyber posture, both of which are critical to maintaining superiority in this era of great power competition.

I am proud of the work that my subcommittee has accomplished, the Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems Subcommittee, along with Chairman Langevin, throughout this bill. Our commitment to work together, I believe, is shown in

the input that we have both worked across the aisle to include in this year's NDAA.

We included provisions to improve opportunities for early-career scientists to work with DARPA. This NDAA authorizes great work that the Defense Innovation Unit is doing to field commercial technology by doubling its funding, and it expands the critical work being done in biotechnology and batteries.

We bolstered and strengthened the Department's information security systems and gave Cyber Command the tools that it needs to succeed.

As the ranking member of the Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems Subcommittee, I support this bill fully and encourage my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H.R. 1735.

Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for her leadership.

Today I stand in opposition to H.R. 5129 because it removes longstanding religious protections for community service providers that receive funds through the community service block grant program.

Religious providers all around the country provide food for the hungry, healthcare and hospice programs for the terminally ill, and educational opportunities for the less fortunate. This partisan bill will likely prevent certain religious groups from engaging in charity, simply because of what motivates their charity.

In 2019, the community action agencies partnered with more than 19,000 faith-based organizations around the country. In Indiana, the funds reached 335,000 Hoosiers by providing health services, housing aid, education help, income improvement, and more. If charitable choice language is removed from this bill, religious organizations may be forced to choose between serving their community and honoring their sincerely held faith beliefs. That means more Hoosiers in need. It is shameful to cut religious protections from such an impactful program.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose the bill as it will mean less charity tomorrow for all Americans. We must defend our religious freedom, and this bill is a direct attack on it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I hope this is the last time that we do this. Just last week, we watched members of the January 6th Select Committee criticize the DOJ for not jailing their political opponents fast enough.

Now the committee is trying to refer two more of President Trump's advisers to the DOJ for criminal prosecution. The same DOJ, by the way, that has slandered concerned parents as domestic terrorists; a DOJ overseen by a President who said President Trump should be prosecuted.

So let's be clear, we aren't voting today to rename a post office. So, please, let's be honest with ourselves. A vote to hold Dan Scavino and Peter Navarro in contempt of Congress is a vote to put them in jail for a year. Neither of these men deserve this. The party line isn't a good enough excuse today. Disliking their politics isn't an excuse.

Mr. Scavino has two boys. He is a good dad. He doesn't deserve this. His boys definitely don't deserve this. So before we vote today, I have got to ask, could anyone here explain to those boys why their dad deserves to be behind bars for a year?

Mr. Scavino grew up in a working-class family in New York City. He is a former caddy who worked his way up to the White House through hard work and determination. Mr. Scavino lived the American Dream. Now, thanks to the select committee, he is living an authoritarian nightmare.

The select committee will say that it is Mr. Scavino's fault for refusing to cooperate. That is simply not true. Mr. Scavino asked time and again for the committee to follow the rule of law and provide him with a narrow and specific legislative purpose for the information that they were seeking. He asked, ``How is what you want from me pertinent to your investigation?'' And they refused to explain.

But remember what they said last week. The January 6th Committee must enforce its subpoenas. But contempt is not enforcement; it is punishment. Contempt won't get the committee any information. Only the court can do that. But they don't want to go to the judiciary. They don't want neutral arbitration. They want political punishment.

The select committee has never been interested in factfinding. In fact, Jim Jordan and I were both blocked from sitting on the committee because we promised to fully investigate the security failure at the Capitol. The Democrat leaders don't want that. They claim they blocked us for being too partisan.

Meanwhile, the committee's lead staffer signed his name to a false letter calling the Hunter Biden laptop Russian disinformation. Apparently, lying to undermine democracy is a key qualification for employment of this committee.

If the January 6th Committee gets its way, Congress will have referred four former Trump officials for prosecution in under 6 months, another record for the 117th Congress.

The select committee aims to do two things: silence legitimate questions about the breakdown of security at the Capitol and punish their political opponents. It is that simple.

Dan Scavino is accused of listening to his boss, the former Commander in Chief, who told him to ``invoke all applicable privileges and immunities.'' Today's vote is not about wrongdoing, and it isn't about anybody's character, no matter what they say.

Today's vote is about the character of this House. It is about abusing the seat of our democracy to attack American democracy. The question is, do we live in a country where you can go to jail for working for the wrong politician? Would you want to live in that country? The question is, will you help create that country? Because I think we have had a pretty good thing going for the last 240 years, and that is exactly why I urge all of my colleagues

to vote ``no'' on this resolution today. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Armstrong).

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis.)

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Jackson).

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan).

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it might feel really good today for my opponents on the other side of the aisle. It might feel really good in a vindictive sort of way, to vote to put their political opponents behind bars. That might feel really good for my opponents across the aisle.

But I guarantee you, the history will not look back kindly on those actions in the years to come. I guarantee it. It couldn't be anymore un-American what they want to do today, to vote to put two men behind bars purely because they disagree with their politics and the man that they worked for.

I can't think of a bigger reason for my opponents to vote ``no'' on such an un-American resolution. I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``no'' and do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Connie Miller of Auburn, who just celebrated her 45th year working at The Brown House restaurant.

Known for delicious ice cream and savory coney hot dogs, The Brown House has served the community of Auburn since 1949 when it first opened as a concession stand at the DeKalb County Free Fall Fair. Few things have changed about it since.

Two weeks before her 16th birthday in 1977, Connie started working at The Brown House. At the time, she was a sophomore working part time and did not intend to be there long. She was hired by owners Tom and Marcia Armstrong, who would operate the business for a total of 43 years until their respective retirement in 2019--yet further proof of the restaurant's continuity.

Connie is definitive when asked what she enjoys most about her job. ``People,'' she says. When regulars patron the restaurant, they talk with her and ask about her on the occasion she is not there. She provides more than just a well-prepared meal, but a smile and fellowship to friends and patrons--in her eyes, one in the same.

People like Connie make our community and country great. As American hero Agnes Meyer Driscoll once said, ``Fortunate are the people whose roots are deep.'' Few people's roots run deeper in Auburn than Connie, and our community is eternally grateful for it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Deb Schultz of Noble County, who is retiring this week from the Noble County clerk's office after 22 years of service.

Deb has served Noble County with excellence. As Deputy Clerk, Deb's primary responsibility was helping oversee elections. Processing new voter registration, communicating with state election officials, monitoring poll workers, and more, she's been the resident expert to which many have looked up and relied on in Noble County for the last two-plus decades.

Deb deserves special praise for her efforts in Fall 2020, which she described as having been ``very difficult.'' Tasked with having to approve and process hundreds of mail-in ballots and navigating the upending of other standard operating procedures, Deb nonetheless successfully oversaw the election's administration which Noble County residents agree was safe and secure.

During her tenure as Deputy Clerk, many county clerks came and went, all of whom relied heavily on Deb's expertise and ability. She leaves behind a legacy that will not soon be forgotten and which has left an indelible mark on the community. As she closes this chapter of her life and begins a new one, I wish Deb the best and thank her for her commitment to Noble County and to the continuity of American democracy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Richard Lineberry of Hamilton for his service as State Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Indiana.

Richard joined VFW Post 2457 in 2011 and has been a leader since. He has served as the 4th District Commander, the Indiana Department Junior Vice Commander and the Indiana Department Senior Vice Commander.

Richard has served his community, state and country in several capacities beyond that of the VFW, as well. For nearly 34 years, he served in the United States Air Force Reserve/National Guard. For twenty years, Richard served as a law enforcement officer in New Haven, where he held positions including deputy coroner, Sergeant, SCUBA Recovery, accident reconstructionist, and firearms instructor. For 12 years, he worked at the VA hospital in Fort Wayne both as a police officer and as a Means Test Officer where he presided over initial enrollments for veterans seeking benefits.

Richard is also a proud board member of Honor Flight Northeast Indiana, which helps bring Hoosier veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit memorials dedicated to honor their service and sacrifices. Remarkably, he has registered over 100 veterans for these honor flights, including many who served in World War II.

Few men are as deserving of State Commander as Richard. That's why I'm proud to honor him for all the remarkable things he has done and the lives he has changed. This position as State Commander has been a crowning achievement of a record of service for which our community is most grateful.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember Chester ``Chet'' Bartol of Fort Wayne who passed away last month.

Chet was a hard-working, intelligent man who served our country and his community with joy. He graduated Warsaw High School in 1945 and attended Purdue University, where he earned a degree in Electrical Engineering. For nearly fifty years, he worked in orthopedics as a distributor and was the owner of Zimmer-Bartol Associates.

In addition to his academic and career pedigree, Chet was a veteran of the United States Army, having served in the Electrical Warfare Division of the Signal Corps. Northeast Indiana, and our country, is grateful to him for his service.

He is remembered as having been particularly active, sociable and selfless. A lifelong fan of Purdue sports, Chet ran high school and college track, and into old age remained a golfer and avid cardplayer. He is also remembered as having been a loving husband, father and friend. He is survived by his wife, Shirley, five children, eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

In the wake of his passing, I wish Chet's family peace, comfort and joy in knowing he lived a long and happy life. Though he is no longer alive, his spirit lives on in the minds and souls of those whom he knew and loved most.