Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, had I been present for Roll Call No. 231, On Motion to Adjourn, I would have voted YEA; for Roll Call No. 232, on the Motion to Table the Motion to Reconsider, l would have voted NAY; for Roll Call No. 233, on the Motion to Adjourn, I would have voted YEA; for Roll Call No. 234, on the Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 567, I would have voted NAY; for Roll Call No. 235, on H. Res. 567, I would have vote NAY; for Roll Call No. 236, on Ryan Amendment En Bloc No. 1 to H.R. 4346, I would have voted NAY; for Roll Call No. 237, on Ryan Amendment En Bloc No. 3 to H.R. 4346, I would have voted YEA; for Roll Call No. 238, on the Motion to Recommit H.R. 4346 with Instructions, I would have voted YEA; for Roll Call no. 239, on Passage of H.R. 4346, l would have voted NAY; for Roll Call No. 240, on Lee Amendment En Bloc No. 2 to H.R. 4373, I would have voted NAY; for Roll Call No. 241, on Lee Amendment En Bloc No. 3 to H.R. 4373, I would have voted NAY; for Roll Call No. 242, on the Motion to Recommit H.R. 4373 with Instructions, I would have voted YEA; and for Roll Call No. 243, on Passage of H.R. 4373, I would have voted NAY.

Madam Speaker, had I been present for the vote on the Motion to Table H. Res. 554, I would have voted nay on Roll Call No. 219.

Had I been present for the vote on final passage of H.R. 1664, I would have voted yea on Roll Call No. 220.

Had I been present for the vote on final passage of H.R. 2365, I would have voted yea on Roll Call No. 221.

Madam Speaker, had I been present for the vote on Agreeing to the Lamb Amendment En Bloc No. 1, I would have voted nay; had I been present for the vote on Agreeing to the Defazio Amendment En Bloc No. 3, I would have voted nay; had I been present for the vote on Agreeing to the Defazio Amendment En Bloc No. 4, I would have voted nay; and had I been present for the vote on Agreeing to the Van Duyne Amendment No. 108, I would have voted Yea.

Madam Speaker, had I been present for the vote on Agreeing to the

Davids Amendment En Bloc No. 5, I would have voted Nay; had I been present for the vote on Agreeing to the Lee Amendment No. 132, I would have voted Nay; had I been present for the vote on Agreeing to the Motion to Recommit H.R. 3684 With Instructions, I would have voted Yea; and had I been present for the vote on Final Passage of H.R. 3684, as amended, I would have voted Nay

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for holding this Special Order. It is really a very important issue all across the country. And it really doesn't matter which district a Member of Congress represents; you are going to have these same problems.

Mr. Speaker, I spent the better part of last 2 weeks, during our district work period, traveling southern Minnesota, meeting with all sorts of businesses, meeting with labor, talking to the chambers of commerce. I can tell you that, under normal circumstances, it is tough enough to run a business and it is tough enough to be productive and successful in small business. But when you have bad government policies--and that is what we have here--it makes it extra tough. In many cases it is limiting production.

We are seeing companies, like United Commercial Upholstery in New Ulm, having to turn away work. They actually could do three times more work right now if they could find another 50 employees. But it is impossible.

It really doesn't matter if it is skilled work or unskilled work; it is just across the board.

I was up in Lonsdale, Minnesota, in Rice County, and talked to their chamber of commerce, talked to the packaging company, which is the biggest employer in town. They have production disruptions across the board. They just can't find the employees.

Recently, in Rochester, I was at Crenlo Industries, where they make these high-end cabs for heavy production equipment--Caterpillar, John

Deere, those types of things. They have line employees, and they want to get those cabs worked through the line.

Guess what happens?

Employees don't show up. They can't fill the jobs. They have lots of disruption.

We are seeing these supply chain disruptions all across the country, skyrocketing costs for materials and others. A lot of this is tied to these bad policies.

What I do appreciate is some of the Governors across the country who have taken it upon themselves to say: You know what we are going to do? If you don't look for qualified work, if you don't accept work, you are going to lose your unemployment compensation benefits.

Unfortunately, in Minnesota and some other States, you have Governors that want to hang onto emergency powers and still not make those requirements.

I think at the Federal level, in my Small Business Committee and other committees represented here, we should look at how we can tie those benefits to make sure that there are those strings attached and we do everything possible to get folks back in the workforce. It is time. And I know that that is always best for folks to have good, high- paying jobs, and be upwardly mobile and self-sufficient.

Mr. Speaker, workforce development is key to sustaining

jobs and economic growth. Manufacturers, small businesses, trade unions, and industry groups are concerned about the increasing skilled labor shortage. Unfortunately, current law limits the use of eligible savings accounts to help reduce the costs of obtaining advanced technical certifications.

My legislation, the American Workforce Empowerment Act, would allow 529 savings accounts to be used for non-degree technical training certificate programs, tools, and any tests that are required to maintain certifications.

As the American workforce rebounds, we will see increased need for skilled workers to meet rising manufacturing, shipping, and construction demand. These skilled labor positions are good-paying jobs that help provide economic stability for hardworking Americans and are essential to the expansion of our Nation's economy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Mary O'Marro, who passed away on Friday, March 19th at the age of 95.

Mary was born on February 22, 1926 in Albert Lea, Minnesota. After graduating from Albert Lea High School in 1943, she worked at Wilson Meats before continuing her education at Rochester Junior College. She married her husband, Eugene, in 1951 and they were blessed with a daughter and two sons.

In addition to being a wife and mother, Mary worked for Judge Harry Blackmun prior to his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court and later as a self-employed real estate broker for more than 25 years.

Mary was dedicated to her family and dearly loved by all who knew her. She is survived by her three children and six grandchildren. My prayers are with her loved ones during this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, March is Kidney Cancer Awareness Month, and frankly, every month is cancer awareness month.

Two years ago, I was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer, and ever since, I have received treatment and great care from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Two months ago, they removed my kidney, and I am very grateful to say that, just this week, my doctor said ``no cancer detected'' at this time.

But here is the point about this: My cancer was found through a routine physical. I had no symptoms.

In this past year, millions of Americans have, for whatever reason, coronavirus or otherwise, postponed or canceled their doctor's visits and aren't getting the cancer screenings they have in the past.

I encourage everyone to make sure you get out there, see your doctor regularly, get looked into, because the earliest possible detection of serious illness can literally save your life. I am someone who can attest to that.

To my fellow cancer survivors, hang in there. Keep fighting because cures are coming along every day. And, Mr. Speaker, it is uncanny how family, friends, medical professionals, total strangers, they rally around us and help us fight.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Missouri for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1799, the PPP Extension Act of 2021.

This targeted, bipartisan 60-day Paycheck Protection Program extension is exactly the type of relief that Congress should be focused on providing. This bill contrasts sharply with the nearly $2 trillion partisan monstrosity of progressive wish list policies this body passed just a week ago.

With optimism on the vaccine front, Governors around the country finally loosening their arbitrary restrictions on small businesses and schools, and $1 trillion from previous relief measures still unspent, this bill is a responsible and appropriate way to ensure relief reaches our small businesses that are most in need. Our small businesses must have the tools necessary to compete and contribute to our local economies as we move past this pandemic.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Geraldine Amstutz of Rochester, Minnesota, who will celebrate her 100th birthday on March 15.

Geraldine was born on March 15, 1921, in Grabill, Indiana, a small town founded and named after her grandfather.

After graduating high school at the top of her class, Geraldine went on to study music in college.

In 1943, Geraldine married Tillman Amstutz, with whom she would spend the next 63 years raising four children and eventually settling in Rochester.

Geraldine has always loved music, especially playing the piano, but her greatest passions involve people and art. For decades she has made personalized, homemade cards, sending thousands over the years to encourage, lift up, honor, and celebrate others. Approaching her centennial birthday, Geraldine continues making cards to bless others with her kindness and compassion.

Here is to 100 terrific years, Geraldine.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 682, the Reopen Schools Act, to get our kids out from behind screens and back into the classroom.

Mr. Speaker, just weeks into this administration, and after endless promises of unity, the President has issued over 40 radical executive orders, ranging from rejoining a failed climate pact to taking steps to dismantle the Nation's border security.

Governing via executive order, the administration has unilaterally launched a coordinated assault on American energy and a war on agriculture.

By revoking the Keystone XL pipeline project, the administration sent more than 10,000 skilled workers to the unemployment line, disrupted our safest and most efficient form of energy transportation, and increased the cost of transporting grain for farmers and agribusinesses.

The President also issued extremist moratoriums on new oil and gas leasing and drilling on Federal lands, which only serves to increase American reliance on foreign energy, eliminate good-paying jobs, further stifle economic growth, and drive up the cost of fuel and electricity for every American.

This backward agenda is sacrificing the energy independence achievements made by President Trump and Republicans these past 4 years. Sadly, the Biden Democrat Party energy policy is putting America last.

Mr. Speaker, the CARES Act allowed farmers and ranchers to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program by utilizing only net income in their loan calculations. This has prevented many agricultural partnerships from receiving the maximum loan amount possible.

My bipartisan bill that I have introduced today, the PPP Flexibility for Farmers and Ranchers Act, allows the use of gross income to calculate the loan and includes a retroactive provision to enable farm partnerships that initially used net income to recalculate unforgiven PPP loans.

Ag producers throughout the Nation have suffered greatly from historic drops in demand during the pandemic. As we push to reopen our economy, we must ensure that our farmers and ranchers have access to the resources needed to maintain operations through the end of the pandemic.

I am grateful to my colleagues and an array of national agricultural groups who join me in this commonsense effort to boost our farmers, ranchers, and agricultural economy.

I encourage Members to cosponsor my bill.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce a resolution commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Department of Minnesota Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The Minnesota VFW was founded on January 17, 1921, and, today, has over 200 posts across the State and serves more than 32,000 veterans who fought for America honorably overseas, as well as an additional 21,000 auxiliary members, consisting of veterans' family members.

The Minnesota VFW Century of Service has helped strengthen the common bonds of our military heroes by improving the quality of life for veterans and their families. The VFW provides a wide array of services to its members, including youth development and scholarships, national security advocacy, legislative affairs, citizenship education, veterans' fellowship retreats, and financial assistance for disabled veterans.

I am incredibly grateful to those at the Minnesota VFW who work tirelessly on behalf of our States' veterans. Here is to another 100 more years. I ask Members to cosponsor my resolution.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present for the vote on final passage of H.R. 335, I would have voted ``nay.''