Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak against the amnesty provisions included in the Democrat reconciliation bill.

The situation at the border is a complete and total crisis. Many folks look at what is happening there and they think it is incompetence by the Biden-Harris administration but, Madam Speaker, that is not true. Yes, there is a lot of incompetency in the Biden-Harris administration, but the southern border is not a failed policy. It is the policy.

The Democrats want illegal aliens to come to America as part of the socialist plan. In fact, the Democrat reconciliation bill is a plan that would give amnesty to over 8 million illegal aliens--over 8 million. There is no provision to actually secure the southern border or to fix the problem at the source.

This blanket amnesty for over 8 million illegal aliens rewards law- breakers, empowers cartels, and encourages more people to make a very dangerous journey to our border. Amnesty for over 8 million illegal aliens is an outrageous proposal and must be defeated.

Congratulations to Fight Crime: Invest In Kids

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate an organization, Fight Crime: Invest In Kids. It is a tremendous organization that 25 years ago understood that if you are going to fight crime in a community you have to fight crime with what I used to call the entire PIE: prevention, intervention, and enforcement.

And Fight Crime: Invest In Kids has been doing this for 25 years now, and I want to congratulate them on the untold number of young lives that they have saved and that they have kept out of a life of crime.

Congratulations to Fight Crime: Invest In Kids.

I thank my good friend from New York for his kind words.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss something that affects far too many of our veterans around the country. Every year in America, thousands of young men and women, they raise their right hands and take that oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

They take this oath with the full knowledge of the risks associated with military service. They may be shipped off to a dangerous place. They may be required to have courage under fire. And like scores of American heroes who have paid the ultimate sacrifice throughout our history, they may even lay down their lives as well.

Madam Speaker, what these men and women did not sign up for is the torment that follows too many after their service is complete. In fact, for some, the toughest battle that they will face comes after they leave the military.

Over the last 2 years, Americans have weathered the COVID-19 pandemic. But I tell you, there is another pandemic raging in our veteran community. Every single day, over 20 veterans take their lives--every single day.

Since 9/11, we have lost four times as many veterans and Active Duty servicemembers to suicide than we have to combat--four times more to suicide than combat. This pandemic may not get the front-page attention in the media, but for those battling PTSD, TBI, and other forms of service-connected trauma, it is personal, and it is real.

We owe not only a debt of gratitude to those who have served but also a commitment that we are there for them throughout their lives. That is why I am proud to support the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program Act because I know it works.

This bipartisan legislation expands an already proven, successful peer-to-peer support program for veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI. This program, as I said, has already been proven to be effective therapy across the State of New York. It is time to bring this to veterans in every corner of the United States to save those lives.

I want to thank my good friend, Congressman Lee Zeldin, for filing this bill, this very important bill.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill and continue to fight for those who have so bravely fought for us.

I would, too. I will tell the gentleman, listening to him speak, it reminds me that this is not even just about those servicemembers. We talk about the 20 to 23 number that take their lives every day. But there are thousands of family members and friends who are affected by those deaths. So this is not only for our servicemembers. It is also for all of their families and friends and loved ones. I thank the gentleman for this bill.

I will tell the gentleman, it is proven in New York. It is actually proven in northeast Florida. We have a peer-to-peer program that is called Fire Watch, which has been incredibly successful just recently.

That is why I was excited to see this bill because I know from Fire Watch, and I know from the results that you all have had in the great State of New York, just how important this is to saving lives.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank my good friend from Pennsylvania for this opportunity.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about one of the fundamental roles for a Member of Congress, and that is to help our constituents navigate the Federal bureaucracy and get the documents or benefits that they need and they deserve. This is especially true for veterans, who often run into difficulty at the VA, even when it is not the VA's fault.

Unfortunately, the National Personnel Records Center is still today not fully open, and this is after we gave them money in last year's appropriations bill to safely reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has prevented caseworkers in my office from properly assisting my constituents in a timely manner.

In fact, there is a backlog that was just mentioned of over 500,000 requests from veterans and their families--over 500,000. To fix this problem, I am proud to support the RECORDS Act, and I urge the Speaker to bring to this bill to the floor.

This bill will ensure that the National Personnel Records Center is operating full time and at fully-staffed capacity now. American veterans deserve better than what they are currently getting from this administration. Let's pass the RECORDS Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Nassau County Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Moyers, who was tragically killed last weekend in the line of duty.

On September 26, 2021, Deputy Moyers gave his last full measure of devotion to our northeast Florida community. He was only 29 years old. My heart breaks for his friends, fellow officers, and loved ones who already miss him dearly.

Deputy Moyers graduated from Hilliard Middle-Senior High School, Florida State College, and St. Johns River State College before joining the Nassau County Sheriff's Office in 2015.

Madam Speaker, Joshua wasn't just a good officer; he was a great officer. In fact, in 2018, Deputy Moyers received the ``Above and Beyond the Call of Duty'' award for his work on a very significant narcotics case.

Having spent a career in law enforcement, I have seen the names of far too many outstanding officers go up on our National Law Enforcement Memorial wall here in D.C. Deputy Moyers will be no exception.

His death serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers facing law enforcement officers across the country every single day. We are so thankful for men and women like Officer Moyers, who volunteer to step into the breach in defense of our citizens, and we owe them a deep debt of gratitude.

I am reminded of a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, which says: ``The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you lived and lived well.''

Officer Moyers' life may have been cut short, but he lived with honor and compassion, and he made a real difference, a tangible difference, to so many lives on the First Coast.

I am grateful to the Nassau County Sheriff's Office for capturing the man responsible for his death, and I hope that justice will be swiftly served.

May God bless the Moyers family, and may He give them the strength to persevere during this difficult time.

Madam Speaker, I would like to now ask that this Chamber join me for a moment of silence in remembrance of Officer Moyers.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month, the time when we spread awareness of the signs and symptoms and seek increased research into treatment and prevention.

Northeast Florida is home to the headquarters of the Trinity Love Hoblit Foundation, which works to support and fund neurological research, training, and treatment for brain aneurysms, strokes, and other cerebrovascular conditions.

Its namesake is Trinity Love Hoblit, who was born with a rare form of primordial dwarfism and grew to only be 29 inches tall.

Throughout her life she battled brain aneurysms and underwent numerous surgeries to alleviate the symptoms.

Sadly, Trinity passed away in 2015 and was only 14 years old.

So in honor of Trinity and Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month, please listen carefully to the risk factors and signs and symptoms of brain aneurysm.

The risk factors include smoking, high blood pressure, older age, alcohol, or drug abuse, and family history. The symptoms include headache, pain above or behind one eye, blurred or double vision, difficulty speaking or swallowing, numbness or weakness on one side of the body, and seizures.

Folks, please do not ignore these symptoms and promptly seek medical care if you experience any of them, especially if you are having the worst headache of your life.

When it comes to brain aneurysms, awareness is the beginning of prevention and cure.

On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Florida, I am proud to recognize Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month, and I thank the Trinity Love Hoblit Foundation for the lives they are helping to save every day.

Improving Benefits for First Responders

Madam Speaker, it has been 20 years since terrorists attacked the United States on September 11.

We have now had a generation to appreciate the courage and sacrifices so many of our first responders make to keep us safe.

In my 40 years of law enforcement, including 12 as sheriff of Duval County, I know good officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their community.

Twenty years after 9/11, many of our first responders who are critically injured in the line of duty still have a hard time getting the benefits that they have earned and sacrificed.

That is why I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 2936, the Protecting America's First Responder Act.

This bill would improve death and disability benefits for police, firefighters, and other public safety officers.

This is a commonsense solution to a major problem, and I urge the Judiciary Committee to immediately consider this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Alabama for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment, which would unnecessarily restrict the Department of Defense from transferring surplus equipment to local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies.

We all remember the tragic Pulse nightclub shooting in my home State of Florida.

During their response, law enforcement officers set off a controlled explosion to distract the shooter and used an armored vehicle to breach the walls of the nightclub to gain entry.

One of the entry officers was literally shot in the head, but his life was saved by his antiballistic helmet. Now, I believe had the gentleman across the aisle been an entry officer that night, he might have a different opinion on the equipment that is necessary at those scenes.

Under this amendment, those officers would not have had the explosives, the armored vehicle, or the antiballistic helmet to save their lives and many more lives that night.

This program works to get our law enforcement officers what they need to protect themselves and to protect our communities. I always promised my community that our law enforcement officers would be men and women of character, well equipped, properly deployed, and skillfully managed. The 1033 program helps achieve that goal with significant reductions of cost to hardworking taxpayers. We must not take that away. I urge a ``no'' vote.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dr. Leon Haley, Jr., who served as CEO of UF Health Jacksonville in my district. His sudden passing on July 25, 2021, is an incredible loss not only to his many family and friends who loved him but was also felt deeply by our Jacksonville medical community.

His colleagues have shared their tremendous respect for Dr. Haley, remarking that he led his team with integrity, kindness, and commitment to all he was called to serve. As the first Black CEO of UF Health, Dr. Haley prioritized the importance of providing high-quality and compassionate care to patients of all backgrounds and was a known advocate for equality in healthcare. Dr. Haley played a pivotal role in Florida's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and is believed to be the first Floridian to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

On behalf of our Northeast Florida community, I rise today to recognize Dr. Haley for his years of public service and dedication to our community. I offer my heartfelt prayers for peace and comfort for his family, friends, and all who were blessed to know Dr. Haley. We come together during this difficult time to honor his memory as a great medical leader, doctor, colleague, friend, and father. May he rest in peace.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to stand for the sanctity of life and believe strongly in our responsibility to protect the unborn.

While I understand that the issue of abortion is one that divides many here in Congress, H.R. 18 does not universally ban all abortions. It would simply reinstate and make permanent the bipartisan Hyde amendment on a government-wide basis, which only prevents taxpayers from paying for the killing of unborn children.

It is what the majority of Americans want. In fact, a recent Marist Poll found that nearly 60 percent of Americans oppose taxpayer funded abortion. It is shocking and heartbreaking the Democrats would remove this critical protection from law after supporting it for over 40 years.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 18, and I ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to share my concerns for the crisis we are seeing at the southern border and the obvious unwillingness of the Biden-Harris administration to provide solutions.

Illegal border crossings are at their highest level in two decades. Yet, this administration not only won't address it; they actually exacerbate it because they cut the CBP budget over $900 million.

In June alone, border agents actually encountered over 188,000 people at our southern border. Madam Speaker, that is a 450 percent increase over last June.

Madam Speaker, the Biden administration created this invasion, this border crisis. This year alone, over 80,000 kids have crossed the border, with 15,000 remaining in government custody.

Fixing the crisis at the border requires an investment in manpower, infrastructure, technology, and strong policy. That is why I asked this body to plus-up $300 million in next year's budget for Operation Stonegarden, to reimburse border States like Texas that are actually stepping up at the State level to provide security for their constituents.

We must finish the wall, reinstate the remain in Mexico policy, and never bring back catch and release, which the Biden administration is rumored to be bringing back in the coming months.

A strong America begins and ends with a strong, safe, and secure border.

Madam Speaker, I have the honor of serving Florida's First Coast, with a constituency filled with our nation's heroes. It is my distinct privilege to rise today and speak about one of my own Coast Guard constituents, Captain Timothy Cronin.

Captain Cronin currently serves as the Commanding Officer of the National Security Cutter Hamilton in North Charleston, South Carolina, and has served his country with distinction for 25 years. On July 23rd of this year, he retires and returns home to his wife Kristan and children Kaleigh, Connor, Cooper, Parker and Davis.

Since the Coast Guard's founding in 1790 by Alexander Hamilton, Americans have relied on our guardsmen to protect our nation's maritime interests. The Coast Guard has secured our sovereignty in times of war and peace, and safeguarded the American public during times of national catastrophe.

Captain Tim Cronin has served on six cutters, commanding three of them. He departs the service after leading the great crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton--a state of the art National Security Cutter bearing the name of the Service's founder. In his two years commanding the Hamilton, Captain Cronin seized over 13 tons of illegal drugs worth $316 million, removed 41 drug traffickers from the water, and led his crew through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Most recently, he took his crew over 5,000 nautical miles from home to the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea. There, he conducted training with NATO and Black Sea allies in the face of Russian aggression, enforcing the rule of law and the steadfast commitment of the United States to our friends in the region. He operated in a global environment and proved once again how powerful and important our Coast Guard is to the world.

While his retirement is a loss to the Service, his legacy will continue to live on in the Coast Guard men and women he served with over the last 25 years. They have undoubtedly benefitted from his leadership, genuine compassion for others, and commitment to the Coast Guard's core values of honor, respect, and devotion lo duty.

Captain Cronin, those whom you've led now have the watch. I wish Captain Cronin fair winds and following seas as he starts a new chapter in his life. Bravo Zulu on a job very well-done.

I ask my colleagues to please join me in recognizing this great American and Coast Guardsman for his selfless service to our Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Edward Burr and the Monique Burr Foundation for Children located in northeast Florida.

Established in 1997, the Monique Burr Foundation works to prevent abuse, bullying, cyberbullying, exploitation, and human trafficking of children.

They have trained more than 5,000 facilitators in schools all across 67 Florida counties, 28 other States, and 3 foreign countries.

Madam Speaker, as the former sheriff of Duval County, I can personally attest to the difference the Monique Burr Foundation is making in the lives of children across Florida and across our country.

Recently, Mr. Burr received the Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award in recognition of his decades of public service to support and protect children in need.

On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Florida, I congratulate Edward Burr for his well-deserved honor, and I thank the Monique Burr Foundation for Children for their excellent work in our community.

Mr. Speaker, I deeply appreciate Mrs. Cammack having read all of those names. That is a promise that we make to these officers. I really congratulate Congresswoman Cammack and thank her so much for this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, this morning, as I was laying a wreath at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, I couldn't help but remember that this week, National Police Week, is really about promises made and promises kept.

These 22,000-plus officers, whose names appear at the national memorial, although they all died in different ways, they all lived for the same purpose.

They made this promise: ``As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality, and justice.''

Mr. Speaker, that is the first paragraph of the Law Enforcement Officer's Code of Ethics. That is a promise made by every law enforcement officer in the United States. That promise is kept every day when they put on that uniform and they go out to protect the peaceful against violence and disorder.

Last year, in 2020, 394 of those officers gave their last full measure of devotion to the communities they served after having taken that oath. They kept their promise.

During this National Police Week, we will keep our promise to them that we will never forget their names and that of their families.

Mr. Speaker, every year at this time we pause to remember their lives; not just their deaths and the way they died, but the way they lived.

This morning, I couldn't help but think of the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson as I thought about these officers. He wrote: ``The purpose in life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.''

Those more than 22,000 names that are on those memorial walls over there, those men and women lived well. Their names will never be forgotten. Of the names on the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, 113 of them are from my district.

Just this year, we will add another 394 names to that memorial wall. These officers kept their promises. Tonight, at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, we will keep our promise and remember their names.

God bless and keep these officers and their families, who are their survivors.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost), my great friend, for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act.

I am a proud original cosponsor on General Stivers' bill. This bipartisan bill supports veterans who are suffering from TBI and PTSD, and it helps them to live better and more fulfilling lives. And it does this with the assistance of man's best friend.

Dog owners around the world will tell you of the special connection between humans and their canine companions. The PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act harnesses that unique bond in a way to serve those who have suffered the invisible injuries of war.

Service dogs have already been established as a proven therapy for PTSD and other related challenges. Today's legislation not only would allow these veterans to adopt a service dog but also give them the opportunity to take part in the training of that dog.

Simply put, the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act will save lives.

I have seen firsthand what a service dog can mean to a veteran struggling with PTSD. In northeast Florida, we are blessed to have a group called K9s for Warriors, which pairs trained service dogs with veterans.

During my visits to K9s for Warriors, I have often had the opportunity to speak with these veterans and listen to their personal testimonies of survival. Many have told me: But for that dog, I would be dead today.

Last Congress, we passed the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act out of the House, but we were not successful in getting it through the Senate. That means, with around 20 veterans taking their lives each day, we have since lost 7,300 veterans' lives since we passed it last year.

We cannot allow that to happen again. I call on the Senate to join the House and pass this bill and get it to the President's desk to become law.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge defeat of the previous question so that we can immediately consider the Protect and Serve Act, my bipartisan bill to increase penalties for individuals who deliberately target law enforcement officers with violence.

Throughout my 40 years of law enforcement, including 12 as sheriff, I have seen firsthand the dangerous situations our men and women in law enforcement face every day. In Jacksonville, in fact, our memorial wall is filled with the names of many good police officers who laid down their lives in service to their community.

This Police Week, we are honoring the memory of the 394 officers our Nation lost last year. We pause to remember their sacrifice and pledge to support policies that keep our officers

safe. These policies should include harsh penalties for violence targeted against our men and women in blue.

When I first introduced the Protect and Serve Act in 2018, it was overwhelmingly passed by the House 382-35.

Police Week has always been a unifying time to honor those lost, but now, now the majority will barely acknowledge it.

What is going on?

I think the answer is simple. Supporting our police has become unpopular in the Democratic Party. Pressure from online radicals, political pundits who have never worn a badge, never been on a ride- along, they are dictating what policies the House majority will support.

To make matters worse, House Democrats are pushing a police reform bill right now that eliminates qualified immunity, the lifeblood of law enforcement. Mr. Speaker, without qualified immunity, the entire profession would end as we know it today.

It makes you wonder if that is their goal: End local law enforcement and replace it with a national police force similar to almost every socialist country in the world.

Regardless, the growing antipolice rhetoric and widespread efforts to defund police departments are leaving officers increasingly at risk to attacks in communities less safe.

As mentioned earlier, we are not even halfway through 2021 and we have already seen more police officers shot this year than all of last year. Meanwhile, as mentioned earlier, American cities are experiencing a spike in violent crime. The U.S. surpassed 20,000 murders last year for the first time since 1995. And just this year, shootings in Chicago, up 43 percent; New York City, Los Angeles, up 36 percent; Washington, D.C., homicide up 63 percent.

Mr. Speaker, it turns out if you demoralize, defund, and delegitimize the police, crime goes up. I know many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle do support law enforcement. I know that. In fact, I know that a particular few even have backgrounds in law enforcement.

Mr. Speaker, so this is what I would like to impart to my Democrat colleagues: Here is your chance to say during Police Week that you support our law enforcement officers. Vote for my bill, the Protect and Serve Act, just like you did in 2018, and show your constituent police officers that you have their backs.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Jim Schmitt for being named Teacher of the Year in Duval County.

Mr. Schmitt received this honor for his work teaching global perspectives and research at Mandarin High School.

Serving as a teacher for 28 years, Mr. Schmitt has dedicated his career to improving both student learning and the methods teachers use to educate their students.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Schmitt has demonstrated his leadership ability by creating a discussion forum for teachers to share strategies, ensuring that teachers and students are prepared to learn in an in-class or online environment.

On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Florida, I thank Mr. Schmitt for his dedication to educating the students of northeast Florida and for his commitment to the success of his students and peers alike.

Congratulating Ali Pressel

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Ali Pressel for being named Teacher of the Year in St. Johns County.

Ms. Pressel received this honor for her work teaching biology and agriculture at Creekside High School.

As a teacher for more than 15 years, Ms. Pressel worked tirelessly to help bring exciting educational opportunities in STEM to her students and to encourage them to engage their curiosity.

The philosophy that guides Ms. Pressel's work is that all students should have limitless opportunities to make connections in their communities through exploration and discovery.

On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Florida, I thank Ms. Pressel for her dedication to educating the students of northeast Florida and for her commitment to the success of her students and peers alike.

Congratulating Kristan Cronin

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Kristan Cronin for being named Teacher of the Year in Nassau County.

Ms. Cronin received this honor for her work teaching fourth grade math, science, and social studies at Wildlight Elementary School.

Ms. Cronin has been a teacher for 17 years and is committed to guiding her students as they recognize and develop their talents and abilities. Ms. Cronin creates a hands-on work environment for her students to succeed, develops a love for knowledge, and helps them apply what they have learned to everyday life.

On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Florida, I thank Ms. Cronin for her dedication to educating the students of northeast Florida and for her commitment to the success of her students and peers alike.