Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Madam Speaker, this week, thousands of law enforcement officers, their families, and their supporters from around the country gathered in Washington, D.C., to commemorate National Police Week.

We are here tonight to thank those who put on the uniform every day to protect our communities and put their lives in the breach between the criminal element and the public they protect.

We are also here to recognize those who have completed their service and now enjoy a well-deserved thank-you for their selfless service to their communities.

But, most importantly, we are here to honor the fallen.

Last year, 158 police officers gave their last measure of devotion to their communities. Among these heroes, you will find every gender, every creed, every race, every religion. They hail from every corner of America.

One of those 158 officers was not only from my district, but served at the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office with me, where I spent a 41-year career.

Officer Lance Whitaker began his career with the Atlantic Beach Police Department and then served 17 dedicated years at Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. He was tragically killed while responding to a call in the early morning hours of May 15, 2018, almost 1 year ago today.

He left behind his son, Cade; his mother, Lannie; and his sister, Angela. He also left behind a memory and a legacy that will live on in the hearts and minds of those who knew him.

Many of us are here today to honor friends, family, and loved ones like Officer Whitaker, who gave his last full measure of devotion to a community he loved and a community that loved him back.

I now ask that we observe a moment of silence for Officer Whitaker and all of the 158 brave law enforcement officers who lost their lives protecting our community.

Tonight, Madam Speaker, in a very bipartisan fashion, we will hear from Members on both sides of the aisle and from all across the country as we join together to show our unity in supporting our police officers.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Hill), my friend who is from a law enforcement family and brings a strong pro-police voice to Congress.

Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Hill, and I look forward to working with her on some of the bills she just highlighted. I know that her law enforcement family is proud, so I thank her.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil), my good friend, who is from Wisconsin's First District.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman and the great State of Wisconsin for their support of law enforcement.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Torres Small), a colleague from New Mexico's Second District. She serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Homeland Security Committee, and, actually, after law school, worked for a U.S. district judge in New Mexico, so she has got that law enforcement background, also.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for the kind words of support for our law enforcement community, and I thank her for her service earlier, as well.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon), my good friend from Nebraska's Second District. He serves on our Agriculture Committee and Armed Services Committee. He is a retired brigadier general and did his deployment in Iraq, and we thank him for that service.

Madam Speaker, I am a proud cosponsor of the gentleman's LEOSA bill, and having been a law enforcement officer, I understand exactly what the gentleman is trying to accomplish. I support him 110 percent in that effort, and I appreciate the words.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. Spanberger), who serves on the Foreign Affairs and Agriculture Committees. She is also--I think we can say this--a former CIA case officer.

Is it safe to say that now?

Madam Speaker, the gentlewoman's father was a career law enforcement officer also.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Virginia and just know that our condolences go to those two officers' families, those heroes that you lost this last year. God bless.

Madam Speaker, I would like to introduce the Member from the great State of Minnesota's Eighth District, Pete Stauber. He serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure and Small Business Committees and was a police officer in Duluth, Minnesota, for 23 years. I thank the gentleman for his service.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).

Madam Speaker, I am grateful for the gentleman's 23 years of service. I know what commitment that is, and God bless him for that.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer), who is my good friend.

Josh Gottheimer is from New Jersey's Fifth District who serves on the Financial Services Committee and worked in both the public sector as a White House speechwriter and in the private industry for Ford and Microsoft. I thank the gentleman for being here this evening.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey for having the backs of police officers who have our back, and I thank the gentleman very much for being here tonight to show that support for law enforcement that is so important across the country.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cline). Representative Ben Cline serves on the

House Judiciary and Education and Labor Committees. He is a lawyer and serves as an Assistant Commonwealth Attorney and was also chief of staff and--I didn't know this--chief of staff for my good friend, Bob Goodlatte, who is one of my heroes from Congress.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia.

In particular, I want to offer, again, our condolences to those officers, those heroes from Virginia, who gave their lives in service.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize Representative Clay Higgins from the great State of Louisiana, their Third District. He was a National Guard military police officer for many years, a SWAT operator. I am sure he will have some great words for us.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Higgins).

Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from Louisiana for all his service those many years.

I would like to recognize, again, my cohost for tonight, Representative Katie Hill. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Hill).

Madam Speaker, it has been an honor to be here with the gentlewoman tonight to recognize our law enforcement community.

Madam Speaker, I will close with this. It is from Ralph Waldo Emerson. He said:

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.

Madam Speaker, the 158 lives that we honor tonight, all the thousands of law enforcement officers serving this moment, they live well. For that, we are grateful.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the E-2 visa holders and their families who have been ignored by our Nation's immigration laws.

E-2 visa holders are required to be business owners, job creators, and risk takers. They are filled with the American spirit that makes this country great. And yet, their children are unfairly forced to leave this country on their 21st birthday.

The E-2 children have no protection, no leniency, and unlike DACA recipients, they receive no attention from the mainstream media.

We cannot continue to put the children of illegal aliens before the children of legal aliens. That is why I introduced the E-2 Visa Improvement Act, which will do two things: create a path to legal permanent residency after 10 years in the U.S., and allow children of E-2 visa holders to stay in the country until 26 years of age and to apply for work authorization.

I urge my colleagues to support these simple, commonsense reforms that will make a huge difference in the lives of law-abiding immigrants who are hiring and helping carry our economy forward.

Madam Speaker, due to illness, I was unable to vote April 1 through April 4. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 137; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 138; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 140; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 141; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 142; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 144; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 145; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 146; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 147; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 148; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 149; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 150; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 151; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 152; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 153; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 154; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 155; and ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 156.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding and giving me the opportunity to speak about this very important topic impacting our State and our constituents.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to strongly urge House and, particularly, Senate leadership to stop turning their backs on hurricane survivors in my home State of Florida and pass a disaster supplemental bill before Congress leaves for the next 2 weeks.

Last October, Hurricane Michael ravaged our State, hitting the panhandle with speeds of up to 155 miles an hour and killing 49 people. Six months later--6 months later--families, farmers, and businesses are still waiting for the assistance that they deserve.

Families lost homes, precious belongings, things that can never be replaced.

Florida's timber industry was decimated. The total timber damage is an estimated 2.8 million acres of timber that is now lying rotting on the ground--2.8 million acres.

This is, unquestionably, one of the worst storms to hit Florida in our long history.

But not only are Florida agriculture and other industries desperately awaiting our help, our national security is also being impacted. Tyndall Air Force Base, one of the Nation's premier military installations, was completely demolished by this storm.

Since Congress has not passed emergency funding, the Air Force has been forced to move money from other accounts to help pay for the recovery. The Air Force is now facing even tougher choices, like limiting flying time and construction projects from other installations.

Madam Speaker, this is simply unacceptable. Maybe if the Senate Democrats would spend less time focused on running for President and more time doing the job that they were elected to do, folks back home would already have the disaster relief that they are due.

I voted, along with my House colleagues, to pass a supplemental back in December. In December, we passed that. The Senate Democrats have just obstructed that effort.

Entire small communities that were wiped away still have no assistance coming from the Federal Government. I hope the hardworking taxpayers of Florida remember this lack of concern when they go to the polls in 2020.

Our Senate is broken by a 60-vote cloture rule that has to be removed, and I hope the folks back home will remember this in November of 2020.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Dennis Brown on 50 years of employment at the Anheuser- Busch Jacksonville Brewery.

Mr. Brown began at the brewery in April of 1969, working onsite even before it packaged its first barrel of beer.

His attention to detail, unmatched work ethic, and commitment to quality has allowed him to excel as a leader in the brewery.

I have visited the Jacksonville brewery and can personally attest to its productivity and efficiency.

There is great honor in hard work at a job worth doing, and the admirable record of Mr. Brown's longevity speaks to his successful career.

I thank Mr. Brown for his part in making Budweiser the King of Beers and wish him the best in all future endeavors.

Cheers.

Madam Speaker, I was ill. Had I been present, I would have voted Nay on Roll Call No. 106, and Nay on Roll Call No. 107.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Mayor Nancy Shaver and her tenure of dedicated service to the citizens of St. Augustine, Florida. A strong advocate for the Nation's oldest city, Mayor Shaver recently stepped down from her position with an admirable record of leadership in her community.

Mayor Shaver, who previously served as a teacher and businesswoman, was elected to office in 2014. During her time as mayor, she was a tireless advocate for important issues that are very unique to the city of St. Augustine. It was my honor to work with her in the effort to combat sea level rise to protect our coastal economies and safeguard the priceless historical and cultural features that make St. Augustine so special.

As mayor, she exemplified the virtues of local government by putting citizens, not politics, first and remaining devoted to the northeast Florida community.

I thank Nancy Shaver for her commitment to the city of St. Augustine and our fellow citizens, for whom she so dearly cared. I wish her and her family the best in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments and the retirement of Major General Michael A. Calhoun, who has faithfully served America for over 40 years in numerous capacities, but most recently as Florida's Adjutant General for the last 4 years.

General Calhoun began his service as a private in 1977, and then he secured his commission in the Medical Service Corps. Throughout his distinguished career, he has served at every level of command in the State and was deployed overseas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning the respect and confidence of all under his command.

During his time as Adjutant General, he responded to five named storms that

impacted the State of Florida, one of which resulted in the largest mobilization of Florida guardsmen in the State's history.

It was during that time that I had the privilege of personally working extensively with General Calhoun, and I can personally attest to his commitment to excellence and to the people of the State of Florida.

Despite the rapid pace of operations over the past 4 years, General Calhoun never lost sight of his mission.

Mr. Speaker, I thank him for his selfless leadership and service, and I wish him and his wife, Sophia, the best in their retirement. A grateful State and Nation say thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the compromise appropriations package that includes major wins for our national security and our economic success. In fact, this move tonight will authorize seven different appropriation bills that fund critical agencies and programs within our government.

Now, this is not the bill that I would have written, and this is probably not the bill that any of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would have written, but we have all finally found a compromise that Congress can pass and the President has indicated he will sign into law.

This is not a loss for the President, but a win for the Department of Homeland Security, and a significant step in the right direction for border security.

Democrats called for no wall funding. Today we will approve $1.4 billion for new barriers. Democrats called for pro-abortion policies, but today, we will approve and maintain multiple pro-life protections.

Democrats called for less ICE detention beds. Today we will be approving funding for an estimated 45,000 beds and an additional $750 million for 13,000 beds, if needed.

We increased ICE funding by $500 million; increased CBP by almost $1 billion; and fund the first Coast Guard icebreaker in over 40 years.

This bill strengthens our national security and brings us one step closer to bringing our southern border under operational control.

This bill also includes many priorities that are of significant importance to northeast Florida. There is $4 billion in additional funding to help FEMA respond to national disasters like Hurricane Michael and Hurricane Florence.

There is $468 million to help local communities combat opioid trafficking, which has ravaged parts of northeast Florida.

On the first anniversary of 17 lives murdered in Parkland, Florida, I am proud to vote in support of $100 million in grants authorized under my STOP School Violence Act which was signed into law last year. Since the passage of this bill, the STOP School Violence Act has yielded over $175 million in grants to help protect schools across the United States.

I understand this is not a perfect bill before us today, but we cannot afford another shutdown that puts almost 1 million people out of work. We cannot afford another CR that kicks the can down the road, causing uncertainty and increasing the cost of government.

Let's end this stalemate, build the wall, and secure our southern border. I congratulate the committee, and I urge my colleagues to support this compromise package and send it to the President.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Indiana for yielding, and I appreciate this opportunity to speak for life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because there are actually elected leaders in this country, in the United States of America, who believe a baby can be left

to die after having been born alive. How is this even a debate in the United States of America?

When did murder become a partisan issue?

Some on the other side of the aisle call this ``parental choice'' and ``healthcare.''

But, Mr. Speaker, I tell you that infanticide is murder, not healthcare. And abortion is not the answer to a pre-born child's physical or mental disability.

But don't just take it from me. Listen to the words of Mr. Frank Stephens, who was actually born with Down syndrome and leads a remarkable life, a life worth living.

He had this to say about abortion: ``On abortion, I don't want to make it illegal. I want to make it unthinkable. Politicians change laws. I want to change people's hearts.''

Mr. Speaker, I want to partner with Frank Stephens because I believe that we can do both, making late-term abortion unthinkable, and illegal.

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained at the time of the vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 70; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 72; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 73; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 74; and ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 75

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the Knights of Columbus, a fraternal Catholic organization dedicated to charitable action.

Some of my colleagues have recently made disparaging comments about the mission of the Knights of Columbus, and I want to be clear: As a member of that proud organization, I am very proud of their humanitarian mission.

In 2017 alone, the Knights of Columbus raised $185 million in charitable contributions and contributed 75 million hours of service worldwide.

The Knights of Columbus stand firmly for protecting life in all its forms, most especially the unborn. They recently donated their one thousandth ultrasound machine to women's pregnancy centers in the U.S. and around the world.

Studies have shown that women who view these ultrasounds of their unborn child are much more likely to carry that child to term.

So on today's anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision; let's listen to the words of Carl Anderson, leader of the Knights of Columbus, who said:

``What greater legacy can a person have than to save a child's life?''

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, Ms. Granger, for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I am sad to again rise in opposition to this bill. It is now 27 days into this shutdown and almost 1 million people are out of work, and we are still bringing bills to the floor that have no chance at all of passing.

It is well past time for a compromise to be found, but, Mr. Speaker, that requires a reasonable negotiation.

Many Members in this Chamber, myself included, have expressed frustration over this political process and the lack of negotiation taking place here in the people's House when President

Trump has made it completely clear--in fact, he has offered negotiated positions and compromise, with no response from my good friends across the aisle.

The leader, I think, made some great points about our adversaries, our peer adversaries like China and Russia, and why this shutdown is a bad thing, which is why I ask them to come to the table and negotiate.

Everything he said, almost everything he said, I would agree with. Those are the reasons we need to come together and reasonably negotiate. And I think at the basis of all that, we should remember what this legislative body is all about, which is security for and service to our hardworking, taxpaying citizens. We are 435 different voices from different walks of life, and we know the perfect agreement is rarely possible.

However, making compromises and trading ideas would do us a whole lot of good right now, but that requires reasonableness. It is time to come together on behalf of the American people and stop this political bickering that is befalling this conversation.

Our country is in desperate need of border security, but we aren't even talking about that now. We are not talking about the humanitarian crisis.

Mr. Speaker, we can do better. I ask the Speaker to come to the table, find a compromise, and let's get back to the work of the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 46th annual March for Life.

In Congress, I believe I have the responsibility to support life beginning at conception, which is why I voted last Congress to defend life and defund Planned Parenthood. However, I am disheartened this legislative body continues to funnel taxpayer money to the abortion industry.

The often repeated talking point that Planned Parenthood exists as a woman's health organization has now been refuted by its very own president. She had this to say about Planned Parenthood: ``Our core mission is providing, protecting, and expanding access to abortion and reproductive healthcare.''

Madam Speaker, I am a proud cosponsor of the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, which reroutes Federal dollars to community health centers, where women can still get the care they need while protecting the sanctity of life. An organization whose core mission has taken the lives of 61 million unborn children should not be receiving taxpayer funds.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the political ultimatum that has now poisoned this bill.

I had anticipated originally that I would support Chairwoman Lowey's proposal to provide disaster relief to American families who were struggling to rebuild from these recent disasters, like Hurricane Michael that tore up my State of Florida. However, last night, the majority slipped into this bill another short-term continuing resolution that they know will hold this bill back from ever becoming law.

Instead of doing the right thing and passing a clean disaster relief bill, the other side of the aisle continues to play games in an effort to resist the President's call for border security with Mexico.

The Senate and the President have made it clear that government funding bills brought to the floor without border security will not be signed into law.

It is time to accept the reality of the situation that we find ourselves in. Compromise is the only path forward.

But the other side of the aisle seems content to blame the President while punishing victims of natural disasters, including those in the Speaker's own home State of California, who desperately need this relief as they recover from devastating wildfires. Attempting to score political points at the expense of innocent disaster victims is despicable and no way to legislate.

This bill before us today could have provided much-needed relief for Florida families recovering from Hurricane Michael. And it is not just families who will suffer; it is also the Florida farmers, and many Americans who rely on them, who had their crops devastated by this storm.

It is 26 days into the shutdown, and we are still playing these games. Madam Speaker, if you are serious about providing disaster relief to Americans, bring a clean supplemental funding bill to the floor. Stop playing these games with constituents in the northeast and the Panhandle of Florida.