Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I was unavailable, and I missed the following roll call votes.

Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 218; YEA on Roll Call No. 219; NAY on Roll Call No. 220; NAY on Roll Call No. 221; YEA on Roll Call No. 222; YEA on Roll Call No. 223; YEA on Roll Call No. 224; YEA on Roll Call No. 225; YEA on Roll Call No. 226; YEA on Roll Call No. 227; YEA on Roll Call No. 228; NAY on Roll Call No. 229; NAY on Roll Call No. 230; YEA on

Roll Call No. 231; and NAY on Roll Call No. 232.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise to oppose the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 7809, the Communities Deserve Cops Act. My bill will make retention and hiring bonuses allowable for COPS grants.

Madam Speaker, I spent over 40 years in law enforcement, including 12 as sheriff, and I know firsthand the challenges that agencies all across America are facing in hiring, training and retaining their personnel. However, the challenges I faced as sheriff pale in comparison to what these agencies face today.

Police departments across America are in the middle of a hiring crisis. After years of far-left politicians defunding, demoralizing, and delegitimizing police officers, we are seeing now the disastrous results. A recent survey, as was mentioned earlier, found some cities are facing shortages as high as 17 percent. Just last year, retirements nationwide went up 45 percent.

And guess what? Violent crime also increased in every major city across the Northeast almost. Less officers equals more crime, plain and simple.

Madam Speaker, this pattern of retirements and difficulty recruiting new officers is unsustainable and will have disastrous effects.

My legislation makes a very small but necessary change to how COPS grants are utilized. In addition to using COPS funding to hire, train, and equip officers, agencies will be able to use Federal dollars to offer financial bonuses up to $5,000 to keep officers on the force and to attract and hire new officers.

I know many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle claim to support law enforcement. So I ask you: Join with us in this important moment. Join with us in voting ``yes'' today that you will fund and not defund the police.

As we wrap up National Police Week, let's show the police officers across America that we have their back.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will offer an amendment to H.R. 7309, which will increase skills development for individuals seeking careers in law enforcement, especially in these States that we have seen increasing violent crime.

My amendment would modify the list of employment and workforce development activities that States must carry out with State set-aside funding under the Adult and Dislocated Worker Programs.

This amendment requires that States that have experienced an increase in violent crime over the previous year use those State set-aside funds to provide training services for individuals seeking a career in law enforcement. Those funds must also support training services for law enforcement involved in border protection in relevant States.

After 2 years of my colleagues across the aisle calling to defund the police, we are seeing cities in America in crisis. Police agency budgets have been slashed, making it impossible to hire, equip, and train officers. These calls have demoralized and delegitimized officers, causing high attrition rates and making it nearly impossible to hire new officers.

Criminals have noticed, and violent crime is rising because of it. Just look at the news any night. It has made the already dangerous job of law enforcement even more dangerous and unsafe. And in 2021, an officer was attacked and killed every five days in America.

Madam Speaker, all our communities are less safe because of it. This Police Week, instead of focusing on supporting law enforcement's hiring and retention and making our communities safer, my colleagues are forcing a partisan, flawed approach to labor force development. But my amendment will help build the workforce that we really need to focus on, and that is peace officers.

At a time when law enforcement retirements are up 45 percent nationwide, and some cities still can't fill up to 17 percent of their open positions, we desperately need to invest in retraining law enforcement officers.

As a former law enforcement officer myself, I know firsthand the importance of developing a strong pipeline of law enforcement cadets. We are far from that now so we must direct our Federal workforce investments to career fields that directly and positively impact the safety of our communities across America.

If we adopt the motion to recommit, we will instruct the Committee on Education and Labor to consider my amendment to invest in the next generation of our law enforcement officers.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Andrew Burk for being named St. Johns County Teacher of the Year.

Mr. Burk received this honor for his work as band director and teaching sixth, seventh, and eighth grade music classes at Valley Ridge Academy. Teaching since 2017, he has received awards for both outstanding educational leadership and high academic classroom achievement.

Mr. Burk uses innovative teaching methods to help students learn faster and play advanced music earlier in their musical development. Outside of the classroom, he was also a cofounder of the Collegiate Music Education Day at the Florida Capitol.

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

Congratulating the FOAR From Home Rowing Team

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the FOAR From Home rowing team for crossing the Atlantic Ocean in 51 days, 11 hours, and 41 minutes.

The team of four from Fernandina Beach rowed more than 3,000 miles, beginning in the Canary Islands and ending in Antigua. This unbelievable accomplishment was part of an annual race that takes place in December and included 30 different rowing teams.

The FOAR From Home team consisted of four American veterans: Billy Cimino of the United States Army, Cameron Hansen of the United States Air Force, A.M. Huppmann of the United States Navy, and Paul Lore of the United States Marine Corps.

The team raised money to help end veteran suicide, with proceeds going to K9s for Warriors, an organization in northeast Florida that pairs service dogs with veterans suffering from PTSD.

On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Florida, I thank FOAR From Home for their individual service to our Nation, and I congratulate them on a once-in-a-lifetime team accomplishment.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 471, the PAUSE Act, to protect all Americans from Biden's border crisis.

Madam Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H.R. 3807.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the memory of Steven Spickelmier who passed away at the age of 77 after a long battle with COVID-19.

Steve was a U.S. Navy and Air National Guard veteran, retiring as a master sergeant after 26 years of military service. His unmatched energy and positive impact on servicemen, veterans, and their families throughout northeast Florida displayed his incredible servant's heart.

Among Steve's many local roles, he served as chairman of the Veterans Council of Duval County and chairman of the Support Committee at Jacksonville National Cemetery, Madam Speaker, where he championed the annual Wreaths Across America program and the Memorial Day service. He was president of the Air Force Sergeants Association, Chapter 559, and field operations director for Florida's Missing in America project.

Steve attended Mandarin United Methodist Church and, among many other roles, he served as a church van driver for residents of a nearby retirement home to ensure all could worship together each Sunday.

On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Florida, I offer condolences to all who knew and loved Steve, especially his wife Glenda, the love of his life, for over 33 years.

Congratulating Mr. Charles Darwin Magdaluyo, Duval County's Teacher of

the Year

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Charles Darwin Magdaluyo for being named Duval County's Teacher of the Year. Charles received this honor for his work teaching ninth and twelfth grade human anatomy and physiology at Jean Ribault High School.

Serving as a teacher for 7 years, Mr. Magdaluyo is dedicated to helping students understand and succeed, even in difficult circumstances. Charles works with students to overcome the challenges and struggles they face, helping them to grow as individuals and develop skills that will help them long after they graduate.

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

Congratulating Ms. Shelby Goodwin, Nassau County Teacher of the Year

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Shelby Goodwin for being named Nassau County Teacher of the Year. Ms. Goodwin received this honor for her work teaching AP language and AP literature at Yulee High School.

Serving as a teacher for 6 years, Ms. Goodwin aims to help students learn lifelong lessons through an engaging classroom experience. Ms. Goodwin supports her students' development by working with them in class, coaching them in athletics, sponsoring student clubs, and co- directing a musical theater production.

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

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I would like to recognize a special place in my district, Fort Mose.

Near St. Augustine, Florida, it was the first legally sanctioned, free Black settlement in what is now the United States.

As early as the late 1600s, freedom seekers escaped enslavement in the English colonies and made their way to St. Augustine, then under Spanish rule.

An estimated 100 Africans were then given freedom in exchange for adopting Catholicism and declaring allegiance to Spain.

In 1994, the Fort Mose site was designated as a historic national landmark.

Fort Mose embodies the fight for freedom by Black Americans in the early days of our country, and it highlights a piece of Black history that is dramatically different from the more familiar story of slavery and oppression.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the men and women in law enforcement who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. In return, Congress owes it to them to do everything in our power to keep them safe.

As many of you know, I spent over 40 years in law enforcement, including 12 years as sheriff of Duval County, Florida. Sadly, some of my friends and colleagues paid the ultimate price in the line of duty. In fact, our memorial wall is filled with the names of too many good police officers who laid down their lives in service to their community.

When you are called to policing, you know the undertaking that you are taking is a dangerous job. This growing antipolice rhetoric and widespread efforts to defund police departments are leaving officers increasingly at risk to attacks, and communities are less safe.

In 2022, 89 officers around the country lost their lives to gunfire, beatings, stabbing, or vehicular assault, officers like Nassau County Deputy Joshua Moyers, who was killed last year in an attack while conducting a traffic stop in northeast Florida.

So, what are we doing in Congress to help stop these attacks? I have introduced a bipartisan bill called the Protect and Serve Act, which would increase penalties for individuals who deliberately target law enforcement officers with violence. In 2018, the Protect and Serve Act overwhelmingly passed the House 382-35.

I urge my Democrat colleagues to come back to the table and support this important legislation. Police officers' lives depend on it.

Madam Speaker, I was unavailable and missed Roll Call votes 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 2; NAY on Roll Call No. 3; NAY on Roll Call No. 7; NAY on Roll Call No. 8; NAY on Roll Call No. 9; and YEA on Roll Call No. 10.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Uncle Sam, also known as Pastor Terry Horn, on his longstanding and excellent work serving the children of our northeast Florida community.

Pastor Terry and his wife, Cynthia, run an organization called Metro City Kids, which teaches hope, healing, and patriotism to at-risk youth in inner-city Jacksonville. They teach a faith-based program that is focused on Biblical truths, moral values, good manners, and citizenship.

Uncle Sam and Cynthia are truly making a difference.

In fact, after the first 5 years in ministry in Jacksonville's public housing, juvenile crime, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, dropped 40 percent on those properties where they minister.

Thank you to Uncle Sam for making northeast Florida a safer and happier place for our youth.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Oklahoma for this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 1995, a bill to keep alien gang members from entering the United States.

The crisis at the southern border continues to rage, with over 160,000 illegal aliens pouring into the country every single month.

In fiscal year 2021, a record-breaking 1.7 million illegal aliens crossed our southern border, and that is only those who were caught. How many others avoided authorities and successfully entered into our country illegally?

Mr. Speaker, we know cartels are sending gang members across our border and into our communities. I can tell you--and as a former sheriff, I can assure you, Mr. Speaker--these gang members, these alien gang members, are bringing violence and drugs, and they are straining police resources in cities all across America. In fact, violent crime skyrocketed in many cities last year, and much of that was tied to gang violence.

I hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle can agree that alien gang members should not be allowed into the United States. A ``no'' vote on the previous question sends a message to those looking to bring crime and violence into our country that they are not welcome here.

Mr. Speaker, for the sake of my children, for the sake of your children, for the sake of our children, I would ask all of my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to vote ``no'' on the previous question and stop these illegal alien gang members.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the memory of an American hero, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Engineer Michael Freeland.

On November 11, Engineer Freeland tragically lost his life while saving another life at the scene of a horrible accident. He died as he lived: a hero. He was 36 years old.

Engineer Freeland was a firefighter with Jacksonville Fire and Rescue for 7 years and was assigned to Station 73. He is an example of the best of America: a hero who dedicated his life to the service of others.

Our community mourns this great loss, and our hearts are with his family and friends. I pray that his sacrifice will never be forgotten and that his loved ones may find peace in this difficult time.

Madam Speaker, I ask that the House observe a moment of silence.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about the Biden border crisis, which continues to rage every single day. For months, the Biden administration has had no answer for the hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who have streamed across our southern border.

Now we have learned that the President is actually considering a payment

of $450,000 to illegal immigrants who were arrested during the previous administration.

How on Earth is this acceptable in the United States of America? What has happened to our basic understanding of the rule of law? I refuse to allow a half-million-dollar handout of hardworking taxpayers' money to those who came here illegally.

That is why I am proud to support the Illegal Immigrant Payoff Prohibition Act, introduced by Congressman McClintock, which would prevent the attorney general from making these payments.

It is very simple: illegal immigrants should not be rewarded for breaking the law.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for bringing this bill forward. It is very much needed.

I rise, Mr. Speaker, to support the COPS Counseling Act, which is now one step away from reaching the President's desk, I hope.

I spent almost 40 years in law enforcement, including 12 as the sheriff of Duval County, Florida. So I can tell you, I have seen, firsthand, the challenges that some officers face in dealing with not just acute stress for many years but the chronic stress over every day that they go to work.

Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that law enforcement is a dangerous profession. But these officers face potential life-threatening situations every day they go to work, and that is the chronic stress that really has a significant mental health impact upon these officers. Every day, they put their lives in that breach in defense of our communities.

In recent years, we have seen a rise in ambush killings of officers and just overall assaults on officers, attacking them simply for the uniform that they wear. In fact, by just the middle of this year, we experienced as many shootings and killings of police officers as we did for the entire year of 2020.

We also witness now the demoralization, the delegitimization, and the defunding of police currently taking place around the U.S.

We have also watched law enforcement work through a deadly pandemic, losing so many officers to COVID-19 over these last 2 years.

To make things more difficult, many officers struggle to ask for help, even when they need it. Some officers feel traditional forms of counseling cannot truly understand what they are going through. They also might be concerned that seeking counseling could negatively impact on their careers. It could be seen as a weakness.

That is why the COPS Counseling Act is so very important.

Again, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas. This provides the opportunity for law enforcement officers to receive confidential and peer-led support services.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is going to save lives. It is going to save officers' lives, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the COPS Counseling Act to get this bill signed into law.