Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, since taking office, President Biden and Vice President Harris have thrown open our doors to more than 10 million illegal immigrants, more than 99.7 percent of whom are still in the United States today.

This mass illegal immigration poses a national security risk, with Border Patrol agents lacking the tools and resources needed to stop, apprehend, and deport illegal immigrants. With cities now strained by illegal immigrants taking up shelter in school gyms and utilizing resources already stressed by record inflation, American communities are now forced to confront this crisis created by an open-border policy.

In New York City alone, free hotels, free healthcare, and debit cards have attracted more than 100,000 migrants since the spring of 2022, and more than 65,000 of them remain in New York City today.

It is time for the House to pass the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act, which would prohibit our tax dollars from being used by sanctuary cities to benefit these illegal immigrants.

We need to return to the secure-border policies that we had under President Donald J. Trump. It is time to secure our borders, and it is time to disincentivize the policies that made each and every State a border State.

Streamline Enrolling in Out-of-State Medicaid Programs

Mr. Speaker, later today, the House will consider the Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act. This important legislation will streamline the process for doctors to enroll in out- of-State Medicaid programs in order to provide much-needed care for children.

Last year, I met with two of my constituents from Perry County, Derek and Amy Nesbit, who shared with me the story of their son, William, and William's battle with leukemia.

Throughout William's treatment, the Nesbit family was met with red tape and bureaucracy that led to difficulties in receiving the treatment that William so desperately needed and the treatment that William deserved.

Tragically, William lost his battle with leukemia, and since then, the Nesbits have dedicated their time and resources to advocating for a better system for the children and families who are affected with diseases.

Children enrolled in Medicaid deserve access to the best possible care, and we have a responsibility to remove obstacles that exist because of where a patient lives.

Today, I am proud to support this important bill, the Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act, which will remove these barriers and enable access to timely and quality care for all of our kids.

Mr. Speaker, as Congress returns to Washington to address the Biden-Harris administration's reckless spending, the American people are continuing to face consequences of runaway inflation.

According to a recent Census Bureau survey, more than 35 percent of Pennsylvanians struggle to afford basic goods, gasoline, and groceries.

With prices rising by more than 20 percent since President Biden and Vice President Harris took office, it is the American people who have been left to pay the bill for the administration's failed spending policies.

Instead of working to lower prices and supporting American families, Vice President Harris championed reckless policies, including subsidies for purchasing electric vehicles and a student loan bailout paid for by hardworking American citizens.

America cannot afford another 4 years of far-left spending. It is time to put a stop to reckless spending that has brought on this inflation and once again return to the fiscal restraint and the strong economic policies put in place by President Donald J. Trump.

Food Security is National Security

Mr. Speaker, from the dairy farms, cornfields, and orchards of Pennsylvania to the cattle ranches of the Midwest, American farmers produce the meat, the dairy, and the vegetables that feed American families.

However, that food supply has been put in danger as the Chinese Communist Party affiliates have begun to purchase our farmland, creating a dangerous American security risk.

By adding the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS, we can create the oversight that is needed to prevent our farmland from being purchased by the Chinese Communist Party.

It is time to pass the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act to ensure that the CCP is not continuing to make purchases in the production, development, transportation, or storage of our food supply.

Food security is national security. Shielding these assets from outside interference will help to ensure that American interests are the top priority for the farming industry.

Let's make sure that our fields are cared for by American farmers and American growers and that our food security is preserved.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding.

On July 13, the Secret Service failed in its mission to protect President Donald J. Trump. By failing to properly secure the perimeter, by failing to adequately communicate about a security threat, a known security threat, and by failing to keep President Trump from being struck by a shot fired by a would-be assassin, the Secret Service failed the American people.

While the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is a necessary first step, it does not absolve the agency of its responsibility for what occurred.

To address this critical flaw, Congress must investigate the circumstances that led up to this incident, including the decisions that were made and including the decisions that should have been made to prevent this tragedy.

Among those who were struck by gunfire was Fire Chief Corey Comperatore, who was killed while shielding his wife and daughter.

There needs to be accountability for what happened on that Saturday afternoon in Butler County, and I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 1367, Establishing the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump.

Mr. Speaker, for the past 3\1/2\ years, the Biden-Harris administration has brought nothing but failure and crisis into communities and homes across America.

Beginning with the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan to runaway inflation at the gas pump and grocery store, we have seen nothing but catastrophe from an administration that has been unable and unwilling to meet the needs of the American people.

Since President Biden took office and Vice President Harris was named the border czar, nearly 10 million illegal immigrants have been encountered at our southern border and points of entry. This failure to keep our border secure is proof that this administration is more focused on allowing mass, illegal immigration than it is on protecting the safety and the security of the American citizens.

It is time to return to the remain in Mexico policy that we had under President Donald J. Trump. It is time for a President who will put a stop to the illegal fentanyl that continues to pour across our southern border and poison and kill our neighbors, friends, and children. It is time for a leader who will keep America safe.

Bedford County Fair

Mr. Speaker, this week the Bedford County Fair is celebrating its 150th anniversary. For generations of families in central Pennsylvania, this fair has been an incredible opportunity to come together and celebrate the farmers, the growers, and the workers who do so much to support agriculture not just in south central Pennsylvania, but throughout Pennsylvania and throughout America.

During this week, there will be 4-H auctions, tractor pulls, bull riding, and agriculture showcases that all highlight the work that is being done in agriculture in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.

Yesterday, I had the chance to visit the fair and meet with the farmers who are suffering from the inflation and the government red tape created by the Biden-Harris administration that has made it so difficult for our farmers to maintain the productivity that they expect and that America deserves.

It is time for Congress to take a stand and pass legislation that supports our agriculture sector. That is why I am proud to sponsor the Dairy Pride Act, which would stop nondairy products from appearing in the dairy aisle and the dairy produce sections.

As the Bedford County Fair marks this 150th anniversary, let's make a commitment to standing with the American farmers who help to provide the nutritious, wholesome food that Americans so desperately need and that Americans want.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for holding this Special Order.

Tonight, we are here to mourn the passing of Corey Comperatore. As a firefighter, as a veteran of the U.S. Army reserves, Corey lived his life in service of those that he loved--his family, his friends, his community, and of course his country.

Through his years of service with the Buffalo Township Fire Department, Chief Comperatore was familiar with danger, and he did not hesitate to take action when he began to hear the sounds of bullets that Saturday afternoon, immediately shielding his wife and his daughter from the incoming fire. He gave his life shielding his family from the danger that was present around him.

The violence that Corey faced in his final moments was horrific. We have all made clear that horrific violence has no place in American political lives.

In the week since his death, his neighbors have continued to come forward, sharing incredible stories of a man who was compassionate, kind, and caring. Together, as a body, we mourn his death, and we pray for those he loved and those he has left behind.

Tonight, with my Pennsylvania colleagues, we join together in praying for the family of Corey Comperatore. May he rest in peace and may he rise in glory in his Savior, Jesus Christ.

Again, I thank my colleague from Pennsylvania for leading this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, in the 3\1/2\ years since President Biden first took office, our country has seen inflation grow by over 20 percent.

By failing to control runaway prices that have seen the cost of gasoline spike by 50 percent and the cost of groceries rise by over 20 percent, President Biden has failed the American people.

Instead of addressing the fact that the average family is now paying an additional $1,000 a month to afford the basics, President Biden has canceled student loan debt, increased government spending, and mandated Green New Deal initiatives that only drive costs higher and higher.

This inflation is simply a tax on every American. As a result, real wages have fallen by nearly 4 percent since 2021.

Throughout his Presidency, while Americans have been forced to use their savings just to make ends meet, President Biden has been asleep at the wheel. The American people deserve a President who will once again put their needs first. It is time to rein in the wasteful spending of the Biden administration and return to the fiscal restraint that we saw under President Trump.

Enhance Our Election Security

Mr. Speaker, this past week, as we celebrated the Fourth of July, we recognized the 248th anniversary of declaring that we could govern ourselves.

As American citizens, it is our right to elect our representatives at every level of government. In recent years, however, we have seen States and localities permit noncitizens to register and vote in U.S. elections. Allowing this to occur directly undermines the sanctity of our elections.

It is time to confront and address this issue by passing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which would ensure that anyone registering to vote provides proof of U.S. citizenship.

Further, this legislation would provide States with access to existing Federal databases, giving them the tools that they need to clean up voter registration rolls and remove non-U.S. citizens.

Let's make this clear: Only eligible U.S. citizens should vote in each and every American election. It is time to enhance our election security, and it is time to put a stop to noncitizens voting in U.S. elections.

Mr. Speaker, last month more than 170,000 illegal immigrants crossed at our southern border.

More than the populations of the Pennsylvania counties of Mifflin, Perry, Juniata, Fulton, and Bedford combined crossed last month.

Instead of securing our border and protecting our sovereignty, President Biden has systematically destroyed the border security measures put in place by President Trump.

By ending the remain in Mexico policy, by instituting procedures to allow for mass asylum, and allowing those with suspected connections to terrorism to enter into our country, President Biden has put every American family at risk.

Pennsylvania families and no American can afford the costs and the risks of an open border.

It is time to pass legislation that fully funds our Border Patrol and equips them with the personnel, the tools, and the training that they need to confront the crisis that continues to this day at our southern border.

We Cannot Protect Our Nation With Failed Leadership

Mr. Speaker, as adversaries like Russia and North Korea continue to forge new relationships and as Iranian- backed terrorists continue to attack our ships in the Middle East, it has become clear that President Biden's weak and ineffective foreign policy has failed the American people.

From the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan to the inability to stop Chinese-led cyberattacks, President Biden has shown time and time again that he is not able to do the work that is required of the Commander in Chief.

We know that weakness only invites aggression, and under President Trump's leadership, our Nation was respected on the world stage. It is time to fulfill our commitment to creating a Nation that is safe and to provide our military with the support needed to protect, to train, to equip, and adequately pay our servicemembers.

We cannot protect our Nation with failed leadership, and we cannot keep Americans safe while President Biden continues to fail in his duty to deter our adversaries.

Mr. Speaker, for the past 18 months, House Republicans have worked to create a border that is secure and a Nation that is safe.

Throughout that time, President Biden has ended the remain in Mexico policy. He has thrown open our borders to a record number of illegal immigrants. He has allowed billions of dollars in cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl to enter through our porous borders.

Now, amid his falling poll numbers, President Biden is issuing an executive order on the border crisis in a very lame attempt to save his struggling campaign. These halfhearted policies are too little, too late, and do nothing to stop the surge in illegal immigration and drug smuggling that have put each and every American at risk. Since President Biden took office, there have been 1.8 million known got- aways, which is higher than the combined total of known got-aways in the previous 10 years.

Instead of offering up political stunts, it is time for the President to support H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, which would build the wall, end catch and release, and give our Border Patrol agents the tools that they need to keep America safe.

Honoring Sam Worley

Mr. Speaker, as we mark the 80th anniversary of the D-day landings, we are reminded of the incredible sacrifices that were made by the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who fought for the freedoms that occurred because of that success of World War II. One of those men was Sam Worley.

As a part of an intelligence unit, Sam Worley worked to decode classified messages and organize the bomber squadrons and their fighter escorts that helped pave the way for the Normandy landings.

This week, Sam will celebrate his 103rd birthday. Since returning home to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Sam Worley has become an important member of the Franklin County community.

In addition to his 34 years at the Valley Bank and Trust Co., Sam Worley served 8 years as chairman of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners. He served more than 20 years as a representative on the Chambersburg Borough Council, culminating in his service as the Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, mayor.

Sam Worley remains to this day heavily involved with a variety of local groups and organizations, including the YMCA, Kiwanis, The American Legion, and Masonic Lodge. He also attends and speaks at many veterans' events and public gatherings.

On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I wish Sam Worley a happy birthday.

Mr. Speaker, this April, Border Patrol agents encountered more than 170,000 illegal immigrants attempting to enter our country under President Biden's open southern border.

Border security is national security, and President Biden has shown a complete and systematic failure to protect the sovereignty of this great Nation.

Since President Biden took office, more than 350 individuals on the terrorist watch list have been apprehended attempting to enter the United States. That doesn't include those who came through without being apprehended.

By continuing to promote catch and release policies to facilitate illegal immigration, President Biden has continued to incentivize those who wish to harm us and cross at open borders.

A President who refuses to enforce our laws and secure our borders cannot effectively lead the American people. We need to equip our Border Patrol agents with the tools necessary to enforce our laws. It is time for the Senate to pass H.R. 2. It is time for the Senate to work with us to keep all Americans safe.

The Data is Clear

Mr. Speaker, in a recent survey conducted by The Wall Street Journal, more than 33 percent of parents reported that they were struggling financially solely because of inflation.

Since President Biden took office, inflation has risen by almost 20 percent, leading to decreased savings, rising debt, and financial insecurity for millions of Americans.

In April, the United States added just 175,000 nonfarm payroll jobs, far below the 240,000 jobs that economists had forecasted.

The data is clear: President Biden's spending spree, coupled with the red tape that crushed American supply chains, has created soaring inflation that continues to impact each and every aspect of our economy.

Americans can't afford another year of President Biden's wasteful and reckless spending.

As we begin the appropriations process, it is time to put a stop to Biden's runaway budget. It is time to cut off funding to Green New Deal energy initiatives that subsidize windmills and solar farms that fail to provide the base source of power that we need. It is time to stop wasting taxpayer dollars on far-left policies that Americans do not want and that Americans cannot afford.

Mr. Speaker, since President Biden took office, the price of gasoline has risen 55 percent, the price of electricity is up close to 30 percent, the price of groceries is up more than 20 percent, and the price of baby food is up 30 percent.

Across Pennsylvania, families are feeling the effects of this inflation. On average, they are paying an additional $70 a month for housing and an additional $240 a month for transportation. Since 2021, Pennsylvania households have spent over $20,000 more than they would have because of inflation.

Recently, President Biden has attempted to claim that inflation was already at 9 percent annually when he took office, when, in fact, it was only at 1.4 percent.

What we are seeing is a President who has failed in his duty to protect American families. In central Pennsylvania, more than 100,000 families make less than $50,000 a year. Mothers shouldn't have to make a decision on whether to buy gasoline or to buy school lunches. Parents should not have to worry at the kitchen table about paying their credit card bill or their rent.

This is the reality that President Biden's radical spending spree has created over the past 4 years. It is time to return to fiscal sanity, and it is time to once again be responsible stewards of the taxpayer dollar.

No matter what President Biden says in his campaign speeches, inflation is the fault of his administration, and it is time to put a stop to the President's failed policies.

Recognizing Memorial Day

Mr. Speaker, as we recognize Memorial Day, we remember and honor the over 1.1 million Americans who have given their lives while serving in the Armed Forces. These men and women are heroes. The American story is not told without recognizing the price that they have paid to ensure our continued freedom.

In Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, we understand the terrible price that freedom costs. It was in Gettysburg, following the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, that President Lincoln said we must: ``take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.''

In the western part of our district, Cambria County was home to both United States Marine Corps Sergeant Michael Strank and U.S. Army Captain Harry Cramer.

Sergeant Strank was one of the marines who raised the American flag on Iwo Jima. He was killed several days later during heavy fighting on that island.

Captain Cramer was a Green Beret, one of the Army's most highly trained warriors who, in 1957, would become the first American casualty during the war in Vietnam.

These stories are very representative of the men and women across our country who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

This weekend, amid graduation parties and summer barbecues, please take a moment to recognize these brave men and women who swore an oath to defend our Nation and gave the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our freedoms.

Mr. Speaker, during National Police Week, we recognize the brave men and women of law enforcement who serve and protect our communities each and every day.

From carrying out arrest warrants to conducting outreach at our schools to patrolling our streets, police officers provide invaluable service to our communities, helping to keep each and every American safe.

Far too often, these officers experience threats and violence in their work, and tragically, 136 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty last year.

It was President Ronald Reagan who said: ``Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid.'' Through their heroic actions, these officers embodied the spirit of that message, and we can never truly fully repay the debt that we owe them.

This week, let's recommit ourselves to standing with law enforcement and ensuring that these men and women have the tools and resources that they need to do their jobs safely and effectively.

investing in american energy

Mr. Speaker, under President Biden's failed leadership, energy prices have skyrocketed, and American families are feeling the effects of an administration that has neglected our energy security in favor of far-left Green New Deal policies.

Since President Biden took office, energy prices have soared by 30 percent, squeezing families who are already hurting from President Biden's inflation.

By canceling the Keystone XL pipeline, by halting new oil and natural gas leases, and by deploying new EPA rules that limit new development, Joe Biden has sent a clear message that he cares more about scoring political points with his base than he does about the safety and the security of the American people.

This past January, the Biden administration announced a ban on new LNG export projects, empowering countries like Russia and Iran while hurting our allies who depend on U.S. energy.

Now isn't the time to rely on ineffective energy sources like wind turbines and solar farms. We know that the power American families need is underneath the feet of my constituents in Pennsylvania. Unlocking the natural gas that we have can lower energy prices while providing clean and reliable power.

Now isn't the time for new regulations that limit energy growth. It is time to invest in American energy and put a stop to the Green New Deal.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, there is a saying in the medical field that children are not just small adults. Children have unique medical needs, and ensuring that they receive the correct care from the moment that an ambulance is called is critical in helping to save individual lives.

For decades, the Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act has helped to protect some of the most vulnerable members of society when they are in need. Any parent or grandparent who has a child who is sick will tell you that making sure that they can recover is the most important thing in their world.

Reauthorizing the EMSC program will help provide tailored medical equipment, increase training materials for paramedics and EMTs, and develop educational materials that cover every aspect of pediatric emergency care.

Since this program was first enacted, pediatric injury-related death rates have fallen by more than 40 percent, and we can only hope and pray that this recovery rate continues to fall.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this vital legislation.

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her leadership on this legislation.

Mr. Chair, over the past 3 years, the Biden administration has fought to enact a far-left energy agenda that stifles innovation, raises prices, and halts economic growth. Burdensome regulations that fail to decrease energy usage and cost consumers more to buy appliances should not be enacted.

This legislation would put a stop to the Department of Energy's continued crackdown on American-made appliances and implement minimal thresholds for energy or water savings that would need to be met before any new regulations could be created.

The Biden administration's war on energy is reaching into the American home, and it is closing the door to your refrigerator and draining your dishwasher. Ultimately, it would cost American families more money.

Further, this bill would ensure that the Secretary of Energy cannot unilaterally ban products because of the type of fuel that they use.

In order to lower prices and to protect our energy independence, it is vital that we continue to utilize energy resources like natural gas that is underneath the feet of my constituents in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Chair, I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

What Biden administration bureaucrats fail to realize is that poorly designed rules made here in Washington can have devastating consequences for Pennsylvania communities. From south central to southwestern Pennsylvania, Gettysburg to Johnstown, Altoona to Bedford, Chambersburg to Lewistown, this impact will be felt.

This rule from the Department of Energy would only serve to worsen the crippling shortages of transformers already faced by American manufacturers.

Just recently, I spoke to a business in Pennsylvania that had been forced to wait 18 months for transformers to open their new business. These shortages are leading to costly delays that ultimately cost jobs, cost livelihoods, and cost the American public.

Mr. Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, last week, President Biden unilaterally made the decision to cancel more than $6.1 billion in debt for 300,000 art students across our country.

This is a bailout. This bailout is an insult to the tens of millions of Americans who either paid off their student loans or who never attended college in the first place.

Instead of using taxpayer dollars in an attempt to win votes, President Biden should be turning his attention to the runaway inflation that has impacted every man, woman, and child in America. Parents shouldn't have to choose between buying gas or buying groceries for their families. Parents should not have to dip into their savings or into their retirement accounts to afford basic goods.

Sadly, under President Biden, these decisions have become all too common. It is time to stop wasting taxpayer dollars on student bailouts and Green New Deal initiatives. It is time to return to fiscal restraint. It is time to put a stop to the runaway inflation that has become the trademark of the Biden administration.

Biden Administration's Secret Flights

Mr. Speaker, last week, the House Homeland Security Committee released documents that identified over 45 airport locations that were used by President Biden to secretly fly over 400,000 illegal immigrants into our country.

These documents, which the Biden administration only turned over under subpoena, show that Secretary Mayorkas and President Biden have been transporting illegal immigrants into communities across the United States.

It is clear that President Biden is using our regional airports to spread this crisis and effectively make each and every State a border State.

The American people cannot afford to have a Homeland Security Secretary that fails to keep America safe, and Pennsylvania families cannot afford a President who cares more about illegal immigrants than about the American people.

Mr. Speaker, last week, the EPA delivered a devastating blow to American energy generators with the decision to impose severe regulations that are designed to close the power plants that Pennsylvania communities rely on each and every day.

This heavy-handed approach to regulation is the clearest sign yet that President Biden is more interested in catering to the far left than supporting American families.

Instead of investing in the resources that are underneath the feet of my constituents in Pennsylvania, President Biden has chosen to placate his far-left base by attempting to close the coal-powered plants that generate nearly 20 percent of our electricity.

It is time to send a clear message that this administration cannot gamble away our energy stability by relying on inconsistent Green New Deal technologies like windmills and solar panels.

Risking blackouts during the heat of summer, when the loss of power can ultimately be deadly, is too high a price to pay in order to score political points. The EPA must immediately reverse its course of action and allow American energy producers to continue to lead the way on reliable production of energy.

Secure Our Border and Put an End to the Opioid Crisis

Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, California announced that it had seized 1.1 million fentanyl pills as well as 523 pounds of methamphetamine in just 7 days.

The active components of fentanyl are shipped from China with the consent of the Chinese Communist Party, manufactured by cartels in Mexico, and then shipped into the United States. This process has fueled the opioid crisis that continues to make each and every State a border State.

We have seen the devastating consequences that these drugs have on our area. Right now, more than 40 percent of Americans know someone who has been killed by an overdose. Furthermore, I feel that each and every Member of Congress knows multiple individuals who have died from fentanyl poisoning.

Sadly, these deaths are preventable, and it is time for President Biden to take the necessary steps to secure our southern border. A border crisis that allows millions of fentanyl pills to enter our Nation endangers the lives of each and every American.

By ending the remain in Mexico policy and by reinstating catch and release, President Biden has sent a clear message to the Mexican cartels that they can continue to break American laws. It is time to secure our border. It is time to put an end to this crisis.