Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

It is deeply troubling to see the Biden administration put party ahead of the country, to put radical views ahead of the common good, to put leftwing fear-mongering ahead of the American people.

Sadly, that is exactly what happened when President Biden halted the permitting of additional liquefied natural gas export facilities.

Let's be clear. This is not a pause. It is the first step of a process to ban outright any future export of LNG--LNG--a form of energy that is under the feet of my constituents.

This was a political decision to pander to the far left that will lead to increased energy prices for American households. It will abandon our allies in their time of need. It will harm family sustaining jobs and relinquish American global energy leadership.

It is time to put a stop to the Biden administration's policies that increase prices for the sake of pandering to the President's political base.

It is critical that we pass the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act and ensure that liquefied natural gas can continue to support American energy dominance.

Why are we turning our back on American energy?

How can we turn away from American family sustaining jobs?

For what reasons are we turning our allies into the hands of Putin?

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in passing this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Special Counsel Robert Hur released a scathing report as part of a Department of Justice investigation into President Biden's mishandling of classified documents.

Despite evidence of President Biden's willful retention and disclosure of classified documents to his biographer, Special Counsel Hur's report recommended that no criminal charges be brought forward against President Biden.

This was in part because the special counsel determined that President Biden's memory had such ``significant limitations'' that it would not be possible to convince a jury that President Biden held a ``mental state of willfulness'' that a serious felony requires.

It is time for the White House to release the full recordings of President Biden's interview with the special counsel and for the American people to hear what was said in these meetings where the President was determined to be too incompetent to stand trial.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas followed a yearlong investigation into his failure to enforce the law and keep Americans safe.

Even as the border crisis has grown worse each month, with more than 300,000 illegal immigrants entering our Nation in December alone, Secretary Mayorkas has done nothing to secure our points of entry.

These crossings represent a failure of President Biden's catch and release program that has allowed illegal immigrants to live in the United States for up to a year before even receiving an immigration hearing.

Instead of utilizing the remain in Mexico policies that have proven effective, the Biden administration has opened our doors and opened our border, effectively making every State a border State and every city a border city.

We cannot afford to wait any longer. It is time to resume construction of a border wall. It is time to give Border Patrol agents the tools they need. It is time to, once again, secure our southern border. This impeachment was a vote for law and order in our communities and a vote to restore the rule of law at our southern border.

This vote was the constitutional duty of every Member of Congress to impeach a member of the cabinet who has failed to uphold his constitutional obligation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for holding this Special Order tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the remarkable achievements and years of dedicated service of Dr. Bruce Brod, MD, MCHI, FAAD to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.

Dr. Brod's unwavering commitment to excellence and leadership within the AADA has made a lasting impact on both organization and the dermatological community at large.

For four years, Dr. Brod has served as the chair of the American Academy of Dermatology Association's Council on Government Affairs and Health Policy. In this pivotal role, he has demonstrated unparalleled dedication and expertise, ensuring that dermatologists and their patients are well-represented in matters concerning federal and state government affairs, health care policy, and practice-related activities. His visionary leadership has been instrumental in cultivating member engagement and promoting a culture of professional responsibility within our organization.

Prior to his tenure as Council chair, Dr. Brod served as Chair of the Academy's Congressional Policy Committee, where he played a vital role in shaping and implementing the Academy's federal legislative agenda. His tireless advocacy efforts have had a profound impact on the advancement of dermatological care and access to treatment for patients across the country.

Dr. Brod's contributions extend far beyond his leadership roles within the American Academy of Dermatology Association. He has held prestigious positions including as president of the Pennsylvania Academy of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, Philadelphia Dermatological Society, and the American Contact Dermatitis Society, showcasing his exemplary leadership and dedication to the field.

In recognition of his outstanding achievements, Dr. Brod has received numerous awards and accolades, including a Presidential Citation and Advocate of the Year Award, Dermatologist of the Year Award, Practitioner of the Year Award, Physician Safety Patient Hero Award, and Presidential Citation, among others. These accolades are

a testament to his unwavering commitment to excellence and his profound impact on the dermatological community.

Currently serving on the American Academy of Dermatology Association's Board of Directors, Dr. Brod continues to be a driving force in shaping the future of dermatological care and advancing the mission of our organization.

On behalf of the entire dermatological community, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Bruce Brod for his years of exemplary service, leadership, and dedication to the American Academy of Dermatology Association. I thank Dr. Brod for his unwavering commitment to excellence and congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition.

Madam Speaker, as we speak, the Chinese Communist Party continues to imprison and detain more than 1 million Uyghurs in western China with as many as 100,000 subjected to forced labor. That is slavery.

This is a clear violation of human rights by the Chinese Communist Party who have continued to jail those who speak out against their oppression, and that includes Christian ministers. It is time for the United States to send a clear message that no products made with slave labor should be bought and sold in these United States.

It is time to pass the No Dollars to Uyghurs Forced Labor Act and prevent the State Department or U.S. agencies from purchasing any goods made by forced labor under the Chinese Communist Party. We cannot stand by as clothes, as sneakers, as batteries, and solar panels are manufactured under these conditions.

It is time to stand up against the Chinese Communist Party and put a stop to this human rights abuse.

Let's Stop Liberal Spending Priorities Ahead of Fiscal Security

Madam Speaker, last week a report from the Congressional Budget Office delivered the news that President Biden's so-called Inflation Reduction Act would ultimately cost an additional $428 billion over the next 10 years.

This runaway spending from Biden is yet another example of putting liberal spending priorities ahead of fiscal responsibility. Instead of using natural gas, coal, and Marcellus shale that is underneath the feet of my constituents in Pennsylvania, the Biden administration is using taxpayer dollars to incentivize Americans to buy electric vehicles that rely on batteries and parts manufactured under the Chinese Communist Party.

Let's be clear: A car made with a battery from China is a Chinese car. It is time to put a stop to failed EV subsidies that continue to push our Nation deeper into debt.

As I travel throughout central and southwestern Pennsylvania, I hear from constituents about electric vehicles that are ineffective during our harsh winters, and I hear from car dealers who tell me that these overpriced vehicles sit on their lots unable to be sold.

President Biden shouldn't be telling Americans what type of vehicles they can drive and what type of vehicles they cannot drive. It is time to unleash American energy dominance right here at home and put an end to the Green New Deal initiatives, the initiatives that are causing spending out of control.

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I specifically thank Chair McMorris Rodgers for her incredible work on this vital legislation.

As America continues to lead the way in research, development, and innovation of new therapies and medical devices, it is vital that these cures are available to the Americans who need them the most.

That is why today we are taking action to expand healthcare options to more patients than ever before by banning the use of quality- adjusted life years in all Federal programs.

More than 55,000 veterans live in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, many of whom were injured or disabled while serving in uniform for our country. For years, I cared for patients at the Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Blair County. This legislation will provide more protection for disabled veterans.

By passing the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act, we can ensure that institutions like the VA will never again use QALY formulas to determine if a disabled veteran should receive the treatment that they need, should receive the treatment that they deserve.

It is time to ensure that patients are protected and receiving the best quality care. All Americans, all patients, deserve that.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership and for holding this Special Order today.

Mr. Speaker, it was here in the U.S. Capitol, just a few hundred feet from where we are standing, that President Abraham Lincoln called on all of us ``to care for him who shall have borne the battle.''

Today, the House voted on legislation which will help us to carry on President Lincoln's promise. By passing the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act, the House voted to ensure that any patient using a Federal health program can never be turned away on the basis of using the quality-adjusted life years formulas.

Known as QALYs, these formulas have been used to determine if patients should receive certain medical treatments. In essence, this is rationing of medical care.

As a doctor, I treated patients at the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Eliminating the use of these formulas for all Federal programs will ensure that our veterans will be able to receive the care and the treatment that they need and that they deserve, continuing the promise of Abraham Lincoln.

Further, this legislation will help to protect Americans with disabilities and those with chronic diseases as well as children who receive their healthcare through Federal programs like CHIP.

Today, I was proud to vote in favor of this legislation that protects patients' access to the latest medical technologies and to the latest innovations.

Proudly, I can say that this legislation passed the House, and proudly I can say that we have voted to protect American patients.

Mr. Speaker, last night, the Senate released the text of legislation that would do irreparable harm to our border security.

By announcing a plan that permits thousands of illegal immigrants to enter the United States and creates new avenues for asylum, this is a bill that will only make our Nation more dangerous.

Incentivizing more illegal immigration will not address the crisis that has been created in border communities like Eagle Pass, Texas, or major cities like New York, where schools have been forced to close in order to house undocumented migrants.

Since Joe Biden took office, there have been more than 8 million illegal border crossings and 1.7 million known got-aways that have evaded our Border Patrol agents.

This massive surge has led to Border Patrol agents being forced to suspend vehicle inspections and patrols in order to handle the influx, leading to more opportunities for cartels to bring dangerous drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States.

It is clear that these issues are not being addressed by Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas and that his policies have contributed to a national security crisis.

Despite clear evidence that his refusal to comply with the law has led to unprecedented levels of illegal immigration, Secretary Mayorkas has implemented a catch-and-release scheme, violating detention requirements and misusing parole authority.

It is clear that the House must act to impeach Secretary Mayorkas and finally hold the Biden administration accountable for putting American lives at risk by allowing an open southern border.

Stop Playing Politics with Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Mr. Speaker, during his first year in office, President Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline, a decision that caused oil prices to rise and cost over 16,000 American jobs.

This decision was only the beginning of a sustained attack on American energy producers that the Biden administration has continued to carry out each and every day.

During his time in office, President Biden has ordered our Strategic Petroleum Reserve drained by over 40 percent. This reserve is meant to be used in case of a national security crisis, not to score cheap political points ahead of an election.

It is time to stop playing politics with our Nation's energy.

This week, the House will vote on H. Res. 987, which condemns the harmful and anti-American energy policies that have become the hallmark of Joe Biden's Presidency.

It is time to put an end to the failed energy policies that have led to higher prices at the gas pump across the entire United States.

It is time for Joe Biden to focus on returning to American energy dominance instead of continuing to dismantle our energy infrastructure--an infrastructure that is so vital to the strength of America.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is a sad day to see an administration choose party over country, radical views over the common good, and leftwing environmentalists over the American people. However, that is what happened a week and a half ago when President Biden halted permitting additional liquefied natural gas export facilities.

Let's be clear, this is not a pause. It is the first step of a process to ban outright any future export of LNG. This was a political decision to pander to the far left that will increase energy prices for American households. It will abandon our allies in their time of energy need. It will harm family-sustaining jobs, and it will relinquish American global energy leadership.

We will hear tonight from my colleagues of the many ways LNG exports strengthen our economic well-being and how this ban will weaken American security around the world.

First, before we get ahead of ourselves, let's quickly discuss the LNG industry, what it is, and why it is so important. LNG stands for liquefied natural gas. In a process where natural gas is cooled to a temperature of minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit, the gas becomes a liquid with a volume of one-six hundredth of its original size. This decrease in volume is what creates the possibility for LNG to be shipped around the world.

The exportation of LNG is only possible because of two incredible American technological achievements. The first took place in 1959 when an American proved that you could successfully and safely ship liquefied natural gas. The second was the shale revolution of the 2000s, and suddenly States like Pennsylvania, Texas, North Dakota, and Louisiana were able to produce huge amounts of natural gas.

This production dropped energy costs for Americans and led to our Nation being a net exporter of energy for the first time in 60 years. It was the technological innovation of extracting natural gas from shale that dramatically increased production. That, paired with our ability to liquefy natural gas and ship it, has allowed all of this to happen.

The American people have benefited significantly from these advances. The ability to export natural gas has driven investment to continue increasing natural gas production. This means more jobs in districts like mine in Pennsylvania and across rural America. It means more jobs in the pipeline industry, as companies invest in infrastructure to get the resources from the gas fields to the processing facility. It means more jobs on the coasts, where LNG export facilities are being operated and new ones are being built.

Important for all Americans, more production means more supply in the market, so natural gas prices have stayed lower and less volatile for American families. Finally, and ironically, given LNG's environmental detractors, it is better for the environment. American LNG is one of the cleanest baseload power fuel sources on the planet. President Biden's own Department of Energy trumpets the fact that U.S. LNG exports are 41 percent cleaner than competing Russian natural gas.

In summary, if exporting LNG leads to lower prices, more family- sustaining American jobs, and lower emissions, why would President Biden attempt to ban it? That is the question that we are struggling with tonight.

This action reeks of shortsighted election year politics that will have harsh, long-term effects on America. Along with all of my colleagues this evening, I urge President Biden to reverse this decision.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. James).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for his remarks.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana for his passionate presentation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to my colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his comments.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), my colleague on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for his remarks.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation has been blessed with abundant natural gas reserves, and thanks to the shale revolution, the resources under the feet of my constituents have been unlocked. The boom in natural gas production has brought jobs and hope back to small towns throughout Pennsylvania.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the great State of Ohio (Mr. Balderson).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, the graph beside me tells an incredible story. It talks about the volatility that occurs in natural gas prices. We see the spikes, but those spikes have diminished because of the shale revolution.

The access to natural gas has actually leveled off the price. This allows families to sit at their kitchen table and make budget plans because they know that next month they are not going to pay double or triple the cost of natural gas.

The shale revolution, the ability to utilize the resources that are under the feet of so many Americans, has allowed American financial stability to occur for American families.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his passionate presentation.

Mr. Speaker, as we discuss this issue, it is important to recognize that liquefied natural gas actually has a positive impact on emissions rather than a negative one. Because of the clean power that natural gas provides, the United States continues to lead the world in carbon emission reductions.

In the last 20 years, natural gas has led to a 32 percent reduction in carbon emissions right here in the United States. As I said before, President Biden's own Department of Energy trumpets the fact that U.S. liquefied natural gas exports are 41 percent cleaner than Russian natural gas.

Our continued innovation, our continued development has helped lead to new technologies that have made our energy sources cleaner and more affordable.

As we look around the world, no other Nation has matched our work in this area. If the Biden administration is truly serious about reducing carbon emissions, then a ban on LNG exports is truly a massive mistake.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana.

Mr. Speaker, I think there is a point that cannot be missed today: That we have Members of Congress from North, South, East, and West, from all corners of the U.S., questioning the Biden administration's reckless ban on the export of liquefied natural gas.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), my colleague and another member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, it is important to remember that every shipment of LNG that does not come from the United States has to come from somewhere else. Often that means that gas is being sold by our adversaries, including Russia and Iran.

At a time when Iranian-backed terrorists are killing American troops, the Biden administration is voluntarily opening up avenues for the Iranian Government to profit on the sale of liquefied natural gas.

Sadly, this is business as usual for an administration that fails time and time again to understand how its decisions can impact our national security.

We saw this when President Biden telegraphed his plan to withdraw from Afghanistan ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, emboldening the Taliban.

We saw this last week when the President failed to respond quickly to strikes carried out by Iranian-backed terrorists. We are seeing President Biden's failed foreign policy on display once again with this decision to withhold American liquefied natural gas from our friends and from our allies who need it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for her words.

Mr. Speaker, from my home State of Pennsylvania to the Gulf Coast, natural gas creates family-sustaining jobs that are vital for our communities. From 2005 to 2019, more than 1.4 million manufacturing jobs were created in the natural gas industry.

When President Biden stops the flow of LNG, he is sending a message to American families that are supported by these jobs. Biden is sending a message that his political welfare is more important than American families' livelihoods. Biden is sending a message that keeping his far- left base happy is more important than American families' financial stability. It is shameful. It is shameful for the President to pretend to care about the American workers and then make decisions that directly harm them.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Kean).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his comments.

Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons that our allies rely so heavily on American-made liquefied natural gas is because of its reliability.

In recent years, we have seen billions of tax dollars used to prop up failing energy producers like wind turbines and solar farms. While wind and solar should certainly be available, the fact is they are unable to sustain major electric grids. Without battery technology to store the energy collected by renewable energy sources, the United States and our friends and our allies will continue to rely on natural gas.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his words.

Mr. Speaker, from New Jersey to Florida, from Pennsylvania to California, liquefied natural gas, its production and export, has a positive effect on so many Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Fulcher).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Idaho, a fellow member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for his insight and comments.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining?

Mr. Speaker, as we have stated, the impact of stopping the export of liquefied natural gas affects all Americans.

We have had individuals from all over, Representatives, who know the impact financially to their constituents. They know the impact on jobs to each one of the Americans who are in the natural gas industry. We understand, and this is not lost on us.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for his remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I thank all of the Members who have joined us this evening to hold this Special Order to address President Biden's policy failure on liquefied natural gas. Since his first day in office, President Biden has worked to dismantle our Nation's energy production, revoking permits, stonewalling new development, and using red tape to harass our energy producers.

The decision to halt the permitting of LNG exportation facilities is the next step in an agenda that puts Green New Deal policies ahead of American families.

The Biden administration has continually passed the buck for high prices by blaming domestic energy producers. Biden's regulatory assaults destroy any incentive for domestic energy producers to invest in building our natural gas infrastructure.

Now, most recently, President Biden announced that his administration would no longer hold court-ordered offshore oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska.

Liquefied natural gas is safe, affordable, and easy to transport. That is why this week 150 of my colleagues and I were led by E&C Chair Rodgers and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to demand that President Biden overturn this terrible decision. We know that this energy source, which is underneath the feet of my constituents, will help power our allies, it will help create American jobs, and it will help reduce emissions.

Instead of embracing this technology, President Biden has caved to his far-left base who refuse to recognize the benefits that LNG has for America. A single shipment of LNG can power an entire city, and, yet, the Biden administration has refused to allow these shipments.

Tonight, we have heard about the dangerous impacts that the cutting of LNG exports have from raising prices here at home to funding our adversaries by forcing European nations to rely on energy from Russia and from Iran.

Let's be clear. President Biden is choosing to cut American jobs and fund our enemies. When it comes to our energy security, appeasing liberal activists can have long-lasting and very dangerous consequences. We all must continue to urge the Biden administration to reverse this disastrous decision and allow liquefied natural gas exports to continue and to power communities around the world.

It is time to return to American energy dominance, and it is time to stop using our energy security as a pawn in political games.

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

Mr. Speaker, since being sworn into office, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has failed in his duty to keep our Nation safe.

In December, more than 300,000 illegal immigrants crossed into our country.

By using so-called parole to allow millions of illegal immigrants into the United States and by ending the remain in Mexico policy, Secretary Mayorkas has manufactured a national security disaster.

This crisis isn't just contained to Texas and Arizona. The deadly drugs, like fentanyl, that have poured into our Nation on Secretary Mayorkas' watch have made each and every State a border State.

It is clear that Secretary Mayorkas is unfit to hold office, that his inaction has cost Americans dearly. It has cost American lives.

It is time for this Congress to impeach Secretary Mayorkas for his failure to uphold the law.

Mr. Speaker, since President Biden took office, inflation has risen by over 17.2 percent. The spike in prices from the gas pump to the grocery store has forced Americans to spend, additionally, $11,000 a year just to afford basic goods.

A family can't afford repair bills that have increased due to inflation, young people cannot save money to buy a home when the price of rent has increased by 18 percent, and seniors can't afford their medications when food prices have risen by 20 percent in just 3 years.

This inflation is a tax on each and every American, and it is caused by the runaway spending of President Joe Biden's budget. American families cannot afford to carry on with business as usual. Our country cannot afford for inflation to outpace wages year after year while American families pay the price, and the Biden administration promotes continued reckless spending.

At a time when Americans are already paying high heating prices, President Biden canceled the sale of liquefied natural gas, cutting jobs here at home, and raising the cost to heat our homes.

It is time to address the inflation caused by Joe Biden's 3-year spending spree. It is time now to return to fiscal responsibility.

It is time to stop growing our deficit and borrowing money from China to subsidize far-left energy programs.

Americans are counting on us to counter this out-of-control inflation,

and it is time that the President puts what is good for our country ahead of what would benefit him politically.

Resecure Our Border

Mr. Speaker, this past week, we learned that the Biden administration's open border policies have allowed an Al-Shabaab terrorist to live freely in the United States for almost a year.

By promoting catch and release policies that allowed this to occur, President Biden has shown that he is uninterested in keeping American communities safe.

Ending the remain in Mexico policy, reinstating catch and release, and halting the construction of our border wall have led to a record surge of illegal immigrants and a surge of illegal drugs pouring into our Nation, including deadly fentanyl.

On Wednesday, December 7, 2022, Border Patrol Agent Raul Gonzalez was killed in the line of duty just outside of Mission, Texas, while pursuing a group of illegal immigrants. This week, it is critical that we pass the Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act to protect our border communities by criminalizing fleeing from agents or officers during a high-speed chase.

Americans deserve a border that is secure and a Nation that is safe. President Biden needs to immediately take action to resecure our border and stop the flow of deadly drugs and illegal immigrants into these great United States.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for holding this Special Order to discuss the issues of the impact of the Medicare cuts.

In rural communities, like where I serve in south central and southwestern Pennsylvania, seniors rely on Medicare to see their doctors, to fill their prescriptions, and to take an ambulance in case of an emergency. Now, these patients are in serious danger of losing access to their trusted healthcare providers.

Medicare pay cuts, when compiled with 4.6 percent medical inflation, result in increased barriers to care for Medicare beneficiaries.

Let's be clear about what these cuts mean for a Medicare patient, and these cuts, for everyone's information, have already gone into effect on January 1.

These cuts mean that rural and small providers will be forced to restrict access to Medicare patients and, in dire cases, will be unable to keep their doors open at all.

As a doctor, I understand firsthand the negative impact that these significant year-after-year cuts have on rural providers.

Now, extrapolate that and then compound that with already existing workforce shortages in underserved areas like my district in rural Pennsylvania. I can assure you the repercussions are dire. These cuts jeopardize physicians' ability to provide quality care for elderly patients in our communities.

When physicians who participate in Medicare are increasingly being forced to do more with less, it is ultimately the patient who will suffer. These cuts will accelerate practice consolidation and force patients into higher cost settings for care. It will mean longer travel times and longer wait times for patients to see their family doctor, to see a surgeon, and to see a specialist.

As physicians and as legislators, we have an obligation to work to find a solution for Medicare patients. Congress must step in and address these cuts before they do any additional damage to our healthcare system.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for holding this Special Order hour.

Mr. Speaker, this week marks 51 years since the Roe v. Wade decision was issued by the U.S. Supreme Court. Since that time, Americans have worked tirelessly to see that decision overturned.

As a doctor, I swore an oath to first do no harm and to protect the sanctity of human life. Here in Congress, we also swore an oath to protect our country and our citizens. That means that we must stand for human life.

This week, we will vote on legislation to block a proposed Biden administration rule that would prohibit States from giving funding to pregnancy resource centers that support the lives of both mothers and their unborn children.

At 9 weeks of age, a baby has begun to form facial features, fingernails, and toes. At 20 weeks, a baby can hear their mother's voice. It is clear that these are children.

In Congress, it is our duty to protect the lives of the vulnerable. This week, let's join together and fight to protect all children, both born and unborn.

Fentanyl Continues to Permeate Into The United States

Mr. Speaker, this week the Pennsylvania State Police released a report outlining the amount of illegal drugs that have been seized in Pennsylvania during arrests in 2023. The facts of this report are shocking, showing that over 240 pounds of fentanyl were seized in the past year compared to 35 pounds of heroin.

These statistics represent a dangerous new reality for our communities, that fentanyl and its analogues, which can be fatal in incredibly small doses, are now readily accessible and widespread throughout the State of Pennsylvania.

Right now, lives are at stake as this poison continues to permeate into the United States. As I travel throughout central and southwestern Pennsylvania, I have heard from coroners who tell me that these drugs are very easy to get and very fast to kill.

It is time for the Senate to immediately take up the HALT Fentanyl Act and permanently classify these drugs as schedule I narcotics and create strict penalties for the cartels and for the dealers who traffic them.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot afford to stand by as our constituents are killed by fentanyl poisonings.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, 3,400 students at James Madison High School in Brooklyn, New York, were unable to attend their classes in person. Instead of learning in their classrooms, being with their fellow students, and eating lunch in the cafeteria, these students were forced from their own school in order to make room for 2,000 illegal immigrants who recently came to New York City.

This crisis has reached a boiling point, and action must be taken to address the impact that it is having on our communities. We know the historic learning loss that occurred with school lockdowns during COVID. Now, instead of using the proven and effective remain in Mexico policy, President Biden has thrown open our doors to a record number of illegal immigrants in the past year.

It is time to secure our border. It is time to stop making American families pay the price for President Biden's weak leadership and failed policies. It is time for President Biden to join us and demand that the Senate pass the Secure the Border Act and finally address this catastrophe impacting American families because of the porous southern border.

Address Medicare Pay Cut

Mr. Speaker, in rural communities like those in south central and southwestern Pennsylvania, millions of patients rely on Medicare to see their doctors, fill their prescriptions, and live healthy lives.

Now, if Congress fails to act, those patients will be in jeopardy. Medicare pay cuts, when compiled with a 4.6 percent medical inflation, will ultimately result in higher costs for Medicare beneficiaries.

When I first came to Congress, I pledged to support Medicare and pledged to support the patients who rely on those Medicare benefits. These cuts will make it impossible for rural providers to keep their doors open. These cuts will mean longer travel and wait times for patients to see family doctors, to see surgeons, and to see specialists.

Right now, thousands of Medicare patients are in need of a primary care physician. These Medicare cuts will drive further consolidation and force patients into higher cost settings of care that will both increase their wait times and increase their out-of-pocket expenses.

Congress must step in and address these cuts before they do irreversible damage to our healthcare system. America and our patients are relying on us to make the right choices.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

President Biden's attempt to block the sale of gas-powered vehicles and mandate electric vehicles in the next decade would have disastrous consequences for American families, American businesses, and the American economy.

In its quest to implement Green New Deal initiatives, President Biden and his administration are using American taxpayer dollars to buy electric vehicle charging stations from the Chinese Communist Party.

Let me say that again. Biden and his administration are using American taxpayer dollars to buy electric vehicle charging stations from the Chinese Communist Party. They are sending taxpayer dollars to China.

President Biden's attempt to dodge the bipartisan Buy America rule is a realization that his electric vehicle policies are impractical and irresponsible.

Come on. Americans aren't fooled. An electric vehicle with a Chinese battery is a Chinese car.

Last year, this House passed my legislation, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, with a bipartisan majority. This body has recognized that electric vehicles are unable to sustain our economy and unable to sustain the American Dream.

It is critical that we speak with one voice and pass this legislation to stop the Biden administration from sending American taxpayer dollars to companies run by the Chinese Communist Party.

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