Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to condemn Vladimir Putin and the Russian Army. These brutal and violent thugs have attempted to rehang the Iron Curtain for the sole purpose of committing abject violence against the free and sovereign people of Ukraine. The killing of women and children outside of Kyiv is a vile act. These acts amount to war crimes.

It is time to deliver the lethal aid that the Ukrainian people need to deter the violent acts that the Russian people commit upon Ukrainians.

It is time to cut off Russian exports to the free world. No country that values the sanctity of life should want to buy their goods from Russia. No place, where free people live, should use the energy that Russian refineries produce be accepted.

The Biden administration must hold the line and impose severe sanctions against Russia for their multiple murderous acts, and the people of Ukraine must know that Americans stand with them in their fight for freedom.

Madam Speaker, since President Biden took office, more than 2 million illegal immigrants have been apprehended at our southern border.

Now, Title 42, a key portion of our border security, is set to expire at the same time that our Border Patrol agents are preparing for a record surge of illegal border crossings.

The American people cannot afford President Biden's and proclaimed border czar Vice President Harris' failed border policies.

On President Biden's watch, we have seen record-high levels of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl being trafficked into our communities from across our open southern border. These drugs are deadly, and over 93,000 Americans have died of overdoses just in the past year. These policies have made Americans less safe, and they have made our communities less secure.

In his fiscal year 2023 budget, President Biden failed to even mention our border security crisis, a border security crisis that affects each and every American community. The truth of the matter is, President Biden has no plan to secure our border. President Biden has no plan to secure our communities.

Without the proper funding for our Border Patrol agents, this surge in illegal border crossings will lead to a humanitarian crisis, a drug crisis, and a national security disaster.

President Biden has failed to address the challenges that we are facing today on our southern border. It is time to keep our communities safe. It is time to fund our border security. It is time to reauthorize Title 42, and it is time to secure our southern border. Today, the actions must occur.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 6858, the American Energy Independence from Russia Act.

As Congress debates legalizing marijuana, Americans in the real world are facing an energy crisis that we in Congress cannot afford to continue to ignore.

In my hometown of Altoona, Pennsylvania, the cost of gasoline is now $4.28 a gallon; over 50 percent higher than it was just one year ago.

In rural communities, these skyrocketing prices are forcing families to make hard choices about what they can afford and what they cannot afford. Instead of working to support the needs of these Pennsylvanian families, President Biden and his administration have continued to work against American energy producers.

On day one of his Presidency, President Biden made good on a longtime liberal wish list item. He canceled the Keystone XL pipeline. Now, in his budget, President Biden has chosen to put solar panels ahead of natural gas. He has chosen to put windmills ahead of coal. He has chosen the Green New Deal ahead of Pennsylvanians.

Now, the President has decided to recklessly release oil from our strategic reserves without a concrete plan to refill them. This stopgap measure does not support our national security and it will do little to help lower the cost of fuel for American families.

It is time to invest in American energy. It is time to return to American energy dominance.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question.

Madam Speaker, since the founding of our Nation, American farms have been at the bedrock of our economy.

Our farmers, growers, and ranchers produce the dairy, wheat, corn, apples, and peaches that we have relied on for generations to feed our families, our neighbors, and the world.

There are over 52,000 farms across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the struggles that affect them affect each and every one of us.

Right now, our farmers are facing so many difficult challenges. The cost to run a farm is estimated to grow by nearly 7 percent next year. To make matters even worse, the cost of fertilizer has already risen by over 50 percent in the past 12 months. Now, the Biden administration is preparing to implement new taxes on fertilizer imports from overseas.

Now is not the time to tax our farmers even more. President Biden cannot use our growers and producers to pay for his out-of-control budget.

We need to ensure that our farmers have the resources that they need to continue producing the food that each of us relies on every day. We need to make sure that they have the fertilizer, the grain, and the seeds that it takes to work a farm or to tend an orchard.

American farmers feed the world. It is time to stop imposing new and crippling taxes on our hardworking farmers. It is time to let them get back to work on feeding all of us.

President Biden's Far-Left Spending Proposal

Madam Speaker, on Monday, President Biden laid out his budget for the coming year, a budget that contains $73 trillion in spending, $58 trillion in taxes, and over $16 trillion in debt.

When he unveiled this far-left spending proposal, President Biden said that a budget is a statement of values. However, by failing to mention our border security, by tacking on billions of dollars for environmental justice, and by stripping out the Hyde amendment, President Biden has delivered to the American people a budget that does not share our values.

We need a budget that protects the border. We need a budget that stops the flow of illegal drugs, like fentanyl, into our communities. We need a budget that promotes American energy in the face of egregious Russian aggression. We need a budget that defends all human life.

We don't need this socialist spending spree; we don't need $58 trillion in taxes; and we certainly do not need $16 trillion in new debt that mortgages the future of our children.

Madam Speaker, when I first became a doctor, I made a promise that I would never perform, assist, or support in any abortion or any abortion procedures. All doctors take an oath. They swear to first do no harm. I made a promise that I would never participate in the taking of a human life.

At 10 weeks a baby in their mother's womb has developed a beating heart. At 11 weeks, the baby will have developed elbows, fingers, and toes. And at 27 weeks, a baby inside the womb can hear their mother's voice. It is clear that these children are human--constructed in the image of God--and worthy of protection and worthy of love.

It is time to protect human life, it is time to protect the unborn, and it is time to end this egregious practice of abortion.

Recognizing the Work of Dr. George Hruza

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the work of Dr. George Hruza.

A graduate of New York University, Dr. Hruza went on to complete both a dermatology residency at New York University Medical Center as well as a laser surgery fellowship at Harvard Medical School. Later, Dr. Hruza completed a Mohs and dermatologic surgery fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with Dr. Fred Mohs.

Dr. Fred Mohs developed this revolutionary surgery--a technique that allows for the precise removal and the repair of skin cancer.

Throughout his career, Dr. Hruza has proven himself to be a leader in the field of dermatology. His tireless commitment to his patients and their families has undoubtedly saved countless lives.

Dr. Hruza has come to Washington and done skin cancer screenings for members of staff and Members of Congress--several who might be present here today.

As the American Academy of Dermatology's president, Dr. Hruza's relentless advocacy for innovation has helped to shape the way that skin cancer today is treated in the United States. Skin cancers were previously deadly. My own grandfather died from skin cancer, a skin cancer that would be treated today by someone like Dr. Hruza and cured.

It is my privilege to call Dr. George Hruza a leader, a colleague, and a friend of the United States Congress. As he continues his work as the United Skin Specialists Missouri director, I wish Dr. Hruza every continued success; his success in working to treat patients, his success in developing innovation, and his success as one of the leaders in dermatology not just in the United States but throughout the world.

Madam Speaker, we are facing multiple crises in our country. Inflation is surging, gasoline prices are skyrocketing, and the Biden administration is still refusing to act.

In Adams County, Pennsylvania, a gallon of gas costs $4.43. That is $1.40 more than it did just 1 year ago.

Rural Americans should not be forced to pay the price for President Biden's failure to drill American oil, a failure that has led to the highest gas prices in our Nation's history.

In a recent survey that I conducted in my weekly newsletter, over 3,000 of my constituents responded, and 96 percent of them reported that the rising cost of goods has affected their individual budgets.

It is time for President Biden to take responsibility for what his reckless spending has done to our country. Because of this reckless spending, Americans are forced to make difficult choices about what they can afford to buy, about what medications they can afford, and about which bills they are able to pay each month.

It is time for President Biden to care more about the families in Pennsylvania, more about the families in America, than he does about the Green New Deal. It is time to drill American oil. It is time to utilize and expand Pennsylvania's wonderful energy resources. It is time to use the resources that are under the feet of my constituents: the coal, the natural gas, and the Marcellus shale.

Biden welcomed a pipeline to Putin, and yet he shut down the Keystone XL pipeline. It is time to return to American energy independence and American energy dominance. It is time to get to work for the American people.

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 subject of my Special Order.

Madam Speaker, we are here tonight to call attention to the energy crisis that is being felt both at home and abroad.

This crisis has sent prices skyrocketing and has caused deep uncertainty that leaves our businesses vulnerable and American families less secure.

Let's be very blunt. This energy crisis is a crisis that exists for two reasons. The first reason is the recent rise in gas prices that has been caused by Vladimir Putin's unlawful war against the people of Ukraine. The second reason is President Biden's long-term refusal to support American energy producers by canceling the Keystone XL pipeline and by stopping new drilling here at home.

By threatening new and burdensome taxes on energy producers, the Biden administration has deliberately raised energy prices on all American families, all for the sake of appeasing radical environmentalists.

As we stand here today, there are untapped energy reserves under the feet of my constituents, and these can be used to address the crisis that we are talking about tonight. It is time to unleash that energy, and it is time to unleash American energy dominance.

Americans can't afford what is happening right now. Gas prices are up over 11 percent in just the last month, forcing families to make hard choices about what they can afford.

Over the course of this Special Order, you will hear from many of my colleagues about the state of our energy industry. You will hear real solutions that can help lower costs while at the same time reinforcing our necessary national security.

This is a time to talk about these real solutions. Right now, we have an incredible number of opportunities to help lower energy costs while driving innovation at the same time. Through American ingenuity, we can create millions of new family-sustaining jobs in our energy industry.

It won't be easy. It will take Congress and the administration working alongside our energy industry to reform cumbersome regulations that limit our energy production. Now is the time to give our producers the tools that they need to develop new technologies to modernize the electric grid and our oil and natural gas infrastructure and unlock new and exciting opportunities.

I thank so many of my colleagues for joining me here tonight for this important Special Order, and I yield to my colleague from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Johnson).

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

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Hern).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments, and I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Balderson).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse).

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

MR. BERGMAN: Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

A lot of us were here on the House floor just a few months ago highlighting the problems with the Biden administration's energy policies. We were here. We are back again.

Being here again, we are saying the same things, only maybe a little farther down the road facing another self-inflicted completely avoidable crisis.

From day one, President Biden has put America last when it comes to our energy needs. And Americans are paying for it, quite literally.

While gas prices are up all over the country, in my district we are seeing some of the highest prices in the entire State of Michigan.

And let's be clear, the administration's approach to energy has been a problem long before Russia invaded Ukraine. Gas prices have been going up for months in response to heavy inflation brought about from out-of-control spending.

House Republicans have been sounding the alarm on the national security implications of our energy dependence and the problem with relying on nations like Russia for our energy needs.

But those legitimate concerns have largely been ignored. And now we are seeing the consequences of this administration's policies.

So where is America supposed to turn for oil and gas? Instead of promoting our domestic energy industry and working to make us more independent, the administration is looking to nations like Iran and Venezuela.

How can President Biden think it is a good idea to go from one bad actor to another in search of a solution to this self-induced energy crisis?

The only way to solve our energy crisis while ensuring our national security is to break the chains this administration has put on our energy producers. It is way past time. Let's break those chains now.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the time.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his insight.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Burchett), my friend and colleague.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman and appreciate his comments.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin), my colleague and friend from the Doctor's Caucus.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), my colleague and friend.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan.

Madam Speaker, one issue that needs to be addressed tonight is how the rising cost of gas disproportionately affects rural Americans who drive longer miles to get to work, to get to the grocery store, even to get to their kids' schools.

Today, the average cost for a gallon of gas in Pennsylvania is $4.23 a gallon. And now it is estimated that the average family will pay an extra $1,300 for gas this year alone. It is unaffordable. And it is time to unleash American oil drilling to help bring the prices down and once again establish American energy dominance.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes), my colleague and friend.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kansas.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser), the energy-rich Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for his remarks.

Madam Speaker, right now, our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Ukraine and their fight against Putin's unlawful war. Refusing to buy Russian oil will go a long way towards showing Putin and his corrupt Russian oligarchs that they will pay a steep price for this war.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the State of Minnesota (Mr. Stauber), my colleague and friend.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his excellent remarks.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cloud), my colleague and friend.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice), my friend and colleague.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Oklahoma.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jacobs), my colleague and friend.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York. One thing is abundantly clear from the speakers tonight, there is a growing need to utilize American innovation. Americans and our know-how have always stepped up and bend the individuals who can get us through crises.

Yet, we are not utilizing the resources that are under the feet of Americans. American ingenuity is the answer. American businesses have already cut our energy emissions by

more than any other country over the past 20 years. We were able to do this because of new and innovative technologies that our American businesses produced.

The answer is clear: we need to bring more American technologies to market as soon as possible. That message has been reiterated by my colleagues throughout tonight's Special Order.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa), my colleague and friend.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his excellent remarks. I would like to thank all the Members who have been here tonight. When I proposed holding this Special Order, we received an overwhelming response. Perhaps that is exemplified by the number of Members who stayed late into the evening to discuss the energy crisis that right now is affecting every American.

This truly shows the commitment that congressional Republicans have to working to revitalize American energy dominance. It is a testament to how important this issue is. We truly have been able to discuss the issues that have dreadful effects on so many American families right now, this evening. This energy crisis that President Biden created is impactful tonight, tomorrow, and until we use American innovation to respond correctly.

Madam Speaker, what we have shown here tonight is a road map back to American energy dominance.

It is a plan to increase innovation. It is a plan to rebuild our energy grid. It is a plan to cut harmful regulations and a plan to ensure that the American people have safe, reliable, and affordable energy.

So, once again, Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their remarks, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, last week President Biden addressed Congress and the Nation and claimed that he was committed to securing our southern border, but sadly his actions have not matched his words.

According to Border Patrol reports, there were over 150,000 migrant encounters at our southern border just during the month of January, a 96 percent increase from the previous year. As we stand here today, more drugs like meth, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl are pouring into our country through our southern border.

President Biden had a chance to offer solutions to this crisis at the State of the Union, but instead he gave flippant remarks that belittled the struggles that American families are currently facing.

We cannot afford to leave our southern border open any longer. We cannot afford to let these drugs continue to kill the fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for President Biden to get serious about the crisis at our southern border. It is time to give law enforcement the tools that they need. It is time to keep our communities once again safe.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Chambersburg Area Senior High School Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) program.

Under the leadership of Cadet Lieutenant Commander Ethan Baker, and under the guidance of Commander Bruce Apgar and Master Sergeant Louise Montney, the Chambersburg Area Senior High School Trojan Cadets won multiple portions of the Academic, Fitness and Drill Competition held at Sterling High School in Camden, New Jersey this February.

The Varsity Cadets finished first overall in the competition after winning the Academics, Personnel Inspection, Color Guard and Armed Regulation Drill portions of the competition.

I am confident that the determination, attention to detail, and discipline that served these students so well in competition will continue to lead them to success in their academic and future endeavors.

It is inspiring to see our community's youth commit themselves to developing as leaders, and regardless of whether they find themselves serving our nation in uniform one day, I am incredibly proud of the work that the Chambersburg Area Senior High School NJROTC cadets done this past year, and I wish them every continued success.

Mr. Speaker, right now, we are witnessing the violent acts of a Russian dictator in Eastern Europe. Vladimir Putin is attempting to rehang the Iron Curtain, murdering innocent women and children who stand in his path.

To help put an end to the war, America must stand united with the free people of Ukraine and continue to provide them with the lethal aid that they need to defend themselves.

It is time for the United States to stop the flow of Russian oil to the rest of the world and impose harsh sanctions against Russia and its leaders. Vladimir Putin and corrupt Russian oligarchs must know that they will pay a steep price for their unwarranted aggression. It is time for President Biden to allow for America to become energy independent again and share our resources across the world.

Energy independence means national security. Now is the time to promote American energy, and now is the time to stand with the Ukrainian people.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Letrent's Pharmacy as they celebrate their 50th anniversary of serving the people of Bedford, Pennsylvania. For 50 years, Letrent's Pharmacy has served the people in that community with the utmost care and consideration. The pharmacy has been a family owned and operated business since Richard Letrent opened the pharmacy in 1972 after spending 5 years in another location not too far from his current flagship store.

Richard, his wife Connie and their daughter, Connie are all proud alumni of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and their tight-knit family make up three of the five practicing pharmacists at Letrent's.

Throughout the time they have operated the pharmacy, the Letrent's have dedicated themselves to ensuring the health and wellness of the Bedford County community.

On behalf of the people of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District it is my honor to wish the Letrent family a happy 50th anniversary, and many, many more to come. Congratulations on this incredible milestone.

Madam Speaker, l rise today to recognize VFW Post-8896 located in East Berlin, Pennsylvania on their seventy- five years of operation. Post 8896 is named in honor of Richard J. Gross, a native of Pennsylvania and. a member of the United States Army-Airforce who gave his life on September 8, 1943, while flying a combat mission over New Guinea while serving as a radio operator and gunner on a B-24 Liberator Bomber.

In 1947, a group of veterans carried on the legacy and memory of Richard J. Gross and opened Post-8896.

For more than seven decades, the Post's members have remained dedicated to helping veterans and their families, building community fellowship, and promoting awareness for the sacrifices that our veterans have made.

On behalf of the people of the 13th Congressional District, it is my great honor to congratulate the Richard J. Gross VFW on seventy-five years of service to veterans of Adams County. I thank them for their great work and dedication to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of millions of law-abiding citizens who are under attack because they own a firearm. Right now, their rights are under attack from the Biden administration.

This week, it was reported that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is now in possession of nearly one billion records detailing the firearm purchases of American citizens. This is a gross overstep of the ATF's power. No government agency should be spying on Americans.

Right now, crime is on the rise in cities throughout America. This certainly is not the time to attempt to intimidate law-abiding citizens. It is not the time to infringe on their constitutional right to carry a gun. It is their right to defend themselves, their right to protect their family and their communities.

It is time for the Biden administration to explain this menacing and unconstitutional action.

Madam Speaker, the law-abiding people of America are awaiting an answer.

Mr. Speaker, right now crime throughout America is on the rise. One year ago, Democrats across our country began their calls to defund the police. And now, today, we are seeing the sad reality that their words and actions have had deadly consequences throughout American communities.

Last year, over a dozen U.S. cities set dismal new records for the number of murders that have occurred in their streets. What we are seeing right now is more drugs, more carjackings, more violence, and more crime. And through all of it, our police officers have been forced not only to battle this new wave of lawlessness, but also they have been fighting to keep the funding that provides the training and the equipment that they need to keep us safe.

It is actually very simple to see, we cannot afford to defund the police. We cannot afford to leave our communities vulnerable to crime. It is time for liberals to take public safety seriously. It is time to back the men and women in blue. And it is time to stand up for law enforcement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sheriff Ron Anderson and congratulate him on his retirement as Cumberland County Sheriff.

For 44 years, Sheriff Anderson dedicated his life to serving the people of Cumberland County. Sheriff Anderson began his career as a uniformed corrections officer in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 1977, and went on to serve with both the Newville Police Department, and North Middleton Police Department, before becoming Cumberland Counties Deputy Sheriff and later Sheriff. Throughout his time as a police officer and sheriff, Ron Anderson remained a cornerstone of the Cumberland County community.

Aside from his work in law enforcement he served as a criminal justice advisory board member to Cumberland--Perry Vocational Technical School; as a committee member for the Criminal Justice Subcommittee of the South-Central Task Force; and a representative to the Pennsylvania Association of Elected Officials for the Pennsylvania Sheriffs' Association.

On behalf of the people of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I congratulate Sheriff Anderson on a well-earned retirement, and express our gratitude for his four decades of public service.

I thank Sheriff Ron Anderson for his tireless work to protect and serve our community.