Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.J. Res. 75, legislation to repeal the Biden administration's energy efficiency standard for commercial refrigerators and freezers.

This regulation was implemented as a last-ditch effort by the Biden administration to force its Green New Deal agenda on the American people without regard to the impact that it will have on small businesses.

Drastically changing efficiency standards, without input from the American public, hurts both businesses and consumers. This will cost American businesses $8 billion to meet the new standards, and it will, indeed, take over 90 years for businesses to recapture that loss.

After 4 years of President Biden's inflation, business owners and consumers are searching for relief. Repealing this out-of-touch energy regulation will keep costs low for the American consumer and allow small businesses to reinvest and to expand instead of being forced to meet bureaucratic regulations.

Let me put it very simply. This is exactly the type of regulation that the American people voted against in November. Americans want less red tape. Americans want lower costs.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support H.J. Res. 75 which delivers results for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, during President Trump's inaugural address, he spoke of an aggressive artificial intelligence agenda to keep America competitive with the Chinese Communist Party.

Just a few months later, President Trump announced a historic $1.4 trillion investment into our economy from the United Arab Emirates. This investment will support American artificial intelligence infrastructure. It will support semiconductors made in America. It will support energy production from America. It will support American manufacturing.

Our two nations worked closely together during President Trump's first term to bring peace to the Middle East through the historic Abraham Accords. Now, with President Trump's leadership back in the White House, I am encouraged to see this partnership grow even stronger with this investment.

President Trump promised to bring investment back to the United States, and he is already delivering on this promise just 2 months into his term.

Agriculture Is Critical in Pennsylvania

Mr. Speaker, as a leading producer of dairy products in the country, Pennsylvania dairymen know just how important food additives are for the safety of our food supply. However, the FDA's approval process for these additives has resulted in a decades-long approval process that stifles innovation and leaves American farmers falling behind their international competitors.

I am proud to join a bipartisan group of Members on the Innovative FEED Act to streamline this process and cut the approval time down by years.

Nutrient supplements keep our food supply safe and our livestock healthy and allow American farmers to stay competitive on the international market.

Agriculture is a critical industry in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and I am proud to help lead this fight in Congress to give farmers access to the innovative products that they need to compete.

Recognizing the Life and Legacy of Lloyd Peck

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the remarkable life and distinguished legacy of Lloyd Peck, a proud veteran, a beloved community leader, and a true American patriot who passed away on March 17.

Lloyd Peck served as a first lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean war. In civilian life, Lloyd filled many various roles as an advocate for veterans. In addition to serving as the commander of the Blair County War Veterans Council, Lieutenant Peck was a founding member of the Blair County Honor Guard, the chief parade marshal for the Memorial Day and the Veterans Day parades in Altoona, and a volunteer at the James E. Van Zandt Medical Center, where he worked tirelessly to help local veterans receive their benefits.

In the true spirit of Semper Fidelis, Lieutenant Peck continually demonstrated his steadfast loyalty to his fellow veterans and continually worked to help our Nation become that more perfect Union.

As we remember Lloyd Peck, we also keep in mind his loved ones, including his wife, Judy; his daughter, Heather; and his sister, Betty. We offer them our condolences and our heartfelt prayers.

Mr. Speaker, please join me, and all members of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, in remembering the incredible life and legacy of Lieutenant Lloyd Peck.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow President Trump will deliver his first joint address to Congress of his second term in office.

Less than 2 months into his term, President Trump has already begun the work to fulfill the campaign promises that the American people voted for and again encouraged him to step up to the plate. The American people wanted to see that the dangerous illegal immigrants were removed from our communities, and they wanted to see that we could unleash, once again, the American energy that is under the feet of my constituents in Pennsylvania.

Tomorrow, during his address, I look forward to hearing the President share his vision for continued success and a path forward, a path that builds upon

President Trump's successes to strengthen our economy, to make our streets safer, and our Nation healthier.

The American people are crying out for change, and tomorrow night President Trump will detail this change for the entire world to hear. The golden age of America is opening doors for all Americans.

Protecting American Homeland from Chinese Influence

Mr. Speaker, the Chinese Communist Party continues to infiltrate our homeland by purchasing American farmland and property around government installations.

I have heard the concerns from many farmers throughout Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District about the aggressive infiltration of the Chinese Communist Party into American farmland as they outbid American farmers for critical land.

We cannot sit back as our sovereignty is threatened. To push back against the Chinese aggression, I cosponsored the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act and the No American Land for Communist China Act.

These commonsense pieces of legislation will allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture to review land purchases by foreign entities and ban China from buying land next to Federal property.

The Chinese Communist Party has tried to undermine not just our values but American industries for decades. It is time that we give the American people peace of mind and protect our American homeland from Chinese influence.

I am proud to support these efforts to protect our national security and our food security, and I look forward to working with President Trump on making these bills the law of this great land.

Honoring the Members and Volunteers of the Shady Grove Ruritan Club

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the members and volunteers of the Shady Grove Ruritan Club in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. These are individuals who have participated in Hurricane Helene relief efforts for the devastated rural areas of North Carolina.

Delivering supplies ranging from nonperishable food and water to clothes and basic necessities, the Shady Grove Ruritan Club has made 12 deliveries of aid since October of 2024 worth over $300,000.

In collaboration with other North Carolina Ruritan Clubs, the Shady Grove club even served a traditional Christmas dinner for the Newland, North Carolina, community and delivered wrapped gifts for the children there.

Under the leadership of Shady Grove Ruritan Club Vice President Seth Martin, individuals, families, churches, and businesses have mobilized to give aid, support, and comfort to the victims of Hurricane Helene.

I could not be more proud of everyone involved with the Shady Grove Ruritan Club. Their compassion for their fellow Americans serves as an inspiration for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly support H.J. Res. 35, legislation to repeal the Biden administration's waste emissions charge.

During President Biden's term in office, he and his administration waged war on our domestic energy producers, limiting their production and expanding regulations that raise prices on the American consumer.

The waste emissions charge implemented by President Biden through the failed Inflation Reduction Act does nothing but shackle our energy producers, raising costs for consumers, and forcing our allies into the hands of adversaries.

By repealing the Biden administration rule, we can deliver on the mandate that Americans voted for in November and unleash American energy production. This will allow us to support hardworking constituents and our allies abroad, by producing more affordable and cleaner energy.

By simply repealing this overreaching regulation, our Nation can step forward, fully utilizing the energy resources that are underneath the feet of my constituents.

Soon, with the help of H.J. Res. 35, we will once again be energy dominant. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life of Don Fowkes. Don, of Duncansville, Pennsylvania, passed away on February 15.

A graduate of Hollidaysburg High School, Don joined the Allegheny Township Police Department in 1968 and honorably served for 32 years, culminating as the chief of police.

Don was later elected as township supervisor in 2003, giving 50 years of his life to serving Allegheny Township in Pennsylvania.

My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Nancy; his daughters, Tracy and Tonya; and his grandchildren, McKenzie and Jordan.

Don's service and his commitment to community will never be forgotten by the individuals of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District.

Recognizing Career and Technical Education Month

Mr. Speaker, this month is Career and Technology Education Month, celebrating the students, teachers, and administrators throughout the country who participate in these important programs.

Last week, I met with the students and staff at Colonial Career and Technology Center at New Oxford High School in Adams County, Pennsylvania, and the Bedford County Technical Center in Everett, Pennsylvania.

It was a pleasure to tour these facilities at both campuses and meet with their dedicated staff and the talented students to learn more about the skills that these students are building each and every day while in those classrooms.

Programs like these give students an opportunity to explore future careers while gaining real-world, hands-on experience in that field. This gives students an opportunity to use their hands and brains as they carve out careers, careers that are so necessary right now throughout America.

I thank all the career and technology centers throughout Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District for preparing students for success in a competitive job market, strengthening regional workforces, and helping to bolster the economic health of our communities.

Honoring Michael Strank

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sergeant Michael Strank of Franklin borough, Pennsylvania, who is one of the patriots who planted the American flag atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima in late February 1945.

An immigrant from Eastern Europe, Sergeant Strank signed up for the Marine Corps in 1939, and in 1942, he was promoted to sergeant, preparing to go to war in the Pacific after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

In February 1945, Sergeant Strank was on the island of Iwo Jima, where some of the most intense fighting throughout the war had occurred.

On February 23, 1945, Sergeant Michael Strank, along with other Marines, climbed to the top of the volcanic rock and planted Old Glory for all to see.

Though the battle waged for 2 more weeks, Sergeant Strank and his fellow marines created a lasting image that would go on to embody American strength and courage.

Unfortunately, Sergeant Strank never made it home from Iwo Jima, as he was killed in combat just 1 week later. However, the image that he and his fellow soldiers and marines created lives on today, serving as a reminder to all generations of what American perseverance and strength can accomplish.

To Sergeant Strank, I say Semper Fi, and to all who served as part of the Greatest Generation, I thank them.

May the brave men and women who pick up the torch today to protect our freedoms around the globe take inspiration from those who came before them, like Sergeant Strank.

Mr. Speaker, during the last 5 months of President Biden's term, he imposed more than 1,500 regulations on the American people. Our policies should be focused on fostering economic growth for small businesses, not weighing them down with more regulations.

This week, the House will vote on the Midnight Rules Relief Act. This legislation gives Congress the ability to overturn multiple regulations in one action.

Immediately after President Trump was sworn in, he got to work. He got to work improving government efficiency, and now it is time for my colleagues in the House and in the Senate to follow suit so that the American people can once again prosper.

Protecting Law Enforcement

Mr. Speaker, over the last 4 years, our Nation saw millions of illegal aliens stream across our borders. In recent weeks, my colleagues and I in the House passed legislation to crack down on criminal aliens to better protect women and girls and to fight back against the fentanyl crisis.

Today, it is time to protect the brave law enforcement officers working to clean up our disastrous borders. H.R. 35, the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, creates new criminal offenses for those who flee law enforcement at our borders and includes mandatory prison time for chases that cause the loss of human life.

This is commonsense legislation that will save the lives of our law enforcement officers and make the streets safe for all Americans. I look forward to supporting its passage here in the House and the positive impact that this legislation will have on all of America.

Honoring Shatzer Fruit Market and Orchards

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Shatzer Fruit Market and Orchards in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, for their exceptional showing at the 2025 Pennsylvania Farm Show. Owned by fourth-generation growers Dwight and Lisa Mickey, the Shatzer Fruit Market won two best-of-class awards, in addition to more than three dozen first-place awards. Over the years, Shatzer's has won over 3,000 ribbons and prizes for its fruit entries.

Having personally visited Shatzer Fruit Market and Orchards, I have seen their enduring commitment to this industry and why they are a favored stop in Franklin County for delicious peaches and apples.

On behalf of everyone in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I congratulate Shatzer Fruit Market and Orchards on their impressive showing at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, and I look forward to seeing their continued success in the orchards and in the marketplace.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give my emphatic support for H.R. 27, the HALT Fentanyl Act. This commonsense solution is exactly what our Nation needs to effectively crack down on the illicit fentanyl flowing across our borders.

For years, the Mexican drug cartels have recruited college chemistry majors to chemically alter the fentanyl precursors that come from the Chinese Communist Party right into Mexico to make more deadly and less- illegal fentanyl analogues.

Classifying these fentanyl analogues as schedule I drugs will allow our law enforcement officers and our Border Patrol agents the ability to effectively seize these substances and will result in harsher penalties for the criminals who make, traffic, and sell these poisons.

In 2023, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, an individual died every 2 hours from an overdose. More than three-fourths of those overdose deaths were the result of fentanyl.

The future generations of our great Nation cannot afford to wait any longer. The time is right now to stop this scourge on our society and to pass the HALT Fentanyl Act, which will allow us to do just that.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to help save American lives, starting today with their vote to pass the HALT Fentanyl Act.

This is critical legislation. It does not care which party the individuals

who are dying from these fentanyl overdoses belong to. This poison must be stopped, and this important legislation will allow that to occur.

Mr. Speaker, this week, I introduced the bipartisan ORPHAN Cures Act, legislation to remove barriers to lifesaving medical innovations.

The ORPHAN Cures Act protects the incentives for critical research and development implemented by the Orphan

Drug Act of 1983, which has produced more than 800 treatments for rare diseases over the past 40 years.

More than 30 million Americans are affected by nearly 10,000 rare diseases. Unfortunately 95 percent of these diseases have no treatment. We cannot abandon the American patients who suffer from diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Huntington's disease, ALS, cystic fibrosis, and scleroderma, which I treated during my time in active medical practice.

By protecting critical research and developing incentives, we can give millions of Americans hope for the future. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation to foster innovative cures for patients throughout this great land.

Mr. Speaker, throughout the last years, the Biden administration waged war on our domestic energy sector, raising prices for each and every American.

This week, House Republicans will vote on the Protecting American Energy Production Act to ensure that States keep control of hydraulic fracking and that our energy resources continue to flow.

Following President Trump's flurry of executive orders to secure our domestic energy production, my colleagues and I in the House will continue to unleash American energy so that we can lower prices, attain energy independence, and create good-paying jobs for Americans.

Honoring Winell Zaitz Farm

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Winell Zaitz Farm for being recognized as one of Pennsylvania's Century Farms.

The Zaitz Farm, purchased in 1875, spans 129 acres and is now being passed down to the family's fifth generation. Carol and her family continue to farm the land, which includes a historic farmhouse built before the Civil War and a barn from 1880.

On behalf of everyone in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I congratulate Carol Winell Zaitz and her entire family on their family farm's designation as a Century Farm. I thank them for their enduring commitment to one of our State's most vital industries, and that is agriculture.

Honoring Presbyterian Village's Centennial

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Presbyterian Village in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Founded as a Presbyterian home, doors were opened in 1925 to 22 women and quickly expanded over the following decades to include men, women, and couples.

Having treated residents at this facility, I have seen the dedication of the entire staff who ensure accessibility to the services and the resources that are essential in our seniors' lives.

Always showing our fellow community members love and respect, I congratulate the Presbyterian Village for a century of commitment to the Blair County community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, institution, which is celebrating a milestone anniversary.

This year, Shavers Creek Grange Number 353 will mark the 150th anniversary of its founding with a series of events, including a fellowship event that reflects the organization's mission to embrace community members from across generations.

Defined by its enduring commitment to family values and community standards, the Shavers Creek Grange represents the organization's motto, and that motto is: ``In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.''

On behalf of everyone in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I congratulate the Shavers Creek Grange on this sesquicentennial milestone and thank its members for their continued work to strengthen the community fabric of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, President Trump was inaugurated for his second term as President. Now, it is time for us to deliver on his promises.

The American people overwhelmingly supported President Trump's candidacy, a candidacy that was built on restoring the American Dream, strengthening our national security, and making America once again energy dominant.

I have no doubt that President Trump will continue to do the work that we have already started right here in the House of Representatives to Make America Great Again. The golden age of America does start right now.

President Trump's Policies Resonate with Americans

Mr. Speaker, after the inauguration, President Trump shared his plans for the American people.

During his speech, the President made it clear that the days of a weak America are over, and now, we will return to being that shining city on a hill. The policies that President Trump laid out in his speech resonate with the American people.

More than his policies, his message resonates with Americans throughout this great land. It is a message of strength on the international stage, a message of dominance in the production of energy, and a message of safety on our city streets.

President Trump's speech is why the American people overwhelmingly returned him to the White House.

Laying Out New Vision for Nation

Mr. Speaker, President Trump has laid out a vision for our Nation over the past few months, from the campaign trail to his first day back in office, a vision that he took action on immediately after being sworn in by signing numerous executive orders to secure our border, lower costs for the American public, and drain the swamp.

President Trump also shared his support for ending California's out- of-touch electric vehicle mandate. I strongly support this action and look forward to working with President Trump to pass my legislation, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, to protect the individual consumer's right to drive the type of vehicle that they want.

Preserving Life at All Stages

Mr. Speaker, thousands of pro-life advocates will be coming to Washington for the annual March for Life this week. Like these fierce advocates, I firmly believe that all life is worth protecting.

This week, I was proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 21, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. This important piece of legislation will require medical attention for children who survive botched abortions and impose strong penalties for those who do not comply.

Life is truly a gift from God, and I will always work to preserve the sanctity of human life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Millin family, located in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. The Millin family owns the Millin Family Farm. It has received the designation of a Century Farm from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

A Century Farm is a farm that has been owned by the same family for at least 100 consecutive years, has a family member who still lives on that farm, and has at least 10 acres of the original holding.

The Millin family has farmed in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, since 1874, when Sandra Millin's great-grandfather purchased the property. Today, the Millins manage an over-200-acre grain operation on that exact same land. They even have the farm's original log structure dating to pre-1874.

On behalf of everyone in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I offer heartfelt congratulations to the Millin family and express gratitude for their enduring commitment to one of Pennsylvania's most vital industries: agriculture.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to celebrate the birth of Mark Walter Tucker. Mark Tucker is the son of my deputy chief of staff, Matt Tucker, and his wonderful wife, Sarah.

Since my very first day in office, Matt has been by my side, working to help address the healthcare issues that matter most to my communities in south central and western Pennsylvania.

The birth of a child offers both a time to reflect and an important time to look forward.

As Matt and Sarah begin this new chapter of their lives, I am not sure if baby Tucker will become a Deacon or maybe a Hokie. My hopes are that he becomes a Nittany Lion.

I am excited to see them both have the opportunity to grow and learn as they raise their newborn son and teach him about the important issues of life that matter most to a child, that matter most to his new family and to his community, and to teach him the faith that he will grow in to become a proud American.

Welcome, Mark Tucker.

Mr. Speaker, even as his time in office is coming to an end, President Biden and his administration are still forcing out-of-touch mandates on the American people.

To confront President Biden's Green New Deal agenda, I am proud to reintroduce the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, which passed this House in a bipartisan manner in the last Congress. This legislation would ensure that California is unable to move forward with a ban on the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles.

This dramatic change would alter the way that vehicles across our Nation are sold at a time when our electric grid is not prepared to meet the demands of a fully electric fleet. It is time to put a stop to the Biden administration's far-left agenda. It is time to allow American drivers to be able to choose the vehicle that they want to drive.

American People Want Safe Streets and Secure Borders

Mr. Speaker, the election in this past November was a loud and clear signal from the American public that they want a secure border and safe streets. That is why my Republican colleagues and I are quickly moving legislation to secure our border and ensure that violent criminals are removed from our communities.

The Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act would make any sexual offense committed by illegal immigrants a deportable offense and would ensure that they are banned from these United States. This commonsense legislation is just one step toward creating safer streets and communities for Pennsylvania families and for all Americans.

Protecting Our National Energy Security

Mr. Speaker, as President Trump prepares to begin his second term in office, the Biden administration is trying to limit his ability to ensure that our Nation is energy dominant once again, this time by banning drilling from certain Federal lands.

Like President Trump, I know that energy independence moves us away from relying on foreign actors for our energy resources while also helping our allies remove their dependence on adversarial nations, as well.

As vice chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I look forward to working with President Trump and his administration to unleash our Nation's energy production. Together, we as Americans can lower prices at the pump and protect our national energy security.

Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives met yesterday to certify President Trump's electoral victory.

Over the past 4 years, President Biden's administration has imposed needless regulations on the American energy industry, has spurred record-high inflation, and has left our southern border wide open.

The election results in November were a message from the American people that they want a new path forward, and that path begins today. It is now time to get to work to secure our border and to lower prices for the American people.

Together, with the House and with the Senate, I am confident that President Trump will be able to continue the progress that was made during his first administration to once again make America great.