Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 139, the SHOW UP Act, which was introduced by my good friend from Kentucky, the Chairman of the Oversight and Accountability Committee, Mr. Comer.

Millions of Tennesseans show up to work every day. However, more than half of federal government workers, who are expected to serve the American people, still aren't showing up for work. This has led to extremely long wait times and delays in services.

Veterans who showed up to work and served our country can't get their proper VA benefits. Families are waiting months for their passports. And in my district, a father waited for more than 8 months to receive his tax return. The entire time, he was left in the dark by the IRS.

Tennesseans deserve better, Mr. Speaker. The pandemic is over, and it's time to get back to work. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the SHOW UP Act.

Mr. Speaker, the Biden administration continues to fail the American people.

Just last month, Customs and Border Protection had 251,487 migrant encounters along the southern border, the highest number of encounters ever recorded in a single month. Despite our constant calls to get this crisis under control, it has only gotten worse. Either President Biden is trying and utterly failing, or worse, not trying at all.

Since President Biden has taken office, there have been more than 4.5 million migrant encounters at our southern border, and December marked the tenth straight month with more than 200,000 encounters, a trend that has never been recorded before. None of these statistics include the over 1.2 million known got-aways who have

evaded our overwhelmed U.S. Border Patrol agents.

Mr. Speaker, I rise for all middle Tennesseans to say: Mr. President, please do your job and secure our border.

Mr. Chair, today I rise in support of H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Response Act.

President Biden's energy policies that stifle domestic oil and gas production have pushed energy prices up and made everything we buy in this country more expensive. As a consequence, the president raided our Strategic Petroleum Reserve last year in a failed attempt to temporarily and artificially lower the price of gas right before the mid-term election, putting his personal political self-interest above our national security and our national interest. His actions left our nation vulnerable to international energy extortion and woefully unprepared to respond to certain domestic natural disasters and emergencies.

The solution to this terrible predicament the president has left us in is to enact a policy that requires the Secretary of the Department of Energy to submit a plan to increase domestic production every time the president chooses to raid our reserves for non-emergency reasons. That way, we'll never be left in the position we are left in today. That's exactly what the Strategic Production Response Act does.

Additionally, Mr. Chair, I rise because I am pleased that the new Republican majority in the House has brought forth this bill under a modified open rule. This will be the first bill considered in this chamber under an open modified rule since 2016 and the first time since I took office.

I, along with many of my colleagues who wish to restore the integrity of this institution, have long advocated for an open amendment process that encourages robust debate. The American people sent us to Washington to be their representatives, which means listening to each other-even when we disagree--and taking tough votes so that we can reach a consensus.

I am confident that this process will yield greater Member participation, a more informed and engaged electorate, and ultimately better legislation for the American people.

Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H.Con.Res 3 and urge my colleagues to vote in favor of its passage.

In June of last year, following the decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, a pro-life pregnancy center that assists pregnant women in Nashville, Tennessee, was the victim of an attempted arson attack. Thankfully, no one was injured, and local law enforcement opened an investigation into the situation in an effort to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Unfortunately, that is not the case across the entire United States, which is why it is essential that this body, the United States House of Representatives, condemns these heinous acts of political violence.

I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation and will always and forever stand on the right side of history when it comes to protecting the unborn.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana for yielding and for claiming the time this evening.

Madam Speaker, in 27 days, adherence to the constitutional principles will be returned to this institution.

In 27 days, accountability will be returned to our government.

In 27 days, Republicans will take the majority in this Chamber, secure the committee gavels, and begin the long climb to deliver a strong economy, a safe Nation, a free future, and an accountable government.

I say ``the long climb'' because over the course of the last 2 years of one-party Democratic rule in Washington, America has lost its way. We have seen trillions of hard-earned tax dollars and trillions borrowed from the next generation wasted. We have seen our national border overrun with millions of illegal immigrants and enough illicit and deadly fentanyl to kill every American many times over.

After decades of trying, America finally successfully achieved energy independence under the Trump administration. But in 2 years we have seen this country driven back into the ditch of energy dependence on foreign dictators and the high energy prices that come with it.

We have seen the funding of an army of 87,000 new IRS agents to go after the middle-class, working Americans in this country, catastrophic failures in Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world, and a justice system targeting concerned parents, vaccine mandates damaging our military readiness, unelected bureaucrats run amok in virtue signaling, and Big Tech in cahoots with our government to stifle free speech for half of the American citizenry.

That is a mind-boggling amount of damage over 2 short years, and even a strong Nation like America can only take so much. But, thankfully, the turnaround begins on January 3, 2023, when Republicans retake the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

All of these issues are vitally important to the good folks back in my home of middle Tennessee. But I truly believe no issue is more important than that of the right to free speech. George Washington said, ``If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.''

We recently learned that Twitter colluded with the Biden campaign and allegedly the FBI to suppress damaging information to President Biden's campaign. This only makes me wonder:

What else are these Big Tech companies hiding?

Soon enough, we will be able to find out.

Additionally, Securities and Exchange Commissioner Gary Gensler appears to be on a mission to destroy our small farms and businesses. He failed to provide proper oversight of crypto companies while cozying up to the biggest crypto fraud of the last decade, all while not appearing before the House Financial Services Committee in over 428 days.

Proper oversight will be on its way in 27 days.

Madam Speaker, for too long unelected bureaucrats have not had to answer to the American people. Make no mistake: no stone will go unturned in order to deliver the accountability the American people truly deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) for yielding and for claiming the time this evening to acknowledge and honor our Nation's 81st National Bible Week.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks 81 years since the world changed forever when Japanese pilots attacked Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 Americans and pulling America into the Second World War. We will never forget their sacrifices.

The day after that infamous day, the National Broadcasting Company, the leading radio station at the time, began the day with the founders of the National Bible Association. As the news of the gruesome attack on U.S. soil broke, producers at NBC requested that the National Bible Association continue reading the Bible all throughout the day.

Coincidentally, before the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt had invited the founders of the National Bible Association to the White House to help commemorate the first National Bible Week. However, they canceled and left a telegram for President Roosevelt stating, ``May God bless and guide you in this emergency.''

This story reminds me of Mark 13:31, where Jesus says: ``Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.''

As we recognize our country's 81st National Bible Week, I remember that although we may choose to leave God's words behind, the Lord's words will never leave us behind.

Every day it seems as though there is a story in the news that shows our

country turning away from God. High school football coaches are being fired for praying on the field. The Bible is no longer being taught in our schools, and it has become almost scandalous to want to live a life practicing the traditional Christian values we are taught in the Bible.

But remember, no matter what, the Lord's words will never pass away. I hope that one day, our country will embrace the Lord again.

As a devoted Christian, I am proud to recognize National Bible Week, and I pray I will be able to bring more souls to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. But until then, may God continue to bless our great Nation.

Madam Speaker, there is no denying that the crisis at our southern border was caused by President Biden and his administration's open-border policies.

Since President Biden took office, more than 3.8 million illegal immigrants have been apprehended at our southern border. Meanwhile, the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection was falling asleep during meetings while this crisis continued on his watch.

This is exactly why, around 2 weeks ago, I joined 15 of my fellow House Republicans, led by Congressman Hice, in calling on CBP Commissioner Magnus to resign. Thankfully, he did, and now our country and its national security are better off.

Already, before Republicans even officially take the majority, we are holding the Biden administration accountable.

I promise that come January 3, when the new Congress is sworn in, you can expect more accountability where that came from.

President Biden's Student Loan Forgiveness Handout

Madam Speaker, the Congressional Budget Office has confirmed what most Tennesseans already knew. President Biden's plan to give a handout to millions of college-educated Americans will be paid for with even more deficit spending than anticipated, around $400 billion in deficit spending to be exact.

This is just as shocking: The President thinks it is acceptable and legal to spend this kind of money without congressional approval. But it is neither.

We hear $10,000 per borrower thrown around a lot, but the CBO says 24 million people would receive $20,000 in debt forgiveness under the plan. That is basically a 2022 Hyundai Elantra or a Kia Soul or a brand-new Nissan Sentra.

I ask my Democrat colleagues: How are you okay with giving away the equivalent of a new car to 24 million people and asking those without student debt to foot the bill, asking Tennessee plumbers to foot the bill for Harvard-educated lawyers, asking America's blue-collar workers to give a subsidy to some of the best-educated people and best-paid people in this country?

This administration must reverse course on this wrong-headed, regressive policy.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for allowing me time to speak on this bill today.

Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a letter from the Tennessee Farm Bureau and Kentucky Farm Bureau Federations opposing H.R. 5441.

November 14, 2022.

Honorable Members of Congress,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Members of Congress: Please accept this letter as a

statement of opposition to H.R. 5441, the Prevent All Soring

Tactics (PAST) Act by the Kentucky Farm Bureau and Tennessee

Farm Bureau.

The PAST Act is misleading in its strategies and purpose

and sets a dangerous precedent for animal agriculture. Please

take the time to review it closely and understand this

initiative and the agenda of the Humane Society of the United

States (HSUS). While the PAST Act expressly targets Walking

Horses, this push by the HSUS brings to question which

segment of animal-based agriculture will be targeted next.

Supporters of the PAST Act argue the bill will ``eliminate

soring'' within the Walking Horse Industry. However, soring

is essentially nonexistent today. The bill professes to end

soring by banning hoof pads and action devices which are used

in Walking Horse performance shows, and implies such items

cause soring. Hoof pads and action devices do not cause

soring. Hoof pads are used to provide protection from ground

force, to accentuate movement, and balance motion. These pads

are used in many breeds other than the Walking Horse

including the American Paint Horse, American Quarter Horse,

American Saddlebred, and Morgan breeds. An action device is a

band/chain weighing six (6) ounces or less. We are not aware

of a study that indicates action devices or pads produce pain

or cause tissue damage.

The Tennessee Walking Horse is the most inspected horse in

the world. The industry and its shows maintain a compliance

rate with the Horse Protection Act that averages 99 percent.

This rate is significant considering the inspection process

today is almost 100 percent subjective.

The PAST Act eliminates the organizations established by

Congress in the original Horse Protection Act called Horse

Industry Organizations (HIOs). These independent

organizations provide inspectors for shows and are trained

and certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Without HIOs, the PAST Act requires an increase in the USDA's

workforce as well as additional employees for the U.S.

Department of Justice. The Congressional Budget Office

numbers reflect this cost.

We urge you to not accept the mistreatment claims from

years past as true today. Visit a Walking Horse farm and see

the horses. Visit with a horse owner, trainer, farrier and

their veterinarians. Contact your state Farm Bureau, the

Tennessee Farm Bureau or the Kentucky Farm Bureau if you want

assistance arranging a visit or tour.

We urge you to oppose H.R. 5441.

Thank you for your consideration of this information.

Sincerely,

Eric Mayberry,

President, Tennessee Farm Bureau.

Mark Haney,

President, Kentucky Farm Bureau.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to H.R. 5441, the PAST Act. As an eighth-generation farmer and Tennessean, the grand tradition of Tennessee Walking Horses is among my earliest and fondest memories. We take great pride in the fact that the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration draws neighbors and tourists alike each year to Shelbyville, Tennessee, for our world-class showcase.

However, over the years, this grand tradition has, on occasion, been marred by a few bad actors looking to gain a competitive edge at the unfair expense of the hundreds of other Walking Horse exhibitors who do things right, and at the grossly unacceptable expense of the horses themselves that suffer from the cruel and unconscionable technique known in the industry as soring.

Those who sore our Tennessee Walking Horses compromise the integrity of the competition, put a stain on what has long been a wonderful family-oriented tradition, and by far most importantly subject our prized Tennessee Walking Horses to harm and suffering. I can assure you that we in Tennessee stand strongly against this vile technique.

My strong disgust to soring is actually why I rise today in opposition to the PAST Act. This bill is not the best solution to end this cruel practice. While I appreciate the sincere motives of those supporting this bill, I call on my colleagues to consider another better solution.

I am a proud original cosponsor of H.R. 6341, the Protecting Horses from Soring Act of 2021, authored by my friend and colleague from Tennessee, Congressman Scott DesJarlais. This bill works to end soring in another way that is fair to those acting properly and humanely and provides timely consequences for those who are not.

Inspections must be objective, but the PAST Act does not correct the subjective process currently used. My colleague's bill, H.R. 6341, creates a framework for consistent, scientific, and objective inspections. The bill also prevents conflicts of interest and suspends horses from shows if they are found to be sore.

Industry wide, the current compliance rate is between 96 and 99 percent, which is an increase from the 92 to 95 percent compliance rate that the industry had when we debated this bill last Congress. This is a 4 percent increase in less than 3 years. These compliance rates are based on USDA standards.

Overall, the Walking Horse industry has a USDA compliance rate higher than even the food industry achieves. With that record, the rate of catching bad actors at this point is, of course, extremely low. Those low rates mean we must be vigilant if we are going to find and stop the remaining bad actors. Vigilance will require a new system.

The PAST Act does not create a scientific, objective process for inspections, and until we have that, the remaining bad actors will continue to go under the radar, while those acting with integrity could be treated unfairly. The PAST Act is the wrong approach and will actually be counterproductive.

It is because of these concerns that I will oppose the PAST Act today and call upon my colleagues to also oppose it and instead stand with me in truly stopping soring by supporting H.R. 6341, the Protecting Horses from Soring Act of 2021.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, August was another month under President Biden where inflation exceeded economists' expectations. The Consumer Price Index was up 8.3 percent over the past year, and if you exclude food and energy, it rose six-tenths of a percentage point in just 1 month.

On the same day, the higher-than-expected inflation number came out, President Biden and congressional Democrats held an event at the White House to celebrate the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act, which we all know will do nothing to slow inflation.

Tennesseans are bearing the brunt of the President's disastrous fiscal policies, all while the President celebrates passing a bill that raises taxes amidst a recession, spends more than $400 billion on woke Green New Deal programs, and hires 87,000 new IRS agents to target the middle class.

Borrowing and spending more money won't ease the pain in our pocketbooks. The only solution is an end to one-party control of Washington.

Mr. Speaker, there are countless successful middle Tennesseans who did not go to college, yet President Biden expects them to pick up the tab for those who did.

It is simply wrong to take hard-earned dollars from blue-collar workers in Tennessee who have no student loan debt just to eliminate some or all of the student loan debts of usually higher paid college graduates. But it is also blatantly unconstitutional for President Biden to unilaterally take this cynical election year action without the required congressional authorization. He is, after all, the President, not our king or dictator.

Further, this misguided decision comes at the cost of more than $500 billion, which will push inflation and the skyrocketing cost of everything even higher and add to the financial pain Tennesseans already feel from the record inflation caused by the President's other disastrous fiscal policies.

I ask the President to please join us instead of fighting us in trying to put our Nation's fiscal house back in order.

Madam Speaker, Tennesseans are hurting from the skyrocketing cost of living everywhere they turn. Now, it seems as if the United States has entered into a spending-induced recession caused by the irresponsible fiscal policies of President Biden and congressional Democrats.

Instead of focusing on passing meaningful and impactful legislation to help lower the cost of living, we are voting on a bill that spends hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars.

The bill will do nothing to help ease the pain my neighbors in Tennessee are experiencing and, in fact, is likely to increase inflation even more and push prices on everything even higher.

It gives a tax break to wealthy Americans who can already afford to purchase expensive electric cars. It also increases taxes amidst a recession, which will only make it worse, and it allows the IRS to hire an army of 87,000 new Federal agents to go after the middle class.

Madam Speaker, I will be voting ``no,'' and I urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the tremendous work done by the volunteers, employees, donors, and other advocates of the United Way of Sumner County.

For 45 years, the United Way of Sumner County has worked to improve the lives of others by mobilizing the caring power of communities to advance the common good. They serve as the hub of a network that connects givers, advocates, and volunteers with local businesses, schools, government, and human service programs to make lives better and our community stronger. It takes a connected community to thrive, and that is exactly what the United Way of Sumner County strives to achieve.

Their focus on education, financial stability, health, and rebuilding lives empowers every individual to achieve their full potential where it matters most--right here in Sumner County. This mindset leads them to invest in initiatives like the United for ALICE program, which aims to serve as a driver of innovation, research, and action to improve the lives of those across the county for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed individuals, or ALICE individuals, as they are known. Through the development of the ALICE metrics for measuring financial hardship, a comprehensive, unbiased picture emerges to help match the proper assistance with the proper recipients.

On August 11, 2022, the United Way of Sumner County will host a Community Impact Breakfast to celebrate and honor their partner agencies, donors, volunteers, and advocates who help improve the lives of people in Sumner County through their involvement and work at United Way of Sumner County.

This event, along with many others throughout the year, is just one example of the work they do to better our community and the people living within it. I encourage all my fellow Tennesseans to find a way to get involved with their local chapter of United Way, and there is no better chapter to engage with than the United Way of Sumner County.

The United Way of Sumner County embodies the spirit of the Volunteer State. I could not be prouder of these individuals who dedicate their efforts to improving the community in Sumner County, Tennessee, and I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to recognize them today.

I thank Sumner County for all it does and may God continue to bless its incredible work.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor a great Tennessean and public servant, Sumner County Mayor Anthony Holt.

Mayor Holt was born in 1956 and spent his childhood in the Neely's Bend area of Madison, TN, in Davidson County. In 1974, he graduated from Madison High School in Madison, Tennessee. From there he went on to attend college and graduate with cum laude distinction from the University of Memphis in 1980, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

Thirty years later he decided to continue his formal education by earning his Certified Public Administrator certificate from the University of Tennessee, even though I'm sure he could have written the textbook by then. Mayor Holt retired from American Airlines in 2008 after holding various financial and accounting roles during his tenure there. Additionally, he has owned and operated a number of small businesses throughout his time living in Sumner County.

For eighteen years, from 1990 to 2008, he served as a Sumner County Commissioner and was on the Planning Commission for the county during much of that time. In 2008, Anthony Holt was elected to be the Sumner County Mayor during a special election. He was the perfect man for the job. Now, with his retirement on the horizon at the end of August of this year, he will be ending his fourth term in office as county mayor, serving a total of fourteen years in that position.

During his time as county mayor he has represented Sumner County well and in many different capacities, including membership on the following: the Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC), serving as president from 2019 to 2021; the Regional Transportation Authority and Audit Committee; the Transportation Policy Board (TPB)/Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO); the Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency; the Tennessee Central Economic Authority; the Middle Tennessee Workforce Board; the Sumner Regional Medical Center Board; the Middle Tennessee Mayors' Caucus; the Forward Sumner Economic Partnership Board; and the Emergency Communications Center Board.

Mayor Holt has received numerous distinctions and awards for his service, including most recently the title of Mayor of the Year for 2021 from the Council of Governments. Receiving this award for his laudable crises management of the Covid-19 pandemic and tireless leadership as Sumner County Mayor in 2021, during what was arguably one of the most difficult years in which to govern in modern history, speaks volumes about Mayor Holt.

On his retirement from Sumner County government, he will be starting a new career as the Executive Director of the Association of County Mayors for the State of Tennessee. In this new capacity, he hopes to visit all 95 counties in Tennessee to better understand the needs of county mayors throughout the Volunteer State.

He has faithfully served the good people of Sumner County, and now he will have an opportunity to serve the whole state. I am sure that he will do a tremendous job--as always--and his experience and passion for public service will be a shining example for all those lucky enough to cross his path.

Mayor Anthony Holt deserves our undying gratitude for the highly effectual and ethical service he has delivered for Sumner County, Tennessee, and he certainly has my personal thanks and warm well wishes for a job extremely well done. I congratulate him on reaching this milestone in his career and life and on the beginning of his next professional chapter of service. I wish him and his wife Carla well in their future, and hope they enjoy spending more time traveling and working on their farm in Sumner County.

Mr. Speaker, the United States has officially entered a recession thanks to the out-of-touch economic policies of President Biden and congressional Democrats.

Since the day Democrats gained control of our government, having majorities in the House, Senate, and a Democratic President in the White House, fiscally conservative Members of Congress like myself have been sounding the alarms on this reckless deficit spending that got us in this mess.

Now, it looks like it will be Republicans tasked with getting us out of this recession, as the American people are fed up with Democrats' economic policies that are causing record-breaking inflation and now a recession.

If and when Republicans gain control of the House, I can assure you the first thing we will do is stop the out-of-control and wasteful spending enacted under a complete Democratic control of Washington. Hopefully, by then, the President will come to his senses and work with Republicans to get us back on track.

Mr. Speaker, last week President Biden announced a series of executive orders to further advance his party's Green New Deal agenda. This is further proof of an utterly out-of-touch administration.

The average cost of a gallon of gas is $3.93 in Tennessee, almost double the price when the President took office. Most Americans will spend thousands more this year on filling up their tanks.

Families are also paying an average of $90 a month more for electricity this summer. In addition, reports say our Nation faces looming blackouts--yet this administration is doubling down on regulating our energy producers to death.

The solution is simple: The President should be supporting policies that ramp up domestic oil production, rather than policies that destroy it.

Mr. Biden has blamed oil companies, gas station owners, and everyone else for this disaster, but if he wants to assign blame, he need look no further than the mirror.