Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, on behalf of Florida's Third Congressional District, I honor the life of Colonel James F. Dougherty Jr., USAF, Retired. He died at the Lake City VA Medical Center on June 16, 2022 at the age of 80.

Remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather, Colonel Dougherty was a pilot in the Air Force before moving into financial management. The unprecedented projects he tackled in the Air Force and the Department of Defense were a credit to his willingness to do the impossible in financial management and in support of military pay improvements for our troops stationed around the world. Colonel Dougherty served in Vietnam and in support of Operation Desert Shield/ Storm.

I extend my deepest condolences to Colonel Dougherty's family and friends and celebrate his life well lived. Our nation is grateful for his service and sacrifice to the Stars and Stripes.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of Florida's Third Congressional District, we honor Mr. Ansil Lewis as the 2022 Veteran of the Year.

Mr. Lewis served as a Sergeant Major in the United States Marine Corps from 1987 to 2017. While serving, he received the Bronze Star; Legion of Merit; Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Unit Commendation, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal. After years of military service, Mr. Lewis has continued to show his dedication to our community as the past Commandant of the Roy S. Geiger Marine Corps League Detachment 1047, a member of the board for Operation Bambas, and the President of the Veterans Council of Clay County.

We thank Mr. Lewis for his service and sacrifices for our Nation and hope that his volunteer spirit will continue for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in overwhelming support for the passage of S. 2159, or H.R. 1960, a bill designating the Florida Veterans Affairs Clinic in Middleburg, Florida, the Andrew K. Baker Department of Veterans Affairs.

First, I thank the entire Florida delegation for their support of this legislation, the entire Clay County community, the local elected officials who participated in this process, and all of the many veterans who call Clay County home.

Of course, my biggest thanks go to Ms. Tina Baker, the widow of Chief Andrew K. Baker.

Without a doubt, today's legislation would not be here for a vote without my colleague from Florida, Senator Marco Rubio, who ushered this legislation through the Senate Chamber earlier this year. I thank Senator Rubio for his work on this bill.

This bill honors Antisubmarine Warfare Chief Andrew Kenneth Baker of Middleburg, Florida. Tragically, he lost his life in service to our great Nation. On March 13, 1997, Chief Baker's H-60 Seahawk crashed at sea during a SEAL training exercise. The mix of rough seas, the pitch of a frigate, fatigue, and visual disorientation caused by the night vision goggles they were all wearing were all factors in the accident.

As a result of his death, the Navy launched a formal review of its training policies and has since made drastic changes with regard to night vision training.

His widow, Tina, not wanting her husband's death to be in vain, has worked hard to make sure his memory and service didn't get lost in time and paperwork. Today, we have the chance to make sure that her husband is remembered forever.

Chief Baker served on the USS Carl Vinson and the USS Coral Sea as the ship's serviceman and completed training in Search and Rescue Swimmer School at Pensacola, and Fleet Replacement Aircrewman training at NAS Jax, where he earned his ``Wings of Gold.''

Chief Baker then reported to HS-9, serving on the USS Nimitz, then on HS-3, where he was assigned as the Training and Operations Chief.

At home in Middleburg, Chief Baker was an avid fisherman, always scouring the waters of Black Creek and the St. John's River as much as he could. He coached his son's Little League and served as the troop leader for the local Cub Scouts. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Tina, and sons, Andrew and Jacob.

As a personal point of privilege, I say that this clinic has been a large part of my professional life for the past decade. Back in 2015, as the deputy chief of staff serving this district, our team worked hard to secure the appropriations funding for this clinic. Once we succeeded in getting this project funded, finding the building that met the required specs was an entirely new and frustrating battle. After multiple failed attempts to secure a building, we finally succeeded.

This clinic has been a blessing to my beloved Clay County and to the veterans who call her home. With today's legislation as the final task outstanding, I can say with confidence to Chief Baker's widow, Tina: Now, he will always be remembered.

Mr. Speaker, I urge unanimous passage of this legislation and look forward to it being signed into law to honor this incredible servicemember and his family.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of Florida's Third Congressional District, we honor Mr. Paul Blow for receiving the Congressional Gold Medal for his services to the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II.

The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Congress and is given to honor those whose dedication, heroism, and public service have created a lasting impact on American history.

The United States will always be grateful to the thousands of Merchant Marines for the gallant support of our nation during times of both peace and conflict.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and remember a special little boy from my district in Florida, Baby Zion.

Like about half of people born with Down Syndrome, Baby Zion also had a heart defect--often easily corrected with surgery. Unfortunately, Baby Zion's surgeons were unable to repair his heart, and the only option left for his family--the only way to save his life--was a transplant.

His family went through all the right channels to request one. They followed the rules. The answer that they got was no.

Why?

Because he had a disability. The system failed him. The system decided that his life was worth less than someone without a disability.

No Federal law exists to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities who need an organ transplant.

No Federal law exists to help these families when they are most vulnerable.

No Federal law exists to save these lives.

Today, I am asking my colleagues to support legislation by my colleague from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers) to fix this tragic situation.

H.R. 1235, the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, is commonsense legislation that has absolutely no cost--unless we ignore it.

I personally met with Zion's family, and, in their grace, their hope is simply that we do the right thing and save the lives of many others like Baby Zion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 6184, the HALT Fentanyl Act.

Before I begin, I have to address something that was said just now. I am the wife of a first responder. My husband sees these overdoses every single day.

In my community, in just this year, we have apprehended bricks of fentanyl stamped with border cartels' stamps on them. We know it is coming from the border. We know it is being trafficked across, both in trucks at ports of entry but also illegally. We know this to be a fact, and if we do not secure the border this will continue to happen.

I will say, as the wife of a first responder, someone whose husband has continually responded to these calls and is reviving people who have been poisoned by fentanyl, it is not a matter of if he, himself, overdoses, it is when. And that is going to be a very bad day because I think that Members of this Chamber need to be held responsible for the open border policies that this administration continues to allow. But I digress.

Mr. Speaker, 108,000. That is the number of Americans who died from drug overdoses last year. Of those, more than 80,000 were connected to opioids. The lion's share of those opioid deaths were linked to fentanyl.

Now, it is important that we remember that these numbers are actually people. They are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles. They are people. Not statistics. They are humans. They represent millions of families who will never see their son, daughter, husband, wife, brother, sister, father ever again. Millions of people whose families have been shattered and feel helpless, broken, and angry as these horrific substances destroyed their communities and their family.

These thousands of victims represent communities crushed by this epidemic, swept away by the flood of lethal substances that are ripping apart the fabric of our society. These thousands of people lost lay bare the denial, the weakness, and the lack of compassion that this administration and my colleagues across the aisle have shown through their ambivalence toward border security, our Nation's security, as literally tons of fentanyl is trucked and walked across the southern border and into our communities.

A few months ago, a mother from my district cried in my office as she talked about her beautiful daughter, Mackenzie, who died from fentanyl poisoning, not overdosing, poisoning, after taking what she thought was a Xanax. She was 28 years old.

Now, unfortunately, Mackenzie's story is not unique. It is not rare. Her mother, Rebecca, is now dedicating her life to saving mothers across the country from the pain that she has endured from a preventable loss and their daughters from Mackenzie's fate.

To my colleagues on the left, you control this Chamber, so it is up to you to decide. How many more Mackenzies have to die before you will take action?

You can pretend that there is no crisis at the border. We see that. That is evidenced in your remarks. But we know that is a lie. You visit any community in this country, and you will see that it has been ravaged by the death and destruction wrought by fentanyl. You cannot deny it. Your constituents know it. The American people know it.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for our colleagues across the aisle to wake up. So I stand here once again, as I did back in March, fighting against the horrors of the opioid epidemic that have a stranglehold on our communities. We once again have an opportunity to take a stand today, not as Republicans or Democrats but as Americans and concerned citizens, for those that have lost their lives, but also for those potentially in the future. The families of those who lost deserve this.

Today is an opportunity to act. Today is an opportunity to put people above politics. I commend my friend,

the gentleman from Virginia, for his great work and for sticking with this bill and seeing it across the finish line.

I urge my colleagues, please, think with your hearts, perhaps in vain but with hope, to defeat the previous question so that we can immediately consider this bill, the HALT Fentanyl Act.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of Florida's Third Congressional District, we honor Eagle Scout John Christopher Bonner, who achieved the prestigious rank of

Eagle Scout on March 14, 2022. As a member of Boy Scout Troop 72, John has dedicated over 10 years of his life to serving in his local troop and making the greater Marion County community a better place to live, work, and play.

To earn the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout, John completed 36 merit badges requiring him to demonstrate knowledge of and expertise in various life skills, served in troop leadership positions, including Patrol Leader and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, and planned and executed an Eagle Scout Service Project. For his project, John built a large movable snake habitat display case for Silver Springs State Park, now named the ``Snake Shack.'' It included a large base cart for storage of supplies and the upper display habitat for the snake with large viewing windows, with overall dimensions 6' L X 6' H X 44" W. This display case will be used as an educational exhibit at Silver Springs. The Snake Shack was constructed with approximately 87 percent repurposed material supplied mainly by Silver Springs State Park.

Congratulations to Mr. Bonner, his family, and his troop on this prestigious honor. We look forward to seeing all of his accomplishments in the future.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of Florida's Third Congressional District, we honor Eagle Scout Logan Catalanotto, who achieved the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout on July 18, 2022. As a member of Boy Scout Troop 72, Logan has dedicated over ten years of his life to serving in his local troop and making the greater Marion County community a better place to live, work, and play.

To earn the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout, Logan completed 26 merit badges, requiring him to demonstrate knowledge of and expertise in various life skills, served in Troop leadership positions including Senior Patrol Leader and Quartermaster, and planned and executed an Eagle Scout Service Project. For his Project, Logan renovated the State Flag Display area in the Marion County Veterans Memorial Park. The renovation consisted of removing 52 flag poles and existing mulch, regrading the area, pouring a 4,000 sq. ft. concrete slab, where the flag poles were reinstalled. The project has made this area easier to maintain, provided more accessibility, as well as making it ADA accessible, and more visually appealing. With all of the various events and ceremonies that are held throughout the year, the park has become a more valuable asset to Marion County.

Congratulations to Mr. Catalanotto, his family, and his troop on this prestigious honor. We

look forward to seeing all of his accomplishments in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the inflation expansion act.

It feels a little bit like Groundhog Day here on Capitol Hill because it wasn't but about a year ago that we found ourselves debating almost this very same legislation. It was a bad idea then; it is a bad idea now. Even Bernie Sanders isn't buying this bill and has said that it won't do much to reduce inflation.

The only difference here really is the price tag from a year ago-- $745 billion in new spending. That is not cheap. Do you know what we could do with that?

You could give every single working mom in America a check for $96,000.

You could give hardworking American seniors, who are, many of them,

now retired and having to go back to work, and they are on fixed incomes, you could give them $14,000.

You could give every homeless veteran in America a check for $5.6 million with this bill.

Instead, we are going to double the size of the IRS and target hardworking families who make $400,000 or less. We know it to be a fact. Stop denying it. The Senate Democrats refused and rejected the amendment that would have protected families making $400,000 or less.

Reject this bill. Put Americans first. It is time to vote hell no.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 8373, the right to deception act.

First, this bill is completely unnecessary. In no way, shape, or form is access to contraception limited or at risk of being limited. The liberal majority is clearly trying to stoke fears and mislead the American people, once again, because in their minds stoking fear is clearly the only way that they can win.

No State--not one--not one State across the country has banned access to contraceptives. That is a fact--and an inconvenient one on the left. Now they are left to make up wild stories about States that they cannot name banning contraceptives.

However, rather than uniting behind the broad and commonsense notion that access to safe and legal contraception is important, my colleagues on the left have once again chosen political theater. I guess that would explain the connection to Hollywood, right?

It is time to get past the theater and look at these inconvenient facts that my colleagues on the left will not tell you about, and their outrageous claims.

They claim that this is a clean codification to ensure that contraceptives can never be banned in this country. Let me be clear, this goes far beyond that claim.

In fact, this bill jeopardizes constitutional rights of individuals and organizations across this great land by forcing providers to prescribe various forms of contraception that violates their religious rights. We are a Nation that upholds and values religious freedom, and this bill here today flies in the face of individuals with religious liberty concerns.

As a constitutional conservative, I am also disturbed by the provisions within this bill that attempt to provide a back door for abortion service providers, like Planned Parenthood, to tap into more Federal taxpayer dollars.

This bill, brought under false pretenses by the left, in a vain attempt to scare Americans with lies and exaggeration represents a clear overstep of Federal authority.

If you are still wondering why every single Member in this Chamber should be voting against this bill--the right to deception act--you should know that this administration has already proven that they will sick a highly politicized DOJ on concerned parents.

Madam Speaker, if you are wondering, once again, why every single Member in this Chamber who took an oath to uphold the United States Constitution, not a political parties' oath, if you are wondering why you should vote against the right to deception act, you should know that this administration has already proven that they will sick a highly politicized DOJ on concerned parents. They have done it before. They will do it again.

This bill here today would take away a parent's rights with regard to their children and the State laws that are designed to protect minors. No bureaucrat in Washington knows better than our parents back home. I would be happy to debate that fact any day.

Let's recap. This bill--the right to deception act--is looking to solve a problem that doesn't exist. But more than that, in seeking to solve a problem that doesn't exist, you want to spend more of our taxpayer money to grow the size and scope of government and to allow more abortions to occur and kill our children. Cool. You all are a real piece of work. Folks back home, they see right through this, and they will see through it in November.

Madam Speaker, I urge opposition to this bill.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record some articles that I feel are relevant to this debate.

[From the New York Times, July 3, 2022]

Abortion Laws Around the World

The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on abortion quickly led to

bans in at least eight states, a shift toward criminalization

that runs counter to recent easings in countries that had

longstanding bans.

The Supreme Court's elimination of the constitutional right

to abortion, after nearly a half-century, has made the United

States one of the few countries actively strengthening

abortion restrictions.

Abortion is now banned in at least eight states, a shift

toward criminalization that runs counter to the longstanding

policies of some close allies, like Canada, and to recent

easings in several nations that had long imposed bans, like

Ireland, Mexico and South Korea.

But no nations share the same history regarding abortion,

nor does any part of the world have uniform laws: Women

seeking abortions everywhere must navigate distinct rules, in

a variety of health care systems, if access is available at

all. The following examples, while not comprehensive,

illustrate the diversity of those laws--and how they're

changing.

Canada

No laws restrict abortion in Canada, where it is covered by

provincial and territorial public health care systems as an

essential medical procedure within 20 weeks of conception

and, under some circumstances, after that point, such as when

a pregnancy threatens the mother's life. Access and

exceptions vary by province, and sometimes by hospital.

Until 1988, criminal laws allowed abortions only if

approved by committees of physicians. That year, the Supreme

Court struck down the laws in a landmark case. Most legal

scholars agree that if the issue were to reach the court

again, it would make the right to abortion explicit.--Ian

Austen

Mexico

Before a court ruling last year, abortion was largely

restricted, with Mexico City and only three of 31 states

permitting the procedure up to 12 weeks of fetal gestation.

But the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in the fall that

penalizing women who undergo abortions was unconstitutional,

and in the months since, five more states have moved to

legalize abortions.

The justices did not specify how far into a pregnancy

abortion was permitted, leaving the details to the states.

For the states that still ban abortion, legislatures will

need to change laws to permit the procedure.--Maria Abi-Habib

nicaragua

Abortion is completely illegal and punishable by jail for

the woman and the doctors.

The Legislature eliminated all exceptions in 2006, ending a

century of law that allowed abortions in cases of life-

threatening complications or pregnancies caused by rape.

President Daniel Ortega, a strong supporter of criminalizing

abortion, has received support from Evangelical leaders in

Nicaragua and the United States.--Yubelka Mendoza and Maria

Abi-Habib

Britain

Abortions have been legal in England, Scotland and Wales

for more than 50 years, protected by the Abortion Act of

1967. Abortions can be legally performed up to the 24th week

of pregnancy and must be medically approved by two doctors.

The 1967 law allows some exceptions for later-term

abortions, including when the pregnancy endangers the woman's

health or if a prenatal scan reveals a fetus abnormality. A

provision of the law allowing abortion if the fetus carries

significant risk of serious disability was at the center of a

court case last year.

In rare circumstances, such as when a woman, without

doctors' consent, takes medicine intended to terminate a

pregnancy, an abortion could be prosecuted as a criminal act.

The 1967 law did not cover Northern Ireland, which for

decades prohibited almost all abortions.

British lawmakers overturned that ban in 2019, legalizing

``unconditional termination'' of pregnancy within the first

12 weeks. But with resistance coming from anti-abortion and

church groups, abortion services remain limited.--Saskia

Solomon

Ireland

A 1983 constitutional amendment banned nearly all abortion,

reflecting the Roman Catholic Church's deep influence in the

country. That influence had waned by 2018, when a referendum

to end the ban was approved by 66 percent of voters.

Lawmakers then legalized abortion in the Health Act of

2018, allowing abortion for any reason up to the end of the

first trimester. The law provides exceptions beyond 12 weeks

in cases of fetal abnormalities considered fatal after birth

or a potential risk to the woman's health.--Saskia Solomon

Poland

Soviet-era Poland offered some of Europe's broadest

abortion access, and it became a destination for women

seeking abortions. But after the Soviet Union's collapse, and

under the influence of the Catholic Church, the Polish

Parliament in 1993 passed one of Europe's strictest bans,

asserting that ``every human being shall have an inherent

right to life from the moment of conception.''

It allowed three categories of exception: danger to the

mother's health or life; rape or incest; severe fetal

abnormalities.

Despite mass protests, the ban was tightened last year by

the nationalist Law and Justice Party, eliminating the most-

used exception--fetal abnormalities--which accounted for

almost all of the roughly 1,000 legal abortions a year. An

estimated 100,000 to 150,000 illegal abortions take place

very year in the country, activists say.

The remaining exceptions are problematic for abortion

seekers. Rape victims face a deadline of the 12th week of

pregnancy, and they require a certificate from a prosecutor,

which takes a long time to acquire. And the definition of

what constitutes a ``serious'' risk to a woman's health is

too vague for doctors to always act decisively. In a small

number of cases, women have died of sepsis after doctors

refused to intervene while the fetus's heart was still

beating.

Women cannot be punished for taking an abortion pill or

undergoing an abortion abroad.

Anyone deemed to have aided or abetted an illegal abortion

faces up to eight years in prison.--Katrin Bennhold

India

A total ban was eased in 1971 with the Medical Termination

of Pregnancy Act, which made some abortions legal.

But activists continued to seek further easing, to include

abortion in cases of fetal anomaly or pregnancy caused by

rape. In 2021, the federal government amended the law,

expanding the criteria for legal abortions and adding a

privacy clause to protect women who went to clinics.

The law allows women to terminate pregnancies until 20

weeks. Between 20 and 24 weeks, a woman needs two doctors to

approve an abortion, and after 24 weeks, abortions are

allowed only when the woman's health is at risk. Women can

now terminate unwanted pregnancies caused by contraceptive

failure regardless of marital status; before the amendment,

only a married couple could do that.

Still, abortions done in violation of the law are

punishable by up to seven years in prison for the woman and

medical personnel.--Sameer Yasir

China

Abortion has been legal in some form since 1953. By the

1970s, as the ruling Chinese Communist Party grew

increasingly worried about overpopulation, abortion became

more widely accessible, and the one-child policy led to some

forced abortions.

Sex-selective abortions are illegal, meant to counter the

widespread preference for boys over girls. In response to

recent concerns over declining birthrates and an aging

population, families may now have three children without

penalty. Given the government's invasive family planning

policies, some women fear it will restrict abortion access.

The authorities last year said they intended to reduce

``medically unnecessary abortions,'' without explaining how.

Access to abortion services varies by region, with some

requiring women to produce certificates of medical necessity.

In Jiangxi Province, women who are more than 14 weeks

pregnant need three signatures from medical personnel.

Scholars, activists and some foreign governments have

accused the authorities of using family planning policies to

suppress ethnic minorities, which the government denies.--

Vivian Wang

Kenya

Under the 2010 Constitution, abortion is permitted if a

trained health professional determines a need for emergency

treatment, or if the pregnancy endangers the life or health

of the mother. In other circumstances, abortion providers can

face up to 14 years in prison under Kenya's penal code.

In practice, many women who could obtain a legal abortion

cannot because of poverty, lack of access to health services

or a lack of information about their rights.--Matthew Mpoke

Bigg

Benin

Last fall, Benin joined South Africa and Mozambique as one

of the few African countries to broadly legalize abortion

within 12 weeks.

Under the new law, abortion will be allowed ``when the

pregnancy is likely to aggravate or cause a situation of

material, educational, professional or moral distress

incompatible with the interest of the woman and/or the unborn

child.'' In doing so, Benin became the third country in

Africa, along with Ethiopia and Zambia, to allow abortion

based on the social or economic needs of the woman.

The previous law authorized abortion only if the pregnancy

endangered the woman's life or was the result of rape or

incest, or if the fetus was malformed. The new law will take

effect after the authorities detail how it will be applied,

which could take months.--Elian Peltier

Egypt

A strict anti-abortion law has been on the books for 85

years, derived from the French Penal Code of the colonial era

that bans the procedure under nearly any circumstances. The

woman and doctor face imprisonment if convicted.

It does have one loophole, which is based on the medical

code of ethics: Doctors are allowed--but not legally

obligated--to terminate a pregnancy if it puts the woman's

life

at risk and she signs a document saying the procedure was

lifesaving.

Though convictions are uncommon, the law and social stigma

have pushed abortion practices out of public sight, where the

woman's safety cannot be protected and the procedure can be

prohibitively expensive.--Nada Rashwan

Turkey

Since 1983, abortion has been legal up to 10 weeks after

conception. Married women need spousal consent. The law

allows exceptions after 10 weeks when the pregnancy threatens

the life of the woman, if the doctor concludes the fetus has

a grave disability, and in cases of rape.

Violators face prosecution and prison--for both the woman

and the doctor.

Abortion remains a divisive issue. In 2012, Recep Tayyip

Erdogan, now the president and then prime minister, called

abortion murder and urged more restrictions. After popular

outrage, the law was never amended, but in practice, abortion

services are unavailable in many state hospitals--Safak Timur

Madam Speaker, I rise today to fight for life and in strong opposition to H.R. 8296, the abortion on demand until birth act. You know, I never thought that I would have to stand here on the House floor and debate the fact that killing someone for their gender, their sex, their race--but here we are.

We are debating a bill that is being pushed by my colleagues on the other side that would legalize abortions based on a baby's sex, race, or potential disability. I am going to say that again because I think that is perhaps the most outrageous, horrific, regressive, sexist, and racist part of this legislation.

This bill allows for abortions up until the day of natural delivery because the child maybe isn't the right sex or the right race, according to the mother, who is a woman, by the way. We need to stop this lie that suddenly abortion is healthcare--it is not.

I have heard repeatedly talk about this 10-year-old girl who was brutally raped--this is a heartbreaking situation--yet, not a single peep about the man who did this. He was an illegal who crossed our border, who never should have been in our country in the first place, who committed this crime. Not one peep.

In our country, we are based really, quite frankly, on a simple notion that we are of equal opportunity, not equal outcome. Abortion, that is equal outcome. We know the outcome.

All I am asking today is that my colleagues think a little bit critically about what they are doing and what they are saying, the message that they are sending--that they believe in equal outcome, not opportunity because they are, quite frankly, denying the right for every single one of these children the opportunity to live.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to stop lying. Stop lying. Roe did not make abortion illegal, it returned the issue to the

States. Now we see that you all want to take those rights away from the States--strip them, in fact.

Under this bill that we are considering here today, you want to take this issue further than Roe ever did and take away the rights of children, those most vulnerable. The notion that women will somehow be stopped at checkpoints, in some 1984 scenario, this is insane and political fear-mongering at its best. You know that. You know that.

I hear constantly about these ``extreme positions'' that conservatives and those in the pro-life movement are taking, but what is extreme is not taking a stand for the child that survives an abortion attempt. That is extreme. Denying medical care for that child, that is the extreme.

Madam Speaker, I always say--and bless your heart, 36 years of service, that is incredible, 2 years longer than I have been alive.

Madam Speaker, in that 36 years of service, Madam Speaker, 60 million children have been murdered, with over 30 percent of them being minorities, African Americans and Hispanics.

It is curious logic that we murder these children to empower them.

Where were the rights of those young, little girls that were murdered? They didn't have a voice.

Yet here we are debating the fact that this is a right. A right?

No, no, no. This is an issue that has gone back to the States. Not an issue for us here in this Chamber to be deciding, when we know that this Nation is based on life: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It starts at life.

The extreme positions, they are being held on that side of the aisle. We are a Nation of equal opportunity, not equal outcome. We know that abortion is equal outcome. Give those children the opportunity to live.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote against this ridiculous bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 7606, the higher food and increased fuel costs act.

I just cannot believe that at a time when we Americans all are paying more for everything, from gas, groceries, energy, and beyond, my colleagues on the left want more regulation and more government intervention. They want to blame Putin and the war in Ukraine, but they don't want to accept responsibility for the very policies that are helping drive these increased costs.

If the last year has taught us anything, Mr. Speaker, it is that Big Government with a one-size-fits-all approach of spending into oblivion does not work. It turns out, shockingly, that taking cues from the Easter Bunny doesn't work.

Look at the facts: fuel, 106 percent up; eggs, 32 percent increase; fresh and frozen chicken, up 19.3 percent; milk, up 15.9 percent; bacon, up 15.6 percent; baby food, up almost 13 percent. Oh, by the way, we can't find it. Let's talk about that.

Right now, our farmers--and I know this for a fact because I come from a rural producing district--have their backs up against a wall. With skyrocketing prices for inputs like fertilizer, fuel, and feed, many of our producers are now reaching a breaking point.

This administration, however, seems hellbent on pushing them over the edge. The regulatory regime at the EPA--and I use that word deliberately--threatens the very livelihood of our producers and the long-term food security of our Nation. Everyone in this room can agree that food security is national security, and it is dangerous policy what the left is doing in taking out our producers.

Now, it seems as if they are more focused on Green New Deal policies, and our districts will never be the same if we continue down this path. Any sort of tax or additional regulation is increasing the costs to produce fuel and produce our food.

This is a time when Americans, keep in mind, are making decisions between gas or groceries, and we are seriously up here talking about increasing costs for fuel and food? Give me a break.

We need to slam the brakes on any policy that empowers more government bureaucrats and impoverishes the people.

We need to ensure that the EPA does not threaten the future of our producers with such ridiculous, out-of-touch policies. I know that many of my colleagues, particularly in leadership, have not filled up a gas tank in probably 40 years, but I have. Two days ago, I paid over $5 per gallon of gas. That is what Americans are facing. We need to stop empowering these bureaucrats.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of the amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, if we adopt my motion to recommit, I will instruct the Committee on Agriculture to add my amendment that would prohibit the EPA from regulating or taxing emission from livestock.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to support the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

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

Madam Speaker, I came here today to speak on behalf of women and the parents of my district--heck, honestly, I came to speak on behalf of all Americans who want their kids to be safe and secure in their schools, and for people to be safe in their communities.

I came here today to say that we all want these things because our hearts collectively break when any life is lost. We mourn for those lives lost needlessly.

We need to do better, and we can do better, which is why every single Member of this Chamber must, without hesitation, denounce, decline, decide, and oppose against H.R. 7910, the politics over our kids act.

This is common sense. Taking legal firearms out of the hands of law- abiding citizens does nothing but empower criminals.

It is already illegal to commit murder. Has that stopped murder? Has that stopped violence? No.

Madam Speaker, you said in your opening remarks: ``Protecting our kids--what could be more important than that?'' You said: ``We are here for the children.'' You went on to say: ``Everything we do is for the children,'' and that today's effort to strip our constitutional rights is a ``crusade for the children.''

You must have forgotten the nearly 60 million children that have been murdered through some of the most horrific means during an abortion. All on your watch.

You invoke JFK, and say: ``Our children are our best resource and our best hope for the future.''

Is that so?

Why do you deny them their future by killing them in the womb? It sounds a bit hypocritical, if you ask me.

You also made the statement that the leading cause of death for children is firearms. Then why does the data refute that? ``NBC News'' reported that motor vehicle deaths of kids from age 1 to 17 continues to be the number one cause of death.

Spare me, Madam Speaker, that you are here fighting for the children because your three decades in Congress reflect a record of anything but a fight for children.

Certainly not the kids being trafficked at the border. Not the kids being abused. Not the kids fighting for their life in the womb, or the kids whose future is being stolen by abusive Big Government policies.

If this were about protecting kids, then why does this bill do nothing to secure or harden our schools? Why were there no bipartisan efforts as part of this package? Why do these bills do nothing to address the mental health crisis that we are facing that is driving the violence? It is not the guns; it is the people.

People who are intent on committing acts of evil and violence will do so by any means necessary. That is a fact.

While you have conveniently forgotten so much, I certainly do not want to forget how many victims of domestic violence will be left without options to protect themselves if this garbage bill becomes law.

The same party screaming to defund our police is the same party screaming about how you--a law-abiding citizen--should not be able to defend yourself.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that you have clearly all forgotten your oath. An oath that we took here on this Chamber floor to uphold and defend the United States Constitution, and the Second Amendment is part of that.

Madam Speaker, and to all my colleagues, the Constitution is not a la carte, you can either accept it all or none of it, but you cannot cherry-pick. If you cannot uphold your oath, then you should resign.

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 239.

Madam Speaker, we are proud to recognize the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the Ocala VA Clinic on June 22, 2022. This clinic is a tremendous triumph for our veteran community in North Central Florida and will serve thousands of veterans with excellent care. This project has been a long-time coming and I am pleased to see its completion. Congratulations to the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System on another job well done on behalf of our Nation's heroes.