Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I honor the service of Dr. Kent Fuchs, the 12th President of the University of Florida, who will be retiring later this year. Dr. Fuchs has served for 37 years as an academic leader and faculty member at four different national research and land- grant universities, including the University of Florida in my district where his leadership and support will be sorely missed.

Dr. Fuchs has been a steward for public good and will go down in Florida's history as a testament to public service. Founded to serve the citizens of a growing state, the University of Florida (UF) has since become one of the nation's top public universities.

Born on an Oklahoma farm in 1954, President Fuchs spent much of his youth in Alaska before moving to Miami, where he graduated from Miami Killian Senior High School. Dr. Fuchs eventually made Florida his home, where his indelible impact is seen to this day.

During his tenure, UF has become a national leader in preparing the next generation of students for success. It was always his belief that public higher education was the incubator for personal growth and scholastic enrichment. Today, the University continues to be one of the most affordable universities in the nation, with UF's average cost of attendance lowest of the top 10 public universities. With his personal warmth, sense of humor and affection for students--personified in his annual April Fools' pranks and friendly, lighthearted presence on social media--Dr. Fuchs has become a beloved figure on campus, with students lining up to take selfies with him wherever he goes.

Most notably during his tenure, the university reached its longtime goal of joining the nation's top public universities, rising to join the top five in 2021.

Dr. Fuchs has strived to ensure Florida's bright future. In 2020, UF announced a groundbreaking partnership with NVIDIA that will catapult UF's research strength and build a workforce trained in the tools of Artificial Intelligence (AI). UF's creation of a model for addressing society's grand challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration is positioning Florida as a global leader in AI and attracting more high- wage jobs and industry to our state.

Today, UF has 4,642 full-time faculty, up more than 25 percent from 2014. Faculty have steadily increased their research excellence with research spending projected to approach $1 billion this fiscal year. Under Dr. Fuchs' leadership, UF's faculty and staff have enhanced the university's educational, research, extension and clinical excellence, by increasing public and private financial support--all progress that continued despite the challenges of the pandemic in the past two years.

Over his long and distinguished career, Dr. Fuchs was appointed by President Obama to the National Science Board and served on the Internet2, Association of American Universities and Association of Public and Land-grant Universities boards of directors. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the Association for Computing Machinery, and has received numerous awards for teaching and research. President Fuchs earned his doctorate in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Illinois, and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

On behalf of the Florida Congressional Delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 117th Congress, we want to congratulate Dr. Kent Fuchs on his retirement after eight years of service with the University of Florida and thank him for his of public service to Florida and our Nation.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Army Sergeant First-Class Christopher Burks. Sfc. Burks was killed in the line of duty the 1st of August 2012 in Cheongiu, Korea. He was the proud husband to Diana Jordan-Burks and father to Kyana Goodman and Karlasha Williams. He is greatly missed by friends, family, and community members alike. We thank him for his ultimate sacrifice to our Nation for the freedom of all Americans.

I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Army Sergeant Jared Milazzo. Sgt. Milazzo was killed in the line of duty the 12th of December 2018 in Ft. Bragg, NC. He was the proud son of Robert and Laureen Milazzo. He is greatly missed by friends, family, and community members alike. We thank him for his ultimate sacrifice to our Nation for the freedom of all Americans.

I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Army Corporal William Rechenmacher. Cpl. Rechenmacher was killed in the line of duty the 18th of January 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq. He was the proud son of Joanne and Ronald Gutcher. He is greatly missed by friends, family, and community members alike. We thank him for his ultimate sacrifice to our Nation for the freedom of all Americans.

I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Army Private First-Class Jonathan Villanueva. PFC Villanueva was killed in the line of duty the 27th of April 2011 in Salar, Afghanistan. He was the proud son of Diego and Anna Villanueva. He is greatly missed by friends, family, and community members alike. We thank him for his ultimate sacrifice to our Nation for the freedom of all Americans.

I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Army Sergeant Shaw Rivers. Sgt. Rivers was killed in the line of duty the 26th of November 2020 in Clarksville, TN. He was the proud son of Shaw and Charlene Rivers. He is greatly missed by friends, family, and community members alike. We thank him for his ultimate sacrifice to our Nation for the freedom of all Americans.

I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Army Private First-Class Timothy Seamans. Pfc. Seamans was killed in the line of duty the 18th of August 2005 in Samara, Iraq. He was the proud son of Dave and Monica Seamans. He is greatly missed by friends, family, and community members alike. We thank him for his ultimate sacrifice to our Nation for the freedom of all Americans.

I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Army Sergeant Lukas Stanford. Sgt. Stanford was killed in the line of duty the 4th of October 2008 in Ft. Belvoir, VA. He was the proud son of Tim and Carmen Stanford and brother to Emma Stanford. He is greatly missed by friends, family, and community members alike. We thank him for his ultimate sacrifice to our Nation for the freedom of all Americans.

I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Army Sergeant Karl Campbell. Sgt Campbell was killed in the line of duty the 4th of October 2010 in Babur, Afghanistan. He was the proud son of Arthur and Audrey Campbell. He is greatly missed by friends, family, and community members alike. We thank him for his ultimate sacrifice to our Nation for the freedom of all Americans.

I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Army Specialist Christopher Neiberger. Spc. Neiberger was killed in the line of duty the 6th of August 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq. He was the proud son of Richard and Mary Neiberger. He is greatly missed by friends, family, and community members alike. We thank him for his ultimate sacrifice to our Nation for the freedom of all Americans.

I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Army Private Sergeant First-Class Leo Cornell. Sfc. Cornell was killed in the line of duty the 14th of December 2007 in Ocala, FL. He was the proud husband to Marcy Cornell. He is greatly missed by friends, family, and community members alike. We thank him for his ultimate sacrifice to our Nation for the freedom of all Americans.

I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Air Force Staff Sergeant Bryan Berky. Staff Sergeant Berky was killed in the line of duty the 12th of September 2009 in Afghanistan. He was the proud father of Harrison Berkey and the son of Sonya and Bill Berky. He is greatly missed by friends, family, and community members alike. We thank him for his ultimate sacrifice to our Nation for the freedom of all Americans.

I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Army Sergeant Christopher Soderlund. Sgt. Soderlund was killed in the line of duty the 9th of July 2011 in Charkh Bazaar Eastern TCP, Afghanistan. He was the proud father of Adrianne and Gabriel Soderlund-McComic. He is greatly missed by

friends, family, and community members alike. We thank him for his ultimate sacrifice to our Nation for the freedom of all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, my amendment is simple. It prioritizes national security at TSA. I have concerns about the underlying bill, including its expansion of collective bargaining that could put our national security at risk by subjecting new procedures or requirements imposed by the Administrator of the TSA to collective bargaining.

This amendment, like I said, is simple. It would just clarify that the Administrator of TSA is not limited in his or her ability to swiftly respond to national security and/or public safety threats under this bill.

Specifically, the amendment ensures that any procedures or requirements shall not be constrained by collective bargaining. The very nature of airport security requires that TSA remain agile and flexible to new and emerging threats. It is for this very reason that Congress exempted TSA from title 5 when it stood up the agency just two months after the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

It is imperative that the Administrator continues to have the authority to swiftly make these changes to ensure public safety in response to national security threats and risks. Now, this amendment would ensure that the Administrator does not have to negotiate with union representatives whenever changes would impact the TSA workforce regardless of the national security implications. It adds language that specifically preserves the Administrator's authority and exempts changes to security screening procedures from collective bargaining.

We all are exceptionally grateful and appreciative for the work that our TSA officers do and the national security service that they provide, which is exactly why we need this amendment to ensure our national security.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this clarifying amendment to ensure that national security threats are addressed immediately at TSA, their prime mission, and not let collective bargaining get in the way of our national security.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from the great State of Mississippi (Mr. Guest).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I appreciate the commentary from my colleague and friend, Representative Guest from Mississippi. What is the harm of this amendment if what you say is true? If you believe that it is currently in place, why is the majority opposed to codifying it to ensure that national security remains the top priority?

It seems very simple to me. This is a simple amendment. This is not a partisan amendment. This should be an American, bipartisan amendment that we can all agree that national security comes first. That is the role of TSA.

My question and statement as I close is: Why not codify it? Why not accept this amendment?

I just feel that sometimes we are so hyperpartisan in this Chamber that we can't see the forest for the trees.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support and adopt this amendment.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize Mr. Joey Mantia on the remarkable achievement of winning a Bronze Medal for speedskating in the Men's Team Pursuit at the 2022 Winter Olympics. I commend Mr. Mantia and his teammates for the commitment, hard work, and effort dedicated to this hard-fought victory, what an honor it is to be able to represent the United States of America at such a level. As a 28-time world champion and world recordholder, he knows the hard work and dedication it takes. May he continue to make Florida and our country proud with his persistence.

I am proud to recognize Ms. Erin Jackson on winning the Gold Medal in the Women's 500m Short Track Speed Skate at the 2022 Winter Olympics. This victory is well deserved, as I know it reflects the hard work and dedication Ms. Jackson has put in throughout her life. Not only does Ms. Jackson hold the title as a gold medalist, but as the first black woman to medal in speedskating at the Winter Olympics and the first American to win this event since 1994. May she continue to make Florida and our country proud with her persistence.

I am proud to recognize Ms. Brittany Bowe on winning the Bronze Medal in the Women's 1000m Long Track Speed Skate at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. I commend Ms. Bowe for the commitment, hard work, and effort she put into this hard-fought victory. As the winner of gold and silver medals at the World Single Distance Championship, she knows the hard work and dedication is what it takes to get to where you are today. May she continue to make Florida and our country proud with her persistence.

I am proud to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Gainesville chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The Gainesville chapter was founded on April 2, 1922 to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism. I am happy to recognize all the good that the Gainesville chapter does in their community. Members volunteer in their local communities including supporting active-duty military personnel and assisting veteran patients, awarding scholarships and financial aid each year to students, and supporting schools for underserved children. Here's to the next 100 years.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 471, the PAUSE Act, to protect all Americans from Biden's border crisis.

Mr. Speaker, I am here today to rise in support of ordering the previous question on Congresswoman Herrell's bill, the SHIELD Act, that would stop the Biden administration from ending title 42, the very necessary public health order used by CBP officials at the southwest border.

Since President Biden took office in January of last year, Customs and Border Protection have encountered over 2 million illegal immigrants at the southern border. This number is more than at any other time during the Trump administration and still continues to astonish those of us who have actually visited the border to see what is happening there.

Unlike the trafficker in chief, who would rather retreat to his beach house in Delaware than face the American people, or the so-called border czar, who visited El Paso once and figured that that was good enough, I myself have been to the border three times to see this crisis for myself. In fact, over 70 percent of my Republican colleagues have been to see the tragic crisis unfolding there.

As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I have followed this issue from the very beginning and have feared the very day when title 42 would be rescinded for political purposes.

Speaking of political purposes, I find it exceptionally hypocritical that this very Chamber is still utilizing proxy voting under the guise of a public health concern. In fact, on March 29, the Speaker extended proxy voting through May 14 of this year because of ``the ongoing public health crisis.''

It is curious that the Speaker doesn't seem to think that our own border being overrun by 2 million undocumented people has no bearing on the safety of the general American public, but a Congress of 435 Members with an 80 percent vaccination rate seems to qualify for an ``ongoing public health crisis.'' That, to me, screams hypocrisy.

Furthermore, there are Members of this Chamber who have been voting ``present'' via proxy. The hypocrisy and the irony are not lost on me nor the American people, Mr. Speaker.

Additionally, every single one of my colleagues who decided to show up here today had to wear a mask to get on a plane. That mandate is still in place due to the ongoing public health crisis.

Mr. Speaker, we have two very clear instances here in this Chamber where the ``ongoing public health crisis'' is used as a justification for policy decisions. Why not the safety, then, for all Americans and our communities across this country by securing the border? Why not uphold and keep title 42 in place?

If you have ever spoken to a CBP officer or a Border Patrol agent, they will tell you that title 42 is necessary, that ending it will send even more people to the southern border. It is a magnet.

Ending it will prolong the crisis. It will grow the crisis. It will once and for all put an end to national security as we know it.

Take it from the wife of a first responder who deals with this crisis every single day. I have had dozens of Border Patrol agents text and call me the last few days, begging for help to hold the line on title 42. They have said: Please, Congress, hold the line on title 42. It must be protected because it is the only policy in place currently that, in the slightest, will slow this surge that we have watched grow before our eyes.

If you stand with our Border Patrol agents, if you stand with the American people, if you give a damn about our communities, then you will support the SHIELD Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend from the great State of Minnesota for yielding.

I rise today to defeat the previous question so that we may immediately consider H.R. 6858, Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers' bill, that would strengthen United States energy security, encourage and promote domestic production of crude oil and natural gas, and help return to and solidify American energy independence.

You know, I get asked all the time, why? Why will Congress do nothing to lower the cost of fuel? Why do they continue to talk and do absolutely nothing?

Well, right here--right here is your answer. Today, Republicans stand, for the fifth time, legislation Today, Republicans stand, for the fifth time, legislation in hand, to bring gas prices down and to restart our energy production right here at home; legislation that would make us energy independent, once again, and that would get thousands of Americans back to work; legislation that would be a collective sigh of relief for our seniors, and those on fixed incomes, who are making the decision between gas or groceries. This legislation is the answer, and it is ready to go.

But you know what? My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have already been given vote recommendations by the Speaker of the House to shoot this legislation down. They haven't even read it. They haven't even read it, and they are so blind to and beholden to their radical agenda that they won't consider a commonsense solution to one of the most pressing issues facing all of our collective constituents, these fuel prices.

Again, this is the fifth time that this legislation has been presented, and it is the fifth time that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have put Russia first and America last.

The average price of gas today is $4.56 and climbing. For our truckers and farmers who fuel up on diesel, like many in my district, it is costing them well over $5 a gallon at the pump. In fact, it is $5.19 today for a gallon of diesel.

All across our country, Americans, regardless of party, are making decisions, again, between gas in the tank or groceries in the fridge. Folks are canceling their first road trip with their family in 2 years, or visits to grandparents, because Biden has decided that Americans who put fuel in their own gas tanks and shop for their own groceries, they are not the priority.

In fact, just 17 hours ago, the Biden administration was more concerned with presenting former President Barack Obama with a ceremonial pen than talking about how we are going to bring down fuel prices in this country. You want to talk about out of touch. There it is in a nutshell.

This is the Biden energy policy: soaring prices that hurt hardworking Americans and increasing reliance on foreign countries to meet our energy needs.

We know that America's future will not be realized by sunshine and pinwheels. We will realize it by boosting domestic production and ending our dependence on countries that don't have our best interests in mind. Heck, they don't even like us.

I have spoken to foresters and farmers in my district who have told me that energy costs alone are driving them out of operation and out of business. To illustrate this, one of the top timber producers in my own district said he is spending $18,000 more a week on fuel costs alone. If this continues, he will be suspending operations, all because this administration has issued our domestic energy industry a death sentence. That happened even before they took office.

This Biden energy plan, or lack thereof, is ruining the financial hopes and dreams of hardworking Americans and destroying farmers, foresters, families, ranchers, and small businesses.

We know that we can put an end to this energy crisis. We know we can, but instead, we are focused on ceremonial pens and issues that do not matter to the American people.

It is long past time that we end this energy crisis and put American energy security and independence at the top of the priority list. I stand before this body and the American people to say that we, too, have had enough.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so we can immediately bring Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers' legislation to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3706. Under longtime Federal law, counties located within the National Forest System have received a share of revenues generated through the sale of timber harvested from those Federal lands.

This revenue has been critical for forested counties to support schools, roads, law enforcement, search-and-rescue operations, and other local activities that benefit both our forests and rural communities.

However, with the sharp decline in timber harvesting across the National Forest System since the early 1990s, rural counties have seen revenues for schools and other important local services plummet as a result.

To offset this lost revenue, Congress created the Secure Rural Schools program in 2000 to provide additional funding to participating counties based on their average historical timber payments.

In my own district in north Florida, Putnam County and Marion County have received a combined total of more than $624,000 through the Secure Rural Schools program, thanks to the sale of timber harvested out of the Ocala National Forest.

In rural counties like Putnam, this funding provides support for the county's schools, roads, and other critical services. It is no different in Marion County.

The recent infrastructure bill, signed into law this past November, reauthorized the Secure Rural Schools for the next 3 years. However, due to a drafting error, this reauthorization did not lock in the payment allocations that participating counties last elected in 2013.

Consequently, payments for this spring will revert to their default levels in permanent law. This means that county allocations will revert to 80 percent for Title I, 20 percent for Title II, and zero percent for Title III.

To correct this problem, S. 3706 will lock in the 2013 elections for the coming year. In doing so, the bill will provide certainty and consistency for county payments that will be made in the coming months.

Fundamental errors like this demonstrate how flawed and rushed the process was to pass the infrastructure bill this last year. It also demonstrates the need for committee consideration and why committees should not be bypassed before bringing a bill to the floor.

However, given the great importance of county payments to both forested counties and rural school districts around the Nation, I support this commonsense technical fix and urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

As we continue to consider how to best steward our national forests and support forested communities, I would like to add that increasing timber harvesting across the National Forest System will better support these counties and reduce the need for this program in the long run.

Regardless of what the critics say, timber harvesting will encourage forest health and will help prevent the devastating wildfires that have torn through America's forests in recent years. Our forests are an important pillar for our rural economies and provide much-needed revenue to our local counties and schools, like those in my own district.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to show an army of congressional leaders who back the blue. I rise to show our colleagues on the other side of the aisle and Americans across the country that we won't back down when it comes to supporting our men and women in uniform.

Since my time in Congress began just over 1 year ago, I have made it my mission to show not just in words but also in action that our LEOs across the country have a thin blue line army that won't back down, that won't quit, and that will always have their six.

Today, we rise to honor the heroes in our midst, the everyday public servants who get up daily to don the badge, run into harm's way, moving towards danger and working hard to keep us all safe.

Amid efforts to defund our police, leading to a rise in crime with no response from elected officials nationwide or from this administration; amid phony bail reform efforts that do nothing to keep dangerous criminals behind bars; amid an opioid crisis with record levels of drugs pouring into our communities, perpetuated by the crisis at our southern border--because we all know that you cannot defend your hometowns if you cannot protect the homeland--amid dangerous rhetoric spread by the ill-informed; amid increasing levels of vitriol for this profession, these real heroes, well, they show up.

Madam Speaker, I stood on this floor in March of last year as my Democrat colleagues passed a bill to defund police. They defunded police. Now, that night, I challenged my colleagues across the aisle to a ride-along. Not a single one--not one--took me up on my offer.

Instead, my team and I set out to do the ride-alongs that my colleagues would not. And wow, did we learn a lot. Whether it was domestic violence, robbery, battery, violent brawls, drunk drivers, drug busts--everything in between--these ride-alongs proved it. These men and women who wear the badge, they are amazing. They are imperfect beings doing the toughest of jobs with the best of intentions. They are criticized, demonized, and vilified, and yet, they continue to answer the call in the face of it all.

Madam Speaker, 2021 was the deadliest year on record for members of the law enforcement community--the deadliest. Next to me, you see the names of all those that we lost. You probably can't see the names very well or even care to read them. There is 458 of them--the poster isn't even big enough to accommodate all of the names. That is 458 families shattered forever. That is 458 departments forever changed. That is 458 lives lost.

As the wife of a first responder, I know all too well that feeling of twists and turns and pain that comes when a SWAT callout has come out. I know what it is like to sit at the kitchen table and wait for the call, the text letting me know that the callout is over and that my husband is on his way back to the department or to the station.

I know what it is like, and that is perhaps why I stand here today more resolved than ever to stand in defense and in support of those who protect and serve every day. To the spouses of our men and women in law enforcement, know that you have a friend and sister in this fight. Know that your service alongside your partner is just as valuable and important to all those across the country. Whether you call yourself a deputy or an officer, an LEO spouse or family member, the message is simple: My colleagues and I, we see you, we hear you, we support you, and we will always have your six.

To those who seek to divide, defund, and disparage, know that every attempt that you make to hurt our LEOs and defund our departments, it will only be in vain. Your efforts to make our communities less safe will fail. Your efforts to hurt our families will falter. My colleagues and I, we will make sure of it.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman and my friend and colleague from the great State of Minnesota.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from the great State of Texas. I am proud to call him friend. Thank you for honoring this incredible patriot.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gimenez), my friend and colleague from the Sunshine State.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from the Sunshine State.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, the ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, Sheriff Rutherford.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), a champion for our law enforcement.

Madam Speaker, I thank Dr. Burgess for his steadfast support for law enforcement.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cline), who is my friend and a supporter of law enforcement.

Madam Speaker, I yield to my friend and colleague from the Sunshine State of Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), who is a champion for law enforcement.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from the freedom State, Florida, for his remarks.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost), who is the ranking member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and a fellow patriot and ardent supporter of law enforcement.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from the great State of Illinois for his impassioned and accurate remarks.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the great State of Missouri (Mrs. Hartzler), who is my good friend.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse), my friend and colleague, a champion for our law enforcement officers.

Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Newhouse for his comments.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the great State of Pennsylvania (Mr. Keller), a friend and colleague, and a champion for our law enforcement.

Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Keller for his comments.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from the great State of Wisconsin for his comments.

It is my pleasure to yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde), my friend and a champion for law enforcement.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from the great State of Georgia for those words.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Murphy), my friend and colleague.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot), my friend and colleague and a champion of law enforcement.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague for being a continual champion for our law enforcement officers.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Obernolte), my friend and colleague and a champion for law enforcement.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from the great State of California for continuing to be a champion for our police departments and law enforcement officers.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Madam Speaker, it is pretty challenging to be standing in a room that, from the view of C-SPAN, is filled. But I can tell you right now that it is just you and me, Madam Speaker, as well as my colleague from the Sunshine State, Representative Rutherford, behind me, as well as some of our fantastic staff here on the House floor.

I think it is time that we stop playing these partisan games and really come together because this truly is a bipartisan issue. This is an issue that affects our communities as a whole, and I think if we are going to call for responsibility, actions, and words, we should start in this Chamber.

I have a quote here that I wanted to read from one of our colleagues. It says: ``I am going to make sure that I have security because I know I have had attempts on my life, and I have too much work to do. There are too many people that need help right now. So, if I end up spending $200,000, if I spend $10 more on it, you know what? I get to be here to do the work. So suck it up, and defunding the police has to happen. We need to defund the police and put that money into social safety nets because we are trying to save lives.'' Madam Speaker, those are your words.

See, when I was homeless about a decade ago, I wasn't privileged enough to have $200,000 to spend on private security. In fact, it was a comfort knowing that at any moment, in some of the toughest situations that were happening around us--violence, abuse--that a quick call to 911 would result in someone coming to help. We had nothing but the reassurance that on the other end of that line, someone was coming to help, someone was willing to answer the call.

I know that there is far more in this country that unites us than divides us, but I cannot tell you how disappointed I am as we have stood here for the last hour reciting stories of heroism, of selflessness--if I had time, I would recite the names of our fallen officers, but I simply haven't enough time. And, quite frankly, Madam Speaker, you haven't even looked up off your phone.

To Americans who are watching this, know that there are people in this Congress who do give a damn, who will look up off their phone, who are not too bothered to listen. We will not stop fighting. We will continue to back the blue.

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

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

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that we are in what many are calling the third wave of the American opioid epidemic which has taken hundreds of thousands of lives.

In fact, the leading cause of death in America today for folks between the ages of 18 and 45 is fentanyl. It is not COVID. It is not climate change. No, it is fentanyl. And we know for a fact that every single Member of this Chamber represents districts that are being significantly impacted by the gross influx of narcotics in our communities.

You know, last March, I stood here on this very floor next to my husband's SWAT vest as our colleagues on the left worked to defund, and ultimately did defund our police. I stated then that Members of Congress should be required to do ride-alongs with local law enforcement so that they may see firsthand the very dangerous challenges that our law enforcement officers face on a daily basis. To date, not a single one has taken me up on that challenge.

However, I have done several ride-alongs, as well as three trips to the southwest border. Had our Democrat colleagues taken me up on our ride-along challenge they would have seen firsthand the drugs that are free-flowing across the southwest border, courtesy of trafficker-in- chief Biden, into our communities.

It is not hard to find examples of this. In fact, here is one from my own backyard, Marion County, Florida. This brick of fentanyl was found just last year. Months after this very drug bust, I took my local sheriffs to the southwest border to see firsthand for themselves the crisis unfolding there.

It was on this trip that a Homeland Security Investigations agent took one look at this photo and said, you know, that is a product of a border cartel: 984 grams of fentanyl--984 grams of fentanyl. That is enough to kill a half a million people. That is what this brick was that was found in Marion County, Florida, that came from the border.

So while I am incredibly grateful to our law enforcement officers, and proud of Sheriff Billy Woods and his entire department in Marion County for their incredible work on this case, it must be recognized that no single department can stop the tidal wave of drugs coming across the border.

It is a fact that we cannot defend our hometowns if we cannot defend the homeland, and that is why border security is so important.

To my colleagues on the left, you can pretend that there is no crisis on the border, but we know, and you know that is a lie.

You can look the other way as mothers and fathers and families are grieving from family members falling victim to the addiction of fentanyl; many who have succumbed.

You can lie to yourselves, but you can't lie to the American people any longer.

Today is an opportunity for us all to take a stand against the horrific opioid epidemic that has gripped our Nation. We have the opportunity to take a stand for families who have painfully suffered at the hands of fentanyl's vise grip.

Today is an opportunity to put people above politics. This bill will make the emergency class-wide scheduling order for fentanyl-related substances permanent. That is why this is so important. That is why this is above politics and a political agenda.

I commend the great work that my friend, the gentleman from Virginia, has done on this important work. And I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so that we can immediately consider his bill, the HALT Fentanyl Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this bill which could be more appropriately named the America concedes act. Heck, we could go so far as to say that this is the American corruption act.

This bill has nothing to do with countering China or holding them accountable. It is 2,900--2,900 pages. Have any of my colleagues supporting this bill actually read the bill? I would venture no. I would say no, they probably haven't because if they had, they would know what was in it, and they would recognize that it is selling us out to China.

I, however, have read this bill. I have spent the last couple of days poring through the language and have found egregious provision after egregious provision. And, quite frankly, it is infuriating.

Just one example is the fact that under section 61008, COVID pandemic measures could be extended until December 31, 2025. What better way to make Americans dependent upon China for critical supplies like PPE than to mandate that we get it from them, and make sure that COVID provisions stay in place?

Another example is the $8 billion, with a B, authorization for the Green Climate Fund, which was conceived as a tool for incentivizing developing countries to participate in the Paris climate agreement. In practice, this

U.N. fund has done nothing more but distort global energy markets, and even encourages corruption.

I have an amendment to this bill that would strike the funding, and I urge my colleagues to support that amendment.

However, we know that this is more about politics than it is about good policy, so I am not particularly optimistic. However, I still would encourage my colleagues to support that amendment.

Madam Speaker, this bill is misguided. We should stand as Americans and counter China and its rise. Support true American innovation.

I encourage my colleagues to oppose this bill. It is dangerous and misguided.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from the great State of Indiana for yielding, and I am still holding out for my honorary Hoosier title.

Madam Speaker, this week we mark 1 year since Joe Biden was sworn in as President and Commander in Chief of the United States. Now, there are 525,600 minutes in a whole year, and somehow Biden has used every single one of those minutes to diminish and destroy the strength of the American economy, its workers, and our national security. During the first year of the Biden Presidency, America has faced more COVID deaths than in the prior year, a disastrous exit from Afghanistan of which we are still getting Americans out, a 40-year high inflation rate, and so much more.

Now, this country has spent the last year staring down a border crisis that has gone unmanaged and a pandemic that has gone unabated. In 2021 alone, there were over 1.7 million border encounters. Keep in mind, the comparison of 500,000 or less the year prior. Now, while our brave border agents were left underresourced and unsupported, this administration first attempted to ignore the crisis then sought to downplay the consequences. The so-called border czar, Vice President Harris, refused to visit the border and see this crisis firsthand. This amounted to criminal negligence, and Americans won't soon forget the role that Biden and his administration played in dramatically weakening America's national security.

Now, as millions of illegal immigrants poured over our southwest border, COVID continued to sweep through the United States. The Biden administration was caught flatfooted, once again, on testing capacity nationwide and distribution of critical lifesaving therapeutic treatments. In my home State of Florida, we had a fantastic monoclonal antibody treatment program going, and the Federal Government stepped in and stopped it. Why? Because they are threatened by the freedom. They are threatened by the success. Over 440,000 Americans have lost their lives to COVID-19 under the Biden administration. That is more than when the pandemic began and the entire year of 2020.

Further, images of high gas prices at the pump and empty shelves at the supermarket define the first year of the Biden Presidency. As our Nation has grappled with a global pandemic, this administration has stood on the sidelines while Americans have struggled to get basic necessities. Every sector of the American economy has been hurt by supply chain issues caused in part by abusive Chinese trade practices and, also, weak administrative leadership.

On top of these mounting challenges, the Biden administration has put the entirety of their political capital behind over $6 trillion worth of so-called social justice spending bills meant to prop up failing government programs and a liberal wish list of items. The economic devastation from so much uncontrolled spending has already been felt in historic levels of inflation and will certainly be burdening generations of Americans to come.

This administration's first year in office has been a disaster from top to bottom. Instead of working to change positively, Biden has worked to change our country into a population of dependents because that is, at the end of the day, what this administration is about: Dependency and control.

We can take our country back, and we will. To Americans hurting in the first 52 weeks of this administration, remember, November is coming.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize National Human Trafficking Day. This issue, the issue of human trafficking, is not a Republican or Democrat issue. It is an American issue. It is a human issue.

That is why today I am proud to wear blue to show my support to all those fighting this terrible scourge and also to the victims of trafficking, to stand in solidarity as we fight for resources and support and also to educate fellow Members and citizens about this terrible scourge. We need to be loud.

Trafficking occurs in every State, in every district, and in every city, which is why every single Member here today needs to come together as we fight this modern-day slavery.

I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle as we work to strengthen resources for those on the front lines and continue to expose the awful scourge of modern-day slavery that we know as trafficking.

Honoring Corporal Duane Dewey

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of a remarkable American hero. Corporal Duane Dewey of the United States Marine Corps embodied what it meant to be an American soldier and patriot.

A Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient, Corporal Dewey displayed courageous and meritorious actions during his service in the Korean war. Already riddled from shrapnel from a grenade, Corporal Dewey used his own body as a human shield and covered a grenade as it exploded. In doing so, he protected his fellow soldiers and showed true sacrifice in service. Miraculously, he survived.

In 1953, President Eisenhower presented Corporal Dewey with the Medal of Honor and described his remarkable service as ``indomitable courage, outstanding initiative, and valiant efforts on behalf of others in the face of almost certain death reflect the highest credit upon Corporal Dewey.''

Now, after 26 years serving in the Marine Corps Corporal Dewey retired and spent many winter seasons in my home county of Alachua. He was well known in the veteran community and throughout Florida for his incredible bravery during battle and as an example of giving one's all for their Nation, no questions asked.

Mr. Dewey recently passed away after a long and distinguished life of service. His life will be remembered through the many people who had the honor of meeting and knowing Corporal Dewey and through the Duane E. Dewey AMVETS Post 1988 of Baldwin, where many of his service records are on display.

We will continue to thank today but also every day the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces, like Corporal Dewey, for their service and sacrifice on behalf of our Nation.

God bless Corporal Dewey. May he rest easy.

Congratulating Jeb Smith

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the newest president of the Florida Farm Bureau, Mr. Jeb Smith. Before his election to this position, Mr. Smith served on the State board of the Florida Farm Bureau and on the Putnam-St. Johns County Farm Bureau board of directors.

Jeb's family has over a century of experience farming in Florida. Their current cattle, hay, and sod operation in St. Johns County have been going strong for decades, and their operation will be recognized next year as a Century Pioneer Family Farm.

Mr. Smith started as a volunteer leader with the Florida Farm Bureau and, in the following decades, has been recognized as the Florida Farm Bureau Outstanding Young Farmer, among many other accolades.

In addition to serving as the bureau's president, Jeb is also a St. Johns County commissioner and a board member of the Rodeheaver Boys Ranch. He also founded the God's Way Baptist Church in Hastings and has served as its pastor.

I am sure that his wife of 27 years, Wendy, and his four children are proud of his accomplishments.

Congratulations to my friend, President Smith, on his election. I wish him the best as he leads the Florida Farm Bureau and the incredible people who continue to champion our farmers, ranchers, and producers in Florida. We wish Jeb the very best of luck and offer him our congratulations.

Madam Speaker, on May 24, 2021, the Chair of the House Communications Standards Commission conducted Poll 117-1: Based on the Complaint submitted to the Commission on April 22, 2021, by Representative Earl L. ``Buddy'' Carter against Representative Zoe Lofgren and Representative Lofgren's Answer to the Complaint, submitted to the Commission on May 6, 2021, this Commission was asked to decide if a violation of the House of Representatives Communications Standards Manual occurred.

Poll 117-1 was conducted prematurely per the Commission rules of procedures, absent of proper investigation, and therefore invalid. The Republican Members were unable to offer a vote to a poll that was invalid.

May 24, 2021.

Hon. Mary Gay Scanlon,

Chairwoman, Communication Standards Commission, Longworth

House Office Building, Washington, DC.

Chairwoman Scanlon: On May 21, you sent a poll regarding

the Communication Standards violation complaint brought

against Representative Zoe Lofgren (``Complaint'') to the

Members of the Communications Standards Commission for

consideration. As you have conceded, this poll is invalid

because it is procedurally unripe and violates Commission

Rules.

Commission Rules are quite clear. Upon receipt of a valid

complaint, the Commission has thirty days to adjudicate the

complaint and issue its written decision. Rule 9. The

Commission's adjudication process begins with Rule 6, which

requires the Commission's Chair and Ranking Member to

``review the respondent's answer to the complaint'' in order

to agree to dismiss the complaint or jointly or independently

conclude that the complaint ``presents a reasonable

justification to warrant further review''. Following a

``decision by either the Chair and/or the Ranking Member that

further review of the complaint is warranted to determine if

a violation has occurred, the respondent shall be given

notice of further review.'' Rule 7 (emphases added).

Following ``further review'', the Commission may ``determine[

] there is substantial reason to believe that a violation has

occurred'', which may lead to a hearing. Rule 8. Following a

vote on ``substantial reason to believe'' and/or a hearing, a

majority of the Commission may decide to dismiss the

complaint (Rule 10), or the Chair and Ranking Member may

determine a violation has occurred. Rule 11. Only if the

Complaint is not dismissed and the Chair and Ranking Member

are unable to reach a determination, shall the full

Commission vote on such a determination. Rule 13.

The complaint was received by the Commission on April 22,

and your first availability to meet with Ranking Member

Cammack to discuss the complaint was on May 19. This Rule 6

meeting on May 19 was an opportunity to determine if a

reasonable justification for further review of the complaint

was warranted. Rule 6. At the conclusion of the meeting and

at your request, the final Rule 6 determination was delayed

in order to permit further reflection. This delay now appears

to have been a tactic to avoid fulfilling the Commission's

responsibility to protect federal taxpayer dollars.

Disappointingly, you sent this poll on May 21, three days

before the May 24th statutory deadline for the Commission to

issue its written decision. The Commission did not need to be

in this position, with no time to complete its work.

Your poll instructs the full Membership of the Commission

to determine whether the alleged violations occurred. Setting

aside the fact that the Commission has engaged in no

investigation of the Complaint, this poll is clearly

procedurally invalid and in contravention of Commission

Rules, as you agree. You cite Rule 13 as your authority to

put this question before the entire Commission, yet no action

under Rule 13 is ripe. As explained above, and as you now

appear to agree, procedure here is quite clear. The full

Commission may vote on dismissal only once either the Chair

or Ranking Member concludes under Rule 6 that ``the complaint

presents a reasonable justification to wan-ant further

review'' (Rule 6), the Commission notifies the respondent of

such further review (Rule 7), and the Commission considers

whether ``there is substantial reason to believe that a

violation has occurred[.]'' Rule 8. Pursuant to your

suggestion for delay, neither the Chair nor the Ranking

Member had issued a Rule 6 conclusion when you issued the

Rule 13 poll on May 21. Further, the full Commission may vote

on final determination (Rule 13) only if the Commission does

not dismiss the complaint under Rule 8 and the Chair and

Ranking Member are unable to reach a ``determin[ation] that a

violation has occurred[.]'' Rule 11. On May 24, you agreed to

send the notice of further review required by Rule 7 to

Representative Lofgren. Last Congress, Democrats and

Republicans agreed in a bipartisan manner to update and

revise our procedural rules. Let us now conduct ourselves

according to these bipartisan rules and execute our

responsibilities as required.

After it became apparent that your requested delay at the

Rule 6 meeting was merely a delay tactic, Ranking Member

Cammack informed you of her timely conclusion that the

Complaint presents a reasonable justification to wan-ant

further review. Under pressure on this issue, you agreed to

notify Representative Lofgren that the Commission will review

further the Complaint, as required by Rule 7, conceding that

this poll is procedurally invalid and in contravention of

Commission Rules. Given the serious nature of the violations

outlined in the Complaint and the now-short timeframe for the

Commission to complete its work, Ranking Member Cammack also

suggested an extension of 30 days for the Commission to issue

its written decision. It is imperative that the Commission

have sufficient time to review the Complaint, and if

necessary, to request additional information before the Chair

and Ranking Member or the Commission make a determination

with respect to the alleged violations.

Further, and despite its now-admitted, fatal procedural

defect, your poll requests that the Commission determine

without any investigation whether the alleged violations

occurred. Because of your various dilatory tactics that led

us to this point, there is now no way for the Commission to

complete its work without an extension. There is not even

enough time for the Commission to request additional

information from the complainant or respondent to inform its

work. See Rule 7. Today is the last day for the Commission to

issue a written decision, affording the parties no

opportunity to respond. There is simply not enough time for

the Commission to determine thoughtfully whether the alleged

violations occurred.

Since the Commission's inception in 1974, this bipartisan

Commission has historically conducted a fair and bipartisan

review of all valid complaints received. It is our hope that

this tradition will continue this Congress. As such, the full

Commission must be afforded the ability to perform its

statutory responsibility to review this valid complaint and,

at the appropriate time, to vote on its disposition. As

Ranking Member Cammack has suggested, an extension of time

for the Commission to complete its review of the Complaint is

necessary and appropriate.

As you have conceded, the distributed poll is procedurally

unripe and violates Commission Rules. Therefore, we decline

to vote on this invalid poll and encourage the Chair to

permit the Commission to complete its work in accordance with

Commission Rules. We stand ready to work with you through

this process.

Sincerely,

Kat Cammack,

Ranking Member,

Communications Standards Commission.

Bryan Steil,

Member,

Communications Standards Commission.

Bob Latta,

Member,

Communications Standards Commission.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to help defeat the previous question and, for once and for all, address this lingering crisis that we know is, in fact, a crisis.

The travesties unfolding on our southwest border can no longer be ignored. And I know we know the facts. I know my colleagues on the other side of the aisle know the drugs that are pouring into our communities killing thousands as a direct result of the open border policy.

But few times have we seen or heard the stories of how people are actually being affected. Just a couple days ago, I received a text message from a Border Patrol agent. An American mother and her daughter were traveling and were killed in a head-on collision with an illegal smuggling six other illegals. They were evading, driving at a fast pace, and instead, killed a very young family. In his words, this Border Patrol agent said it was just a matter of time. This happens all the time.

That is unacceptable that it is just a matter of time. Well, it is just a matter of time before this body takes action, and it is probably going to be in about 12 months.

The broken policies of this administration have broken our families here in the United States. They are the true victims of President Biden and the Democrats in action. And it is stunning to hear and demoralize and to strip those that are trying to uphold the very law that they took an oath to protect. I wish my colleagues would do the same, because it is unacceptable to hear from our own that it is just a matter of time. It is just a matter of time before someone else gets killed or another family gets broken or someone else overdoses from the incredible amount of drugs that are pouring into our community.

But we have solutions, and we have resources. And that is why we need to continue to finish to build the wall, the force multiplier that our very own agents have said time and time again will save lives and prevent more tragedies.

That is why I urge my colleagues to help defeat the previous question so that we can do what we said we would do: Finish the wall.

Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee and all of my colleagues for bringing us to this point here today.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. I want to sincerely thank every single member who worked in a productive, constructive, and helpful manner to get us to this finish line.

Funding our military, taking care of our troops, and providing for the common defense is, in fact, our duty. Promises made, promises kept. We did what we said we were going to do. No dishonorable discharges for servicemembers who refuse the vaccine, and it is retroactive. No unconstitutional red flag laws. We killed and buried the dangerous office of domestic extremism.

This bill counters China, gets them out of our supply chain, and holds this administration accountable on Afghanistan. This bill is a win for our military, our communities, our national guard, for our country.

It is time to stop talking about getting Americans out of Afghanistan. It is time to stop talking about securing the border. It is time to stop talking about holding China accountable. It is time for action. This bill does all that and more.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''