Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of H.R. 9076. I am very pleased that this legislation is coming to the House floor today.

The Supporting America's Children and Families Act includes two pieces of legislation that are important, not just to me, but to my home State of Oklahoma.

The first is the Strengthening State and Tribal Child Support Enforcement Act. This policy finally allows Tribes who run their own child support enforcement programs to access Treasury offset programs. There are 38 federally recognized Tribes in my home State of Oklahoma, 10 of which run their own child support enforcement agencies.

I would highlight this policy has the support of the National Tribal Child Support Association and the National Association of Tribal Child Support Directors.

Not only does this policy help Tribes efficiently run their child support enforcement programs, but States will be allowed to continue to use the third-party contractors to help run their child support enforcement programs. Child support enforcement is not a partisan issue. It is the right thing for Congress to do. Without this fix, we risk States having to bring all child support enforcement services in- house, costing hundreds of millions of dollars, along with the immediate pause of child support programs to millions of families, an absolutely devastating outcome. We cannot let this happen to our families.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this piece of legislation to help the children that are growing up to be this country's next generation because it truly is about the children.

This legislation also includes the Tribal Welfare Support Act, which allows child welfare funds from title IV-B to be paid directly to Tribes, reducing the regulatory burden for both States and Tribes.

Right now, child welfare payments are made to Tribes through two different funding allocations, one of which goes through States rather than directly to Tribal guarantees, an outdated and fragmented system that needs to be updated.

The Tribal Child Welfare Support Act modernizes this process so that title IV-B recipients can spend more time helping their children and families, and less time wading through the red tape.

The Supporting America's Children and Families Act passed unanimously out of the Committee on Ways and Means and contains priorities that will help families and children all over this country.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this piece of legislation today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of our Nation's paralegal professionals.

Paralegals have been in use in the legal profession for nearly 60 years. These individuals are hard workers, held to the highest ethical standards, and provide essential support in legal offices.

Anyone in business knows that your business is only as strong as the people who work there. Support is a vital part of the foundation of any success; within the legal ecosystem, paralegals play a vital part in building and sustaining that foundation.

``Liberty and justice for all'' is more than just a line in our national Pledge of Allegiance--it's the day-in, day-out mission for those in the legal profession. Paralegals are essential to that profession, working in government agencies, corporations, law firms, and more.

Many professions are honored with a day of recognition. I am thrilled to commemorate this first National Paralegal Day on August 6, 2024.

I thank our Nation's paralegals for their tireless and inspiring work and hope it will encourage others to pursue a career in this honorable field.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Bernice Trotter, a World War II veteran, and Tulsa native, who turned 100 years old yesterday.

Ms. Trotter was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Women's Reserve from 1944 to 1946. She enlisted within a few weeks of her brother, Franklin, who was killed in action in Germany in 1945.

Ms. Trotter completed basic training at Camp Pendleton, California and she remained there to faithfully execute her duties driving a jeep for a Major she was assigned to. The only problem was that she didn't know how to drive. Ms. Trotter and the other 18,000 women that joined the Marine Corps Women's Reserve didn't make excuses, they learned, and did their jobs with honor.

Our Nation stands on the strong shoulders of courageous, determined, and resourceful women like Ms. Trotter who answered the call to serve our Nation in one of our greatest hours of need. Happy birthday to Miss Minnie. She has done Franklin, and this entire Nation proud.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Alaska Right to Produce Act, and I thank my colleagues Pete Stauber and August Pfluger for the work with RSC's House Energy Action Team to put the legislation forward.

Mr. Speaker, it has been noted here that we talk certain ways but vote others. I think nothing is more evident than what we just saw just a few minutes ago where the gentlewoman from Alaska supported the bill but is going to vote ``present.''

You are either with Alaska or you are not. The Republicans are with Alaska. I just want to note for the record that we are going to vote to support Alaska.

This legislation is only necessary because of the disastrous policymaking coming out of the Biden administration. It is hard to believe today that the national average for a gallon of gas in 2020 was just over $2. Under President Trump, the United States was well on our way not only to being energy independent, but energy dominant.

Where do we and our allies get our oil from when we are not producing it ourselves? We get it from Russia, Venezuela, and other bad actors around the globe.

Let's be clear: Halting domestic production of oil and gas does absolutely nothing to lower our dependence on oil and gas, as the climate lobby wants you to believe. It just increases our dependence on people like Vladimir Putin.

I don't want the United States to rely on anything from Vladimir Putin. The solution is so simple: Use the resources under our own feet. The Alaska Right to Produce Act reverses the damaging policies from Joe Biden to unleash our domestic energy potential.

Alaska has been blessed with tremendous oil and natural gas deposits, and the people of Alaska are incredibly supportive of utilizing those resources.

This bill empowers the Native Alaskan communities and residents of the State to profit from the resources under their own soil. In a future where America is energy dominant, the only loser is Vladimir Putin, and others like him.

It helps our allies when we can provide them with oil and gas so that they are not reliant on Putin, either. It helps our own people by lowering costs and providing cleaner, more affordable energy sources, and it helps Alaska reap the benefits of the resources in their land.

It is just common sense, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this essential legislation.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable American, Hope Allison Dabney.

To all who knew her, Hope's infectious smile and warm demeanor impacted the lives of so many.

Hope was a cherished daughter, sister, cousin, niece, granddaughter, and friend.

She was a dedicated gymnast, a talented singer, a skillful pole- vaulter, a fierce Auburn football fan, and hundreds of other things.

As a testament to Hope's character, she volunteered at River Edge, a nonprofit organization in Georgia that provides mental health and substance use disorder treatment, as well as services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The news of her passing at just 26 years of age has left many hearts broken across the country. May we find solace in the knowledge that her spirit lives on in the hearts of those she touched. May Hope's legacy inspire acts of kindness and warmth, echoing the love and friendliness that defines her time with us for so many years.

My wife, Tammy, and I, along with the staff of Oklahoma's First Congressional District unite in prayer for the Dabney family and all those who were blessed to know Hope.

Mr. Speaker, as a result of President Trump's tax reform, our economy was strong, wages were up, unemployment was at all-time lows. We have a critical tax cliff fast approaching at the end of 2025--just 20 months from now--with the majority of President Trump's progrowth policies expiring.

Extending these expired provisions is not just an economic issue, one could argue this is a national security issue.

Mr. Speaker, we can't expect to compete with China when it is more expensive to invest, innovate, and grow here in the United States. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, which extends President Trump's progrowth policy agenda and increases U.S. competitiveness and resilience against China's economic influence.

Madam Speaker, because of the successes that I have had in life, not many people know that my life began very differently.

My family was dependent on food stamps for most of my youth. My stepdad never worked, and my siblings and I paid the price for it. I knew from a young age that I would not let that be my life. From the moment I could start working, I did whatever it took to earn financial security--hog farming, welding, computer programming, the list goes on.

If it weren't for the McDonald's franchisee program, I wouldn't be here today. After 11 years of working in the restaurants, I was able to work my way into the franchisee program and purchase my first franchise location. I was able to build a successful company with over 20 locations and thousands of employees.

I have lived a truly American story, and my mission in life is to help every child who grew up like me--wondering where their next meal would come from, unsure if the lights would be on when they came home from school. I want those kids to know that our country is a place of opportunity and a place of hope for those who will work for it.

Today, we are here to provide congressional disapproval of a rule that would completely destroy the franchise model that gave me the opportunity to be successful.

I thank Congressman James for introducing the CRA to shed light on how harmful the National Labor Standards Board rule is to small businesses and especially the franchise model. This new rule would have grave consequences on small businesses and the franchise model.

Have we not learned from our history? Under the Obama administration, the joint employer rule was expanded, and the data shows that franchises lost $33.3 billion each year, 376,000 jobs were lost, and losses increased by 93 percent.

We have already seen this administration's spending habits wreak havoc on Americans in the form of inflation. We cannot allow the Biden administration to move forward with this rule that will have devastating effects on our economy.

We should learn from the mistake the Obama administration made and reject this new joint rule.

Madam Speaker, I urge my friends on both sides of the aisle to support H.J. Res. 98.

Mr. Speaker, it is great to see my colleague from Oklahoma from the Second District, our newest member of our Oklahoma delegation. I certainly know where his heart is on these issues that American taxpayers rely on us to be responsible for and for the money to be put to good use.

We have a critical tax cliff fast approaching at the end of 2025, with the majority of the TCJA's progrowth tax policies expiring. We are already seeing the devastating economic effects of TCJA's expired provisions, including the EBITDA interest deduction limitation, immediate deduction of R&D, and 100 percent bonus depreciation.

Ernst & Young projects that over 10 years, if the increased limitation on the interest deductibility is not repealed, 900,000 jobs will be lost; employee compensation will be reduced by $58 billion; and GDP will fall by more than $108 billion.

Twenty-six OECD countries use earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization, otherwise known as EBITDA, as an earnings-stripping limit, and zero countries in the OECD use the new U.S. EBIT-based limitation.

This stricter limitation on businesses will fall on the American worker in the form of lower wages and employment and make the U.S. less competitive in the global marketplace. We need to restore the EBITDA interest deduction limitation immediately.

Since the harmful R&D amortization requirement took effect in 2022, R&D spending's rate of growth has slowed dramatically, from 6.6 percent on average over the previous 5 years to less than 1 percent over the past 12 months.

China continues to offer a 200 percent super-deduction for R&D, and the United States remains uncompetitive at 20 percent. We need to restore immediate deduction for R&D costs, something that has been around since the middle 1950s.

Bonus depreciation will continue to ramp down for ensuing years: 80 percent in 2023, 60 percent for this year, 40 percent for 2025, 20 percent for 2026, and zero percent beginning in 2027.

Last year, the U.K. announced its commitment to make permanent its progrowth policy for full expensing. The U.S. should be looking to do the same to remain competitive in the global marketplace.

Mr. Speaker, this is more than just an economic issue. This is a national security issue. How can we expect to compete with China when it is more expensive to invest, innovate, and grow here in the United States of America?

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, through the Belt and Road Initiative, the BRI, the Chinese Communist Party has been spreading its malign influence over the last decade. This initiative has one goal: to increase China's economic and political dominance over the United States and the world.

Disguised as harmless global infrastructure, transportation, and production networks, the Belt and Road Initiative, or the BRI, is anything but harmless.

Education is one of the primary targets of the BRI. They are succeeding in their mission to indoctrinate American students with their Communist ideals. Chinese state media even brags about the success of Confucius Institutes and other educational initiatives in spreading the CCP's influence.

This doesn't stop on our college campuses. Right now, China is invading our K-12 schools through Confucius Classrooms. Over the last decade or more, the CCP has infiltrated our public school system, setting up Chinese language and cultural programs in primary and secondary schools.

These Confucius Classrooms are funded by the Chinese Government, both directly and through Confucius Institutes and other third parties. Make no mistake, this is not through the kindness of their hearts. The CCP is not interested at all in helping American students learn Mandarin. They want to brainwash our children, plain and simple.

Since 2013, the authoritarian Government of the People's Republic of China has sent curriculum and PRC-trained teachers into hundreds of K- 12 schools across America as an unofficial component of its global influence campaign.

The CCP has committed countless violations of human rights, and its authoritarian agenda is antithetical to the democratic principles our country was founded on. Chinese propaganda has no place in our education system.

We have taken important steps toward mitigating Chinese influence at American universities by cracking down on Confucius Institutes. Now that the Chinese Government has directed its attention toward elementary and secondary schools, it is time we do the same and protect our children from the malign influence of the CCP.

My amendment would prevent Federal funding for these Confucius Classrooms.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I appreciate the gentlewoman recognizing that these institutions are closing down in record numbers. It must be that the school systems are so successful at identifying these that States have cleansed out a lot of their higher education Confucius Institutes. That tells you right there that the Chinese Government has been very persistent in getting after educating our younger students across America.

We should have more love for our students at our secondary and elementary schools. Again, higher education across America has understood the influence that the Chinese Government has tried to do in making their impact on the American economy.

When you see what they have done across the world, it doesn't take a whole lot of research--look at Wikipedia, if you would like, to see what they have done in nations across the world as they try to express their influence and take over the world.

It would be very naive of us--and I know the chairwoman knows this-- to sit back and allow this to happen one school at a time. We have a lot of other issues in America that we need to address in our education system, and not allowing the Chinese Government to take over our elementary schools will simply be a very easy fix for us. That is what my amendment does.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

With all due respect, Madam Chair, Italy is not trying to conquer our Nation.

The Department of Education and the Department of State have sent a letter to schools urging them not to participate in these programs. Confucius Classrooms have been set up in several countries, including Australia and Canada, where state and local governments have canceled their contracts over concern about Chinese propaganda.

With all due respect to the ranking member on the other side, we are not talking about simply teaching language. We are talking about teaching the Chinese way of how to take over a government from the inside out.

We see enough of what is coming across the southern border and not knowing who is here. When we have the ability to control these issues through the legislative process, we should take our time to do that.

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

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment No. 111.

Almost 3 years ago, Congress passed the No Surprises Act to protect patients from surprise medical bills. A key provision in the No Surprises Act is to provide patients with an advanced explanation of their benefits. It is straightforward. It is a cost estimate. If a patient books a healthcare appointment with adequate notice, then they deserve to know a cost estimate for their services before they get care.

This amendment reinforces the need for the Biden administration to implement this provision. We are going on 3 years here, and no progress has been made.

Last week, all of my Republican colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee and I sent the third--third--oversight letter to the Biden administration demanding that they follow the law.

It is an absolute failure of this administration to delay implementation of this technology. Considering American families' current economic struggles, anything to help with financial planning should be a priority.

Knowing how much health services will cost removes some anxiety patients face when seeking medical care. Patients are nervous about their test results. There is no reason for the added anxiety of not knowing how much a service will cost them, too.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Day, as well as October as National Spina Bifida Month.

Spina Bifida impacts families across these United States, my own included. My sister and niece have lived with Spina Bifida since childhood.

Spina Bifida is a birth defect which results from a hole in the spiral cord that fails to close properly, which allows nerves and fluid to form a sac outside the body. This defect means that a child must undergo dozens of surgeries before adulthood, and even then, they face a multitude of mental and physical health issues. Each condition is unique, and no two children will be affected the same way.

In a testament to the innovation and research of our American scientific ingenuity, we now have the first generation of adults who are living with Spina Bifida. However, there is still much work to do.

It is our obligation to ensure proper funding for Spina Bifida care and research so that treatment and quality of life can improve for all Americans with this condition.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of my constituent and World War II veteran, William Norman Parker, who passed away on September 11 as an American hero.

Mr. Parker was one of the first soldiers to arrive on Omaha Beach on D-day in 1944.

Mr. Parker and his fellow soldiers displayed incredible heroism on that fatal day and the terrible days that followed. Their courage and patriotism represent the very best of the American spirit. In July of this year, Mr. Parker returned to Omaha Beach for the first time since that day 78 years ago. I can only imagine how he felt standing on that calm beach then with the traumatic memories from that summer when he was just 19 years old, risking life and limb for the future of this country.

My prayer is that he found peace on that beach and returned home feeling the pride and gratitude of the Nation he fought for. Whether it be on Omaha Beach or at Ground Zero, America has always stood for freedom, and we will continue to make that stand.

My thoughts and prayers are with Bill's friends, his family, and beloved veteran community as he is laid to rest today in Oklahoma. May this hero rest in peace for always and forever.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the end of World War II and the 78th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day, otherwise known as V-J Day. The sacrifices of our World War II veterans paid for the end to what was one of the most horrific wars in human history.

On this day in 1945, Japan signed the terms of surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. This day marks the heroic triumph of American forces for the good of the whole world.

Our World War II veterans may be dwindling in number, but their legacy as the greatest generation continues to grow. We must continue to esteem the truly incredible men and women who showed what a unified America can do to secure hope and liberty in the face of the most formidable adversary.

I am grateful for the work of Frank Reisinger who recalls the celebrating of V-J Day in downtown Tulsa with his father as a young man. Frank has diligently held a celebration of this important day in Broken Arrow for the last 8 years so that his community understands the cost of war and the price of freedom.

May we never forget that freedom is never free and that we are but 1 generation away from losing what so many have fought and died to secure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a very special veteran from Oklahoma's First Congressional District, U.S. Army Air Forces Corporal, Ralph M. Simoni.

Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on July 6, 1923, Cpl. Simoni is celebrating his 100th birthday today. In 1943, Cpl. Simoni began serving our Nation during World War II at one of the most consequential moments in human history. He bravely served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of the war from 1943 to 1946 and received a Victory Medal for doing his part to secure Victory Over Japan Day, better known as ``V-J Day'', that marked the end of the war on September 2, 1945.

Cpl. Simoni served as an airplane propeller mechanic in the pioneering 4th Glider Section of the U.S. Army Air Forces. Cpl. Simoni's work helped U.S. glider aircraft drop paratroopers and light artillery into enemy territory. Glider missions were dangerous and designed for a single purpose that resulted in very few of the aircraft ever being recovered. Cpl. Simoni and the 4th Glider Section conducted several successful missions in New Guinea, Luzon, and the South Philippines liberation campaigns of World War II.

Cpl. Simoni now lives in my hometown of Tulsa and is deservedly being recognized today as the precious American hero that he is by his friends and family. Following the recent celebration of Independence Day, it is my honor to thank Cpl. Simoni on behalf of a grateful Nation for his remarkable military service and wish him a very happy birthday.

Mr. Chairman, as a small business owner and job creator for over the past 35 years, I offered healthcare plans to my employees and worked with them to find the best coverage for their families. I have seen firsthand the impact of increasing healthcare, and I have also done the burdensome paperwork to manage the plans on the back end.

I came to Congress 4 years ago, and the reason I came was because of the burden that this Congress over the years has put on job creators across America.

The small business healthcare package being debated today helps simplify healthcare and empower people in one of their most personal decisions, their healthcare.

I find it ironic that the gentleman across the aisle identifies the ACA requirements as junk because the CHOICE Arrangement Act follows the ACA guidelines. It encourages people to go out and shop. It follows the rules on preexisting conditions.

But what we really know, what they don't like about this is it doesn't go in the direction they want to go, which is to federalize all healthcare. That has been the mission since day one, for the government to run your healthcare. That just simply won't work.

I am proud that this package includes my bill, the CHOICE Arrangement Act, which allows employees to use money from their employer to buy the healthcare plan that works best for them.

Four years ago, the Trump administration finalized a rule to create CHOICE accounts, allowing businesses to reimburse their employees for the cost of the health insurance plan of their choosing. CHOICE accounts put individuals--individuals, not the Federal Government--in the driver's seat when it comes to picking their healthcare plan and lets their employer financially support their decision.

This bill would codify that rule into law, benefiting everyone and, overall, increasing the amount of people who have health insurance. You would think that would be a good thing, but apparently not with my Democratic colleagues.

Every patient's health needs are unique, and every person's situation is different. This is why it is so important to expand and protect the different options available to employers to provide health benefits in different ways.

I am happy to see Congress address the burdens small businesses face when providing healthcare benefits to their employees. This bill fulfills part of a promise that the Republican Party has made to America, to bring back true choice to American healthcare by enabling small businesses to provide the best care for their employees.

As the chairman said, time and time again, in hearings that we have been at across America talking to people that are experiencing the burdens that come out of this Congress, it is amazing to me that the Democrats who are businesspeople that are on the committee, when talking without their talking points identify-- The CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.

--businesses as people who apparently abuse their employees and the employees continue to come to work. That is the irony of this. They have no idea what they are talking about.

The reality is there are other job openings for everybody to go to, and yet, people continue to work. The only way you are prosperous in America and run a great business is if you take care of your people. That is it. That is all you have. That is what differentiates you in the world of a free market. I would hope that my Democratic colleagues would recognize that and give a little credit to the people who are out there putting their money and their risk on the line.

In addition to my bill, this small business package includes legislation from my colleagues Bob Good, Claudia Tenney and Tim Walberg that will provide small businesses access to the association health plans to build their negotiating power, stop-loss insurance to protect from catastrophic losses, and reporting from Treasury to update small business owners on new healthcare plans.

Small businesses make up the foundation of the American economy and have true incentives, moral and financial, to pay to keep Americans healthy. We should enable them to do so. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill.