Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was attending a funeral of a family friend this weekend, and my flight back to DC on Monday was severely delayed due to maintenance, causing me to miss the vote series. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 440; YEA on Roll Call No. 441; and YEA on Roll Call No. 442.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize an important sector of business aviation that will be highlighted at the National Business Aviation Association's 37th Maintenance Conference, which will be held this week in Portland, Oregon.

General aviation has a significant impact on the Oregon economy, supporting over 213,000 jobs and sustaining a payroll of $10 billion. The economic impact of airports in Oregon totals $28.5 billion.

Furthermore, aviation maintenance ensures aircraft operations' safety, reliability, and compliance. It contributes significantly to the economy by supporting jobs and businesses in the maintenance, repair, and overhaul sectors. Maintenance programs also build customer confidence, prolong aircraft lifespans, and reduce aviation's environmental footprint through optimized efficiency and emissions management.

The NBAA's Maintenance Conference serves as a vital gathering for professionals in the business aviation industry and provides industry leaders, technicians, engineers, and service providers a platform to come together, share knowledge, discuss emerging trends, and explore advancements in aviation technology and safety protocols.

As the aviation sector continues to evolve rapidly, conferences like the NBAA Maintenance Conference play a crucial role in fostering collaboration, innovation, and excellence within the industry.

Moreover, hosting such a critical aviation event in Portland, Oregon, further underscores the state's significance as a hub for aviation innovation and excellence. With its vibrant aviation community, world- class facilities, and commitment to sustainability, Portland serves as an ideal backdrop for fostering discussions on the future of aviation maintenance and sustainable practices.

Oregon boasts a robust aviation infrastructure, with 49 repair stations, 17 FAA-approved pilot schools, 3,604 student pilots, and 1,844 flight instructors, according to FAA data. The state is also home to 52 fixed-base operators and 149 heliports.

I commend the National Business Aviation Association for its dedication to advancing the business aviation community's interests and organizing this important event. I extend my best wishes for a successful and productive conference to all participants, sponsors, and organizers.

May the NBAA Maintenance Conference in Portland, Oregon, serve as a catalyst for continued progress and collaboration in business aviation maintenance while highlighting the vital contributions of aviation maintenance jobs to Oregonians and individuals across the Nation.

I am grateful for the opportunity to recognize this important event.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the FOCUS Act, a bill that makes much-needed reforms to the Federal Government's real estate practices.

With our national debt at $34 trillion and rising, it is our duty as lawmakers to root out wasteful spending and restore fiscal responsibility.

Recently, the Government Accountability Office reviewed 24 Federal agencies to analyze office space usage. The study found that of the 24 offices reviewed, 17 of the agencies used just 25 percent or less of the building's capacity.

It is clear that office space utilization has decreased dramatically in both the public and private sectors. Many companies have adjusted by downsizing or selling office space to save money.

As a small business owner myself, consolidating office space to reduce costs would be a straightforward, sensible decision to make.

Unfortunately, we often see the bureaucracy treat Americans' tax dollars like monopoly money. We throw it around. The FOCUS Act would change

that and, by promoting consolidation, ensure taxpayer money isn't being wasted on unused real estate.

Transparency leads to accountability, and that is why this bill also requires Congress to be notified of significant increases in rent payments.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense proposal to rein in unnecessary spending and improve transparency in Federal real estate practices.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6261, which would commission a Federal study on public safety issues in and around public office buildings.

In Oregon and in communities across the country, rampant fentanyl use and homelessness understandably cause workers to worry about their safety, and some just might choose to stay home as a result.

Public buildings are running parallel to private buildings. Let me quote from an article in Willamette Week from August 16, 2023--I know my colleague recognized San Francisco--titled:

Empty and Unwanted, the Iconic Buildings of Portland's

Skyline Are in Trouble. The question--and it is a contentious

one--is whether Portland is worse than any place else because

of blight. Plywood that went up during the protests is still

there. Homeless camps that took root during the pandemic are

only now being removed. On some downtown blocks, you will see

someone smoking fentanyl while drinking a Frappuccino.

That has the same effect on our Federal buildings. Additionally, the GAO would be required to examine any costs that are associated with safety issues at these buildings.

To make more informed spending decisions on Federal real estate moving forward, Congress needs to understand how factors like crime contribute to building costs and employee decisions.

H.R. 6261 will shine a light on public safety concerns and help Congress identify improvements that can be made to protect Federal workers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on any given night, there are around 1,400 Oregon veterans who go to sleep without a roof over their heads. This is heartbreaking and unacceptable. We owe it to our veterans to do better. They stepped up to serve our country, and it is our responsibility to ensure they are cared for in return.

That is why I introduced the HOME Act, which would lift veterans out of homelessness. To account for recent inflation, this legislation increases financial assistance for nonprofit organizations that provide transitional housing to veterans in need.

The financial assistance offered would be higher in areas with elevated rates of suicide among veterans. It also creates a new stipend for homeless veterans. This could be used to buy food, clothing, and even cell phones to help them communicate with family members and healthcare providers.

I thank the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee for his support and the chairman of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Van Orden) for his leadership on this issue.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this much- needed legislation. Together, we can empower our Nation's heroes and ensure they all have a place to call home.

I have been on this job for 10 months, and I do have hope that we will continue to move forward for our veterans and do everything that we can every day we are in this job to support them.

Mr. Chair, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 581.

Stated against:

Mr. Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H.R. 3347.

Mr. Speaker, I was present in the House chamber and attempted to vote on an amendment, but the vote was not recorded. This was the Blumenauer Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. Had the vote been recorded, it would show that I had voted Nay on Roll Call No. 298.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the CHOICE Arrangement Act.

Small business owners are being hamstrung by soaring healthcare costs. I know firsthand because I am a small business owner, but you don't have to take my word for it. The data speaks for itself.

In Deschutes County in my district, the average small business premium for a family has increased by 111 percent from 2014 to 2022.

It is past time to provide small business owners with more options so workers can access cheaper coverage. We can accomplish this by expanding association health plans and providing more flexibility to ensure employees can get the coverage that fits their needs best.

Mr. Chairman, I am proud to support small businesses, which create jobs, foster innovation, and keep our economy running strong.

Let's get this done to ensure these employers can keep their doors open.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 244.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 467, the HALT Fentanyl Act.

Oregon teenagers are dying from drug overdoses at a faster rate than any other State. In fact, adolescent overdose deaths have more than tripled in Oregon since 2019. It is because dangerous amounts of fentanyl and fentanyl-laced pills are flooding our streets.

Last year in my district, law enforcement seized enough fentanyl powder to kill the entire population of Oregon in just one single drug bust.

Mr. Speaker, I believe we must take a two-pronged approach to tackling the fentanyl crisis: Support law enforcement and enact tough- on-crime policies.

That is why I am proud to cosponsor the HALT Fentanyl Act, which accomplishes both of these goals by permanently classifying fentanyl- related substances as schedule I drugs.

I urge my colleagues to support this lifesaving legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Lower Energy Costs Act, a comprehensive and commonsense proposal that would lower costs for Oregon families by unleashing American energy.

The Lower Energy Costs Act paves the way for projects that would directly benefit Oregon.

H.R. 1 would prevent the environmental permitting process for critical minerals, making it more efficient for Oregon businesses to manufacture scarce and valuable products like semiconductors.

From the smartphone in your pocket, Mr. Chairman, to batteries needed for storing renewable energy, it is unacceptable that the United States is currently so reliant on China for critical products. The pragmatic permitting changes in this bill protect our national security by reducing our reliance on the Chinese Communist Party.

These changes also create opportunities for public-private partnerships on energy construction projects.

Instead of doing business with China, H.R. 1 presents an opportunity for my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support good-paying union jobs right here at home.

The Lower Energy Costs Act would streamline initiatives like the Jordan Cove energy project, which would have been a $10 billion investment in a natural gas project in Oregon.

As we work toward a carbon-neutral future, we must also recognize that the United States produces cleaner energy than any other country, including natural gas. A Department of Energy report found that natural gas produced in America is 40 percent cleaner than natural gas produced in Russia.

Energy prices and the cost of living have remained elevated for far too long.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1, which would help restore our energy independence, support jobs, and lower costs for hardworking families.

Mr. Chair, I rise today as a proud mother of twin daughters.

As a parent, I know moms and dads agree that we all want what is best for our children. That is one of the reasons why it is so difficult for us to let our sons and daughters go on their first day of kindergarten. We have to start placing an enormous amount of trust in our teachers and administrators to do what is best for our children.

At the end of the day, nobody will understand a child's interests and needs more than the people who love them most, their parents.

It is easy to understand why parents want to have and deserve to have the right to know what is going on inside the classroom. It is their responsibility. That is why we need the Parents Bill of Rights Act to help students succeed by ensuring every parent can have a voice in their child's education.

During the committee markup on this bill, I was honored to lead two proposals that are now included. One will help parents better understand the priorities of their children's school by bringing much- needed clarity to school budgets. The other sets both parents and teachers up for success by simplifying the curriculum feedback process.

My proposals build on two of the five core principles of the Parents Bill of Rights Act: Parents have the right to know what their children are being taught, and parents have the right to see the school's budget and spending.

I will always fight to protect parental involvement and to put parents first. I am proud to support the Parents Bill of Rights Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss the top issues impacting Oregon and the Fifth District that we have to address in the 118th Congress.

We need to get our economy back on track, secure the border, support safe immigration, and reduce homelessness and drug overdoses.

A report from the National Drug Helpline ranked Oregon worst in the Nation for drug problems. Oregon is number one in drug use, but number 50 in drug treatment.

This crisis in Oregon starts at our southern border and is exacerbated by the lack of leadership, including the lack of commonsense security measures that have allowed dangerous drugs like fentanyl to enter our communities.

I frequently hear from moms and families who are begging their leaders to please pay attention to this fentanyl crisis. The drug cartels have insisted on taking our children from us.

We have also seen an increase in violent crime. Mr. Speaker, 2022 was the deadliest year in Portland metro history with over 100 homicides. We are already on track to break that record this year, a record that we should never want to break.

Rising crime rates have forced businesses to close their doors, further weakening our economy. We have seen businesses leave the metro area for suburbia or leave the State altogether.

Tackling the drug crisis will, in turn, begin to help Oregon's homelessness crisis. Oregon had at least 18,000 homeless people living on the streets every day in 2022.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle to address these issues in the 118th Congress.

Honoring the Life of Lowell Miles

Mr. Speaker, I rise to say the name of a gentleman I heard passed from Happy Valley, Oregon. He was a pillar of the community, and I want the families back home to know that we will miss Lowell Miles from Miles Fiberglass.

He was a pillar of the community, not only in Happy Valley, Oregon, where I reside, but in Clackamas County.

Mr. Speaker, the family has my support here in Washington, D.C., and I look forward to coming home this weekend and paying my respects.