Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, the problems of today will rest squarely on the shoulders of America's children. There is nothing more foundational to the longevity of this Republic than investing in the next generation.

During this COVID pandemic, educating our students and preparing them to face the battles and turmoil of the future has never been harder. If we have learned one thing through this pandemic, it is that in-person teaching is foundational to future success.

I want to extend the thanks of a grateful district to the teachers of Veritas Christian Academy, headmaster Dr. Robert M. Woods, and other institutions who remained open throughout this pandemic and placed the needs of our schoolchildren first.

Your valiant efforts are seen. Your dedication to America's youth in the face of great challenges is recognized. And your great determination to safeguard our future leaders is of high commendation.

Thank you for all that you do, and I look forward to being back in the district to see you all soon.

Mr. Speaker, according to recent data from my district, the number one concern of my constituents is the Biden border crisis. Let me repeat that: The number one concern of my constituents in North Carolina is the crisis at our southern border, over 1,600-miles away.

It is beyond clear that the response by the Biden administration has not simply been weak; it has also been counterproductive. Americans nationwide are sensing what the international community has known for the past 6 months: Our leaders are not strong, our border is open, and America is ripe for the taking.

Fifteen hundred illegal immigrants cross into our country daily without ever being tracked, according to border data. Two Yemeni men on a terror watchlist were just apprehended at the border, and this administration has turned a blind eye to one of our biggest national security crises in recent history.

Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed, because it seems that the political maneuvering of one select class has co-opted the good of the people. What can we, as individual Americans, do in the face of such abject disregard for our well-being? We can speak out.

Mr. Speaker, for eight generations, my family has lived in the mountains of western North Carolina. Many of my family members have served in our Armed Forces. I grew up surrounded by men of courage and patriotism who dedicated their lives and their honor in defense of this American Republic.

I understand, as much as one can without serving, the struggle a veteran faces attempting to reacclimate to civilian life. It is incumbent on the American people to work hand in hand with our veterans and streamline their transition back into the workforce.

To that end, I urge support for H.R. 2167, the GI Bill National Emergency Extended Deadline Act. Included in this larger piece of legislation is a program that I am proud to advocate for.

My language in this bill authorizes a pilot program to allow States to use grants or contracts to carry out short-term fellowship programs for unemployed veterans. This program is not some revolutionary concept, but what it does is build off the successes of other pilot programs in the veteran community.

This program would authorize DOL VETS to carry out a pilot program similar to fellowship programs created by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to allow States to use grants or contracts to carry out a short-term fellowship program.

After the participating States have been selected by the DOL, each State would enter into an agreement with a nonprofit organization to carry out the short-term fellowship program. Participants would be provided a small stipend while they are participating in the program.

This program prioritizes veterans and opens up new and unique pathways toward employment. This new fellowship program will build upon the successes of other fellowship programs across the country, and I am confident that it will empower unemployed veterans to find meaningful work in the post-COVID economy.

The benefits of this program are numerous. It will give eligible veterans the ability to gain on-the-job experience in a field of their interest while earning a monthly stipend.

I will always fight for the veteran community in NC-11, and this program is a bipartisan measure that puts veterans first.

One of the foundational attributes of Americanism is our sense of brotherhood. Those who sacrifice for the good of this Nation are not simply a resource to be utilized and then cast aside. These are our heroes, and they deserve much more than what our Nation currently provides them.

When I left my mountain home to come to Washington, I promised the veterans in our district that I would be their weapon in Washington, D.C. I will never abandon those who sacrificed their lives and livelihoods in defense of our freedoms.

For too long, we have cast our veterans, these guardians of our Republic, by the wayside and derided their sacrifice. Never forget, America is the land of the free because of the brave. Together, we can show these men and women who dedicated their lives to us that we will not turn our backs on them.

Join me in supporting the new veterans fellowship program, and let's take a firm step toward supporting our veterans. I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 2167, the National Emergency Extended Deadline Act.

Madam Speaker, the deadly conflict plaguing Israel becomes worse and worse each day.

Since Monday, the vile and despicable terrorist organization Hamas has launched over 1,000 rockets from Gaza into Israeli population centers.

The fact that Members of this body are speaking out in support of these terrorists leaves me sickened. The differences between these two sides are shocking. There is no debate that if Israel were to lay down their arms entirely, there would be a genocide. But if Hamas were to lay down their arms, there would be nothing but peace.

The fact that Representatives here in this Chamber would side with violent extremists is mind-boggling. I encourage these Members to go to Gaza, see how they murder members of the LGBTQ community, see how they marginalize and abuse women, how they treat those of different faiths.

Let me be clear: There is no moral equivalency between these two sides. It is our duty to protect Israel, and if anyone is to ever invade Israel, I promise you that there is no crevice on Earth that will conceal you from the wrath of God.

I would also be remiss to not recognize that some Members of this body in the majority party have spoken out against Hamas, and for that, I thank you.

Mr. Speaker, National Police Week presents a unique opportunity to honor police officers nationwide. In my district, we have great respect for law enforcement, and we honor those who gave their lives in the line of duty.

Today, I wanted to draw attention to the Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Service being observed this weekend in my hometown in Henderson County. Ten North Carolina officers made the ultimate sacrifice this year in defense of their communities and loved ones. Their memory will never be forgotten.

In my district, Deputy Sheriff Ryan Hendrix lost his life in a gunfight this year bravely protecting his community from harm. His family are personal friends of mine, and my heart goes out to them as we remember his bold sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, I now call for a moment of silence to honor the 10 North Carolina officers who have lost their lives this year in the line of duty.

Madam Speaker, the energy crisis created by the Russian hack of the Colonial Pipeline is impacting my district in the worst possible way. Gas prices have skyrocketed. Lines are forming all across the great State of North Carolina.

Madam Speaker, I am here today to say what few politicians will, but what most of the Americans believe. We were attacked. We were attacked by a foreign entity, and the current administration has done nothing in response.

When our leadership is weak, our Nation suffers.

You don't believe me?

Take a look outside. Our border has dissolved into ruin, gas prices are skyrocketing, and the dollar is worth less and less each day. Israel is burning, China is rising, and Russia attacks our homeland.

All the while, the American people wonder when this administration will finally grow a backbone and stand firm against a growing wave of international tyranny. President Biden is weakening our defenses. The wolves are at the gates, and America's leader is asleep at the wheel.

But you know what?

Thank heavens we have a President who doesn't tweet mean things anymore.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because I feel that too many on the left are comfortable with lies and half-truths. Let me tell you one thing, Mr. Speaker: I am sick of it, my constituents are sick of it, and the American people are sick of it.

My colleagues just said that President Trump instituted a Muslim ban. If my colleagues had read executive order 13769, instead of their liberal talking points, they would know that that is simply not true. President Trump's ban impacted seven specific countries. My colleagues' statements are patently false and prohibitively misleading.

The crisis at our southern border represents a serious risk to our national security of the United States and the sanctity of the rule of law.

Reports from law enforcement officers fighting to stem the overwhelming tide of illegal immigration into our country emphasizes the lack of resources and misapplication of funds by the Federal Government. Yet today, we are being asked to vote on a bill that would do nothing to fix the weaknesses at our border but instead would misallocate resources away from our border security agents.

This little bill would spend $825 million to provide taxpayer-funded legal assistance to individuals crossing our border because my colleagues on the left believe the best way to fix any problem is just to send in more lawyers.

This legislation would significantly hamper law enforcement's ability to effectively screen potentially dangerous individuals who have been flagged by other agencies for advanced screening due to their criminal record or status as a person of interest for national security purposes.

We should be empowering law enforcement, not reining in their effectiveness. Screening passengers who enter our country is a normal part of securing the U.S. ports of entry and is a uniform expectation for all who want to enter the United States. Granting a lawyer to anyone who warrants a secondary screening is like demanding a lawyer every time your bag is checked going through TSA.

This bill does nothing to enhance our border security, and, furthermore, it hampers their ability to carry out their mission.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 1573.

Madam Speaker, if Americans like what Democrats did for Baltimore, then they will love what Democrats will do for the planet.

The Biden infrastructure bill and the stimulus bill before it shows that Democrats are more interested in transforming our Nation's definitions of words than they are our physical infrastructure of roads and bridges. We need to cut government waste, not create more.

And now the left wants to drag the Green New Deal through America's back door without any regard for the wishes of millions of Americans. Make no mistake, this infrastructure proposal is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It is a Socialist wish list disguised as a roads and bridges initiative.

This is exactly what Democrats have been doing since the day I was sworn in. They know that America is in desperate need of infrastructure reform, and they know that Republicans and Americans nationwide would vote for a commonsense infrastructure proposal, but have they proposed such an initiative? Absolutely not.

They will pretend that this legislation deals with infrastructure, and then they will stand on the steps of their multimillion-dollar mansions and decry any votes against their Trojan horse of a bill.

Americans are fed up. Why aren't we passing legislation that does what it claims to be doing? Why are my colleagues on the left so excited to pretend critical race theory is the same as critically needed roads?

Let's dispense between this false equivalency. Let's build bridges, not just the physical but actual bipartisan bridges here in Congress. Why aren't we working together on the pitifully few issues that we still happen to agree on these days?

I am wondering. My constituents are wondering. America is wondering.

Madam Speaker, America's veterans are facing an unemployment crisis that threatens their livelihoods. While this current government focuses on giving jobs to illegal immigrants, approximately half a million veterans are out of work as of March 2021.

Americans often talk about their love of our troops. As politicians, we often take victory laps through our districts meeting veterans and pledging to work for them. Now it is time for us to act on that pledge. The THRIVE Act represents a commonsense step to empower both veterans and educational institutions who provide much-needed workforce training.

I come from a family of veterans. For six generations, the men of my family have served their country proudly in the Armed Forces. I represent the first generation to enter a different type of service. While I cannot say I have experienced the trauma and sacrifice that our men and women have experienced on the battlefield, I have witnessed the brutally difficult task of transitioning back to the home front. If we, as elected Representatives, can ease that process and reduce veteran unemployment in one fell swoop, then I firmly believe that we are obligated to do so.

The THRIVE Act would ensure that the additional authorities and funding Congress provided for unemployed veterans work as intended to help veterans in need to find good, well-paying jobs. Let's enable our veterans to transition back into civilian life. Those who have given so much to this Nation deserve nothing less.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, there is nothing an American will not do to defend his country. I rise today in defense of my homeland. I am angry, not just for the destruction of American values perpetrated by those on the left, but I am angry because my colleagues simply do not seem to care.

They do not care that our border is non-existent, that 6,000 criminals cross into our country daily. They do not care that 64 percent of the Federal arrests are of illegal immigrants. They do not care that America's welfare and infrastructure system simply cannot handle this influx of criminal immigrants. They do not care because, to them, power is all that matters.

I have a message to the power-hungry and the partisan. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

It is in the nature of Americans to be kind. It is in our nature to be gentle and loving. But know this, when it comes to the matter of protecting our

friends, our family, and our heartland, do not trifle with this representative democracy. For we the people will not stop, we will never back down. We will give our everything to protect those dear to us. This is our country. This is our Republic. Finish the wall.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor an august leader within my hometown community in western North Carolina, a proven entrepreneur and a great business leader who is about to open a second quick-service restaurant in my district, which will employ over 100 people.

Not only will this restaurant employ 100 people, this restaurant will also feed 100 families. This restaurant will help house 100 families.

Not only will these employees get to have the honor of being able to earn a living to provide for their families, but they will also be under the careful tutelage of their new employer, Joel Benson, who everyone in my community will recognize is one of the most influential people in my district. Joel is excellent at maximizing the potential in everyone in his care and in his sphere of influence.

Today, I rise to honor a great mentor of mine and a great business leader who is providing jobs and a strong economy to North Carolina, Joel Benson.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Benson for his service to our community.

Mr. Speaker, if we lose the Second Amendment, then the First will fall. I want to remind my colleagues of a simple fact that is far too often swept under the rug by the left. Americans have a right to obtain a firearm for lawful purposes.

I will say it again louder for those on the left, sleeping in the back. Americans have a right to obtain firearms. This is my right. And, Mr. Speaker, this is your right. But let me be clear to everyone in this Chamber: You will not take this right away from us.

I know it is easy to be sucked into the D.C. bubble, but outside of here, in real America, when we say, ``Come and take it,'' we damn well mean it.

This bill would unconstitutionally place the burden of proof for firearms purchases and transfers on American citizens instead of placing the burden firmly where it belongs, on the shoulders of the government.

But let us be clear. The left is not here today to debate this bill, nor are they here to legislate in the best interests of the American people. They are here to shove it down our throats. My colleagues and I on the right have been called here to defend one of our most

sacred rights because you, Mr. Speaker, think that the Constitution is just another piece of paper to tear down the middle of and toss aside.

I speak for millions of Americans. I specifically speak for 700,000- plus Americans in my district when I say that if you think this bastardization of the Constitution will be met with silence, then you know nothing of the America I know. You want my guns; I know it. We all know it. Well, Mr. Speaker, you can come and take them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the PRO Act.

You see, when I came to Washington, D.C., I believed that I had one duty, one purpose, that I was elected to serve my district, my people, and to answer to nobody else except my constituents.

But since arriving in Congress, I have learned that not everyone shares the same philosophy. You see, I have come to realize that this body is oftentimes more interested in self-service than in public service, that corporate donors come before constituents, and that a union boss is more important than an American worker.

The right to work is as intrinsically American as the right to vote. No man or woman should be denied the fruits of his labor simply because they refuse to toe a partisan line. Each man and woman ought to be granted the dignity and respect to decide his own destiny.

This bill strips the right of self-determination away from the people and places it directly into the hands of the powerful. It is a shameful display of the very type of self-service that disgusts nearly every American outside of Washington, D.C.

This vote will reveal much about who we are elected to serve. Are we, as representatives of the people, elected to serve union management or our constituents?

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 682, the Reopen Schools Act, to get our kids out from behind screens and back into the classroom.

Madam Speaker, today represents a unique opportunity in our Nation's history, an opportunity to put America first, to put her people first. Today is a moment for Members of Congress to put aside partisan politicking and place people over power.

I urge my colleagues to vote against this divisive impeachment and realize that dividing America will not save this Republic. I urge my colleagues to not simply vote for what feels good.

Of course, it feels good for the Democrats to have a united constituency for a few more days, but I was elected to come here and vote for things that actually do good, to bring much-needed help to the American people.

I am willing to take the first step and extend my hand across the aisle to say: Vote against impeachment; vote in favor of a unified nation; and I will forsake partisanship and work with you, no matter who you are or what party you come from.

Madam Speaker, I urge that we all vote to finally put America first.