Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, our Nation must be united in our condemnation of the acts of terror and stand in support of the State of Israel, our ally and strategic partner, the beacon of light in the Middle East.

Hamas is a terrorist organization with the sole purpose of destroying Israel. Since last Monday, more than 3,000 rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israel.

One of my daughter's close friends attended school in Israel. She has been awakened to rockets being fired over her head, and she has spent days on high alert, ready to run for shelter at any given moment.

No country would tolerate thousands of rocket attacks against major cities and population centers. Israel has the obligation and duty to defend its citizens against the violent attacks from Hamas.

Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. President Trump was the President of peace. His agenda was right, and the United States should stand strong as a friend to Israel.

My family and I will continue to pray for the peace and safety of the people of Israel as they combat terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1065, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

The policy choices we make here in Congress about labor should be made to support the family and our freedoms. This is because work, family, and freedom support and need each other. If one of these aspects is weakened, the whole chain is weakened as well.

The Federal Government is, once again, overreaching into our freedoms as Americans with this Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Passing the PWFA means that a small business or religious organization could be forced to provide paid time off for an employee to have an abortion or other concerning procedures.

Instead of working to improve our systems to support families and the workplace, the Democrats are going after our First Amendment freedom of religion. Religious freedom is a bedrock principle of this country, and we must protect the ability of all Americans to act in accordance with their conscience. The Federal Government must never infringe on this sacred right.

Religious organizations should be allowed to make religiously based employment decisions, and States should be the leaders in this, not the Federal Government.

We have laws currently in place to protect discrimination in the workplace. The PWFA does not protect religious employers with the same protections contained in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For these reasons and more, I oppose the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

Madam Speaker, I proudly signed a discharge petition in order to vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.

Along with my Republican colleagues, we are standing up for the voiceless to end this ongoing tragedy once and for all. We must end infanticide.

Seventy-seven percent of Americans support protections for babies born alive after a failed abortion, but Speaker Pelosi refuses to bring up the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act for a vote.

This legislation is long overdue. It is time to stand up to Speaker Pelosi and the radical Democrats' lack of regard for human life and pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.

My heart aches in all instances when the dignity of human life is violated. As a Christian, I believe that the image of God in each one of us gives us intrinsic worth that cannot be assaulted.

This bill simply requires an abortionist to give lifesaving treatment to a child who survives a botched abortion rather than let them die slowly.

Madam Speaker, I missed a vote on April 16, 2021. I opposed the legislation in the Education and Labor Committee.

Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 118.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congressman Cloud, for this very important Special Order. The House of hypocrites may be a more fitting name than this House of Representatives.

The Democrats have facilitated the building of a 10-foot-tall wall or fence with razor wire around the people's House, our national Capitol Building, and surround themselves with police and National Guard. Yet, the same people refuse to protect our Nation's border and the continued construction of our border wall.

Last week, the Democrats passed two bills that diminish our Second Amendment rights. The Democrats are the people who have told you we don't need guns and walls, yet they have surrounded themselves with guns and walls for months.

There are real dangers posed by allowing this massive illegal immigration invasion. We don't know who the people are that are coming or what their intentions are. We do know that a lot of them are bringing in drugs, women and children to be trafficked, COVID and other diseases, and weapons.

I call on President Biden and the Democrats to stop obstructing the enforcement of our immigration laws and facilitating this invasion on our southern border.

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

The efforts by House Democrats to kill flexible work options in America do not consider the harmful effects this bill will have on mothers. This bill would force workers out of their individual labor agreements and into one-size-fits-all union contracts.

I have seven children, and balancing work and family is an issue that I truly care about. For many mothers, flexible work opportunities are their lifeline. Federal law should not discourage mothers from working in positions that fit their unique schedules and needs. When given flexible opportunities, mothers are able to advance their careers while balancing competing priorities of childcare, education, caring for sick or aging family members, and so much more.

The only thing that this bill is pro on is big labor. The PRO Act is a massive expansion of union bosses' power at the expense of workers and employers' freedom.

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 in the classroom.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, Congressman Biggs, for this Special Order.

We swore an oath to defend the Constitution, which includes the Second Amendment. But now, Democrats are going back on that oath by proposing H.R. 8, saying that we should enforce universal background checks on guns.

Continuing to put forth far-reaching laws on guns will only significantly increase the burden of the millions of law-abiding Americans who wish to exercise their Second Amendment right to self- defense.

In my State of Illinois, Chicago has the fourth-strictest gun laws in the country, but criminal misuse of firearms in Chicago remains at the top of the list. This is because, if there is one thing that we know about criminals, it is that they don't care about obeying the law.

The Second Amendment was written to prevent the government from seizing arms. H.R. 8 is an attack on our rights and is one step closer to doing exactly what our Founders were guarding against.

We do not need to punish law-abiding citizens. Instead, we should do all we can to cherish and protect this right that we are so blessed to have.

Madam Speaker, by accident, I failed to vote on H.R. 1, the ``For the People Act'' while on the floor for the vote series. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 62.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1, what should be named the for the politicians act. There is nothing in this bill that is for the people.

I could spend hours highlighting the damaging aspects of this bill, but let's start with eliminating voter ID. Americans need an ID to drive, to get married, to get on an airplane, even to buy cold medicine, but to take part in the foundational component of our Republic? Apparently, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle think eliminating any proof of who you are is for the people. It is not. It is for the politicians.

Then we have taxpayer-funded campaigns. H.R. 1 would implement a 6- to-1 match for small-donor contributions up to $200 in a congressional or Presidential campaign. The people of Illinois' 15th District shouldn't be forced to fund the campaigns of people they vehemently disagree with.

The November election made it readily apparent that our election system needs fixing. This bill just puts the fix in future elections.