Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in defense of women. I rise in support of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act which safeguards our daughters from the radical Democrats' agenda to have our daughters and granddaughters compete against and share locker rooms with men.

Allowing grown men to compete in women's sports puts the safety of our daughters at risk. We have already seen numerous examples of female athletes being injured by grown men who claim to be women.

The physical advantages possessed by male athletes are undeniable. Allowing men to compete alongside women undermines the integrity of women's sports and diminishes the hard work, dedication, and dreams of female athletes.

This bill ensures that individuals participate in sports according to their biological sex and keeps men out of our daughters' locker rooms and showers. By passing this bill, we honor the legacy of Title IX and protect the future of women's athletics.

Mr. Speaker, we are sending a clear message to the radical Democrats we will no longer tolerate our daughters being taken advantage of.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a national bestseller, a book that has changed the world and had a tremendous impact on my life, the Bible.

I regularly pray the Apostle Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 5:9: ``Whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him.''

I want God to be glorified through every meeting I go to, every speech I give, and every vote I make. My husband and I strive to instill Biblical values in our seven children, and that foundation has provided them with the stability they need to weather life's storms, something they are passing on to our 20 grandchildren.

I firmly believe the Word of God is the answer to any problem we face in life, providing clear distinctions between good and evil.

Psalms 119:105 says: ``Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.''

Our Nation is floundering because we have neglected eternal truth. We no longer respect life, the distinctions between men and women, the beauty of marriage and family, the value of hard work, or the danger of falling into debt.

That is why following God's Word is essential to the success of our Republic. George Washington said: ``It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.''

Psalms 18:30 says: ``As for God, his way is perfect. The Word of the Lord is proven. He is a shield to all who trust in Him.''

Whatever problems we face, political, professional, or personal, the answers are found in the Bible. Tyrants have tried to destroy it, but the Word of God endures forever.

I urge my colleagues to take a few moments each day to read a couple of chapters, a psalm, and a proverb. I am confident it will change their life and our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my disapproval of Joe Biden's decision to issue a blanket pardon for his son Hunter Biden. During the time covered by the pardon, Hunter was working for entities controlled by foreign governments without registering as a foreign agent. According to the House Oversight Committee report, $20 million in cash and diamonds was paid to Biden LLCs by entities controlled by China, Russia, Romania, and Ukraine, yet there were no Foreign Agents Registration Act charges. Now, Biden issued his son a blanket pardon covering a decade of illicit activity. Hunter's crimes were published in the Marco Polo report. The report can be found at bidenreport.com. The American people deserve to know the truth.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of my constituent, George William Hawthorne.

George is a 102-year-old World War II veteran living in Sidney, Illinois, whose life has been a testament of service to God, country, and family.

George grew up in Granville and Ottawa, Illinois, where his family were faithful attendees of the Congregational Church.

George's family has a proud tradition of service to the country. His family enlisted in World War I, and George was active in the Ottawa Cadet Corps. After high school, George worked several jobs to support the war effort following the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was eager to do more to defend his country, so he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces on October 2, 1942.

Due to the attrition rates among bomber crews, there was an urgent demand for pilots. George courageously rose to the challenge. His class of cadets was raced through training at twice the typical speed to fulfill the need for pilots, and many cadets dropped out of the program.

George excelled and won his wings as second lieutenant on April 14, 1944. He was set to pilot a B-24 Liberator on a 13-hour flight to the Pacific theater. As he awaited departure, George became ill and was hospitalized with a serious infection.

While in the hospital, his crew left for the Pacific. Tragically, the plane went down in the Philippine Sea after an onboard explosion that claimed the lives of several crewmates.

George still wanted to do his part to serve his country. He trained another crew and prepared for the invasion into Japan. He flew to Hawaii and was stationed there when President Truman made the decision to use atomic bombs.

George finished out his time in the service flying a rescue squadron and was honorably discharged on October 29, 1946. He entered the Air Force Reserve and served there until July 31, 1960, attaining the rank of captain.

Madam Speaker, after leaving the military, George continued his legacy of service by investing in his church community. He attended church regularly and served on multiple boards, committees, and volunteer projects. He also raised three wonderful children with his wife of 64 years, Louise.

Through all his years, George has remained passionate about his country and the freedom that makes it great. Like his father before him, George understands the value and the responsibility of serving in our Nation's military and defending our freedom. He instilled these values in his children and grandchildren, and many of his family members have continued George's legacy of military service.

He remains passionate about defending liberty, his family, and his right to practice his faith in Jesus Christ.

At 102, George is still excited about the future and has plans for things he still wants to accomplish. He is thankful to God for all he has been given, and he loves to talk about his experiences and the lessons he has learned on his journey through life.

On behalf of Illinois' 15th Congressional District, it is my honor to recognize Captain George Hawthorne for his courage and selfless service to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my disapproval of Joe Biden's decision to issue a blanket pardon for his son, Hunter Biden.

During the time covered by the pardon, Hunter was working for entities controlled by foreign governments without registering as a foreign agent.

According to the House Oversight Committee, $20 million in cash and diamonds was paid to Biden LLCs by entities controlled by China, Russia, Romania, and Ukraine. Yet, there were no Foreign Agents Registration Act charges.

Now, Biden issued his son a blanket pardon covering a decade of illicit activity. Hunter's crimes were published in the ``Marco Polo Report.'' This report can be found at bidenreport.com.

The American people deserve to know the truth.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work and legacy of my friend, Representative Debbie Lesko. It has been such a pleasure to serve with her in the 117th and 118th Congress.

When I first arrived, Representative Lesko was the most generous with her time, helping me navigate my way, answering questions, and offering advice. I was so grateful.

Representative Lesko is a genuinely good person, a true servant of our country, and a smart and fine lady also. I thank her for that example that she has given.

Representative Lesko has a sincere care for our children and our grandchildren, and wants to make sure that they are left with a legacy and access to the freedom and opportunities that we have all had to pursue the American Dream.

Debbie, I wish you all the best as you go back to Maricopa County, Arizona, to serve the good people there.

Madam Speaker, the Biden-Harris administration is once again putting its radical political agenda ahead of the well-being of the American people. The administration's new rule would put the retirement fund of millions of Americans at risk by forcing fiduciaries to consider ESG over financial factors. This is deeply irresponsible.

ESG funds are well known for poor performance and high risk, yet this administration is encouraging fiduciaries to gamble with retirees' hard-earned savings. This rule shows that the Biden-Harris administration doesn't care about the financial security of millions of retirees.

Retirement savings should focus on maximizing returns, not advancing the far left's political agenda. Americans invest to provide for themselves and their families, not to fund activist projects or woke policies.

Fortunately, Republicans are taking action to stop this dangerous trend with the Protecting Americans' Investments from Woke Policies Act. This bill ensures that retirement plans are focused solely on economic factors, protecting workers' savings from politically driven, underperforming ESG investments.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment that would reduce Deputy Secretary Jake Li's salary to $1.

Prior to joining the EPA under the Biden administration, Jake Li spent over a decade of his career working for liberal nongovernmental organizations who remain solvent by litigating entities, including the EPA, for agricultural practices they disagree with, regardless of the utility to America's farm families and consumers.

Despite Congress passing language requiring EPA to take USDA feedback into account when developing mitigation measures, these proposals were developed without EPA input, leading USDA to express substantial concerns about the severe economic consequences for some farmers.

According to USDA estimates, the cost for all corn acres in Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska to comply with the herbicide strategy could be upwards of $5.5 billion, and that estimate is for just one commodity across three States.

This regulatory overreach is just another example of the burdensome regulations EPA forces on our farm families and those living in rural America just to cater to the demands of environmental extremists like those Jake Li used to work with.

Frankly, even $1 is too much for the chief architect of these wrongheaded and callous strategies that seek to put American farmers and ranchers out of business.

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

I urge support of my amendment, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise as the designee for the gentleman from South Carolina, and I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment would prohibit funding for the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Workgroup that advances the Biden administration's radical DEI agenda.

This workgroup's website links to a page of resources with hundreds of woke documents.

From the military to corporations to Federal agencies, we have seen time and time again that the DEI mission fosters division in the workplace.

DEI undermines our shared American identity and distracts from the missions of our Federal agencies. DEI hurts recruiting efforts and erodes trust between all Federal employees and the government they serve.

At a time when our growing national debt has surpassed $34 trillion, we cannot continue to use taxpayer dollars to fund wasteful and unnecessary woke programs.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and prohibit funding for policies that advance the Biden administration's radical diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Our Nation was made great because we have rewarded merit.

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

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

Mr. Chairman, this amendment defunds a costly and misguided EPA agency rule that requires heavy-duty vehicles to comply with reduced emissions limits of nitrogen oxides and other pollutants.

This rule applies to vehicles, including certain long- and short-haul trucks, motor homes, school and transit buses, and commercial pickup trucks and vans.

The EPA, the very agency that created this rule, estimates the technology required to meet the new rule's standards will cost around $8,000 per vehicle. This cost will be borne by consumers and the supply chain.

The American people cannot afford the financial burdens of this aggressive regulation that would further raise costs of any product transported by trucks, including food, clothing, and building materials.

This regulation's cost of compliance is so high, operators and owners of trucks will be forced to leave the market.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and defund a rule that places costly and burdensome emissions standards on vehicles, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I urge the Democrats to quit complaining about inflation while they are fanning the flame through excessive regulation.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Foxx for

making the restoration of Title IX such an important priority for this committee.

Madam Speaker, we recently celebrated the 52nd anniversary of this body passing Title IX.

Fifty-two years ago, everyone saw the need for equal opportunities in education, scholarships, and athletics for our girls.

Title IX was enacted to do just that, but Joe Biden's new rule will erase those protections and opportunities for our girls. Unfortunately, the Democrats and the radical left don't know the difference between a man and a woman.

I am proud to be leading this effort today to overturn Joe Biden's unlawful and radical destruction of Title IX.

We keep hearing the Democrats parrot that they are just following the Supreme Court's decision in Bostock. That is a lie.

The Supreme Court specifically said in that ruling that Bostock should not be applied to Title IX. This is from the majority opinion in Bostock: `` . . . we do not purport to address bathrooms, locker rooms, or anything else of the kind,'' but Joe Biden does not care about courts or the rule of law.

He will do anything to appease the radical left. Biden wants to force biological men into our girls' showers and bathrooms, and the Biden Title IX rule will be the end of girls' sports.

The prospect of this is sickening, and parents across this country are horrified.

We must pray for a return to the Trump administration policies that protected our girls from the vile leftwing agenda to force biological men into our girls' safe spaces and sports.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and stand up to Joe Biden.

Mr. Chairman, I rise as the designee of the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ogles), and I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, since Joe Biden took office, 10 million illegal aliens have entered our country, and untold numbers of Americans have been murdered by people who should never have been here.

To the Americans watching, Joe Biden does not care about you. He does not care about your family. For him, it is worth letting hundreds of thousands of illegals in every month and hundreds of foreigners on the FBI's terrorist watch list if it means the Democratic Party's base turns out in November.

The purpose of this amendment is that President Biden already has existing authority to secure the border, and he needs to use it, but he doesn't want to because he is afraid of his far-left base.

President Biden is choosing to keep our border open and allowing the American people to be kept in harm's way.

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

I do.

Mr. Chair, President Biden does have authority to secure the border, and he did use his pen to open the border.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include in the Record extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, tonight, I am incredibly privileged to join the patriots at Concerned Women for America for the third year in a row by recognizing April as Faith Month. It is a time when we can set aside our differences and talk about the most important aspect of our lives: our faith.

Since our founding, in America, we have believed that God governs in the affairs of men. Actually, every day here in Congress, we acknowledge God by opening Congress with daily prayer.

It was my faith in God that first inspired me to run for public office. As a Christian, my faith is at the heart of everything I do. Before any major decision and during moments of conflict, I ask for God's guidance and wisdom to guide me in accordance with his will.

For my husband, Chris, and I, our Christian faith was central to raising our seven children. Now, they are making faith a central pillar for the upbringing of our 20 grandchildren. We also put our Christian faith first in running our family farm, seeking to honor God as stewards of the land and everything he has blessed us with.

Faith was key to our Nation's founding. In fact, the Pilgrims came to the new world in search of religious freedom, making the voyage across the Atlantic to the shores of Massachusetts. The right to publicly express their faith was so important that they risked their very lives.

Contrary to public opinion, our Founders did not believe America should be an atheistic society that shuns God. Benjamin Franklin called for prayer at the Constitutional Convention when it seemed destined for failure. The convention then proceeded smoothly, and a few weeks later, the delegates adopted the Constitution that endures to this day.

John Adams believed that our Republic could not function without faith. In fact, he said: ``Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.''

Thomas Jefferson attended and promoted a church service in this very building every Sunday.

Our Founders never meant for faith to be separate from public life. Quite the opposite, they intended for faith to play a central role in our Nation.

In Matthew 17:20, Jesus said: ``If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, `Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.''

I believe faith is what is needed in this body today. We need faith to overcome our mountains of division so we can do what is right for our country and the American people.

I am humbled to share my faith on the House floor and recognize that this sacred right has been preserved by those who have selflessly laid down their lives for our freedom.

I am honored to share this Special Order with several other friends and colleagues in this body.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).

Mr. Speaker, before I yield to Mrs. Harshbarger, I thank her for being a co-chair of the Congressional Family Caucus. We know two things made our country not only good but great, and that is faith and family.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Harshbarger).

Mr. Speaker, as I yield to my friend, Congressman Andrew Clyde, I thank him for making it obvious that his faith is so important to him by being such a principled and courageous man in how he handles his opportunity here as a Congressman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde).

Mr. Speaker, the freedom to share our faith is not something we should take lightly. To preserve that right, we need to exercise it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen), my friend, and I thank him for always taking opportunities to share his faith.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Allen for his words. I can give testimony that he is very faithful to share the prayer requests of other Members, and we pray over them.

Mr. Speaker, may I ask how much time is remaining.

Mr. Speaker, it is hard to constrain ourselves when we are talking about our faith and the impact that the faith of many Americans who have gone before us have had on our country and the world.

We know that faith without works is dead, and when you consider, Mr. Speaker, just the amount of missionaries that have been sent from our country into the world, it is very profound. It is something to really celebrate tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Webster). It is a real privilege to meet regularly with Mr. Webster and another group to pray for our country on a weekly basis.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).

I thank my friends and colleagues for participating in this year's Special Order on Faith Month.

None of us knows what tomorrow holds, but we can rest assured that our sovereign God is watching over our Nation.

America has endured nearly 250 years, and I believe the secret to our greatness has been our faith in God.

Through vicious wars, economic hardships, and conflicts that threaten to rip us apart, God has graciously preserved the United States of America as a shining city on a hill.

As 2 Chronicles 7:14 says: ``If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.''

If we truly humble ourselves, pray, repent, and turn from our sins, I believe that God will hear our prayers, forgive us, and heal our deeply divided land. We are never beyond the reach of His grace.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 7 o'clock and 16 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Friday, April 12, 2024, at 8 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, on his first day in office, Biden signed an executive order overturning every border security measure established during the Trump administration and paving the way for 11 million foreign nationals to enter our country illegally.

During the first 3 years of his administration, Joe Biden consistently denied the border security crisis. Biden lied. Biden and his staff falsely claimed that the border was secure.

It is only now, after countless lives have been taken, that the Biden administration has admitted that there is a problem because they put politics ahead of the safety of the American people.

The tragic murder of 22-year-old Georgia student Laken Riley is a direct consequence of Biden's failure to secure the border. The illegal immigrant from Venezuela who killed her should never have been allowed in our country.

I grieve for Laken's family on their tragic loss. I cannot imagine the pain. No parent in our country should ever lose a child due to reckless border policies and soft-on-crime policies. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have blood on their hands. They should say her name and apologize to her family.

The primary responsibility of the government is to protect the American people. Instead, Biden has opened our borders to an invasion of military-age men and put American lives in danger.

Today, we have the opportunity to vote for the Laken Riley Act to ensure that this never happens again.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6918, the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act.

Mr. Speaker, pregnancy centers play a vital role in supporting women facing unexpected or unplanned pregnancies. Since the Dobbs ruling, pregnancy centers have been under vicious attack by the radical left, especially in my home State of Illinois.

Why? All for simply loving and supporting vulnerable women. There are approximately 3,000 pregnancy centers across the Nation, serving nearly 2 million mothers, fathers, and families completely free of charge.

In 2019 alone, their services and material assistance totaled over $266 million.

The goal of pregnancy centers is to support the mother and her unborn child. However, they also offer many resources and services, including relationship counseling, prenatal and pregnancy education, pregnancy testing, diapers, and baby clothes, just to name a few.

Women in crisis situations deserve to be protected and supported, period.

Banning funding to pregnancy centers not only discriminates against women but deprives them of the vital care and materials they desperately need, including information on the development of the baby and an ultrasound.

As a volunteer and supporter of crisis pregnancy centers in Illinois, I have seen firsthand how they minister to women in need. Unlike Planned Parenthood, pregnancy centers don't prey upon vulnerable women and coerce them into making decisions they will regret for the rest of their lives.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Fischbach for leading the way to protect the essential work of pregnancy centers, and I look forward to the House swiftly passing this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Angie Wood. Angie was a leader in Illinois who touched the lives of countless people. She was someone who empowered the people around her and was an inspiration to everyone she met.

She was quick to invite new friends to dinner and was always there to help someone in need. Angie embodied selfless devotion to her family, her community, and her country.

Everyone knew Angie as a patriot because of her love for our Constitution and her devotion to serving our country. She organized women's constitutional luncheons to teach people about our history, our rights, and our freedoms. She firmly believed that knowledge is power, and she was devoted to our Founding Fathers' vision of self-government.

Angie's patriotism was not merely something she talked about. It was something she lived out every day because of her love for God and country.

At her core, Angie was a Christian whose faith in Christ was evident to everyone around her, and she sought to carry the love of Jesus into the world. She organized Bible studies and was always first to offer prayer. She was sure to remind her friends about the peace and comfort that comes from the Lord. Angie would remind people that the only hope for our Nation and the world is Jesus Christ.

Angie's legacy will continue to inspire everyone who knew her. She exemplified servant leadership, and her patriotism, optimism, and faith will be lived out by the people whose lives she touched. No matter how the future looked, Angie would always say that the best is yet to come.

Now, I want to read one of her favorite passages from Philippians: Whatever happens, keep living your lives based on the reality of the Gospel of Christ. Then, when I come to see you or hear good reports of you, I will know that you stand united in one spirit and one passion, celebrating together as conquerors in the faith of the gospel. Then you will never be shaken or intimidated by the opposition that rises up against us. Your courage will prove to be a true sign from God of their coming destruction.

I pray that her memory will serve as an example to us all.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask for a moment of silence.