Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to commemorate the life of Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Lombardo.

Sam and his family legally immigrated to the United States from Italy. He enlisted to serve in the Army National Guard's 28th Infantry Division just 1 month following the start of World War II.

After training, he was deployed to Europe where he would serve as platoon leader and executive officer of I Company, 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Division, and he would always remind constituents in northwest Florida that he fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

During this time, Lieutenant Colonel Lombardo and his platoon created their own makeshift flag out of scraps of red and blue cloth. For the white, they used German surrender flags. They used this as their battle flag in victorious campaigns across the Rhine and Danube Rivers.

Following World War II, Lieutenant Colonel Lombardo continued his service to our country in Korea and Vietnam.

Throughout his service, Lieutenant Colonel Lombardo earned the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with ``V'' for Valor, as well as an Oak Leaf Cluster with Meritorious Achievement among 10 other medals.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the late Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Lombardo.

I asked Sam how he was able to be so healthy after more than 100 years living on the planet Earth. He said that his secret was red wine and almonds at night. I think I will have a little of both in his honor this evening.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great concern that I report to the House that the Civil Rights Division of the Biden Justice Department is actually working against the civil rights and the voting rights of our citizens.

Brave patriots in Arizona have undertaken an election audit to ensure that an actual human being is attached to a vote that was cast. This will inform better public policy prospectively. But Pamela Karlan, the head of the Civil Rights Division of the Biden Justice Department, has worked to stop that endeavor, and we know Dr. Karlan from her testimony in the Judiciary Committee where she made fun of President Trump's son's name and where she said that conservative Republicans didn't want to even live around one another because apparently we are so repulsive.

This is deeply unfortunate. This person should not even have a job at the Justice Department, and she certainly should not be working to perpetuate the true big lie and that is that there is not a tremendous amount of work left to be done on election integrity.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member of the Financial Services Committee for yielding.

I rise in support of the SAFE Banking Act, which I am honored to introduce with my colleagues, Mr. Joyce, Mr. Perlmutter, Mr. Blumenauer, and others.

It seems the war on drugs is a lot like so many of the other forever wars that this Congress confronts, deeply unpopular in all parts of the country except Washington, D.C.

I commend the majority party for bringing this bill to the floor and allowing businesses that serve particularly medical marijuana patients the opportunity to access the U.S. financial system.

There is an important part of this legislation that bears note. With the SAFE Banking Act, we will have an unprecedented opportunity for research and collaboration, which did not exist previously and which doesn't exist now.

There are so many universities, medical centers, other research institutions that would like to partner with and work alongside marijuana businesses with the opportunity to improve health outcomes for patients and to bring relief to people who badly need it.

I would implore my colleagues in the majority party to reach out to President Biden as I did to President Trump. Ask him to take executive action to remove marijuana from the list of schedule I drugs so that we can accelerate marijuana reform for the benefit of our fellow Americans and those who are in need and in pain and are counting on it.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Mr. Joseph H. Neely, Jr. as the Okaloosa County Educational Support Professional of the Year. For eighteen years Mr. Neely has served the Okaloosa County School District with exceptional passion and an unwavering commitment to serving others.

In Northwest Florida, we are fortunate to have some of the best teachers in the Nation. It is recognized that the position of custodian can be difficult--but also rewarding. Mr. Neely has performed his many duties without hesitation, while always providing a friendly smile for everyone he encounters.

Mr. Neely is revered by his Principal and colleagues for his strong work ethic and compassion. He selflessly considers the needs of both students and staff because of the immense pride he has for his school.

His support and outreach extend far beyond the hearts and minds of his own students during school hours through his willingness to help wherever assistance is needed. Mr. Neely has displayed dedicated teamwork by coordinating the cleanup of events. He is also the head football and baseball coach at Meigs Middle School, teaching the importance of sportsmanship to his students. I commend him for his steadfast willingness to serve as an example for those who matter most--the students and youth of our Nation.

For all of his admirable contributions to our community, I am truly proud to have Mr. Neely as a constituent in Florida's First Congressional District.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to recognize Mr. Joseph H. Neely, Jr. for his many accomplishments, and his commitment to excellence, professionalism, innovation, and collaboration in the Okaloosa County School District. I thank him for his service and wish him all the best for his continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Tanya Durham as the Walton County Educational Support Professional of the Year. Since August of 2019, Ms. Durham has served the Walton County School District with exceptional passion and an unwavering commitment to serving others.

In Northwest Florida, we are fortunate to have some of the best teachers in the Nation. It is recognized that the position of custodian can be difficult--but also rewarding. Ms. Durham has performed her many duties without hesitation, while always providing a friendly smile for everyone she encounters.

Ms. Durham is revered by her Principal and colleagues for her strong work ethic and compassion. She selflessly considers the needs of both students and staff because of the immense pride she has for her school.

Her support and outreach extend far beyond the hearts and minds of her own students through her willingness to help wherever assistance is needed. Ms. Durham has displayed dedicated teamwork by coordinating events, like ``Family Night'' for The Boys and Girls Club and the May Day Festival. I commend her for her steadfast willingness to serve as an example for those who matter most--the students and youth of our Nation.

For all of her admirable contributions to our community, I am truly proud to have Ms. Durham as a constituent in Florida's First Congressional District.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to recognize Ms. Tanya Durham for her many accomplishments, and her commitment to excellence, professionalism, innovation, and collaboration in the Walton County School District. I thank her for her service, and wish her all the best for her continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Jessica Landry as the Okaloosa County Teacher of the Year. For nine years, Ms. Landry has served James E. Plew Elementary School with talent, passion, and an unwavering commitment to her students.

In Northwest Florida, we are fortunate to have some of the best teachers in the Nation. It is recognized that the teaching profession is one of the most difficult professions in existence--yet it can also be one of the most rewarding. Ms. Landry has performed her teaching duties exceptionally, while also being an active and supportive member of her community.

Ms. Landry attended Northwest Florida State College, where she earned a Bachelor's of Science in Elementary Education. She later attended the University of West Florida and earned a Masters of Education in Educational Leadership.

Her support and outreach extend far beyond the walls of her classroom through her involvement in other programs, such as the School Advisory Council and Plew's Parent Leadership Association, and serving as the Senior Building Representative for Okaloosa County Schools. Ms. Landry has spent her time outside of school hours as the Academic Team coach, Young Astronaut Club coordinator, and as a mentor to new mathematics and science teachers. I commend her for her steadfast willingness to serve those who matter most--the students and youth of our Nation.

For all of her admirable contributions to our community, I am truly proud to have Ms. Landry as a constituent in Florida's First Congressional District.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to recognize Ms. Jessica Landry for her many accomplishments, and her commitment to excellence, professionalism, innovation, and collaboration in the Okaloosa County School District. I thank her for her service, and wish her all the best for her continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Leslie Coone as the Walton County Teacher of the Year. For twelve years, Ms. Coone has served the Walton County School District with talent, passion, and an unwavering commitment to serving her students.

In Northwest Florida, we are fortunate to have some of the best teachers in the Nation. It is recognized that teaching is one of the most difficult professions--yet also one of the most rewarding. Ms. Coone has performed her teaching duties exceptionally, while also being an active and supportive member of her community.

Ms. Coone is revered by her Principal and colleagues for her incredible willingness to always lend a helping hand. She holds high expectations for each student, and strives to help them discover their true potential; additionally, she engages her students with ``Accountable Talk'' and ``Stop-n-Jots.''

Her support and outreach extend far beyond the walls of her third- grade math class through her involvement as an ILDA teacher, School Improvement Team member, and Grade Level Chair. Ms. Coone has displayed dedicated teamwork as a teacher mentor, and assists new teachers by sharing the knowledge and skills she has acquired throughout her own teaching career. I commend her for her steadfast willingness to serve those who matter most--the students and youth of our Nation.

For all of her admirable contributions to our community, I am truly proud to have Ms. Coone as a constituent in Florida's First Congressional District.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to recognize Ms. Leslie Coone for her many accomplishments, and her commitment to excellence, professionalism, innovation, and collaboration in the Walton County School District. I thank her for her service, and wish her all the best for her continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Briana McCreary as the Escambia County Teacher of the Year. For eight years, Ms. McCreary has served Montclair Elementary School with talent, passion, and an unwavering commitment to serving her students.

In Northwest Florida, we are fortunate to have some of the best teachers in the Nation. It is recognized that the teaching profession is one of the most difficult yet rewarding professions in existence. Ms. McCreary has performed her teaching duties exceptionally, while also being an active and supportive member of her community.

Ms. McCreary attended Florida A&M University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. She later attended the University of West Florida and earned a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership.

Her support and outreach extend far beyond the walls of her classroom through her involvement in outreach programs, such as SheCounts. Ms. McCreary has served as the Director of this afterschool program since August of 2019. The program is for female students in grades three through five and is focused on improving their confidence and skills in mathematics and STEM courses. I commend her for her steadfast willingness to serve those that matter most--the students and youth of our Nation.

For all of her admirable contributions to our community, I am truly proud to have Ms. McCreary as a constituent in Florida's First Congressional District.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to recognize Ms. Briana McCreary for her many accomplishments, and her commitment to excellence, professionalism, innovation, and collaboration in the Escambia County School District. I thank her for her service, and wish her all the best for her continued success.

Madam Speaker, it seems to me that impeachment is an itch that doesn't go away with just one scratch. It also seems that President Trump may be most likely to be impeached when he is correct.

Before the last Presidential impeachment, President Trump rightly pointed out the improper activities of the Biden crime family, and subsequently he has been proven right. And don't think for a moment, Madam Speaker, that we are going to drop that or stop our pursuit for the truth.

Before that, Madam Speaker, we had the Russia hoax, where you had the President rightfully making claims that Hillary Clinton and the DNC were colluding with Russians to disorient our democracy. How right he turned out to be.

And then we have the 2020 Presidential election where the President correctly pointed out unconstitutional behavior, voting irregularities, concerns over tabulations, dead people voting, and now impeachment again. ``When they go low, we kick them,'' Eric Holder, former Attorney General under Barack Obama.

Breaching the Capitol was as low as low can be. We all denounce it.

But who is it that they are kicking?

The President, who created soaring highs for our economy, rising wages before the pandemic, and 400 miles of wall to stop the caravans. He drew down troops in the Middle East and showed empathy for the forgotten men and women of our country. It is why so many people love him so much, and it is why they are kicking all of us.

This President has faced unprecedented hatred and resistance from Big Media, Big Tech, and big egos from congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle.

Before the rioters tore through that glass, Speaker Pelosi stood at that rostrum and tore through the President's State of the Union speech, inciting anger, resentment, and division. Some believe that truly these true colors are being shown now through this divisive bipartisan impeachment.

Madam Speaker, the Speaker said to us just moments ago that words matter. But apparently those words don't matter when they are uttered by Democrats, when the gentlewoman from Massachusetts calls for unrest in the streets, and when the gentlewoman from California brazenly brags that she called for people to get in the faces of those who serve and support the President.

I denounce political violence from all ends of the spectrum. But make no mistake: the left in America has incited far more political violence than the right. For months our cities burned, police stations burned, and our businesses were shattered; and they said nothing or they cheer- led for it, they fundraised for it, and they allowed it to happen in the greatest country in the world.

Now, some have cited the metaphor that the President lit the flame. They lit actual flames and actual fires. We put them out, and we intend to keep this President.

Mr. Speaker, well, they may be calling on the Vice President, but based on his letter, he is not answering.

Everybody in this country knows that they wanted to impeach President Trump on his first day in office. And it looks like they are going to want to impeach him on his last day too. But all he did in the middle was rescue our economy, rebuild our military, reform the VA, and reduce America's involvement in foreign wars.

Now, I join the bipartisan caucus condemning the violence that we saw at our Capitol, but the hypocrisy is just downright disorienting.

President Trump called for protests that would be peaceful and patriotic. He got labeled a national security threat. Yet the gentlewoman from California can call on her supporters to get physical and in the faces of Republicans, and she gets the chairmanship of the Financial Services Committee.

Republican Members of Congress utilized a process contemplated in the Constitution to offer an objection, and we were labeled seditionists.

Democrat Members of Congress raised funds for groups attacking our police, burning our cities, destroying our businesses, establishing autonomous zones, and they were celebrated as justice warriors.

Wednesday, they called for unity, democracy, and healing. Now, just days later, seeking power and political advantage, the Democrats have reverted to the mean. They have gone back to their natural state: the party of impeachment, removal, and division.

They are about to have unified control of the government. Maybe they would use this time to preview an agenda for the American people.

The last two times the 25th Amendment was invoked, it was to facilitate a colonoscopy. Now they are using it to facilitate a transition to Joe Biden. How weird. Why?

I would call it virtue signaling, but there is no virtue in it. This removal effort isn't for America. It is for them for their ability to showcase and wield power, and we see the power of cancellation and removal on full display in America today. Forbes Magazine has called for White House officials to be shamed and unemployable.

ABC News has called for the cleansing of the Trump movement. I don't know what that means, but talking about cleansing our fellow human beings sure is scary. Big Tech has driven consumers and conservatives off of

monopolistic platforms, and when we created our own platform, Parler, it was nuked from the internet altogether.

The gentlewoman from New York was booted from a Harvard advisory board because she took an adverse position on electors that had been taken by every single member of the Congressional Black Caucus in 2001.

Cancellations for some, celebrations for others for doing the exact same thing.

The President of the United States can't tweet or post on Facebook, but we know from Project Veritas that the principal counsel for PBS can call for the government to steal children from Republicans and throw Molotov cocktails at the White House. We should allow America to heal before America is lost, but that is not what is happening today.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the resolution today, they want to show you that they can still tear things down. I guess, over the next 2 years, we will see if they are capable of building anything or anyone up.

This is a deeply unpopular impeachment. The public wishes we were here dealing with coronavirus, not the virus of Trump hatred that you seem to have found no vaccine for.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the objection.

Madam Speaker, one of the first things we did when the House convened today was to join together to extend our grace and our kindness and our concern for a colleague who has experienced just an insurmountable amount of grief with his family. And I want all of our fellow Americans watching to know that we did that because we care about each other and we don't want bad things to happen to each other, and our heart hurts when they do.

Now, I am sure there are plenty of folks over there who don't like me too much and there are few of them that I don't care for too much. But if anybody had been hurt today, it would have been even more of a catastrophe than we already saw, and I think that is an important point for the country.

Another important point for the country is that this morning, President Trump explicitly called for demonstrations and protests to be peaceful. He was far more--you can moan and groan, but he was far more explicit about his calls for peace than some of the BLM and leftwing rioters were this summer when we saw violence sweep across this Nation.

Now, we came here today to debate, to follow regular order, to offer an objection, to follow a process that is expressly contemplated in our Constitution; and for doing that, we got called a bunch of seditious traitors.

Now, not since 1985 has a Republican President been sworn in absent some Democrat effort to object to the electors; but when we do it, it is the new violation of all norms. And when those things are said, people get angry.

Now, I know there are many countries where political violence may be necessary, but America is not one such country.

Madam Speaker, it was wrong when people vandalized and defaced your home. It was wrong when thugs went to Senator Hawley's home. And I don't know if the reports are true, but The Washington Times has just reported some pretty compelling evidence from a facial recognition company showing that some of the people who breached the Capitol today were not Trump supporters. They were masquerading as Trump supporters, and, in fact, were members of the violent terrorist group antifa.

Now, we should seek to build America up, not tear her down and destroy her. And I am sure glad that, at least for one day, I didn't hear my Democrat colleagues calling to defund the police.

Now, I appreciate all the talk of coming together, but let us not pretend that our colleagues on the left have been free of some antidemocratic impulses. Just because we signed on to legal briefs and asked courts to resolve disputes, there were some on the left who said that we should not even be seated in the body, that we ought to be prosecuted, maybe even jailed. Those arguments anger people.

But people do understand the concepts of basic fairness, and no competition, contest, or election can be deemed fair if the participants are subject to different rules.

Baseball teams that cheat and steal signs should be stripped of their championships. Russian Olympians who cheat and use steroids should be stripped of their medals. And States that do not run clean elections should be stripped of their electors.

This fraud was systemic; it was repeated; it was the same system; and, I dare say, it was effective. We saw circumstances where, when Democrat operatives couldn't get the outcomes they wanted in State legislatures, when they couldn't get the job done there, they went and pressured and litigated and usurped the Constitution with extra- constitutional action of some officials in some States. They fraudulently laundered ballots, votes, voter registration forms, and then they limited review.

In 2016, Democrats found out that they couldn't beat Donald Trump at the ballot box with voters who actually show up, so they turned to impeachment and the witness box. And when that failed, they ran to the mailbox, where this election saw an unprecedented amount of votes that could not be authenticated with true ID, with true signature match, and with true confidence for the American people.

Our Article III courts have failed by not holding evidentiary hearings to weigh the evidence. We should not join in that failure. We should vindicate the rights of States. We should vindicate the subpoenas in Arizona that have been issued to get a hold of these voting machines, and we should reject these electors.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to commemorate the 100th birthday of Lt. Col. Samuel Lombardo in honor of his service to our country. Mr. Lombardo and his family legally immigrated to the United States of America from Italy when he was just 10 years old. He grew up in Pennsylvania, where he enlisted to serve in the Army National Guard's 28th Infantry Division just one month following the start of World War II.

After training, he was deployed to Europe, where served as platoon leader and executive officer of I Company, 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Division. He served in the ``Battle of the Bulge,'' and he continued his service to America in the Korean conflict and in the Vietnam War.

Throughout his service to our county, Lt. Colonel Lombardo earned the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with ``V Device'' for valor, as well as an oak leaf cluster for meritorious achievement, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, American Campaign Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Campaign Stars, WWII Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, United Nations Medal, Vietnam Expeditionary Forces Medal, French Legion of Honor, the Belgian Fourragare, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.

Madam Speaker, please join me in support of the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners in Florida Congressional District One, as they declare this day, July 12, 2019, to be ``Samuel Lombardo Day.''

Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and for our work together on this issue.

Madam Chair, I represent the district in this Congress that has the highest concentration of active duty military. If my constituents are called to war with Iran, they will go without hesitation or question. They will fight and win decisive victory, and I am incredibly proud of them.

But if they must deploy the patriotism to go downrange and win this war, we should at least have the courage to vote for it or vote against it, every darn one of us.

And if my war-hungry colleagues, some of whom have already suggested that we invade Venezuela, North Korea, and probably a few other countries before lunchtime tomorrow; if they are so certain of their case against Iran, let them bring their authorization to use military force against Iran to this very floor.

Let them make the case to Congress and to the American people. Let them show the military families in my district what their loved ones will fight for and die for. If we do that, then I think we serve the country well.

My constituents are doing their part, and I think it is about time Congress does our part and speak to these critical matters of war and peace.

Madam Speaker, I have been to the detention facilities in Yuma, Arizona, where I have seen the individuals who committed the crime of unlawful entry into our country, who have been detained, and who are kept in undeniably wretched conditions. The stench, the level of care, the inadequate training and facilities provided to our Homeland Security officials create conditions that are ripe for the vulnerable to be taken advantage of and to truly be harmed.

The question is not whether or not circumstances have fallen below our standards; the question is what has led to these circumstances.

The inability of my colleagues in the majority to reform our asylum laws so people aren't incentivized to come to our country illegally, bringing small children with them, is a stain on this institution.

The inability to secure our border so we don't have 1 percent of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador moving into our country every few months is indefensible.

And the inability to build a physical barrier or a wall to keep people from coming into our country illegally will ultimately erode the fabric of our Nation if we do not act quickly.

We can resolve these problems. It wasn't too long ago the Democrats used to agree with us on this stuff.

Madam Speaker, in the afternoon of June 20, 2019, I voted in favor of Rep. Golden of Maine's Part B Amendment No. 70 to H.R. 3055, stating that none of the funds in the underlying bill may be used for NOAA to utilize a North Atlantic right whale Risk Reduction Decision Support Tool (Roll Call No. 372).

I intended to vote against this amendment.