Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, Ronald Reagan once said that it isn't that our liberal friends are ignorant; it is just that there is so much they know that isn't so.

As you hear the talking points coming from the left concerning this bill, with all the Chicken Little arguments that they are presenting about how the world is going to collapse, farmers won't be able to grow things, and our economy will crumble if we secure our border, it is just plain ridiculous.

I live in south Texas in what they call the ``fatal funnel,'' in between two highways that lead from the border into Houston, which has become known as the human trafficking capital of the United States.

I visited facilities where 50 percent of the young women there, of hundreds of young women, will admit to being assaulted along the journey. I have visited the border and seen the families that have had their lives destroyed by what is going on at the border. Of course we know about the fentanyl deaths, hundreds of thousands of them.

To hear the talking points coming from the left that securing our border is un-Christian is absolutely ridiculous. I am both a Christian and the husband of an immigrant. I can tell you; I was there when my wife put her hand on her heart and said the Pledge of Allegiance for the first time as an American, and it really meant something. That is the right way to do it.

We have a legal process, and we have an illegal process that the left continues to fund and continues to partner with the cartels and continues to allow them to profit to the tune of billions and billions of dollars, to advance an illegal process when we need to enforce the legal process. We have a right way to do it, and we can do it.

This bill secures our border. The fact of the matter is that the Democrats just don't seem to really care. They don't care about the lives that are being destroyed. They don't care about the people that are dying. They don't care about the young girls being sold into the sex trade.

This administration has lost tens of thousands of kids and so for all the tears that were happening under the Trump administration as he worked to secure the border, where is the outcry for the tens of thousands of kids this administration cannot track?

They are willing to fund the border in other countries. They just funded a bill in December. We passed an omnibus bill where they were willing to fund border security in Libya, Lebanon, Pakistan, Nepal, and Turkey. But here in the United States of America, securing our border is not something the Democrats want to do.

Of course, yeah, we will get around to it. We just won't vote for anything that will do it. They had the chance to do it. They did not do it.

This bill will help secure our border. We need to pass it. I encourage a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, today, I wish to celebrate the 100th anniversary of GSM Insurors, an insurance agency that has been serving the growing needs of Rockport and the blossoming Texas coast for generations.

GSM Insurors was founded in 1923 as the Rockport Insurance Agency by Theodore Johnson, a Rockport pioneer and then President of the First National Bank of Rockport. The agency was the first of its kind in the area, serving the interests of ship builders, ranchers, merchants, businesses, and newcomers to the blossoming Texas Coast.

Five years later, A.C. Glass purchased the agency from the Johnsons and also became the President of the First National Bank. As the agency prospered throughout the following years, James H. Sorenson, Jr. acquired half ownership of the agency in 1946, changing its name to Glass & Sorenson.

On May 1, 1953, the agency once again changed its name to Glass, Sorenson, & McDavid after John M. McDavid, Sr., the son-in-law of Theodore Johnson, purchased one-third of the agency and became the new general manager. In 1978, the present evolution was finished, and the agency was incorporated under the new Agency name, Glass, Sorenson, & McDavid Inc.

In 1991, John M. McDavid, Jr., the grandson of Theodore Johnson and son of John M. McDavid, Sr., became the third generation to serve as CEO and still serves in that role today. In 1998, Glass, Sorenson, & McDavid Inc became a founding partner of The Insurors Group which is now ranked as one of Top 50 Brokers of U.S. Business Insurance by Business Insurance Magazine and one of the Top 20 Agency Partnerships in the Nation by Insurance Journal. To this day, GSM operates as a 4th generation family business continuing their track record of great success and service to the coastal Texas community.

On behalf of the 118th Congress, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to GSM Insurors for having reached their centennial anniversary. Having served the needs of Rockport and surrounding coastal communities in Texas, GSM Insurors is an American success story that is worth honoring on this historic milestone.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his support in getting Mark Swidan back to his home and to his family. I also thank the ranking member for her support, as well.

Mark Swidan is a native Texan from Luling who is currently being detained in China on fabricated drug charges and faces an impending death sentence.

Mark was arrested on November 13, 2012, while on a trip to China to procure furnishings for his home and business. Chinese authorities burst into his hotel room while he was on the phone with his family and, without showing any warrant, arrested him and confiscated his photography equipment, wallet, tablet, passport, and identity card.

They originally told him he was being held as a witness, but that rapidly changed. Mark was accused of being involved in the manufacturing and trafficking of drugs, leading to Chinese officials trying to coerce him into signing a false confession.

Mark maintained his innocence and his integrity and has rejected their attempts to this day. Nonetheless, Mark has been imprisoned in China for over 10 years, despite the fact that no drugs were ever found on Swidan or in his hotel room, and the prosecution did not produce any evidence tying him to the drugs. The 11 other individuals indicted on the same charges could not identify Mark, and records in Mark's passport show that he was not even in China during the time of the alleged offense.

As a result, Mark hasn't slept in the dark for over 10 years and is exposed to extreme heat in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. His hands have been broken a number of times. Mark faces abuse by his captors and has been denied an independent medical examination despite his deteriorating health in the detainment facility.

A few weeks ago, China upheld Mark Swidan's death sentence. It is my hope that this resolution will signal to China that this death sentence should not be enforced, and that Mark should be sent home.

Additionally, this resolution calls on the administration to use all the tools at their disposal to secure Mark Swidan's release.

The People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party have a history of capturing innocent people and using them as political pawns. This needs to stop. Unfortunately for them, though, Mark has defiantly refused to be coerced as he waits on us to secure his release.

Mr. Speaker, I call on all my colleagues in Congress to support this resolution and for our State Department to redouble their efforts and use every means available to bring Mark Swidan home.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and thank the Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and bravery to defend this country. On Wednesday, we observed Vietnam Veterans Day, a day to pause and remember the sacrifice and heroism of our veterans in one of our country's longest and most difficult conflicts.

We observe National Vietnam Veterans Day on March 29th to pay tribute to the 9 million Americans who served during this era. This year, March 29 is not only National Vietnam Veterans Day, but it is also the 50th anniversary of March 29, 1973, the day the United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam was disestablished, and the day the last U.S. combat troops departed Vietnam. In addition, on and around this same day Hanoi released the last of its acknowledged prisoners of war.

We are blessed to enjoy the freedom and security in this country today because of the sacrifice and service of veterans like these. As elected representatives, we have no higher duty than to ensure our nation's heroes receive the recognition they have earned and to commemorate the 58,000 soldiers that never made it home.

We cannot express our gratitude enough for all the Americans who served in Vietnam. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Vietnam veterans not just on this day, but every day. Our nation is forever in their debt.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to celebrate the 150th birthday of the city of Cuero, TX.

The city of Cuero's history began in the late 1800s as a stopping point along the Chisholm Trail cattle route to Kansas. Cuero was officially recognized as a city in March 1873 and a couple years after, the city was soon incorporated as the permanent county seat for Dewitt County.

Over the course of its 150 years, Cuero has built a rich history and robust agricultural industry. Perhaps nowhere is this history more reflected than in Cuero's famous turkey dressing tradition, which began in 1908 as Cuero began farming the product that made them famous. Eventually, the city's historical bond with the turkey grew into an annual turkey dressing tradition called ``The Turkey Trot''--a celebration which still exists today and celebrates Cuero's moniker, ``Turkey Capital of the World.''

But beyond the history, the agriculture, and even the turkey, most notable about the city of Cuero are its people--known for faith, hard work, and dedication to their community. As someone blessed to represent this area of Texas, I can attest firsthand how communities like this one represent the best of what America has to offer.

On March 25, the city of Cuero and its residents will observe the town's 150th birthday with a celebration on Main Street. I would like to recognize and send well wishes to everyone living in Cuero as well as thank those who helped organized the day.

I now ask my colleagues to join the city of Cuero in celebrating 150 years of progress and prosperity and recognize the residents of Cuero for all their contributions to the city's 150 years of history. It's an honor to represent them in Congress.

Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona for his efforts to always pull the curtain back on the games and gimmicks that Washington plays sometimes and to bring creative ideas to the table on how to fix things. I appreciate it, and I thank him for yielding to me.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Goliad County Sheriff Deputy and Operation Lone Star Task Force Commander John Davis, who passed away this Monday.

A man of faith, integrity, and relentless dedication, John served the great State of Texas for 40 years during his law enforcement career. His career stretched over a variety of roles in local, State, and Federal agencies, and because of this, John became known as one of Texas' most distinguished law enforcement officers.

Commander Davis helped lead the effort to locate and arrest the Texas Seven escapees back in 2000. In 2022, due to his long track record of success, John was selected to command the newly formed Operation Lone Star Task Force. Most recently, Commander Davis oversaw a successful multiagency operation in Wharton and Jackson counties to combat human and drug trafficking cartels and their criminal invasion into Texas.

Throughout his life, Commander Davis gave his all and gave all he had to protect our families and our communities and to make our State a safer place to live.

While we mourn his passing, we know that he lived a life well lived and that he has gone on to his reward. May his service be an example for all of us in years to come and may God bless and his peace be with his family.

Remembering Claud Jacobs

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a true hero of the Crossroads, Mr. Claud Jacobs.

A native of Yoakum and Victoria, Texas, Claud lived a life of extraordinary service to his community. His life's motto, ``You always get back more than you give'' guided him through public service in the Governor's office and in starting multiple businesses that helped his neighbors.

Claud's faith in our savior Jesus Christ led him to be a friend to all,

dedicating his time to training young people in his community.

In 1968, his passion for at-risk youth led him to help found the Bluebonnet Youth Ranch and raise millions of dollars through charity events.

For his extraordinary work, in 1986 Claud Jacobs was knighted as a Knight of Saint Gregory by Pope John Paul II.

Claud was a friend to everyone in our community, it seems, and I know he was a friend of mine. We will miss his optimism, his warmth, and his can-do spirit.

May God bless his family as we remember him and his legacy.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The intent of the REIN IN Act is to ensure that the executive branch is taking into account inflation in our country before they issue new regulations.

Our country has seen rising inflation over the last 2 years, and inflation is affecting all of us. It is affecting our families, especially those with lower incomes who don't have as much of a cushion to deal with what we are seeing as they face increasing costs, especially in gas and in groceries.

But as we consider the cost of inflation, we should also include the cost of debt servicing in what we are doing. Too often, we, as a government, don't do the same thing that we expect our families to do. When someone goes to purchase a car, for example, or a house, they have to include the cost of interest that they are going to pay on those kinds of things. We regularly ignore that as if it wasn't an important part of what we spend when, in fact, it is about $600 billion of spending annually.

This is why I offered my amendment to the REIN IN Act. My amendment would amend the bill to direct the Office of Management and Budget and the Council of Economic Advisers to incorporate the inflationary impact of debt servicing costs into the reports that they create.

Rising interest rates have the same effect on costs of spending on the national result, as well. We see rising interest rates have the same meaning for our country as the families that we encounter. But in order to accurately account for what we are spending, we cannot ignore the cost of debt servicing or the real cost that will be accrued with new spending.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget released a report today that estimated net interest will total $10.5 trillion over the next decade. As lawmakers, we have a duty to be honest about the effects of our actions, and this amendment will keep us honest about the true effects of our spending.

Madam Chair, I encourage support of my amendment and the underlying legislation as well, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, yes, it has been regular practice with CBO. I have been working to get this done for the CBO as well since I got here in Congress.

It is the common practice among all of the entities that we look to for wisdom and advice and guidance on budgeting and spending, that the cost of debt servicing is not counted into their projections.

The information that we get to take into account, like when we are evaluating a bill and what we think the 10-year projected cost is, yes, typically it does not include the debt servicing cost.

Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I once again point out that we spend approximately $600 billion a year in interest payments, yet we do not count the cost of what the debt servicing will cost in anything we do.

Now, that is, in short order, expected to eclipse our military spending, which is our number one constitutional priority for our Federal spending. Whatever we want to do up here, if we do not begin to count the real cost of what we are doing, we will be off. Right now, we are having to deal with a debt ceiling issue, because the previous Congress decided to spend without considering the cost of what it was going to take and to push us toward the limit.

We are cognizant of the fact that we are spending. We are going to monitor our spending in a way that we leave a

better country for our kids and our grandkids, and this is part of making sure that we are actually counting the real cost of what we are doing as we take each step.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer), the distinguished chair of the Oversight Committee.

Madam Chair, what we are trying to do is make sure that the debt servicing cost is included into these studies we are getting.

I have a bill, for example, to eventually do it with the Congressional Budget Office. We would like to see that, as well. This would make sure that we are getting this done in the REIN IN Act with the OMB and the Council of Economic Advisers.

It is common sense to me. This should be bipartisan. We should really be counting the costs of what we are actually spending. This isn't really meant to be a controversial bill, except for those who don't really want to know what we are actually spending.

Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I would just add, it may not change what we are doing, but it would change the knowledge of what we are doing here in Congress. The fact that we continue to spend money without even knowing how much money we are spending, I think, is a problem and certainly not the due diligence that we should have as Members of Congress, being diligent with the public trust that we have been given.

So having the real cost estimates before us is going to be very valuable as we go forward to understand exactly what we are doing as we begin to evaluate legislation and for the administration when they are dealing with regulations they are proposing.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to join the City of Victoria in celebrating the 77th annual Victoria Livestock Show. This year's show will take place from February 22 through 26, 2023.

The first Victoria Livestock Show was held in 1941. Shortly after, the show was suspended due to World War II. In 1947, the Victoria Jaycees decided to revive the livestock show, beginning with 4-H and FFA events in 1947 to pique people's interest. A show was put together a year later, and since then, it has been an annual Crossroads tradition.

The Victoria Livestock Show highlights the work that 4-H and FFA students have put into raising and auctioning livestock. Today, it is larger than ever, with its 2021 auction raising more than $820,000. In addition to the auction, a centerpiece of the Victoria Livestock show is the carnival, which includes rides, games, food, and even wiener dog races. Other fun activities include mutton bustin', goat roping, and the annual Queen Victoria pageant.

The Victoria Livestock Show embodies the heart of the Crossroads region, and I look forward to this year's show.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to wish Reginaldo ``Ray'' Davila a very happy retirement after 73 years in the shoe repair business in Port Lavaca, Texas. Ray and his beloved wife, Tina, came to this Nation as a young couple in 1954 with $20 to their name and three children to support. After eventually settling in Port Lavaca, Ray opened a cobbler shop--a trade he learned from his father in Mexico as a teenager.

Though initially a small operation, the Davilas eventually saved up enough to purchase neighboring real estate on the block as an investment. This extra revenue allowed the shop to continue to operate as other cobblers went out of business. As time went on, Ray's cobbler shop evolved into a place for locals to stop by and get to know one another, becoming a hallmark of Port Lavaca.

After passing day-to-day operations along to his son, Ray is now fully retiring at the age of 96. I join the community of Port Lavaca in thanking him for his many years of dedicated service and wishing him a happy retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Buck for his leadership on this and thank him for bringing us together for this important conversation.

The First Amendment recognizes what we understand to be a God-given right, the right to freedom of speech and the right to free press.

Tragically, Americans have seen their government conspire against them recently. We have seen parents targeted at school board meetings. We have seen pro-life activists brought under light by the strong hand of their government.

Too many times, American companies have joined in this effort. We have seen once-great American companies become the enforcement arm of a radical, woke, left agenda. They have enforced and become the authoritarian enforcement for this effort. But Americans are aware of what is happening.

Too many times, we have seen them go after people who voiced concerns over COVID lockdowns and vaccines on social media. Now, they are going after news channels that air stories that they disagree with.

Last year, several Members on the other side of this aisle sent letters to several cable and satellite providers, including DIRECTV, demanding that they stop showing OAN, Newsmax, and Fox. In recent weeks, we have seen AT&T's DIRECTV cave to the Democrats' anti-American and Marxist demands by demonetizing Newsmax and OAN.

Many Americans are concerned. They realize that their government's suppression of speech is the mark of totalitarianism. We are committed to pushing back on this administration's attempt to silence and suppress the American people.

To those on the left, I would simply ask this: If you have to work this hard, if you have to use censorship, coercion, and suppression for your ideas to gain any traction, maybe you have bad ideas.

Mr. Speaker, Friday, thousands of Americans participated in the March for Life in support of the most vulnerable in our society who have no voice: the preborn.

Today, we continue to recognize the dignity of every individual and fight for the most fundamental right of all: the right to life. Our instincts were always right. Science has revealed it is not just a clump of cells in the womb. At 15 weeks, babies suck their thumbs, kick, jump, have fully developed hearts, and can feel pain.

What looks like a baby in the womb, revealed to us through ultrasound technology, is in fact a baby when they are born.

The radical Roe v. Wade decision was based on bad science and bad jurisprudence, and I am grateful that it was overturned.

Now is the time where we as a Nation must continue to build a culture that respects life and recognizes the God-given dignity of every individual and that first unalienable right: the right to life.

Despite the terror tactics we have seen come from pro-abortionists-- burning and vandalizing pregnancy centers

and churches--the pro-life movement has not winced.

Pregnancy centers across the country continue operating, providing mothers with true healthcare, and they are saving lives.

Mr. Speaker, I join with these and millions across our Nation in serving as a voice for the voiceless. I, along with my fellow colleagues here, will continue to work to advance legislation that protects the preborn and the right to life.

Mr. Speaker, Petty Officer Third Class Will Martin, Jr. passed away on January 6, 2023, at the age of 74.

A veteran of the Vietnam War, Petty Officer Third Class Will Martin Jr. served his country with dignity as a Seabee in the United States Navy from 1965 to 1969. Will exemplified the Seabee motto of ``Can Do,'' and following his service, he integrated this into his daily life as he worked tirelessly for decades to build ``Communities of Honor and Excellence,'' not only in Victoria County but across the state of Texas.

Along the way, Will's journey saw him serve as the American Legion Commander, the American Legion Legislative Representative for the Department of Texas, an officer with both the Vietnam Veterans of America and the Disabled American Veterans, and as the founder and Commander of the U.S. Navy Seabees Association, Victoria Chapter. He dedicated his spare time to the Warrior's Weekend Field of Honor and was a great friend and supporter of the wounded servicemen and women who came in from all over the nation.

For nearly a decade, Will was the President of the Conservative Texans for Charitable Bingo that helped hundreds of charities all over the state of Texas receive tens of millions of dollars for their activities. As a legislative liaison, he worked with State Senators and Representatives to ensure ongoing access to funding that allowed service organizations to focus on their missions of helping thousands of Texans.

Furthermore, Will was a friend to first responders, in particular law enforcement. He led the effort to craft a county ordinance banning illegal game rooms and the drug and human trafficking crime that accompanied them. This ordinance, which gave Law Enforcement greater opportunity to stop this illegal activity, was adopted first in Victoria County and soon spread throughout the Golden Crescent and Coastal Bend. This initiative likely prevented the trafficking of hundreds of at-risk youth and kept millions of dollars out of the hands of organized crime.

Most importantly, Will was a faithful Christian man who lived his life as a disciple of God's word and as a passionate servant. Throughout his commendable life--up until the very end--Will Martin's love of God and Country and service to others never faded.

Mr. Speaker, we are going to miss Mr. Gohmert, my fellow Texan and House colleague.

It has been an honor to get to know you and now to be able to call you a friend.

I will definitely miss Louie Gohmert hour at the end of every week. We will miss the ribs that are certainly worth a mention in the Congressional Record.

I remember the first time I met you. I was a Texan, just grassroots, and you inspired me. I remember you speaking about the things that you were working to accomplish up here. A few things were obvious.

One was that you hadn't forgotten who you were working for. It was obvious to me that you were compelled by your love for the Constitution and these founding principles our Nation was built upon, and you were motivated by your deep and abiding faith. Those things resonated with me, as someone trying to make a difference where I could.

I didn't know I was ultimately going to have the opportunity to be here and get to know you. It is truly an honor to see and to watch your service. You have been a happy warrior who stands up, doesn't flinch, stands for what is right, what is just, and you haven't forgotten why you are here.

We have all seen people who can kind of get used to it, get comfortable with what is going on here. You haven't done that. You have stayed true.

It is an honor to know you. I thank you for being a hero in this place on behalf of our Nation and on behalf of our State. Thanks so much. God bless you.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor Pastor Larry and Ginny Helms' 50th wedding anniversary, and 50 years in ministry.

Pastor Larry and Ginny got married in Dell City, Oklahoma on August 19th, 1972. They began both their marriage and ministry at that time, as Pastor Larry established his first church in October of 1972 at the age of 20.

They pioneered three churches: Praise Temple in Littlefield, Texas-- Church on the Way in Lawton, Oklahoma--and Joy Fellowship in Victoria, Texas.

The Helms' traveled all over the country to spread God's word. Even traveling to numerous countries overseas, including El Salvador to teach bi-annually for three years--as well as short term mission trips in Guatemala.

In 1992, in an extraordinary act of unity, the Helms' moved from their pastorate at Joy Fellowship to join their ministry efforts with Pastor Jim and Tamara at Faith Family Church.

They've served the past 30 years in various capacities at Faith Family Church and continue to inspire those around them, including with their self-published book entitled Transformed Mind: Transformed Life.

It is a privilege of mine to recognize a husband and wife with an unbreakable bond and an unshakable passion for ministry. Happy 50th Anniversary to Larry and Ginny Helms.

Madam Speaker, today, I wish to honor the 75th anniversary of Corpus Christi's home of talk radio, 1440 KEYS.

On August 14, 1947, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved KEYS to move from the 1490 frequency it was originally granted, to its new frequency at 1440.

With this change, KEYS also increased its power from 250 watts to 500 watts, improving its reach and beginning to increase its influence in the community.

For now over 75 years, KEYS has remained on air at 1440 AM, serving the public throughout wars, hurricanes, and natural disasters.

KEYS was founded primarily as a music and entertainment station but has evolved to become a key voice in the Coastal Bend community with its talk radio programming.

A leading voice heard all throughout the region is none other than Corpus Christi's very own, Bob Jones.

For over 25 of those 75 years, the Bob Jones Show has provided an engaging, informative, and entertaining platform for South Texans to discuss different topics and news of the day.

1440 KEYS became a legacy station depended on by the community for local, state, national and international news and information.

In addition, KEYS has not only increased its power to 1000 watts, but it can now be heard on FM broadcasting at 98.7.

1440 KEYS has become a pillar of the South Texas region, and it is a privilege to honor their service to their community for the past 75 years.