Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today on Thursday, November 18, in honor of National Rural Health Day. My home State of Mississippi is leading the way in rural healthcare innovation, which is important because 54 percent of our State's population lives in rural areas. Thanks to a strong network of hospitals served by dedicated healthcare providers, as well as a world-class telehealth system anchored by the University of Mississippi Medical Center, patients in Mississippi can receive the care they need in their communities.

I am proud of the partnership between two universities in my district to improve health outcomes in rural communities across our State. The University of Mississippi Medical Center, our State's only academic medical center, and Mississippi State University, with its land grant mission and extension expertise, are partnering on critical healthcare and public health challenges and are working together to meet the healthcare needs of their fellow Mississippians.

Madam Speaker, I am grateful for Mississippi's role in advancing rural healthcare and the selfless service of our healthcare providers.

Mr. Speaker, West Virginia, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Maine, Montana, Rhode Island, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming. During President Biden's first year in office, the number of illegal immigrants that the Border Patrol has encountered on our southern border has surpassed the population of these 12 States and the end is nowhere in sight.

I am not sure if the Biden administration knew that their policies would lead to the number of illegal immigrants surpassing the population of over 20 percent of U.S. States, but by reversing the successful policies of the previous administration, they have created this crisis.

This administration has listened to special interest groups over the will of the American people. This administration has implemented catch- and-release policies. This administration has canceled the remain in Mexico policy, and on his very first day in office, President Biden issued an executive order ending border wall funding.

This administration has turned their back on every State of the Union to pursue a far-left agenda. This administration has created a new State of chaos in our Nation with their failed policies. It is time for us to reverse course and to return to commonsense policies that work and that protect our Nation's borders.

Remembering Our Veterans

Former President Ronald Reagan once said: ``Veterans know better than anyone else the price of freedom, for they've suffered the scars of war. We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have won for us.''

Today, we remember the service of our veterans, the price they have paid and the Nation that they helped build and fought to protect.

We know that America's veterans risked their lives on the field of battle to preserve this Nation and the ideals of democracy, liberty, and freedom.

But we must not forget that they not only fought to protect the rights that were established by our Founding Fathers, but they also returned home to set an example of enduring patriotism and leadership in our communities, our States, and our Nation.

When their service ended, our veterans helped advance our country by embodying the American spirit of hard work and perseverance.

Today, we thank them for the example they set.

This day, more than any other, let every American reach out to a veteran and say: Thank you for your service; we are grateful for your many sacrifices that you have made on behalf of our Nation.

As we stand in this great institution of democracy that our veterans helped build and then fought to preserve, let our Nation remember the hundreds of thousands of men and women who fought for our freedoms, and let us always remember that our Nation would have been forgotten to history long ago if not for those men and women brave enough to protect it.

May God bless our country, and may God bless our veterans.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1917, the Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects Act.

This bipartisan legislation will let communities recover from disasters more efficiently, and even more importantly, better prepare these communities for the next disaster.

H.R. 1917 provides assistance for certain mitigation projects that began before the grant was applied for. Last Congress, the House also worked in a bipartisan manner to pass this very practical bill under suspension of the rules. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time as I have no additional speakers.

In closing, H.R. 1917 benefits our communities by allowing them to be eligible for Federal disaster mitigation assistance for projects started prior to their request for assistance. I believe that this bill is a good bill, and I urge support of this bipartisan legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would first like to thank Ranking Member Graves for his leadership on this important piece of legislation that would eliminate hurdles and leverage Economic Development Administration dollars to invest in broadband deployment across America's rural communities.

By utilizing public-private partnerships and consortia between internet service providers and economic development agencies, EDA dollars could be leveraged to deploy broadband and spur modern economic development for rural and economically distressed communities.

Many of these consortia exist within the private sector, including many large corporations working to deploy broadband across vast rural areas. However, EDA funds have been held back from small towns and communities working to attract private investment in their communities. The E-BRIDGE Act would directly respond to the needs of these communities and provide flexibility to leverage in-kind services and other Federal resources.

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the necessity of the internet in our lives and the need to close the digital divide that exists between rural and urban areas. This bill is supported by The App Association, American Farm Bureau, and the National Association of Development Organizations.

I appreciate the chairman and ranking member for bringing this legislation to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3709, the Preliminary Damage Assessment Improvement Act of 2021, introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko).

FEMA's preliminary disaster assessment is crucial when determining eligibility for disaster assistance. This bill will ensure State and local stakeholders are involved in reviewing and developing recommendations for improving this process. This bill will help reduce unnecessary delays and get assistance to disaster survivors more quickly so they can recover faster and move forward with their lives.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close.

H.R. 3709 makes disaster recovery easier for victims by improving State and local communities' abilities to coordinate with FEMA when determining the impacts of major disasters.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of this important bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 2220, which would allow the General Services Administration, or GSA, to enter into bargain-price purchasing agreements in situations where the buying of Federal property is the cheaper alternative to a long-term lease.

Designed as a measure to bring free-market efficiency into Federal real estate, H.R. 2220 would save taxpayers from costly, long-term lease contracts where bargain purchases better suit the situation.

For example, the Tacoma Union Station purchase approved by the Transportation Committee earlier this year shows the benefits of allowing these bargain-price purchases. Prior to a scoring rule change, the GSA negotiated a $1 purchase price of the facility in order to undertake necessary seismic and building system modernizations.

By purchasing the property, the GSA will be making the needed investments to modernize the facility for Federal use while realizing a lease cost avoidance of approximately $6.4 million and protecting American taxpayer dollars.

This legislation provides a commonsense correction that will continue this committee's work in reducing the taxpayers' burden in Federal real estate.

I appreciate the chair and ranking member of the committee for bringing this legislation to the floor and my colleague and friend from Indiana, Congressman Greg Pence, and his office's work on this issue in the previous Congress.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence).

Madam Speaker, in closing, H.R. 2220 ensures that the GSA is able to negotiate discounted purchase options and leases to save potentially billions in taxpayer dollars.

I urge support of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 390, which designates the Federal building located in Memphis, Tennessee, as the Odell Horton Federal Building.

Judge Odell Horton served his community with great honor and great distinction.

I thank Transportation Committee members Representatives Cohen and Burchett, along with members of the Tennessee delegation, for their leadership and bipartisan work on this bill.

I also know that my colleagues in the Senate are very interested in this issue, and I hope that we can work together to find a resolution that works for both Chambers.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, in closing, it is appropriate to honor Judge Horton's service to our country by naming this building after him.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, H.R. 4679 designates the U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters as the Norman Yoshio Mineta Federal Building.

Norman Mineta served as both the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and, later, as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Both his work on the committee and as DOT Secretary demonstrates his commitment to public service.

Madam Speaker, I know that our colleagues in the Senate are also very interested in this issue, and I hope that we can work together to find a resolution that works for both Chambers.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I want to again recognize Norman Mineta for his service on both the committee and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Madam Speaker, I urge the adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4660, which designates the Federal

Building and U.S. Courthouse located in Wheeling, West Virginia, as the Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse in honor of Judge Frederick Stamp.

I thank my colleague from West Virginia, Mr. McKinley, for his leadership on this bill. I know that our colleagues in the Senate are very interested in this issue, and we want to work together with them so we can resolve this. I hope my colleagues will support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I think it is appropriate to recognize Judge Stamp's service to our country by naming this Federal building after him.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, under the failed leadership of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, our Nation faces challenges unlike any we have seen since the administration of former President Jimmy Carter.

Hardworking Americans are facing an inflation crisis that is driving up the price of almost everything we purchase. We are facing a supply chain crisis where people are unable to buy the goods and services they need to live productive lives.

We are facing a border crisis where our border agents are so overwhelmed

that we cannot account for the drugs being smuggled into our country or stop potential terrorists from entering our Nation. We are facing an energy crisis where the price of gas has reached a 7-year high and heating costs are projected to rise over 50 percent as winter nears.

Every one of these crises are the result of policies this administration and progressive Members of this Congress have pursued instead of working to help the American people get back on their feet.

It is time to reverse course, cut spending, promote good-paying jobs, and secure our border.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to join me in opposition to the proposed IRS reporting plan that would intrude on the bank accounts of Americans and impose new regulations on our already overregulated banking system.

First, it is not apparent that the IRS has any constitutional authority to monitor Americans in this way.

Second, the American public does not support the expansion of IRS bank data collection. Recent polling shows bipartisan opposition, with 67 percent of those polled opposed to the IRS collecting bank deposit and withdrawal information.

Finally, this would add another regulatory burden to our financial institutions after a historic year when banks and credit unions provided lifelines to families, businesses, and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This proposal imposes upon our right to privacy and is bad for families, small businesses, and financial institutions. I hope my colleagues across the aisle will reconsider their support for this unwarranted expansion of government.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the appointment of Major General Janson D. Boyles as the Chairman of the National Guard Association of the United States. Major General Boyles has enjoyed a distinguished career with the National Guard since he was commissioned in the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Mississippi State University in 1982.

General Boyles has displayed exceptional levels of leadership and competence in his service to our state and nation. In 2005, General Boyles managed the United States Army

Engineer Corps response to Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi. Then, in 2008, he deployed to Afghanistan with the 168th Engineer Brigade as Deputy Commander. He took this experience to his role as Chief of Staff of Kosovo forces in 2015. Through his leadership role in medical and engineer units in Mississippi, General Boyles has earned the position of Mississippi's top officer.

As the Adjutant General of Mississippi since 2016, Major General Boyles has led the state's ready force of more than 12,500 Citizen Soldiers and Airmen through crises and deployments. including natural disasters, civil unrest, and assisting the state in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. His leadership has elevated Mississippi's reputation among the country's National Guard units and has demonstrated a commitment to defending country and state through any contingency.

The National Guard Association of the United States in an integral partner to the National Guard's state associations and congressional delegations, The work that they do directly impacts Mississippi, and our state and country will be served well with General Boyles at the helm.

I congratulate Major General Boyles on this excellent achievement in his career. He will be an exceptional leader, and Mississippi is proud of his accomplishments.

Madam Speaker, last week during a Committee on Homeland Security hearing, Secretary Mayorkas testified, and he stated on numerous occasions that our border is secure.

Even as encounters of migrants reached historic levels and the amount of narcotics being smuggled across our border soar, Secretary Mayorkas and the Biden administration refuse to admit there is a problem.

The border crisis is fueled by the President's actions, such as his decision to stop building the wall; his decision to cancel successful Trump immigration policies; and his decision to signal that amnesty will be provided to those who come here illegally.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell had a policy known as the Pottery Barn rule, which was, in short, ``You break it, you own it.''

The Biden administration has created this crisis, and now it is time for the President to own the consequences of his actions.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4611, the DHS Software Supply Chain Risk Management Act of 2021.

As we have seen over the past year, our software supply chains are increasingly vulnerable. It is vital that the Department of Homeland Security does its part to ensure that software in use by the Department and its contractors is secure.

This legislation will help DHS better understand and track the software and systems in use by its contractors so that it can better mitigate risk within the software supply chain.

I urge Members to join me in supporting H.R. 4611, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I urge Members to support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4089, the Darren Drake Act.

In the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, it is critical that we remain vigilant to threats posed by terrorists and extremist organizations.

Over the past two decades, terrorists have carried out multiple vehicle-ramming attacks in North America and Western Europe.

Al-Qaida and ISIS have promoted these type of attacks for years, including in Inspire, the online magazine of al-Qaida, and Rumiya, ISIS's magazine.

ISIS has called upon its followers to conduct vehicle-ramming attacks by buying, renting, stealing, or borrowing trucks and targeting large outdoor events, crowded pedestrian streets, outdoor markets, and rallies.

This legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security to develop and disseminate best practices for rental companies and dealers to report suspicious behavior to law enforcement agencies at the point of sale of a covered rental vehicle to prevent and mitigate acts of terrorism using these motor vehicles.

This represents an important tool for addressing extremist threats-- the ability of government and the private sector to work together to mitigate terrorism risk.

I urge Members to join me in supporting H.R. 4089, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I urge Members to support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.