Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I want to first thank Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for bringing this important bipartisan legislation to the floor.

H.R. 2016 would begin the critical process in working to consolidate the overlapping disaster response programs that delay disaster assistance for citizens in Miss Gonzalez-Colon's district, as well as in my district.

Mississippi has withstood flooding, hurricanes, and tornadoes over the last 2 years, and many of these response efforts are still underway today. This is no fault of the Federal agencies that are tasked with responding, but it is, instead, the product of overlapping programs that result in duplicative assessments that delay the recovery process.

This bill would establish a Federal working group to help identify a more streamlined approach to helping Americans respond to natural disasters.

This commonsense approach to solving delays in Federal disaster response would help expedite recovery and give Americans confidence in the Federal response.

I appreciate Congresswoman Gonzalez-Colon's leadership on this issue, and I ask my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

Madam Speaker, first, I would like to thank Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for bringing this bipartisan legislation to the floor.

H.R. 1262 would create a task force to recommend reforms and improvements to the notice to airmen system, a crucial domestic and international flight safety notification to pilots that has become both inefficient and outdated over the years.

The current state of the notice to airmen system has the potential to create life-threatening situations for both pilots and their passengers. This reform would provide the needed steps to provide important safety information to our Nation's pilots in a timely and concise manner.

In the most recent FAA reauthorization, Congress made it a priority that the agency delivers a new and modernized notice to airmen system, yet we have seen few results to date. This legislation would make that priority a reality within 1 year from this bill's enactment.

I would like to thank Congressman Stauber for his leadership on this issue and for prioritizing aviation safety within this bill.

Madam Speaker, former President Ronald Reagan once said, ``The best social program is a job.''

Job creation and growing our economy are bipartisan issues that benefit all Americans.

This past year, we saw the impact that COVID had on our businesses, both large and small. But now, as we are reopening the economy, many employers are unable to find workers to keep up with the high demand for goods and services.

A major roadblock to businesses being able to hire staff comes from the Federal supplemental unemployment payments made on top of the unemployment already received by the States. These payments have caused many potential employees to continue collecting unemployment from the government rather than reentering the workforce.

Thankfully, many Republican Governors, including Mississippi's Governor Tate Reeves, have ordered the end of the Federal unemployment payments now that the economy is open.

As a Congress, we need to follow the example of Mississippi and other States and bring this program to a close, as more Americans find it possible to return to normal life.

Mr. Speaker, the men and women of law enforcement live by a creed that sets them apart from all other professions. Unfortunately, that creed, to serve and to protect, often places them in harm's way.

While Scripture does not speak directly about law enforcement, we see that Christ said, ``blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.''

The peacemakers we honor today are not only law enforcement officers, but they are mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. They are leaders who face danger on a daily basis to help transform their communities to be better places to live and to worship and to raise a family.

Their service, their love of fellow officers, their love of community, and the sacrifice of law enforcement must not be forgotten. That is why I am proud to join Congresswoman Julia Letlow from Louisiana to introduce the resolution expressing support for recognizing National Police Week. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful that over 90 of our House colleagues have joined this effort.

The men and women of law enforcement will always be remembered as heroes.

Mr. Speaker, since mid-January we have seen a surge of immigrants coming into the country along our southwest border. The numbers are staggering, and the situation along the border continues to deteriorate daily. In March, over 172,000 individuals were encountered by law enforcement, the highest number of monthly encounters in the last 15 years.

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit the border and met with both Federal and State law enforcement officers. We heard repeatedly that recent changes by the Biden administration have driven the overwhelming surge.

Lost in the border conversation is the incredible amount of resources being diverted to try and manage the immigrants we are encountering. This shift in resources is being exploited by drug cartels who continue to use the southwest border as the primary pipeline to bring cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the country.

The question can no longer be: Is there a crisis along the border?

But instead it should be: How long will the crisis last, and how bad must the crisis become before the President will act?

Mr. Speaker, over the last year, Republicans and Democrats have worked together on numerous occasions to provide COVID relief for the American people. Unfortunately, this bill was not that way. This legislation is a completely partisan bill that has yet to receive one Republican vote in either the House or the Senate.

This spending bill will appropriate nearly $2 trillion at a time in which we still have $1 trillion in unspent funding from previous relief bills. This bill will be passed at a time in which our economy is growing, in which unemployment is dropping, in a time which Americans are being vaccinated.

Instead of prioritizing public health needs or focusing on reopening our

economy, reopening our schools, or even securing our border, we will be voting to add almost $2 trillion to our national debt; but most of the spending is going to fulfill campaign promises and fund the agenda of the far left.

We must reject this partisan bill that even many Democrats admit is the most progressive legislation in the last quarter century, and Congress must instead focus on working together for the good of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, Mississippi lost a talented young woman when she tragically died in an airplane accident.

Lake Little had accomplished a great deal in her lifetime. She was an honors student, a skilled athlete, and a volunteer in her local community.

Lake had a bright future. She held dreams of serving her country in the United States Air Force and had already enlisted in the Mississippi Air National Guard.

Mississippi is proud of the life that Lake lived, and we are grateful for the positive impact she had in her community and on our State.

Today, Lake's friends, family, and community have gathered to remember her and celebrate her life.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for a moment of silence on the House floor at this time as we join Lake's loved ones in honoring her memory.

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize an outstanding athlete from the State of Mississippi. Jake Mangum is Mississippi State University's center fielder who has recently led the Bulldog baseball team to its fourth straight Super Regionals and second straight College World Series.

Jake ranks fourth on the all-time NCAA hits list with 380 hits. During the regular season, Mangum earned a 375 batting average, scored 65 runs, and totaled 95 base hits, the most in the Southeastern Conference. Achievements of this magnitude come only with discipline and determination, characteristics that all Americans should strive to promote in their everyday lives.

I would like to congratulate Jake on this impressive accomplishment and thank him for 4 great years at Mississippi State.

I wish him and the Bulldogs the best of luck in Omaha.

Hail State.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 962, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the Speaker to immediately reschedule this important bill.

Mr. Speaker, 75 years ago, in a letter to his troops, General Dwight D. Eisenhower encouraged the invasion forces of D-Day.

``The eyes of the world are upon you,'' he wrote. ``The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.'' He ended this famous letter with a call to pray: ``Let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.''

On the 75th anniversary of D-Day, we turn our attention and admiration to those young soldiers at sea, in the air, and on land who sought to liberate Europe from tyranny.

This is the time to humbly remember the sacrifice of over 4,000 American soldiers who died on the beaches of Normandy to liberate the world from evil; and it is a time to thank Almighty God for his blessings in delivering some of the heroes of D-Day home after the war and for welcoming those who did not into his heavenly kingdom.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation has been built on democratic ideas. Over the course of our Nation's history, these principles have been threatened by forces that do not share our ideas of democracy. Due to the heroic efforts of the men and women of our military, our Nation has stood against these threats.

Memorial Day is the time to honor these men and women who gave their lives in defense of our country and the blessings of liberty that we enjoy today. This Memorial Day, I hope that all will join me in remembering the soldiers who laid down their lives for this Nation and to celebrate the rights, liberties, and institutions that they preserved.

Madam Speaker, earlier this week, the 38th Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service honored the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice upholding the rule of law and protecting the people of our great nation. Last year, Mississippi lost five officers in the line of duty. I'd like to honor them as we remember their service and sacrifice. Please join me in honoring:

Police Officer Emmett Paul Morris

Emmett Paul Morris, 61, lost his life in the Line of Duty May 17, 2018, in a vehicle crash. He served with the Raleigh Police Department for two years. He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Dean King Morris; daughter, Candice Lea Morris; son, Paul Scott Morris; three step sons; and twelve grandchildren. He served with the Reservoir Police Department prior to his service with Raleigh Police Department.

Corporal Walter Zachery Moak

Walter Zachery Moak, 31, lost his life in the Line of Duty September 29, 2018, by gunfire. He was employed with the Brookhaven Police Department for three years and had previously worked for the Wesson Police Department and Lincoln County Sheriffs Department. Zach devoted his time to his family and enjoyed working with and helping people in his community.

Patrolman James Kevin White

James Kevin White, 35, also lost his life in the Line of Duty September 29, 2018, by gunfire. He was employed with the Brookhaven Police Department for 3 months and was previously employed with Lawrence County Sheriffs Department, where he worked for many years. He was a soldier in the Army National Guard and served his country in Operation Iraqi Freedom. James was a Purple Heart recipient. He is survived by two children.

Patrol Officer LeAnn Simpson

LeAnn Simpson, 23, lost her life in the Line of Duty November 24, 2018, in a vehicle crash. She worked with the Philadelphia Police Department for 15 months. She was also a U.S. Army veteran joining the U.S. Army at the age of 17. She is survived by her parents, James and Wilma Simpson-McMillan, three sisters and four brothers.

Police Officer Robert McKeithen

Robert McKeithen, 58, lost his life in the Line of Duty May 5, 2019, by gunfire. Officer McKeithan was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He had served with the Biloxi Police Department for 24 years and was planning on retiring by the end of the year. He received the Medal of Valor when he risked his life to save four children during Hurricane Katrina. He enjoyed spending time with his family and was deeply involved in his community. He is survived by his wife, daughter, stepdaughter, and two stepsons.

Ronald Reagan once said, ``there can be no more noble vocation than the protection of one's fellow citizens.'' May we remember these brave officers, their service to protecting our communities, and the sacrifice they made for the people who call Mississippi home.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the 38th Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service honored the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice upholding the rule of law and protecting the people of our great Nation.

Last year, Mississippi lost five officers in the line of duty. I would like to honor them as we remember their service and sacrifice.

Please join me in honoring Police Officer Emmett Paul Morris, Corporal Walter Zachery Moak, Patrolman James Kevin White, Patrol Officer LeAnn Simpson, and Police Officer Robert McKeithen.

President Ronald Reagan once said there can be no more noble vocation than the protection of one's fellow citizens.

May we remember these brave officers, their sacrifice to protecting our communities, and the sacrifice they made for the people who call Mississippi home.

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

Today I rise in support of H.R. 1593, the CLASS Act.

While the Department of Homeland Security already coordinates its policies relating to school security and safety across the Department, codifying this council into law will ensure important channels for information sharing and coordination are maintained during changes in administration.

Currently, DHS utilizes a number of tools to assist in the protection of our Nation's children. For example, the United States Secret Service National

Threat Assessment Center has created an operational guide to provide actionable steps that schools can take to develop specific violence prevention plans for their students.

Additionally, DHS' Office of Academic Engagement, or OAE, supports the Department's mission by building, improving, and leveraging relationships with the academic community. OAE's work focuses on outreach, engagement, and resiliency by supporting institutions of higher learning and the K-12 community in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk.

OAE offers a Campus Resilience Program Resource Library, which provides the academic community with access to guidelines, strategies, and resources to address the risks and vulnerabilities on their campus. The library is organized into categories according to a specific threat or hazard as outlined in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Preparedness Goal.

While numerous DHS components and agencies provide resources and recommendations with regard to school security, it is imperative that the work be done in unison and there is coordination across all relevant agencies within DHS.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge 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 today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 1590, the Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2019. This legislation seeks to better position the United States Government and relevant State, local, and private-sector agencies to detect and prevent terrorist and foreign fighter travel.

In 2015, the Committee on Homeland Security developed a bipartisan task force to investigate the threat from individuals leaving the United States to join terrorist groups abroad. The task force reported that nearly 4,500 individuals from Western countries, with over 250 from the United States, traveled to join Islamic terrorist groups. It goes on to detail 32 findings and over 50 recommendations to address this national security issue.

During both the 114th Congress and the 115th Congress, former Representative and now Senator Martha McSally introduced this legislation. Both times, the bill passed unanimously in the House.

Senator McSally previously stated: ``The abilities of these hardened fighters to return to the United States is a legitimate security concern to the homeland. Catching individuals who are looking to join the ranks and train with ISIS and other terrorist organizations prior to their initial departure is equally important and should be a goal for law enforcement as well.''

Mr. Speaker, these words still ring true today. Just last year, an Ohio man was arrested at the John Glenn International Airport trying to fly to Kazakhstan. His intent was to be smuggled into Afghanistan to train with ISIS with the possibility of conducting terrorist projects in the United States.

According to an FBI release on this matter, when the terrorist was asked what sort of training he wished to receive, he allegedly stated that he wanted to receive ``weapons experts training, planning, executing, hit and run, capturing high-value targets, ways to break into homes and avoid security.''

The ability of these foreign fighters to return to the United States is a legitimate security concern. Preventing their initial departure should be a law enforcement priority as well.

Furthermore, last year, the White House released the National Strategy to Combat Terrorist Travel. It ``outlines how the United States Government will expand coordination and maximize the full capabilities of Federal departments and agencies to identify, detect, and deter terrorists from transiting international borders.''

One of the Strategy's primary goals is to identify and deter terrorists before they travel, to enhance intelligence gathering and analysis, and to improve the sharing of terrorist-related identity data.

H.R. 1590 complements and supports these efforts.

The bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the appropriate Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies, foreign governments, and appropriate private-sector entities, to develop and conduct an exercise related to the detection and prevention of terrorist and foreign fighter travel.

The bill also requires the Secretary to produce an after-action report to Congress, presenting the findings of the exercise and to quickly incorporate those lessons learned into future operations of the department.

Finally, it requires that the National Exercise Program be designed to include emerging threats.

I cannot stress enough the importance of H.R. 1590. This bill represents continued action in combating terrorism and ensuring the safety of our Nation. As the threats of terrorism continue to evolve, we must remain vigilant in our resolve to combat our enemies.

Our Nation's law enforcement, of all jurisdictions, whether it be Federal or local, need to have access to the valuable information and resources that this bill would provide so that our communities can be protected from terrorist activity.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bipartisan and commonsense bill. I urge the adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.