Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 43, MTR for H.J. Res. 28.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Missouri.

Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman has given us this opportunity tonight to speak on the growing crisis at our southern border. It is a critical issue that our friends on the other side of the aisle are simply failing to address.

Over the course of this government shutdown, many have sought to dismiss the very real challenges that we are facing regarding human trafficking, sexual assault, and drug smuggling that clearly are occurring. Thousands of people are making the dangerous journey to and across our southern border, and this has been the result.

What these same opponents fail to mention is the perverse incentives that exist for these crimes.

For example, our lax immigration laws have encouraged illegal immigration.

For example, the dramatic increase in unaccompanied minors and supposed family units at the border are a direct result of our catch- and-release policies.

The President made his case to the American people just a few nights ago, and he addressed the urgent need for border security. He is precisely right.

Securing our borders and protecting the American people must be a top priority of this Congress. It is our duty. It is important to maintain the strength and the sovereignty of our Nation.

A strong America is good not only for our national security and our prosperity, but it is good for all people around the world. As the last great superpower, we have to maintain our sovereignty and our strength, and it is important to do exactly that.

Here are just a few of the most devastating facts, and we will hear many of them tonight.

Last year, Customs and Border Protection agents apprehended 17,000 adults with existing criminal records.

In the past 2 years alone, ICE agents have arrested over 230,000 illegal aliens with a prior criminal history committed within our borders. That is assault, homicide, and sexual assault--violent crimes. Our border agents have arrested thousands of gang members and traffickers, and they have rescued countless children from exploitation.

By any objective measure, this is a humanitarian and a national security crisis. Anyone who says otherwise is either ignoring the facts or being dishonest.

Right now, so many of our friends on the other side are refusing to do what they have supported in the past, simply because it is now in line with President Trump's agenda.

When President Obama was in office, for example, all 54 Senate Democrats voted for $46 billion in border security and hundreds of miles in border fencing.

What has changed, Mr. Speaker?

That is an important question. Do our friends across the aisle need to hear from the families who have lost loved ones at the hands of an illegal alien? Do they deny that children being smuggled across the border deserve reprieve?

Sadly, the legislation that has come before the House this week fails to address the extraordinary crisis we face. This isn't an honest attempt to end the shutdown. These aren't good faith negotiations. This is a political stunt. These bills will not be considered by the Senate; they will not be signed by the President; and everybody knows

that. Rather than working on solutions, the Democrats here have chosen to waste the people's time with these symbolic votes.

Not securing our border is an immoral act. What we have done here and what we are doing here is immoral by failing to address this issue. I commend the President and all of my Republican colleagues for taking this stand.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the brave firefighters, police officers, and first responders who selflessly ran into harm's way answering the three-alarm call to the devastating fire in my district at First Baptist Church Bossier City, Louisiana, on December 10, 2018.

At 5:36 a.m., the Bossier City Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at the church. The call for a second alarm went out at 5:50 a.m., and the Shreveport Fire Department was called to assist at 6:15 a.m.

During their efforts, there were a total of 30 firefighting units and 65 fire and support personnel from Bossier City and Shreveport working to contain the fire and preserve the church.

First Bossier has such an extraordinary history in our region, and its iconic steeple has been a landmark over Bossier for generations. My wife, Kelly, and I were actually married in First Bossier's Faith Chapel 20 years ago.

We are so grateful there was no loss of life or major injury to anyone; and for the many extraordinary firefighters and first responders from Bossier and Shreveport who battled the blazes that day, we commend them for their heroic efforts, and we thank them for their service and sacrifice.

We know the First Bossier family will pull together and recover from this tragedy even stronger than before. The Bible teaches that trials produce perseverance, character, and hope, and we believe that to our core. The mission of First Bossier will continue in earnest, and its best days are truly ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congressman Lamborn, for organizing this Special Order, recognizing the 77th annual National Bible Week in America. As we know and has been said today, this is a declaration that was first

made by President Franklin D. Roosevelt just weeks before the start of World War II.

As we do on this occasion every year, my colleagues and I extol the virtues of the Holy Bible. It is the most widely published, widely read, most influential book in all of human history.

Of course, to us, as Christians, we know that it is more than just a ``good book.'' We order our lives upon this book. Indeed, as Hebrews 4:12 proclaims: ``The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints, and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.''

What I want to address in my brief remarks today is one of the common misconceptions that exist about the use of the Bible in our public school classrooms. This is a very practical issue that many of us have to address back home.

Earlier this year, Mr. Speaker, I joined with my good friend, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, who is a former distinguished Member of this body, to create this free joint publication that we entitled, ``The Louisiana Student Rights Review: Answers to Common Questions about Religious Freedom in Schools.'' Because there are so many questions, we wanted to make a user-friendly guide for parents, teachers, coaches, school administrators, and school systems around our State to answer those frequently asked questions.

One of the big questions we answered for all those stakeholders, interest groups, and students was this one, and it comes right out of page 4 of our publication. It says: ``Can the Bible and other religious texts be used appropriately in a public school classroom?''

This is the simple answer that we gave. We said: ``Yes.''

More than half a century ago, the U.S. Supreme Court clarified that ``the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities,'' and that such study of the Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as part of a secular program of education, is perfectly lawful when relevant and appropriate to the subject matter of the class.

We cited in here the Supreme Court cases that make that very clear. There really isn't any legal ambiguity about this at all.

Unfortunately, there are a number of interest groups on the other side of this issue that engage in a campaign of fear, misinformation, and intimidation. They try to convince Americans and public school children all across the country that religion is somehow a bad thing, is off limits, and that you can't have your Bible on school campus, but it is just simply not true.

Mr. Speaker, this is so important for everybody to understand.

Contrary to widespread belief, the Bible never has been banned from public schools, and it is, indeed, an appropriate course of study, especially to promote academic excellence and cultural literacy.

Here is the important point. The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy observes this: ``No one in the English-speaking world can be considered literate without a basic knowledge of the Bible. . . . The Bible is essential for understanding many of the moral and spiritual values of our culture, whatever our religious beliefs.''

That is precisely correct.

We should ask ourselves: How can students possibly be considered well educated if they have no basic understanding of the Bible's profound influence upon the development of our country, law, politics, culture, literature, music, art, history, and virtually every aspect of Western civilization?

When the Bible is removed from classrooms, it has the effect of denying students a complete understanding of history. For this reason, as a service to the next generation of Americans, every Member of this body should strongly encourage the study of the Bible as an appropriate part of the program of education in our public and private schools all over this country. I certainly believe in that idea, and I know that all my colleagues here today would agree wholeheartedly.

Mr. Speaker, again, I thank the gentleman from Colorado for arranging this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to introduce my pastor and friend, Dr. Brad Jurkovich, as our guest chaplain. He has led us in prayer this morning, and we are so grateful to have him.

Pastor Brad is the senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Bossier City, Louisiana. First Bossier is a multigenerational church dedicated to reaching families throughout north Louisiana, America, and the world. Our motto is: Every person, every family, experiencing Christ in every way.

Pastor Brad received his bachelor of arts in biblical studies and his master of divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He received his doctor of ministry degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He and his lovely wife, Stephanie, have four awesome children: Cassidy, Carter, Caroline, and Catherine.

Pastor Brad is a gifted speaker and a leader with a true servant's heart who loves Jesus and seeks to share the message of salvation with everyone he meets. He is a man committed to reaching this generation with the hope of Christ.

It is an honor to have him here today to ask God's blessings over us, our work, and our Nation at this historic time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to help me in welcoming my friend and pastor, Dr. Brad Jurkovich.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 5957.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning in strong support of the resolution, and I thank my good friend and colleague from Louisiana, Steve Scalise, for bringing it to the floor.

The carbon tax is one of those endlessly recycled bad ideas. A carbon tax would put a tax and increased costs on coal, oil, and gas carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and other sources.

In simpler terms, a carbon tax is a tax on productivity. As anyone with the slightest familiarity with economics will tell you, the more you tax something, the less you get of it. It is just common sense.

Late last year, Congress was able to deliver historic tax reform. Just 7 months after we passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, nearly every economic indicator is showing record-breaking success.

The free market has been unleashed again, and our economy is thriving as a result. We are on pace for a quarter of economic growth that we haven't seen in more than a decade.

Imposing a job-killing carbon tax minimizes the gains we have made and will stunt our economic growth. Of course, the carbon tax would run counter to the goals of American energy dominance and national security, another priority this administration and this Congress have been able to make great progress in.

A carbon tax would have a negative effect on consumption, investment, and jobs; increase the cost of coal, natural gas, and petroleum products; and lead to lower real wage rates, lower labor productivity, and decreased worker incomes.

Imposing a carbon tax on hardworking Americans sets the Nation backward. After all the accomplishments we have made in the last year and a half, that is something we simply should not tolerate.

A carbon tax asks the entire Nation to make enormous sacrifices, and the only thing we get in return is falling behind our competitors in the global marketplace.

We have a broad array of leaders across the spectrum in the economy who support and agree with these principles.

Harry Alford, president of the National Black Chamber of Congress, said: ``Our great Nation is at a crossroads. We can continue to reduce regulations and watch our economy rise with the recent tax reform. Bringing unnecessary hurdles before us like a

carbon tax will preclude that growth and hurt our economy immensely.''

I have pages and pages of these.

Heather Higgins, CEO of the Independent Women's Voice, said: ``A carbon tax would be devastating to millions of American women and their families, causing their electricity bills and transportation costs to skyrocket, as well as suppressing their wages.''

Chet Thompson, president of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, said: ``Energy is the engine of progress. Making it more expensive will hurt our economy and disproportionately impact middle- and low-income families who can least afford it.''

If we had time, Mr. Speaker, I could be here all day. I have pages and pages of these quotes in support of the principle that we are advocating here this morning.

Mr. Speaker, we have to support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do that.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today to speak to the success in Louisiana's Fourth Congressional District that we have seen since the implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Every skeptic, even the early skeptics of tax reform, saw near immediate benefits when the IRS adjusted their withholding tables and it resulted in bigger paychecks for more than 90 percent of Americans.

Now we are 7 months out, and after the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the results are undeniable. Nearly every economic indicator, whether you are talking about the unemployment rate or wages or job creation, is showing record growth; and because of this tax reform, more than 1 million jobs have already been created and more than 4 million Americans have received increased wages or bonuses.

The average tax cut in Louisiana for a family of four was more than $1,700. That is not crumbs. That is real money for the people in my district, and it provides them with greater flexibility to save for the future.

Real benefits for real people, that is what tax reform delivered. I look forward to many more success stories because of this historic legislation

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

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 11 o'clock and 3 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, July 19, 2018, at 9 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, I do want to take a moment to thank Chairman Bishop and his team for their continued support of the Lake Bistineau Land Title Stability Act. This bill rights a decades-old wrong when the Federal Government failed to notify landowners of a resurvey of over 200 acres around Lake Bistineau, located in northwest Louisiana. When the Federal Government did that, it preempted the rights of landowners who had legal ownership of the land.

It is unfathomable for many of us here today to imagine a morning where we wake up and we are told that the land our families owned for generations is no longer ours, to learn that the Federal Government has somehow staked claim to our very homes, the place where we were raised, the place where we are now raising our own families, and the land we had worked for decades, all of it just gone without so much as an opportunity to contest it.

That is what happened here. The government's failure to properly notify landowners of the new boundaries and its claim to the land for nearly 50 years is shameful. This error led to unnecessary uncertainty regarding who rightfully owns the land. We genuinely believe the answer is very clear: the property rightfully belongs to the Louisianans who have owned the lands since the days the State of Louisiana first entered the Union.

My bill provides certainty and clarity by directing the Secretary of the Interior to issue a disclaimer of interest on the disputed acres and rightfully restore land title ownership to the families that have lived and worked these

lands since the State's admittance to the Union.

I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will support this bill and support the folks in my district who have simply had their land taken from them without due process.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, when I last had the honor to host a Special Order, the House was debating the merits of tax reform, and in that debate, supporters of the tax reform promised higher wages, a stronger economy, greater opportunity, and shared prosperity.

Six months after President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law, the results are in, and we can now confidently say that the days of a weak and sluggish economy are behind us. America is again a rising Nation. America is again a Nation where families are able to keep more of what they

earn. America is growing and advancing to the economic prosperity that our workers and our businesses well deserve.

But the American people don't need us to tell them that because they are feeling the effects of tax reform every single day. Capital One, Wells Fargo, Waste Management, JetBlue, Comcast, American Airlines, Walmart, BB&T, and Nationwide Mutual Insurance are among the hundreds of businesses, large and small, across this land that have given pay raises and bonuses and 401(k) match increases to their hardworking employees because of the historic tax reform that we were able to achieve.

These bonuses are not going just to a lucky few, because the statistics are in as well. More than 4 million Americans, and counting, have already received tax reform bonuses. Thanks to tax reform, at least 95 utilities have lowered their rates, and that means that some 87 million Americans not only have more money in their pockets, they are paying lower electric bills and gas bills and water bills, and that really matters.

Additionally, unemployment is down and confidence is up. We are looking at 3.8 percent unemployment rate. It is the lowest it has been in nearly 20 years, and 90 percent of Americans are experiencing a higher take-home pay.

According to the Gallup Poll organization, nearly 7 in 10 Americans believe now is a good time to find a quality job, and they were not incorrect in that assumption. There are now more job openings in America than there are Americans seeking jobs. America is back.

For years, the previous administration attempted to control the American economy from Washington, but the results speak for themselves. The free enterprise system inevitably outperforms central planning because it places its confidence in the people instead of in the government.

The economic principles put in place by this Congress have had an immeasurable impact. It is continuing every day, and hardworking Americans are enjoying more of the fruits of their labor, industry is growing, and the Nation is becoming more confident as the economy strengthens.

For the remainder of this hour, Mr. Speaker, a number of Members of this Congress are going to address this same issue, and I would now yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).

Mr. Speaker, I now yield to another gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Higgins) of the Third District.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, and I yield to the gentlewoman from Kansas (Ms. Jenkins).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her expertise and testimony.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Womack).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Young).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman and all my colleagues who have participated tonight in this Special Order.

I have spoken quite a bit, we all have, about the national benefits of tax reform, because I think the wage increases and the job creation and the business investment and the consumer confidence should not be ignored, and I am so grateful that has been highlighted tonight. But I also want to talk about what tax reform means to our folks back home in Louisiana and in my Fourth Congressional District.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce predicted that enacting the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would lead to the creation of more than 13,000 jobs in Louisiana and effectively give middle class families in our State a raise of roughly $2,000. But I would like to highlight the benefits the U.S. Chamber specifically predicted for my constituents in the 15 parishes, or counties as they are known everywhere else in the country, in northwestern and west Louisiana. That is my district.

We have over 53,000 taxpayers in the Fourth District of Louisiana that will be able to claim a larger child tax credit, just by one example. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act increased the child tax credit from $1,000 per child to $1,600 per child.

Nearly 50,000 taxpayers in the Fourth Congressional District derive their income from small businesses, and we know the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduces taxes for small businessowners. Everyone ultimately will benefit from that.

For small businessowners, tax reform implements a new, lower, 9 percent tax rate on the first $75,000 of net business income for owners earning less than $150,000. Tax reform reduces taxes on small business investment overall by creating a new 25 percent small business tax rate.

Over 4,000 taxpayers that used to have to pay the alternative minimum tax will no longer have to do that. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as we know, eliminated the AMT.

Even the stress that comes from filing taxes is now going to be reduced. What used to take many, many hours for most Americans has now been reduced substantially.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act doubled the standard deduction, meaning that many taxpayers will have much simpler returns to fill out now every year and could potentially even file their returns on a document the size of a postcard. Yes, it is true.

And 6 months after enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the good news just keeps coming in. We can scarcely keep up with all the happy headlines that have come out of this. That is exactly what we hoped, exactly what we predicted, and it is all coming to pass.

But rather than just talking about the sum of the benefits, I would like to talk about a specific success story, because when we relate this to real people and what it means to real, average, everyday, hardworking Americans, that is where we understand the real benefit.

I want to talk about the success story of Canal Coffee shops, owned and operated by Bossier City native Rodrick James.

Starting in 2016, Mr. James and Priscilla Mayfield opened their anchor store in downtown Kinder, Louisiana, and quickly saw success in the coffee shop and light lunch business model.

Remarkably, Mr. James built his business from the ground up without taking a small business loan.

He expanded his business to include shops in Oberlin and Shreveport, Louisiana. And now with the implementation of pro-growth policies, Mr. James has announced that he plans to open a fourth and then a fifth store in the very near future.

The self-described entrepreneur is anxious to make a difference, and he said: ``The latest tax reform bill will definitely be good for me. I am growing''--my business is growing--``and

this tax relief will help me continue that growth.''

He continued: ``I pay my employees well already, but there is a lot I can do to grow faster with the extra money.''

See, our district is full of small businessowners like Rodrick James. They are working long hours. They are sacrificing. They are playing by the rules. They are giving their all to achieve their own version of the American Dream.

In fact, that is how we define the American Dream. If you are willing to sacrifice, you are willing to work hard, you are willing to play by the rules, you ought to be able to make a better life for yourself and your family, for your children that come after you, and now we are enabling that again.

This Congress has delivered a fairer, simpler Tax Code that has allowed small businessowners, just like Rodrick, to keep more of their hard-earned dollars and reinvest in their employees, businesses, and community.

Mr. James served our Nation in the U.S. Army for 8 years before becoming a businessowner, and now he strives to remain community- focused. He has donated over $7,000 to students in our area, and as his business continues to grow, we are certain he is going to continue to sow those good seeds back into the community.

His story is truly inspiring. It embodies the essence of what it means to be an American. I am proud to represent him and his business right here in this Congress.

All around the Fourth District, throughout Louisiana, and every corner of our great Nation, you can find remarkable people who share Mr. James' experience. Their dreams, that they work hard every day to achieve, can become even bigger with tax reform. This is a big thing for the country.

As my colleagues have said and reiterated here tonight, Mr. Speaker, America is back, and we are humbled to have been a part of it.

I am grateful to all my colleagues who participated in this Special Order this evening. For all the reasons we have articulated, we just want to highlight, once again, that this is an important and proud moment for our Nation, and we are all truly grateful to have been a part of this history.

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

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment.

Mr. Chair, the Endangered Species Act, or ESA, as we call it, imposes numerous burdensome and duplicative regulations on America's hardworking farmers and ranchers. This adversely impacts their ability to provide food not only to America, but, of course, to people all around the world.

We all know that activist groups are employing sue-and-settle tactics to further their ideological agenda to increase the number of species listed under the ESA. As the ESA list grows, however, farmers and ranchers are forced to shift their primary focus from food production-- which we all need them to focus on--to navigate and comply with bureaucratic hurdles threatening their very livelihoods.

My amendment would require the Secretary to consider the totality of conservation measures already in place when determining whether a potential Federal action will jeopardize species or habitat loss. Our Nation's farmers and ranchers already opt to participate in conservation programs. They do so voluntarily. They implement protections and mitigation factors on their land, and they do everything they can to protect habitat and wildlife.

Our agricultural community proactively promotes conservation measures, and they seek guidance from the USDA on best practices. But the ESA has expanded far beyond the original intent of the law, and it has become a serious problem.

The time has come for us in this Congress to modernize the ESA, which will ease the difficulties farmers and ranchers face when bearing the brunt of undue burdens placed on agriculture. To that end, my amendment to H.R. 2 takes a holistic approach to protecting species and preserving habitats, ultimately helping America's farmers and ranchers go back to doing what they do best, and that is providing a safe, sustainable food source for our Nation.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. It is a matter of fairness and common sense.

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar).

Mr. Chair, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford).

Mr. Chair, in closing, I have mentioned that this is a matter of fairness and common sense. We need to do right by our farmers and ranchers, and I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman from Indiana's leadership on this amendment, and that of Mr. Gosar and others.

Since its inception, the 2015 Waters of the U.S. rule has been an unworkable and unreasonable interpretation of the intent of the Clean Water Act. It was an overreach of an administration wishing to flex its muscles by imposing additional regulations where it had no jurisdiction.

We are regulating things like backyard ditches and mud puddles, which we have a lot of in Louisiana. The absurdity of this rule has been evidenced by the back-and-forth legal battles that have ensued in the courts, most recently this past January in National Association of Manufacturers v. Department of Defense. The Supreme Court's opinion in that case has thrown some industries into chaos, as uncertainty once again looms.

Congress has the capability to provide a permanent statutory answer on

the merits of the rule, once and for all, by nullifying the rule in its entirety. The Waters of the U.S. rule is bad for America's farmers, bad for American energy, and bad for America's builders. My friend calls it the poster child of government overreach, and I could not agree more.

Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this Sunday marks the beginning of Small Business Week, where, as a nation, we come together to show support for the many risk takers, entrepreneurs, and mom-and- pop shops that make America great.

More than 99 percent of all businesses in the United States are classified as small businesses, and they are responsible for two out of every three jobs that are created in this country. That is why we often refer to small businesses as the backbone of the U.S. economy.

Thankfully, the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has given a boost to these operations, which is directly translating into more jobs, better pay, and new investments and expansion across America.

I have traveled all across the 15 parishes of my district, Mr. Speaker, over the last few months, and no matter where I go, our constituents tell us how the historic reform has helped them and all of our local mom-and-pop shops. Hardworking Americans everywhere, from all walks of life, are reaping the benefits of our reforms, and the best is yet to come.

So, for Small Business Week, which is next week, I want to thank all those who truly are the backbone of our economy. Keep up the good work, and we will continue to fight for you in Washington.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on H.R. 4790 because I was in Louisiana attending a family event.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 139.