Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 471, the PAUSE Act, to protect all Americans from Biden's border crisis.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Buck Limehouse, a beloved member of the Charleston community, public servant to the State of South Carolina, and a fellow graduate of the Citadel, the military college of South Carolina.

Buck served as a commissioner from the First Congressional District for the South Carolina Department of Transportation and would later serve as South Carolina's first Secretary of Transportation. He even started the State infrastructure bank, the first of any State in the Nation. His leadership was instrumental in the implementation of several transportation projects across the State of South Carolina.

Buck was a pillar of the Charleston community, the consummate entrepreneur. While he will be sorely missed, his legacy will live on in our State for decades to come. I offer my sincerest condolences to the Limehouse family.

Recognizing Beaufort Film Society

Madam Speaker, I rise today because for over three decades Beaufort has served as the backdrop for major motion picture films, including Forrest Gump, The Big Chill, and of course Pat Conroy's The Prince of Tides.

Today I rise to recognize the extraordinary contributions of Ron Tucker and his team at the Beaufort Film Society.

This past month, the society recognized aspiring filmmakers of every genre at the 16th Annual Beaufort International Film Festival, showcasing Beaufort's sweeping marsh vistas and quiet charm to visitors from all over the world.

Over 10,000 attendees from four continents, eight countries, and 32 States gathered at the University of South Carolina-Beaufort for this incredible exhibition of independent films and documentaries.

After such a spectacular festival this year, I know the global film community is looking forward to coming back to Beaufort next year.

Coastal Carolina Eagle Scouts

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate 98 Coastal Carolina Eagle Scouts, including their first female Eagle Scouts, which totaled six young women from our area to achieve this distinct honor. It was an honor to meet these women just a few weeks ago.

Only about 6 percent of Scouts achieve the Eagle rank, and as the first woman to graduate from the Citadel, I can appreciate the special challenges inherent with being one of the first women anywhere.

As a conservationist, I am also pleased to inform the House of Representatives that over half of the projects completed by the Eagle Scouts in the Charleston area were conservation, climate, and environment-related. In reaching this goal, these Scouts completed over 21,000 hours of volunteer work in their communities.

I commend their efforts, and I was glad to congratulate each of them in person just last month.

Crisis in Ukraine

Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the rising crisis in Ukraine. I want to recognize President Zelensky and the people of Ukraine for their valor, for putting it all on the line to defend their freedom, their country, their democracy. We have seen people from all walks of life, all ages defending their country and their homeland.

As much as I dislike social media, I think it has really influenced how quickly we have responded to sanctions, not only us but our allies. I commend us and our allies, our friends and partners around the world for doing that, but more needs to be done.

Upwards of 600,000 barrels of oil a day are imported into our country from Russia. Vladimir Putin funds his war machine, his wars and his invasions of Ukraine and elsewhere through the oil and gas economy, so every gallon that we fill in our cars today from Russian gas has the stain of blood from the Ukrainian people. I can't think of one person in the State of South Carolina who wants to put one more gallon of gas in their car from Russia.

I am encouraged to see the administration today is looking more seriously and may announce a moratorium and ban on Russian imports of oil and gas, and we need to do that, but the administration should be concerned about getting jobs here going to Texas, going to South Dakota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, American jobs, and not a job in Venezuela. Venezuela is aligned with Russia. They are an ally of Vladimir Putin. We shouldn't be seeking jobs for Venezuela and Saudi Arabia to replace Russian oil when we have those jobs right here in our country or our neighbors to the north in Canada, who are not aligned with Russia, who do not support Putin. Replacing one bloody regime with another is just wrong.

We need to be able to keep costs down. We should not be dependent on kowtowing to global dictators. When I look at the rise of inflation, the cost of goods over the last year is up over 100 percent, gasoline over 80 percent, coffee over 70 percent. Every single crisis our Nation is facing today, whether it is Ukraine, whether it is Afghanistan, whether it is the border, is a direct result of President Joe Biden's failed policies in his first year in office, and it has got to end today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shed a very serious light on what appears to be a seemingly light-hearted subject.

As the world prepares for the Olympic Games, I rise to denounce the Chinese Communist Party and its worldwide panda propaganda campaign.

From the COVID-19 fiasco started in a lab in Wuhan to China's coverup, to the ongoing genocide against the Uyghurs and the repeated and increasingly hostile incursions by Chinese fighter jets over the island of Taiwan, including when a bipartisan delegation visited Taiwan just last November, this administration has decided to answer Chinese aggression with a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympic Games. I am sure Chairman Mao is trembling in his Tiananmen mausoleum at the thought of our diplomats staying home.

Well, two can play at this game.

Not many people know the Chinese Communist Party has leveraged the cuddly panda in an effort to soften their image around the world. Indeed, Bing Dwen Dwen, the panda dressed in an astronaut suit, is the official mascot of the Beijing Olympics. His costume is meant to demonstrate their embrace of the future and technology. Or perhaps it is a warm and fuzzy attempt to soften China's ambitions in space.

China claims all pandas the world over belong to China, and they charge zoos a half-million dollars per panda per year for the privilege of loaning these gentle creatures to us. Ultimately, every last panda must be returned to China, property of the Chinese Communist Government.

Every year, millions of Americans enjoy these pandas, not knowing the sinister plot behind their all-too-brief stay here. We should not fund China's panda propaganda campaign.

In the words of Sun Tzu: ``Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will.'' Let's get serious with our diplomacy and hit China where it hurts. Give freedom to the pandas and allow them to stay here in the United States.

Honoring Robert Smalls

Mr. Speaker, America has always been a place known for its citizens and its heroes who have gone above and beyond. In honor of Black History Month, the State of South Carolina and the First Congressional District in South Carolina has one such hero, a citizen by the name of Robert Smalls. Robert Smalls is the epitome of a true South Carolina hero.

Robert Smalls was born a slave in Beaufort, South Carolina, in 1839. Robert Smalls faced countless afflictions in the early years of his life, but he never gave up. During the Civil War, he hijacked a Confederate ammunition ship and turned it over to the Union Navy, delivering its 17 African-American passengers from slavery to freedom.

Robert Smalls then became the first African American to pilot a U.S. vessel taking the helm of a Union warship in the first battle of Charleston Harbor in 1863.

At the war's conclusion, Robert Smalls received a commission as brigadier general in the South Carolina militia and eventually went on to serve the South Carolina State General Assembly and Senate.

But his tireless work for the people of South Carolina did not end there. Smalls would then go on to serve five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1874 to 1886, for South Carolina's First Congressional District, the district that I represent today.

So, on behalf of the Lowcountry and the people of the First District, I am deeply honored to offer a bill being considered today in committee that will designate the U.S. post office at 11 Robert Smalls Parkway in Beaufort, South Carolina, as the Robert Smalls Post Office.

Honoring Christopher Celiz

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the bravery and heroism of Sergeant First Class Christopher Celiz, an Army Ranger and proud son of South Carolina who made the ultimate sacrifice for his Nation during his fifth deployment in Afghanistan.

Christopher was born in Charleston in 1986 and graduated from Summerville High School in 2004. After graduating, Christopher joined the United States Army, where he became a well-respected leader among his peers.

During a mission in the Paktia province of Afghanistan, Sergeant Celiz and the First Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment were taking heavy fire from enemy combatants. When one of his men was hit, Christopher used his own body to shield the wounded soldier as he was being evacuated.

Sergeant Celiz took heavy fire and was wounded multiple times during this moment, but instead of having the evacuation helicopter come back to retrieve him, he instructed the aircraft to leave so his fellow soldier and many other lives could be saved that day.

Christopher's sacrifice is an inspiration to us all. His heroic actions deserve the recognition of our Nation, and I want to thank President Biden for posthumously awarding Sergeant First Class Christopher Celiz with the Medal of Honor. No one is more deserving.

Madam Speaker, today I rise in recognition of Belle Hall Elementary School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. They were recently awarded the National Blue Ribbon School designation by the U.S. Department of Education.

Belle Hall is one of 325 schools in the Nation, one of five in South Carolina, and the only one in South Carolina's First Congressional District to earn this distinction.

Led by their principal, Kevin Conklin, and the assistant principal, Bonita Foster, and numerous dedicated teachers, Belle Hall attributes their success to the tremendous level of support from their families, from businesses, and from the community as a whole in Mount Pleasant.

I would like to recognize the PTA as well who has made significant strides in increasing student learning outcomes for math and reading by raising more than $100,000 a year to supplement one-on-one tutoring for their struggling students.

As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented enormous challenges for our schools, teachers, and parents. Belle Hall has overcome these challenges and demonstrated excellence despite them.

Recognizing Barbara Melvin's New Position and Recognizing Jim Newsome's

Retirement

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Barbara Melvin on her new position as the new president and CEO of South Carolina Ports Authority.

Barbara will be the sixth leader in the history of the port and the first woman to lead a top 10 U.S. operating container port.

Barbara has been with the South Carolina Ports Authority for over 23 years, and I am confident in her ability to lead our State and our region and our Nation.

Today I also recognize our much beloved outgoing president and CEO, Jim Newsome.

Jim has been the keystone in providing supply chain stability in our State and indeed our Nation and has developed visionary strategies for the port of South Carolina.

For 13 years, Jim oversaw countless projects which extended the port's reach and led to a doubling of container volumes over the last decade.

I applaud Jim Newsome for his service and his incredible career on behalf of the First Congressional District. We thank him for his leadership, his passion, and his direction.

Honoring Curtis Bostic

Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to an incredible feat under extraordinary circumstances. South Carolina's First Congressional District constituent, Curtis Bostic, was called to action to assist an endangered employee based in Afghanistan. Their communication was over 7,000 miles apart.

Mr. Bostic and his aides at the Christian relief group from Charleston called Remember pulled off an evacuation using intelligence reports from the streets of Kabul, Google maps, and a secure cell phone application to communicate with the employee and his family as they avoided all of the Taliban's roadblocks.

I am happy to report the employee that Mr. Bostic and Remember had been working to assist has arrived in the UAE safely along with his wife and three children who were all under the age of 10.

I applaud Mr. Bostic and Remember for their perseverance as many said the evacuation would be abandoned and it would never happen. They continued fighting for their employee's life and for the safety of his children and their family with ultimate success.

Recognizing Truist Bank and Trident Technical College

Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank Truist Bank and Trident Technical College for working together to create a new CDL training program this summer in north Charleston.

There is an acute need for truck drivers right now, particularly given the supply chain shortages and the issues we are seeing across the country from COVID-19.

This CDL program will enable students to obtain their certificate in as short as 9 weeks. Trident Technical College will have day and evening sessions for students, and these programs will start about every 3 weeks. I have heard there is already a wait list for the program, and I couldn't be happier to hear it.

I commend Truist Transportation and Logistics Center and Trident Technical College and Mary Thornely for their collaborative effort to fill a much-needed void and gap in our supply chains and for bringing the Lowcountry to the forefront of innovation and problem solving in the private sector during COVID-19.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Madam Speaker, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In the U.S., one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Almost every one of us knows someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Sadly and tragically, it is the most common cancer among women worldwide.

On average, every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, and one woman will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes.

Over three million breast cancer survivors are alive in the United States today.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I also recognize South Carolina reporter from the Associated Press, Meg Kinnard, who had the courage to talk about being diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. Meg came home just a few days ago from her many treatments, and she is now free from breast cancer. It is a heartwarming story, and I wish we had the research and the resources to ensure every woman who is diagnosed with breast cancer comes home cancer free.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Charleston RiverDogs on a defining victory in the Low-A East championship series this week. This 9-2 win is the City of Charleston's first minor league baseball title in 99 years and the first in franchise history for the Charleston RiverDogs.

The Charleston RiverDogs are a Lowcountry staple and are a vital part of our tourism and hospitality industries.

This team worked extremely hard during their record-breaking season and showed great determination while representing our beloved Charleston.

I am excited for the opportunity to go back-to-back, like Jordan in 1996 and 1997.

Recognizing Lambs for Life

Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of Lambs for Life and its founders, Alex and Brandon Arrieta.

On April 25, 2016, Alex Arrieta, age 10, was told his cancer was gone and a bone marrow transplant was scheduled for the next month. The very next day Alex passed away.

In honor of Alex's favorite childhood toy, Lamby, his parents founded Lambs for Life. Lambs for Life delivers Lamby Packs filled with toys and a stuffed lamb for Child Life departments of children's hospitals, brightening the days of thousands of pediatric cancer patients.

Lambs for Life, led by Alex's dad, Brandon, has spent the last 5 years working with Congress and the White House to bring focus and solutions to pediatric cancer.

I commend Brandon for working through his grief at the loss of two sons to make our country better.

Recognizing Dean Stephens

Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of Dean Stephens, a local news anchor, who is retiring after 31 years with ABC News 4.

Generations of Lowcountry families have welcomed Dean into their living rooms. I grew up with Dean, watching him in the Lowcountry. His first job with the station was as a weekend sportscaster, and he would eventually become a news anchor.

Dean's presence on our televisions will be greatly missed by our community. I wish him well on his much-deserved retirement.

Recognizing Porter-Gaud School Students

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the great work done by some amazing students at Porter-Gaud School in Charleston.

Last month, as part of the school's Senior Day for Caring, 100 Porter-Gaud seniors packaged over 20,000 meals for the James Island Outreach Center and One80 Place, feeding the hungry across the Charleston area. They also packaged over 350 hygiene kits to take care of our fleeing Afghan allies seeking refuge right here in the United States.

The leaders of these nonprofits tell me the tremendous work these students did saved them thousands of dollars in manufacturing costs, not to mention the good works that they are doing for our community.

Remembering Lucille Whipper

Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of former South Carolina State Representative Lucille Whipper.

Dr. Whipper was the first African-American woman elected to the South Carolina State House from Charleston County. She served her community as an activist during the civil rights movement. She was a teacher and a guidance counselor. She was also an administrator in Charleston County public schools. Dr. Whipper was also the first African-American administrator at the College of Charleston, where she developed the school's diversity program all the way back as early as the 1970s.

Dr. Whipper will be greatly missed, but her influence will live on in our community. We thank her for her leadership, and we offer our sincerest condolences for her family during this time.

Mr. Speaker, it has been 3 weeks since the U.S. withdrew troops from Afghanistan. Today, I rise to pay tribute to the heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice in carrying out Operation Allies Refuge, and I would like to especially recognize the members of Joint Base Charleston Airlift Wing and their spouses who supported the overall mission.

I begin with a moment of silence for the 13 soldiers who selflessly gave their lives Hamid Karzai Airport on August 26.

I also am recognizing this morning the courageous effort of our servicemembers stationed in Charleston as they evacuated U.S. citizens, Special Immigrant Visa holders, and vulnerable populations from Afghanistan.

With one of the largest C-17 fleets in the country, the Lowcountry of South Carolina is proud of our soldiers at Joint Base Charleston that were tapped to support our airlift efforts. Reservists in the 315th Airlift Wing even helped deliver a baby on board one of their flights.

Back at home, Joint Base Charleston spouses put together pallets of supplies, sending over 10,000 pounds of food, baby wipes, drinks, and clothing overseas.

The Taliban now have control over Afghanistan. It has led many to question what we have accomplished there over the last 20 years.

But there is no question of the unbelievable effort put forth by our airmen and airwomen, our veterans who served in Afghanistan, and those that loved and supported them and their families during the war.

Today, I think about the 124,000 people who now have freedom and the thousands of Americans and allies who have been safely returned home, and I am proud of the difference the Lowcountry has made in those efforts. God bless our troops, God bless the Lowcountry, and God bless America.

Parris Island

Mr. Speaker, as the House continues to consider the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight the Parris Island Protection Act. This critical bill will preserve Parris Island Marine Corps Recruiting Depot for decades to come. Parris Island is responsible for training over a million brave marines, including every enlisted female marine that has ever served in our Marine Corps.

Not only is Parris Island critical to our national defense, but it is also an integral part of the Lowcountry community. It is responsible for the creation of over 6,000 jobs and generates almost $800 million in economic activity every year.

Sadly, this Congress' version of NDAA is one of the first authorizations not to include any protections against base realignment and closures. I was disappointed to see that absent these usual protections, my amendment to protect Parris Island was not made in order this week as we went through amendments for the NDAA.

I look forward to working with the House Committee on Armed Services to ensure Parris Island remains open, functional, and continues to contribute to the best and brightest in our national defense.

Clean Energy Week

Mr. Speaker, as National Clean Energy Week comes to a close, I rise today to bring attention to a spectacular environmental protection effort in my district and the efforts of the 32nd annual South Carolina beach and river sweep, which brought volunteers down to clean up Old Town Bluffton and the May River.

This was the single largest statewide volunteer cleanup of beaches, marshes, and waterways. We know how to take care of our environment in South Carolina's First Congressional District. In fact, across the State we have thousands of volunteers participating every single year. South Carolina's residents

along the coast are passionate about keeping our sparkling waters pristine and our beaches pure.

This year we had an untold number of kids that participated and showed up for the community cleanup. This impact was immeasurable. Seeing our youngsters, our students, and our children participate in environmental cleanups, we are setting ourselves up for success in the Lowcountry and our future by educating our kids who have a passion and love for the Lowcountry, who love our ecosystems, and want to keep them clean. We love seeing our students serving in their community.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition today to moving the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 4698, a critical bill to ensure none of the funds made available in any legislation providing appropriations may be used to teach or advance concepts that separate individuals based on race, color, or national origin; that would assign characteristics or assumptions to individuals based on race, color, or national origin; or that would state or imply that the United States is an inherently racist country.

Critical race theory assumes that the tenets of freedom and equality, upon which our country was founded, are simply a mirage to mask systematic racism, and that our government should not provide any tax money to fund its teaching. Critical race theory is Marxist ideology that should not be taught anywhere or be used by anyone's tax dollars to be spent on our veterans or our children in public schools today.

Critical race theory assumes that to be born White is to be born guilty and to be born racist. And to be born Black is to be born oppressed or to be born a victim. These concepts have begun to trickle into our public schools, even though the vast majority of Americans disavow it and reject it.

Nothing could be more un-American than seeking to divide our young children based on factors outside of their control. You can watch many school board meetings across the Nation right now where parents, Black and White, are rejecting critical race theory.

The future leaders of our country must be encouraged to chart their own path without seeing everything through a lens of race. Rather than teaching our Black and Brown and African-American children that they are

victims and they are oppressed, we can teach them that they are heroes.

We can teach them about heroes in our history like Harriet Tubman, who saved 750 slaves, rescued them in one night in Beaufort County, South Carolina; we can teach them about Robert Smalls, who commandeered a Civil War ship during the Civil War and freed himself and everyone on that ship and their families; and we can teach them about Joseph Rainey, who was the first Black American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, who was elected from the State of South Carolina, as a Republican, in fact, from South Carolina's First Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of H.R. 3599, the Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce Program Act. It is a long title, but it is a very good bill. I thank my colleague, Ro Khanna, for his leadership.

Cybersecurity is national security, and this is one area where it is not Democrat or Republican. When 11 Federal agencies were hacked last year by an organization affiliated with Russia, they didn't care if you had an R or a D by your name.

Imagine if, in the Federal Government, or at least a portion of the Federal Government, we could work and operate more like a business than a bureaucracy. Well, we can do that right here today with H.R. 3599.

I thank, again, Ro Khanna for his leadership and for allowing me the opportunity to work together with him on this. This is the third bill I have worked on that I hope will pass on the floor of the House tonight.

We have an opportunity to show tremendous leadership here today. I have heard a number of my colleagues here this afternoon, Republicans and Democrats, working together for the American people, putting the American people first, and that is what we are doing.

Every day, criminal elements are attempting to steal our secrets, disrupt our infrastructure, and damage our economy by extorting money from businesses and organizations across the United States.

Most recently, in the State of South Carolina, we saw the high- profile Colonial Pipeline hacking and attack. It is a reminder that America's adversaries are creative and cunning and that our government must be the same to combat this growing threat.

It is imperative that our government be able to obtain, train, and retain the cyber and technology talent needed to counter these sophisticated hackers across the globe. The Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce Program Act will allow Federal employees to collaborate and broaden their work experiences, their knowledge, and their skill sets across Federal agencies, much in the same way their counterparts do in the private sector.

I thank my colleagues today, Republicans and Democrats, and I urge each and every one of them to vote in favor of this legislation this evening.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a law enforcement officer from Summerville, South Carolina, who spent his career ensuring the safety of South Carolina residents and our neighborhoods.

Doug Wright began his career in 1997 by joining the Summerville Police Department. He has since dedicated over 20 years of his career to protecting our community, and I can think of no better thing to do today than to recognize the good work that our law enforcement does every single day in our communities and keeping us safe.

Through his career, Doug has worked diligently as a patrol team watch commander, uniform patrol division commander, and supervisor of the K-9 unit. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention Doug's 6 years as a Marine reservist.

In April, Chief Wright was promoted to chief of police for Summerville after serving as deputy. The vote by town council members was unanimous. This is a glowing endorsement of the work that Doug has done in his career for Summerville over the last 20 years.

Most recently, last week I was honored to award Chief Wright with a commendation from Congress for his work, and I was also able to watch and witness some of the less-than-lethal work that the Summerville Police Department is doing with the BolaWrap during that time.

Chief Wright exemplifies service in the Lowcountry in South Carolina's First Congressional District.

A Notable Rescue

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and highlight a notable rescue that took place off the coast of South Carolina's First Congressional District.

Many of us in the Lowcountry took for granted tropical storm Elsa when it hit our shores.

On July 7, as Elsa was beginning to strengthen at the beginning of this season's hurricane season, a family of six was visiting the Lowcountry from West Virginia. They were caught in 6-foot waves north of St. Helena.

That afternoon, the family had sailed their 21-foot Carolina skiff to tiny Otter Island from Edisto Beach.

As the weather worsened and the wind picked up, the boat drifted off the island into stormy waters.

Unfortunately, there was no SOS system available to the family, and the father actually decided to jump in the water and swim out for help after spotting a shrimp boat. The emergency was radioed in, and Skipper Clay Emminger of Beaufort Water Search and Rescue answered the call of duty.

Ultimately, the Coast Guard was able to reach the family, despite deteriorating visibility, and a woman and four female children were hoisted to safety in a Dolphin helicopter.

I am pleased this family was rescued, and I wish to extend my sincerest thanks to the U.S. Coast Guard, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit, and South Carolina's Department of Natural Resource.

Recognizing Gregg Russell

Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the efforts and talents of Hilton Head's very own folk musician and, indeed, a South Carolina legend by the name of Gregg Russell.

For 40 years, Gregg has highlighted and delighted families around the Old Liberty Tree at Harbor Town in Hilton Head Island.

While these days Gregg is singing songs for families and children, he shared the stage with many celebrities over the years. He even wrote the hit song, ``Come Away Home'' about Hilton Head Island, which inspired the movie of the same name.

His performances are renowned to locals and tourists alike who visit Hilton Head Island, and he has received a nomination for an Angel Award and won Best Children's Live Action Video in 2000.

Gregg doesn't just contribute with his music to our community, through his charity, Hilton Head Heroes, Gregg and his wife, Wendy, provide needy and sick children every year with a vacation to Hilton Head Island as well.

On Gregg's 40th year anniversary--and it actually might be a few more than that--I am happy to draw attention to his career here on the House floor and thank him for everything he has done for the Hilton Head Island community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend an incredible effort put forth in my State during the pandemic.

The Arc of South Carolina is a nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Their work is critical in South Carolina and South Carolina's First Congressional District, and they deserve to be recognized for all of their efforts.

Like many organizations during the past year and a half, the Arc of South Carolina has struggled to acquire PPE, hiring staff, and coping with different social distancing guidelines, particularly given the scope of their work.

Margie Williamson and her team had to continue providing services at disproportionately high costs compared to businesses who received State and Federal assistance. A staggering number of their staff fell ill to COVID-19 during the pandemic, but their team and their organization was able to provide superior support to all of these families with enormous needs nonetheless.

I cannot begin to thank the staff, not only at the Arc of South Carolina, but every worker across the State everywhere who persevered. You are the heroes of South Carolina's pandemic story.

The Arc of South Carolina is dedicated to helping families, and I wanted to highlight all they were able to accomplish during the most challenging of times.

Antonio Greene's Act of Kindness

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a local Amazon driver named Antonio Greene, who learned that someone living along his route was undergoing chemotherapy.

When Antonio learned this, he thought back to his own family. He lost his parents and grandmother over the last couple years, and occasionally he would buy cards and flowers for members of his family to offer encouragement and support.

Greene, a North Charleston native, did the same last summer for another individual in South Carolina's First Congressional District who had been immunocompromised during the pandemic.

Antonio's act of kindness has landed him among seven people to be recognized by the JFK Foundation, and I applaud all of those individuals carrying out small acts of kindness during the pandemic. I commend Antonio and anyone who has risked their own health and safety to protect others during COVID-19. Those who showed compassion in ways like this always deserve this kind of recognition.

Restaurants Overcame Uncertainty During Pandemic

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to restaurants and the resilience of so many in this industry; specifically, Vintage Lounge, Butcher & Bee, Harold's Cabin, and Chasing Sage in South Carolina's First Congressional District.

These restaurants did not take any aid or receive any relief during the COVID-19 crisis. They were even closed during the beginning of the pandemic and they were unable to receive any restaurant relief funds as well, but they survived despite these challenges.

Every restaurant owner with hopes of making it through the COVID-19 crisis had to choose a survival strategy that worked. I would like to bring attention to all four of these restaurants, which are now open or in the process of reopening post-pandemic. This is a major feat worth celebrating, especially since they faced unprecedented challenges to an already vulnerable industry.

In Charleston, in South Carolina's First Congressional District, our hospitality and restaurant industry has been critically hit. These companies and restaurants had to prompt guests to wear masks, in line with city regulations; and if they weren't out by 11 p.m., they had to go, by State order.

But so many were determined to uphold the same hospitality standards they had in place prior to the pandemic. Vintage Lounge, Butcher & Bee, Harold's Cabin, and Chasing Sage, among hundreds of other restaurants, are now open for business again. I commend their stories of success during the pandemic.

Recognizing Tee Young and Preston White

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great honor and pride to bring awareness to two constituents in South Carolina's First Congressional District for their fantastic effort they put forth in our community.

Tee Young and Preston White helped facilitate the First Annual Crosstown Basketball Tournament, which was held in Hampton Park this last Saturday, just next door to my alma mater, the Citadel.

These young men arranged the tournament as a way to bring the east and west sides of the city of Charleston together and provide a nice evening for the community filled with food and basketball.

I cannot be more proud of Tee and Preston showing Charleston and South Carolina and all of our communities how we are stronger and better together and showing how strong Charleston is.

God bless these young men, the State of South Carolina, and the United States of America.

Madam Speaker, June 17, 2015, was one of the darkest days in Charleston, South Carolina, history. Six years ago today, nine church members were gunned down by a white supremacist at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Today I rise to honor the lives of those lost that day. South Carolina's African-American community showed enormous restraint and an outpouring of love during this time, even to the irredeemable; and today we stand together, wrapped in the pride of Charleston Strong.

So today I would like to recognize Reverend and State Senator Clementa Pinckney, Cynthia Hurd, Reverend Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Tywanza Sanders, Ethel Lance, Susie Jackson, Depayne Middleton Doctor, the Reverend Daniel Simmons, and Myra Thompson.

You will always be remembered, and may you rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for giving me a minute on this issue. I want to thank our veterans that have given lifelong service to their country.

Nearly two decades ago, Congress authorized the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but ever since, three President's, both Republican and Democrat, have used this permission to drag out conflicts and to get us into new ones.

Americans who weren't even alive on 9/11 or during the invasion of Iraq are still fighting and dying there, in Syria, across Africa, and who knows where else. Our Founders wisely gave Congress the exclusive constitutional authority over whether our Nation goes to war.

Sadly, Congress has failed to perform this sacred duty for far too long. This is about restoring the powers set forth in Article I. Congress can go to war with anyone under Article I. When Washington drags us into a war, they aren't the ones who go do the fighting and dying, our children are. The very least we can do is give their parents a say in when and where and if their kids will fight and die thousands of miles away.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with great honor and pride to announce that Clarence Cummings, Jr., a 21-year-old constituent of mine from Beaufort, South Carolina, will be an important part of the 2021 Olympic weightlifting team and their effort to bring home the first gold in over 60 years for the red, white, and blue.

Mr. Cummings' record is extensive, to say the least. He holds 23 American records in weightlifting. In his weight class, he holds the Junior World Record in the snatch, clean and jerk, and total.

He is world respected and well regarded for his feat in the clean and jerk.

He was the IWF Junior World Champion in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2016 and 2017 he was the IWF Youth World Champion. He is also the Pan-American Champion for 2019 and 2020. I also

want to point out that Mr. Cummings accomplished all of these records before he turned 21.

I am immensely proud, as I know everyone in the Lowcountry is, of Mr. Cummings for all of the hard work and determination and dedication he has given to his sport and to his country.

I cannot wait to watch him win the gold medal for the United States in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. His journey is truly an inspiration to weightlifters, to athletes of all types, and to all Americans. I cannot be more proud.

God bless Mr. Cummings, the great State of South Carolina, and the United States of America.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to speak on behalf of a great American and constituent of mine, Rich O'Brien.

Rich's story is one that inspires hope. He is the operations manager for PGA HOPE Charleston. PGA HOPE stands for Helping Our Patriots Everywhere, and it is the PGA's flagship program to do military outreach.

As one of the leaders of the golf therapy movement, he is a testament to hope. Madam Speaker, 12\1/2\ years ago, he was on his deathbed, paralyzed from the neck down after a catastrophic injury where he broke his back, his neck, and had four skull fracture injuries and brain damage in every lobe. Rich died three times at the scene of the accident before an EMT was able to revive him and eventually place him into an induced coma.

He was lucky, though, and eventually regained feeling in his fingers and toes and learned to walk and talk again. He was able to use golf therapy to rehabilitate his injuries.

Following his own recovery, he started helping others to use golf therapy and became an advocate for others with disabilities. As Charleston welcomes the PGA Championship this weekend, Rich deserves applause and praise for his charity and willingness to help other veterans like him through golf therapy.

Mr. Speaker, for the last eight years, Charleston, South Carolina, has been named the number one city to travel to. Even despite the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen thousands of folks come and visit our beautiful, historic city.

In the next 10 days, Charleston is going to welcome a PGA Tournament in Kiawah, South Carolina. There is opportunity everywhere. Our airports are full. We are seeing a record number of travelers this month and this year alone. People are on the roads driving to our beautiful city. Yet with all of this great tourism that we are having, we are having a massive labor shortage.

Take, for example, one of my friends, Wade Boals, who owns Saltwater Cowboys in Mt. Pleasant, a beautiful waterfront restaurant where you can enjoy sunsets and a great cocktail or adult beverage of your choice. Rather than be excited about all this tourism, he is desperate to find help, desperate to find workers and staff to work his restaurant. So imagine a restaurant that once had 20 employees now has

three, and the demand on those staff who see no end in sight right now.

But he is not alone. In the State of South Carolina, there are 85,000 jobs available in the last 30 days, and we have 116,000 people on unemployment today. If you want a job, you can have a job. And Wade is offering great benefits, great salary, right on the waterfront. There is no better place to work than Mt. Pleasant, right on the water.

The $1.9 trillion COVID relief package, meant as a short-term financial solution to help those most in need, has really turned into an entitlement. We are making people dependent on the Federal Government for their day-to-day life, when opportunity is all around them every day, even in the middle of the pandemic.

It turns out, when you pay people to stay at home and not go to work, they actually do that; they stay at home.

Wade is just one example. There are examples everywhere. Literally everyone in every industry that I talk to, businesses large and small, are having the same problem. Employers are desperate to find employees.

Everywhere, even in the supply chain--you look at what is happening this week with our supply chain. Truck driver shortages, a shortage of CDL drivers. Many of those folks are on unemployment right now, rather than go back to work. We have enormous needs in every industry across the country today.

The reality is that no business, large or small, could ever waste as much money as our Federal Government does. When I look around us here today, I see a House of Representatives that has the slimmest majority in a generation, and I see a U.S. Senate that is evenly split 50/50, yet we are chasing radicalism. This is not a referendum on socialism or radical policy. This year should be a referendum on both Chambers working together, in a bipartisan way, to get our kids back in school and our people back to work and through COVID-19 successfully.