Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the dean of the House and my friend, Congressman Don Young.

The great State of Alaska and the Eighth Congressional District of Minnesota, which I have the honor of representing here in Congress, have many shared similarities and qualities.

These are the values that Don and I shared to fight for our way of life, to promote the responsible use of our abundant natural resources, and to provide for our children and grandchildren infrastructure built to last.

This made working alongside the dean such a pleasure and an honor. We served together on the Natural Resources and Transportation Committees, and I will never forget the countless times he helped me out through the kindness of his heart.

Since first being elected to office in 1973, Don picked up a range of helpful tips, funny stories, and congressional experience that he was never shy about sharing.

His wife, Anne, along with the rest of his family, are in my prayers. Don's legacy of service will never be forgotten, and he will always be remembered as a titan for the people of Alaska and our great Nation. May he rest in peace.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Hermantown boys hockey team, the 2022 Class A Minnesota State hockey champions.

Minnesota is the State of hockey, and in northern Minnesota, hockey is not just a proud tradition of ours; for

the players, coaches, families, and fans, it is truly a way of life.

It brings me great joy to see these athletes represent some of the best parts of our great Eighth District as State champions.

This group of hardworking young players has shown what dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment can accomplish. It is a true example of American exceptionalism.

I also honor the coaches for being outstanding role models and leaders to the Hawks this entire season. Head coach, Pat Andrews, and assistant coaches: Nate Buck, Matt Swanson, and Chad Huttel guided the team to not only the school's fourth State championship, but also a winning season concluding with 29 wins with only 2 losses. The Hawks secured the championship with an exciting 3-2 win over Warroad.

Madam Speaker, I congratulate every player, coach, and fan who lifted the Hermantown Hawks to victory. They have made our district so proud, and I wish every team member the best as they continue their hockey careers.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the previous question so this Democrat-controlled House can finally do the right thing: pass the American Energy Independence from Russia Act.

This morning, Americans are seeing even higher gas prices on their way to work than they saw on last night's commute home. Sadly, tonight, tomorrow morning, next week, and next month, they are going to see the same episode play out on those commutes to and from work over and over again.

With the cost of living and inflation over the last year spiraling out of control, the last thing American families need is $7 to $8 a gallon gasoline.

Due to the policies of President Biden, we are more reliant on Putin and Russian energy than in recent history.

I agree that we must immediately halt the import of Russian oil and LNG. However, it is a false narrative pushed by President Biden that it should be an unavoidable hit to Americans' pocketbooks. This was avoidable, and it didn't have to be this way.

Since Biden's first day in office, he has forced executive orders and supported policies that have made us more dependent on Russian energy. These policy choices are directly to blame for the increased pain at the pump that middle-class Americans are feeling.

Take, for example, the opening line of an AP article 2 weeks ago: ``The Biden administration is delaying decisions on new oil and gas drilling on Federal land.''

Sure, some of these leases are not utilized, but that is because they are tied up in litigation from far left anti-jobs groups or because they are awaiting delayed approvals from the Biden administration.

So, instead of approving rights-of-way, following the science, and putting our oil and gas developers to work, Joe Biden is making American families suffer.

On behalf of the American people, the Ukrainian people, and just basic common sense----

--I joined my colleagues Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Bruce Westerman in offering an American energy solution.

While Biden's solution is to buy oil from Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, our solution is to put blue-collar workers, American workers, to work here at home and develop our God-given natural resources.

We have the ability to bring costs down by unleashing the economic engine of American energy production.

We can do that by defeating this previous question and passing the American Energy Independence from Russia Act.

Madam Speaker, I thank Dr. Joyce for holding this Special Order.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss how high energy prices due to choices made by Joe Biden and his administration are placing an undue burden on Americans and how it doesn't have to be this way.

On his very first day in office, President Biden made a conscious choice to declare war on American energy.

As the ranking member of the Energy and Mineral Resources Committee, I know that it does not have to

be this way. One year later it is clear to every American that canceling the Keystone XL pipeline and halting leases on Federal lands were devastating for the American people.

Today, gas prices nationwide are averaging over $4 a gallon. Instead of ending hostility to American energy, Joe Biden is choosing foreign energy sources to lower prices in America. Folks, there is a better way. We need to return to American energy independence. Our blue- collar, middle-class workers are ready, willing, and able to help us achieve this.

America should never rely on foreign nations for our energy security, and we can be the source for our allies instead of reliance on adversarial nations like Russia. One way to speed up our return to energy dominance is to enact meaningful permitting reform to remove red tape and duplicative processes to speed up domestic production.

Do not buy the press secretary's rhetoric. Even if a company has a lease, the administration slow-walks every right-of-way, every approval, and every permit. From an administration that claims to care about Tribal consultation, they sure disregarded an indigenous voice in Mayor Harry Brower and the North Slope Borough when it comes to the Willow Project in Alaska.

Madam Speaker, I urge the administration and my colleagues across the aisle to join us on permitting reform. Energy security is national security. The war in Ukraine has made this clearer than ever before. We cannot wait any longer to return to American energy dominance.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 55.

Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress

Aguilar (Gomez)

Amodei (Balderson)

Babin (Duncan)

Barragan (Gomez)

Bass (Kelly (IL))

Blumenauer (Beyer)

Brown (MD) (Connolly)

Cardenas (Gomez)

Cawthorn (Boebert)

Cherfilus-McCormick (Beatty)

Correa (Gomez)

Costa (Takano)

Cuellar (Connolly)

DelBene (Kuster)

Deutch (Rice (NY))

Doyle, Michael F. (Connolly)

Dunn (Cammack)

Evans (Mfume)

Fallon (Van Duyne)

Gohmert (Boebert)

Gonzalez, Vicente (Gomez)

Gosar (Greene (GA))

Grijalva (Garcia (IL))

Hudson (Murphy (NC))

Issa (Van Duyne)

Jackson (Van Duyne)

Johnson (SD) (Armstrong)

Johnson (TX) (Jeffries)

Kahele (Takano)

Keating (Cicilline)

Kelly (PA) (Keller)

Lawson (FL) (Soto)

Letlow (Garbarino)

Lofgren (Jeffries)

Manning (Beyer)

Neal (Beyer)

Nehls (Garbarino)

Norman (Donalds)

Payne (Pallone)

Pocan (Garcia (IL))

Raskin (Cicilline)

Reschenthaler (Armstrong)

Roybal-Allard (Takano)

Rush (Jeffries)

Salazar (Cammack)

Sewell (Kelly (IL))

Sires (Pallone)

Speier (Escobar)

Strickland (Jeffries)

Suozzi (Beyer)

Swalwell (Gomez)

Trone (Connolly)

Underwood (Jeffries)

Van Drew (Burgess)

Veasey (Beyer)

Wagner (Walorski)

Wilson (FL) (Cicilline)

Amendment No. 23 Offered by Mr. Ryan

Mr. Speaker, I thank the congressman for this Special Order. It is needed and I appreciate the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the devastating fentanyl crisis that is wreaking havoc on our communities and our families. The hardest thing I ever had to do during my 23 years as a law enforcement officer was tell an unsuspecting mother that her child had died due to a drug overdose.

The opioid crisis has ravaged our communities for years, and when people were forced inside during this pandemic, things only got worse. For the first time ever, in 2021, drug overdoses in the United States topped 100,000. Overdose deaths are now claiming a new victim every 5 minutes.

As stated earlier, fentanyl overdoses were the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45 just last year. That is more than the COVID-19 deaths, car crashes, or suicides put together for that age group.

The American people are suffering. We have a moral obligation to do everything we can to prevent another addiction, to prevent another death, to prevent another heartbroken family. The DEA revealed in December that criminal drug networks in Mexico, using resources from China, are trafficking fentanyl over Biden's open southern border at a rate that could provide a lethal dose to every American over seven times.

Cartels and their drug runners are exploiting open border policies of Joe Biden and this administration, and the American people are literally paying the price with their lives. Without serious action, this fentanyl will continue to flow across our border and affect our families and communities.

Joe Biden must secure our border by finishing the wall, fully reinstate the Remain in Mexico policy and send the clear message: Don't come to the United States illegally.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the brave men and women who are serving in law enforcement, who protect our communities, and keep our streets safe.

As a former law enforcement for 23 years, I know the sacrifices made by them and their families. Every day, law enforcement officers walk out of their homes leaving their loved ones behind, and put their own lives on the line for the safety and security of others. They don't get to choose which call for service they go on. The dangers they face every day while keeping us safe are all too real.

Instead of showing gratitude for their service, dedication, and sacrifice, far too many people are using defund and disrespect the police rhetoric that is leading to violence against the men and women in blue and brown. In fact, more police officers have been killed in the line of duty under President Biden's leadership than in previous years. It is no secret that morale in the law enforcement community is low, and many dedicated officers are leaving the force.

Police departments across the country are struggling to fill vacancies and crime rates, which have risen. This is a direct result of the demonization and vilification of the profession by some political leaders to score political points. The men and women serving in local law enforcement deserve our respect and support. They are the last line of defense and the protectors of our communities. I am so honored to have served alongside some of these brave men and women.

We must be vocal in expressing our support for our local law enforcement during these times. We must make the same commitment to them as they have committed to our friends, our families, and our communities. It is the least that we can do for them and their families. I am happy to stand here today, along with so many of my colleagues, to show support.

Unlike my Democrat colleagues, Republicans don't need election year polling to stand with law enforcement who keep our communities safe. Minnesotans and all Americans deserve to live in safe communities, and I will continue to work to ensure this is our shared reality. We all owe them our thanks.

Madam Speaker, I could speak for hours about this administration's multiple failures over the last year, but I only have a couple of minutes, so I will cover just inflation, one of them.

Since Joe Biden took office, inflation has risen every single month. Americans are paying more for just about everything while earning less in every paycheck.

This is not sustainable, and it didn't have to be this way. This administration is so out of touch with the average American that despite inflation reaching a 40-year high, they are still pushing for more reckless spending that will only make this crisis worse.

American families are paying substantially more for everyday products, from gasoline to groceries and to energy for heating their homes this winter, to heat their homes in northern Minnesota when it is 30-below for a week straight.

Make no mistake, inflation is a tax on us all, especially our working class and those on fixed incomes. It is no secret that we live in a very polarized nation right now, but there is one thing a strong majority of Americans agree on: Joe Biden's first year in office has been disastrous to the American people. We deserve better.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Agnes Turk, a constituent from the great Eighth District of Minnesota, who is celebrating her 108th birthday this week.

Born in Pennsylvania, Agnes soon after moved to the Twin Ports area and has lived there ever since.

As a young woman, Agnes valued her education so much that she walked 2 miles to school every day, rain or snow. She later went to business school, showing the spirit of hard work instilled in her.

Since the 1930s, Agnes has lived a beautiful life in Duluth, Minnesota, where she and her husband, John, raised three boys.

While John worked for U.S. Steel and the family operated a theater and an oil service station together, they happily lived out their American Dream.

Additionally, Agnes is a dedicated mother; a patriotic citizen, who has never missed voting in an election; and a faithful churchgoer.

She has touched the lives of so many people in the Northland, and her impact on Duluth will always be remembered.

I am proud to wish my good friend Agnes a happy 108th birthday and another year of health and happiness.

Mr. Speaker, Congressman Kind talked about the deer camps and the stories. I remember the very first time at 16 years old when my father brought me up to the hunting shack with my uncles. It is a special time for those of us who recreate and deer hunt. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation with him, and I thank him and others for their work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of legislation I proudly cosponsored, the Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act. CWD threatens Minnesota's legendary whitetail deer herd and, therefore, our hunting way of life up North.

Whitetail season is an annual tradition for hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans. Every year, we meet at our respective deer camps, reconnecting with family and old friends. We retell stories from previous years, and maybe embellishing a little bit, as we pass on the traditions and culture to our children.

However, deer harvests were down 8 percent throughout Minnesota this last year due to a myriad of issues. And if deer harvests keep trending downwards, it means fewer stories to share at camp around the fire, fewer deer for new hunters and kids to see and experience. Therefore, our hunting traditions trending down directly correlated with those harvest numbers. And in Minnesota, this trend will only be exasperated by further spread of CWD.

In my district we have CWD hotspots cropping up seemingly every other week. Whether it be in Brainerd, the Bemidji area, or in other corners of the State, these troublesome reports are evidence of CWD creeping across our hunting lands. And that is why this legislation is so important right now. This CWD Research and Management Act authorizes needed funding for State agencies doing crucial on-the-ground work, like our DNR.

Funding from this bill will help drive the research and testing needed to wrap our arms around the problem by letting the experts get in the field and the laboratory. It will also empower our State fish and game industries to partner with grassroots organizations that can reach and educate hunters across the State.

The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association has a statewide reach with a finger on the pulse of their membership. Helping the DNR help them is a true partnership that is necessary to combat the spread of CWD.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge passage of this legislation in both the House and the Senate, and I look forward to it becoming law.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 1995, the Protecting Our Communities from Gang Violence Act.

Crime is running rampant in our cities. Smash and grab is the new normal for malls and small business owners. Carjackings are happening with such frequency that it is now recommended that you drive in the center lane of roads and highways. What once were beloved destinations in our States and our communities have become overrun with street gangs and violent criminals across this great Nation.

Now, President Biden is helping bring that crime to every suburban and rural community in America. As we speak, the Biden administration is using taxpayer dollars to fly and transport illegal immigrants across this country. This is without knowledge of who these people are or their criminal background.

Now, violent gang members have been illegally entering our country and circumventing our laws well before the Biden administration implemented their weak border policies. But it is gravely naive to think these gang members are not taking full advantage of this crisis, crossing the border with ease, hopping on these taxpayer-funded flights, and making their way into every small town across this great Nation. The Biden administration is, without a doubt, providing gang members new playgrounds for their criminal behavior. This is unacceptable in our great Nation.

As Members of Congress, we cannot sit idly by and allow our communities to be infiltrated by gang members and exposed to violence.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1995 is simple. It will make gang members inadmissible to and deportable from the United States of America. This legislation should be noncontroversial. Violent and dangerous criminals have no right to live in our communities and benefit from our country.

We must finally send a signal that we will not allow this cycle of crime and violence to continue.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to defeat the previous question.

Madam Speaker, since Joe Biden took office, over 1.6 million illegals have been apprehended at our southern border. In fact, over 164,000 illegal immigrants were apprehended at the southern border just in October alone, marking the worst October in the history of the Department of Homeland Security.

And if you think Biden's border crisis is bad right now, it is about to get a whole lot worse. Included in Congressional Democrats' multitrillion-dollar socialist wish list is billions of dollars to green light illegal immigrant amnesty requests.

And recently, we learned that the Biden administration is contemplating paying illegal immigrants who broke our laws up to $450,000 each. To put this number into perspective, $450,000 is nine times the median income for the household in the district that I represent. To even consider these payouts is an insult to Americans who go to work every day and pay their taxes.

Madam Speaker, these policies are the definition of insanity, and it is no surprise that the majority of Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction. It is time we change course and do it now.

Rather than allowing radicals to drive the agenda and push policies that incentivize more illegal immigration, let's work together to secure our border. Let's work together to put the American people first.

Madam Speaker, this time last year, America was energy independent. Now our Nation is facing a full-blown energy crisis, leaving the American people to ask, ``What changed?''

Well, the answer is simple.

Unlike the Trump administration, the Biden administration is determined to make it more difficult for American energy producers to develop affordable and reliable energy here at home.

On his first day in office, Joe Biden canceled the Keystone pipeline. Soon after, he banned all new oil and gas leases on Federal lands. As a result, Americans are paying exponentially more at the pump with gas prices reaching a 7-year high. And this winter, the cost to heat our homes is expected to jump 54 percent.

As the top Republican on the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, I have been disappointed to see Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress double down on their failed agenda by pushing a $5.5 trillion tax-and-spend package that will only increase our energy prices.

Instead of canceling commonsense energy projects, let's empower American energy workers to do what they do best. Instead of targeting American energy companies, let's make it easier for them to increase domestic oil and gas production.

If we do this, the next century can be an American century.

Madam Speaker, today, I am proud to honor the career of Linda Andrews, a Minnesota broadcasting legend who is retiring after 35 years in the radio industry.

Linda began her radio career as a part-time announcer on KWNG in Red Wing and will be concluding it in Brainerd as an experienced broadcaster admired by her colleagues and countless listeners across the region.

Linda moved to Brainerd, Minnesota in 1995, where she was a News Director and announcer for KLIZ-FM The Power Loon, KKLK-FM and more. In 2000, she became the midday announcer on WJJY-FM in Brainerd. During her tenure at the beloved station, they were awarded multiple Crystal Awards and one Service to America Award.

Over the past 26 years that Linda has spent broadcasting in Brainerd, she captivated the local audience and quickly became a fan-favorite in the community. She will be dearly missed by all of her listeners.

Linda's contributions to Brainerd, Minnesota and beyond will never be forgotten. I along with the rest of Minnesota's Eighth Congressional District wish her nothing but the best in her well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Moose Lake, Minnesota, as they become the second Blue Ribbon City in the world, thanks to the leadership of Moose Lake Elementary teacher Brad Hubred and his student Piper Nielson.

For the last 13 years, Brad has taken the time to write every one of his students a personal, handwritten letter highlighting all of the positives he sees in them in an effort to reduce suicide.

Recently, Brad teamed up with sixth-grade student Piper Nielson to take part in the Standing Strong Together class through the nationwide Blue Ribbon Program, where they learned methods to inspire and uplift others.

As ambassadors of the Blue Ribbon Program, both Brad and Piper decided to take what they learned in the classroom and put it into action by ordering 5,000 blue ribbons for all of the residents of the Moose Lake community to remind them of their worth and value.

I applaud both Brad and Piper for joining such a wonderful, important movement. Minnesota's Eighth District is a better place because of their ongoing effort, and it is the honor of a lifetime to represent such honorable people in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Brad, Piper, and the entire Moose Lake community on becoming a Blue Ribbon City, and I wish them all the best as they continue to support one another.