Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, the vote closed prior to me being able to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 268.

Mr. Speaker, the vote closed prior to be being able to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 271.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong opposition to the Democrats' abortion on demand until birth act, because as a father of four and foster parent, I am reminded each day that every life is precious and must be protected.

For me, a huge part of my pro-life story is my son Isaac. Isaac was born with Down syndrome, and he brings so much joy to our family. That is why it breaks my heart that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are promoting this legislation that would allow for discriminatory abortions on the basis of sex, race, and disability.

It is disgraceful that there are people in this very Chamber who don't believe that children like my son deserve the right to life. To perform abortion violence on defenseless babies is unthinkable, and it is especially horrifying that this legislation would allow abortion up until the moment of birth.

This is not the direction our country should be headed, and 80 percent of Americans agree. I will be voting against the Democrats' abortion on demand until birth act because this legislation is nothing less than barbaric.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Brainerd, Minnesota, a city in my district that is celebrating 150 years of culture, history, and exceptionalism.

As the weeklong celebration begins with festivals and a beautiful park dedication, it is important to recognize what makes Brainerd so special.

Located along the mighty Mississippi River and surrounded by many of Minnesota's 10,000 lakes, what started out as a railroad town has evolved into a bustling community where countless Americans have chosen to open a business, engage in commerce, and recreate.

While Brainerd has grown and evolved throughout the past 150 years, one thing has always remained the same: it is an excellent place to live and raise a family.

As we celebrate 150 years of Brainerd, I want to recognize the former and current community leaders, business owners, and families who have made this community great. I could not be prouder to represent this amazing community in Congress.

Here is to 150 more years of prosperity and excellence.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Minnesota's Rush City Women's Club as they celebrate their 100th anniversary of community service.

Since September of 1921, the Rush City Women's Club has carried out their mission of Community Betterment and Mutual Benefit for the club and community members.

From maintaining community parks to establishing a local library, the Rush City Women's Club has demonstrated their commitment to live out their stated mission.

Their impact on the Rush City community has been huge, and I am proud that the selfless members of this club, past and present, take the initiative to make their communities a better place to live.

The support the Rush City Women's Club has provided to schools, nursing homes, libraries, and other local organizations is truly extraordinary and cannot go unnoticed. Those willing to serve their community, in any capacity, are shining examples of what makes America an exceptional country.

The women of the Rush City Women's Club have taken great strides over the last 100 years, and I wish them another 100 years of success and prosperity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, joining my colleagues concerned about drought conditions ravaging America and wildfires devastating my district and the West.

Whether it be northern Minnesota, California, Oregon, Colorado, or Idaho, we have a wildfire problem. The Superior National Forest in my district is boreal forest land nestled among thousands of acres of lakes and rivers.

With these water resources, wildfires should be few and far between. Instead, we are seeing new fires starting and expanding more frequently than ever.

Our hotshot teams and firefighters are doing an excellent job, but they fight a losing battle just like they do out West.

According to my good friend and one of Congress' foremost leaders on wildfire issues, Representative LaMalfa, there are three factors causing fires: topography, weather, and forest management. Humans can control only one of those, and that is forest management.

Our loggers do an excellent job when they are allowed. They take down dead trees, clear slash piles when possible, and benefit forest health by working collaboratively with other stakeholders to plant three trees for every one taken, when they are allowed.

But far too often they aren't allowed. Radical activist groups sue at every turn when our loggers are trying to clear trees.

Democrats continue to insist that more and more Federal lands be taken away from management, and instead they let fuel build up on our forest floor.

Meanwhile, the ongoing drought crisis suffocates everyone. In northern Minnesota we have farmers driving a day's journey to spend too much on hay just so their livestock can survive one more year.

I feel for my colleagues out West, too, as they struggle with drought-caused water shortages.

Instead, activists, once again, sue at every turn and lobby their Democrat party allies to shut down responsible stewardship of water in the West.

And what has the Democrat majority done? Nothing. Not a single hearing on drought or wildfire held in the Natural Resources Committee or in the House Agriculture Committee.

There have been no Democrat solutions offered, only silence. At best, we get the canned talking points on why logging is bad for the environment or why we need to stop managing our land.

And on the other hand, Republicans have offered solutions and provided resources to our constituents struggling with drought and wildfire.

As a vice chair of the Congressional Western Caucus and ranking member of a House Natural Resources subcommittee, I can say that I am proud of our Republican actions. We have introduced legislation that would empower forest management and deliver water, our most precious resource, to those that need it in the West.

We have held the administration accountable on their inaction by sending letters and grilling radical nominees opposed to any kind of development. We have moderated forums and listened to the needs of those who live and work in the affected communities.

Mr. Speaker, let's control what we can control.

Just listen to our resident forester, Ranking Member Westerman: We need to manage our forests, and that means our loggers clearing trees. It is good for our economy, our community, and our forests. We need to provide water resources so our Western agriculture producers can survive.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Nancy Norr for the incredible work she has done on behalf of northern Minnesota, and to congratulate her on a well-deserved retirement.

In addition to the 30-plus years that Nancy has spent at Minnesota Power, she has taken leadership roles in a variety of organizations throughout the Northland.

Most notably, Nancy led Jobs for Minnesotans, a group that advocates

for job creation and investment in our State.

In Minnesota's Eighth Congressional District, we have rich deposits of critical minerals, along with other great projects, like the Line 3 Replacement Project.

Nancy has long understood what these opportunities could mean for our region and spearheaded this locally-driven movement to fight for good- paying mining and energy jobs. Through her exceptional work and advocacy, Nancy has helped to make great progress in our local communities.

Since arriving in Congress, it has been my pleasure to work alongside Nancy to unleash the economic engine in Minnesota's Eighth Congressional District.

She has served as an incredible resource to me, and while I will miss her expertise and leadership, I wish her nothing but the best in this next chapter of her life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the life of Private Walter Straka.

At 17, Walter lied about his age to serve in the Army National Guard. In 1941, his unit, the 194th Tank Battalion, arrived in the Philippines just months before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

After the fall of Bataan in 1942, Walter and his comrades were forced on a brutal 65-mile trek now known as the Bataan Death March.

During the march, Walter was forced to walk in intense heat and subjected to appalling abuse at the hands of the Japanese army.

By Walter's own account, he should have been dead a thousand times, but Walter not only survived this 6-day march, he also survived 3 years as a prisoner of war before returning home to Brainerd, Minnesota.

Once home, Walter ran a successful business, raised a family, and was an active member in his community.

Walter Straka died this year at the age of 101. With his passing, the State of Minnesota said good-bye to its last survivor of the Bataan Death March.

Private Walter Straka is an American hero whose unforgettable story has inspired me and so many others.

Our Nation is stronger because of his exceptional service and courage.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 212.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this Congressional Review Act resolution, which would nullify a rule put in place by President Trump that contributed to our American energy domestic dominance.

Unfortunately, for Democrats, this misguided solution in search of a nonexistent problem trades American livelihoods for radical activist priorities.

The United States leads the world in emissions reductions, thanks to the natural gas revolution. Our emissions declined significantly over the last few decades, while natural gas production spiked by more than 50 percent, proving that renewable resources like natural gas provide a clean, low-cost energy alternative.

This CRA will only limit our domestic supply and force us to look abroad, once again, empowering OPEC and Russia to determine the price of living our daily lives. As the ranking member of the Energy and Minerals Resources Subcommittee, I know that our domestic energy producers are the best in the world.

With many being small business owners, they are a testament to American innovation as they deliver us low-cost energy while reducing emissions. We need to return to American energy first policies that empower our workers and American innovation, and not failed policies that hand the keys over to our rivals.

Mr. Speaker, therefore, I urge a ``no'' vote on this resolution.

Madam Speaker, as a father of four, I believe that life is a gift that must be cherished and defended.

For me, a pro-life father of four, a huge part of my story is my son Isaac. Isaac was born with Down syndrome. I know that with our love and support, he is capable of moving mountains.

The sad news is that many don't believe that people like my son deserve a right to life or to reach their full potential.

This is why I am a cosponsor of legislation like H.R. 18, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. This bill will help ensure that taxpayer dollars do not go toward taking away any child's right to life.

Imagine a world where every child was given the opportunity to dream, accomplish, and succeed. The world would be a much better place, our future brighter than ever.

That is why I will always support legislation that ensures every life is protected.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 18 and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of a true American hero. Neal Kenneth Todd of Akeley, Minnesota, enlisted as a Fireman First Class in the U.S. Navy and was stationed on the USS Oklahoma in Pearl Harbor.

He tragically lost his life on Sunday, December 7, 1941, when Japanese torpedoes caused the ship to capsize.

Initially, Neal Todd was reported missing in action, and his family went almost 3 months without answers before learning of his death. To make matters worse, his body was never identified, leaving his family without the closure that they deserved.

After nearly 80 years of unimaginable grief and unanswered questions, Neal's remains have finally been identified, beginning the process of returning him home to Minnesota.

On July 10, Neal Todd will be buried with full military honors next to his brother and parents. It will be my distinct privilege to join his family in Akeley when he returns home.

Witnessing this American hero laid to rest after decades will be an honor, but it will also be a somber reminder that freedom comes at such a heavy price.

Madam Speaker, we can never forget the sacrifices made by heroes like Neal Todd. Americans like him are the reason that this Nation is known as the land of the free and the home of the brave.

God bless Neal Todd and God bless his family.

Mr. Speaker, over the past year, it really has felt like our small businesses, our middle class, our communities have really taken one punch after another.

First, we were handed mandatory shutdowns of our restaurants, our small businesses, and our churches, while Walmart and Lowe's and other big box retail stores were allowed to remain open. In some places around the country, we were not even allowed to leave our homes unless it was for a purpose that the government deemed essential.

Like all Americans, I am extremely excited and pleased to see that most of the economy in our communities have reopened. But we can't help but observe that it seems like the reopening is occurring because of the independence and resilience of the American people, despite the best efforts by some to keep us shuttered indefinitely.

It is baffling that during this time when our neighbors have the opportunity to finally get back to work, Democrats are pushing policies to hurt them.

Oh, you are trying to find employees for your diner so you can reopen?

Well, they are paying those employees more to sit at home.

You have a corner store in central South Dakota?

Sorry, but President Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline and instantly caused your customers to lose their jobs.

You want to go back to work, but have two children at home?

Well, unbelievably, the Biden education plan included zero requirement that your son's or daughter's school reopens.

You were excited for your hotel to be busy this spring?

Well, the CDC was still advising Americans not to travel, even if they were vaccinated.

Your bait shop along the Canadian border has been struggling since the border closure?

Too bad President Biden and Justin Trudeau decided that couldn't be solved at the G7 last week.

You need gas to get to work, to get to your job site?

Well, it costs you $50 more this year than it did last year.

Mr. Speaker, this is a staggering laundry list of policies that individually would be an enormous impediment to our success, but together it is a brick wall. Without urgent changes to these antijobs, anti-small business policies, our communities will continue to struggle to reopen completely, and more families will feel the negative impacts of the Biden-Pelosi economy.

As a small business owner myself, I know what these men and women are going through. I know that they were the ones who built their business, not the government. And despite opposing efforts, they won't let the government take it away from them either.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of my bipartisan legislation that improves the safety of air travel. I would also like to thank my colleague, Mr. DeSaulnier, for his support and leadership on this piece of legislation.

In 2020, the United States was home to 7 of the top 10 busiest airports in the world. This means that, as Americans, we have no room for error when it comes to aviation safety.

Although aviation is the safest form of travel, we must always strive to do better. This is why we must address the notice to airmen, or NOTAM, system. NOTAMs are critical, as they relay safety information to pilots that allow them to understand the possible hazards and conditions of airports and runways before actually getting to the destination.

The current system simply is not working as well as it should. NOTAMs are often buried in lengthy reports, conflating important safety information with more common alerts. These inefficiencies have the potential to create life-threatening situations, as described earlier.

My legislation addresses these issues and creates a task force at the FAA with important input from safety experts and industry professionals to address what changes need to be made to NOTAMs to make air travel even safer than it already is.

Americans are more comfortable and excited to travel than they have been in over a year. Let's ensure that we support this sentiment and bolster the safety in our skies.

I was proud to work with my colleagues to get this reported out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously, both last Congress and this one.

The House also passed this legislation with strong bipartisan support during the 116th Congress, and I urge the same support this Congress of the Notice to Airmen Improvement Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise with my colleagues in the Congressional Western Caucus to discuss abuse of the Endangered Species Act, a law passed with good intentions, but weaponized by radicals to fight hunting, fishing, mining, logging, transportation, and our way of life.

In my district in northern Minnesota, the dramatic rise of the gray wolf has posed a threat to our deer herds, our livestock, and our family pets. The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association considers it a top threat to our hunting way of life.

Meanwhile, it wreaks havoc on our cattle ranchers throughout northern Minnesota. One rancher lost 26 cows to wolves in just 1 year.

In 2013, then-President Obama's Fish and Wildlife Service rightfully delisted the gray wolf.

Why? Because the gray wolf had clearly recovered. It had exceeded population targets by as much as 300 percent. And, no, this is not a statistic from hunters or ranchers. This is straight out of a 2013 Fish and Wildlife Service press release.

Dan Ashe, Obama's Fish and Wildlife Service then-Director, when the gray wolf was delisted, stated: ``An exhaustive review of the latest scientific information . . . shows that we have accomplished that goal with the gray wolf.''

Madam Speaker, what happened next? Activist judges in Washington, D.C., put the gray wolf back on the list just a couple of years later.

And when Obama's Fish and Wildlife Service Director took a well- paying job with an activist group, his tune suddenly changed, and he wanted the gray wolf back on the endangered species list.

Fortunately, the Trump administration did the right thing, listening to the science, and delisted the gray wolf last fall.

However, the same problem with the ESA and activist groups remain, and it is widespread.

Recently, the Fish and Wildlife Service declined to list the moose as an endangered species because their numbers are above targets. This time, the radical activist lawyers said the quiet part out loud. In a Minneapolis Star Tribune article, the Center for Biological Diversity, which has significant influence over House Democrats, stated: ``Now it is going to be a lot harder to ensure that things like mines . . . don't go forward without protections for moose in place.''

Could their intentions be any more clearer, Madam Speaker?

The purpose of the ESA is pretty straightforward: to protect endangered species. Tragically, the ESA is not always being used for conservation. It is being weaponized as a way to advance the far left's radical agenda. It is being used by the Green New Deal Democrat Party to stop progress.

We need to update the Endangered Species Act to allow us to hunt, fish, mine, harvest timber, farm, and for other responsible uses. Let's reform the Endangered Species Act and maintain our way of life.