Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Jonathan Marshall for 34 years of service to Cabarrus County, including a decade of service as Deputy County Manager. I have seen his extraordinary leadership firsthand and how much he means to our community.

Mr. Marshall began his career with Cabarrus County in 1988 as a land- use planner and retires after more than three decades of service. Exemplary in his innate understanding of the relationship between people and land, he held the positions of Senior Planner, Planning Services Director, and Commerce Director before being named Deputy County Manager in December 2011.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Marshall has exhibited exceptional commitment and dedication to improving our community. He has led Cabarrus County through a time of unprecedented growth and his work will be felt for generations to come. Mr. Marshall's early efforts on the western area plan, for example, helped to sustain economic growth resulting from land development around Charlotte Motor Speedway and Concord Mills. He has also fostered a unique culture of collaboration between community stakeholders, and relationships between the County and municipalities have flourished under his extraordinary leadership.

I would like to extend my most heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Marshall for his years of exemplary service to Cabarrus County. I know I speak for our entire community in wishing he and his wife Debbie continued success and happiness as they move on to their next great adventure.

Madam Speaker, please join me today in honoring Jonathan Marshall upon his retirement as Deputy County Manager of Cabarrus County.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to oppose the previous question so we can immediately consider H.R. 6619, the Unmask Our Kids Act.

This is critical because, as a Member of Congress, but more importantly as a dad of a kindergartner, I am frustrated. I am frustrated because all throughout the pandemic, bureaucrats, mayors, Governors, and school administrators have all lectured us to follow the science. Just follow the science.

Well, I agree. Thankfully, 2 years into this pandemic, we now have science behind the mild impacts of COVID-19 on children and the importance of ventilation instead of masking to limit spread in classrooms. We also have science on how important it is to see faces for a child's development.

Yet, even with this data, schools continue to impose mask mandates, including roughly 85 of the 115 North Carolina school districts. And if you break these mandates, you face severe consequences.

Just last Thursday, 12-year-old Lincoln Matthews, from my district, decided not to wear a mask to school, with the support of his father. Lincoln said he can't breathe in his mask, especially when he is forced to wear it even while running in PE class. However, Lincoln was written up and kicked out for insubordination. This is wrong.

What is worse is, these rules apparently don't apply to everyone. On Friday, just 1 day after Lincoln was kicked out for not wearing his mask, Stacey Abrams visited a classroom in Georgia without a mask while every child around her, as you can see, wore their masks. As my colleague, Mr. Reschenthaler, said, this photo is not science; this photo is political science.

Sadly, this is just the latest example of politicians who want to control your life. They tell you what to do then ignore their own rules. For these hypocrites, it is rules for thee but not for me.

Well, I am here to say that the American people are fed up. I am here to say, parents have rights.

So let's actually follow the science. It is time to scrap these mandates and give parents the freedom to choose what is best for their own children.

Today, I encourage my colleagues to pass the Unmask Our Kids Act and end these mandates once and for all. If it is good enough for the politicians, it is good enough for our kids.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Tom Grady on receiving the Cabarrus County Bar Association Liberty Bell Award.

A native of Cabarrus County, Mr. Grady graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law before returning home to begin practicing law with Williams, Willeford, and Boger in 1966. He continued work for this firm and its successors for fifty-five years before retiring in 2020.

Mr. Grady quickly became well-known for his skill and success as a motorsports attorney. He provided exceptional legal services to many associated with NASCAR, and his leadership proved paramount in the 1990s and early 2000s when the motorsports industry underwent a significant period of advancement and growth. On account of his excellence as a legal professional and mentor, Mr. Grady had the honor of serving as the President of the Cabarrus County Bar Association and was inducted into the North Carolina Bar Association Hall of Fame.

The Liberty Bell Award is presented by the local bar to an individual who exhibits exemplary or distinguished accomplishments and contributions to the legal profession. Over the course of his career and service to Cabarrus County, Mr. Grady provided a strong and consistent source of legal knowledge to support and assist his clients and community. I know I speak for our entire community in wishing him and his family continued success and happiness going forward.

Madam Speaker, please join me today in congratulating Mr. Tom Grady as the Cabarrus County Bar Association Liberty Bell Award recipient and wish him well as he continues to enjoy retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Noelle Rhodes Scott for over 21 years of exemplary service with the Cabarrus Arts Council. I have seen Mrs. Rhodes Scott's leadership firsthand and know how much she means to our community.

Mrs. Rhodes Scott began her esteemed career after graduating magna cum laude from Wake Forest University. Following internships with the Arts and Science Council in Charlotte and the North Carolina Arts Council, she was selected at the Associate Director, and later Interim Director, of the High Point Arts Council. She went on to become a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow and then joined the Arts Council of Fairfax County after her research was complete.

A giant among her peers in the art community, Mrs. Rhodes Scott has long been a fierce advocate for the arts and education. Since becoming President and CEO of the Cabarrus Arts Council in 2000, she has transformed the formerly volunteer organization into the preeminent arts council in North Carolina.

During her tenure with the Cabarrus Arts Council, Mrs. Rhodes Scott oversaw the development of the Davis Theatre and Galleries and launched Students Take Part In The Arts, one of North Carolina's largest art-in- education programs. Each year, the Davis Theatre draws over 16,000 visitors to our community and the education program presents performances to over 39,000 children in Cabarrus County Schools and Kannapolis City Schools. The Cabarrus Arts Council also distributes annual grants of over $50,000 to support creative projects and artists.

Mrs. Rhodes Scott has led by example over the years and has made immeasurable contributions to our community. Cabarrus County

is better today due to her passion and creativity. I would like to extend my most heartfelt appreciation for her unwavering support of the arts and the Congressional Art Competition. I wish her a long and happy retirement with her husband, Edward, and their family.

Madam Speaker, please join me today in honoring Noelle Rhodes Scott for over 21 years of service with the Cabarrus Arts Council.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend, Harvey Godwin, Jr., for his exceptional leadership and service in his community and as Chairman of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Chairman Godwin went on to become the owner and CEO of both Two Hawk Employment Services, LLC and Two Hawk Workforce Services. He has also held many leadership positions on state and local boards and committees, including the positions of Chairman for the Robeson Community College Foundation Board of Directors and Secretary of the North Carolina Workforce Development Board Association. Chairman Godwin's impressive background in management was a real asset during his tenure as Tribal Chairman.

Since the start of his tenure in 2016, Chairman Godwin's vision and leadership has served to strengthen, protect, and uplift the Lumbee Tribe. To further preserve Lumbee culture and history, he restored the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center in a project that featured the construction of a new playground and community garden as well as renovations to the swimming pool and amphitheater. His leadership has also proved paramount for the physical and economic security of the tribe. Most notably, he administered essential hurricane relief efforts and secured over $58 million in federal funding, including Title VI funding from U.S. Housing and Urban Development for the construction of many new homes across Lumbee territory. Furthermore, Chairman Godwin's consistent advocacy played a pivotal role in passage of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina Recognition Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. I was honored to play a small role. He has built and maintained bipartisan relationships in Washington that I believe will eventually result in the Lumbee Tribe finally being granted the federal recognition that is long overdue.

I would like to extend my most heartfelt appreciation to Chairman Godwin for his committed and impactful leadership. I speak for our entire community in wishing him and his family continued success and happiness.

Madam Speaker, please join me today in honoring Harvey Godwin, Jr. for his six years of service as Lumbee Tribe Chairman and life-long commitment to supporting his community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor City Council Member Ella Mae Small for a lifetime of service to her community and local government in Cabarrus County, North Carolina.

Upon graduation from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Councilwoman Small first worked as a schoolteacher in multiple districts throughout North Carolina and Georgia and served as a professor at North Carolina A&T University. After retiring from teaching, she assumed the high calling of public service when she completed her husband Allen Small's term on the Concord City Council after he passed while holding office. As the first African American female member of the Council, Councilwoman Small paved the way for greater diversity in local representation and provided astute and knowledgeable leadership on the Council for over 15 years.

Over the course of her career, Councilwoman Small has exhibited exceptional commitment and dedication to improving her community. As a schoolteacher, she served as one of the first kindergarten teachers in North Carolina. Her influence as a trailblazer helped cement this position as a permanent fixture of primary education. Praised highly by her peers, Councilwoman Small exerted similar influence on the Concord City Council to serve as a catalyst for positive change. For example, this past year she helped take charge of creating the Concord United Committee for the purpose of further addressing issues associated with race, equity, and diversity in the City. Her exemplary leadership provides a standard for all public servants. Although well-known for her role and initiatives as Councilwoman, she has also remained firmly committed to carrying out her responsibilities as a concerned citizen by holding many positions with national and local organizations such as the National Education Association and the Cabarrus Community Council among many others.

I would like to extend my most heartfelt appreciation to Councilwoman Small for her years of exemplary service as a teacher, community leader, and public servant. I speak for our entire community in wishing her and her family continued success and happiness as she moves into retirement.

Madam Speaker, please join me today in honoring Councilwoman Ella Mae Small for her extraordinary service.

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and missed a vote. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 430; YEA on Roll Call No. 431; YEA on Roll Call No. 432; YEA on Roll Call No. 433; YEA on Roll Call No. 434; and YEA on Roll Call No. 435.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Babette Huitt for her recognition as Hospitality Professional of the Year and Linda Brown for her recognition as Unsung Hero by the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CCCVB).

The Hospitality Professional of the Year Award is presented to an individual who contributes exceptional leadership and commitment to the hospitality industry. As Tours and STEAM Program Manager for CCCVB, Babette Huitt exhibited outstanding leadership and commitment to the industry by redesigning the Speedway Tour program to accommodate important COVID-19 Safety Protocols, and she provided necessary oversight to see the Bureau's STEAM program implemented in at-home and remote environments at both Fort Bragg and Camp LeJeune.

The Unsung Hero Award is presented by CCCVB to an individual who conducts indispensable duties behind the scenes to assure high-quality guest services. As a laundry attendant within the Housekeeping Department at the Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, North Carolina, Linda Brown has performed outstanding leadership and teamwork to see her duties executed acutely and efficiently. When she has time, she goes the extra mile to assist other attendants with their own tasks. Perhaps most impressively, Ms. Brown refuses to let her hearing deficiency inhibit her ability to work and has taught coworkers hand signals and sign language to assure coherent communication.

I would like to extend my most heartfelt appreciation to Ms. Huitt and Ms. Brown for their exemplary service to the hospitality industry in Cabarrus County. I know I speak for our entire community in wishing them continued success and happiness.

Madam Speaker, please join me today in congratulating Babette Huitt and Linda Brown for their recognition by the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor North Carolina Senator Paul Newton for his recognition as Outstanding Ambassador of the Year by the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Outstanding Ambassador of the Year is presented by the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau to an individual who represents Cabarrus County by providing exceptional service to visitors. Working in coordination with the North Carolina Travel Industry Association, Senator Newton's leadership effectuated the inclusion of a specific provision in House Bill 196 that makes tourism development authorities in North Carolina eligible for the federal Payroll Protection Program (PPP). This quick and impactful response to the economic struggles brought on by the COVID-19 Pandemic has effectively reduced layoffs and allowed businesses in the hospitality and tourism industries to remain economically stable so they may continue providing services to visitors and all members of their communities.

I would like to extend my most heartfelt appreciation to Senator Newton for his exemplary service to the tourism and hospitality industries in Cabarrus County and North Carolina as a whole. It is an honor and a privilege to serve and represent the people of Cabarrus County by his side. I know I speak for our entire community in wishing him continued success and happiness.

Madam Speaker, please join me today in congratulating Senator Paul Newton as the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau Outstanding Ambassador of the Year Award recipient and wish him well as he continues to address the needs of his constituency.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3743, Supporting the Foundation for the NIH and the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA Act.

I introduced this bipartisan bill along with my friend, Chairwoman Anna Eshoo, to build on our success of public-private partnerships that have produced lifesaving medical breakthroughs.

The Foundation for the NIH and the Reagan-Udall Foundation were created by Congress to support the NIH and the FDA by forging partnerships between the Federal Government and private industry experts.

Providing additional support to these organizations would further accelerate research into novel vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other innovations, helping us prepare for future emergencies.

Due to partnerships such as these, we have already seen the success of the ACTIV program in speeding developments of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.

It should be noted that we would not be where we are today without the innovation seen in Operation Warp Speed. This public-private partnership has not received the credit it deserves for creating, developing, and manufacturing life-saving vaccines in record time.

Through my legislation, we can build on these successes and enhance partnerships across the healthcare industry.

I thank Chairman Pallone and Ranking Member Guthrie for their support, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise, along with my colleague, Congressman Steve Cohen, fellow co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety, to mark the 26th World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (World Day) on Sunday, November 21, 2021.

On this solemn event, families, advocates, and leaders around the world gather to remember the tens of millions of lives impacted by road crashes and the bravery of the first responders and health care workers who work valiantly to save as many lives as possible.

World Day of Remembrance was initiated in 1995 as the European Day of Remembrance and quickly spread around the globe. In 2005 the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 60/2, recognizing the third Sunday in November as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

Every year, the goals of the World Day of Remembrance are to remember all people killed and seriously injured on the roads; acknowledge the crucial work of the emergency services; advocate for better support to road traffic victims and their families; and promote evidence-based actions to prevent and eventually stop further road traffic deaths and injuries.

More than one mill ion people die from road crashes every year, and tens of millions are seriously injured. Road traffic crashes are the number one killer of young people aged 15-29, the third leading killer of Americans abroad, and the eighth leading cause of death among all people worldwide. Despite these figures, our understanding of the full scope of the problem is still lacking, and additional data collection is imperative.

World Day of Remembrance 2021 also focuses on reduction of traffic speeds. Studies have shown unequivocally that lowering speeds has the potential to prevent many deaths and serious injuries, in particular those of pedestrians and all other vulnerable road users like children, people with disabilities, and the elderly.

This year also marks the beginning of the second global Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, which has a primary goal of reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by road traffic accidents by at least 50 percent by 2030. Additionally, in October 2021, Congressman Cohen and I officially relaunched the Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety, working closely with the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT), the leading U.S. nonprofit advocating for safe travel on the world's roads.

Rochelle Sobel founded ASIRT in response to the death of her son Aron, a 22-year-old medical student who was killed in a bus crash in Turkey along with 23 other passengers. ASIRT works to improve the safety of travelers through education and advocacy and was instrumental in encouraging the establishment of the Caucus in 2004.

Looking ahead to what we must accomplish in this second Decade of Action, it is crucial that we collaborate to enact common sense solutions to meaningfully reduce the terrible toll of road crashes. We know how to save lives, now we must muster the will and courage to act with conviction.

As Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety, we implore our colleagues, partners, stakeholders, industry leaders and decision-makers worldwide to heed the message of World Day to ``remember, support, and act'' to improve road safety and prevent avoidable tragedies. We look forward to welcoming more of our colleagues to the Caucus and working in earnest to provide leadership and make tangible advances to reduce road deaths.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Mr. Theodore ``Ted'' Roosevelt Lilly, Jr. A beloved member of our community, Mr. Lilly's life was marked by an unwavering commitment to spreading kindness and goodwill in the town of Oakboro, North Carolina.

A lifelong resident of Oakboro, Mr. Lilly took a unique and selfless approach to serving his community. Aside from his brief work with Stanly Knitting Mills, Mr. Lilly never maintained formal or paid employment. Instead, he chose to serve the members of his community by spreading joy and benevolence. Every day for at least the last 30 years, Mr. Lilly walked through town to visit every business and talk with customers and employees. If he happened to miss an employee, he would return to the same business later that day to speak with the individual. While walking, he made it a goal to extend a friendly welcome to any passersby he encountered. Such dedication earned Mr. Lilly the title ``Ambassador of Oakboro'' and made him a household name among residents.

Mr. Lilly's steadfast commitment to building relationships with those in his community was undeterred. He extended great personal sacrifice by risking his own health and safety to complete his daily rounds. His family members often had to prevent him from walking in inclement weather, and he consistently ignored any pain associated with his kidney failure or diabetes in the process of completing his walks.

Mr. Lilly passed away on October 19, 2021, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and all who knew and loved him. I join our entire community in gratitude as we honor his extraordinary life.

Madam Speaker, please join me today in honoring the life and legacy of Mr. Ted Lilly.

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and missed a vote. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 319.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3635, Strengthening America's Strategic National Stockpile Act of 2021, a bill I am proud to have introduced along with Representative Slotkin.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the dangers of relying on foreign countries for needed medical supplies.

H.R. 3635 will reduce our dependence on foreign sources of supplies like PPE by boosting domestic manufacturing to make these products here in the United States. It would also make critical improvements to our Strategic National Stockpile to ensure it is full and items are ready to be deployed when needed.

Strengthening our stockpile of PPE and domestic manufacturing has never been more important for our economy and our national security. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation so we can be better prepared for the next public health emergency.

Madam Speaker, additionally, I am proud to have introduced H.R. 4032, the Open RAN Outreach Act, a bill that will also be considered by this House today.

The Open RAN Outreach Act will strengthen our telecommunications supply chains and help protect small and rural communications providers from Chinese-backed companies. Protecting our supply chains and pushing back against China are more critical than ever before, especially for our vulnerable telecommunications networks. Providers backed by the Chinese Communist Party have tried to undercut the market and expand their outreach, particularly in our underserved rural communities.

By passing H.R. 4032, we can encourage a competitive market of trusted vendors to expand network access across our country. Just like H.R. 3635, this bill is also critical not just for our economy, but for our national security.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it as well.

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and missed a vote. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 296.