Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support today of H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act.

Since coming into office, the Biden administration has taken steps to depress domestic energy production, causing prices to skyrocket and making America reliant on our adversaries for energy.

From heating our homes to filling our gas tanks, Americans have been burdened with historically high energy prices. With growing global demand predicted year after year, we must pass laws that will make America energy independent.

H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, is crucial in restarting our onshore and offshore leasing program. It also incentivizes the production of domestic minerals that are essential for national security and sustainable energy projects.

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle talk about all this electrification.

Mr. Chairman, do you know what needs electrification? Copper.

Do you know what the other side has done? They have started to ban copper mines.

I don't know how you make this happen unless, I guess, they want us to buy copper from China. It makes sense to me: Buy copper from China and be reliant on people who don't like us.

You can see the production here, Mr. Chairman. Look at Chinese copper production. Look at United States copper production.

I know what the other side wants. They want us to be reliant on China.

Modernizing our Federal regulations needs to happen so we prevent projects from being in endless litigation.

Mr. Chairman, let's do the things that are sustainable and necessary for our economy and that are necessary to making sure that we are energy independent.

H.R. 1 incentivizes an all-of-the-above energy approach. This legislation promotes domestic sources of materials critical to renewable energy while maintaining robust environmental standards.

American energy is the cleanest in the world. We can and we must produce our own energy in an efficient, clean, and safe way for Americans. We can do that.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 1 to eliminate red tape and promote affordable domestic energy production.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and missed a suspension vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 162.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Lancaster High School varsity boys basketball team's Class 1 State Championship.

On Friday, March 10, the Red Devil varsity boys basketball team ended their season with a perfect record of 29-0, defeating George Wythe High School 62-40 in a hard-fought championship game. The Red Devils were not only perfect but dominant throughout the entire season, winning every game by double-digits. This championship is the crowning achievement to an incredible season and calls for celebration.

I would like to recognize Head Coach Dwayne Pinn, who developed the team's winning culture over many years, having coached many of the young men since they were in fourth grade. Next, I would like to recognize the student-athletes: Terrill Diggs, Antavion Thomas, Gerrion Owens, Branndonn Wade, Lamar Mattocks, Tyson Henderson, Darius Smith, Daveon Smith, Kelvin Davis, Sean Thomas, Jeremy Smith, Troy Henderson, Jaquarrias Morris, Tylil Walters, and X'Zaveion Owens.

And finally, I would like to recognize the assistant coaches: Derrick Henderson, Troy Henderson, Eddie Hall, Jovante Smith, Mark Saunders; the athletic director, Dave Zeiler; the cheerleading advisor, Nikki Kelley; the principal, Mary Catherine Jones; and the superintendent, Jessica Davis.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the accomplishments and hard work of the student-athletes, coaches, and volunteers of Lancaster High School's varsity boys basketball program. I look forward to seeing their continued excellence on the court.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the centennial of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Virginia (Virginia VFW). For the last 100 years and counting, the Virginia VFW has provided critical services and support to Virginia's veterans.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars National Headquarters formally chartered the Virginia VFW in February 1923. The Virginia VFW's members then formally organized in March 1923 in Norfolk, Virginia. Its founding members included veterans from the Spanish-American War and World War I. Membership in the Virginia VFW has grown substantially since its founding in 1923: it originally had 13 Posts and 663 members; now, it has 128 Posts and over 40,000 members. The Virginia VFW's membership includes members from all branches of the military and represents conflicts over the past 100 years.

The Virginia VFW's mission is: ``To foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts. To serve our veterans, the military and their families. To advocate on behalf of all veterans.''

The Virginia VFW advocated for the establishment of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for the passage of the Montgomery GI Bill, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019, the elimination of the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) offset, and the PACT Act. These are just a few of the many pieces of legislation they successfully supported that have helped countless veterans.

Additionally, the Virginia VFW's Service Claims Agents ensured that Virginia veterans received over $13 million in earned benefits that otherwise may have been lost. Furthermore, Virginia VFW members avidly support their local communities. In the last five years, the Virginia VFW's members volunteered for 1,233,783 hours and donated $9,155,822-- of which the combined value is $41,840,483. I have no doubt that the Virginia VFW will continue to fulfill its mission.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to rise with me in celebration and honor of the centennial of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Virginia. May God bless the Virginia VFW and its members as they continue to serve veterans, veterans' families, and their communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 100th anniversary of St. Margaret's School in Tappahannock, Virginia.

In the early 20th century, secondary school options for young women in the rural south were limited. To meet the educational needs of young women in the Tappahannock area, the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia established St. Margaret's School in 1921. In the 100 years since then, St. Margaret's School has educated young women and prepared them for life. The dedicated school heads, faculty, and staff encourage and develop students' passions--in the classroom, on the athletic field, on the theater stage, and on the Rappahannock River. St. Margaret's School's culture of inclusivity is grounded in its Episcopal roots, and challenges students to develop confidence, resilience, and strength of character. The school's motto, ``as we grow in age, may we grow in grace,'' guides students and graduates through their entire lives. St. Margaret's School left an indelible mark on generations of young women and the Tappahannock area--and will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to rise with me today to honor and celebrate the 100th anniversary of St. Margaret's School. May God bless St. Margaret's School as it enters its second century of educating young women.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Amelia Litynski and her service to Virginia's First District and the Nation.

Amelia earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin- Madison, where she triple-majored in Economics, History, and Political Science. She is currently working on her Master's degree in Military Operational Art and Science at the USAF Air Command and Staff College.

During her undergraduate studies, she interned for the Congressional Research Service, the U.S. Department of Defense, debra of America, and the Wisconsin State Legislature. After graduating and prior to joining my office, she scheduled for Congressman Bryan Steil of Wisconsin.

Amelia joined my office in October 2021 as my Staff Assistant. She then worked her way up to Legislative Correspondent, and subsequently to Legislative Aide. She contributed tremendously to providing the best constituent service and running one of the best mail programs in the Commonwealth and the Nation. She was also an important member of my defense and legislative team, and a great mentor to both interns and staff.

I would like to thank Amelia for her contributions and dedicated service over the last year and a half. She's been an invaluable member of my team, and I wish her the best as she continues her journey here at the Capitol working for Congressman Tom Emmer in his Republican House Majority Whip office.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing Amelia Litynski for her service to Virginia's First District and the Nation. May God bless Amelia as she continues her career in public service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the life and memory of James ``Jimmie'' Pleasants Massie III, who tragically passed away on January 25, 2023, at age 64. My prayers are with his family and loved ones, especially his wife, Elizabeth, and his children, Jimmie, William, Becky, and John.

Jimmie was a caring husband, father, son, brother, grandfather, friend, and so much more. He also had a strong passion for public service and cared deeply for his community. I had the honor of knowing Jimmie throughout his time in public service when he served as the Henrico County Delegate in the Virginia House of Delegates. Jimmie's colleagues and community remember and honor him as a strong leader and passionate advocate for the issues facing his community. I am personally grateful for his leadership in Virginia, and I know that our communities are stronger because of his time in office.

Jimmie was, and is, well-loved and highly respected amongst his family and community, and his memory will not soon be forgotten. I pray that his family and loved ones may be comforted as they mourn his loss. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me in honoring the life and legacy of Jimmie Massie.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague, Representative Greg Murphy, to honor the 30 years of service of Kitty Hawk Police Chief Joel Johnson to the Town of Kitty Hawk and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Chief Johnson started his career with the Kill Devil Hills Police Department in North Carolina in 1989 and served there until 1993 when he decided to attend a school of higher education. He then served in Wrightsville Beach from 1997 to 1998. Soon after, he began his service with the Kitty Hawk Police Department in September 1999 as a Patrol Officer. He briefly moved to the private sector in 2004 before returning to the Kitty Hawk Police Department in 2006. He then worked his way up to Patrol Sergeant, and ultimately up to Police Chief.

Chief Johnson accomplished a great deal as Police Chief. Some of his many accomplishments include successfully applying for over $400,000 in federal and state grant funds, creating and implementing a new Field Training Officer Manual for rookie officers, creating and hiring the first Narcotics Officer for the Kitty Hawk Police Department, and installing an RX Drug box in the department's lobby for people to discard their prescription medications.

Chief Johnson frequently went above and beyond his expected duties. He conducted ride-alongs, served as part of the Nags Head Police Chief Assessment Board and the Kitty Hawk Fire Chief selection committee--and even changed a distressed tourist's flat tire.

Throughout his career, Chief Johnson helped a countless number of people, who described him as compassionate, professional, and dedicated--the ideal Police Chief. Under his command, the department excellently served and built a strong, trusting relationship with the community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me and countless others in honoring the service of Kitty Hawk Police Chief Joel Johnson. May God bless Chief Johnson and his family.

Offered By: Mr. Wittman

Amendment No. 6: Add at the end the following:

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Wayne Kirby, who passed away on April 3, 2022, at the age of 69.

Wayne grew up in and lived his entire life in Studley, Virginia. He was the second of four boys born to I.D. and Allene Kirby. He took a keen interest in agriculture as a young boy, milking cows and feeding hogs in the morning and working on Jimmy Brannan's vegetable farm in the afternoon.

Wayne attended Lee Davis High School, where he was a proud member-- and eventually the president--of its Future Farmers of America club. He graduated from Lee Davis High School in 1971, and subsequently enlisted in the Army National Guard. That same year, he bought his first car--a brand new 1971 Royal Blue Monte Carlo, which he owned and was proud of for his entire life.

After the Lee Davis High School vs. Hermitage High School football game on November 16, 1973, Wayne met his wife, Karen. They got married 5 years later on September 16, 1978. Wayne and Karen were a match made in heaven. They had 2 sons, Grayson and Graham. Wayne was extremely proud of the men his sons became.

Wayne was a dedicated farmer and member of the agricultural community in Virginia. He began his 30 years of working at Alliance Fertilizer in 1971. He purchased his mother's family farm in 1976, which became Creamfield Farm. He served as the director of the Colonial Agricultural Educational Foundation, the Virginia Grain Producers Association, the Virginia Agribusiness Council. Wayne also sat on the Colonial Farm Credit Board of Directors, and on the Virginia Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services. His involvement extended even deeper into the community as he also previously served as the director of the Virginia Corn Check Off Board, as the director of the Virginia Corn Producers Board, on the Alliance Agronomics Board, and on the Hanover County Farm Service Agency Board. Wayne's life was indeed one of service, dedicated to Virginia's agriculture community.

Wayne was also a man of unwavering faith--even during times of extreme hardship. By encouraging everyone to focus on God and His plan, he helped keep hope alive when Grayson was involved in a serious accident. Grayson eventually pulled through and is now thriving. Wayne also served as an Elder at the Mechanicsville Church of Christ, and recently served as its chairman.

Wayne's belief that ``failure is not an option'' positively impacted those around him. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, mentor, and friend. His life was full of service to his community, faith, and love. He will be missed. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Karen; sons, Grayson and Graham; his grandchildren, Beau and Ava; brothers, Van (Dana) and Gary (Judy); and 8 nieces and nephews.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me and countless others in honoring the life of Wayne Kirby.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Christopher (Chris) Hall and his service to Virginia's First District and the Nation.

Chris earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science & Government from Hampden-Sydney College. During his time there, he was a member of their baseball team and the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. After graduating from Hampden-Sydney College, he earned his Juris Doctor from Elon University School of Law. As a law student, he served as a Law Clerk on the 15th Judicial Circuit Court.

After graduating from law school, Chris served as a Law Clerk for LobbyIt and as Legislative Counsel for the Keelen Group, LLC.

Chris joined my office as a Legislative Assistant in December 2018, eventually working his way up to become my Senior Counsel. He contributed tremendously to my work on the House Committee on Natural Resources, expanding broadband to underserved communities, improving transportation infrastructure, and more. His work has been invaluable.

I would like to thank Chris for his contributions and dedicated service over the last four years. He has been a key member of my legislative team and staff, and I wish him all the best as he continues his journey here in the Capitol as the Legislative Director for Congressman Thomas Kean.

Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing Chris Hall for his service to Virginia's First District and the Nation. May God bless Chris as he continues his career in public service.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Rogers for yielding.

Yesterday, we remembered the 81st anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The United States was surprised by the audacious Japanese attack and our national security was placed in peril. Times have changed, though, and Japan is now a bedrock ally of the United States today. I can't help but wonder if we learned the hard-earned lessons of Pearl Harbor or whether we are drifting into strategic malaise and will be caught unprepared by another attack on our national security.

Frankly, we are not ready. With a Navy fleet that continues to tread water in overall force structure and an Air Force that continues to cede combat firepower, I am not confident of our trajectory.

That is why I am pleased to have rejected a multitude of reckless national security objectives proposed by the Biden administration. This bill authorizes a 20 percent increase in ship construction, partially rejects an ill-advised divest-to-invest strategy and blocks a multitude of poison pills that were haphazardly tacked on to this legislation.

While this is a good bill worthy of support, I look forward to the next Congress where we can assert with greater certainty a revised trajectory for our national security. We need to better assure our partners and allies and avoid our pre-World War II hubris by decisively deterring future aggressors. We have much work to do.

I thank Ranking Member Rogers and his leadership during the top-line debate this year. We are adopting his budget vision today, a vision that ensures real growth for defense. I also particularly thank Chairmen Smith and Courtney for their desire to reach bipartisan consensus.

My friends, this is a good bill that advances the national security of the United States. I urge all Members to support the bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Captain Ryan Casey and his service to Virginia's First District and the Nation.

Ryan earned his bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, and Political Science from Carthage College. After graduating from Carthage College, he commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. While in the U.S. Marine Corps, he worked his way up from Student Officer to Weapons Platoon Commander, eventually earning the rank of Captain.

Ryan then graduated from the Expeditionary Warfare School at Marine Corps University. He subsequently earned his master's degree in Public Policy from the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.

Ryan joined my office as a Department of Defense Legislative Fellow in January 2022. As a Defense Fellow, he served our Nation both as a Marine and a public servant. He contributed mightily and invaluably to my House Armed Services Committee work, which included my role as the Ranking Member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.

I would like to thank Ryan for his contributions and dedicated service over the last year. He has been a key member of my defense team and staff, and I wish him all the best as he continues his journey here in the Capitol as a House Liaison Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps House Liaison Office.

Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing Captain Ryan Casey for his service to Virginia's First District and the Nation. May God bless Ryan as he continues his career in public service and the U.S. Marine Corps.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague Mr. Scott for yielding and join him in our condolences in the passing of Donald McEachin. I would like to thank our colleagues today for joining us in this remembrance.

Donald was indeed an incredible leader. He was a dedicated father, a dedicated husband, and he loved serving others. He truly was passionate about his job. He was passionate about the people of the Fourth District.

I got to know Donald actually from our years when we were young, when we were in high school. We were in rival high schools in Richmond. I met him in passing there and got to serve with him in the Virginia General Assembly.

What an individual, a person of integrity, a person of passion, dedicated to the people that he served. He loved being a legislator. He loved solving problems for people. He loved interacting with people. He loved the whole idea of giving of himself and putting others first. That truly was what Donald was about. I know we all dealt with him through the years, and he was a person of the utmost integrity and the utmost passion. He really wanted to get things done.

While there were political differences among the different members of our Virginia delegation, for Donald it was always about getting things done, and you could always depend that Donald would be very thoughtful and forthright with you. He was looking for solutions to problems. That is what legislating is about. Donald was indeed the quintessential public servant, the quintessential leader, an example for all of us in the Virginia delegation.

It is with a heavy heart today that we mourn his passing, but let's all remember his legacy, his legacy of service, what he has done to uplift all of us, to make us all better as Members of this legislative body.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mr. Robert Ashton Caruthers, Jr. in honor of his 60th birthday on November 3, 2022, and his service for the Bowling Green Fire Department.

Robert, or Robby, is a native of Hanover County, Virginia, but has lived in Caroline County, Virginia, since 2000.

Robby is a dedicated husband and father. He and his wife, Dr. Ada Caruthers, have two children, Katie and Ashton. He is a beloved member of his family and community, and they are grateful for his unwavering contributions and selfless service.

Robby is a diligent farmer who is the second largest sweet corn producer in Virginia. He farms 1,100 acres of grain and 400 acres of vegetables. He is on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Farm Bureau and the Agricultural Advisory Board for the Caroline County Agricultural Fair. And he donates to the Virginia State Fair and advocates for ``Farm Use'' license plates and non-insurable crops policies.

Robby is a leader of his community. He is an honorary member of the Bowling Green Fire Department because he helps raise $60,000 annually for the department through the Sportsman's Dinner Auction. He avidly supports the Future Farmers of America and the Caroline County Little League. He helped start some food banks in Caroline County, and donated produce to local churches. He helped write the Virginia Bottle Bill to reduce litter on Virginia's roads, and he volunteers to clear snow off the roads during the winter.

Robby is also passionate about preserving local history. He is a lifelong contributor to the Port Royal Historical Society and is a Hanover Tavern Foundation Sponsor. Furthermore, he maintains two historic properties in Caroline County.

Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the accomplishments and 60th birthday of Mr. Robert Ashton Caruthers, Jr. A U.S. flag has been flown over the U.S. Capitol in his honor. May God bless him and his family.