Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, today I recognize a lifetime of service and the retirement of Chief Master Sergeant Ivan Miguel Ruiz, a native of the great State of Texas. After 26 years of service as an Air Force Pararescueman, CMSgt Ruiz is relinquishing the responsibilities as Chief Enlisted Manager 58th Rescue Squadron, 563rd Operations Group, 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The Air Force has consistently relied upon Ivan's exceptional leadership and unparalleled work ethic. He has led our Nation's men and women both overseas and at home, leading numerous joint combat rescue and humanitarian operations around the world. Ivan has excelled in numerous other leadership positions in the Air Force, as well as becoming a physical fitness legend in the Special Warfare Community.

The Pararescue Creed is ``It is my duty as a Pararescueman to save life and aid the injured. I will be prepared at all times to perform my assigned duties quickly and efficiently, placingthese duties before personal desires and comforts. These things I'do, that others may live.'' Ivan committed these words to every aspect of his career and especially displayed them during a nighttime operation in Afghanistan on December 10, 2013. During a raid in Kandahar Province, Sergeant Ruiz engaged and neutralized four insurgents, becoming isolated from his element. Sergeant Ruiz and two teammates quickly encountered insurgent crossfire. Sergeant Ruiz eliminated one enemy fighting position; however, enemy fire wounded his two comrades, rendering them immobile and exposed to the enemy. Sergeant Ruiz courageously pressed ahead through intense small arms fire and grenades to reach his wounded comrades. He successfully brought them back to a covered position, where he administered life-saving trauma care to his teammates. The heroic actions of Sergeant Ruiz saved the lives of two teammates and contributed to the elimination of eleven insurgents. Through his extraordinary heroism, and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, this native Texan was awarded the Air Force Cross, the United States Air Force's second highest military decoration for Airmen who distinguish themselves with extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force.

On November 1st of this year, Ivan will retire back to the great State of Texas. On behalf of the entire Congress and a grateful Nation, I express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to Chief Master Sergeant Ruiz for his outstanding leadership and unwavering support for the missions of this nation. I would like to also recognize the dedicated service of Ivan's family to our country. His mother, Josefina, a civil servant, his father, MSG Ruiz, USA, Ret., his siblings, SFC Aerial Ruiz, USA, Ret., MAJ Elizabeth Ruiz, USA, MAJ Ino Ruiz, USA, and Lt Jazmin Reed, USN, and SrA Charles White, USAF, all have served or are serving honorably. I would also like to recognize his supportive and loving wife of 12 years, Mrs. Maria Ruiz, and their children, Jason, Sofia, Elijah, and Elena. I wish the Ruiz family safe travels back to Texas, and I look forward to seeing Ivan continue to excel as he enters his next chapter.

Madam Speaker, it is my distinct honor to recognize a true American Patriot, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Scott Volkert, USMC of Verona, New Jersey. This evening he will gather with friends, family, and fellow service members to celebrate his retirement after 27 years of distinguished service in the United States Marine Corps.

As the Executive Officer and Chief of Staff for the Presidential Helicopter Squadron, HMX-1, and during his long tenure at the White House, Lieutenant Colonel Volkert was entrusted with the lives and safety of four U.S. Presidents, including Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald J. Trump, and Joseph R. Biden as the pilot and eventually the Operational Test Director of Marine One and Marine Two.

When I started at the White House in 2006, Lieutenant Colonel Volkert was one of the first people I met, and he went out of his way to make sure that I felt at home and that I had the tools I needed for success. He has become a dear friend of mine over the last 17 years, and I can say with certainty that his successor has some big shoes to fill.

Lieutenant Colonel Volkert is an incredible leader with an unwavering commitment to his country, and I would be remiss if I did not also thank Lieutenant Colonel Volkert's wife, Kathy and his son, Jack, for their sacrifice and unwavering dedication to our country as well. I stand here today to thank Lieutenant Colonel Volkert for his service to our great nation and to wish him the best of luck in his next endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of one of the most important bills that comes before Congress, the NDAA.

The NDAA includes important wins for all Americans, and for my district included. It provides support for servicemembers and families at Sheppard Air Force Base while continuing to modernize Sheppard's fleet of fighter trainer aircraft. It supports work at Pantex in Amarillo, including accelerated funding to improve critical infrastructure at the plant.

This legislation also includes:

Resources needed to compete and win in any potential conflict.

Support for our allies, like Taiwan and Israel.

Investments in Future Vertical Lift.

Increased funding to improve our fleet of V-22s.

Critical oversight of the Military Health System.

The reinstatement of the Medical Officer of the Marine Corps, which reinforces our commitment to the absolute best medical care for our marines on the battlefield.

It also provides protections for any servicemember who has reservations about taking the COVID-19 vaccine.

As we consider amendments, I hope this bill remains focused on national security and can be passed in good faith, as we did almost unanimously in committee.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Rogers for his leadership on this year's NDAA.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Rogers for the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment as it would irresponsibly cripple our nuclear deterrent.

As China, Russia, and Iran are rapidly advancing their military capability, the House Armed Services Committee has worked tirelessly to ensure that the U.S. military can compete and win in a future conflict.

We included an important prohibition on the reduction of ICBMs in this year's NDAA because military leadership has repeatedly told us that 400 is the bare minimum number of deployed

ICBMs needed to deter both Russia and China. This number wasn't pulled out of thin air; it was provided to us by STRATCOM.

However, the reality is that even the current fleet of 400 ICBMs is not enough. That is why this year's NDAA takes active steps to invest in modernization of our nuclear weapons, our skilled workforce, and the infrastructure at our facilities like Pantex in Amarillo.

We need to listen to our military leadership and provide these strategic investments to modernize our triad.

This amendment runs counter to our national security objectives. For these reasons, I urge everyone to oppose this far-left amendment. To unilaterally disarm the United States with this would be a travesty.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to a serious issue facing all of rural America: the Biden Administration and the radical Left's War on Agriculture.

Today, the House will vote on H.R. 7606, which will exacerbate fractured supply chains, skyrocketing input costs, and historic levels of inflation, all of which are hammering American consumers.

This bill is the latest attempt to scapegoat private industry rather than address the real needs and concerns of farmers, ranchers, and rural Americans.

We know the Biden Administration and my colleagues across the aisle see Americans in the oil and gas industry as the enemy, and I truly believe they now see farmers and ranchers as the enemy too.

I want my constituents back home in Texas to know this is something I'm fighting every day.

I represent the number 1 Ag district in Texas, and the farmers and ranchers in my district are experiencing out of control input costs for fertilizer, fuel, and basic parts for equipment. I can assure you the legislation we're voting on today will make matters worse.

A spending and regulatory agenda that compounds the situation and further limits the American Ag industry's ability to meet global food demands is not the answer.

Instead, I urge the Speaker to abandon this bill and bring H.R. 8069, the Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act, to the House Floor.

H.R. 8069 will actually support our farmers and ranchers by ensuring they have regulatory certainty so that they may grow abundant and affordable food and fiber.

Rather than generate additional layers of bureaucracy and regulatory compliance with H.R. 7606, Congress should take up H.R. 8069 immediately.

I thank Ranking Member G.T. Thompson for his leadership on the right approach, H.R. 8069, and I urge my colleagues to vote NO on H.R. 7606.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to a serious issue facing all of rural America: the Biden administration and the radical left's war on agriculture.

Today, the House will vote on H.R. 7606, which will exacerbate fractured supply chains, skyrocketing input costs, and historic levels of inflation, all of which are hammering American consumers.

This bill is the latest attempt to scapegoat private industry rather than address the real needs and concerns of farmers, ranchers, and rural Americans. We know the Biden administration and my colleagues across the aisle see Americans in the oil and gas industry as the enemy, and I truly believe they now see farmers and ranchers as the enemy, too.

Mr. Speaker, I want my constituents back home in Texas to know that this is something I am fighting for every day. I represent the number one ag district in the State of Texas, and farmers and ranchers in my district are experiencing out-of-control input costs for fertilizer, fuel, and basic parts for equipment. I can assure you the legislation we are voting on today will make that worse.

A spending and regulatory agenda that compounds the situation further limits American ag industry's ability to meet global food demands is not the answer.

Madam Speaker, today I am proud to recognize Judge Hugh Reed of Claude, Texas as he gathers with friends, family, longtime colleagues, and members of the community to celebrate his retirement and 70th birthday. After nearly 34 years of distinguished service to the fine people of Armstrong County as County Judge, I know I speak for the whole county when I say we are grateful for his service and wish him well in retirement.

When asked about the best part of the job in a 2015 interview, Judge Reed expressed gratitude to his constituents for giving him the honor to serve them. Representing the people of Armstrong County is a clear passion for Judge Reed, and I am confident that he will be missed in his retirement as he served Armstrong County with diligence and honor.

In addition to his service as County Judge, Judge Reed also served our country in the U.S Marine Corps for 21 years. He is someone who truly knows what it means to make sacrifices for the betterment of his community and country.

Judge Reed is an incredible leader with an unwavering commitment to West Texas. His legacy will be remembered in Armstrong County for generations to come. I stand here today to thank Judge Reed for his contribution and service to the people of Armstrong County, and to wish him a happy 70th birthday.

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 thank my colleague from Indiana for the time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about two great patriots who I am proud to call my friends, Dan Scavino and Peter Navarro. These two men have served our country honorably. Sadly, they are now targets of the political witch hunt simply because they served our country and they are loyal to our great former President, Donald J. Trump.

The illegitimate January 6th Committee's ruthless crusade against President Trump and his close allies is yet another smear on this great body. It will go down in history as another failed attempt by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to bring down good people simply because they disagree with their political beliefs.

As someone who has been a target of the left and their ruthless tactics in the past, I know firsthand how damaging this can be. The American people are tired of this partisan January 6 circus. It is time to stop this nonsense now.

I urge my colleagues to stand up against this charade and oppose this baseless resolution.

Madam Speaker, today I am proud to recognize the City of Valley View, Texas, as residents come together to celebrate the Valley View Post Office's 150th birthday on Saturday, March 26, 2022.

Located in Cooke County, the town was first settled by the Lee family in 1870. By 1872, L.W. Lee had plotted a beautiful new town on his land and named it Valley View, presumably for the view offered at the site of Spring Valley. With the grand opening of the Valley View Post Office that same year, the community would start with 18 families and prosper tremendously over the next 150 years.

The community's first school, hotel, steam gristmills, cotton gins, churches, and general stores tell an important part of Valley View's history, but I believe it is the fine people of Valley View who represent the best aspects of the town. This community has reached its 150th birthday through the generations of hard work and love for their community. Today, the United States Congress honors them.

I am honored to represent the residents of Valley View here in Congress. This community is rich in history and its people are rooted in our shared Texas values. I wish them a joyous celebration of the past 150 years. Here's to 150 more.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of a critical piece of legislation that comes before Congress each year, the National Defense Authorization Act. First, I thank Ranking Member Rogers and his staff for their outstanding leadership in this effort.

This bill modernizes our force, gives a well-deserved raise to our servicemembers, and provides them with the equipment they need to compete with China, Russia, and Iran.

For the 13th District of Texas, this bill will protect the nuclear triad, it will modernize the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, and it will support training done at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls. It also included provisions that I authored to put servicemembers first and ensure the safety of all of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and guardians.

This NDAA also pushes back on the unconstitutional vaccine mandate, and it holds the Biden administration accountable for its failed Afghanistan withdrawal.

Just as important, there are some notable provisions that are not included. This bill does not contain harmful provisions that threaten the Second Amendment and it does not require our daughters to register for the draft.

Bottom line: This bill is a win for the military, it is a win for the Texas 13th Congressional District, and it is a win for this country.

Madam Speaker, I missed votes today fulfilling my official duties and meeting with constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 307.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment, as it cuts funding for the W87-1 warhead, which will be assembled at the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas.

These are funds that have been mentioned or requested by President Biden and are broadly supported across all of Congress. Cutting funding for the W87-1 would be irresponsible and unsafe, as it is slated to replace the W78, which will soon be the oldest weapon in the stockpile.

This program was started by Obama, continued by Trump, and is now being funded by Biden. It has been a great success as it has hit all of its markers and is on track to reach IOC and deliver the first unit in 2030.

Further, plutonium pits for the W87-1 will eventually be produced at the Los Alamos National Lab and Savannah River Site, giving us a production capability that we do not currently have.

For these reasons and the others mentioned by my colleagues, I urge everyone to oppose this far-left attempt to unilaterally disarm the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment, which clearly states that Israel is a critical defense partner of ours. Our national security is inextricably linked to our relationship with and our military's support for Israel.

As our strongest ally in the Middle East, it is critical that we conduct military exercises with Israel to improve interoperability and readiness. We must ensure that Israel has the capabilities it needs to defend itself against terrorists with consistent and reliable transfers of defense articles.

Last year, President Trump negotiated the historic Abraham Accords, and to honor that, my amendment states clear support for Israel's work to promote peace. While some in this body have made their disdain for the Jewish State of Israel clear, I believe our relationship with Israel is nonnegotiable.

Our friends in Israel are currently questioning our commitment because some of my more radical colleagues forced the Speaker to withdraw financial support for the Iron Dome yesterday.

I urge all Members of this body to support my amendment. We must take this step to show the only democracy in the Middle East that they can count on us for support.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of one of the most important bills that comes before Congress, the NDAA. This year's NDAA follows the National Defense Strategy by modernizing our military, providing a pay raise for servicemembers, and restoring readiness.

This legislation will modernize our nuclear triad, supporting the work done at the Pantex plant in Amarillo.

The NDAA also includes provisions that will support Sheppard Air Force Base by funding the new fighter trainer and authorizing military construction for a new child development center.

Also included are countless provisions I authored that put servicemembers first and ensure the safety of all soldiers, airmen, marines, and guardians.

The NDAA continues efforts on the Future Vertical Lift to make sure we have a rotary aircraft that can operate in future conflicts with China or Russia.

As we consider amendments, I hope that this bill remains focused on national security and can be passed in a good-faith manner as we did almost unanimously in committee.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Rogers for their leadership in putting together a bipartisan defense bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask that this body consider H.R. 18, a bill that would make the Hyde amendment permanent. The Hyde amendment ensures Federal tax dollars are not spent on murdering innocent babies. It has enjoyed bipartisan support for over 40 years now.

But now the Hyde amendment is under attack because my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have shifted so far to the left that they apparently don't feel human life is worth fighting for.

Here in Congress, we have a duty to our constituents to consider legislation on the most pressing issues of our time. But so far we have been blocked from voting or even debating on this critical legislation.

I will never give up in fighting for the most vulnerable among us, and I will also speak up for those who can't speak for themselves.

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.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 4502, which would block the IRS from targeting people or groups based on their political beliefs.

Unelected bureaucrats at the IRS have a history of weaponizing their power to go after conservatives. Mr. Speaker, you may recall the Lois Lerner scandal that happened during the Obama-Biden administration. In that case, the IRS targeted conservative groups by subjecting their application for tax-exempt status to increased and unnecessary scrutiny, effectively trying to silence their political beliefs.

Now, as President Biden, Joe Biden, has made it clear, his administration will weaponize big tech to go after conservatives, too. There is a trend here, and Congress must act. People and organizations should not be silenced because of their political beliefs.

If it can happen to conservatives, then it can happen to liberals too, so every Member in this body has a duty to protect their constituents from potential IRS abuse. My amendment would help make sure things like the Lois Lerner scandal never happen again at the IRS.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in voting for this commonsense amendment.

Ms. DeLauro. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 45 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, the amendments en bloc includes a number of proposals offered by Members on both sides of the aisle. It includes amendments offered by Democrats and Republicans, and several offered jointly by Members of both parties on which the vast majority of this body can agree.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this bipartisan amendments en bloc, and I reserve the balance of my time.