Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, I was one of 169 House Members who signed a letter to President Trump urging him to reject any appropriations legislation that would undermine pro-life protections. The President agreed. He agreed that long-standing pro-life provisions should be retained and has promised to veto any bill that weakens those pro-life protections.

Unfortunately, the legislation before us not only strips pro-life provisions, but it includes language that, in fact, undermines efforts to promote life. In this bill, Democrats included provisions that would prevent the Trump administration from implementing its Title X and conscience protection rules to protect life.

The Title X Family Planning rule ensures that Federal funds do not go to facilities that perform or promote abortion as family planning. For more than 40 years, this country has operated under the policy that not one cent of taxpayer money can be used to fund abortion.

We are a Nation that deeply values religious liberty, and this rule further protects Americans' tax dollars from being forced to subsidize entities that kill unborn children.

Accordingly, I am fully supportive of Representative Roby's amendment, that we will debate this afternoon, to strike the language that would halt this important rule and the other amendments that will restore pro-life policies to this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support these provisions.

Madam Speaker, at the start of this Congress, the new Democratic majority promised that legislation would be considered under regular order. Six months into Congress, it is evident that that promise has been abandoned altogether.

Instead, the majority has used a procedural tactic to set spending levels and circumvent the normal budget process. There is now no sign of a 2020 budget resolution coming before the House to set spending levels, so the full House has no opportunity to debate these levels as a standalone bill.

The national debt exceeded $22 trillion this year. The American people expect us to debate and vote on a budget that will outline the direction of our Nation. However, without having passed the budget, the House will consider a massive spending bill this week that combines five appropriations bills. Altogether, the package includes nearly $1 trillion in spending. Members will take this vote to spend with no plan or agreement between the House and Senate on an overall budget.

I call on the majority to follow through on its promise of regular order and bring a budget before the House so that we can debate the out-of-control spending and how it can be reined in and reined in now.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of nine young men and women who have accepted the call to serve our Nation, beginning with their nominations to one of our prestigious U.S. service academies.

Each has excelled academically and has shown strong leadership through extracurricular activities. Today, I applaud the following nominees.

Harry Combs, Gabriel Compres, Rayna Drigo, Jackson Pepe, and Carlton Potter will be attending the United States Military Academy.

Treyvon Poe and Zane Richardson will both be attending the United States Naval Academy.

Kenya Smith will be attending the United States Air Force Academy.

And Andrew Campbell will be attending the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

This group of students reflects one of the best and brightest in Florida's 15th

District. I congratulate them. I am honored to nominate them to our service academies, and I am confident that they will serve our country with distinction.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize three schools that recently finished excellent high school baseball seasons.

First, I want to congratulate Lakeland Christian, who capped off a 24-win season by winning the Florida Class 3A State championship on June 1. It was no small feat to knock off a three-time defending State champion, but under the leadership of Coach Blane Fox, they won 3 to 1. This was the first Polk County team to win a baseball State title in 24 years.

Second, it should come as no surprise to those who know Florida baseball that it was two Hillsborough County schools, Plant City and Strawberry Crest, that faced off in the Class 8A championship on May 30.

Plant City, under the leadership of Coach Michael Fryrear got off to a quick start and never looked back, winning 3 to 1 over Coach Eric Beattie's Strawberry Crest team and finishing the season with 30 wins.

I congratulate Florida Class 3A State champions, Lakeland Christian; Class 8A State champions, Plant City; and Class 8A runner-up, Strawberry Crest. Madam Speaker, all three teams should be proud of their accomplishments over this past season.

Madam Speaker, this country was built by great leaders on the bedrock of even greater ideals. The idea that all are created equal and endowed with those certain inalienable rights.

The idea that democracy was instituted not to bestow rights given to us by God, but to safeguard them from tyranny. The conviction that a government's power to protect our rights comes solely by consent of the governed. But as we are a country of imperfect leaders, we often fall far short of these perfect ideals.

And 100 years ago today, great women brought this country into a new age; an age where women are endowed with that inalienable right to vote; an age where women can safeguard their rights at the ballot box; an age where the power of our democracy comes from the consent of all the governed.

And at a time when a woman serves as Speaker of the House and there are more Congresswomen with us today than at any other point in our history.

We are in this age because of great women. And I am honored to share this House with so many of you.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Zion Lutheran Church in Groveland, Florida, for celebrating 100 years of service to the community.

For the past 100 years, Zion has stood as a shining example to the people of Groveland of what it means to be a Christian. Under Reverend Werley's leadership, the congregation has actively shown God's love through service.

The church regularly provides backpacks and school supplies to four schools in the area, which are then given to students who need them most.

Additionally, many women in the church also operate a knitting ministry, where they knit prayer shawls and blankets for people who are spending time in hospitals and nursing homes. Many of these gifts come with a prayer so that the recipient knows that they are not alone in their time of need.

Beyond these and many other acts of kindness, Zion has consistently spread the good news to the people of Florida. The church has led by example and shown what it means to live like Christ for generations of Floridians.

You may be small in numbers, but you are, indeed, large in spirit.

Mr. Speaker, I happen to be a Christian, and I am grateful. I am grateful to have been born in a nation where my beliefs and those of every other American are legally protected by our Constitution.

It is no coincidence that the very First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees religious liberty. Our Nation was settled by men and women from all over the world with divergent beliefs and conviction. We were Catholics, Puritans, Lutherans, Jews, Baptists, Hindus, Anglicans, Quakers, and Muslims.

This rich and diverse cultural melting pot was the soil in which the guarantees of the First Amendment were planted, sprouted, and grew very strong. And over these last 230 years, the freedom of Americans to worship and believe as their conscience and their God dictates has become deeply and firmly rooted in our Nations's heritage, laws, and jurisprudence. But although deeply rooted, I fear we have forgotten and neglected its fundamental importance.

The First Amendment was adopted long ago, but freedom--freedom--is always a new idea. Coretta Scott King wisely said: ``Freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation.''

H.R. 5 is bad for freedom. You see, it would immediately expose churches, religious schools, and universities and faith-based organizations to legal liability for simply following their earnest beliefs. It would essentially allow the government to place its hard and unyielding fist inside the church walls to force compliance with the convictions and dictates of the State instead of the church.

H.R. 5 is bad for freedom. It would force small businesses, small business owners all across this country to provide services or products to the public that may violate their deeply held, faith-based convictions, again, allowing the State to essentially impose from above, top down, its own moral codes and rules in place of those of the individual.

H.R. 5 is bad for freedom. It is a large leap backward for parental rights, pitting physicians against parents, the genuine religious convictions of parents when their child seeks life-altering, irreversible sex reassignment treatment before that child has even developed physically or emotionally, once again, government inserting its rigid fist and iron will, this time, directly into the family unit.

H.R. 5 is bad for freedom. It would, in one fell swoop, deliver a crushing blow to the base of the tree of religious liberty, the tree that has grown strong and provided shade and protection for many for so long.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor First Lieutenant Hope Kirkendall, a distinguished veteran from Lakeland, Florida, who served in World War II.

Lieutenant Kirkendall heard the call to serve after seeing the bombing of Pearl Harbor when she was only 18 years old.

She joined the Army as a nurse, where she was one of the first women deployed to Normandy after D-Day. During her deployment, she routinely worked 12- to 16-hour days near the front lines of many major battles, including the Battle of the Bulge.

She treated both wounded American and German soldiers. In 2004, she received the French Legion of Honor award for her service in saving France from German occupiers.

Lieutenant Kirkendall provided hope to many on the battlefield, and her legacy continues to provide hope to us at home.

Lieutenant Kirkendall represents our very best, and I thank her for all that she has done to defend and serve our great Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Infrastructure Week, a week to highlight the importance and necessity of rebuilding our country's crumbling infrastructure, thus investing in our own future.

The American Society of Civil Engineers gives U.S. infrastructure a ``D plus'' with over 56,000 bridges considered structurally deficient, major airports unable to keep up with the demand and outdated water pipelines experiencing an estimated 240,000 water main breaks annually.

In fact, my own district in Central Florida, one of the fastest growing in America, is crisscrossed by Interstate 4, which has been deemed one of the most dangerous highways in the entire Nation.

The need to invest in highway improvements, auxiliary roads, public

transportation, and airports is palpable.

As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, upgrading infrastructure with 21st century technology would benefit all Americans, and can be done in a bipartisan manner.

If we seek to sustain the economic growth witnessed these last 2 years or simply keep our citizenry safe, further expansion of infrastructure hubs is necessary, and we should no longer delay in investing in our future. It is time to build and time for Congress to get to work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring transparency and attention to a bill coming for a vote before this House tomorrow.

H.R. 986, the so-called Protecting Americans With Preexisting Conditions Act, is undoubtedly one of the most deceptive bills to come before this Congress.

The bill does not once mention protecting those with preexisting conditions. The only place those words appear is in the title.

The bill merely prevents States from opting out of two provisions of ObamaCare, and neither of those provisions protect those with preexisting conditions.

Some wrongly believe that the American people won't read beyond the title of a bill. They are wrong. They will. Americans care.

There is enough real division in this country. House Democratic leadership shouldn't willfully manufacture discord through deception.

Furthermore, as someone with a preexisting medical condition, I find it loathsome that anyone would use our health for their political games. These are real Americans with real illnesses, and they deserve actions, not games.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring attention to National Small Business Week. Celebrated for over 50 years, we take this week to recognize the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices of America's entrepreneurs and small business owners and the important role that they play in our Nation.

Today, there are over 30 million small businesses in America, accounting for nearly 60 million employees, or just about half our workforce. They are the keystone of our national economy.

As a former small business owner myself, I know what it takes to make payroll, attract customers, train and manage employees, and, at times, struggle just to keep the lights on. I can attest, it is not easy.

Today, thank God, small businesses in America are experiencing economic prosperity like never before, yet challenges remain. As policymakers, we must foster an environment in which small businesses can thrive, with limited regulations and tax policy that rewards hard work and incentivizes growth.

We are a nation of small businesses, and small businesses deserve our national support.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the National Day of Prayer, a day that exists to encourage prayer for America.

Since our country's founding, from Washington to Lincoln to Kennedy to Trump, prayer to our Creator has served as our most important resource during times of celebration and days of trial.

With the same spirit as those who fled the shores of Europe to escape religious persecution, we welcome this day as one in which we can come together as a people in gratitude for our freedoms and our prosperity, but also in earnest petition for forgiveness, unity, mercy, guidance, and favor.

The National Day of Prayer is a day for all Americans to reflect on our many blessings and to recognize where our ultimate source of strength and hope comes from--our Creator.

At a time in history where our Nation is more divided than ever, I call for us to commit ourselves to prayer this day, to seek the God which has blessed this Nation for 242 years, and to begin again to live out this year's theme, to love and serve one another.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the nation of Israel for holding its national elections yesterday.

As the sole democracy in the Middle East, it not only sets an example to its neighbors, but it is a key ally in spreading peace, democracy, and prosperity throughout the world.

I also want to recognize the thousands of people who traveled to Washington recently for this year's AIPAC conference.

It has been an honor to work with so many of my colleagues on legislation that will not only help secure Israel militarily but also allow it to thrive economically. Countries in the region should take note of what is possible when they work in good faith and, most importantly, seek peace.

As NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in this Chamber last week, it is good to have friends. I am honored to count Israel as one of our closest and greatest friends.

I look forward to working with a united Congress to support the Jewish state and to spread democracy wherever tyranny exists.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the worsening humanitarian and national security crisis on our southern border. In the past 6 months alone, over 200,000 migrants have been detained by the Border Patrol, nearly twice as many as the previous year.

Currently, caravans of migrants are headed north with little to no opposition by neighboring governments. The U.S. must demand regional cooperation. While fleeing their countries to escape poverty, gang violence, and crime, they fall victim to coyotes and criminals on the trek to our border, including women and children.

Our immigration facilities are too full to house, and our court systems are too burdened to process, these cases. This results in migrants being released into America, most never to be seen again.

We have a moral obligation to American families across this land to close these immigration loopholes, secure our borders, and restore the rule of law.

Congress must fix our broken immigration system, and we must do it now.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Herman Jenkins, a native Floridian, African American, and World War II veteran who, today, turns 100 years old.

Mr. Jenkins enlisted in the United States Army in 1943 when he was 24 years old, was stationed in northern France, and fought to defend Western civilization against the Nazi regime.

He rose to the rank of corporal and received numerous recognitions, including the Conduct Medal, the American Theater Ribbon, and a World War II Victory Ribbon.

After being honorably discharged in 1946, he returned to Lakeland, Florida, where he married his wife, Essie Mae Bryant, and together gave birth to their daughter, Sheila.

Upon returning to Lakeland, Mr. Jenkins entered the retail industry and enjoyed a successful career as a manager of several stores in our community. He also owned his own photography business and continues to be a skilled photographer, chef, and musician. However, his greatest passion is being a loving husband to his wife, Essie, daughter, Sheila, four grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.

Mr. Jenkins has made a permanent and positive impact in defending our Nation and building our community, and for that, sir, I thank you. I wish you a very happy birthday and hope that your next 100 years are better than your last.