Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to honor the life of Jane A. Wittmeyer, a woman who was deeply dedicated to giving back to our great state of Idaho. The passing of Jane on October 25, 2023, after bravely battling Alzheimer's, is deeply felt by many.

Born in Kansas City and raised in Platte City, Jane was known for insatiable curiosity and love for life. She graduated from Platte High School in 1973 and went to pursue her passion of Horticulture at Kansas State University, earning her BS degree. Jane furthered her education achieving an MBA in International Relations from George Washington University followed by a PhD from Virginia Tech University. Her passion for learning led her to completing Senior Managers in Government Courses from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government in addition to the Library of Congress's Staff Training courses,

In pursuit of her dreams, Jane relocated to Weiser, Idaho, where she found fulfillment with her career and community. She was instrumental in establishing the first Young Republicans chapter in Payette County, showing her dedication to civic engagement and leadership.

Throughout her life, Jane radiated positivity and joy, even in the face of adversity. Despite her battle, she continued to find joy by being surrounded by family. Jane will be dearly missed by her husband, Brent Olmstead, children Tyler Gorsuch, Katie Gorsuch, stepsons Jacob Olmstead, Berkley Olmstead, and Murphy Olmstead, siblings John Wittmeyer, Mary Andra, and Mark Wittmeyer. She was preceded in death by her parents Ralph and Lucy Wittmeyer and her sister Julie Wittmeyer.

Jane's impact on those around her was immeasurable, and her memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Max Clark Black. Max passed away surrounded by loved ones on November 10, 2023. He leaves behind a legacy of public service, having served 20 years as a Representative in the Idaho State Legislature, where I had the pleasure of serving alongside him.

Max was a dedicated husband of 62 years to Clydene Salmon Black and a loving father to Jeffrey, Gary, and Wendi. A lifelong learner and passionate historian, Max enjoyed crafting wooden items and was a devoted fan of Boise State University athletics.

Max is survived by his wife, Clydene Salmon Black, children Jeffrey Clyde Black, (Deanna Black), Gary Ernest Black (Kyra Burstedt Black), and Wendi Black Cleverly (Kyle G. Cleverly), 9 grandchildren, and numerous relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Reveau Black and Bonnie Black Edwards, his brothers Keith Ernest Black and Shirl R. Black, his brother-in-law Gordon Eugene Edwards and his sister-in-law Shari Lyn Draper Black, nephews Robert Kim Black, Matthew Shirl Black, and Gregory Dale Kehl.

Max will be remembered not only for his professional achievements, but his unwavering devotion to his faith, family, and community. His presence will be deeply missed.

Mr. Speaker, President Biden is constantly putting his Green New Deal ideology ahead of the American people when it comes to the U.S. energy sector. From canceling the Keystone pipeline to ending Federal drilling projects, the President has weakened our domestic energy production since his first day in office, leading to sky-high oil prices across the country and a loss of nearly 11,000 American jobs.

Now, the administration is performing the same song and dance in the name of climate change by halting exports of liquefied natural gas abroad. It is lunacy.

I am proud to join 150 of my Republican colleagues, led by Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, in a letter to the President expressing our concerns and our opposition to this decision.

LNG is a clean energy source. By cutting off American exports, we are forcing our allies into the arms of nations

often hostile to America. By the way, they often have zero environmental regulations.

Over the last 2 years, the EU has been forced to import 40 percent more LNG from Russia, directly funding Russian aggression in Ukraine with roughly $21 billion in 2022 alone.

If kept intact, our LNG industry is projected to bring up to 452,000 additional jobs to hardworking Americans by 2040, adding some $50 billion to $73 billion to our economy. Plus, we gain the economic leverage as an economic exporter of energy to other nations.

Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H. Res. 987, Denouncing the harmful, anti-American energy policies of the Biden administration, I urge my colleagues to put an end to Biden's war on the U.S. energy sector. It is time to prioritize the well-being of Americans over the flawed ideologies of the Green New Deal.

Mr. Speaker, President Biden is sacrificing American jobs and supporting Vladimir Putin's aggression by pausing U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas abroad, all in the name of climate change.

In typical D.C. fashion, the President has refused to look at the facts before threatening our energy infrastructure. Not only is LNG a clean energy source, it is abundantly produced in our own backyard. By cutting off American LNG, we are forcing our allies into the arms of nations with zero environmental regulations.

Over the last 2 years, the EU has been forced to import nearly 40 percent more LNG from Russia, directly funding Russian aggression in Ukraine with roughly $21 billion in 2022 alone.

If kept intact, our LNG industry is projected to bring up to 452,000 additional jobs to hardworking Americans by 2040, adding $50 billion to $73 billion to our economy.

It is time to prioritize the well-being of Americans over the flawed ideologies of the Green New Deal.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 15, H.R. 2872.

Mr. Speaker, how many more innocent lives need to be lost before Secretary Mayorkas and President Biden realize that securing our border is more than an immigration issue? It is a fundamental duty we owe to the American people.

Since President Biden took office, over 7 million encounters have taken place on our southern border, and that number continues to climb at an unsettling rate, with roughly 10,000 additional crossings each day.

The United States offers more legal immigration than anywhere in the world. The individuals entering illegally are not all coming with hopes of living out the American Dream. They are helping China bring more than 26,000 pounds of fentanyl across the border. They are trafficking an all-time high number of vulnerable women and children. They are known terrorists on the FBI watch list and more.

U.S. taxpayers are the ones footing the bill to cover emergency care, housing, shelter, and more for these illegal immigrants.

It is imperative the President and Senate pass the Secure the Border Act to fortify the safety of our country and protect our citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Florida for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to express my support for the National Plan to End Parkinson's Act, which addresses one of the most pressing health challenges of our time, Parkinson's disease. It is a debilitating brain disorder that disrupts the lives and families across our Nation, including those in my immediate family, as well.

H.R. 2365 puts forth a much-needed proactive approach, mandating Health and Human Services to formulate and regularly update a national plan coordinating efforts to not only prevent and slow the progression of Parkinson's but to ultimately find a cure.

This bill will help lift up hope for loved ones and caregivers impacted by the disease by enhancing the diagnosis, treatment, and care provided to those affected by Parkinson's.

As previously mentioned, this includes supporting research for a new biomarker researchers recently discovered that can provide intelligence on the presence of an abnormal protein in the brain and body that is a known indicator of Parkinson's disease.

If researchers can find these types of biomarkers in the brain and body, then doctors can better detect who has the disease or may be at a high risk of developing it, and that can lead to an earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment.

Many people across the Nation have had to deal with the emotional and financial challenges that come with taking care of a loved one stricken with this cruel disease.

This legislation comes at an imperative time. According to the Parkinson's Foundation, nearly 90,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease every year. That is nearly a 50 percent increase over previous years. Today, nearly 1 million people in the U.S. are living with the dreaded disease, and that is projected to grow to 1.2 million by the end of this decade.

The cost to families is devastating when it comes to medications, surgeries, and other treatments. There are nearly $52 billion per year in costs and lost income in the U.S.

Mr. Speaker, this is a cruel disease. My grandfather, Finley; my father, Gale; and my brother, Scott, have fallen prey to this disease, but there is hope.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join forces in passing this bill. Together, we can pave the way for a future where Parkinson's disease is not a sentence but a condition we have conquered through our shared dedication to the health and well-being of the American people.

This bill would not be possible without Representative Wexton. So I will close by saying to my friend and colleague: There is hope. This disease may touch my friend physically, but it can never touch her soul. May God bless my friend.

Mr. Speaker, there is no reason our Nation should be importing natural resources from Russia as we have an abundance of untapped energy resources right here under our feet.

H.R. 1042, the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act, represents a crucial step forward in protecting our national security, safeguarding our interests, and ensuring the responsible use of nuclear energy within the United States.

We must recognize the importance of having safe nuclear energy in our national energy portfolio and the related need for responsible sourcing of critical minerals like uranium.

The risk of relying on Russian imports is just too high. Becoming energy independent will make us stronger in the long run. We must utilize our domestic resources and our trustworthy friends. Let us consider the strategic importance of securing our own nuclear supply chain.

By passing H.R. 1042, we affirm our commitment to energy independence, national security, and responsible governance.

Mr. Speaker, the EPA is forcing electric vehicles upon Americans by using a tailpipe emissions rule designed to phase out vehicles with internal combustion engines. In so doing, the EPA imposes an unwise restrictive policy and eliminates consumer choice.

The Clean Air Act directs the EPA to reduce pollutant emissions from vehicles themselves; however, electric vehicles are entirely separate products. They are not emission-controlled devices like catalytic converters in combustion engine cars.

By setting emission standards at a stringent rate, the EPA is essentially mandating substitution of a different product to comply with tailpipe standards.

This goes beyond existing authority and tries to circumvent congressional powers, and that is illegal.

Instead of ripping away consumer choice, the EPA should do its job and stop enforcing irrelevant rules to meet political objectives. Those in favor of the EPA's rules here use the term ``sound science.'' Well, cutting off vehicles that have shown tremendous improvements in efficiency with less emissions is denying scientific gains.

What would actually help Americans is driving lower fuel prices through domestic production with reliable baseload energy sources like nuclear, hydro, geothermal, natural gas, and clean burning coal.

We need to stop attempting to control what vehicle drivers can purchase and instead focus on what the people elected them to do.

Mr. Speaker, we need to protect people's rights and choices, and pass H.R. 4468, the CARS Act.

Mr. Chair, our Nation's security is at risk. This is due to the Biden administration's failure to secure our southern border. Since he took office, over 6.4 million illegal immigrants have entered our country from the South. There are at least 279 on the FBI's terrorist watch list and that is just what we know of.

Terrorists from across the world see our southern border as an easy way to enter the U.S. Lord only knows what other threats are coming into our country with bad intent. My home State of Idaho is comprised of over 62 percent Federal land, so this is beyond just concerning to me. Idaho has also been gravely impacted by this border crisis, despite its geographical separation from the South.

Mr. Chair, I am proud to support Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act of 2023. I encourage my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, under the leadership of President Biden, the world is in chaos.

Failures in Afghanistan, the escalation in Russia, embrace of Iran, and kowtowing to the Chinese are all examples of his foreign policy legacy on this world.

When President Biden's leadership leads to disaster, demands for U.S. aid and support dramatically increase.

I stand firm in support of Israel as they fight the onslaught of terrorism on their borders.

Speaking of borders, Mr. Speaker, why is it that we throw billions of dollars at other foreign borders when we won't protect our own? Last month, we broke the all-time record for illegal entries into our country, a record this administration should be ashamed of.

With domestic terror threats at an all-time high, we must reorient our focus to our southern border to stop potential terror attacks caused by bad policy.

We must secure the border first. Then, we can discuss immigration reform. We can't have reform without border security.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, thank you to my seatmate, Congressman Simpson, for his overall work on this larger appropriations package. It is not a simple thing to do right now.

My amendment will restrict funds to implement section 216 of Executive Order No. 14008, which aims to supposedly conserve 30 percent of our Nation's lands and waters by 2030.

Over the last 2 years, my colleagues and I on the Committee on Natural Resources have introduced legislation to reverse President Biden's land grab and environmental extremism through this 30 by 30 initiative. My constituents in Idaho are tired of interference and overreach by the Federal Government as it tries to place more use mandates on land.

Sixty-three percent of Idaho's landmass is federally controlled. If it is truly the goal of this administration to increase federally controlled land by another 30 percent, in that case, States in the West, Idaho included, already disproportionately share in the economic distress associated with this federally controlled land.

If the lands in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Maine, and other eastern States were locked up by federally run bureaucracies like those in the West, I am sure more of my colleagues from those States would share the same desire that I have to restrict further expansion on the Federal Government's land footprint.

In addition, there is a direct correlation between the percentage of Federal landmass with increased budget costs, and, as we continue to face record-breaking deficits, debt, and debt financing, we certainly don't need to expand our cost centers.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and stop this land-grab effort through this 30 by 30 initiative by the Federal Government.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent to reclaim my time.

Mr. Chair, I point out that the amount of federally controlled lands is nowhere equal across our country. In Idaho, it is 32.8 million acres, and, to my good friend from Maine, it is 301,000.

You can't possibly contemplate the ramifications that has when it comes to local governance and land management for your entire State.

When it comes to federally controlled land, enough is enough. Our Federal resources are overwhelmed, and they are not in a good position to manage this landmass, and so oftentimes they don't, and more Federal use mandates reduce our overall wise land management.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Israel and H. Res. 771.

Israel is our most important partner in fighting terrorism. In fact, they are the first line of defense for the U.S. when it comes to terrorism because the sources of that terrorism are the same for both of us.

Israel is a fabulous intelligence partner. I liken them to a giant antenna in the Middle East that serves and provides information to America.

As the only true democracy in the Middle East, Israel is a beacon for the American ideals of freedom, personal liberty, and market economy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand together and support Israel and H. Res. 771.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at noon on Monday, September 18, 2023, for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding.

This is an important week when it comes to the vehicles that we have and the access to those vehicles.

To that end, I rise in support of an upcoming bill, H.R. 1435, Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act.

If the leftist central planners get their way, the internal combustion engine could be outlawed by 2035 or sooner.

The Biden administration and big city do-gooders want to ban the internal combustion engine with climate change as the excuse, but the facts speak otherwise. In 2021, 93 percent of light-duty vehicles sold were powered by gasoline or flex-fuel variants.

From cleaner technologies, advanced fuels, and lower carbon emissions, the internal combustion engine continues to be valued by consumers from all walks of life.

Consumer choice is essential in rural areas where farmers, ranchers, and small towns need access to reliable transportation and fuel. Forcing electric vehicles on the masses through compulsion defeats the very purpose of the consumer marketplace.

H.R. 1435 stops the attack on reliable and affordable transportation options. Consumer choice in vehicles keeps education accessible, employment a reality, and healthcare options in reach.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of H.R. 1435.

Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, only in California can something like that be brought up, but, yes, that is my understanding. That is the direction they are going.

That affects everyone else. We didn't even get into the whole topic of just the overall economic and environmental impact, and the resources necessary to build these electric cars. The resources need to be sourced in unfriendly areas because we don't allow ourselves to produce those components here. We are talking about lead, we are talking about lithium, we are talking about the things that those vehicles need. You probably know this, but if not, the places where they get sourced are not exactly economically or environmentally friendly.

This is a very bad situation, and it is up to us to try to do something about it.

That is true. H.R. 1435 is not the only answer, but it certainly is a step in the right direction. Just keep our internal combustion engines alive and going.

By the way, the cleanliness of the vehicles that we have, the internal combustion engines we have now have been getting continually better and better and better and more efficient. So this whole ruse about climate change being the purpose that this needs to happen is just totally flawed.