Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my sometimes friend from Louisiana for that kind introduction and thank him so much for yielding.

Madam Speaker, the current state of our economy is like a car about to blow through a railroad crossing. As the car approaches the tracks, indicator lights flash red warning of danger ahead. Despite warnings, the car tries to beat the oncoming train across the tracks. We have all seen this scenario. The train T-bones the car at full speed leaving it in pieces.

Think of this preventable crash in economic terms. We are ignoring flashing red fiscal indicators like rising inflation, as illustrated in some of the issues right here; weak labor force participation; and $28 trillion of national debt. We need to heed these warnings. If we don't, we face the complete destruction of our entire economy.

Joe Biden and the Democrats are crashing our economy. They control the spending in Congress and the Federal agencies overseeing various sectors of the economy. Since these folks don't seem to care or want to work with us Republicans, they are the only ones who can stop this out- of-control economy from colliding with disaster.

Instead of steering the economy away from danger, Joe Biden and the Democrats are going to put the pedal to the metal in pursuit of their multitrillion dollar, far-left political agenda. Their expensive socialist plan recklessly overstimulates the economy, pays folks not to work, and bloats our national debt.

Pumping trillions into our economy will devalue the American dollar. Combine this with rising prices, everyday folks won't be able to afford a whole lot. Democrats risk crashing the economy if they choose to move forward with their political agenda, Madam Speaker.

Let's not lie about who is going to be hurt the most if this happens. It will be our poor and working-class folks, our fellow Americans--both the Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals. Paychecks just won't go as far as they did before, as we are seeing already. Vulnerable folks will struggle to afford basic goods and services for their families.

Picture that car colliding with the train, Madam Speaker. Think of that total devastation. It can be prevented if the flashing red warning signs are taken seriously and heeded. Joe Biden and the Democrats need to get control of our economy or let the Republicans take the wheel.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to John G. Stewart, who passed away in September at the age of 86 years.

John led an accomplished public service career, Mr. Speaker. It was highlighted by his work on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as an aide to then-Senator Hubert Humphrey. When Humphrey became Vice President in 1965, John joined him in President Lyndon Johnson's administration.

John left Washington for Knoxville in 1980, continuing his career at the Tennessee Valley Authority as an assistant general manager and vice president for economic and community development. He retired from TVA in 1994. John also founded the Georgian Institute of Public Administration in the Republic of Georgia and served as a consultant on NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel.

All who were close to John can attest that he cared about people in an extraordinary way. For example, after the 2008 Kingston coal ash spill, John and Nancy raised funds for workers whose health was severely harmed during the cleanup effort.

John also fought for the people who couldn't fight for themselves and looked out for the little guy. His generous spirit touched everyone in his life, and he will be missed by all who knew him. John is survived by his wife of 64 years, Nancy, and two children, Mike and Cara.

It is not in my notes, but on a personal note, John helped me when I was in the State senate to abolish Tennessee's sales tax on food. He will be missed.

Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Hern for that wonderful and accurate introduction, and thank him for being my friend.

Madam Speaker, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and the far-left Democrats are playing the American people for fools. They are claiming their insane multi-trillion dollar agenda will cost nothing. Nothing.

Madam Speaker, our constituents are not stupid. They know nothing Washington puts out is free, and they know

that the doggone Democrats want to tax them for this socialist scheme.

Earlier today, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office confirmed Democrats are lying about the cost of Biden's agenda. The CBO found that the healthcare provisions alone would increase the Federal deficit by half a trillion dollars. Let me repeat that: Half a trillion dollars.

It doesn't matter if the healthcare spending in this bill occurs over 1 year or over 10 years, we never should blow up the deficit like this.

On top of the actual healthcare costs, the CBO also revealed the healthcare policies would force millions of Americans into one-size- fits-all government healthcare programs. Forget about keeping your employer-sponsored plan or personalized care. Under progressive care, as we like to call it in my office, Americans will get to rely on the slow-moving Federal bureaucracy for meeting their healthcare needs.

Madam Speaker, Democrats have fought amongst each other for months over this big government boondoggle. The American public now knows what the Democrat-controlled Congress has been up to while our economy has tanked. Instead of trying to jam through trillions of dollars on the backs of American taxpayers, Democrats need to clean up this messy economy. Crucial shipping ports along our coasts don't have enough staff to maintain normal operating hours, creating a broken supply chain.

I saw today where Florida, in fact, is in the market for that prestigious market.

Some retail shelves have sat empty for weeks. Things have gotten so bad there that there is talk that some goods will not be available for the holiday season. Lacking supplies of certain goods have made the inflation crisis President Biden started even worse.

Skyrocketing prices are a direct result of the blue State stimulus package Democrats passed back in March, another bill that cost trillions of dollars. Thanks to that legislation, too many folks are getting paid more to stay at home instead of going to work, which is contributing to our current supply chain woes.

Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and this Democrat-controlled Congress are guiding our economy straight into the ground. Time and time again, Congress has proved that throwing money at the country's problems always makes the situation worse. It already happened once this year. It is time for Congress to abandon this big government socialism agenda before it is too late to save our economy.

As I said at the beginning, our constituents are not stupid. They know they are the ones who always pay, either through inflation or taxes. Americans will not forget it was Democrats, driven by the far- left political agendas who destroyed this economy.

Madam Speaker, Joe Biden preached vague, feel-good messages to voters, like healing our country and pursuing bipartisanship, during his campaign for President. In his victory speech, he ripped off a line from Barack Obama and said: ``I pledge to be a President who seeks not to divide but to unify, who doesn't see red and blue States but a United States.''

Madam Speaker, these messages were blatant lies. His record 8 months into his tenure proves his only intention is to govern on behalf of the Democrat Party's far-left base.

Look at the ongoing farce on our southern border. The Department of Homeland Security just released thousands of unvetted Haitian migrants into this country, no questions asked. Even worse, the President turned his back on Border Patrol agents over that bogus horse photo.

Our government wouldn't behave this way unless it was worried about backlash from leftists who want to open our borders and defund the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

The border has been out of control from the moment Joe Biden stepped foot in the Oval Office. Month after month after month, we hear about Border Patrol agents encountering hundreds of thousands of migrants attempting to illegally enter our country. President Biden put Vice President Harris in charge of fixing our southern border, but whatever she is doing to ``address the root cause of migration'' obviously isn't working.

Last week, the White House press secretary whined about Republicans giving floor speeches about the crisis at the border. I say to the press secretary: We wouldn't need to be down here raising Hades if your boss would quit being so soft, start doing his job, and enforce the dadgum border laws.

Chaos at the southern border is just one of the many crises of Joe Biden's own creation. I could stand down here for hours talking about inflation caused by reckless government spending, a failed exit from Afghanistan that left 13 American servicemembers dead, including one of my constituents--his family lives in my neighborhood--and much more.

But my point is this, Madam Speaker, Americans across the political spectrum see Joe Biden standing idly by while this country is being destroyed. They think this President is grossly incompetent and incapable of responsibly running the executive branch. I have even talked to Democrats here in Congress who are extremely concerned about these very issues.

Serious problems are getting worse, yet Joe Biden doesn't show any interest in solving them. Given this President's lack of interest in serving as Chief Executive, I can confidently say this President is mentally unwell and unfit for office.

It is time for Joe Biden to step down. We need a leader who cares about the future of this country, not one who isn't even aware of the damage he is causing.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise in opposition to this sloppy $1 trillion infrastructure package. This bill was advertised as fully paid for, Mr. Speaker. That is a lie. It includes $550 billion in new spending and will add almost $400 billion to the national debt.

Yes, this bill includes funding for roads, bridges, railways, waterways, and broadband. Unfortunately, just 23 percent, or $127 billion, is for these programs.

This legislation also includes the largest Federal investment in Amtrak, which just posted an $801 million operating loss and has never turned a profit in its 50-year history.

That is typical government business, Mr. Speaker. Nobody in their right mind would invest in a financial sinkhole like Amtrak, but Congress sure as heck will. They have become very fond of throwing money at programs that just don't work.

Electric vehicle owners don't pay their fair share in taxes toward maintaining the roads they drive on, but this bill has special carveouts for these folks. There is $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations in this legislation. Folks who drive these cars are extremely wealthy, as nearly 80 percent of the electric vehicle owners make more than $100,000 in income and already seek tax credits for owning these cars.

Worse of all, this bill increases Federal bureaucrats' influence over local infrastructure projects. The United States Department of Transportation is a mile down the street from the Capitol Building here in D.C., not in east Tennessee.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Joyce for yielding.

Madam Speaker, take a look at the average cost of a gallon of gasoline. When President Biden took office, a gallon of gasoline was $2.38 a gallon. Today, that number is $3.18, an increase of 33.6 percent. 33.6 percent, Madam Speaker. It wasn't too long ago Americans could fill up their tanks for a little over $2 a gallon.

President Biden's attacks on reliable fossil fuel sources are hitting middle class Americans directly in their wallets. Inflating gas prices are a tax on working Americans when they go to the pump for their commute to work or a vacation with their families.

And it is nothing short of hypocrisy, Madam Speaker, that President Biden has tried to close Federal lands for drilling but lifted sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Russia is allowed to utilize its own domestic energy resources, but our country is not. Let that sink in.

President Biden's solution to energy problems he created is to push unproven renewable technology on Americans. This includes solar panels, which are celebrated by the far left as the future of renewable energy. But there is a dark secret to solar panels, Madam Speaker. Over half of the world's polysilicon, a crucial material in solar panel production, is mined using Uighur slave labor in China's Xinjiang Province.

Forget the outrageous cost of one of these solar panels. Exploiting slave labor to charge your electric car or power your house with clean energy isn't worth it, Madam Speaker.

Wealthy liberals might feel really good about that solar panel on the roof of their vacation home, but before they lecture the rest of us about clean energy, they should think twice about how that solar panel was made.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor my good friend, Captain Bill Robinson, as Tennessee's Second District Veteran of the Month.

Captain Robinson was born in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. In 1961 he enlisted in the United States Air Force. He was trained as a helicopter maintenance technician and worked at Air Force bases in the United States, South Korea, and Thailand during the Vietnam War.

On September 20, 1965, Captain Robinson's helicopter was shot down over North Vietnam during a rescue mission. He was captured and taken as a prisoner of war. During his time in captivity, Captain Robinson endured inhumane conditions at infamous camps like the Hanoi Hilton and the Briarpatch. By the time he was released on February 12, 1973, Captain Robinson had spent 2,703 days as a prisoner of war, making him the longest-held enlisted prisoner of war in American history.

Captain Robinson credits four faiths for his survival during his 7\1/ 2\ years in captivity: Faith in himself, faith in his fellow prisoners, faith in his country, and faith in the Lord, Mr. Speaker.

After he returned home, he continued serving in the Air Force until his retirement on December 1, 1984, to Madisonville, Tennessee.

Since his retirement, Captain Robinson has dedicated his life to helping his fellow veterans. He is heavily involved in Chapter 1078 of the Vietnam Veterans of America, which made me an honorary member, which is now named after him.

Thank you Captain Robinson for your service and your sacrifice. It is an honor to recognize you on the House floor and call you my friend.

Mr. Speaker, this is a photo of United States Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss. He was one of the 13 servicemembers killed outside the Kabul Airport on August 26.

Staff Sergeant Knauss grew up where I live in Corryton, Tennessee. He always dreamed of joining the American military and did so after graduating from Gibbs High School.

When the Taliban rapidly took control of Afghanistan last month, it created a dangerous situation for American citizens and our allies in the country. In response, our military ramped up its presence at Hamid Karzai International Airport to assist with the evacuation efforts. Staff Sergeant Knauss, who previously served a 9-month deployment in Afghanistan, volunteered to go back for this mission.

Outside that airport was where Staff Sergeant Knauss would selflessly give his life so civilians could escape to safety. He was there helping complete strangers, but this wasn't out of character for him. He loved helping people, and he died doing it.

Following his death, Staff Sergeant Knauss returned home to east Tennessee for a memorial service on September 11. Hundreds from our community lined the procession route in honor of his heroism. And this afternoon, at Arlington National Cemetery, Staff Sergeant Knauss was laid to rest.

Look one more time at this picture behind me. This is what a true American hero looks like. It is not somebody who dribbles a basketball or hits a baseball or throws a football or acts or sings on stage. Remember the last American military casualty from the war in Afghanistan. Remember Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss.

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the career of newly retired Special Agent Scott D. Payne, who spent 28 years in law enforcement keeping our communities and our country safe.

Special Agent Payne started his law enforcement career in Greenville, South Carolina. He served in the Greenville County Sheriffs office for five years, working as a Uniform Patrol Officer and a Vice and Narcotics Investigator.

In 1998, he joined the FBI and became the primary undercover agent in many long-term undercover operations. He risked his safety to investigate violent motorcycle gangs, public corruption, murder for hire, drug trafficking organizations, and domestic terrorist groups with international ties. He was also an FBI SWAT Team Operator for over 7 years, diving head-first into dangerous situations to bring down violent criminals.

Special Agent Payne would go on to become an instructor in firearms, tactics, and undercover work. Thousands of law enforcement officers across the country were trained under his leadership. He was also the Principal Tactical Instructor, Principle Defensive Tactics Instructor, and Lead Active Shooter Instructor for FBI Knoxville.

Special Agent Payne spent his career keeping folks safe, stopping criminals, and preparing the next generation of law enforcement officers for duty. I thank Special Agent Payne for his service. I wish him the best of luck in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Charles Rose, a good friend of mine. He was a brave veteran who passed away on July 24 at 97 years old.

Charles was a corporal in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He fought in the Battles of Tarawa, Saipan, and Tinian in the Pacific, and was awarded a Bronze Star with valor for his bravery.

In 1953, Charles married the love of his life, Jane, and they had four sons: Steve, Tim, Mark, and Dennis.

I was honored to speak about Steve on the House floor a few months ago after he passed away. He was a great veteran, just like his dad.

Charles also had 12 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren, who loved him dearly, and they were his pride and joy.

Charles worked hard all his life. In 1969, he decided to go into business for himself. He founded his own septic tank business where the motto is ``A Flush Beats a Full House Every Time.'' It is still going strong today, being run by his sons and grandsons. He also became a Baptist minister and inspired everyone he knew with his love for the Lord.

Charles always used to say, ``plain talk is easy understood.'' He hit me with that nugget of wisdom several times, and I won't forget it. It was an honor to call him my friend, and he will be missed by those who knew him. Rest in peace, brother.

Madam Speaker, the return of the debt ceiling on July 31 should flash fiscal warning signs for every elected official in Congress.

The debt ceiling was suspended for 2 years back in 2019. Since then, Congress has kept up its reckless spending habits like a teenage shopaholic at the mall with a credit card.

Now, government debt is over 100 percent of our domestic product--100 percent, Madam Speaker.

We clearly ignored the spending problems that got us into this mess in the first place. There needs to be a limit on how much debt elected officials can put on the taxpayers' shoulders.

My legislation, the Reforming America's Fiscal Toolkit Act, would amend Congress' budget process to keep government debt lower than our gross domestic product. This would limit how much financial trouble Congress can get the country into.

You know what they say, Madam Speaker: The first step to solving a problem is recognizing you have a problem, and dadgummit, Congress has a problem.

Congress needs to put a spending check on itself, or our country is going to end up like that out-of-control teenage shopaholic: bad credit, high interest rates, broke, and living in their parents' basement.

Madam Speaker, I want to express my full support for the brave Cubans who are demanding freedom from their tyrannical communist government.

For over 60 years, the regime in Cuba has run the country into the ground. It doesn't recognize the basic human rights of its citizens, and Cuban people don't have access to food, economic opportunities, or COVID-19 vaccines.

The Cuban people are now taking to the streets to fight for individual liberty and freedom. As authoritarians do, the regime has arrested hundreds of demonstrators and cut off their communication with the outside world.

Madam Speaker, a communist government will do whatever it takes to keep the Cuban people under its thumb. The Cuban Government has a lot in common with the Chinese Communist Party. Both will stop at nothing to hold on to power and have no regard for the rights of the people they govern.

The Cuban government wants to silence its citizens' demands for freedom, just as the Communist Chinese Party silences those in Hong Kong and Xinjiang who simply want to be free.

Cubans, and Cuban Americans especially, know communism does not work. It only brings poverty and oppression. It is our privilege as Americans to live in a country that values freedom, the Lord, and we must support those brave Cubans who want the same in our own backyard only 90 miles off the coast of the Florida.

Madam Speaker, this first speech that I am going to give today is, as we used to say in church, something that the Lord spoke on my heart. He speaks to me, just not in an audible voice. This is something that has kind of been a burden with me for quite some time.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to express my great concern for the disproportionate number of missing Black children in our country and the way they are treated by our national media.

Every child is precious, Madam Speaker, and it is a tragedy whenever a

child goes missing. The sad truth is that it happens to Black kids far more often. Missing Black children made up over one-third of the missing child cases in 2019--over one-third. Yet, it has also been shown these children receive much less media coverage than their counterparts from other demographics.

The media dedicates an enormous amount of time to discuss racism in Congress, schools, police departments, and various other American institutions, so why is it acceptable for the media to dedicate less attention to missing Black kids?

We all know this is not okay, Madam Speaker, but the American public doesn't know this is happening because our media is failing to cover this story.

Every child is made in the image of God and legally equal under the U.S. Constitution. We need to dedicate all the time and resources we can to recover missing kids, regardless of the color of their skin.

Honoring Technical Sergeant Durward B. Swanson

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Technical Sergeant Durward B. Swanson, a World War II veteran and survivor of the Pearl Harbor attacks, as the Tennessee Second District's Veteran of the Month.

Swanson joined the Army Air Corps in 1939 and was sent to Hickam Field, adjacent to the Pearl Harbor Naval Base. He originally signed up to do bomber maintenance, but a sergeant noticed he had skills on a Harley-Davidson and asked if he would head the air police motorcycle unit instead. He accepted that position, Madam Speaker.

On December 7, 1941, when Japanese bombers attacked the airbase, Swanson jumped onto his motorcycle to search for his best friend, Albert Jackson ``Stud'' Lloyd, who was standing in the middle of a ballfield shooting at the planes and cussing up a storm. Swanson drove onto the field and brought his friend back to safety.

After the attack, Swanson and Lloyd removed the damaged flag from the Hickam Field flagpole and folded it to prevent it from being flown overnight.

Following his service, Swanson played guitar for country music legend Hank Williams before deciding the music business wasn't for him. That would be Hank Williams, Sr., if anyone is wondering.

He went on to speak to schools across the United States and travel with groups to Pearl Harbor and the World War II Memorial in Washington.

In June, he celebrated his 100th birthday at the Ben Atchley veterans' home.

There are true heroes in our country, and they aren't famous athletes or movie stars. They are the brave men and women of our Armed Forces, like Durward Swanson.

Madam Speaker, I thank Durward for his service.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Ambassador George Cranwell Montgomery, who passed away on June 14 at the age of 76. Many people addressed him as ``Mr. Ambassador,'' but to friends in Knoxville or to colleagues near and far, he was simply known as ``Cran.''

Cran was born and raised in Knoxville before heading to school at the University of Virginia. Following his graduation in 1966, Cran was commissioned into the Navy for 6 years and served as a Commander in Vietnam. He remained in the Navy Reserves until 1994, when he retired as a Captain.

After his military service, Cran earned a degree from Vanderbilt University Law School and started working for Tennessee Senator Howard Baker, Jr. Cran worked for Senator Baker while he was Senate Minority and Majority Leader, advising him on matters related to foreign policy and national security.

Cran gained experience and knowledge on Middle East foreign policy while working for Senator Baker, leading President Ronald Reagan to nominate Cran for U.S. Ambassador to Oman. Cran 's nomination was successful and he served as Ambassador to Oman from 1985 to 1989. He then moved back to Washington to practice international law at the Baker Donelson law firm. When he retired, Cran and his wife Carol returned to East Tennessee to spend time in his beloved home state surrounded by his loved ones.

Cran was a brave military veteran, dedicated public servant, and a valuable member of the east Tennessee community. He leaves behind his wife, Carol; his daughter, Erynn; and many other loved ones who will remember him fondly. I thank him for the many ways he served our country throughout his life.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Purple Heart recipient and Vietnam War veteran Captain Robert ``Buzz'' Buswell as Tennessee's Second District Veteran of the Month.

Captain Buswell enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1968 as a first lieutenant. In 1970, his platoon was attacked in Cambodia by enemy forces and he sustained extensive injuries. He was hospitalized for 19 months and received 27 surgeries. He fought for his recovery and even had to relearn how to walk. He retired from the military as a captain in 1972.

Buswell, whose father was a career officer in the U.S. Air Force, met his wife Donna in their high school glee club in New Hampshire. They have a son and a daughter.

Captain Buswell received numerous medals and commendations for his service, including the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with ``V'' Device, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Just this year, Buswell was chosen as one of the nation's 2021 Purple Heart Patriot Project honorees.

After his military service, he earned his Master's Degree in education and spent many years serving East Tennessee communities. He worked for the Boys & Girls Club, the Knox County Fire Prevention Bureau, and served as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Hurricane Katrina ombudsman for Knoxville and Knox County. In 2012, when I was mayor, I had the honor of working alongside Buswell when he took the position of Knox County's veteran service officer. He continues that work today as the county's Director of Veteran and Senior Services.

If there's a veteran issue, program or event taking place in East Tennessee, it's almost certain that Buswell is involved. He is an active member in numerous veteran organizations. These include being a Life Member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. He helped charter the Vietnam Veterans of America Captain Bill Robinson Chapter 1078. His service to fellow veterans also includes involvement with the Veterans Regional Mental Health Council, Honor Air Knoxville, and Wreaths Across America. Through the United Veterans Council of East Tennessee he established a program serving hundreds of veterans free breakfast on Saturdays.

Captain Buzz Buswell is a true American hero. He sacrificed to protect our country and fight for our freedoms. And he's spent countless hours taking care of fellow veterans, making sure they have the support they need and the recognition they deserve.

I thank him for his service. It's an honor to call him my friend.