Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I salute you for your salute to the Tennessee Big Orange with your tie selection.

I also rise today to recognize Weigel's Farm Stores, an east Tennessee-based convenience store chain, for its dedication to selling Tennessee products. Recently, Weigel's announced that it would sell milk only produced, processed, and bottled within the State.

In 1931, the Weigel family began operating a dairy. Over decades, the family business expanded from farming to owning and operating 67 stores in the region. I remember the square jugs of Weigel's milk that became iconic in the Knoxville area.

Although they no longer produce their own milk, their commitment to Tennessee dairy products has remained constant. Independently owned dairies have long been an important part of east Tennessee's economy, but recently, these operations have struggled to compete with the larger farms.

I am glad that Bill Weigel, a good friend of my family's and the current owner of the business, and his family are investing in our local products and family farms, and I hope their decision will inspire other milk processors in the area to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, the city of Knoxville and the people of the Second Congressional District lost a distinguished citizen and leader on March 11 when my good friend, Arthur Seymour, Jr., died at the age of 74.

Arthur was born in Knoxville and lived there his entire life, leaving only to attend the University of the South at Sewanee and to serve in the U.S. Army.

He was a leading attorney in east Tennessee and was an example of what an attorney should be. He was fair, well-prepared, honest, objective, and relentless for his clients.

He was involved in many civic organizations and was a strong leader at St. John's Episcopal Church. He served on the Knoxville Airport Authority as a board member and chair of the East Tennessee Historical Society.

He virtually never missed an election and took his civic duties very seriously. He and his wife traveled extensively in Europe, and Arthur had a particular interest in literary matters. For several years he belonged to a book club which met regularly, and he was always reading a book.

His life was enhanced by a 50-year marriage to his wife, Susan, who was a longtime teacher in our wonderful city of Knoxville.

Arthur Seymour, Jr., was truly an example of what a citizen should aspire to be.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak out against the plague known as anti-Semitism. We witnessed it in Charlottesville. We suffered through the killings at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Mr. Speaker, and we saw it again recently here in Congress.

Anti-Semitism is a condition that has afflicted our world for many centuries and ranges from written and spoken words to the mass murder of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust.

Each of us must speak out and condemn it in clear and certain terms whenever it appears, Mr. Speaker.

In Knoxville, my late father, mother, and I, along with our good friend, Bernie Bernstein, helped build with our own hands a memorial to the 6 million.

Just a few months ago, I traveled to Israel and saw firsthand how the Holocaust affected the Jewish people and how they created a new and dynamic democratic state in the Middle East.

As I heard someone say yesterday, Israel is an oasis of democracy in a conflicted region, and support for Israel is not a Jewish issue; it is an American issue, Mr. Speaker.

But, Mr. Speaker, the truth is, support for one of our Nation's staunchest allies and anti-Semitism, they cannot coexist.

As we remember the Holocaust and protect the democracy of Israel, let us join together in condemning anti-Semitism in whatever form it appears, whether in our neighborhoods or here on the House floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Bryson Watkins, a 13-year-old from Lenoir City in the Second Congressional District of Tennessee, for his selflessness and quick thinking.

On February 13, Bryson saved another young man's life after receiving a message through social media. Bryson sprinted to inform a sheriff's deputy, and together, they initiated a response by law enforcement.

In the aftermath of the event, Loudon County Sheriff Tim Guider

honored Bryson with the Sheriff's Citizen Lifesaving Award.

On behalf of the Second District, I extend my appreciation for Bryson's actions. We should recognize Bryson for his integrity, compassion, and maturity. Not many 13-year-olds, Mr. Speaker, have the wherewithal to encounter a crisis situation and act so responsibly. He acted quickly and appropriately.

Bryson's leadership in this situation speaks volumes of the values that his parents had instilled in him and the community in which he was raised.

His ability to work with local law enforcement is also a tribute to the dedication of the Loudon County Sheriff's Department, Mr. Speaker, and I thank them all for their commitment to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Bishop for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, the Natural Resources Management Act is notable for its bipartisan support and for the conservation of our natural treasures.

Tennessee's Second District, the district I represent, is home to a large portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Mr. Speaker, the most visited national park in our Nation. Last year, more than 10 million visitors enjoyed the park, its wildlife, and its beautiful views and vistas.

The Foothills Parkway traverses the park, and it includes a bridge currently called, creatively enough, Bridge 2. S. 47 would rename the bridge for the late Dean Stone, a longtime editor of The Daily Times in Maryville, Tennessee.

During his tenure at The Daily Times, Dean advocated for the completion of the Foothills Parkway that enables so many to view the park. I hope to take my daughter, Isabel, and my wife, Kelly, up there shortly.

Bridge 2 posed one of the greatest challenges to the parkway's completion. It has been described as an engineering marvel, Mr. Speaker, for the construction techniques that minimized its environmental impact.

It is fitting that this bridge bears Dean's name, not only so we can continue our stewardship of these landscapes, but also so that we can honor the people who pushed us to preserve them and increase their accessibility.

Madam Speaker, I rise tonight concerned about residents of my district dealing with flooding that claimed one life there and has damaged roads and private property throughout the region. The loss of life during this recent flooding is tragic, and my family and I continue to pray for everyone affected back home.

One group of people deserves to be recognized for the work they do in times of crisis, and they are our first responders and other emergency personnel. When the rest of us are seeking shelter from the storm, the men and women who make up our fire and police departments, rescue crews, and emergency communications professionals are going to work to coordinate a rapid response that will save lives and help limit property damage.

It is appropriate that during these times of disaster we continue to pray for those who are suffering and show appreciation for those who work so hard to protect us.

Madam Speaker, I ask that all my House colleagues join me in doing that.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the career of one of my district's most notable journalistic figures, Charlie Daniel. He spent the last six decades as a political cartoonist in Knoxville and retired this year.

He is a marine, like my brother-in-law, Cliff Worsham, and my father, and he served his country admirably. His retirement is a loss to our community.

I have never known a time when you couldn't open the Knoxville News Sentinel to see Charlie's latest cartoon taking one politician or another to task. Quite often, Mr. Speaker, it was me, because Charlie and I didn't always get along or see eye to eye, and I have forgiven him for his transgressions.

Mr. Speaker, he was and is one of the best. I have been made fun of by people all over the world, but my friend Charlie is my favorite. His cartoons were razor sharp while still being respectful.

Comic artists that I grew up looking at, like Steve Ditko, Frank Frazetta, Neal Adams, and Joe Kubert, are probably more famous but never were as creative as Charlie is. He is a Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame inductee and has been recognized by the National Cartoonists Society.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to call him my dear friend, and I know I speak for many in east Tennessee when I say that the morning paper isn't the same without him.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Indiana for yielding to me.

I rise to join my colleagues in advocating for the unborn. This country was founded to preserve our inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Abortion, the murder of innocent children, cannot coexist with our fundamental beliefs. Late-term abortion is particularly brutal. It includes tearing limbs from bodies and stopping beating hearts.

Only seven countries, including China and North Korea, have legalized this practice. The United States, Mr. Speaker, should not be in that same category as known human rights abusers.

Proponents of abortion claim pro-life policy is an attack on women's rights, but doctors have determined late-term abortions, Mr. Speaker, endanger the mother more than giving birth. The best way to protect women's rights is to protect life.

I close with a little story. Before my mama left this Earth to meet her savior, she was in and out of consciousness, Mr. Speaker. At one point, she had talked to her father, who had passed away long before her, and her brother, who had passed away in the Second World War, and my daddy, who had gone before her just a couple years prior.

She was looking off into the corner, and I said: What are you looking at, mama?

She said: Baby, I am looking at all those sweet little babies up there.

Mr. Speaker, I firmly believe that my mother was looking at some babies that had been murdered.

I urge my colleagues to stand with me to protect the unborn. By doing so, we defend the inalienable rights of all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to finally come to the table for a meaningful discussion around securing our Nation's borders.

The Democrats' leadership would have the entire country believe that our President and the Republicans are the ones holding up negotiations to avoid another unnecessary government shutdown, but it is the President and the House Republicans who have come to the bargaining table in good faith.

Just this week, there were rumors that a deal was near with less border funding than the President and my party wanted. That is what happens in negotiations: We give, and they take.

Now that we are close to a deal being cut, the Democrats are moving the goalpost, Mr. Speaker. This brand-new cap on ICE detention beds came out of thin air and is proof that the Democrats are willing to do anything to keep from making a deal with the President and the Republicans.

What is worse, the move by the Democrats would make our country less secure. It is just a backdoor attempt to get rid of ICE entirely.

The citizens of this country deserve better, Mr. Speaker. They deserve a government that works. Let's do the job our constituents sent us here to do.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to plead with my colleagues to address the ongoing crisis at our borders.

Just last week, Federal agents made the largest fentanyl bust in U.S. history at a checkpoint along our border with Mexico. These drugs were headed into our communities.

Some of our colleagues will say the fact that the bust occurred at a legal point of entry is proof that we are doing enough to keep our Nation secure and our neighborhoods safe.

I ask you, if these drug dealers are bold enough to try to sneak this much contraband through a known checkpoint, how much are they smuggling across our porous borders in the dark of night or through the open desert?

The answer is, more than we know. And it is far too much, Mr. Speaker.

Whether it is the promise of work and entitlements or the promise of an illegal drug market, we must demagnetize the attraction to our country for those who disregard our sovereignty and rule of law. We must secure our country and deal with the human trafficking and narcotics trafficking crisis that exists at our southern border.

Madam Speaker, today I rise with a heavy heart to speak about my constituent, Pierce Corcoran. On December 29, 2018, Pierce was struck and killed by a vehicle operated by an undocumented immigrant in Knoxville.

This is a personal matter for me, Madam Speaker, because I have been friends with Pierce's family for many years, and they remain in my prayers. Pierce was an incredible, hardworking, fine Christian young man who will be deeply missed.

People want to come to our country for new opportunities and the pursuit of happiness, and this Nation is full of incentives that attract not only legal, but also illegal immigrants. The most recent data shows that there are approximately 606,000 overstayed visa recipients and 10.7 million unauthorized immigrants.

Removing incentives that encourage unlawful immigration and demagnetizing that attraction must be a priority for Congress moving forward.

With stronger laws and increased border security, tragedies like the one that occurred in my home district could and should be avoided, and families like Pierce's might be saved from such a heartbreaking situation.