Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor my dear friend Colonel Richard Julian. Colonel Julian enlisted in the Tennessee Air National Guard in 1965 and attended basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, before moving to Keesler Air Force Base to complete technical training.

Once he completed his initial training, he returned to the 134th Air Refueling Unit. He served as a traditional guardsman and was offered a chance to become full time. He eventually moved up the enlisted ranks to become a senior master sergeant, and in 1981, he was offered the chance for direct appointment as a captain in the Tennessee Air National Guard.

He was named director of personnel for the 134th Air Refueling Wing. Later, he was promoted to the rank of colonel and was assigned as the Support Group Commander when he retired in 2004. He served over 38 years in the Air National Guard and deployed in

support of countless operations and exercises.

After he retired from the Air National Guard, Colonel Julian worked for Knox County as director of human resources and then the Blount County Highway Department until the day he passed away on May 1, 2024.

Our country's heroes are the men and women of our armed services and Armed Forces, Mr. Speaker. It is my honor to recognize my dear friend, who I miss very much, Colonel Richard Clapp Julian, as Tennessee's Second Congressional District's May 2024 Veteran of the Month.

We will miss him dearly, and I thank him for always being my friend.

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the good folks at Pratt's Country Store in Fountain City. They have been longtime friends of mine and my family.

Perry Pratt's grandfather and brother bought the acreage in the 1920s, and it has been family owned and family operated ever since, Mr. Speaker.

Pratt's sells fresh produce, dairy, baked goods, and fruits. My mama always loved to shop there. I always like to stop there, as well.

The whole family grew up working in and around the store, and you can tell. They treat everyone like family when they walk in.

I also never have to worry about where the produce comes from, Mr. Speaker, because Pratt's is known for locally sourcing their food from east Tennessee farmers.

I always love walking into Pratt's because it just smells good. It smells like an old country store, it smells fresh, and it smells clean. They do things the old-fashioned way, and they make people feel like they are stepping back in time.

Ralph and Perry Pratt were recently honored as Fountain City's Men of the Year due to their amazing customer service.

Everyone that goes to Pratt's Country Store knows how delicious everything is, and they have some really great vegetables.

As good as their produce is, though, Mr. Speaker, they are best known for the family atmosphere. They are God-fearing people, and they have always been respected in our community. They have been here for three generations for a reason. I want them to know they are appreciated, and I hope they are around for several more generations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Kaci Herron from Greenback, Tennessee. She was recently crowned Miss Tennessee Star.

When Kaci was born, her parents said she would probably never walk or talk, but she has done so much more than that in her life. She is graduating from Greenback this year, where she cheered for the football and basketball teams all 4 years. She was asked to come back and be an assistant cheer coach next year, Mr. Speaker.

After that, she hopes to go to college and has dreams of opening her own bakery someday and walking the runway in New York City for Fashion Week.

Her siblings, Bryce and Amber, have been reading to her since she was born, which has helped her develop a love of books. She also loves hiking and something I love doing, which is looking for bigfoot. She loves parasailing and all kinds of music, but especially Reba McEntire.

Kaci has a real heart for her community, and she volunteers at the Second Harvest Food Bank every week.

Kaci started participating in Miss Shining Star pageants about 8 years ago. This year, she was crowned Miss Tennessee Star and will go on to compete in the nationals.

Her platform for Miss Tennessee is ``Solidarity for Soldiers'' in honor of her brother, Bryce, who is in the Navy, like you, Mr. Speaker. Her whole family and her whole community are very proud of her.

I am proud to call her my friend, Mr. Speaker. It was wonderful meeting Kaci, and I wish her the best of luck competing in the nationals in July.

Mr. Speaker, much has been made about the title of this bill, but I would remind my friends across the aisle that they had a bill called the Inflation Reduction Act and it spent over a trillion dollars and inflation has not been reduced.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, Mr. Donalds, for allowing me to speak.

Right now the city of Washington, D.C., considers a criminal a youth offender if they are under 25 years old, yet you can be a Member of Congress at 25 years old. It seems the Washington City Council believes something magical happens on someone's 25th birthday, Mr. Speaker.

They seem to believe that one day, dadgummit, you are a child who cannot be fully accountable for your actions and the next day you can serve in Congress. They are trying to be politically correct as always by not prosecuting criminals, and the city is suffering because of it.

Last year, the House Oversight Committee held a hearing with the District of Columbia's Mayor on the rising crime in our Nation's Capital. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, a carjacking was happening just up the street less than a mile from where we are standing today. We can appreciate the irony there, but it is not surprising. Carjackings and all other kinds of crimes are happening around Washington at any given moment.

Motor vehicle thefts increased by 107 percent last year alone. Violent crime increased by 37 percent, homicide increased by 29 percent, and robberies increased by 65 percent. It is also worth noting that in the United States, most homicides are committed by people 20 to 24 years old, Mr. Speaker.

However, the City Council of our Nation's Capital is still pushing policies every day that prevent criminals from being brought to justice.

The DC CRIMES Act forces Washington, D.C., to change its definition of juvenile back to kids under 18 years old. It also stops judges from sentencing youth offenders below the mandatory minimum requirements and prevents Washington from changing the current minimum sentencing laws.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to have some basic common sense. I know that is lacking in Washington. When people tell me something that is made of common sense, I tell them they have no place in Washington, D.C., today. That is apparent right here. I support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I will tell that family in the back that had that sweet little baby boy making those noises that he was not bothering us one bit.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Colonel Richard Julian, who passed away on May 1. He served his country in the Tennessee Air National Guard, 134th Aerial Refueling Wing, and served for over 38 years before he retired in 2004.

He then worked with me when I was Knox County mayor and was a dear friend to me. We met at Powell Auction, and dadgummit, it was a mistake because he was talking to Jack Huddleston, and Jack invited me over. We were having a campaign bologna cutting, of all things, and we became dear friends shortly after that.

He had a big heart. When my daughter, Isabel, was singing down at the veterans' home, she had her biological father's Navy insignia on her lapel, and Colonel Julian saw that, and he got choked up.

The last conversation I had with him, he told me he was going to be waiting for me in Heaven and would be there waiting for me with my momma and daddy when I got there.

I offer my deepest condolences to his wife, Linda, his family, his daughters Bronwyn and her husband, Deny Ashley; and Valissa and her husband, Warren; his son, Charlie, and his wife, Tina; and his little grandsons Brady, Logan, and Griffin.

He had many other friends and family that loved him dearly. I know he was right with the Lord when he passed because we prayed shortly before his death.

He will be missed, Mr. Speaker, but he will not be forgotten. I thank Colonel Julian for giving me a very good life.

Mr. Speaker, it is always good to see Ranking Member Raskin with a good, healthy head of hair. God does listen to our prayers. We are glad he is with us and healthy.

Mr. Speaker, my mama's prayers did. Mine don't get quite that close.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7109, the Equal Representation Act. This legislation will require U.S. citizens to include a question that asks if the person is a United States citizen. It is just a question.

This bill passed through the House Oversight Committee on a straight party-line vote, 22-20. Not a single Democrat supported it.

The Census informs how our government divides up congressional districts and electoral college votes. Mr. Speaker, it helps to ensure American voters have equal representation. That process should not factor in people who are not citizens or not eligible to vote.

You can see why my Democratic colleagues would have a problem with this bill. Factoring illegal aliens into the process skews things in their favor. In fact, it wasn't very long ago that a Member from the minority party was on the news claiming that they wish more illegals would come to their district for the Census.

If the Census does not include the citizenship question, States with more illegal aliens will get more congressional districts and more electoral college votes.

We have a history of saying that elections are sacred and that free, fair, and secure elections are the cornerstone of this great Republic, Mr. Speaker. It is time to act like it and prioritize the dadgum representation of our people.

Americans are sick and tired of this administration weaponizing different parts of our government, and they don't want to see something like the Census being used against them when it is so hard to get American citizens to even take the Census.

Leaders in States like California and New York are taking pride in harboring illegal aliens. In fact, the people of California have offered free healthcare to their illegals, and New York has kicked combat veterans out of housing to house illegals.

Mr. Speaker, States should not be rewarded with more congressional seats or electoral college votes, which would end up distorting the will of the American people.

I thank my colleagues, Congressman Warren Davidson and Congressman Chuck Edwards, for introducing this legislation. I am proud to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the consequences that come when we stay home on election day.

Since President Biden took the oath of office on January 20, 2021, this country has been unrecognizable. Unrecognizable, Mr. Speaker. We will lose it completely if we don't get out in November and vote for constitutionalists who will defend the oath they took. We are in a battle for our way of life, and we better start acting like it.

Since Biden took office, he has let over 10 million illegal aliens cross our border, the government has completely weaponized our Federal agencies against the beliefs and interests of the American people, and war has broken out around the globe.

If you don't want to keep paying hundreds of billions of dollars to clothe, house, and make sure illegals are getting quality medical care before the veterans who served our country, dadgummit, you better get out and vote.

If you don't want to see theft and assault in broad daylight, violent protests in our streets and on our kids' college campuses, and see our men and women in law enforcement demonized, dadgummit, you better get out and vote.

If you don't want public school systems to tell your children that changing their gender is okay, that praying in public is wrong, and that our flag is

a reason not to stand for the national anthem, you all better get out and vote.

If you want a secure border, a fair justice system, and law and order in our communities, you better get out and vote.

If you want a military that is focused on its mission and not about meeting diversity quotas and having male recruiters out in dresses, you all better get out and vote.

If you want cheap, clean energy that is made in America instead of relying on our enemies, we better get out and vote.

If you want to quit sending money overseas to pay for drag shows and climate initiatives, we better get out and vote.

If you don't like where we have been, don't like where we are now, and don't like where we are going, folks, we better get out and vote.

Mr. Speaker, this May is National Missing Persons Month. Over 600,000 people go missing in the United States every year. Tens of thousands of these folks remain missing every year.

Law enforcement officers work hard to solve these cases as quickly as possible. I thank them for all they do to find these people and try to ensure their safety.

Congress should do everything it can, though, to help the men and women in law enforcement do their jobs and bring these people home.

That is why I joined Congressman Joe Neguse in leading a bipartisan bill to improve reporting requirements for individuals who go missing on public lands.

This bill, called the TRACE Act, enhances reporting requirements of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System so investigators across multiple agencies have access to all the important information to catch criminals behind people's disappearances.

No missing persons case should go unsolved just because investigators couldn't easily access the information they need. Improving the way our agencies record and share case details could save lives.

Mr. Speaker, 600,000 missing persons is too many. One missing person is too many. We should do all we can to find them and help them get home safely.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize my dear friend Lauren Click for all of her hard work and dedication at Henry's Deli in Corryton, Tennessee.

Lauren first started working at Henry's Deli through a program at Gibbs High School where she got on-the-job training. After she graduated, she walked back into Henry's and asked for a full-time job. She has been working there with Betty and Austin for 17 years now, and she is Henry's longest-standing employee. She takes care of stocking their chips, drinks, paper towels, and occasionally greeting me.

She absolutely loves her job, and she knows everyone coming in and out of the deli. Everyone knows her, too.

I would bring groups to the deli back when I was county mayor where I would see Lauren working there, and she and I got to be friends then. I still go in there, and she always has a big smile for me and a big hug whenever I walk in.

On February 5, she turned 39 years old. I was disappointed I had to be up here with you-all and couldn't go to the deli and wish her a happy birthday, because I was stuck up here with you-all, as I stated once before.

I will say it now here on the House floor: a very late and very happy birthday to Lauren. She brings a lot of joy to the folks at Henry's Deli, and I am glad that she and I are good friends.

I say a special thanks to the folks at Henry's for helping Lauren find a great place in life because she is wonderful, she is one of God's creatures, and she is perfect.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Lance Corporal Gary Koontz.

Gary enlisted in the Marines on October 26, 1967, and attended basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina. After basic training, Gary was shipped to Vietnam, where he drove a truck that carried supplies. After a short time, he was transferred and was then a door gunner with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

His unit played a crucial role in Operation Dewey Canyon, and their legacy remains tied to the challenges and triumphs of the Vietnam war.

During his service, he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal with device, the Vietnam Service Medal with device, the Combat Aircrew Insignia, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Air Medal Award with strike/flight 4.

When Corporal Koontz returned home, he was transferred to the Marine Reserve to complete his obligation.

Once returning to Knoxville, he became a super successful Realtor and developer, and he is an active member of the Vietnam Veterans of America.

He recently worked with the VA and a local assisted living facility to help a veteran get transferred closer to his wife. He is always calling me about veterans and the problems they are having, and he is trying to work to resolve them.

It is my honor to recognize Corporal Koontz as the Tennessee Second District's April 2024 Veteran of the Month. He is an incredibly good friend, and dadgum, he is just a great American.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor First Sergeant Wayne Edelen who served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars.

In 1952, he was deployed to Korea where he spent 8 months in combat and earned the Combat Infantryman's Badge. After that, he was sent back to the United States for a while, then reenlisted and served in Japan for 1 year. Then he was deployed to Korea again for 1 year.

He then spent 3\1/2\ years in Germany before coming back to the United States where he served as the senior instructor of ROTC at the University of California, Santa Barbara. After that, he served as a drill instructor for new recruits at Fort Polk army base in Louisiana.

In 1968, he deployed to Vietnam where he participated in combat operations and earned his second Combat Infantryman's Badge. He also earned the Bronze Star Medal with Valor for heroism in ground combat.

Wayne left Vietnam in June of 1969 to return to Fort Polk as a drill instructor. He retired from the Army in October 1971, with the rank of first sergeant.

He eventually made the wise decision to move to Tennessee and has lived in Blount County since 2010. We are so glad to have him in our community. I am glad that he is a constituent of mine.

Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Edelen served and sacrificed for our country for many years, and I am pleased to honor him as Tennessee Second District's Veteran of the Month.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

President Biden's $7.3 trillion budget proposal for fiscal year 2025 is full of costly woke policies that will end up hurting the Americans who elected us to office.

Here are some of the things he wants. Mr. Speaker, $895 billion for defense--it comes as no secret in the history of audits that our Pentagon has never passed an audit. How did we punish them this last budgetary cycle? With $20 billion more. Of course, that is $9 billion more for defense than we spent this year. For the American Climate Corps--we are not sure what that is--there is $8 billion, and $3 billion for the State Department to advance gender equity and equality worldwide. Worldwide, Mr. Speaker.

President Trump asked for $4 billion to help secure the border, and we said he couldn't have it because, as our friends across the aisle said, that would bust the budget.

There is $1.5 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights.

There is so much more, but we don't have all day to go over every item.

President Biden also claims this budget would lower the deficit. We all know that is a lie but think about how that happens. If he is spending more money in lowering the deficit, it means he plans to significantly increase the government's revenue. How does he do that? He will do that by taking in more taxes.

His plan would raise taxes by nearly $5 trillion. Of course, he claims no one making less than $400,000 per year will pay more taxes, but we have seen what this promise has done so far in the past. If he is making companies pay more in taxes, these companies, of course, need to make up for the lost profit, so they charge us more for gas, food, energy, and other essentials we use every day.

To put it better, Mr. Speaker, companies collect taxes. That is what they do. Corporations collect taxes, and they pass it on to us.

Even if Americans don't pay more in taxes, they will pay for this plan somehow. It won't do them any good unless they want to get one of these new government jobs that will focus on climate change or diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor my dear friend Joe Landsman, who is retiring from his position as CEO of the University of Tennessee Medical Center in April. Joe started at the UT Medical Center in 1999 and has been the CEO since 2005. In that time, he significantly increased the hospital's patient capacity and services. He added clinics and regional health centers across east Tennessee, renovated and added surgical units, and built parking garages to accommodate the rapidly growing number of patients who were coming to the medical center.

He has also been known to treat his employees well and drive everyone to success. During Joe's time as CEO, the hospital's revenue increased by 451 percent. Only the most passionate, effective leader could achieve that, Mr. Speaker.

The UT Medical Center has received many awards under Joe's leadership. One of his favorites is when the U.S. News & World Report named the UT Medical Center as one of the best hospitals in America in 2012. The news just happened to come out on his birthday.

The UT Medical Center wouldn't be the great hospital it is today without Joe's leadership.

I wish my dear friend good luck in his retirement, and I wish Dr. Keith Gray the best as he takes over that position.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4693, the Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act.

The Tennessee Valley Authority controls a vital part of east Tennesseans' lives. It controls how they get energy, Mr. Speaker. If my constituents are going to rely on TVA every day, they deserve to know how TVA is spending its money. They deserve to know with certainty that TVA is doing right by them.

My first bill in Congress focused on transparency in TVA and, dadgummit, I have been proud to partner with my friend, Congressman Steve Cohen, on several bills over the past few years on that very issue.

This bill, the Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act, would make sure the public has access to information about the salaries of employees at TVA. If government money flows into it, Mr. Speaker, we ought to know what they are paying and who they are paying. These are the GS-15 level or above. My constituents and all the Tennessee Valley should know exactly what the high earners at TVA are really making.

Transparency has been a problem for TVA in the past, but it has been getting better recently. I want to make sure that that pattern continues. This bill will help make that happen.

The Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act will help Congress keep TVA accountable for how it pays its employees, which is an important part of preserving the public trust.

I thank my friend and colleague, Steve Cohen, for his hard work. When I think of Memphis, I think of barbecue, Stax Records, Elvis, Al Green, and Steve Cohen. I thank him for working with me on this bill, and I strongly encourage all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor State Representative Sam McKenzie who represents House District 15 in Tennessee and Knoxville.

Representative McKenzie has been serving the people of east Tennessee for a long time. He was on the Knoxville Utility board of directors from 2003 to 2008, and he spent time working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and sat on the Oak Ridge Federal Credit Union board of directors.

He then served on the Knox County Commission while I was the mayor of Knox County, so we worked side by side on a lot of important issues.

We met at FCA camp in high school. We played high school football for different schools. He played for Austin East, and I played for Bearden. We also share a love for the Pizza Palace on Magnolia Avenue.

I know from time to time working alongside him that he is a straight shooter who asks solid, direct questions about what is happening in our government. It is clear he cares about our community and the work he is doing for east Tennessee.

Representative McKenzie was recently awarded the 2023 Crystal Gavel Award of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators at its 47th convention in Nashville. He was given this award because of his leadership of the Tennessee Black Caucus, which has over 700 members.

Sam and I are on opposite sides of the political aisle, and we might have different visions of how things should get done, but we both want what is best for our constituents and the areas we represent.

Congratulations to Representative McKenzie on receiving the 2023 Crystal Gavel Award.