Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, the gentlewoman speaks right about the auto capital of the world, Michigan.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 136 put forward by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. James), which blocks the tailpipe emissions rule, EPA's de facto electric vehicle mandate, not Project 2025 gaslighting coming from the other side of the aisle.

Last December, with bipartisan support, the House passed the CARS Act, a bill I led to block the EPA's proposed rule and similar rules. A few months later, the EPA finalized its rule setting stringent emission standards, which would force automakers to ensure that 56 percent of light-duty vehicle sales are battery electric, and another 13 percent are plug-in hybrid by 2032.

The final tailpipe rule is nearly as radical as the proposed rule, which this body has already unequivocally opposed. Even with government subsidies, EVs continue to be out of reach for many Americans who have already been experiencing the effects of crippling inflation worsened by the Biden-Harris administration.

Consumers are not only worried about the price tag, but EVs also pose significant practicality challenges due to limited range and battery charging times. This executive overreach would also essentially hand China the keys to our automotive future, as around 90 percent of the EV supply chain, in aggregate, is controlled by China.

Instead of implementing unrealistic emission standards that effectively mandate EVs, we should be pursuing policies that promote innovation and preserve U.S. manufacturing.

I am a proud Michigander, and I know that this industry thrives off of American ingenuity and innovation from the engineers in metro Detroit, not the bureaucrats in Washington. The industry thrives off of consumers, as well. We must encourage consumer choice so that Americans can purchase the vehicle that works best for them.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of the End Woke Higher Education Act, which upholds Americans' constitutional liberties and supports academic freedom on college campuses.

Sadly, over the years, we have seen our Nation's college campuses diverge from being places of thoughtful debate to a breeding ground for illiberal thought. Shoutdowns, disciplinary action, and political litmus tests have become pervasive on college campuses.

This trend threatens both our constitutionally guaranteed rights and the value of a college education. If we are to remain a tolerant society accepting of a diversity of ideas, then colleges need to be an open arena for thoughtful debate, discussion, and, of course, faith.

To protect individuals' faith on campus, H.R. 3724 also includes text from the Equal Campus Access Act, my bill to ensure commonsense protections for religious student organizations.

Over the years, we have seen a concerning increase of incidents on college campuses where religious student organizations have lost rights, benefits, and privileges due to faith-based practices.

Across the country, student groups are formed and meet to discuss political, social, or religious ideas and beliefs. These groups enrich the student experience and campus life. These groups must apply to the university for recognition, which allows them to use university space and receive student activity funding available to other recognized groups. However, religious groups have often been blocked from this recognition, putting their organization at risk.

The Equal Campus Access Act would clarify that no funds shall be made available to a public institution that denies a religious student group any rights similarly afforded to other organizations because of the religious group's beliefs, practices, or leadership standards.

Notably, in my State of Michigan, a religious student organization that had been a recognized student group at Wayne State University since 1956 was derecognized simply because it required its leaders to agree with its religious beliefs. The students had to sue their university in order to receive recognition, where a judge found the university had, in fact, violated the students' rights.

Students should not have to give up their First Amendment rights of speech, religion, and association to attend a public college.

I thank the chairwoman for including my bill in this package and Representatives Burgess Owens and Brandon Williams for their leadership.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with a strong sense of compassion but stronger support for H.J. Res. 165, which would overturn the administration's radical rewrite of Title IX.

The Biden administration's failure to honor the vital protection granted to women and girls, not to mention its disregard of existing due process rights, is incredibly dangerous. Just read the rule. By attempting to work toward what the rule calls educational equity, the Biden administration has put women and girls in danger and sacrificed their equal access in educational opportunities.

Their privacy has been invaded, making them vulnerable to many threats, from physical harm in contact sports to sexual harassment in unsupervised areas like bathrooms or locker rooms.

All it takes is to think about the safety of your own daughters or granddaughters to realize that the Biden administration's Title IX rewrite must be stopped.

For decades, women have courageously fought for and successfully earned their equal protection under the law. The Title IX rule not only forces a nonscientific and nonsensical gender ideology onto every American but also undermines the progress of women's rights in our country. It is an enormous step backward.

I have met with female athletes who have lost out on opportunities because of a male taking their place. We have also seen the footage of female athletes being physically hurt by male athletes. Courageous voices, such as Riley Gaines, have had the courage to stand up and speak for millions of young girls across our country who are at risk because of the Biden administration's dangerous policy.

This resolution stands up for those young women and girls who have found their voice and the courage to speak up for truth, fairness, and science. I encourage support of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of Hillsdale County Sheriff's Deputy William Henry Butler, Jr., who was shot and killed in the line of duty while assisting a fellow officer during a traffic stop.

Deputy Butler served our country in the National Guard for 26 years, including deployments overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He then served our community in the sheriff's office for the past 12 years.

Deputy Butler enjoyed spending time with his family, boating, and fishing. He will be remembered as a model deputy, a protector, a giver, a helper, and a family man.

In a clear display of the impact he left, over 2,500 law enforcement officers and hundreds of community members attended his funeral this past week to remember Deputy Butler and honor his service.

Our hearts are broken for his wife, Sarah, their five children, and two grandchildren. He will be sorely missed but never forgotten.

Mr. Chair, on Roll Call No. 324, I mistakenly voted Aye when I intended to vote No.

Amendment No. 72 Offered by Ms. Jayapal

Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman for including these amendments en bloc.

I rise today in support of the en bloc, which contains two of my amendments.

The first amendment would help identify the national security risk of autonomous vehicles from foreign adversary countries operating in the U.S. AVs will transform the future of transportation and increase safety on roads, but we must ensure our adversaries are not deploying data-collecting vehicles across our country, giving the likes of the CCP an unprecedented vantage point in the United States.

The next amendment would help ensure our Department of Defense schools

are not using TikTok for instructional purposes. As we know, ByteDance is beholden to the CCP, and we cannot allow our military installations or the schools operated by the DOD to become spy cells for the Chinese Communist Party.

Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of the en bloc and the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, as we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the heroic Normandy invasion, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Herb Elfring of Jackson, Michigan, who passed on May 25 at the age of 102.

From 1940 to 1945, Herb served in the U.S. Army National Guard as a member of the 251st Coast Artillery. He was stationed in Hawaii during Pearl Harbor and is one of the last known survivors.

By 1944, Herb had completed Officers Candidate School and was promoted to the rank of captain. Herb was awarded medals for his heroism, including a World War II Medal, American Defense Medal, and the American Campaign Medal.

Following his military service, Herb earned a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan and went on to have a successful career at Consumers Energy. Herb and his late wife, Ruth, were married for 57 years and had five children, eight grandchildren, and their family continues to grow.

Herb was a giant in the Jackson community and was known to enjoy square dancing, playing euchre, and spending time with his loved ones. He was also an advocate for his fellow veterans, helping start the One Stop Veterans Resources. Herb also helped mentor young veterans, including those from recent conflicts.

I was honored to know Herb and spend time with him. He will be sorely missed. We honor Herb for his service to our country, his commitment to our community, and his life well lived.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from Ohio for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4510, the NTIA Authorization Act.

The legislation includes my bipartisan, bicameral PLAN for Broadband Act, which requires the NTIA, in consultation with all relevant agencies, to develop and implement a national strategy to close the digital divide.

I thank my cosponsor, Representative Kuster, for her efforts with regard to this legislation.

A GAO report found that there are more than 130 Federal broadband programs administered by at least 15 separate agencies, totaling hundreds of billions of dollars that could be used to increase connectivity across the country.

Without clear goals, objectives, and performance measures, these programs are fragmented and can result in duplication and overbuilding or not building at all.

In rural districts like mine where thousands of my constituents lack access to a reliable connection, we must ensure Federal dollars are spent effectively and efficiently.

The plan would synchronize interagency coordination among Federal broadband programs, identify ways to lower costs, and ease administrative burdens for States and localities to participate in these programs, and make recommendations to better distribute and administer the Federal taxpayer funds.

We can't be wasting time, money, and resources deploying to areas that have already been covered at the expense of those who haven't or are inadequate. A national broadband strategy is key to closing the digital divide.

The broader package also includes much-needed language to reauthorize the NTIA, enhance spectrum management processes, fortify network security, and foster nationwide connectivity. I want to thank Chairman Latta for his leadership on the larger bill, as well as my co-leads in the House and Senate for their partnership and commitment to connecting rural America.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, as the former Co-Chair of the National Prayer Breakfast, I rise to give thanks and a heartfelt tribute to Dr. Timothy C. Tennent for fifteen years of faithful and outstanding leadership as the President of Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky. A true man of God with a brilliant mind for ministry and a warm heart for missions, Dr. Tennent will conclude his remarkable presidency this June, as he and his wife, Julie, follow God's next calling into global ministry and scholarship.

Under President Tennent's Spirit-inspired leadership. Asbury Theological Seminary has grown tremendously in size, spiritual stature, and scholarship, dramatically expanding its programs and impacts around the nation and world for the sake of the Gospel. Today it is generally recognized as the largest and leading Seminary in the evangelical Wesleyan-Arminian theological tradition. President Tennent's vision has led to many innovative new programs focused on global ministry and church planting and to impressive growth in financial support from donors. Many pastors and spiritual leaders in my state of Michigan are grateful graduates of Asbury Seminary. In my district, Spring Arbor University has a close association with Asbury Seminary, as sister institutions affiliated with the evangelical holiness wing of Methodism. In my prior work as a minister and Christian college administrator, I came to deeply respect Asbury Seminary.

President Tennent has been a courageous and eloquent advocate for Biblical truth, faithfulness, and theological orthodoxy in his presidential leadership, public speaking and

preaching, and authorship of many books. He is widely recognized as one of the Nation's top evangelical theological leaders. The Apostle John described Christ as the ``Word'' who came to us ``full of grace and truth,'' a model to which Christians aspire. Dr. Tennent has faithfully proclaimed Biblical truth with grace, warmth, and humility in his leadership and life.

I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in congratulating Dr. Timothy Tennent as he concludes his outstanding presidency at Asbury Theological Seminary and in expressing blessings as he and his wife, Julie, enter their next phase of service. I believe the Lord's words in the book of Matthew truly apply to them: ``Well done, thou good and faithful servants.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6655, A Stronger Workforce for America Act, and express great appreciation to Chairwoman Foxx and Ranking Member Scott for moving this forward.

In 2014, I was proud to work with my colleagues on the Education and the Workforce Committee to pass the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, WIOA, that made critical improvements to streamline the maze of Federal workforce development programs. At its core, the WIOA aims to connect people with the skills they need to be competitive in the modern workforce.

In our rapidly evolving world, the landscape of the workforce is constantly changing, as it should. Technological advancements, globalization, and shifting market trends mean that the skills needed today might not be the same as those required tomorrow. To thrive in this dynamic environment, it is imperative that individuals have the necessary skills and development opportunities that are aligned with the needs of local industries.

The bill we are considering today strengthens the law to further fuel innovation for a skills-based economy. A Stronger Workforce for America Act makes reforms to WIOA that will increase the amount of skills development provided under the law, strengthen the connections between employers and the workforce system, and streamline bureaucracy.

The bill also gives Governors a new tool to address the economic priorities of their States, allowing them to set aside additional funds for a critical industry skills fund to help employers upskill, hire, and retain workers in priority industries.

These critical reforms will equip America's workers with the skills to succeed in the modern economy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation to build a stronger American workforce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Nina Plaushin, Vice President of Federal Affairs and Regulatory Strategy at ITC, the largest independent transmission company in the U.S.

Nina is retiring after more than 25 years of dedicated service, managing the twists and turns of congressional and regulatory policy.

During this time, Nina was known as a leader in the industry, always to be consulted for her expertise and deep breadth of knowledge.

She has served various roles within industry groups, including as President of the WIRES Coalition, President of Americans for Clean Energy Board Grid Board and Chair the EEI Energy Delivery Executive Advisory Committee.

Before her illustrious work at ITC, she served as Legislative Director for Congressman Thomas C. McMillen, another figure larger than life--quite literally.

Nina's leaving a lasting legacy at ITC and on American energy more broadly.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Nina Plaushin for her outstanding career.

Her retirement marks the end of an era of exceptional service and leadership.

We wish her all the best in her well-deserved retirement.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for the time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7520, the Protecting Americans' Data from Foreign Adversaries Act.

H.R. 7520 is the next step in securing Americans' sensitive data from China and other adversaries. The bipartisan legislation would prohibit data brokers from selling our constituents' health history, precise geolocation, biometric data, and other extremely personal information to North Korea, Iran, China, and Russia, or any entity controlled by those countries.

It also specifically includes protections for servicemembers and for any data from those under the age of 17.

This is a commonsense measure that piggybacks off our efforts to decouple TikTok from the Chinese Communist Party and protect our national security.

Our foreign adversaries should not have access to our most sensitive data. Allowing so risks manipulation and espionage.

The bill is also another step in our efforts to protect Americans' privacy online. We will continue to work toward comprehensive data privacy protections, and especially protections for kids and teens online.

Madam Speaker, this legislation is the right move for our constituents' privacy and security, and I encourage my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, last March when I asked about Americans' data being stored and accessed by China, TikTok CEO stated under oath that it was not accessible by the CCP. However, this statement was a lie. As their own internal recording said, ``everything is seen in China.''

H.R. 7521 gives TikTok and similar apps 6 months to divest from their parent company ByteDance. It is their choice. TikTok needs to decide whether they value their users or their ties to the Chinese Communist Party more. It is as simple as that. I urge a vote for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from South Carolina for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 3277, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act. Working with my good friend, Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, this bipartisan legislation was introduced to help address an ever-growing need.

We live in a world where energy infrastructure is constantly facing threats. As we become more reliant on technology in all aspects of our grid, it is important to understand the magnitude of the risks associated with this dependence.

We face the persistent threat of cyberattacks, like the Colonial Pipeline, which paralyzed multiple regions of our country for an entire week in 2021. Our energy infrastructure is the most targeted critical infrastructure sector, facing 39 percent of cyber incidents.

The sophistication and sheer numbers of cyberattacks are growing by the year, but these aren't the only threats. In addition, our energy systems have become increasingly more complex. They have also become more vulnerable to all manner of hazards, including natural disasters, physical attacks, and global shortages. According to The Wall Street Journal, physical attacks on energy infrastructure catapulted by 71 percent from 2021 to 2022.

We need to make sure the Department of Energy is properly equipped to combat these threats and respond in case of an emergency.

The FAST Act provided the DOE with several new energy security authorities to respond to physical attacks and cyberattacks on our critical energy infrastructure. The Trump administration built on this authority by creating the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, or CESER.

This legislation would amend the Department of Energy Organization Act to require the Secretary of Energy to assign energy emergency and energy security functions to an Assistant Secretary of CESER, including responsibilities concerning infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Strengthening our cyber defense and emergency response capabilities in the energy sector has never been more important. We must do everything we can to protect energy reliability, and this bipartisan legislation is a simple yet effective step that needs to be taken.

For too long, the Department of Energy's emergency functions have long been oriented around oil supply shocks, but defense and response to physical attacks and cyberattacks have not been defined as a clear function. This can lead to downstream effects causing confusion and complications to the Department seeking to address the threats.

This legislation would help elevate energy emergency and cybersecurity responsibilities as a core function for the Department and better protect our grid and critical energy infrastructure. It would strengthen coordination across the Department, ensure more effective interagency communication, and increase accountability to Congress and the American people.

We live in a modern world with modern threats requiring modern solutions. H.R. 3277 is a necessary response to these threats.

Last Congress, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act passed the House with overwhelming support from Members on both sides of the aisle. Since then, threats have only increased; the stakes have risen; and there is consensus to get this done.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my subcommittee chairman for his truth-talking.

I rise today in support of Representative Pfluger's bipartisan H.R. 7176, the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act.

Last month, President Biden announced an indefinite ban on new exports of good, clean, American LNG. Our national security and that of our allies demand that the United States continue to export LNG to Europe and other nations that have been dependent on dirty gas from Russia and Iran.

Our communities and families along the Gulf Coast that depend on these jobs demand that we continue to export LNG.

We have long accepted that President Biden would relinquish our energy leadership in favor of environmental activists and special interests. Today, it was reported that one of the plan's main architects, soon-to-be-climate envoy John Podesta, might have other reasons to damper America's LNG future. His brother is a longtime lobbyist for foreign LNG companies, including one founded by a Russian energy oligarch.

This important legislation would immediately reverse the President's de facto ban and take the power to approve LNG exports away from the political whims of the White House and the DOE, placing it with the bipartisan Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

LNG exports help us to reduce global emissions, lower prices through more supply, and grow our economy and industrial base.

President Biden and his cabal are putting foreign adversaries and clean climate protesters ahead of the American people. That has to stop. Support this legislation.