Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 471, the PAUSE Act, to protect all Americans from Biden's border crisis.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act.

The United States is one of the few Nations in the world experiencing a rise in pregnancy-related deaths, claiming the lives of hundreds of moms each year. Behind each of these cases are stories of heartbreak and devastation for families and communities.

We must do more to improve health outcomes for moms and babies across this country, and telehealth services will play a critical role in doing so.

This bill would instruct the FCC to work with the CDC to incorporate publicly available data on severe maternal morbidity and mortality into its Mapping Broadband Health in America platform.

Using this data, we can more accurately identify the communities with high maternal morbidity and mortality rates that lack broadband connectivity. This will allow for the government to better target areas with critical telehealth services and, ultimately, pave the way for better health outcomes for new and expecting mothers.

Madam Speaker, I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2501, the Spectrum Coordination Act.

Spectrum is a finite and high-demand resource that, when allocated correctly, fuels innovation. The industries that use spectrum are rapidly evolving, and Federal coordination of spectrum should evolve with it.

That is why I am proud to support the Spectrum Coordination Act, sponsored by my friend, Congressman Bilirakis. While the industries that use spectrum continue to modernize at an accelerating pace, the memorandum of understanding between the NTIA and the FCC on spectrum coordination has not been updated since 2003.

This commonsense bill would instruct the NTIA and FCC to update their nearly 20-year-old MOU, ensuring

that they work together seamlessly to resolve disputes while ensuring spectrum is allocated as efficiently as possible. I strongly urge all my colleagues to support the Spectrum Coordination Act.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise in support of the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act, which ensures that the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard are adequately trained and equipped to fulfill their critical mission of securing America's coastlines.

It has been an honor for me, as a 3-year Member of Congress, to serve alongside Don Young and always sit behind him and hear him.

Madam Speaker, I thank my neighbor in Pennsylvania for hosting this Special Order this evening.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the importance of restoring American energy independence to combat skyrocketing prices at the pump, which just yesterday soared past all-time highs.

Last month, President Biden pledged to use every tool at our disposal to limit the effects of rising gas prices on American consumers and bolster energy supplies to our European allies.

Sadly, this commitment and the actions of this administration remain grossly misaligned.

Examples of these destructive decisions include: canceling the Keystone XL pipeline; halting new leases on Federal lands; greenlighting Russia's Nord Stream 2 project, while weakening our energy infrastructure here at home; begging OPEC to boost output and tapping into our Nation's emergency stockpile, all while refusing to take steps to boost domestic production; and proposing new punitive taxes and fees on producers.

Recently, the administration signaled its desire to increase imports from Saudi Arabia and Venezuela to offset the ban on Russian energy. Stopping the flow of energy from one authoritarian regime while opening the door to others does not strengthen America's energy security.

We must recommit the United States to energy independence. We must end the war against America's energy producers. And we must protect our energy infrastructure.

I join my colleagues in calling on the Biden administration to reverse course on the failed policies that are driving up costs for consumers, weakening America's energy security, and empowering our adversaries.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life and legacy of my dear friend, Dr. Paul Brown, past President of Zane State College, and a respected voice for higher education in Ohio. I was heartbroken to learn of his sudden passing last week.

Among the many accomplishments over his 30-year career was his work to modernize Zane State for better preparing students for success in their careers and in life. Under his leadership, Zane State had over 70 percent growth in enrollment and record-setting job placement.

It was an honor to work alongside Paul for so many years. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his wife, Linda, and the entire Brown family.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the amendment offered by Representative Steel.

This amendment is simple. It demands that China, the world's worst producer of greenhouse gas emissions, meets the same emissions standards that are imposed on the United States.

CO2 emissions in the United States have steadily declined since 2010 and drastically decreased during the pandemic. In 2020, China somehow managed to increase their emissions. Meanwhile, nearly every other country reduced theirs.

If my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to be serious about the climate, let's start by creating a level playing field for U.S. businesses to compete and require the world's largest polluter, China, to step up to the plate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my concerns with H.R. 4521. I want to talk for a moment not about China but about Licking County, Ohio, and the district I represent.

Licking County, located on the outskirts of Columbus, was cast into the national spotlight last month when a major U.S. tech company announced an initial $20 billion investment to build the first phase of what they plan to grow into the world's largest semiconductor manufacturing facility. This investment will put Licking County at the epicenter of a new silicon heartland and at the forefront of addressing the Nation's semiconductor shortage.

This investment will have an economic ripple effect throughout the region. Indeed, it will benefit our entire country.

Semiconductor chips are crucial components to products Americans use every day, including cars, computers, cell phones, and virtually every electronic device in our homes. Since the early 1990s, the United States' share of semiconductor manufacturing has fallen from 37 percent to just 12 percent today. Asian countries now account for more than 70 percent of semiconductor chip manufacturing globally.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its following supply chain disruptions have brought this issue to the forefront for every American. One concern for Americans in the market for a new car is the empty lots of dealerships as automobile production lines wait for chips from Asia.

Failing to address the shortage of semiconductor chips could have dire consequences for our national security. With production of U.S. military defense systems dependent upon access to these chips, overreliance on foreign countries leaves U.S. national security interests vulnerable, too. We cannot allow ourselves to be held hostage by the imbalance of foreign chip production.

The United States is not alone. Other countries are waking up to this reality, too. As I speak, the European Union is developing CHIPS legislation in an effort to quadruple their production of semiconductor chips by 2030. Falling further behind in chip manufacturing is a national security issue that we just can't afford.

I am honored to represent a community that will soon play a leading role in addressing the global chip shortage and producing these components vital to our modern economy. I am excited that we have an opportunity to help grow U.S. manufacturing of chips to epic proportions with a much-needed investment.

The CHIPS for America Act investment will level the playing field and let U.S. manufacturers compete in this market. But, once again, Democrat leadership is doing it the wrong way.

My constituents, and all Americans, were hopeful that the majority here in Congress had learned from their recent failures about what happens when these packages become too big, too costly, and too partisan. The CHIPS Act presents Congress with a golden opportunity to finally pass a bipartisan, commonsense investment that would bolster American competitiveness on the world stage. Unfortunately, the CHIPS Act constitutes a small fraction of the bill's overall price tag, which is over $300 billion.

Instead, the House Democrats worked behind closed doors with no Republican input and managed to bury good provisions under a mountain of unrelated policies that have nothing to do with American competitiveness.

In their hasty attempt at a partisan victory, the Democrats' bill funnels $8 billion to the unaccountable U.N. Green Climate Fund, which has already given $100 million to the Chinese Communist Party.

It pours billions of dollars into offshore climate change resiliency programs instead of holding China, the world's worst polluter, accountable for its own destructive emission standards.

It also creates unlimited visas and immigration pathways for Chinese nationals with STEM degrees. This allows the CCP to handpick which Chinese nationals apply for visas and opens the door for CCP to use unlimited visas to encourage espionage and the theft of sensitive technologies.

It also creates climate change officers within the Foreign Service, weakening our diplomats' focus on our core national interests.

In an effort to improve this bill, I offered commonsense amendments to encourage domestic manufacturing of critical products. I also offered amendments to remove the billions of dollars in partisan spending for global green new deal programs and shift focus on what this bill should be about.

Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today is proof House Democrats learned nothing from their disastrous Build Back Better blunder. Rather than allowing American economic competitiveness to be a rallying point for bipartisanship, the majority's all-or-nothing approach makes this yet another missed opportunity.

If this bill advances to conference committee, I am hopeful that the conferees will focus on areas of bipartisan, bicameral agreement like the CHIPS Act. It is past time to bolster this production here at home.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stop with the messaging bills and bring a piece of legislation to the floor that can win strong bipartisan support. Together, we can ensure that the serious business of American competitiveness gets the careful consideration and support it deserves.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Ohio's longest-serving township trustee, William ``Andy'' Thompson.

The year 1970 was momentous for many reasons. It was the year the Beatles released

their final album ``Let It Be'' just before the band broke up, the legal voting age in the U.S. was lowered from 21 to 18, and it was the year that William ``Andy'' Thompson first answered the call to serve his community.

After 52 years and 13 consecutive four-year terms, Andy ends his tenure as Ohio's longest-serving township trustee. Located in northwest Delaware County, Thompson Township, which carries the same family name only by coincidence, has a population of just 659 residents.

For township trustees in rural Ohio, the role requires more than just setting policy and addressing the concerns of residents. Given the size and budgets of smaller townships, the job often doubles as a part-time maintenance position of sorts. Even at age 84, Andy was no exception. On any given day, if Andy wasn't tending to his own farm, he could likely be found patching roads or mowing at the local cemetery.

Among Andy's long list of accomplishments spanning his more than five decades of public service was the construction of a new township hall, at no added expense to taxpayers.

While Andy's time as an officeholder has ended, his legacy will endure for many years to come. This legacy includes his successor as township trustee, his son, Andy Thompson III.

Andy has set a high bar for the thousands of township officeholders serving across Ohio's 1,308 townships. It is an honor to recognize his long career of public service and to express my sincere gratitude to William ``Andy'' Thompson on behalf of Ohio's 12th Congressional District.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, Sergeant Major Dan Altieri.

Sergeant Major was the living embodiment of the Marine Corps motto ``semper fi,'' always faithful, dedicating more than 30 years of service to the Corps.

Suffering unprecedented losses during its 2005 Iraq deployment, he led his marines in multiple combat operations, and Sergeant Major Altieri played a vital role in caring for Lima upon its return home.

As his marines and so much more of Central Ohio mourned for Lima Company in the wake of tragedy, it was left to Altieri to hold his marines together, a task requiring both strength and compassion.

Outside the Marines, he was a family man. He was a loving husband and father. His devotion to family was reflected in the love for his wife, Kovette, two grown sons, a sister, and his mentorship of others.

Today, the hearts of so many Ohioans are with the Sergeant Major's wife and family, his Marine Corps family, the law enforcement community, and to the countless lives touched by this remarkable U.S. marine.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the Biden administration's attack on American energy production.

Last month, as America faced 40 percent higher prices at the pump as a result of his failed policies, President Biden found himself begging OPEC to open the valve to alleviate the pinch of skyrocketing prices. To no one's surprise, OPEC refused.

Earlier this year, in a baffling sequence of events on his very first day in office, President Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline project, eliminating 11,000 U.S. energy jobs here at home.

And then he gave a green light to Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline across Europe. Perhaps most appalling is that the Nord Stream 2 decision was made in the wake of Russian hackers shutting down the Colonial Pipeline, affecting tens of millions of American up and down the East coast.

These misguided policy decisions by the Biden administration have caused irreparable harm, not just to the U.S., but also to our European allies who are growing increasingly weary of how the Kremlin may use its newfound grasp on the region's energy supplies to advance their geopolitical influence.

Destroying American energy production under the false pretense that doing so is somehow saving the environment is nothing more than a mismatch of problems and solutions. It is a disastrous display of virtue-signaling.

Meanwhile, in the midst of soaring inflation, American taxpayers are the ones left paying the price, robbed of both reliable energy options and their hard-earned money.

Madam Speaker, the Biden administration's policies are damaging American energy independence and security. We must reverse course and return to a path of American energy leadership, not foreign reliance.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3684, the majority's ``my-way-or-the-highway bill.''

Rather than working with Republicans to deliver a commonsense, bipartisan bill that puts America's real infrastructure needs center stage, the majority has decided to fast track its Green New Deal agenda. In fact, half of the funding in this bill is tied up meeting Green New Deal mandates.

The majority refused to work with Republicans on policies to streamline the permitting process for construction projects. These policies will save taxpayers billions of dollars and move projects forward faster, while still ensuring world-class environmental standards.

Unfortunately, Republicans were shut out of the process, and the impact is clear. This bill places costly restrictions on local construction projects, includes catastrophic provisions that would put small trucking companies and independent truckers out of business, and relies on deficit spending, which will further fuel the problem of inflation.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to reject this partisan process and vote ``no'' on H.R. 3684.

Madam Speaker, congratulations to Meyer Shank Racing on winning this year's Indianapolis 500! Based in Licking County, Meyer Shank Racing launched in 1994 and is currently expanding operations in Pataskala. It's taken a lot of hard work and determination to get to this point, and this team deserves every bit of success. Helio Castroneves excelled behind the wheel during a riveting race this year. Mike Shank is remarkable and has led this team to many accomplishments. It's such a joy to watch this team thrive, and I wish them all the best in their future competitions.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to bid farewell to my dear friend, Representative Steve Stivers, as he embarks on a new adventure leading the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

A career soldier, Steve has served more than 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard and holds the rank of major general. He served the United States overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom where he led 400 soldiers and contractors. For his leadership, he was awarded the Bronze Star. In a battle closer to home, Steve served on the front lines in America's fight against the opioid epidemic. Steve was a champion for the cause of civility not just in politics, but in our daily lives and founded the Congressional Civility and Respect Caucus.

Just as Steve has left his mark here in the Halls of Congress and in the lives of so many Americans, I know he will continue to do big things as president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and as a champion for job growth across our State.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Todd Spiker. Todd was a longtime friend of my family and we will miss him dearly.

Todd passed away on Sunday, April 4, 2021. Todd spent a lifetime in service to his country beginning at the age of 19 when he joined the U.S. Army. Upon leaving active duty, he joined the Alabama National Guard and served in the operation Desert Storm with the 214th MP Company.

After graduating from Jacksonville State University, he went to work at the at the City of Gadsden Police Department. Five years later, he would join the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Special Agent where he would proudly serve for the next 23 years. Todd had a wonderful life and left an incredible legacy. I am grateful for his service and I offer my deepest condolences to his family.