Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, this week many people will be celebrating National AmeriCorps Week. I will not be one of them. AmeriCorps has been around for almost 30 years, and in that time we have learned never to underestimate the ability of the Federal Government to muck things up.

No one denies that AmeriCorps began with good intentions, and I applaud the philanthropic spirit of those who volunteer out of a genuine desire to help those in need. However, I cannot applaud a bloated bureaucratic organization that is the poster child for fraud and mismanagement.

AmeriCorps is entrusted with 1.1 billion taxpayer dollars every single year. And every single year AmeriCorps proves it is an expert at wasting taxpayer funds.

For example, some AmeriCorps programs cost taxpayers four to eight times more money than programs that perform identical services. Even more concerning is the fact that neither Congress, the Inspector General, nor AmeriCorps itself have an idea of how taxpayer dollars are being managed. In fact, AmeriCorps' financial statements are so bad that they have not been able to be audited for the past 5 years.

According to AmeriCorps' Inspector General, if this occurred at a private organization there would be a ``wholesale resignation or firing of the leadership team, and the public would be shorting their stock.''

Even more concerning is the lack of oversight AmeriCorps provides over its grantees that are plagued with fraudulent activity. For example, a Hawaiian nonprofit executive was recently sentenced to 46 months in prison for embezzling over $500,000 from AmeriCorps, and a school district in St. Louis was found guilty of encouraging AmeriCorps volunteers to falsely inflate time sheets.

The private sector often does the same work as AmeriCorps but at a fraction of the price and with far less waste, fraud, and mismanagement.

It is our job as Members of the House of Representatives to ensure that taxpayer funds are protected. The power of the purse is one of our most important constitutional duties. We therefore must stop feeding the black hole that is AmeriCorps and instead empower States and local governments to meet the needs of their residents.

The last time AmeriCorps' programs were reauthorized was in 2009 with the passage of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act which was named in honor of the late Senator who was the author of the legislation that governs many of AmeriCorps' programs.

Yet, despite the support for national service, Senator Kennedy himself emphasized the importance of proper stewardship of taxpayer dollars, noting during a 1993 floor speech on the establishment of the corporation that ``Congress will not, and should not, fund a program if it is unsuccessful.''

I agree with him. AmeriCorps has had 29 years to prove itself, and the only thing it has proven is that it is a drain on taxpayers and a massive disappointment. This is a failed agency that needs to be overhauled completely or just eliminated.

Madam Speaker, college enrollment decreased this year by a million students. Although many claim dropping enrollment is a crisis, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

This is an opportunity to see that Americans are making more decisions that are best for them. This is an opportunity for Americans to see that college is not the only pathway to a successful career. This is an opportunity for institutions of higher education to rethink how best to serve students.

As the Republican leader of the Education and Labor Committee and a former educator, I know the importance of giving every American the opportunity to climb the economic ladder through pursuit of postsecondary education.

Yet, the college-for-all mentality has forced many Americans to obtain expensive degrees which may not prepare them for a satisfying career when they could have thrived on an alternative career path. It also allowed institutions to maintain the status quo of high prices and often questionable value.

College is not the only pathway to a fulfilling career. Falling college enrollment could demonstrate that more Americans are weighing the cost of college and deciding it just might not be worth it.

A study by the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity found that the return on investment for obtaining a bachelor's degree varies significantly. The report found that 37 percent of the programs have negative returns on investment, meaning that students will be financially worse off for having participated in those programs.

Students can benefit from college only if they complete their degree. Historically, about 900,000 students leave college without finishing each year, according to Michael Petrilli, president of Fordham Institute. Petrilli surmises that individuals not registering for college could be some of the same students who would have dropped out anyway.

The roughly 40 percent of students who leave college without a degree are often left with a mountain of student debt and no wage increase to help pay it off. For these students it may have been a better option to enter the workforce, pursue a skilled profession, or put off college until the time was right rather than conforming to societal norms.

The fact that college enrollment is down signals that more Americans are doing just that--that is, making decisions that are better for their lives and families. As more young people come to realize that college is not always a golden ticket, they are embracing alternative career paths.

For example, more Americans are participating in apprenticeship programs or obtaining an associate degree in a high-skilled trade like welding technology or respiratory therapy.

We should celebrate our country's diverse workforce, not belittle it. Looking down on careers in critical industries, especially during a historic labor shortage, is shortsighted. We should encourage more Americans to obtain the skills needed for these in-demand jobs.

College is not the only way for Americans to move up economically. Many careers, particularly those in high-skilled trades, can lead to high and stable incomes. Most importantly, declining enrollments may be the wake-up call colleges and universities needed to finally convince them that they must change to meet the demands of students, families, and our workforce.

The cost of attending college has exploded while student outcomes have remained stagnant. Why would we expect any different when the Federal Government, using taxpayer dollars, is willing to write universities a blank check without requiring any accountability to students and taxpayers?

It is time for these institutions to get serious about providing an affordable education that will prepare students for the workforce. The drop in college enrollment shows that America is ready to change its attitude on ``college-for-all'' and accept that there are

several pathways to the American Dream and lifelong success.

Madam Speaker, the American people are asking one simple question: Why does the Biden administration hate energy freedom in America?

They have asked that question every time they have gone to the gas station and seen prices skyrocketing. Now, they are asking that question as this administration is falling to its knees and begging Iran for a nuclear deal. Sacrificing our geopolitical leverage by appealing to our enemies is appalling, and it is the last thing that should ever be considered.

Madam Speaker, this administration would rather be awarded a participation trophy than dig in and fight to put American interests first.

That mentality is bankrupting our great country, and we have been led into a political minefield. It is a display of pure weakness and an absolute disgrace.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to salute a dedicated public servant and friend. After working for a series of Members of the House, including Representative Bill Goodling, Rob Green first served the Education and Workforce Committee from 1995 to 2001. Rob rejoined the committee 4 years ago and was an invaluable leader of the GOP workforce team until his recent retirement.

As director of workforce policy, Rob worked tirelessly to protect the rights of workers and employers alike. He has dedicated years of his life to fighting for free market principles and to seeing that our country stays a self-governed republic. Whether we have been in the majority or in the minority, Rob has made addressing Federal overreach a top priority and has never been afraid to hold Federal agencies accountable.

Rob's consummate professionalism when working with Members of Congress as well as Democrat staff allowed us to pass bipartisan bills such as the Retirement Improvement and Savings Enhancement Act, RISE, which will help many Americans prepare for a more secure future.

Rob's work was also pivotal in helping us pass a ban on surprise billing. This fight for transparency in our medical system has been a passion of Rob's and will help millions of struggling Americans.

Rob's influence extended way beyond the committee. GOP leadership also relied on Rob to shape policy in the labor arena, ensuring that the American worker's voice gets heard. His relationship with lawmakers and staff throughout the House allowed the committee to flourish and accomplish a tremendous amount.

Too often populist lobbies have an out-sized influence over politics in Washington. Rob's work on this committee ensured that the voices of job creators and small business owners were heard.

This is a difficult day for me as I relied on Rob's expertise and keen eye for strategy to further this committee's mission. Thankfully, his expertise will live on in the team that he has led and mentored for 4 years.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Rob for his many accomplishments and for his selfless service to this country. It is because of dedicated public servants like Rob standing in the gap and defending our Republic that we have a chance at reclaiming the vision our Founding Fathers had for this Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I truly congratulate Rob on his retirement. He has earned it.

Mr. Speaker, President Zelensky of Ukraine is a rock-ribbed leader who will fight and deliver for his country, and Americans are standing with the Ukrainians, who are fighting so bravely for their country.

It is damning that Americans can't say the same for the person who is supposed to be the leader of the free world as we can for President Zelensky.

Our leader kneecapped American energy production by eliminating the Keystone XL pipeline and empowered Putin by waiving sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in Europe. Due to that abysmal decision, the U.S. is now explicitly not targeting Russia's energy sector with sanctions. It is as if he wanted America to be dependent on Putin and autocrats in Russia indefinitely.

We could have done more to stop what has happened in Ukraine. Americans support the Ukrainians and want to see a change in our energy policy. What is happening now is damaging our country and our standing in the free world.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Utah for yielding to me today.

Mr. Speaker, I was encouraged to see George Washington University, GW, reverse its decision to censor posters highlighting the human rights abuses of the Chinese Communist Party, CCP.

The Olympic-themed posters bring attention to the CCP for its oppression of Tibetans and Uyghurs. They also denounce China for undermining democracy in Hong Kong, implementing an authoritarian surveillance system over its own people, and for its dishonesty in the handling of COVID-19.

Calling these posters racist is absurd and a dishonest attempt to pander to an authoritarian regime housing ethnic minorities in modern- day concentration camps. They aren't promoting racism but decrying it.

Allowing students to stand up for human rights and democratic values on college campuses should not be a point of controversy.

Condemning ethnic cleansing and genocide is not controversial. Condemning the erosion of privacy is not controversial. Condemning the destruction of democratic values is not controversial. In fact, condemning these crimes should be something that unites all Americans.

The individuals who hung these posters are braver than many pundits and politicians who are turning a blind eye to the CCP's atrocities. We should celebrate their courage, not punish it.

Too many universities tout free speech policies but punish those with different viewpoints for simply speaking their mind. We must allow our colleges and university campuses to be places that welcome free speech and an open exchange of ideas.

Speech meant to incite violence is never acceptable, and I condemn racism in all its forms. Yet, we must ensure that we aren't letting politically motivated groups cry wolf whenever someone says something they may not want to hear or speaks up for the millions who cannot do so themselves.

If cries of racism can be weaponized to silence political opponents, then our country will be ruled by the diktats of political correctness and a fear of censorship instead of rational free thought. If we want to stay a self-governed and free country, then we must protect our most fundamental rights, and this includes the freedom of speech.

Colleges and universities must protect the free and open exchange of ideas. Silencing students or professors for challenging the status quo makes university officials no better than the Chinese Communist Party.

In the end, GW made the right decision and should be commended for it. I hope other schools will learn from this and support free speech from the start.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Kentucky who has done a masterful job, along with Chairwoman Maloney, on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act.

The Postal Service is projected to lose $160 billion over the next 10 years as mail volume decreases and costs continue to increase. If nothing changes, the Postal Service will run out of cash in 2024 and plead for another taxpayer bailout.

This bill, coupled with Postmaster General DeJoy's 10-year reform plan, will return the Postal Service to a more sustainable path. It provides additional transparency mechanisms to help hold the Postal Service accountable for meeting its goals and ultimately lead its management to operate more efficiently.

It also allows the Postal Service to choose the most economic reform of transportation, rather than using outdated rules that are not tailored to the modern needs of the Postal Service.

The Postal Service Reform Act allows the Postmaster General to make two financial reforms that are key to the 10-year reform plan. It allows for Medicare integration and the elimination of the pre-funding obligations.

Last Congress, I requested a recorded vote on H.R. 2382, the USPS Fairness Act, and I voted ``no'' on that bill because I believe it is irresponsible for the Postal Service to shed its pre-funding obligations without making needed reforms so that taxpayers are not asked to repeatedly bail it out.

Now I am pleased to say the Postal Service Reform Act delivers those substantial and badly needed reforms to the Postal Service, such that its fiscal stability will be restored. Even the Congressional Budget Office notes that this bill would save taxpayers nearly $1.5 billion over the next 10 years. This keeps the Postal Service solvent, and eliminates the need for further postal bailouts.

Common ground is illusive in this body, Madam Speaker. I am proud to say that the bill before us today is truly a bipartisan step in the right direction to help the Postal Service fulfill its mission for years to come.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Members on both sides of the aisle want more transparency and accountability in postsecondary education, but that is not what this amendment accomplishes.

This amendment is a Trojan horse for violating privacy rights of students through colleges and universities.

Many of my colleagues who support this amendment are not completely informed or have not thought through the implications of some of its provisions.

This amendment would direct the Federal Government to create a data system that tracks every college student in America through their adult lives without their consent and without giving them the ability to opt out.

This sounds more like a scheme the Chinese Communist Party would manufacture than a bipartisan amendment to a bill meant to combat Chinese influence.

Don't be fooled. This amendment might use words like ``security,'' but in reality, it puts the privacy of Americans at risk.

Some of these Federal agencies have already been hacked by Russian intelligence and fraudsters. Who is to say it won't happen again?

I don't trust foxes in my henhouse, and I surely don't trust Washington bureaucrats with a database of the personal and private information of my children and grandchildren, or yours.

And what will the Biden administration do with the tax records, Social Security information, and the private data of Americans? The answer is simply, exert more control.

This amendment isn't about transparency or accountability, but about giving Washington bureaucrats the ability to choose winners and losers among institutions of postsecondary education. For example, the Pell grant provisions herd Americans looking for alternative career pathways into the same colleges and universities that failed them in the first place while blocking them from pursuing programs offered by career- focused schools simply based on their tax status--even if these institutions can meet the 11 pages of arbitrary and prescriptive guardrails the amendment puts in place.

This amendment does nothing to improve our broken system of postsecondary education. Instead, it exacerbates our skills gap and labor shortage and forces Americans to concede their privacy to an administration that looks more and more like the authoritarian regime we are supposedly trying to combat.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Keller).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller).

Madam Speaker, giving this same administration that weaponized the Federal Government against concerned parents the power to collect sensitive information about all college students, whether they accept financial aid or not is unacceptable.

I am not surprised that Democrats are trying to use this amendment to overhaul postsecondary education without holding a single legislative hearing or markup. Democrats have a track record of bypassing the legislative process when it suits their ends. We must resist the Democrats' egregious power grab.

Madam Speaker, this is a moral issue. I strongly encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Levin amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, it has been a year since Joe Biden took office, and the southern border has all but collapsed.

A year has passed, and he still cannot find the elusive root cause of his self-inflicted border crisis. Since he is clearly having some trouble finding the cause, I will save him some time. Joe Biden is the root cause of the border crisis.

The number of illegal crossings at the border has escalated at a faster rate under him than at any time in recent history. Since Joe Biden took office, nearly 2 million illegal immigrants have been apprehended at the southern border.

But wait, there is more.

More illegal immigrants have crossed the southern border in the last 3 months than in all of fiscal year 2020. And now, we have learned that illegals are being funneled to cities across the United States in the dead of night.

That is right. While Americans are asleep, this administration is trying to cover up its own failures. Some of these illegals are known to have criminal records, yet they are being given a free pass.

Across the world, people are watching this unfold. Across the world, people are getting the message that you can waltz into this country illegally with no consequences. Consider the fact that people from 160 different countries are coming to the southern border. It is clear that the message is the wrong one to be sending.

In December, a Saudi Arabian national with ties to known Yemeni terrorists was arrested after he crossed the border wearing a fake paramedic uniform. If he were released into the United States, the consequences would have been disastrous.

Mr. Speaker, instead of securing the southern border and protecting the integrity of our national security, this administration has doubled down on its own failures. Because of this worsening crisis, every State has now become a border State.

Border security is national security. And thanks to Joe Biden and congressional Democrats' open border policies, America has neither.

Mr. Speaker, the Democrats' China bill will weaken the United States on the world stage. This legislation isn't about competing with China. This bill is about appeasing China.

This is a bill without teeth, and it does too little to confront the Chinese Communist Party while simultaneously curbing the success and opportunities of American job creators and workers. Contrary to my colleague's statements just now, this bill is not positive for our workforce.

By further centralizing apprenticeship programs and giving unions unfair advantage over small businesses, this bill closes pathways to success for many American workers.

This legislation also fails to curb the CCP's influence at our universities and workplaces. Where there should be action, Democrats promote inaction. Where there should be strength, Democrats show weakness. Where there should be security, Democrats make our country more vulnerable. This is not the America COMPETES Act. This is the America concedes act.

Mr. Speaker, let me make one thing clear: Israel has never been and will never be an apartheid state.

Amnesty International's latest report that labels Israel as an apartheid state is nothing short of an outright denial of the Jewish State's right to exist. This report should be condemned immediately. It is the textbook definition of anti-Semitism.

Instead of peddling these falsehoods and baseless allegations, Amnesty International would do well to focus on the human rights violations of the Chinese Communist Party.

America has stood side by side with Israel since its creation, and our shared values remain the keystone of our strategic partnership.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand with Israel and the Jewish community. They deserve our unwavering support.

Madam Speaker, Washington Democrats have become desperate to shield their slim majorities in the House and Senate; so desperate, in fact, that they are willing to silence millions of Americans by orchestrating a Federal takeover of elections.

Look no further than H.R. 1 and H.R. 4. These pieces of legislation are the ones Americans should be concerned about.

Madam Speaker, all Washington Democrats have done is operate off their own manufactured hysteria.

Thanks to ranking member Rodney Davis of the Committee on House Administration, we have the facts on why the Democrats' narrative is wrong.

2020 saw the highest voter turnout in 120 years, and according to Pew, 94 percent said it is easy to vote. There is clearly no widespread ``voter suppression'' issue in this country.

Georgia's new ``voter suppression law'' has more days of early in- person voting than New York.

Texas' ``voter suppression law'' ends pandemic exceptions like universal drive-thru voting and 24-hour voting. Neither existed in Texas before 2020. Neither widely exists even in blue States.

When it comes to abolishing the filibuster, there are even more facts.

The filibuster prevents Federal laws swinging wildly with every election.

If the filibuster is taken away, millions of citizens and entire States would be silenced.

Senator Schumer's push is not a response to the 2020 election or new State laws.

As early as 2019 and August 2020, Senator Schumer was already discussing abolishing the filibuster, but only if he won control.

If the filibuster is wiped clean off the map, imagine what will be done next: Packing the Supreme Court; ramming through the Green New Deal; defunding the police, and every other misguided item that Washington Democrats have in their political playbook.

The consequences would be disastrous for America.

Madam Speaker, Americans do not want the one-party rule agenda of Washington Democrats, the anniversary of which is tomorrow.

They do not want to see their own country become even more bankrupted by the failed policies under this administration and razor-thin majority.

Republicans will continue to stand firm against this far-left agenda, and we will not sit on the sidelines.

It is vital that Americans know what these election bills will do and the consequences that will affect this great country if they are passed.

Thank you again to Ranking Member Rodney Davis and his staff for their continued hard work and diligence on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, for a year, the Biden administration has struck out on every jobs report.

If this were a baseball game, this administration would have been benched long ago.

Economists predicted that 450,000 new jobs would be added in the month of December.

But what was the result? A dismal 199,000 jobs were added, the worst report of Joe Biden's Presidency.

Mr. Speaker, with these kinds of numbers, America's economy and workforce will never recover.

No matter how this administration spins these failures, one thing is abundantly clear: You cannot swing, miss, and then claim you have hit a home run.

Madam Speaker, recently the Taylorsville Times, a historic newspaper in North Carolina's Fifth District, celebrated its 100th anniversary.

I cannot overstate how much of an institution this newspaper is within the community. A century of production is a testament to the value that this newspaper creates for its dedicated readers. Like clockwork, it continues to carry on in the Alexander County community.

Congratulations to Lee Sharpe, the publisher of the Taylorsville Times, and his family for achieving this tremendous accomplishment. Thanks to the diligence and hard work of Lee and his family, the citizens of Alexander County continue to have access to an invaluable resource.

Here is to another prosperous 100 years of service.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Indiana for holding this Special Order tonight and calling attention to the problems of the past year.

I could use many words to describe President Biden's first full year in office, but the one that comes to mind immediately is incompetence.

There is a blueprint for the economic and societal ruin that has stabbed America in its back for a year. This administration is the architect of that blueprint.

Inflation has skyrocketed to its highest level in 40 years.

Job creators have faced innumerable setbacks that have threatened their livelihoods.

The ever-growing Federal bureaucracy has metastasized like a cancer.

Parents have been targeted by the FBI and DOJ in what can only be described as a wave of new-age McCarthyism that has been spun by this administration.

The southern border has all but collapsed due to gross mismanagement.

The list goes on and on.

Simply put, the policies and actions of this administration mirror the agenda of political arsonists.

No matter how ambitious or forward-thinking the Biden administration tries to bill itself as, it cannot shake the stench of incompetence that surrounds every initiative it heads up.

Socialism is no longer an ominous shadow on the horizon. This administration has brought it to our doorstep.

This great country must be saved from the ruin that this administration has created.

Republicans will be the ones to save it.

Republicans will be the ones to safeguard the values and freedoms that have always defined America.

Republicans will be the ones to turn this country around and deliver for the American people.

When we retake the House of Representatives and the Senate this year, that is precisely what we will do.

Americans demand it, and we will act.