Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, there is no substitute for conducting the business of the American people in person.

On Monday, 80 members of the majority voted ``present'' by proxy. This is one of the most asinine things that has become commonplace under one-party rule by the majority.

Have House Democrats become so averse to work that they now believe voting from their couches is a viable option?

Mr. Speaker, it is time to end proxy voting once and for all. It is one of the many blemishes that have been put on this great body under one-party rule.

If the current majority won't end proxy voting, Republicans will snuff it out entirely when we take back the House. It is past time to get back to work.

Mr. Speaker, against science and common sense, many traditional government schools continue to shut children out of the classroom.

The Biden administration has repeatedly put the political agenda of teachers' unions above the needs of children.

Throughout this pandemic, the Biden administration has ignored the concerns of parents and has, instead, crafted its COVID-19 school guidelines in accord with the demands of union bosses.

The Biden administration's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consulted American Federation of Teachers, AFT, President Randi Weingarten for help in shaping guidance on school reopening. Entrusting a union boss and major campaign donor to make public health decisions is completely unacceptable.

Teachers' unions took full advantage of the pandemic. They bullied and coerced the Biden administration until they got almost everything they asked for. Anytime the Biden administration resisted their demands, these unions had a meltdown, publicly shaming the administration, staging sick-outs, and making their demands even more elaborate and unreasonable.

According to CDC guidance, schools can safely stay open. The data proves that schools are not and have never been a major vector of spread. Yet, even with all the scientific data, teachers' unions are holding their ground at the cost of students' well-being.

This pandemic has taken a major toll on young people. Children, who are at the lowest risk of being made seriously ill by COVID-19, have been forced out of the classrooms by the demands of teachers' unions.

Forcing students to learn behind a screen has led to devastating consequences. According to a report by Curriculum Associates, the number of students testing at two or more grade levels below their own grade has significantly increased since the pandemic. The numbers are worse for students who are already at risk.

For example, 49 percent of third graders who come from low-income areas are now two or more grade levels behind in reading and math. This is an increase of 10 to 12 percent since before the pandemic began.

Because of school closures, many students have also been suffering from isolation, depression, and anxiety. It was alarming to read that the number of ER visits for suspected suicide attempts by teenage girls rose from early 2019 to early 2021 by 51 percent.

This is a public health crisis in and of itself yet one that is being ignored by many of the decisionmakers at both the national and local level in favor of special interest groups like the AFT.

That is why Republicans at the Education and Labor Committee have been fighting so hard to keep schools open. We know the stakes are high.

This pandemic has made it abundantly clear that teachers' unions, as well as the education establishment, have too much power. Neither union bosses nor bureaucrats in Washington should be able to keep our children from the classroom. Access to education is an important right in this country, one that teachers' unions are belittling with their outrageous demands.

What has the outsized influence of teachers' unions produced? Less school choice, falling education standards, explicit material in school libraries, critical race theory-inspired curriculum, and years of learning loss.

Teachers' unions have become far less about protecting teachers or students and far more about promoting a left-wing political agenda. This was made clear when the teachers' unions in several major cities joined forces with the Democratic Socialists of America to demand an eviction moratorium and an end to voucher programs as conditions for reopening schools.

The longer we let these union bosses take advantage of this pandemic, the worse off our students will be. Students should no longer take a back seat to politics or special interests.

It is time to stop catering to teachers' unions and to start serving the needs of students.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Trooper John Horton of the North Carolina Highway Patrol. On January 3, he passed away in a tragic accident in the line of duty. He was a 15-year veteran of the unit and was assigned to Rutherford County.

His two younger siblings, James and Joe, served alongside him at one point in the Highway Patrol. They were the first and only trio of siblings to ever work simultaneously in the Highway Patrol in North Carolina's history.

My prayers go out to Trooper Horton's family, his wife, and six children. May his memory and service to his community serve as an inspiration for future generations of law enforcement officers to come.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to salute a dedicated public servant and friend. After working for a series of Members of the House, including Rep. Bill Goodling, Rob Green first served the Education and Workforce Committee from 1995 to 2001. Rob rejoined the Committee four years ago and has been an invaluable leader of the GOP workforce team ever since.

As Director of Workforce Policy, Rob has 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 with Democrat staff has 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 has also extended beyond the Committee. GOP leadership has 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 has 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.

I, myself, have relied on Rob's expertise and keen eye for strategy to further this Committee's mission, and I will miss his support. Thankfully, his expertise will live on in the team that he has led and mentored for four years.

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.

I truly congratulate Rob on his retirement, he has earned it.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my two amendments in this en bloc package.

The alleged purpose of this bill is to ``protect our democracy by preventing

abuses of Presidential power, restoring checks and balances and accountability and transparency in government.''

My amendments, in fact, do exactly that and would create an office of inspector general, IG, at the Office of Management and Budget, OMB.

Pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, this independent, nonpartisan inspector general would prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse at OMB.

The underlying bill is a Democrat attempt to relitigate yesterday's issues. But today, Americans are being assailed from all sides. They are facing a Democrat President on a spending binge that is tearing this country apart. Inflation sits at a 30-year high. Gas prices are skyrocketing out of control, and now an even more reckless socialist and amnesty agenda is in the works.

My two amendments will truly bring accountability and transparency to the executive branch and protect the statutory authorities of Congress.

Last week, news broke that 40 percent or more of the $700 billion spent on unemployment benefits for COVID-19 relief went to fraud. That is nearly the size of the defense budget. An IG at OMB would be able to root out this kind of fraud, waste, and abuse and save taxpayers' dollars. The Biden administration should welcome having an OMB inspector general with the same enthusiasm they talk about transparency and accountability.

My second amendment will help protect the rights of the minority and allow the Oversight and Reform Committee to easily acquire documents from the executive branch so that we can uphold true oversight.

I look forward to working with the majority to obtain the information required by law from the administration pursuant to these Rule of 7 requests. I appreciate that Democrats agree on some level that we need rigorous oversight of the executive branch.

My only question is: Where have they been for the last 11 months?

I am also profoundly disappointed that Democrats chose to load up this en bloc package with amendments that entrench bureaucracy, hamstring Presidential appointments, and micromanage Presidential powers. This bill is supposed to restore transparency and accountability, but many of the amendments in this package move it in the opposite direction.

Madam Speaker, the Federal Government cannot be given the ability to police innovators who create lifesaving products. Top-down, government-imposed drug pricing would eliminate consumer choices, jeopardize future cures, and ultimately lead to socialized medicine.

The United States invents approximately two-thirds of the world's new medicines. Our system encourages private investments which spur innovation. This is something we should be proud of and encourage, not curtail.

But under the Democrats' radical Build Back Better Act, new drugs and cures for diseases like cancer and diabetes would be reduced. Price controls will lead to reduced access for patients and will set a dangerous precedent.

If the Federal Government has the authority to dictate the cost of prescription drugs, what else will it decide to set prices for?

Mr. Speaker, the attempt to stifle free speech at colleges and universities continues to be a major problem. Too many universities are more committed to liberal indoctrination than to providing an education.

One of the primary reasons students attend college is to foster intellectual curiosity, yet this is no longer allowed at many universities. Too many students and faculty alike are being intimidated into silence, or even worse, punished for speaking out about their religious or political beliefs.

Universities should encourage a diverse set of viewpoints and open dialogue; not stifle the expression of ideas they may oppose. Students should not feel like they must be on the frontlines of a culture war just to obtain a degree.

All Americans should have their First Amendment freedoms protected, regardless of their point of view. Students on college campuses should be no different.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Oklahoma for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so we can bring up H.R. 6056, the Parents Bill of Rights Act.

There has been a push to silence parents around the country. Powerful teachers unions, several school boards, Democrat politicians, and the Biden Justice Department have all voiced opposition to the rights of parents to have a say in their child's education.

We will not stand for this kind of intimidation, and we will not tolerate the left's attempt to push parents out of the decisionmaking process when it comes to their child's education.

That is why we have introduced the Parents Bill of Rights. This legislation will protect rights parents already have but that are now under attack.

I can't imagine why anyone would oppose the Parents Bill of Rights Act. Making school spending and curriculum transparent should already be the norm. After all, what do schools have to hide?

This bill will also ensure that schools do not share or sell private student data or attempt to administer health examinations without parental consent. These are extremely important decisions that belong to parents, not bureaucrats or school administrators.

The left's assault on parental rights is outrageous. To claim that parents are akin to domestic terrorists just because they don't agree with the left's agenda is beyond the pale. Yet, it is these very attacks that have shown Americans all around the country just how important it is to stand up to the left. We cannot let our fundamental rights be stripped from us, especially the right to raise our children.

This bill is ushering in a new era of education, one where parents won't take a back seat to the system. One thing is certain, our children and the country will be better off for having the Parents Bill of Rights.

Mr. Speaker, middle- and lower-income households across the country are getting the short end of the stick under the so-called Build Back Better Act.

For months, House Republicans have exposed radical provisions in this bill that do nothing to help the American people or the country. One such provision is the raising of State and local tax deductions, commonly referred to as SALT.

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a $10,000 cap was placed on SALT deductions. This meant that taxpayers who itemized their returns could deduct up to $10,000 in certain taxes that are paid to State and local governments.

Under the so-called Build Back Better Act, the cap would be set at $80,000. That is a $70,000 increase in tax deductions for high-income households in America. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that raising the SALT cap to $80,000 equates to a gift of $625 billion in perpetuity to wealthy Americans.

Speaker Pelosi was quoted as saying that raising SALT deductions is ``about which States get the revenue they need in order to meet the needs of the people.''

Mr. Speaker, that claim may sound appeasing to some, but not all Members of the Democrat Party are sold. Jason Furman, the former chair of former President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers and current Harvard economist, calls this giveaway obscene.

Representative Jared Golden, a Democrat from Maine, who voted against the so-called Build Back Better Act, said he was concerned about tax giveaways to millionaires. Even Senator Bernie Sanders came out in staunch opposition to these proposed changes for the SALT cap. Noticing a pattern here?

Consider who will be the people reaping these benefits. Here is a hint: it is not hardworking American families. With the tax deduction cap set at $80,000, the households with the highest income would be saving $25,900 more than they do under the current law.

The Tax Policy Center found that this $80,000 cap would directly benefit the top 1 percent of households. Middle- and lower-income households will be left behind. With only 5.4 percent of the households earning more than $200,000 per year in North Carolina, few people would receive this handout.

Higher-income States such as California, New York, and New Jersey have historically benefitted from SALT cap deductions--with North Carolina being far removed from the conversation.

Mr. Speaker, economic experts, Republicans, and even Democrat Members of Congress agree that Washington has too much SALT in its diet. If the majority believes upping SALT deductions and leaving both middle- and lower-income Americans behind is a viable route to take, the consequences would be a lot more than they bargained for.

The Senate should kill the so-called Build Back Better Act immediately.

Madam Speaker, I stand in strong opposition to the Department of Labor's attack on religious freedom. The Department of Labor's proposal to rescind protections for religious Federal contractors demonstrates how hostile the Biden administration is to the free exercise of religion when it bucks up against progressive priorities.

Prior to President Trump's rule clarifying the rights and obligations of religious Federal contractors, religious organizations were reluctant to seek Federal contracts. If the rule is rescinded, religious organizations will, once again, be dissuaded from competing for these contracts. This will lead to less competition for Federal contracts, meaning the American people will pay a higher price for Federal projects.

Religious organizations should be able to compete for contracts on a level playing field without having to compromise their faith. The Biden administration apparently disagrees. It is of the utmost importance to protect our very first right--the religious freedom of all Americans-- including Federal contractors.

Mr. Speaker, President Biden's energy crisis is the Christmas gift that nobody asked for.

The national average for a gallon of gas reached $3.39 as of last Friday, the most Americans have paid at the pump since the Obama-Biden administration.

Home heating costs are projected to rise as much as 54 percent for some households this winter. House Democrats are even pushing a ``heat your home tax'' just in time for the holidays.

If Americans thought Thanksgiving cost an arm and a leg, just wait until President Biden's failed policies torpedo Christmas entirely. At this rate, the only things Americans will find under their Christmas trees and in their stockings are more bills, not presents.

Mr. Speaker, this lunacy must end.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Democrats' spending bill is not about building back better, it is about building up a bureaucracy that will expand the reach of the Federal Government, especially over education.

This bill will impose Federal control over pre-K, limit parental choice, increase the cost of childcare, punish job creators, reward far-left special interests, and deepen our debt crisis.

This bill recklessly sets aside $400 billion for universal pre-K and childcare but, in reality, there is no telling how much this provision will cost the American people. Subsidizing the childcare of wealthy families isn't building back better, it is building back bankrupt.

This legislation is wrong for our country and wrong for our children. Education is best when run locally and when parents are involved.

The bill also includes dangerous provisions from the PRO Union Bosses Act, which kneecap business owners while putting a target on job creators' backs with outrageously inflated Labor Department fines.

Democrats keep saying this legislation is transformational. Well, let me tell them something: The American people do not want this country to be transformed in the way they want to transform it.

It is time to make protecting the future of this Nation, our children, a priority, not empowering teachers unions, burdening job creators, or centralizing control in the hands of unelected, unaccountable Washington bureaucrats.

Mr. Speaker, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle who believe that the Build Back Better Act is going to make this country better are trying to sell snake oil to the American people. There is an old saying, Mr. Speaker: You can fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

Frankly, the American people--some of them--have seen the light, and they understand that Build Back Better is going to bankrupt this country and that is not the way most Americans want to go. So we will see if the people who vote for Build Back Better have the real support of the American people next year if that bill passes.

Mr. Speaker, this is National Apprenticeship Week, and it is fitting that as the lead Republican on the Education and Labor Committee that we talk about the importance of apprenticeships.

As we know, apprenticeships have been around since the beginning of time and they have been much more used in other countries. They were much used in our country for a long, long time. Then the numbers of them decreased. However, in recent years more and more Americans have found that apprenticeship programs are an effective option to help achieve their career goals.

I have had people in my family go through apprenticeship programs, and I know for a fact how valuable they are. These earn-and-learn programs offer students and workers a viable path toward the American Dream, and it is very fitting that we should celebrate National Apprenticeship Week and highlight the apprenticeship programs across the country.

However, unfortunately, the Biden administration is proposing to end the program dedicated to expanding apprenticeships, cutting off this important pathway to sustainable and rewarding careers. By ending Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs, or IRAP, President Biden is hurting workers and businesses nationwide. This decision moves our country backward and will keep many Americans from being able to prepare for their future.

Instead of ending IRAPs, we should be working to inject innovation and flexibility into the apprenticeship model so that more Americans can get back to work and achieve the American Dream, no putting roadblocks in their way. Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more clear with every action of the Biden administration that the American worker is always going to take a backseat in President Biden's America.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for leading this Special Order tonight.

Madam Speaker, the Biden administration's unprecedented OSHA vaccine mandate is a massive power grab. This national diktat was recently found likely to be unlawful by the Fifth Circuit and it stretches the power of the Federal Government beyond recognition. Requiring employers to be the vaccine and testing police and telling them who they can and cannot employ is a bridge too far.

Further, this mandate will crush businesses with exorbitant costs while exacerbating the worker shortage. Why would the Biden administration make this crisis worse? It is clear that the Biden administration is using this pandemic as an excuse to inflate the power of the Federal Government as far as possible. That is what we must resist.

To get our economy back on track, we don't need more crippling mandates and regulations, we need to support workers and job creators.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Lee McMillan, of Ashe County, who will be celebrating his 90th birthday this Saturday.

I have been blessed to know Lee for many years, and I know that he has helped build the foundation that the North Carolina Republican Party stands upon today.

His 23 years of service to the United States Navy, after his graduation from the Naval Academy, and his tireless work in promoting conservative values on the local and State level are nothing short of admirable.

Lee is also the proud owner of Shatley Springs Inn and Restaurant located in the high country, a local landmark that has received national recognition since 1958.

To me, Lee is a perfect representation of the best that Ashe County and western North Carolina have to offer.

Thank you, Lee, and happy birthday.