Congressional Record — House, October 22, 2021
Summary
This is H5816 of the Congressional Record, House, October 22, 2021, with interleaved columns. The page begins with the end of a roll call listing and then prints a Legislative Program colloquy in which Mr. Scalise asks the majority leader, Mr. Hoyer, about the schedule for next week. Mr. Scalise says families face inflation, an energy crisis, a border crisis, and supply chain problems, and asks whether legislation will address them. Mr. Hoyer outlines the House schedule from Monday through Thursday, says 5 million jobs have been created since the administration took office, and says the House will consider several bills under suspension, with the views attributed to the speakers.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
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“Congressional Record — House, October 22, 2021.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-10-22-crec-2021-10-22-pt1-pgh5816-754a5cd73b/
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H5816 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 22, 2021
Hartzler Moore (WI) Stewart Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I floor, we brought it to the floor. You
(Bucshon) (Beyer) (Crawford)
Hice (GA) Napolitano Suozzi (Panetta)
thank the gentleman. As we go all opposed it, however—unfortu-
(Greene (GA)) (Correa) Timmons through the bills that may come up nately—that helped families, helped
Huffman Nehls (Fallon) (Reschenthaler) next week—of course, we just finished childcare, helped healthcare, helped
(Stanton) Ocasio-Cortez Vela (Correa) a week bringing some bills to the floor, health workers, helped States all to
Jayapal (Raskin) (Escobar) Velázquez
Jones (Jacobs Payne (Pallone) but as we look around the country, meet the pandemic that this adminis-
(Jeffries)
(CA)) Perlmutter
Waltz (Diaz-
clearly the main concern we are hear- tration inherited.
Kahele (Case) (Neguse)
Balart) ing from families are all of the various The pandemic was not the previous
Kirkpatrick Porter (Wexton)
(Stanton) Rodgers (WA) Wasserman crises that are facing American fami- administration’s fault, obviously, but
Lawson (FL) (Joyce (PA)) Schultz (Soto) lies. the failure to deal with it effectively
(Evans) Rush Watson Coleman You have an inflation crises with was their fault.
Lee (NV) (Clark (Underwood) (Pallone) goods of all kinds costing dramatically
Williams (GA)
So I tell the gentleman that 5 million
(MA)) Salazar
Lofgren (Jeffries) (Cammack) (Jacobs (CA)) more when people go to buy things at jobs have been created since this ad-
Lynch (Trahan) Sires (Pallone) Wilson (FL) the grocery store. If they try to get a ministration took office. Some people
McEachin Smucker (Joyce (Hayes) new appliance, they are waiting longer, lamented the 233,000 jobs last month,
(Wexton) (PA)) they are paying more money.
Meng (Jeffries) Speier (Scanlon)
how awful that was.
You think about the energy crisis In the best year that Donald Trump
Mfume (Evans) Steel (Obernolte)
with families paying 50 percent more had, that was his average production of
f for gasoline, in some cases, with dra- jobs—in the best year he had, which
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM matic increases at the pump and the was from January 2018 to January 2019.
(Mr. SCALISE asked and was given pain that it causes, especially lower in- So I will tell my friend, we hope to be
permission to address the House for 1 come families. able to bring these bills to the floor.
minute and to revise and extend his re- The border crisis, where every day we We think they will have a very sub-
marks.) see stories of thousands of people com- stantial, positive impact. We inherited,
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I rise ing across our border illegally. The At- of course, because of the pandemic—
for the purpose of inquiring of the ma- torney General was before the Com- again, not the fault of any—well, we
jority leader the schedule for next mittee on the Judiciary and he
don’t know whether it was the fault of
week. couldn’t even give a number of how
somebody purposely, but in any event,
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gen- many people have illegally crossed or
for whatever reasons, extraordinary
tleman from Maryland (Mr. HOYER), plan to address it.
The supply chain crisis that we see amounts of people were laid off around
my friend, the majority leader. the world.
getting worse and worse with ships
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I
backed up, maybe almost all the way b 1145
thank the gentleman for yielding.
to China, because that crisis is not Then, because of the American Res-
On Monday, the House will meet at 12
being addressed. cue Plan, we finally gave some people
p.m. for morning hour and 2 p.m. for So when you think about all these
legislative business with votes post- the resources that they could buy
crises that families are angry about—it things that they had needed and want-
poned, as usual, until 6:30 p.m. is hurting hardworking families, it is
On Tuesday, the House will meet at ed for them and their families, and now
costing them, it is taking money out of we have a supply shortage.
10 a.m. for morning hour and 12 p.m. their paychecks—there has not been a
for legislative business. The President acted through execu-
single bill brought to this floor last tive order, as the gentleman knows, to
And on Wednesday, the House will week. It doesn’t sound like any is being
meet at 12 p.m. for legislative business. make sure that we had a 24/7 operation
brought to the floor next week to ad- at the ports off Long Beach, off other
On Thursday, the House will meet at
dress any of those crises. ports in our country, to try to make
9 a.m. for legislative business. I would ask the gentleman, would he
Madam Speaker, the House will con- sure that we, A, got goods on those
be open to bringing actual legislation
sider several bills under suspension of ships that you say are to China—I
to the floor to address the various, se-
the rules. The complete list of suspen- don’t know whether they are to China,
rious crises that families are facing
sion bills will be announced by the but there are a lot of them; you are ab-
today?
close of business today. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gen- solutely right on that—to get them
With the short-term extension of the tleman from Maryland. offloaded, to get them on trucks, and
Surface Transportation Program Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I to get them to where they could be dis-
through October 31, the House will aim thank the gentleman for his comments tributed and available for businesses.
to consider the bipartisan Infrastruc- and question. Then, of course, we have a substan-
ture Investment and Jobs Act and the Let me say that I mentioned two tial shortage of chips, which the gen-
Build Back Better Act this work pe- bills that will have a very, very sub- tleman knows, which was caused by a
riod. stantial impact on the welfare of lockdown for major producers—Singa-
In addition, the House will consider Americans, of their families, of their pore being one—of chips.
H.R. 2119, the Family Violence Preven- health, and yes, even of their environ- So, we are dealing with that. The ex-
tion and Services Improvement Act of mental security in the Build Back Bet- ecutive is dealing with that as well.
2021, sponsored by LUCY MCBATH of ter plan and the BIP plan, which is a I very much hope the gentleman will
Georgia. That bill modifies and ex- bipartisan bill on the Senate side. help us get that legislation passed,
pands and reauthorizes, through fiscal I hope to bring both of those bills to which will make a major difference.
year 2026, the Family Violence Preven- the floor next week, if they are ready. Who says? Fourteen or 17 laureates
tion and Services Program, which Unfortunately, we don’t have help from who wrote to the White House and said
funds emergency shelters and supports your side on either of those bills so it if these bills passed, it is not only
related assistance for victims of do- is more difficult to get unanimity on going to help jobs, it is not only going
mestic violence. our side of the aisle. to help climate, it is not only going to
Madam Speaker, if time allows, the Madam Speaker, I will tell my friend, help health, but it is also going to help
House may also consider H.R. 3992, the all those problems that you mentioned, bring down inflation, which is a prob-
Protecting Older Jobs Applicants Act, would be extraordinarily worse if we lem.
which allows applicants to bring dis- hadn’t passed the American Rescue Why do we have inflation? Because
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parate impact claims under the Age Plan in March of this year, which we have too many dollars chasing too
Discrimination in Employment Act of helped families extraordinarily and few goods, so prices go up. That is true
1967 when they experience discrimina- generously to stay above water. Not a of employment as well, which probably
tion while seeking a job. single person on your side of the aisle is good news in terms of salaries going
Lastly, additional legislative items voted for those. up for people around the country.
may be possible when and if they are So when the gentleman asked me, are I tell my friend that we do have some
ready. we going to bring legislation to the very substantial, important legislation
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October 22, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5817
that we are trying to get done. It would but gas was less than $2 a gallon all would open that back up again. These
be a lot easier to get it done if we had across America. We were exporting oil bills would lower gas prices.
help from your side of the aisle. And and natural gas to our friends around I know President Biden isn’t inter-
your answer will be, well, it would be the world. We were undermining our ested in that because, in his own budg-
very helpful if you would take some of enemies around the world. et, he specifically blocks the Corps of
our ideas. I get that. Instead of President Biden begging Engineers from doing infrastructure
I will also tell you, if the gentleman OPEC and Russia to produce more oil, projects that would lower energy pro-
is concerned about all of those issues, we were actually shipping oil and gas duction. President Biden blocks that.
if we don’t protect the full faith and to our friends because we could produce You would think OPEC would have
credit of the United States of America, enough for ourselves. We created great come up with that idea or maybe Rus-
they will all get disastrously worse. American jobs here at home. We had sia would have come up with that idea.
And not one of you is prepared, in a low-cost energy. No, that was President Biden in his
debt that we all created, all of us, not By the way, the technological ad- own budget who said you can’t even do
all on the same thing—it may have vances we made here in this country, if infrastructure projects if it lowers en-
been cutting revenues, increasing there is anywhere in the world where ergy production. Who would come up
spending, this, that, and the other. fossil fuel production is going to be with that? Yet, that is in his budget.
We all essentially voted for very sub- done, you want it done here because we Then you go to the border crisis,
stantial spending last year to meet the have actually lowered carbon emis- again, self-created. President Biden in-
crisis of the pandemic. All of us did. sions. We were lowering carbon emis- herited a secure border. A wall was
The CARES Act, the largest of those, sions in America while producing more being built. You had agreements with
$2 trillion, was unanimously passed by energy. Now we have become more reli- South American and Central American
a voice vote in one instance. ant on OPEC nations, on Russia. countries.
The only thing I would say to the Not only is that bad for American Remain in Mexico was a great policy
gentleman is that we are very, very families, but they are paying more at that President Biden reversed; he
concerned about what is happening. We the pump because of that crisis created blocked it. Did he block it because it
are very glad that we created 5 million by President Biden’s actions. He inher- was bad policy? No, it was working
jobs. Nine million jobs were lost the ited an energy-dominant Nation. Now really well. It was an agreement be-
year before under Mr. Trump. He had a you have the President of the United tween two neighboring countries. He
net loss of 2 million jobs over his 4 States begging OPEC and Russia to just blocked it because President
years—a net loss of 2 million jobs. This produce more oil, which they are not Trump did it. It was working, yet he
President has a net gain, and we are going to do because they want oil to be got rid of it. He could go and reinstate
going to try to continue that. I hope we over $80 a barrel, but they actually that tomorrow.
get some help from your side of the emit more carbon to produce the same We have bills that would solve the
aisle. oil. border crisis. I will read a few of them
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, Oil is going to be needed to run an off.
clearly, we stand ready to help on all of economy, any economy anywhere in H.R. 4828 is a bill I brought to the
those issues. But had Washington the world. You want to make it here majority leader’s attention back a
spending and borrowing money solved because we do it better than anybody month ago, in September. This is a bill
the problem, we would not have any of else. But that is not what is being that deals with a number of problems
these crises because trillions of dollars done. We have an answer for it. facing our border today, and it would
have been borrowed and spent under I know, last night, President Biden give more tools to our Border Patrol
this administration. was asked specifically about this crisis agents to secure our border.
In the previous administration, we that he created. His response was, ‘‘I H.R. 471 is another bill I brought to
worked together on those budget deals, don’t have a near-term answer’’ for the gentleman’s attention a month ago
every one of them. The Paycheck Pro- high gas prices. that would help secure America’s bor-
tection Program and the CARES Act Well, President Biden might not have der, dealing with the crisis.
were all very bipartisan, and it in- an answer, but we do. We have a num- None of these bills seem to draw the
cluded addressing the debt that went ber of bills, and I know the gentleman interest of the majority even though
along with it. has pointed it out. We have a number every one of them would address these
There has been nothing bipartisan in of answers. very real crises facing families that
any of the debt that has been racked up Here is one. H.R. 684 green-lights the were not around a year ago.
under this administration. So if the Keystone pipeline. You want to talk President Biden inherited a secure
gentleman is concerned about the full about creating thousands of good jobs, border; he inherited energy dominance;
faith and credit of the United States, private-sector money, more energy and he inherited an economy that was
which we all are, then stop borrowing independence for America; this bill recovering from the worst pandemic we
and spending trillions more dollars. would do just that, and it would do it have seen in lifetimes. Then, on top of
Families get this, by the way. Fami- today. that, there is a proposal to raise tril-
lies know that if spending trillions was If pipelines were a problem—I know lions more in taxes, more in Soviet-
going to solve the problem, there President Biden doesn’t want American style spending coming out of Wash-
wouldn’t be a problem because trillions pipelines, but he green-lighted the Rus- ington that would make inflation
have been borrowed and spent just sian pipeline, the Nord Stream II. So, worse.
from January to October. What they clearly, it is not pipelines; it is Amer- The gentleman is correct. We don’t
know is it is the very borrowing and ican pipelines he doesn’t want. support those ideas that would make
spending of trillions of dollars in Wash- Why don’t we bring up H.R. 684 to inflation worse, that would raise gas
ington that has exacerbated these create jobs and lower energy costs? prices even higher. But we bring a lot
problems. H.R. 543 and H.R. 859 would both green- of good ideas that would address these
The inflation crisis would not exist if light more production in America that crises. We just want to see these ideas
you didn’t have Washington borrowing President Biden shut down. There was brought to the floor.
and spending trillions more dollars, production going on all across Amer- When you look at the floor schedule
making it harder for people to get back ica, really good, safe, environmentally and there is nothing last week, next
into the workforce, making it harder sound production. Again, our standards week, a month ago to address any of
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for the supply chain to be addressed. are the best in the world. these crises, these are the things that
What was inherited? I think we know For people who want to bash Amer- families are having the hardest time
what was inherited by the Biden ad- ica, go find a country that produces en- with, and they are struggling.
ministration. We had energy domi- ergy that does it better than America. Inflation is the biggest tax on lower
nance the day President Biden took the We do it best. Yet, President Biden, and middle-income families. President
oath of office. Not only were we pro- through executive action, shut a lot of Biden promised he wouldn’t raise taxes
ducing enough energy for our needs, that production down. These bills on anybody making less than $400,000.
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H5818 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 22, 2021
Yet, in the tax proposal that President down substantially from expectations, He did zero, Madam Speaker, zero
Biden wants to bring forward by next it was 233,000. when the Republicans were in charge.
week so that he can go fly to Europe In other words, the wringing of the Zero.
and talk about other proposals that hands over the poor job performance We are going to pass this infrastruc-
would make it impossible to produce you seem to reflect was the average of ture bill, and it is going to make a real
energy in America, they include, Mr. Trump’s best year. In fact, under difference. It is going to make a real
among other things, a natural gas tax. this administration, helped by a bill, difference on jobs, it is going to make
That tax would fall the hardest on the American Rescue Plan, that every a real difference on inflation, and it is
lower income families, not the million- Republican voted against—what was going to make a real difference because
aires and the billionaires. It would be the difference between the first five we can increase the supply chain. It is
people making less than $60,000 that bills that were passed and the bill of going to make a real difference on the
would be hit the hardest by a natural 2021 that every Republican voted health of our globe.
gas tax. Yet, it is in the bill. against? Donald Trump was President, So I tell the gentleman that he raises
You talk about adding 83,000 IRS and then Joe Biden was President. a lot of issues, and I would hope his
agents. Maybe some people in Wash- It is like the debt limit, Madam party would start returning to a sense
ington think that is job creation. Most Speaker. They know the debt limit has of bipartisanship in dealing with legiti-
people in America have shivers running to be raised, or all the things that the mate problems that the gentleman
down their spines at the thought of the gentleman just referenced are going to raises which we did in 2020.
Federal Government, which now wants be hurt very, very badly. Now, we did. We were in the minor-
to track every transaction if they Before you start criticizing people for ity. We voted with President Trump.
make more than $10,000 a year, to not doing things to help, why don’t you Actually, we were in the majority, but
track all their transactions with 83,000 stop hurting the ability of the United President Trump was President, and we
new IRS agents. Again, maybe to some States to present a balanced fiscal pos- helped support his and the Treasury
that is called infrastructure, but to ture to our own economy and to the Secretary’s objectives and our own ob-
most people, it is called a nightmare rest of the world and have some cer- jectives, and we came to an agreement,
right before Halloween. titude that America is going to remain a bipartisan agreement.
Very frankly, it is unbelievable to
Why don’t we bring bills to the floor fiscally responsible and viable and pay
me, Madam Speaker, that in the debt
to address these crises? If these aren’t its bills? I don’t know the answer to
limit the minority leader of the United
the bills that the majority likes, let’s that question. Perhaps, Madam Speak- States Senate—and, very frankly, the
work on some other ones. All of these er, the gentleman from Louisiana gentleman just said that we all under-
would address these problems, and knows. stand we don’t want to—I presume he
many of them would get us back to the
b 1200 doesn’t believe we ought to not raise
point where we were, where we had a
The gentleman from Louisiana comes our debt limit. I believe he wants us to
secure border, where we had energy
from a very important and critical en- pay our bills because he knows the cat-
dominance, where we had jobs being astrophic impact if we don’t. But I
created. ergy producing State of our Nation. I
don’t blame him for being concerned don’t understand why they won’t sup-
Each of these last few months you
about energy. He ought to be. We all port this. That is not an issue of Demo-
have seen jobs created dramatically
ought to be. But, very frankly, we crat or Republican. We all created that
lower than what the projections were
ought to also be very concerned about debt in one form or another. Certainly,
because there are all of these self-cre- last year we did a big number because
ated crises by the administration that global warming, which the national se-
curity apparatus of the United States we thought we needed to meet the pan-
are making it harder on hardworking demic. We did, and we saved millions of
families. It is the lowest income fami- of America, even during the Trump ad-
ministration, said was one of the big- jobs in the process.
lies that are being hit the hardest by So my friend has these bills, we have
these failed policies and all the Big gest existential threats to the welfare
bills, we are prepared to talk about
Government socialist spending coming of our people and the global commu-
proposals, as I have told my friend in
out of Washington. We don’t need nity.
the past. But, very frankly, there needs
more. We need to actually go and con- So, yes, we are very concerned about
to be on some issues—that ought not to
front the problem that is creating a reaching an environment which is not
be political at all, like the debt limit—
debt crisis and all the other crises that dangerous for life on this planet. That
a statement that we are loyal to our
families are facing. is a very big issue for us. My friend is country, not to Democrats. I said this
It is not going to be by spending right, and we are going to deal with the other day to the gentleman, the
more money and taxing people more. It that in the Build Back Better plan. We loyal opposition, not to Democrats, not
is going to be by working to address are dealing with it, and we are dealing to me as the majority leader, not to
each of them, starting at the root of with it in the BIP plan. any of us, but to the country.
the problem and what created them. I Now, the BIP plan is a plan to spend I would implore my friend, because
yield to the gentleman. $1.2 trillion on infrastructure invest- we are going to have to do the debt, we
Mr. HOYER. I don’t think I can re- ment over the next 10 years which will are going to have to do the omnibus,
spond, nor do I intend to respond, to make our country more competitive, we are going to have to do the debt
each one of those assertions. I noticed will increase our ability to produce limit, we want to do Build Back Better,
that the gentleman totally ignored the goods here in America, Make It in and we want to do the infrastructure
facts. America, which will make us more bill, those are four pieces of big legisla-
The presentation the gentleman independent and self-sufficient. We tion we want to do before December 30,
made, Madam Speaker, was as if the found during the pandemic we weren’t I am hopeful that we can get some co-
Republican policies were in place, we as self-sufficient as we should be and operation from the Republicans.
would be in high cotton. wanted to be. I mentioned the debt limit because
Let me remind the gentleman, Don- These bills that we are considering that is an issue that the gentleman
ald Trump was President; the Repub- will do that. came to us under the Trump adminis-
licans were in the majority, Madam I don’t expect many Republicans to tration and asked us to help with. We
Speaker; and over those 4 years, we vote for it. Even the transportation bill knew it was critical for the interests of
lost a net 2.876 million people from that I think they ought to be for—Don- the country, and on three different oc-
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jobs. The last 12 months of the Trump ald Trump said he was going to spend casions we voted with the President at
administration, 9,416,000 jobs were lost. $1 trillion, have a $1 trillion infrastruc- the Secretary of the Treasury under
Let me remind you, the best year you ture program during his campaign, and the Trump administration’s request
had, you had 2,820,000 new jobs. That is then we went down to the White House, and voted to make sure that America
about an average of 235,000 jobs a we had a meeting with him, and he did not default on its bills.
month. Last month, when we were all said: No, $1 trillion is not enough, we Can I ask if the gentleman will at
wringing our hands because it came ought to do $2 trillion. least, Madam Speaker, indicate that
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October 22, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5819
they will support making sure that That is not something we support. It minority and they made decisions on
America continues to pay its bills? will rack up more debt, by the way. We their own about what they wanted to
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I don’t support it, but I guess the gen- do, they didn’t try to reach an agree-
sure hope that the gentleman is con- tleman expects we should pay for it ment with us, to come to us after the
cerned not just about making sure the even if we don’t support it. Maybe if fact when the majority has spent tril-
credit card bill is paid but making sure there was a negotiation where both lions of dollars, it has wreaked havoc
that the spending that maxed out the sides were part of it. through our economy, it has led to in-
credit card is being done responsibly. SAM GRAVES, who is the ranking flation we haven’t seen in generations
There are some key facts the gen- member of the Transportation and In- and gas prices we haven’t seen in dec-
tleman left out in his conversation frastructure Committee, has not been ades, then the majority wants to come
about how we got here. We got here be- included in any of these decisions on and not ask us how to fix it—we have
cause in January, one party, the Demo- infrastructure. Yet, I am sure the gen- got ideas on how to fix it—the majority
cratic Party—who is in the majority in tleman would expect him to vote for asks us to pay the bill.
the House, is in the majority in the whatever comes out of a partisan exer- Why don’t we work together on the
Senate, and has control in the White cise. That is not how things work, and front end and not rack up trillions
House—made a decision—I don’t agree I know the gentleman knows that. more in spending?
with the decision—but made a decision Again, if the President wants to work Because the things the gentleman
that they were going to go it alone on with us— talked about would rack up trillions
the spending side. They decided that Mr. HOYER. The gentleman con- more in spending which created these
they were going to go max out the tinues to say facts that are not true. problems, and we were not a part of
credit card. We urged them not to do Mr. SCALISE. Of course, those are those conversations. I wish we were a
it. We still to this day are urging not true. part of the conversations and it was
to go and just spend trillions and tril- Mr. HOYER. They are not true. done in a bipartisan way. But, again,
lions more dollars. Mr. SCALISE. We all negotiated on President Biden, 10 months into his ad-
If my friend wants to work with us the three different debt ceiling in- ministration, has yet to sit down and
on what the responsible decision should creases that happened under the Trump meet with House Republican leadership
be, we are right here. We have been administration, including CARES and to talk about any of these ideas and so-
here from the beginning. the Paycheck Protection Program. lutions we could come up with together
Madam Speaker, do you know, to They were very bipartisan. which is how it should be done.
this day President Biden has not met— Does the gentleman disagree with Madam Speaker, I yield to the gen-
we are in October, late October. Presi- that? tleman.
dent Biden has not met with the House Mr. HOYER. I do not disagree with it. Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I
Republican leadership on any of these Mr. SCALISE. Those are the facts. thank the gentleman for yielding.
issues—any of them. And so when the gentleman looked at The reason I said he was misstating
The gentleman referenced a number those facts, the gentleman talked the facts is we have a bipartisan bill. It
of opportunities where it was described about jobs and COVID. Before COVID wasn’t done by the Democratic leader-
we were there to help President Trump. happened, we had the hottest economy ship. It, frankly, wasn’t done by the
The majority wasn’t just there to help maybe in the history of our country. Republican leadership. It was done by
President Trump, the majority was in Wages were up for every demographic Members of the United States Senate
the meetings when the decisions were group. Those are facts. The gentleman on the Republican side and on the
being made. saw small businesses up and women- Democratic side.
The Paycheck Protection Program owned small businesses were up over 20 That bill was sent over here with al-
was not a partisan exercise. In fact, it percent. African-American unemploy- most half of the Republicans in the
was one of the most successful bipar- ment was at its lowest level, Hispanic United States Senate voting for it, and
tisan exercises I have seen Congress unemployment was at its lowest level, my friend’s leadership is lobbying
come together and do. Everybody was and then COVID came along. against that infrastructure bill which
in the room making those decisions. Maybe there is a reason why the ma- would help all the issues the gentleman
They were all very important decisions jority won’t hold a hearing on the ori- raised.
and big decisions that involved a lot of gin of COVID, but if the gentleman My friend is urging a ‘‘no’’ vote on
money, and we all made those decisions wants to just say because of COVID all that, and he is threatening Members
together. We all voted for those bills of that is Donald Trump’s fault, clearly who are going to vote for it—maybe
together, and then, ultimately, the the economy shut down, and we worked not very many—because they know it
spending that went along with it, the to get it back going again, and it is is a bipartisan bill.
debt that went along with it was part coming back. Frankly, some of the ef- Mr. SCALISE. No one is being threat-
of that negotiation and we voted for it forts to pay people not to work—and it ened.
together. is not just enhanced unemployment, it Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, the
There has not been a decision made is a whole list of things—are hurting whip is talking about bipartisanship.
this year where the majority has nego- the recovery. There has been so little bipartisanship,
tiated with the minority to figure out But those things were happening be- and when there is bipartisanship, their
if we could come to an agreement, so fore COVID hit a year and a half ago, Members are disciplined. When there is
the majority did it on their own and and it was because of good, sound poli- bipartisanship on saying that it wasn’t
look, the majority had the votes to do cies that got us a secure border and a protest, it was an insurrection, there
it. that got us energy dominance, and, was no bipartisanship on that.
But when the majority maxes out the frankly, it was things like that that It was a: ‘‘We don’t care what it was.
credit card on their own, don’t come helped us get the economy going again We don’t care that some people were
and chide our side and say: Well, you because it was creating good jobs. killed. We don’t really care that they
need to be there to pay the bill when Keystone pipeline was moving for- were trying to stop the counting of
we weren’t included in the decision to ward. Those are good union jobs, by the votes for the President of the United
max out the credit card. And now that way, and that was ended by President States of America. It was just a pro-
the credit card is maxed out, it is not Biden unilaterally. He never even tried test.’’
as if there is an effort to slow down, in to have a meeting and a conversation That is what former President Trump
sspencer on DSK126QN23PROD with HOUSE
fact, it seems like it is full steam with us to see if we could come to an said the other day. What a bunch of
ahead, damn the torpedoes, spend tril- agreement. hooey. There clearly has been a con-
lions of dollars more on additional Again, I guess it is the prerogative of scious decision made by the leadership
things like, again, 83,000 more IRS the majority. If the gentleman is in the on the other side of the aisle, Madam
agents. majority, then the majority doesn’t Speaker, against a bill that had 69
Madam Speaker, do you think any- have to talk to the minority. But just votes in the United States Senate. We
body on this side supports that? because the majority didn’t talk to the only have 50.
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H5820 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 22, 2021
And it is being lobbied against. Why? didn’t hurt inflation. And I have been that if all the spending wants to be
To hurt Joe Biden. amazed over the years, over the last 10 done in a partisan way—and I am talk-
Yes, they voted, Madam Speaker, for years, that we haven’t had more infla- ing about the trillions that are still
the five bills. tion for a number of reasons. laying in front of us that the gen-
Why? But he didn’t answer the question, tleman said may come to the floor next
Because ultimately Donald Trump whether he would help on that. That is week, not necessarily will, might come
was for them. Not everybody voted for not for us. It is not for Democrats, not to the floor, might come to the floor a
them, but the majority. And as I said, for Republicans. It is for our country. month from now, might come to the
CARES, $2 trillion, absolutely essen- It is for our economy. It is for global floor a year from now. And we won’t
tial, was passed. But the gentleman re- fiscal stability. even be included in those negotiations,
fuses to answer the question except to So I would hope at least in that but we ought to be expected to vote for
say: Well, the credit card was maxed area—not for us. I am not asking you the debt that would be racked up by it?
out. to do it for me, Madam Speaker. I am If the other side were being asked to
The credit card was maxed out by not asking anybody to do it for me or do that, you know your majority
date in a couple of those votes which for my party or for the President of the wouldn’t go for that. But we wouldn’t
we helped as the responsible opposi- United States. MITCH MCCONNELL says do it. We would at least include you in
tion, as we did with John Boehner and it is the country and the global com- a negotiation. If we didn’t want to,
Paul Ryan when they couldn’t get munity that could not afford default, then we would be responsible for doing
votes to pass bills to keep government and that is true. it on our own if we did the spending on
open or to keep the United States from Let me tell you, I think that is the our own. And the tools are there to do
defaulting. Yes, we cast the responsible first step to showing bipartisan respon- just that.
vote. sibility together; not for one another, Threatening to default on the Na-
It is not a popular vote because it is but for our country, Madam Speaker. tion’s debt when legislative instru-
demagogued, Madam Speaker. It has And I hope that at some point in time ments are included in this majority to
nothing to do with the debt. The debt we can show that kind of good faith. not have default is irresponsible. That
happens when you pass spending or I included this morning the remarks threat keeps being thrown out there by
pass revenue cuts. That is what affects that President George W. Bush made in the majority, even though the majority
the debt, and that is what all of us do Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on the kind knows they could, with a majority vote
one way or the other. of America that he wanted to see. I in the House and a majority vote in the
So we are all responsible and we would hope all of my Republican col- Senate, address the debt that wants to
ought to all be responsible. But the leagues would read what George W. be racked up between now and next De-
Senate leader on the Republican side of Bush had to say. It is so different from cember.
the rhetoric of the current leader of Again, I would urge that all of that
the aisle has said he is not going to do
the Republican Party, Donald Trump, new spending doesn’t happen, that we
anything.
in terms of bringing us together as a come together and negotiate what
Not only will he not do anything,
country. budget limits should be like we have
Madam Speaker, he will not allow the
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I done in the past under Republican and
majority to do it on their own because
would be happy to answer the question. Democrat Presidents. Those were bi-
he is going to filibuster so it requires partisan deals. There has been no bi-
60 votes. We don’t have 60 votes. We It might not be the answer the gen-
tleman wants, but I would be happy to partisan attempt to do that this year.
have 51. Why is there opposition to infra-
be part of an actual bipartisan negotia-
b 1215 structure? Well, first of all, if there
tion on how to solve our country’s
Not only will they not do the respon- was a desire to do bipartisan infra-
debt. That has not happened.
sible thing on debt, which would ad- structure, you are going to find a lot of
But if you look at the bill that the
versely affect, if we do not extend it, takers over here. I know the gentleman
gentleman brought to this floor to deal
all the things that the minority whip made an assertion—probably not real-
with the debt over a month ago, it ab-
lamented were wrong; it would all be izing it—but there would have been no
solutely dealt with spending, not that
adversely affected if, for the first time threats, no threats made on our side of
already happened, but that will happen
the aisle on a bill.
in history, Madam Speaker, we fail to in the future, including the trillions of Now, I see people being followed into
extend the debt limit, which, by the dollars of debt-laden bills that spend bathrooms on the other side and all
way, very few countries have—one or more money in Washington. kinds of other things being done. There
two—because it is a phony issue. The It picked a date, and the date that are no threats on this side. What we
debt is not phony, but the limit is con- the gentleman put in the bill that was said is, we want an infrastructure ne-
trolled by what budgets we pass, what brought to this House floor was Decem- gotiation. But the day that the deal
tax cuts we pass, what policies we pass. ber 31, 2022. That is not spending we was reached in the Senate with the
Once we do that, we go in the store, have already done. That is spending President, he turned around about an
or as JIM MCGOVERN, the chair of the that the majority plans to do in a very hour later and undermined that deal by
Rules Committee said, we go in the res- partisan way, not just through this tying it, linking it, to the tax-and-
taurant and buy the steak. You need to year but through all of next year. spend bill.
pay for the steak. The argument, When we are not even included in That is when it became a problem be-
Madam Speaker, of, oh, well, you are those decisions, then you come and cause taxing and spending trillions
proposing a lot of spending in the fu- say, well, you should just be expected more dollars would be a problem to
ture, is totally unrelated. The debt to pay for whatever we want to spend, this country. It would hurt middle-
limit is caused by the debt that we al- trillions more, between now and the class families and lower income fami-
ready incurred. The two bills that we end of a year, over a year from now, lies to have that natural gas tax, to
had, they don’t affect the debt limit. that is not a negotiation. That is not have all the additional inflation on top
We have met it now, not when we even an attempt to want to work with of the inflation they already see. It be-
passed these bills, not after we make the other side. came a problem for all of those rea-
that commitment. Now, again, the gentleman is in the sons, that package, not the individual
We have a debt limit coming up now majority. In the Senate, they are in bill.
on December 3, which was totally irre- the majority, and the gentleman very As the President himself has said
sspencer on DSK126QN23PROD with HOUSE
sponsible in and of itself, for political well knows that both sides have the multiple times, as the Speaker herself
reasons only, coterminous with the ability, if you want to do the spending has said multiple times, it is not a
funding of government. In 2019, when on your own, to address the debt that standalone bill. It is not two stand-
we took over, the government was shut would be created by all of that spend- alone bills. It is a package. They are
down. We spent a lot of time opening it ing on your own. It doesn’t take 60 married together at the hip.
up. That hurt the economy. That hurt votes. The gentleman is well aware That is where the opposition comes
jobs. Now, at that point in time, it that there is a legislative instrument from. By the way, there is a really
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October 22, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5821
good bipartisan infrastructure bill that I want to get back—and I know this Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I
is out there. S. 3011 came over from the sounds like a broken record on the debt thank the gentleman again for his
Senate unanimously. $500 billion of in- limit, but the gentleman makes the comments.
frastructure is authorized in this bill. point, Madam Speaker, that somehow There is clearly a bipartisan bill on
If the gentleman would bring this up we have raised the debt to accommo- infrastructure that we would be happy
for a vote, it would probably fly over- date spending. That is what you always to support, S. 3011. Nobody in the
whelmingly. It would allow for, again, do because if you reach the debt limit, House on the Republican side was in-
about $500 billion immediately that you are done. You stop Social Security. cluded in any of those negotiations, in-
could be spent on infrastructure all You stop veterans’ payments. You stop cluding the ranking member of the
across this country, plus an additional any support payments. You stop paying Transportation Committee who he
large sum next year—maybe $100 bil- the armed services of the United himself has been urging a large bill.
lion next year—on top of the $500 bil- States. That is the spending you stop $450 billion was put on the table,
lion. when you can no longer incur debt. which, by the way, if that were passed,
It just passed out of the Senate Why? Because we spent a lot of money. it would be the largest infrastructure
unanimously; every Republican, every We put it on the credit card, and it is bill in the history of the United States.
Democrat supported this bill. This is coming due. It comes due on a regular He was pushed out of the negotiations.
real infrastructure. This is not tied to basis, and we have to pay it on a reg- Again, the majority has that ability
some tax-and-spend bill that maybe the ular basis. because they are in the majority, but
gentleman might think is a good idea. The gentleman has voted for bills they surely never tried a bipartisan ne-
We surely don’t. We know how dam- that do exactly what the bill he la- gotiation, as well the gentleman
aging it would be to our country and to mented, and none of his colleagues knows, on those prior budget agree-
our economy and to middle and lower voted for, Madam Speaker, exactly ments.
income families. what he asked us to do, extend it by a It wasn’t just voted for or against be-
This is a very bipartisan bill that date, not a number, by a date. Then he cause of who was in the White House.
could be bipartisan here, where we hypothesizes, well, in that timeframe, It was voted for by both parties be-
could be a part of a negotiation on you are going to incur additional ex- cause the negotiation on what that
something really good, where States penses. He is absolutely right. spending limit was was agreed upon by
wouldn’t have to wait months. They So, he is lamenting and giving as a the leadership of both sides.
have the money ready to go today. reason for his not voting for it is be- Mr. HOYER. That is not accurate,
This gives them the flexibility to make cause there are some proposals to and you know it.
their own decisions on what is best for spend money in the future. There are Mr. SCALISE. The House, Senate,
the infrastructure in each of these lots of them from all sides. Republican, Democrat, we came to
States. Then he brings up this ‘‘tied to-
Maryland would be able to control agreement on those budgets, and that
gether.’’ Let me tell you who has tied is why the gentleman voted for it. That
their own destiny on over $1 billion.
it together. The Republican leadership is why I voted for it, because it was a
Louisiana would be able to control
has tied these together. Yes, the Presi- negotiated agreement. There was give
their own destiny on over $1 billion
dent talked about it. He said, no, they and take on a number of items but ulti-
today if this bill passed.
So, absolutely, we support real infra- are not tied together. He said, first of mately agreed by a date certain but
structure. If it is tied together and all, they are tied together, and then he under a budget agreement.
married to something that would be said, no, I negotiated this bill; don’t do
devastating to the economy, of course it. b 1230
not. Maybe if the majority would look But I will tell the gentleman, as the
majority leader who brings bills to the There is a date certain of December
at delinking those two and abandoning 31 of 2022 that has no bipartisan agree-
the bill that would raise taxes—and floor, their infrastructure bill passed
overwhelmingly in a bipartisan vote ment. We know what a lot of the spend-
even internally in the Democrat Cau- ing will be, because trillions have al-
cus those discussions have been going and put together in a bipartisan vote
Republicans, Democrats, and the Presi- ready been spent that we were not in-
on. That is not just Republicans asking cluded in and we strongly opposed. The
for that. There are a number of Demo- dent of the United States.
Now, he is the President of the gentleman knew that when he brought
crats asking for that, too. That would the bills to the floor, but he wanted to
be a bipartisan initiative to say we are United States. I know the gentleman
voted against certifying his election in bring them to the floor anyway be-
jettisoning this idea that we are going
a bipartisan move, I suppose. cause you had the votes. I get it. That
to raise hundreds of billions, if not
But, Madam Speaker, that bill will is the way majorities work.
multiple trillions—whatever the num-
be brought up separately, and you vote But if you decide to exclude one
ber—if it is $1 trillion, $5 trillion it
for that bill on its merits and vote party from negotiations and go spend
would be devastating to our economy
against it on its merits. Do not hide be- the money anyway and then have a
and middle-class families.
Let’s abandon that and go work on hind the fact that you don’t like some whole list of trillions more in spending
something that would actually be real other bill. down the road and include that in a
infrastructure that we could all rally Donald Trump said he was going to bill, I don’t really think anybody ex-
behind. It would pass overwhelmingly. do a trillion dollars on infrastructure pects the people who were pushed to
It would be good for the country. Presi- to help our economy. He didn’t do it. the curb to vote for the credit card
dent Biden would get to sign it into Then he said it was going to be $2 tril- limit being increased with all the
law. We would support that. lion. He didn’t do it. Republicans were spending that is going to continue to
I ask the gentleman to look at S. in the majority. They controlled the be racked up—not that has already
3011, and if he is not a supporter of that House and the Senate. They didn’t do been racked up—that will be racked up
plan that passed with 100 Senators, it. between now and December 31 of 2022 is
maybe there is a better idea. But this We have a bill they can vote for. I going to be done in a partisan way.
one is a really good one that got every would urge them to vote for extending That is what the record has been so far
Republican and every Democrat in the the debt limit so our country meets its this year on the trillions that have al-
Senate earlier this week to say yes. We full faith and credit obligations and for ready been added by bills passed by
would be happy to say yes to it as well the infrastructure bill because I think this majority. They weren’t bipartisan.
sspencer on DSK126QN23PROD with HOUSE
if we are given that opportunity. I it is a bipartisan bill negotiated by Re- Again, that is the prerogative of the
yield to the gentleman. publicans, by Democrats, and by the majority.
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I think President of the United States which We have stood here ready. We have
that bill passed the Senate Wednesday, will help our economy and, as I said listed bill after bill to address crisis
so we will look at it, but we haven’t and will reiterate, every issue that the after crisis, none of which have been
had a chance to look at it at this point gentleman raised, Madam Speaker, in brought to the floor. We are still ready
in time. his opening remarks. to go to solve these problems. We have
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H5822 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 22, 2021
talked about a bipartisan bill on infra- the floor in a show of bipartisan sup- Instead, at that meeting, it has been
structure that we can support. Ulti- port for our country, not for each reported that he said the two bills are
mately, the majority makes that deci- other, but for our country. tied together. Since then, he said: I
sion. Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, we want both of them coming to me. He
I yield to the gentleman. need to do this in a bipartisan way, has tied them together. I wish he
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, if this which hasn’t happened. But partisan- wouldn’t. That is the President’s pre-
Congress had never met this year, we ship is not patriotism, and we have rogative. He has made it very clear.
would have to extend the debt limit at seen a lot of partisanship. The Speaker has made it very clear. It
some point in time this year. That is a I have served in leadership under has not been our side that has done
fact. three different Presidents now. When that. We want to separate those as a
Mr. MCCONNELL has said it is incon- we had to negotiate how to come to- package, but they have been kept to-
ceivable that we would not extend the gether on the priorities of our govern- gether as a package. Until then, at
debt limit of the United States of ment, how to properly fund things and least we have been looking for other
America and fail our obligation under deal with our debt, under President opportunities, and we found one in S.
full faith and credit. As a matter of Obama, we had those bipartisan meet- 3011 that passed the Senate unani-
fact, the Constitution, in the 14th ings in the White House. When Presi- mously. That would be $500 billion in
Amendment, says it shall not be ques- dent Trump came in, we had those bi- real infrastructure today. Every Gov-
tioned, but we have to take some legis- partisan meetings in the White House. ernor of every State would have the
lative action. Still to this day, late October, 10 ability to start doing $500 billion in
The issue is what is our responsi- months into his Presidency, there has new infrastructure projects. We think
bility to the United States of America, not been a single time where President that would be really good for our coun-
not all this argument that pretends Biden has brought a bipartisan group try. We support it. We are ready to ne-
that somehow some bills that are pro- of our leadership together. gotiate.
posed on spending or some that may I understand he has met with Demo- Madam Speaker, I yield to the gen-
have been passed this year, if they crat leadership many times in the tleman.
hadn’t been passed, somehow we White House. Again, that is his prerog- Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, this
wouldn’t have to do this. If anybody on ative. He is the President; you are in needs to come to an end, obviously, but
either side of the aisle believes that to the majority. If you want to do all of I will tell you this, as I stand here, as
be the case, they ought to be defeated this in a partisan way, I don’t suggest somebody who sat on this floor on Jan-
by their constituents because they it is healthy and I don’t suggest it is uary 6 and the question was would the
don’t know what is going on here, on the right way. Every President I have House perform its function of accepting
either side of the aisle. served under in leadership has had bi- the electoral college vote to elect this
This is a very serious issue with re- partisan meetings to have these con- President—it wasn’t that there hadn’t
spect to jobs, infrastructure, inflation, versations and come to an agreement. been voices in the past who had raised
healthcare, and environment. All of That has not happened under this questions. But there was no effort by
those will be adversely affected, and President. Ms. Clinton, who received the majority
the global community itself, if we do He ought to go and live by the words of the votes, or Mr. Gore, who received
not extend this debt. We can argue that he promised during the campaign, the majority of the votes, to raise a
about the other issues, but there is no that he would work with both parties question about the legitimacy of the
argument about this issue. in a bipartisan way. To not have met election.
Every Republican President has with House Republican leadership once But we had an insurrection incited
by, invited by, and deployed by the
asked that this be done. Every Repub- during his Presidency, 10 months in, is
President of the United States. So we
lican Secretary of the Treasury, since I not an acceptable way to run this gov-
didn’t start on a very good bipartisan
have been in this Congress, 41 years, ernment.
Then all of a sudden, things end up basis, again, not because Republicans
has asked that we extend the debt
partisan, and everybody throws their should have been happy that their can-
limit; every one of them, without fail.
hands up and goes: How did this hap- didate was not elected or any more
Every one of them has said—President
than we were happy that our candidate
Reagan on—that if we did not do it, the pen? Just reach out. He is the Presi-
was not elected in the Clinton and Gore
country’s economy, reputation, and dent of the United States. If he says
campaigns.
well-being would be put disastrously at let’s go tomorrow, we will be there to- It was, at least, that we ought to up-
risk. morrow. But he won’t do that. We have hold the constitutional principles. Vice
I don’t want bipartisanship. I want asked for meetings. At some point they President Pence did, and there were
patriotism. I want people committed to have to have them. people in this Capitol on that night
their country and their country’s well- Again, if he doesn’t want them to who wanted to see him, apparently,
being to stand up and say: I am not happen, that is his prerogative, because eliminated. That wasn’t a good bipar-
going to demagogue an issue that is so the same party controls all levers of tisan start, Madam Speaker. The ma-
critically important to the welfare of government. But if the same party con- jority of Republicans voted against cer-
my Nation. trols all levers of government and tifying the electoral college results in
I say to the gentleman again: Ex- wants to just toss aside the other party State after State. But we ought to put
actly what they passed when they were in either Chamber—oh, we worked with that behind us. That is done. What we
in the majority, and we voted for it, Senators. Even some of those Senators are doing now is we are acting on be-
setting a future date—not a number, a that were mentioned are not sup- half of the country.
future date. Exactly. We didn’t ask porting what is happening with debt, The two issues that I dwelt on, be-
them to do anything more than we did. because there has been no negotiation cause I think we have agreement on
In terms of bipartisanship, I will with both parties on the debt, on the that, rhetorically and intellectually
again say: You have got a bipartisan spending that gets us to the debt. So but not electorally, not in terms of
bill negotiated in a bipartisan way that there can be proposals for trillions voting, is the debt limit should never
will be coming to this floor at some more in spending. If we oppose it, we be breached and that we need to invest
point in time, I hope earlier rather have been very clear why we have that in infrastructure, two simple propo-
than later, separately—not tied to I opposition. sitions.
don’t like this bill, I don’t like that It wasn’t us that married those bills The Senate minority leader says: We
sspencer on DSK126QN23PROD with HOUSE
bill, I won’t do this, I won’t do that, I together. President Biden came here should never breach the full faith and
won’t do the other—which will sub- just two weeks ago. They said he was credit of the United States of America,
stantially grow jobs in our country and going to be closing the deal. He was but I won’t help you do it. I don’t get
deal with the climate crisis in our going to be the closer. We were going that. Frankly, it seems to be kind of ir-
country. to have a vote on the House floor. The rational.
I would ask you to support both of Speaker promised there would be a And then an infrastructure bill
those propositions when they come to vote on the House floor. passed overwhelmingly by the United
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October 22, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5823
States Senate, which we are putting on I must rise today to express my grave His naval career started in 1983, fol-
the floor unchanged, as it was, not cou- concern that our Democrat colleagues’ lowing his graduation from the U.S.
pled—as it is and was—and saying let’s proposed spending bill lacks crucial Naval Academy with a degree in sys-
vote for that. protections that ensure that taxpayer tems engineering. From there, he went
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, we funds do not pay for abortions. on to serve during the Gulf war.
stand ready to work, if there is bipar- Without this protection, taxpayer- During his service, Admiral Faller
tisan efforts made. We will see if that funded abortions not only harm us as a has held a variety of posts and posi-
develops. society but violate the religious free- tions, from supporting the United Na-
Madam Speaker, I yield back the bal- doms of thousands of Americans. tions’ sanctions against Iraq and the
ance of my time. The longstanding, bipartisan Hyde humanitarian efforts following the dev-
f amendment ensures just that, that tax- astating tsunami off Indonesia to sup-
payer funds do not go toward abortion. porting Operations New Dawn and En-
REMEMBERING SUMMER BARROW However, the Democrats’ currently during Freedom. His service took him
(Ms. SPANBERGER asked and was proposed multitrillion-dollar build all over the world.
given permission to address the House back broke plan does not contain those Regardless of location, either on the
for 1 minute and to revise and extend lifesaving protections. sea or shore, Admiral Faller consist-
her remarks.) In 1994, then-Senator Joe Biden ently provided leadership and guid-
Ms. SPANBERGER. Madam Speaker, wrote, ‘‘Those of us who are opposed to ance.
I rise to speak on the House floor about abortion should not be compelled to Admiral Faller currently serves as
Summer Barrow. pay for them.’’ commander of the U.S. Southern Com-
Summer was born on July 4 and was In God we trust. mand and will be retiring from the
named for the season. Her mother, f Navy at the end of this month.
Carey Colvin, said that Summer was a Admiral Faller, thank you for your
CHILD TAX CREDIT PROVIDES
firecracker, she was vivacious, she service to the United States of Amer-
CRITICAL SUPPORT TO FAMILIES
loved to dance, she loved to sing, and ica. Your dedication to our country is
she loved music. But Summer died of a (Mr. HORSFORD asked and was
admirable. Enjoy your retirement. You
fentanyl overdose in January of 2020. given permission to address the House
deserve it.
Summer’s substance use disorder for 1 minute and to revise and extend
began after she was prescribed his remarks.) f
oxycodone after a car accident, and Mr. HORSFORD. Madam Speaker, 7
when the prescription ran out, she months ago, Democrats passed a his- MAKING AMERICA THE BEST
turned to heroin. toric tax cut for middle-class families COUNTRY IN THE WORLD
This vibrant young woman lost her and lifted millions of children out of (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was
life to a substance use disorder, and poverty. given permission to address the House
amid her loss, her mother, Carey, has Since then, some of my conservative for 1 minute.)
turned to advocacy. colleagues have had the audacity to Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker,
In her honor, I was proud to intro- complain that we helped too many it gives me great joy when I can come
duce the bipartisan Support Recovery children. to the floor and really speak directly
for Addiction Act, legislation that In my district, here is what it means to the moms and dads and families that
would create a guaranteed funding when 97 percent of families are eligible right now, as we stand on the floor, are
stream for recovery support services for the child tax credit: probably looking to gather children
and community organizations. For Yvette, it means healthy food on from schools, looking at what they are
Of her daughter, Carey said: ‘‘I know the table. going to do over the weekend, maybe
what she would want to say is: ‘Please For Sara, it means being able to af- doing grocery shopping and looking at
get help.’’’ ford her child’s preschool tuition. the resources that they do have or do
This bill would help deliver that help This money goes straight into our
not have.
to others, just as Summer and so many local economy, helping parents get
It is important that we immediately
others that we have lost to substance back to work and build the future that
pass the Build Back Better Act and
use disorder would have wanted. their children deserve.
that those who have a difference of
But without a clean extension of the
f opinion realize that it is always the
child tax credit, American families will
greater good that America has always
b 1245 lose this critical support just as the
been about. When we have gone to war,
RESTORE THE HYDE AMENDMENT economy begins to recover.
This tax credit isn’t a handout. It is we have not gone to war to be an of-
(Mr. WENSTRUP asked and was about putting hard-earned tax dollars fender. We have gone to war to defend
given permission to address the House back in the pockets of working fami- principles of democracy.
for 1 minute and to revise and extend lies with children. I believe the Build Back Better Act
his remarks.) For any of my colleagues who won’t will provide greater pricing of prescrip-
Mr. WENSTRUP. Madam Speaker, vote to help their constituents, let me tion drugs, strengthening the Afford-
there comes a time to dispel the myth be clear: I will vote for the families in able Care Act, expanding Medicaid for
that we must choose between women’s your districts and mine because our some 12 States. The State of Texas
rights and children’s rights. Now is the children deserve nothing less. happens to be one of them, where
time because we can protect both. 733,000-plus people are uninsured. These
f
Sadly, abortion reveals society’s in- are working people. Expanding Federal
ability to love, to protect, and to care CONGRATULATING ADMIRAL Medicaid is going to help those people
for the most innocent and helpless FALLER ON HIS RETIREMENT in States like Kansas and South Da-
among us. (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania kota. If they won’t speak for them-
When we devalue life, our society suf- asked and was given permission to ad- selves, I will speak for America.
fers. When we deem some to be non- dress the House for 1 minute and to re- In addition, the care economy really
essential, we devalue their lives. vise and extend his remarks.) says that we must give childcare and
I am strongly pro-life, and I consist- Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. universal kindergarten to people so
ently stand up for the rights of the un- Madam Speaker, I rise today to recog- that we can be advanced and our people
sspencer on DSK126QN23PROD with HOUSE
born and the born. nize the storied career of Admiral can be helped.
Our society is willing to and does Craig Faller, commander of the U.S. Finally, let me say that voting is im-
care for the mother in need. Perhaps Southern Command. portant and crucial. We must pass vot-
she is scared and alone. Americans Admiral Faller is a native of ing rights.
across the country reach out to help Fryburg, Pennsylvania, a small town This is Build Back Better America,
mothers and the children that they are located in Clarion County, in Penn- and build back makes America the best
nourishing in their wombs. sylvania’s 15th Congressional District. country in the world.
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