Congressional Record, House, June 22, 2022 — The Inflation Crisis; Life and Work of Mary Wheeler
Summary
This House section of the Congressional Record for June 22, 2022 (page H5742) carries floor speeches under the headings The Inflation Crisis and Celebrating the Life and Work of Mary Wheeler. Smucker cites inflation of 8.6 percent, says American households will pay an additional $7,620 over the next 12 months, and argues for more domestic energy production. Tenney remembers Mary Wheeler of Yorkville, New York, whose son, Private First Class Joseph Keith Wheeler, a marine, was killed in combat in Quang Tri Province.
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“Congressional Record, House, June 22, 2022 — The Inflation Crisis; Life and Work of Mary Wheeler.”
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H5742 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 22, 2022
President Biden has already done THE INFLATION CRISIS small businesses and to purchase
enough damage. From his first day in The SPEAKER pro tempore. The homes. We are already seeing that hap-
office, he canceled the Keystone pipe- Chair recognizes the gentleman from pening. The cost of living will increase,
line and paused all domestic leases and Pennsylvania (Mr. SMUCKER) for 5 min- and Americans will see hard times.
sales. He has tried to blame everyone utes. This did not have to happen.
from Putin to price gouging and pri- Mr. SMUCKER. Madam Speaker, on President Biden overinflated an al-
vate industry. September 1 of 1980, inflation was at al- ready recovering economy by spending
But the facts are clear. The Biden ad- most 13 percent. On that day, then trillions on the American Rescue Plan,
ministration is currently sitting on Governor Ronald Reagan said: ‘‘Reces- which included market-distorting poli-
over 4,400 pending applications for per- sion is when your neighbor loses his cies that unnecessarily subsidized de-
mits to drill which must be approved so job. Depression is when you lose yours. mand while restricting supplies by pay-
American workers can produce more And recovery is when Jimmy Carter ing people to stay home.
loses his.’’ Unfortunately, today is Now, as I said, the President is rely-
American-made energy. That makes
looking a lot like 1980, and the Carter ing on the Fed to fix it but, unfortu-
sense. In addition, Biden’s regulatory
and the Biden Presidencies share far nately, it is the American people who
and inflationary burdens are thwarting
too much in common. will be paying the consequences.
the creation of new large-scale refin-
f
eries which are also needed to increase b 1045
production. The Biden climate czar, CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND
President Biden has unnecessarily
former Senator John Kerry, said last WORK OF MARY E. WHEELER
spent trillions of dollars, spiking infla-
week that we don’t need any more do- tion into a 40-year high of 8.6 percent. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The
mestic drilling. My constituents and I As a result of this inflation, American Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
beg to differ. households will pay an additional $7,620 New York (Ms. TENNEY) for 5 minutes.
Prior to President Biden assuming as they buy gas, food, and other things Ms. TENNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise
office, the United States was a net ex- over the next 12 months—$7,620 annu- today to celebrate the life and work of
porter of energy, and the price of gas ally. my dear friend, Mrs. Mary E. Wheeler
dipped below $2 a gallon. The greatest Since Biden became President, real of Yorkville, New York.
Nation on the face of the Earth should wages are down 4.2 percent while mort- I came to know Mary in a role no one
never have to rely on Saudi Arabia, gage rates have doubled, have gone up ever wishes to have, that of a Gold Star
Venezuela, Iran, Russia, or any other 2.4 points. Our economy shrank 1.4 per- mother. Mary’s son, Private First Class
hostile nation to meet its energy cent last quarter, and many econo- Joseph Keith Wheeler, a United States
needs. It is also not realistic to believe mists now agree that these signs point marine, was killed in combat on March
we can transition to a green economy to an imminent recession. 31, 1968, in Quang Tri Province in Viet-
overnight without significant cost to The President now points to the Fed- nam, at just 18 years old.
consumers. eral Reserve to get him out of the in- Mary and her family were devastated
flation mess that he created. Today, I by the loss of Joseph. But through
However, we can regain American en- Mary’s pain, she found great purpose to
ergy independence, create American will point out what that may mean and
talk about the challenge that the Fed support other Gold Star mothers and
jobs, and lower prices at the pump by their families, as well as Active-Duty
implementing the pro-growth, com- faces to rein in inflation.
I have a chart here with me that members, veterans, and their loved
monsense policies of the previous ad- ones.
compares the Federal funds rate, which
ministration, which is why I have co- Mary was active until the day she
is its benchmark interest rate, and in-
sponsored the American Energy Inde- passed in the American Gold Star
flation rates over the past 60 years. If
pendence from Russia Act. Unfortu- Mothers Chapter 56 in Utica, New
you look at the chart, you will see two
nately, House Democrats have blocked York. This led to Mary being national
lines on the graph showing inflation
this critical bill seven times on this president of the American Gold Star
and the Fed rate. Each time that the
very floor. That means they are block- Mothers from 1999 through 2000, meet-
Fed looked to reduce inflation, they in-
ing energy solutions for lowering gas creased the interest rate, and they ing Gold Star mothers and families
prices by boosting domestic energy have increased the interest rate each from across this Nation and inter-
production. This includes resuming the time above the current inflation rate. acting with political leaders of both
Keystone XL pipeline, restarting oil So, for example, in the early 1980s, parties in Washington for common-
and gas leases on Federal lands and which I mentioned earlier, following sense policy to support veterans and
waters, and requiring a plan to replace President Carter’s era of stagflation, their families, especially those who
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve that the Fed raised rates to a record high of paid the ultimate sacrifice, like her
has been drained by this administra- over 16.5 percent to reverse what was 13 dear son, Joseph.
tion. It is just not right. percent inflation at that time. So once Mary was heavily involved in other
I don’t know what message my col- again, this would suggest that for the veteran service organizations, such as
leagues’ constituents on the other side Fed to do its job and rein in inflation, The American Legion, Veterans of For-
of the aisle are sending to them. But it will need to increase interest rates eign Wars, Military Order of the Purple
back at home, the message has been above our current rate of inflation. Heart Auxiliary, and countless other
very clear. What are their constituents So far this year, the Feds have raised organizations in our community, in-
telling them? From my constituents, the Federal fund rate three times, most cluding the Whitestown Senior Center
the message is extremely clear. My recently with a .75—or 3⁄4 percent—in- and the Salvation Army, which she
constituents want Washington to stop crease, which is the highest increase supported her entire life.
its obsessive spending of money we since 1994, but the Federal funds rate Mary was also dedicated to her fam-
don’t have to push a green agenda, and still only sits between 1.5 and 13⁄4 per- ily: her late husband, Charles; her chil-
they want lower prices at the pump. cent. dren; grandchildren; and great-grand-
We need to do it now. It is urgent that Current rates are 13⁄4 percent, and children. Mary’s great-grandson,
we do it. It is critical that we do it. again, inflation is 8.6 percent and Shaun, and her great-granddaughter,
climbing. This suggests that the Fed Skylar, have a special place in my
Madam Speaker, I urge my col-
has a long way to go in raising interest heart as Skylar’s grandmother, Felicia,
leagues to join me in this fight.
rates, and has a lot of work to do was my longtime administrative assist-
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Mem- ahead. What isn’t shown in this chart— ant for over 25 years. They all were a
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with HOUSE
bers are reminded to address their re- and sometimes I am not sure if the very important part of my life, and I
marks to the Chair and not a perceived Biden administration understands—are considered them family. So I had an-
viewing audience. the consequences that come with rais- other connection to Mary through her
Members are reminded to refrain ing rates. great-grandchildren.
from engaging in personalities toward Our economy will slow down, and it Words cannot do justice to the many
the President. will be harder for Americans to start contributions by Mary throughout her
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