[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 193 (Wednesday, December 4, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H9226]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SECOND AMENDMENT WEEK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Kansas (Mr. Marshall) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, this week is Second Amendment Week in our 
office to celebrate our God-given right to keep and bear arms.
  Each year at the start of the hunting season, I can't wait to get out 
in the field and enjoy one of my very favorite pastimes. Hunting is an 
American tradition shared across generations; and this Thanksgiving 
weekend I was able to sneak away with my oldest son to go duck hunting 
near our home in Great Bend.
  Mr. Speaker, I have to tell you, I have never seen so many ducks. The 
folks at D.U., all the conservation groups are doing an incredible job.
  Many Kansans use firearms for hunting, but also, in many of our most 
rural parts of the State, carrying a firearm can be the difference 
between life and death. In over 70 counties in Kansas, the closest law 
enforcement officer is often 30 minutes to an hour away; and, thus, you 
may need a firearm to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your 
property.
  In both rural and urban areas, many Kansans responsibly open or 
conceal carry on a daily basis for self-defense. Many more Kansans keep 
a gun for home defense as well, maybe locked away in a master bedroom 
or in a safe down in the basement.
  Whether it be a handgun, rifle, or shotgun, whatever a citizen's 
firearm of choice, the right to defend ourselves must not be infringed 
upon. As I represent Kansas in Congress, I remain staunchly opposed to 
any laws restricting what kind of firearms a law-abiding citizen can 
buy or keep in their possession.
  Any politician trying to implement mandatory buyback programs, which 
I really call gun confiscations, or unconstitutional red flag laws in 
Congress will be met with a groundswell of opposition because these 
types of laws violate our Second Amendment rights.
  In Congress, we need to keep fighting for programs that address the 
underlying cause of gun violence, which is mental illness, to reach out 
to those who are struggling so they can get the proper care and 
attention early so they don't fall through the cracks and harm 
themselves or others.
  We also need to make sure our existing background check system is 
working properly to continue to prevent tragedies, while not infringing 
on the rights of mentally stable, law-abiding citizens.
  The solutions to preventing gun violence can be found at dinner 
tables, in our churches, and in our communities. Individually, we must 
practice and promote responsible gun ownership while collectively 
ensuring every law-abiding citizen's Second Amendment right is upheld 
with due process.
  Gun ownership and hunting have been a tradition for my family and for 
this great land for many generations, each one passing on their 
knowledge and skills to the next. That is our way of life in Kansas. We 
must continue to uphold it and our constitutional right to keep and 
bear arms for the purpose of self-defense and individual freedom.


                             Pass USMCA Now

  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, today marks more than 1 year since 
President Trump signed the USMCA trade agreement, and it is still 
collecting dust on Speaker Pelosi's desk. That is an entire year that 
Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats have made Kansas businesses, farmers, 
ranchers, and workers wait.
  There is no excuse for holding up this trade agreement, which is 
expected to create 176,000 jobs across America and deliver a $70 
billion boost to our United States economy. In Kansas, it would mean 
thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars. This agreement 
will make us stronger in our next trade negotiations with China as 
well.
  With all due respect, Speaker Pelosi, there are no more excuses. It 
is time. Let's deliver a win for our economy and pass USMCA now.


                   Impeachment is All About Politics

  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, this week, House Republicans produced our 
report showing specific facts that dismantle the Democrats' claims on 
impeachment. This evidence shows:
  Number one, President Trump has a deep-seated, genuine, and 
reasonable skepticism of Ukraine due to its history of pervasive 
corruption;
  Number two, the evidence does not establish that President Trump 
pressured Ukraine to investigate Burisma Holdings, Vice President Joe 
Biden, Hunter Biden, or Ukrainian influence in the 2016 election for 
the purpose of benefiting him in the 2020 election; and
  Number three, the evidence does not support that President Trump 
covered up the substance of his telephone conversation with President 
Zelensky by restricting access to the call summary.
  Speaker Pelosi previously said that the conditions for impeachment 
must be ``overwhelming'' and ``bipartisan.'' Currently, there is only 
bipartisan support in opposition to impeachment.
  I guess the facts really don't matter, and Democrats moving forward 
show that this is all about politics.

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