[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 20, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H6888]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
                       NATIONAL PENNSYLVANIA DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize 
today, July 20, as National Pennsylvania Day.
  Since the inception of our Nation, Pennsylvania has played a 
transformative role in United States history. Pennsylvania's nickname, 
the Keystone State, represents the central role we played in shaping 
our Nation.
  Pennsylvania was the site of many important battles and military 
milestones, like the Battle of Valley Forge in the Revolutionary War 
and the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War.
  Pennsylvania is the home to a lot of firsts, including our Nation's 
first capital, Philadelphia; the first American flag sewn by Betsy 
Ross; and the first commercial oil well in my district, giving birth to 
the modern petroleum industry.
  Pennsylvania has a proud history of American craftsmanship and work 
ethic, from our steel mills and coal mines to our farmland and forests.
  Madam Speaker, as a lifelong resident of Pennsylvania, I am 
encouraged each and every day by the industrious spirit of our 
residents as we continue to build a bright path forward for our 
Commonwealth and our country.
  Happy Pennsylvania Day. I am proud to be from the great Keystone 
State.


                  Late-Term Abortion Should Be Illegal

  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, Democrats are advancing 
an agenda of abortion on demand. Last week, House Democrats passed 
their radical abortion on demand until birth act, falsely named as the 
Women's Health Protection Act, and the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act.
  Both bills go much further than codifying Roe v. Wade and would 
legalize abortion for all 9 months of pregnancy across the country, 
while undermining the health and safety of women. In advancing this 
legislation that would continue the murder of innocent unborn, Speaker 
Pelosi has confirmed Democrats' radical agenda by saying abortion is `` 
. . . core to who we are. It is about freedom.''
  Madam Speaker, 80 percent of Americans believe that late-term 
abortion should be illegal.


   Impact of the National Defense Authorization Act on our Military 
                             Servicemembers

  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, last week, in a 
bipartisan way, this body stood up and served those who serve in 
uniform, those who sacrificed for this great Nation in the United 
States Armed Forces.
  I was proud, on Thursday, to join the majority of folks in this 
Chamber in passing H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act. I 
was proud to support this legislation, and I contributed significant 
legislative language, too.
  The bill extends a prohibition preventing dishonorable discharge for 
servicemembers refusing COVID vaccines, while also extending a 
prohibition on COVID vaccine mandates for Department of Defense 
contractors.
  The NDAA authorizes annual funding for the Department of Defense and 
defense-related programs at other Federal agencies. The NDAA authorized 
earned pay raises for our American troops. Included in the NDAA was my 
legislation from H.R. 7144, the Military Housing Transparency and 
Accountability Act, that directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a 
centralized military housing feedback tool for members of the United 
States Armed Forces and their families. This will allow these families 
to identify, rate, and compare housing options. Our military families 
have earned the right to safe housing conditions.
  Additionally, it included provisions requiring the Department of 
Defense to report the dollar amount spent on foreign fuel that is used; 
report on the impact on low recruitment and retention, and the impact 
on servicemembers' mental health as a result of that; and finally, to 
report the impact of inflation, which is impacting every American 
family today.
  This report specifically is asking the question: What is the impact 
of inflation--which is out of control, a record high--on our military 
families?

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