[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 26, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H3958-H3959]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Kansas (Mr. Mann) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the direction of our 
country. In America right now, we are facing a lot of problems. House 
Republicans have done our part to pass commonsense solutions, but we 
still have a lot of work to do to get this country back on track.
  In January, I released my commitment to the Big First, which is a 
legislative roadmap to create an economy that is strong, a Nation that 
is safe, a future that is built on freedom, and a government that is 
accountable.
  Most of the glaring problems in America today fall into one of these 
four categories, and the reality is that House Republicans have 
commonsense solutions to all of them, but the Biden administration is 
refusing to listen.
  We need to create an economy that is strong. Washington has a 
spending addiction. America is $32 trillion in debt, and the Federal 
Government is deficit spending to the tune of $1 trillion every year. 
The Biden administration has canceled the Keystone XL pipeline and 
pushed Green New Deal regulations on small businesses, while attempting 
at the same time to do away with stepped-up basis and impose a new farm 
killer capital gains tax on agriculture producers.

  Here is the commonsense solution: When you stop the wasteful 
spending, you don't have to tax people to death. When President Biden 
took office, inflation was at just 1.4 percent. Inflation hit 6.4 
percent in 2022. That is a tax on all Americans.
  In the House of Representatives, we passed the Lower Energy Costs Act 
and the REIN IN Inflation Act to unleash American energy production and 
revitalize our economy, but the White House still isn't listening. 
America's position in the global marketplace is degrading, the value of 
the dollar has been plummeting for a year, and it is time to get our 
economy back on track before it is too late.
  We also need to create a Nation that is safe. Violent crime is on the 
rise, the suicide rate is climbing, drug addiction and mental illness 
are spiking, and many parts of our country are basically in chaos. 
Meanwhile, we are still hearing calls from Washington Democrats to 
defund the police, and the Biden administration refuses to address the 
humanitarian crisis at our southern border where fentanyl, criminals, 
and victims of human trafficking come across every day, unfortunately, 
into our country.
  Here is the commonsense solution: House Republicans passed 
legislation to secure the border, finish the wall, criminalize all 
forms of illicit fentanyl, and support the training and hiring of more 
State and local law enforcement officers. Today, we don't live in a 
Nation that is safe, but House Republicans have already passed bills 
that would stop the chaos and usher in safety and order.
  We also need to create a future that is built on freedom. Each year I 
host at least one townhall in every one of the 60 counties in the Big 
First District. As I travel across the State and meet with Kansans, I 
listen to their concerns about Big Government, sweeping executive 
order, and infringement on basic rights, like the Second Amendment and 
the right to life.
  House Republicans are standing for freedom in the face of Big 
Government overreach. We passed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors 
Protection Act that would defend the lives of innocent children 
following a botched abortion attempt.
  We also passed the Parents Bill of Rights that states that parents 
have the right to know what their children are being taught. These are 
no-brainers. It is sad that we even need to pass bills like this 
because the rights to life and freedom are supposed to be foundational 
to America in the first place.
  On the American farm we also see freedom under attack. The Biden 
administration vetoed legislation that would have revoked President 
Biden's Waters of the U.S. rule because his administration prefers to 
regulate every puddle and drainage ditch from sea to shining sea.

                              {time}  1030

  On top of that, the Biden administration hamstrung producers by 
adding the lesser prairie-chicken to the endangered species list, and I 
am looking forward to my colleagues' and my voting to disapprove of 
that rule.
  Our message is this: Whether you are a parent, a child--born or 
unborn--a student, a farmer, or a small business owner, you don't need 
the Federal Government trying to control your life.
  Finally, we need to create a government that is accountable. 
According to recent IRS whistleblower testimony made public by the Ways 
and Means Committee, it appears that President Biden was not only aware 
of his son, Hunter Biden's, corrupt foreign business deals, but was 
also in the room for them. We need to conduct rigorous oversight to 
root out corruption in the executive branch. We also need to hold the 
Federal Government accountable and rein in the White House's abuse of 
power.

[[Page H3959]]

  As the Biden administration has proven time and time again, executive 
orders are out of control, and they are no way to govern in a 
democracy. That is why I introduced the More Accountability is 
Necessary Now Act, which requires the President to notify Congress and 
the public before issuing any new executive orders pertaining to 
agriculture, energy, natural resources, the right to life, the Second 
Amendment, and immigration. This is a commonsense way to hold the 
government accountable and stop some of the Big Government overreach 
that Kansans and the Big First are sick and tired of.
  I don't serve in Congress to be a caretaker in the slow demise of 
America. I am here to do my part in making America stronger. We need to 
rebuild our country on behalf of Americans who have had their rights 
stripped from them, their taxpayer dollars wasted, their values shoved 
back in their face, and their country's economy brought to the brink of 
disaster by an administration that isn't getting the message.
  We need everything from a balanced budget to a strengthened supply 
chain, from lower taxes to a secure southern border, and from a strong 
farm bill to robust police and military forces.
  We have a lot of work to do, and if we open our eyes to the real 
problems that Americans are facing today and look at the commonsense 
solutions on the table, we can accomplish real meaningful change in our 
country.
  With prayer and hard work, I believe America's brightest days are yet 
to come.

                          ____________________