[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 130 (Thursday, July 27, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H4037-H4038]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    THREATENING AMERICAN BUSINESSES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. McCormick) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn the bullying and 
threatening of American businesses being conducted by the United States 
Department of Commerce.
  This was brought to my attention by a small business owner just this 
week.
  In the Census Bureau's Annual Business Survey, businessowners are now 
asked if they invest in a list of so-called ``green'' initiatives to 
fight climate change.
  If your local baker, dry cleaner, or peanut farmer hasn't been able 
to invest in geothermal energy or a renewable purchase power agreement 
or extra battery storage, they are asked these threatening questions:
  Are you afraid of lost sales?
  Do you foresee getting a bad reputation?
  Do you think it might be harder to raise capital or secure lines of 
credit?
  Do you think you might be fined by the government?
  Do you think your business will suffer if we implement a carbon tax?
  The bottom line from the radical leftists in charge of our executive 
branch: That's a nice business you have there, it would be a shame if 
something happened to it.

  Surveys with leading questions are often called push polls. This is 
more like a shove poll. This is the Federal Government threatening 
American businesses to engage in government-pushed policy, or else.
  Here is a warning of my own. If you work at the Department of 
Commerce and you are responsible for this disgusting language, you will 
be hearing from Congress very soon. Be prepared to explain yourselves. 
The time for bureaucratic overreach must come to an end.

[[Page H4038]]

  The Federal Government exists to serve and protect Americans and 
their livelihoods, not to pick winners or losers, not to destroy 
industries, and not to impose climate change ideology on hundreds of 
thousands of businesses that bring prosperity to American families 
every day.
  Semper Fidelis.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their remarks 
to the Chair.

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