[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 201 (Wednesday, December 6, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H6198-H6200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
KEY PIECES OF LEGISLATION
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaLota). Under the Speaker's announced
policy of January 9, 2023, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
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General Leave
Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special
Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Utah?
There was no objection.
Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to be here tonight to
talk about some of the key pieces of legislation House Republicans are
championing this week, from fighting President Biden's unfair student
loan program to protecting consumer choice in purchasing a vehicle to
holding universities accountable for their influence from foreign
adversaries. We are laser focused on putting Americans' interests
first.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann).
Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the vice chair, for
hosting this Special Order with me here tonight.
I appreciate you and others standing here to highlight House
Republicans' wins and to advocate for our conservative values.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the problems America is facing
and what Congress must do to get this country back on track.
Our grandchildren deserve to live in a country that still stands for
freedom, and I serve in Congress to work toward building that future.
Freedom tomorrow means upholding the constitutional rights of all
Americans today. That is the lens through which I view my job in
Congress and the measuring stick I use for every piece of legislation I
consider.
I have highlighted the path forward in my four-part commitment to the
big first and House Republicans' commitment to Americans.
Number one, Congress needs to create an economy that is strong.
According to the congressional budget report, America is $33.5 trillion
in debt, and the Federal Government is deficit spending more than $1
trillion every year.
Our energy independence has eroded, small businesses are laboring
under burdensome regulations and taxes, and rampant inflation is a tax
on everyone.
We need to end Washington's spending addiction by balancing the
budget, growing the economy, curbing inflation, and decreasing Federal
spending.
We need to cut red tape and burdensome regulations for agriculture
producers, businessowners, and for all Americans. We also need to
preserve the family-owned farms and small businesses throughout our
country.
Earlier this year, the house passed The Limit, Save, Grow Act to
reduce government spending, reclaim unspent COVID relief money, and
promote pro-growth economic policies.
The House and Senate passed my resolution to prohibit the listing of
the lesser prairie-chicken as endangered or threatened.
The House and Senate also passed a joint resolution to prohibit
President Biden's Waters of the U.S. rule from having the force of law.
A strong economy is good for everyone: the whole supply chain,
businesses, parents, students, everyone. Ensuring a strong economy
remains our commitment.
Number two, this Congress needs to create a Nation that is safe.
Violent crime is on the rise, drug addiction is spiking, and many parts
of our country are in chaos.
Meanwhile, we are still hearing calls from Washington Democrats to
defund the police, and the Biden administration is failing to address
our open southern border where fentanyl, criminals, and people caught
up in human trafficking rings flood into our country.
We need to defend America's national security and food security. We
need to support our troops and invest in an efficient, effective
military. We need to secure the border, stop illegal immigration, end
the fentanyl crisis, and support the police.
{time} 1915
We also need to reauthorize strong agricultural trade legislation,
negotiate new international trade agreements, support global food
security legislation, promote U.S. goods, and stop wars before they
start.
This year, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act
and the Department of Defense appropriations act to support our troops.
House Republicans passed the Secure the Border Act to finish
construction of the wall at the southern border and the Schools Not
Shelters Act to prohibit the use of public schools for housing illegal
immigrants.
We passed the HALT Fentanyl Act and a resolution expressing support
for local law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to defund and
dismantle local law enforcement agencies.
We all want to live in a country where we can lay our heads on a
pillow at night knowing we live in the safest, best country in the
world.
Number three, Congress needs to create a future that is built on
freedom. As I meet with Kansans, I hear concerns about Big Government,
sweeping executive orders, and infringements on the basic rights
enshrined in our Constitution.
We must preserve America's constitutional freedoms that protect the
lives of unborn children and their mothers. We need to educate students
in American history and civic engagement. We also need to improve
access to rural healthcare, including access to telehealth services.
We must support those who fought to defend our freedoms by improving
accountability and transparency at the Department of Veterans Affairs
and working to reinvigorate civilian life after military service.
House Republicans passed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection
Act to penalize healthcare practitioners who fail to provide care for
an infant that is born alive from an attempted abortion.
I sponsored three pieces of legislation that would modify the Biden
administration's rulemaking to prohibit funds for abortions and
abortion referrals.
The House passed the Parents Bill of Rights Act to ensure that rights
of parents are honored and protected in America's public schools.
I sponsored the States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment
Act, or SHARE Act, which would improve the current licensing process
for healthcare providers and increase the number of licensed providers
able to serve communities across State lines.
We passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act and the Veteran Entrepreneurship Training
Act, which would codify the Boots to Business program, a training
course administered by the Small Business Administration through which
veterans and their families learn the fundamentals of business
management.
America is the strongest, most free nation in the world because our
Founders declared that our freedoms do not flow from the government or
a king but from God, who created us all with inalienable rights.
Number four, Congress needs to create a government that is
accountable. Congress has the responsibility to conduct both rigorous
oversight of the executive branch and investigation into possible
corruption and criminal activity within the Federal Government.
We need to rein in the White House's abuse of power, hold Washington
accountable, end the President's war on fossil fuels, and empower
domestic producers to restore American energy independence.
The House passed the Reduce Exacerbated Inflation Negatively
Impacting the Nation Act, or the REIN IN Act, which would require the
President to provide an inflation impact estimate with respect to
executive orders.
I also sponsored the More Accountability is Necessary Now Act, or the
MANN Act, six pieces of legislation that I do every Congress which
would require the President to report to Congress on executive orders.
The House passed the Lower Energy Costs Act, which would increase the
production and export of American energy and reduce the regulatory
burdens that make it harder to build American infrastructure and grow
our economy.
Through the legislation we all support, I have worked to unleash
American energy, cut taxes and red tape, secure the border, and
investigate the scandal and corruption surrounding President Biden and
Hunter Biden.
I will always stand for freedom in the face of government overreach
because whether you are a parent, a child, born or unborn, a student, a
farmer, or a
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small business owner, you don't need the Federal Government trying to
control your life.
Serving as the Representative for the Big First District in Kansas
continues to be the honor of a lifetime. There is a lot of work left to
do, but with prayer and hard work, I really believe that the greatest
days in this Nation are yet to come.
Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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