[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 41 (Thursday, March 7, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H1005-H1006]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CHALLENGES AMERICA IS FACING

  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 challenges that 
America is facing and identify ways we can restore order in this 
country.
  Tonight, President Biden will join us in this very Chamber to address 
the Nation. I am hopeful that he will speak to the real issues before 
us and detail how he plans to work with House Republicans to get 
America back on track.
  The southern border, inflation and our national debt, and the 
weaponization of the Federal Government need his immediate attention.
  Since last year, House Republicans have passed legislation after 
legislation to secure our southern border, reduce and reprioritize 
Federal spending, and end the weaponization of the Federal Government. 
We passed H.R. 2 to finish the border wall, increase the number of 
Border Patrol agents, protect unaccompanied children from human 
trafficking, and terminate catch and release.
  Since President Biden took office, there have been more than 8.5 
million illegal crossings--that is almost three times the population of 
Kansas--including known criminals and terrorists on that list.

  Just last month, the Nation was horrified by the brutal murder of 
Laken Riley by an illegal immigrant. Despite the illegal immigrant's 
criminal history in the United States, failed liberal policies allowed 
him to stay here, and an innocent young woman from Georgia paid the 
price.
  Now that President Biden has visited the real southern border and 
witnessed the crisis he created, he should work with House Republicans 
to secure our southern border.
  We passed legislation to limit future government spending, reclaim 
$200 billion of unaccounted for COVID dollars, and promote progrowth 
energy and economic policy.
  While the White House says inflation is cooling, those of us in 
middle America still feel the weight of Washington's spending problem. 
Our national debt has surpassed $34 trillion, diesel is well over $3.60 
a gallon in Kansas, Americans' paychecks are grossly overtaxed, and 
Washington Democrats pretend that the President has a no-limit credit 
card.
  This is no way to govern. It is irresponsible, it is fiscal insanity, 
and President Biden should work with House Republicans to rein in 
inflation and our national debt.
  We passed legislation that ends the weaponization of the Federal 
Government, we are working to hold the U.S. Department of Justice 
accountable to applying justice equally, and we are pushing the U.S. 
EPA to fully implement the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that the EPA's 
waters of the U.S. rule is unconstitutional.
  We are working to reduce the number of executive orders that the 
Biden administration uses as force of law. We are standing up for the 
unborn and fighting the radical agenda that promotes Federal funding 
for abortions. In the Big First, we know that the right to life is a 
right from God, not from the government. That right deserves to be 
protected.
  President Biden should work with House Republicans to end the 
weaponization of the Federal Government once and for all.
  I hope that President Biden will also discuss how he will work with 
us to enact a strong farm bill that will protect and strengthen crop 
insurance; incentivizes agricultural trade opportunities; promotes 
global food security; supports agriculture research; and reflects the 
needs of the American farmers, ranchers, and agriculture producers who 
work to feed, fuel, and clothe the world.

[[Page H1006]]

  I hope that he will address the importance of our country's energy 
independence, our fight against China, and a strong Second Amendment.
  The list goes on and on.
  When the President joins us here tonight, he has the opportunity to 
share with Kansans and Americans his plan to tackle these challenges 
head-on.
  Mr. Speaker, I am optimistic that our greatest days are yet to come. 
Those days require us to get America back on track.

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