Jodey Arrington

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, today, I rise in opposition to H.R. 5518, the Access to Counsel Act. This bill would provide illegal immigrants the right to counsel immediately upon crossing our sovereign border, and American taxpayers, by the way, would be picking up the tab. This legislation doesn't address the humanitarian crisis at the border. It doesn't help women and children being exploited by the drug cartels. It doesn't fix our broken immigration system. It doesn't secure the border. It doesn't give resources to our law enforcement to keep them safe and successful in doing that job. This bill puts the interests of illegal immigrants before the rights of American citizens. Furthermore, it will overwhelm an already broken court system, charging hundreds of millions of dollars to U.S. taxpayers, and provide nothing to protect our citizens and the safety of our communities.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, this is a very solemn moment for me and all west Texans. On Saturday morning, west Texas lost two of our finest and bravest first responders. Lieutenant David Hill of Lubbock Fire Rescue and 27-year-old Lubbock Police Officer Nicholas Reyna were responding to a rollover accident when they lost their lives in the line of duty. A 30-year-old firefighter and paramedic, Matt Dawson, was also injured and remains in critical condition. This is a tragic reminder that our heroic first responders wake up every single day and risk their lives to keep us safe. These men understood the sacred call to service. They gave the ultimate sacrifice and demonstrated the greatest love for their fellow man. The Holy Scripture says this: ``There is no greater love than this, than to lay down your life for your friends.'' May God welcome these earthly heroes into His heavenly kingdom. May He comfort the Reyna and Hill families. May He grant Matt a speedy and full recovery. May He continue to bless and keep those who keep watch over us.

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of President Trump's effort to hold China accountable for its unfair trade practices, and I commend him and Ambassador Lighthizer on achieving the first phase of resetting that relationship. For years, China has been taking advantage of American manufacturers and producers through currency manipulation, state ownership, stealing our intellectual property, and other unfair and unseemly behavior. The bottom line is this, Mr. Speaker: They have been cheating Americans, and politicians have let them get away with it for far too long. Joining me in this historic gallery today are 27 of the hardest working, God-fearing farmers in west Texas. Cochran, Lubbock, and Bailey Counties are represented here today. They know all too well the disastrous results of this trade imbalance with China. President Trump loves the American farmer, and thanks to his hard- fought negotiations, producers from the South Plains and across the country will reap the benefit of China's new commitment to purchase up to $50 billion in U.S. agriculture products. That is nearly twice the amount ever purchased by China. These farmers can attest that the pain from China's retaliatory tariffs is real, resulting in higher input costs, lower commodity prices, and a significant decline in market share in one of our largest export markets. All of this has come on the heels of record bankruptcies and the steepest decline in farm income since the Great Depression, but our farmers stand with this President because they know he is doing the right thing. They know he is fighting for them, and they also understand that when we get to the other side of this deal, there will be greener pastures for the next generation of farmers and ranchers. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent the food, fuel, and fiber capital of the world in west Texas. These cowboys and plowboys who feed and clothe the American people, and fuel the American economy, are a picture of America's traditional values of hard work, faith in God, and love for their families and fellow man, which, by the way, is the real substance of what makes America great. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of them, I thank the American people for their support through these tough times, and I thank President Trump for putting America first and fighting for a better future for the American farmer. God bless, and go west Texas. Remembering Lubbock First Responders

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from North Carolina for yielding and for the opportunity to speak about a great American hero and a wonderful family, a class act. I was privileged to serve under the great leadership of George W. Bush as Governor of the Lone Star State and then President of this great country. No doubt his parents, their character, their patriotism, and love for their fellow man did not fall too far from the tree, as we say in Texas. I rise in support of the President George H.W. Bush and First Spouse Barbara Bush Coin Act sponsored by friend and fellow Texan, Senator John Cornyn. George Herbert Walker Bush and his wife First Lady Barbara Bush were exemplars of leadership and service to the country and an almost perfect picture of a devoted and loving marriage. If there is a perfect marriage, they certainly seemed to have it. I think, Madam Speaker, it is right and good to honor and commemorate the most noble and accomplished leaders and public servants, and no doubt, at the top of that list is George Herbert Walker Bush and his wife Barbara Bush, and I am grateful for the opportunity to honor the legacy of President and First Lady Bush by supporting the issuance of these coins.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and fellow Texan, Ranking Member McCaul, for his strong leadership. Mr. Speaker, it is one thing to weaponize impeachment to discredit the President. It is a whole other thing to handcuff our Commander in Chief and jeopardize the safety of our soldiers and prevent them from defending themselves. Thankfully, this is a partisan resolution that is going nowhere. But it is also disturbing insight into the naive and impotent ideology of appeasement that invited Russia into Syria, created ISIS in Iraq, and emboldened Iran to terrorize and brutally murder throughout the Middle East. This is not a resolution. This is a retreat, a de facto apology. But for what? For ridding the world of a brutal terrorist with American blood on his hands? If this resolution were to become law, Mr. Speaker, it would be a death warrant, and not for the worst of terrorists, but for the best of Americans, our sons and daughters on the battlefield who would be left defenseless, sitting ducks for a murderous mob of mullahs in Iran and Iranian-backed militias throughout the region. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, I couldn't have said that better myself. I thank the ranking member, my dear friend from the great State of Texas, for his leadership on this very important trade deal, our largest and most important relationship of all of our trading relationships. I thank our chairman, Chairman Neal, for keeping this thing on track and keeping people in the game so we could have a bipartisan consensus. That is the only way this could work, so the chairman is to be commended for his efforts. But let's give credit where credit is due, for the one who led the charge, who did the heavy lifting, our President, Donald J. Trump. I am saying this because in 2016, he was already calling out some of these trade deals as a rip-off of American workers and manufacturers. While NAFTA was a great deal for farmers and ranchers, we saw a 400 percent increase in trade for ag products since the inception of NAFTA. It hasn't been good all the way around. It hasn't been fair all the way around. It hasn't been productive, in terms of keeping jobs here in the United States. So kudos to our President for his dogged commitment to American-first trade policies. That doesn't mean America only. It means that we negotiate from strength, and we negotiate what is in the best interest of American workers, manufacturers, and farmers. That is what this does: $70 billion in economic growth, 170,000 jobs, and billions in investment that will go into the auto manufacturing sector. Our producers, dairy producers and other farmers, are going to have open access to new customers in Canada, so this is a huge win for America. I want to join all my colleagues, Republican and Democrat, and champion this all the way through. So I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, vote ``yes'' for USMCA, and vote for an even greater America and an even greater prospect for American prosperity. God bless America. Go west Texas.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, west Texas is the breadbasket and energy basin of the United States of America. Our producers feed, clothe, and fuel this great Nation--and not with just conventional fuels, Mr. Speaker. Texas is, by far, the largest producer of wind energy in the Nation. This is not only good for rural economies, but it also diversifies our energy production, and helps support our Nation's energy independence for future generations. Today, I would like to recognize one of our outstanding west Texas wind energy developers, Tri Global Energy, and its CEO and good friend, John B. Billingsley, as they celebrate their 10th anniversary this year. I commend Tri Global for their excellence in renewable energy over the past decade, and I wish them the very best success in the decades to come.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, I think one of the biggest problems I have with this, ultimately, is we are raising that top rate after we cut taxes, restored more freedom to the markets, and unleashed growth and job creation, all a tremendous response from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and now we are putting a tax burden on the American people. We are raising taxes on small businesses. One-third of the taxes being raised here will fall on small businesses, mom-and-pop shops, community banks, and family farmers. Main Street will be negatively affected in a big way. So I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this legislation.

Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, I want to first commend my colleague from New York (Mr. Suozzi) for his passionate advocacy for his district. I understand where his heart is, I understand his motives, I know they are pure, and it makes it a lot easier to work with people who approach public policy that way. But as I have mentioned to him in committee, I think this is wrongheaded and fundamentally bad public policy. It certainly is not in keeping with benefiting the general welfare of the public, restoring these SALT deductions. I am sure many of these points being made earlier discourage localities and States from keeping their taxes low. They also penalize States like Texas who keep their tax rates low, and the majority of the benefit of these deductions will go to millionaires. That is not an exaggeration. Over 50 percent of the benefit will go to people who are millionaires. In fact, 95 percent of the benefit will go to folks who make over $200,000. That is real money in west Texas.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, today, many of my Democratic colleagues will be making history, unfortunately, for supporting the first-ever completely partisan impeachment of a President of the United States. Madam Speaker, I am deeply disturbed that history will indeed be made today in this hallowed Chamber, but for all the wrong reasons: not for love of country, but hatred for a political foe; not to pursue justice, but to punish a political adversary; not to seek truth, but to seize political power. Madam Speaker, for the love of country, I urge my colleagues to oppose this disastrous political ruse.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend and ranking Republican on Ways and Means for the opportunity, and I thank him for his leadership on this important issue. Mr. Chairman, we all agree that the prices of drugs are too high. We agree that something needs to be done to fix this for all Americans, not just our seniors. The problem I have--and it is a big problem--is the way we go about doing this. It is like a rerun of ObamaCare. It is this government knows best, this top-down, government-controlled, let's tax, regulate, and mandate our way to a better system. It doesn't work. So we are doubling down on a failed philosophy on how to deliver affordable quality products to the American people. The approach should be more choices, more competition, a healthier market, and greater transparency. By the way, we have worked on those issues in a bipartisan fashion. I have introduced two pieces of legislation with my Democrat friends that would do just that. The problem here is not just this top-down, heavy-handed government knows best, let's fix the crisis and assume nothing bad will happen. It is that nothing is going to come of this H.R. 3. It is a messaging bill. It is purely political, and it won't help the people whom we all intend to help. I do not judge the motives of my colleagues. I think they want to help our seniors just as I do. But we can't do it with partisan messaging bills. We have to do it by working together. In a former life, I was vice chancellor at Texas Tech, and I was responsible for bringing new drug technologies, therapies, and biologics to market.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, a stalwart when it comes to freedom, a champion of free people, free States, and free markets. And I appreciate my dear friend for hosting this very important and timely discussion to articulate the virtue and the values of freedom. It is hard to believe we can stand in this great Chamber with any need to distinguish between a free system and a free country and what happens when you lose those freedoms. America is the most powerful, most prosperous, and most generous nation in the world, and it is because America is the freest nation in the history of the world and on the face of the planet. The quickest way for America to lose her shine, her brilliance, her exceptionalism is for her to lose her freedoms. Mr. Speaker, when our Founding Fathers were framing the more perfect union, they made the central determination that our constitutional Republic would limit the Federal Government's role in our lives. They believed that if they limited government, they would unleash the limitless potential of the American people, free people created in the image of God. While we recognize the challenges of our fallen human condition in any system of government, nothing has been a greater force for good, save and except the love of God, than freedom. Indeed, nothing has elevated and empowered the human spirit in this country and across the globe like the free enterprise system. Over the course of the 20th century, we can see the profound impact of free markets on the lives of Americans. In 1900, the average life expectancy of Americans was 47 years. By the end of the century, it was 78 years. At the beginning of the 20th century, 56 percent of American families were considered poor, but by 1967, before the expansion of the American welfare state through the Great Society programs, the number of American families considered poor was only 13 percent. I would also insert there that we have spent trillions of dollars since the advent of Big Government welfare programs, well-intended, of course, over $20 trillion since the 1960s. We spend 16 times today what we spent in the 1960s on welfare programs, and we haven't moved the needle a bit. The poverty rate is the same. If we look at the 20th century alone, we can see that free markets have given Americans the most opportunities, the highest standard of living, and the best quality of life anywhere in the world. Contrast this with Venezuela, previously one of the wealthiest nations in the hemisphere, blessed with an abundance of oil and gas reserves, which is the basis of their economic prosperity. Today, 82 percent of Venezuelans live in poverty, thanks to the legacy of socialist policies implemented by the late dictator Hugo Chavez and his successor Nicolas Maduro. Contrast that with what we have been doing recently with President Trump over the last few years and in my first term in the 115th Congress. We have promoted freedom, freer markets, and fairer trade. We have put in place progrowth, free market policies that have unleashed even greater economic potential of these United States. We have seen historic unemployment rates, historic wage increases. We have seen trillions of dollars in wealth created in the stock markets for those who need pensions and 401(k)'s, for folks saving for retirement. The list is long, but the message is that if you get off the backs and out of the way of our entrepreneurs, our innovators, our risk- takers, they will do what they do best, and that is create opportunities. But all of these opportunities, this record growth, and these benefits for American families are at risk. Our country, my dear friend, Mr. Barr, is at an ideological inflection point. We can continue to build on the success and prosperity from free markets, or we can go down the road to serfdom that you mentioned. I don't think we need to look any further than the poll that Mr. Johnson mentioned where 7 in 10 millennials are ``somewhat or extremely likely to vote for a socialist candidate.'' Eighty million strong, and 70 percent of the generation that will make up the largest voting bloc in the next election is leaning toward voting for a socialist, not in Cuba or in Venezuela, right here in the United States of America. John Adams told us: You will never know how much it cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it. Folks, right now, we are in grave danger of forsaking the freedoms for which our Founders fought if we go down this ruinous road of socialism. The choice we make as Americans will determine our Nation's identity for the remainder of the 21st century. It is a choice between whether our future will be forged by freedom and faith both in God and in our founding principles, or whether we are going to submit to the rise of socialism and the tyranny of Big Government. We have to be vigilant and do everything in our power to ensure the arc of the future bends toward freedom, not government control over every aspect of our lives. Only if we do this, only if we protect these precious freedoms, will we give our children and grandchildren the freedoms and opportunities that every generation of Americans has enjoyed. I thank Mr. Barr for the opportunity to join in this Special Order. I thank him for his intentionality to bring this topic for discussion and for including me.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a dear friend and local leader in my district, former Bailey County Commissioner Floyd ``Butch'' Vandiver, who is currently battling cancer back home in Muleshoe, Texas. Butch is the epitome of a servant leader, and he personifies the spirit of west Texas through his honesty, humility, and hard work. Having operated the family farm for more than 35 years, Butch understands the trials of tilling the soil, the blessings of a bountiful harvest, and the faith and freedom it requires. During his two decades as a Bailey County commissioner, Butch served with excellence, always putting the interests of the people he served over himself. I first met Butch on a flight back to Lubbock. He was returning home from treatment at MD Anderson. Clearly fatigued from his fight against cancer, he never once complained. Instead, he encouraged me. Butch, you inspire me with your authenticity, your humility, and your unwavering faith. I want you to know we love you, we are praying for you and your family, and we know you are in God's loving and capable hands. God bless, and go west Texas.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Mr. Lamborn, my brother in Christ, and one of our spiritual leaders here in this great Chamber. I so appreciate the gentleman leading this effort to pay tribute to God's holy, inherent, infallible, active Word, that Word that has created the heavens and the Earth. The Word that became flesh and dwelt among us in the person of Jesus, God's Son. This Word of God, this Bible that we speak of, I don't know that there is any book that has had a greater influence on the world. It is no accident that the words behind me above our Speaker and our Nation's motto are ``In God we trust.'' And as we trusted God, God blessed us. As I trust Him in my life, He blesses me. And when I depart as His child, as a follower of Jesus, and I say to Mr. Lamborn that I have to confess, I depart from time to time. And when I do, I don't have that peace that surpasses understanding, that hope and that joy unspeakable, but because of this great gift of the Bible, I cannot only know the will of God, the mind of God, the character of God, I can actually have a relationship with God. And that is mind-blowing. And the fact that I wouldn't run to the Bible every day first thing when I get up, and I wouldn't cling to it at night, every night, before I went to bed, is also mind-boggling, knowing the power and the richness, the depth of the wisdom of God in those Holy Scripture. And one of my favorite things to talk about back home is--and I do this often with school children--I talk about what has made America great. Because like all of us, they have heard that statement over the last couple of years, and they, I am sure, have pondered that question. What has made America great? And how do we make America great again? Well, I say America is great because America is free. And no other Nation in all of the world has been gifted with that freedom like the United States. And I say America is great because America is brave. It is the 1 percent in every generation that is willing to sacrifice everything for these liberties and the opportunities that we are blessed with. But, ultimately, what makes America great is the goodness of America. Alexis de Tocqueville who set out to study what makes America great, said these words, and I think they are important for us to reflect on. He was a French philosopher. He came over here for a year, kind of a sabbatical, and his thesis was: What makes America great? He said: ``I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers--and it was not there . . . in her fertile fields and boundless forests and it was not there . . . in her rich mines and her vast world commerce--and it was not there . . . in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution--and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.'' So I say this from my own personal perspective in my own life, and I say this to this great Chamber and to this amazing country we have been blessed to live in; we must return to the Bible and our relationship with God, so His goodness, through the power of the Holy Spirit will flow through us, so we can love our neighbors, serve our communities, and we can make America great again. Amen. God bless America. And I thank the gentleman for this great opportunity to share in this tribute to the Bible, God's Holy Word.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend and fellow Texan, Mr. Chip Roy. Get your guns up, Mr. Roy. I thank you for that introduction, and I thank you for hosting tonight's Special Order for our friend and fearless leader for Texas and for this great Nation, Rick Perry. It is, I think, pretty telling that every Texan who has taken the mike to pay tribute to our friend Rick Perry has spoken with the fondness of a deep friendship, and I think that is a tribute to Secretary Perry. He was a man who could connect with just about anybody--not because he had the special political gift; it is because he had genuine love for people. That was his gift. I am glad that God saw fit to allow him to deploy that as our Governor, as Secretary, and in public service for many, many years. My favorite Rick Perry quote: If you want to make America great again, make it more like Texas. Mr. Speaker, in the summer of 2017, Energy Secretary Rick Perry unveiled a vision for our Nation, not only to become energy independent, but energy dominant. Predictably, some in the mainstream media responded by dismissing it as overly ambitious and unrealistic. The Washington Post said about his vision that it was ``dominated by misleading claims.'' The Los Angeles Times said that the plan ``threatens the entire planet.'' Not only did their criticism miss the mark on both accounts, but, fortunately, for the American people, they were definitively disproven by our friend and fearless leader, Secretary Rick Perry. We were once a nation reliant on foreign sources of energy. Today, we are on track to become a net energy exporter by 2020. By 2025, U.S. oil production is expected to equal that of Saudi Arabia and Russia, combined. Under Secretary Rick Perry's leadership, the United States has become a net exporter of natural gas for the first time since 1957. In fact, the U.S. is on track to more than double its LNG export capacity by the end of this year. Not only were we able to increase our energy production and export capacity in these United States, we have done it while leading the world in reducing carbon emissions, decreasing our output of CO2 by 42 million tons, while, at the same time, the European Union increased its carbon by about the same amount, China increased theirs by almost three times the amount that we reduced our carbon, and India twice as much of an increase to our decrease. I would say that is a heck of a track record for our Texas Secretary of Energy. Mr. Speaker, our Nation's energy security is and always will be a matter of national security. And thanks to the skilled leadership of Secretary Perry, I am proud to say that America is, indeed, safer and more secure today than, well, than it was before he took office. I am especially proud, Mr. Speaker, that our Nation's leading voice for energy dominance was born and reared in west Texas, right smack in the middle of my district, Texas 19. I think Mr. Roy would agree with me that, if you are a Texan, no matter what your title is and how far up the chain you go in political leadership, the Governor is always the highest title of all. So I am going to call him Governor Perry. I can't wait to refer to him as Governor Perry again. Rick Perry is a fifth-generation Texan. He is from Haskell, USA, which is 50 miles north of Abilene. I remember introducing him once in Lubbock, saying that there are some people and politicians who have street cred, and then there are some who have farm-to-market cred. Where I come from, Mr. Speaker, farm-to-market cred is more important. He had a bead on all things rural America because he was rural America. He understood that the small towns and the highways and the byways of this country were not just producing our food, fuel, and fiber; they were producing a people with a substance and a character that this Nation desperately needed. He understood that west Texas, where he hails from and where I hail from and have the honor of representing, that our greatest contribution wasn't as the energy basin or as the breadbasket, but as the backbone of American traditional values. I so appreciate that. Nobody was a greater champion or a stronger voice. We heard his background tonight. I want to thank him for his service to our country wearing the uniform. He served at Dyess Air Force Base, which is the largest B-1 bomber base in the country, and it is also in my district. Of course, he went on to serve as State representative, agriculture commissioner, Lieutenant Governor, and, of course, the longest serving Governor in the history of Texas. I think Mr. Roy would agree with me that he was the quintessential Texas Governor. He had that boldness, that optimism, that indomitable spirit that embodied Texas. He had that Texas swagger. He was confident, but he was humbled to know that he needed the right team and that he needed help from everybody to take Texas to that next level. Nobody could sell Texas like him. I mean, he recruited some of the best and brightest talent from around the world. He brought businesses in of all sectors from around the world. He was a true believer in the Texas miracle, and we are all the better in Texas for his leadership. Like all good west Texans, I would say to Mr. Roy that the bottom line is he was a salt-of-the-earth guy, and he was a straight-shooting guy. Let me do a little straight shooting for the American people with respect to what kind of nation the United States is on account of his leadership over the last couple of years: U.S. energy production reached a record high; the U.S. has become the largest crude oil producer in the world; American natural gas production hit a record high for 2 straight years, both in 2017 and 2018. When Americans look back on this era in our history, they will know the powerful, lasting impact of Governor Rick Perry and what he has done in terms of handing this country to the next generation of Americans: more prosperous, more free, and more secure. They will know that our producers in west Texas and across this country were empowered to unleash a new era of American energy dominance. They will know that this kid from Haskell, Texas, was at the helm during this historic transformation. So from one small town west Texas boy to another, I thank Rick Perry for his service; I thank him for the sacrifices that he has made; I thank him for his love for this country; I thank him for his passion for everything good about America; and I thank him for putting that on display with the way he operated, the way he led, and just who he is-- just who he is. Mr. Speaker, I say to Anita Perry: We know--Mr. Roy and I both, and everybody who has been called to service understands--that she and her children have made a tremendous sacrifice. I just want to say God bless her in this next phase of her life with Rick. I pray that he brings great joy to your lives and to the life of your family. My last quote is from the first President of Texas Tech University. It goes like this: Everything that is done on these west Texas plains ought to be done on a big scale. It's a part of the country that lends itself to bigness. Mr. Speaker, Rick Perry was a small town kid with a big heart, and he has made a big impact on these United States. So God bless Rick Perry, God bless this great Nation, and go west Texas.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 613.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership on the Budget Committee, and I thank him for his patriotism, his love of this country, and for his desire to do what is right for our country, first and foremost. Madam Speaker, today was a sad day, I believe, for our country. We have got, now, round two of this phony impeachment process. It is purely political. It is not based in facts, not based in the pursuit of truth and justice. There is no openness; there is no fairness; and there is, really, no credibility. The American people are not buying this bologna, not a single bit. That is why we are seeing round two of putting lipstick on a pig, as we say in Texas. But, listen, the nature of this phony process is what it is, no matter how you dress it up. It is sad because we are allowing this institution to be degraded. We are making a mockery out of this Chamber, the serious business of this country, and the serious nature of impeachment. I would say, first and foremost, that the claim that this President has committed a high crime, treason, or impeachable offense is absurd, really. From the outset, I would say that this is a baseless claim that only firsthand knowledge, the only primary source of evidence, is his conversation with President Zelensky. Unlike the cherry-picked leaks from Chairman Schiff, he let it be known what he said, what their conversation was about, in the full sunshine, for all the public to see. And it was clear that the President not only didn't have a quid pro quo, the President not only didn't commit some impeachable offense, for heaven's sake, he was ensuring that taxpayer dollars, as the fiduciary, the chief fiduciary of this country, weren't going to be wasted or abused or misspent on anything except for what they were intended for and that every stone would be turned over to root out graft and corruption. Now, that is not just appropriate; that is to be commended for any chief executive, especially for our President. I think that this process is purely political and aimed, again, not at truth and justice, but at a distraction from what is not happening on trade, on prescription drugs, and a whole host of things that we have to address if we are going to have a real impact on our fellow countrymen and move this country forward. I think it is a distraction from the socialist policies that have been advanced through this Chamber that have no chance of having any real effect on mainstream America. I think, ultimately, it is to discredit this President; and instead of actually doing battle for hearts and minds the old-fashioned way in the public squares and at the ballot box, they are doing it by weaponizing this serious constitutional provision of impeachment. Again, it is a sad day. But what I would say in closing, to my dear friend from Wisconsin, is that it is one thing to take the oxygen out of this Chamber for actually doing things that are going to have a real impact and make a real difference in the lives of our fellow Americans, it is one thing to take this President down yet another rabbit hole, another Russian collusion hoax, but another thing to do irreparable harm to our democracy. The Presidency, how is it ever going to be the same after this? How will a President ever have a phone call with a foreign leader where they can have the candor that is necessary to build relationships and to do the people's business. Madam Speaker, I say to my fellow Americans: This isn't about truth and justice. This is about fear and hate, hate for our President and for what he stands for, for his agenda, and fear that they can't beat him at the ballot box, so they are going to do it by weaponizing our congressional oversight responsibility and abusing the power of this great institution for their political objectives. I say that is wholly un-American. For my children's sake, they are doing irreparable harm to not only the Presidency, but to all of our democratic institutions. If you lose that, you lose the ability to govern, Republican or Democrat; you lose the ability to govern functionally for the American people. What a sad day. History will judge cruelly those who participated in this instead of doing it the old-fashioned American way, from house to house in the neighborhoods, in the public squares, and at the ballot box. God save our great country, and God help us all if this political railroad job and farce continues any longer. I thank my friend from Wisconsin for yielding to me. I am grateful for the opportunity. God bless America, and go, West Texas.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, at the heart of America's economic prosperity and unrivaled security is an abundant, affordable, and reliable supply of domestic energy. American energy independence is, undoubtedly, a matter of national security, but it is also a question of life and death to many rural economies. In west Texas, and for my neighbors in eastern New Mexico, energy producers are as crucial to our communities as educators, healthcare providers, and agricultural producers. Traditional sources of energy make up 90 percent of our Nation's energy supply and support over 10 million jobs in this great country. In New Mexico alone, Mr. Speaker, more than 100,000 jobs are oil and gas related. A whopping one-third of the State's budget comes from oil and gas revenues. That is over $2 billion, half of which supports funding public education. Thousands of Navajo landowners receive millions of dollars every year from oil and gas royalties. Putting a permanent ban on any future mineral development outside the National Park would be devastating for local economies, the Navajo people, and the entire State of New Mexico. Therefore, my motion to recommit will prevent this legislation from taking effect until it is confirmed that New Mexico will not suffer this severe economic harm resulting in a loss of revenue. That is revenue used to fund schools, roads, hospitals, and other important public services. Mr. Speaker, while this bill claims not to infringe on the private property rights of the Navajo people, the reality is that many of their lands are surrounded by Federal lands, making it virtually impossible to develop if this legislation were to pass. H.R. 2181, let's be clear, would eliminate key revenue sources used for public services. It would destroy jobs and economic activity there in New Mexico and, ultimately, threaten the livelihood of the Navajo people. This, Mr. Speaker, in my opinion, would be an absolute travesty for the Navajo people because the poverty rate in the Navajo Nation is more than three times the national average, about 38 percent. The unemployment rate is more than five times the national average, 20-plus percent. Almost half of all Navajo children live in poverty. Oil- and gas-related employment is critical to jobs and income in these isolated areas where the Navajo people live. It is unconscionable, Mr. Speaker, that a handful of activists should be able to deprive the Navajo Nation of opportunities to find work, opportunities to lease their own mineral rights, and opportunities to lift themselves up out of poverty by reaping the benefits of their own land. Mr. Speaker, there is an old Navajo saying: ``A rocky vineyard does not need a prayer, but a pickax.'' The Navajo people don't need more protectionists' prayers from Washington elite and environmental activists. They need the pickax of prosperity and opportunity that comes from freedom, and the ability to manage their own private property rights and their own private mineral rights. The Navajo people are a proud people, just like all Americans, and they just want an opportunity for a better life for themselves and their families. Mr. Speaker, this is a classic case of a solution looking for a problem. I ask my colleagues to support this motion to recommit and vote ``no'' on H.R. 2181. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ARRINGTON. Yes, in its current form.

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Private property rights are a cornerstone of our democracy and our free society. That doesn't just extend to folks in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma. It extends to all Americans and our Tribal brothers and sisters. One of them who testified at one of the hearings, who is a member of the Navajo Nation, said that this is a steadfast personal property right that sustains our livelihoods and our way of life. This is a much-needed source of income to feed, shelter, clothe, and protect our families. Mr. Chairman, this is unnecessary. This is one of those times where Washington thinks it has the solution, where we sit in our ivory tower and dictate the terms to folks living in rural communities in New Mexico and throughout the country, folks that depend on these energy jobs for their livelihoods, and I just trust that the local community and the great State of New Mexico knows best how to manage their resources. This is not disturbing any sacred land or historic artifacts. That is not what this is about. This is about a protectionist, activist view to ban drilling, in my opinion. And the State of New Mexico is incredibly dependent on the oil and gas revenues, Mr. Chairman. A third of their budget, Mr. Chairman, is reliant on oil and gas royalties. I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment. I think it is critical to make sure that our colleagues know that Washington doesn't have the solutions. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.