Gus Bilirakis

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, with gas prices at or above $5 per gallon, Americans are feeling significant pain at the pump. In a recent survey of my constituents, 89 percent said they have had to change or cancel their summer travel plans due to the surge in gas prices. What a shame. I have also heard stories about how the gas prices, coupled with crippling inflation, have eaten into my constituents' savings and made it extremely difficult for families to make ends meet. These are the realities families throughout our country are facing. Yet, this administration and many of my colleagues in this Chamber appear to be out of touch with these concerns. Instead of taking action to relieve the pain at the pump, President Biden and Congressional Democrats continue to blame, deflect, and justify the irresponsible decisions that have caused gas prices to spike. Earlier this week, the President said: ``Out of everything lousy, something good will happen if you look hard enough for it. ``We have a chance to make a fundamental turn toward renewable energy, electric vehicles--and not just electric vehicles but across the board.'' No, Mr. President, record-high gas prices are not a good thing. It is disingenuous to act as though you are powerless, Mr. President, to do anything to address gas prices. My constituents do not want to suffer while this administration and Congressional Democrats continue to pursue a radical, green agenda. President Biden has already done enough damage. From his first day in office, he canceled the Keystone pipeline and paused all domestic leases and sales. He has tried to blame everyone from Putin to price gouging and private industry. But the facts are clear. The Biden administration is currently sitting on over 4,400 pending applications for permits to drill which must be approved so American workers can produce more American-made energy. That makes sense. In addition, Biden's regulatory and inflationary burdens are thwarting the creation of new large-scale refineries which are also needed to increase production. The Biden climate czar, former Senator John Kerry, said last week that we don't need any more domestic drilling. My constituents and I beg to differ. Prior to President Biden assuming office, the United States was a net exporter of energy, and the price of gas dipped below $2 a gallon. The greatest Nation on the face of the Earth should never have to rely on Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Iran, Russia, or any other hostile nation to meet its energy needs. It is also not realistic to believe we can transition to a green economy overnight without significant cost to consumers. However, we can regain American energy independence, create American jobs, and lower prices at the pump by implementing the pro-growth, commonsense policies of the previous administration, which is why I have cosponsored the American Energy Independence from Russia Act. Unfortunately, House Democrats have blocked this critical bill seven times on this very floor. That means they are blocking energy solutions for lowering gas prices by boosting domestic energy production. This includes resuming the Keystone XL pipeline, restarting oil and gas leases on Federal lands and waters, and requiring a plan to replace the Strategic Petroleum Reserve that has been drained by this administration. It is just not right. I don't know what message my colleagues' constituents on the other side of the aisle are sending to them. But back at home, the message has been very clear. What are their constituents telling them? From my constituents, the message is extremely clear. My constituents want Washington to stop its obsessive spending of money we don't have to push a green agenda, and they want lower prices at the pump. We need to do it now. It is urgent that we do it. It is critical that we do it. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in this fight.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the misguided priorities of this Chamber. At a time when Americans are facing extreme hardship--grappling with the highest rates of inflation in more than 40 years; $5 per gallon, at least, gas; workforce and food shortages; and unprecedented crime and illegal border crossings--House Democrats continue to ignore urgent matters and, instead, engage in deflection. For example, the majority scheduled three irrelevant bills for consideration on the House floor. The first allocated $1.3 billion in annual mandatory spending, Madam Speaker, for a new regulatory agency to protect endangered species. This is the type of tone-deaf policy proposals that show Democrats are out of touch with the American people, unfortunately. The second bill brought up for consideration targets the Federal Reserve at a crucial time. The Federal Reserve is supposed to be an independent, nonpolitical, agency tasked with managing our Nation's monetary policy, yet House Democrats want to divert the Fed's attention away from addressing an impending recession and instead impose its woke agenda. Out of touch, Madam Speaker. This truly defies common sense, in my opinion. Inflation hurts all Americans, regardless of race, and turning the Federal Reserve into a social justice warrior will only serve to compound the hurt for everyone, unfortunately, Madam Speaker. The third measure brought to the floor this week is more deflection. In essence, it adds more costs to U.S. producers. That is no way to do it. This will only serve to increase the cost of doing business. Those increased costs will get passed along to the consumer, like you and me. Another attempted distraction is the sham January 6 hearings hosted during prime-time TV in a gross display of partisan gamesmanship. These are not fact checking. It is no secret I voted against the creation of this panel. It was clear from the onset that Democrat leaders had no interest in an open and unbiased review of what occurred that day when they denied all Republican-named nominees to the panel. Any doubt that this would be anything more than a bogus, made-for-TV drama was put to rest when footage surfaced that the committee was relying on teleprompters, and when ratings weren't good, they canceled or postponed hearings. My goodness. Madam Speaker, I will not be distracted from the real problems facing American families. I will keep fighting to do the right thing by my constituents. If House Democrats had any sense of urgency, they would put aside the political charade and join me and my Republican colleagues to get the hard stuff done. Time is of the essence. The American people cannot wait any longer.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss the economic crisis that is pummeling Florida's families. This week's financial report showed that inflation continues to hammer Americans, growing by 8.3 percent over April of 2021. When coupled with workforce shortages and supply chain disruptions, the result has been catastrophic for small businesses--every sector of our economy is impacted. I am also gravely concerned that we are spiraling toward a recession, and yet, many of my colleagues seem to think the only answer is to spend more. Let me be clear, Mr. Speaker, we cannot spend our way out of this crisis. We must stop the reckless spending that is fueling this problem and make tough choices about our priorities, just as each and every one of our constituents are being forced to do.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the utter failure of President Biden's dangerous open border policies. In March, there were over 221,000 illegal encounters at our southern border, a 542 percent increase, bringing the total under Biden's watch to more than 2.4 million. Forty-two of those apprehended were on the terrorist watch list. This can't happen. Illegal migrants are being dispersed into communities throughout country, making every State a border State, Mr. Speaker. Meanwhile, my constituent, an American citizen, has been told his wife and daughter, who have fled war-torn Ukraine, must wait up to 2 years outside the United States for a visa interview. This is wrong. These policies reward those who violate our laws and punish those trying to do the right thing. They also put law enforcement officers in serious peril, as evidenced by the death of Texas National Guardsman Bishop Evans. May his memory be eternal. He tragically drowned last week while courageously working to save individuals trying to cross the Rio Grande River illegally. This insanity has to stop.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, we know that maternal mortality has been increasing in the U.S. while declining in other countries, unfortunately. We know these rates are even worse for Black women, Madam Speaker. We also know that lack of broadband in today's society can lead to isolation, poorer education outcomes, and fewer work opportunities. What we don't know is how broadband access impacts maternal health outcomes. Finding this out is our goal. At the end of the day, we all want to lower maternal mortality rates and ensure that babies are both healthy and grow up with the love and support of their mothers. I am proud to co-lead this legislation, a bipartisan piece of legislation, with my good friend, Mr. Butterfield, who we are going to miss because he is retiring after this term, and Ms. Blunt Rochester, another fellow member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this great bill.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I thank Subcommittee Chair Doyle, the ranking member of the subcommittee, and the chairman of the full committee as well for their support. The spectrum landscape has changed dramatically since 2003, Madam Speaker, with increased demand for wireless spectrum, fueling new technologies and possibilities. While spectrum auctions have occurred over the years, the memorandum of understanding between NTIA and the FCC has not been updated to reflect the ever-changing landscape. While these agencies have recently made strides to update the MOU since I introduced this bill last Congress, codifying this action will ensure that these agencies are held accountable to get the job done. After hearing from both the NTIA and the FCC leadership over the last several weeks, I am glad to see this legislation move forward in the House and encourage the Senate to also see its importance in preventing agency miscommunication as we manage the Nation's spectrum. Madam Speaker, we need to get this through.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, inflation hit 7.9 percent in February. Inflation hurts all Americans, especially seniors and those living on a fixed income. During each of my recent townhall meetings and surveys, Madam Speaker, my constituents have consistently pleaded for the pain to stop. Unfortunately, inflation has gone up every month of Joe Biden's Presidency. Americans are smart. They know this is not a fluke or the result of the tragedy that is occurring in Ukraine. It is a direct consequence of liberal policies and fueled by reckless government spending. My constituents have said they simply can't afford to keep paying more for everything, which is one of the main reasons I was compelled to vote ``no'' on last week's $1.5 trillion spending package. While there were individual provisions I supported, I am worried that more massive government spending will only worsen their plight. I can't, in good conscience, contribute to their pain. Celebrating Dennis Kappas

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Dionysios, otherwise known as Dennis, Kappas, an outstanding member of the Tarpon Springs community. Dennis was born in Zakynthos, Greece, a beautiful island, but migrated to the United States after a devastating earthquake destroyed his island. Dennis and his family landed in Detroit, where he was a hardworking new immigrant. He worked diligently at restaurants by day and learned English by night. Through years of blood, sweat, and tears, as is common with the immigrant story, Dennis and his brother saved enough money to buy their own restaurant, living the American Dream. In 1990, Dennis moved to Tarpon Springs, Florida, where he settled with his family and owned and operated Plaka restaurant, the best gyros and souvlaki on the Sponge Docks. In addition to running Plaka and many other business ventures, Dennis has been a generous philanthropist and has made significant contributions to the centerpiece of Tarpon Springs, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral. He is donating the contents of his home chapel, including beautiful and one-of-a-kind icons, to the new church annex, which contains the newly opened and appropriately named St. Dionysios Chapel. I am proud to call him a friend and thank him for all his meaningful contributions to our wonderful community. Axios. He is worthy, Madam Speaker.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor National President Jean Hamil and all members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary for their outstanding volunteer service to Veterans and their families. In their 108th year of volunteer service the organization continues to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom by maintaining memorials to their service and sharing their history with our nation's youth to ensure our nation's Veterans will never be forgotten. The 470,000 members of the VFW Auxiliary all represent the families of those who have served or are currently serving on foreign soil protecting our freedom. Member volunteers have conducted nearly one million hours in Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and other hospitals throughout the country. I thank them for their tireless service to our country and to Veterans and their families.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Mentoring Month. January 2022 marked the 20th anniversary of National Mentoring Month, an annual campaign to focus attention on the need for mentors, as well as how each of us can work together to increase the number of mentors to help ensure positive outcomes for our young people. Mentoring programs across the country make our communities stronger by driving impactful relationships that increase social capital for young people and provide invaluable support networks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mentoring programs have stepped up to fill gaps for young people and families, connecting them with resources and ensuring that mentoring relationships continue virtually to ensure that physical distancing does not mean social disconnection. Mentoring plays a pivotal role in career exploration and supports workplace skills by helping young people set career goals, equipping mentors with the skills needed to support the professional growth of young people, and drives positive outcomes for young people and businesses. Quality mentoring promotes healthy relationships and communication, positive self-esteem, emotional well-being, and growth of a young person and their relationships with other adults. Students who meet regularly with their mentors are 52 percent less likely than their peers to skip a day of school and youth who face an opportunity gap, but have a mentor, are 55 percent more likely to be enrolled in college than those who did not have a mentor. Youth who meet regularly with their mentors are 46 percent less likely than their peers to start using drugs and 27 percent less likely to start drinking. National Mentoring Month is the time of year to celebrate, elevate, and encourage mentoring across our country and recruit caring adult mentors. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in this celebration and thank those individuals who are willing to step up and help shape the next generation of young Americans.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the brave men and women who serve in law enforcement throughout our great Nation. New statistics indicate that intentional killings of law enforcement officers in 2021 reached a 20-year high--this is tragic--excluding 9/ 11. Tragically, two of those officers killed in the line of duty during 2021 have been my constituents: Deputy Michael Magli of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office and Master Patrol Officer Jesse Madsen of Tampa Police Department. I went to the funeral services of those two heroes and shared the anguish of their grieving families and colleagues. Additionally, in 2014, Officer Charlie K. Kondek from my hometown of Tarpon Springs, Florida, who was part of the Tarpon Springs Police Department, was killed in the line of duty. These fallen heroes leave behind a distinguished legacy of service and sacrifice that deserves to be honored. I am proud to cosponsor, along with my great friend, Kat Cammack, from Gainesville, Florida--so we are Floridians and Florida Gators--the Back the Blue Act and the Protect and Serve Act of 2021. Both of those bills will increase the Federal penalties for crimes targeting members of the law enforcement community and strengthen funding for programs to improve relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Law enforcement agencies around the country have faced undeserved political attacks by the defund the police movement. This is unacceptable as far as I am concerned. This is a dangerous and destructive proposition and has only increased violence. We should, in fact, be increasing support and funding for our law enforcement. I respect the service and sacrifice of our first responders and their families, and I will continue to do everything I can to support them. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for having this Special Order which is so very important. I appreciate it.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks the 1-year anniversary of one-party, radical rule in D.C. With Democrats at the helm, Americans have faced one crisis after another, unfortunately. We have the highest inflation in 41 years, supply chain disruptions, workforce shortages in critical industries, spikes in energy costs; record numbers of people and drugs illegally entering our southern border, a surge in crime, national security threats, a series of foreign relations disasters; in my opinion, a mismanaged pandemic, and countless examples of government intrusion into all aspects of our lives. Instead of addressing these problems, Democrats have doubled down on failed policies, have engaged in out-of-control spending, and are trying to control every aspect of Americans' lives. This is not the way forward. I recently asked my constituents one simple question: ``Is your family better off than you were a year ago?'' Almost 70 percent of the respondents said no. Fixing that problem should be Congress' main priority.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Brookwood Florida on 95 years of service. Brookwood Florida provides a home for girls, diverted by abuse, neglect, or family dysfunction, in which they learn to be self-sufficient and successful. They provide a unique, life-changing residential program for non-pregnant, non-addicted, at- risk girls between the ages of 13 and 21. Serving approximately 125 girls per year who have suffered abuse, neglect, homelessness, and serious family dysfunction with a community-based program providing 24/ 7 care to help their clients move steadily toward self-sufficiency and reintegration within the community. I thank Brookwood Florida for their dedication to serving those in Tampa Bay and wish them continued success.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today saddened as deaths involving synthetic opioids continue to skyrocket. In my district, in Pasco County, Florida, 193 people have died from fentanyl overdose since January. I have also received hundreds of heartbreaking stories from constituents whose families have been devastated by addiction. One constituent, MaryAnne said: ``I lost my son in June of 2021 to a fentanyl overdose. The system failed me in every single way. With open borders, enough fentanyl came pouring into our country's southern border to kill 70 percent of our population. Sadly, my son is one of those statistics.'' Parents like MaryAnne are the faces of the fentanyl crisis. Mr. Speaker, the tragedies these families have experienced are the reason why we must fight back. We must secure our borders, Mr. Speaker. We must place fentanyl-related substances into schedule I, and we must hold China accountable.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because I refuse to stand by and watch as America's ability to ensure the safe and efficient movement of goods, people, and services throughout our transportation network continues to be diluted. Our priority focus right now should be strengthening our Nation's economy and increasing our global competitiveness. The policies of this President and Democratic Party leaders in Congress are exacerbating or simply ignoring the underlying supply chain crisis. These policies include the mishandling of the COVID response in ways that are prolonging unemployment and worker shortages across the economy and pushing for a multitrillion-dollar spending spree that is driving up prices of everything from gas to groceries. Mr. Speaker, these efforts only serve to weaken American competitiveness and shrink our economy.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I thank my fellow Florida Gator. I was born in Gainesville, Florida, and raised in the Tampa Bay area. I am very blessed to be a Floridian and with this wonderful woman here. I thank her for doing this Special Order. Madam Speaker, today I rise to stand for life. Earlier the United States Supreme Court began hearing opening arguments in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case. As this landmark case is litigated, I am mindful that modern science confirms every unborn child is a human life. As early as 5 weeks, unborn babies have a heartbeat and the brain and spinal cord are developing. By 10 weeks babies have arms and legs, fingers and toes; they can kick and jump if startled. At 15 weeks babies have fully developed hearts that pump 26 quarts of blood per day. Madam Speaker, they can taste and make facial expressions. They yawn, they hiccup, they swallow, and they even suck their thumbs. During this time period, painful procedures trigger a hormonal stress response, and due to advances in technology, an unborn child is viable outside the womb at 22 weeks or earlier. Our laws must reflect these realities and be realigned to protect the unborn.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member and the chairman of the committee and, of course, the ranking member of the full committee, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, for their work on this bill. I am honored to be here today to speak in support of H.R. 3894 and would like to thank my colleague and friend, Representative Blunt Rochester, for sponsoring this important piece of legislation. This is a really good bill. I also want to thank my esteemed colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for their continued bipartisan efforts to benefit American patients under innovative delivery models through increased data. The CARING for Social Determinants Act, which I proudly co-lead, would provide routine guidance and strategies to States to address the social determinants of health under the Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP program. This bill also solidifies States' authority to continue innovative waiver payment models, which consequently improves Medicaid beneficiaries' health outcomes. This is really a great bill, Mr. Speaker, and I want to thank the chairman. We truly do work in a bipartisan fashion in this committee, in most cases. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this bill.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate very much and want to thank the ranking member and, of course, the chairman of the committee as well. I won't take all of the 3 minutes. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2355, the Opioid Prescription Verification Act. I want to thank my colleague and good friend Rodney Davis for sponsoring this legislation, which I was proud to colead in the Energy and Commerce Committee. This bill, as amended, will allow HHS to give grant preference to States that require their practitioners to transmit prescriptions electronically in accordance with a prescription drug monitoring program. I can add that the great State of Florida does this. This bill expands on the work we did in the SUPPORT Act with Medicare's prescription drug programs to help prevent opioid abuse. We have a mental health and addiction problem in our Nation, Mr. Speaker, and I know the gentleman is aware of that. We must all stand together to enact meaningful changes to help combat this ongoing crisis. This bill does just that, Mr. Speaker, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the dangerous situation at our southern border. Since President Biden took office, there have been over 1.4 million illegal border crossings. These record-high apprehensions keep increasing with no end in sight, and now a new caravan of migrants is headed through Mexico to our southern border, as we speak. Instead of addressing what has become a humanitarian, health, and national security problem, this administration and congressional Democrats keep announcing plans that will only exacerbate the problem. For example, the administration has discussed paying illegal immigrants settlement payments of up to $450,000, and the spending package being pushed through this Chamber includes amnesty for up to 10 million illegal immigrants and up to $100 billion in taxpayer-funded benefits for them. These irresponsible proposals and dangerous open border policies will continue to fuel the crisis and encourage more illegal activity at the border. We must secure our borders and ensure that the rule of law applies to everyone.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, Dr. Ruiz, for organizing this very important Special Order. I know he is a terrific doctor, and the fact that he has sacrificed to be here, to complete the mission. I appreciate it so very much. I have a similar story as well, but we must complete this mission as soon as possible. As Jennifer said, this is the Agent Orange of our era. Providing the care and support for our veterans, our Nation's heroes, has been one of my top priorities since I was elected to Congress, and I will continue to fight to ensure that our veterans get the benefits they deserve. As a matter of fact, after one of our hearings a few years ago on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, we had many veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange. Their families were present with them, their children were present with them, and I invited them into my office. One-on-one, they told me the stories of what happened. The spouses would tell me: my husband, my wife, was exposed, and now he or she can't work. Who is going to support the family? What is going to happen to these children if their father or mother passes away? Who is going to take care of them? They need healthcare now. They need their benefits now. We can't wait any longer, Madam Speaker. Burn pits are the Agent Orange of our era, as Jennifer said. And the fact that we haven't resolved the issue of burn pit exposure is an absolute disservice to our veterans. They were exposed, and we must help them. I have fought for over multiple Congresses, with my colleague Dr. Ruiz and my colleague Brad Wenstrup from the great State of Ohio, leading and sponsoring numerous pieces of legislation to get toxic- exposed veterans the treatment and benefits they deserve, because many cannot afford to wait any longer. Tragically, one of our veterans came to me a few years ago, Lauren Price. Similar to Dr. Ruiz and Jennifer, we made it our mission to get this done. During Lauren's service to our country, she was exposed to burn pits. This past spring, she sadly passed away due to an illness linked to her burn pit exposure, but not before taking up the cause for her fellow veterans to make sure they or their families would not have to experience the same suffering she and her family experienced. Lauren knew that she was going to pass away, but she wanted to make it better for her fellow veterans. Her goal was to pass this legislation and similar legislation that Dr. Ruiz and I have cosponsored over the years. I was incredibly moved to see her husband and my good friend, Jim Price, continue this tireless advocacy by testifying as a witness before the Veterans' Affairs Committee just this past year in support of the TEAM Act, which would comprehensively address toxic exposures now and in the future. This critical bill adopts provisions for my legislation that I previously authored, the Protection for Veterans' Burn Pit Exposure Act. I urge Congress to take up and pass the TEAM Act immediately. If we are going to be spending money, Madam Speaker, let's spend it on our heros. I am also proud to co-lead a host of additional burn pit legislative fixes with Dr. Ruiz and urge immediate action in the House and Senate on H.R. 4398, H.R. 4397, H.R. 2432, and H.R. 2371. While both H.R. 4398 and H.R. 4397 were included in the House version of the NDAA, we must continue pushing until they are across the finish line and signed by the President. Again, I thank my good friend, Dr. Ruiz, for organizing this Special Order. I can't think of a more worthy cause than providing for these veterans in their time of need, just as they provided for our country when we needed them. Let's get this done for our veterans.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, this Thanksgiving is expected to be the most expensive in history due to skyrocketing inflation. Americans are also being warned that their Christmas presents will cost more and might not arrive on time due to the supply chain disruptions. I hope that doesn't happen. President Biden's and House Democrats' out-of-control spending policies are to blame for both the economic and supply chain woes. To make matters worse, they are now pushing a made-in-America tax, which will only drive businesses and jobs overseas and further devastate our troubled economy. There are plenty of signs that our economy is significantly struggling, unfortunately. Most recently, the GDP growth decelerated to 2 percent in the third quarter. This is the slowest growth rate since the start of the pandemic-era recovery. Real disposable personal income also decreased another 5.6 percent in the third quarter after decreasing a staggering 30.2 percent in the second quarter. We must reverse course and abandon these irresponsible policies rather than continuing to compound the economic pain.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service of Charles Louis Gubitosi. Born on November 11, 1926 and growing up in Newfield, New Jersey. Mr. Gubitosi joined the Navy at the young age of seventeen during World War II, answering the call to serve. Upon leaving the service at the end of the war he began working in a clothing factory producing men's suits. He met his wife on the pocket set of the factory, marrying in 1944. Mr. Gubitosi has worked tirelessly his entire life tailoring, bartending, and landscaping, and notably commuting by bus in every type of weather. Since 2000, Mr. Gubitosi has called Florida home. Our great state is lucky to have Mr. Gubitosi as a resident and I am thankful for his service and sacrifice.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, President Biden's radical policies have stymied America's energy independence and created a crisis, unfortunately. The national average price for a gallon of gas has climbed to its highest level since 2014 and is 66 percent higher than it was last year. On day one, President Biden destroyed 11,000 American jobs by canceling the Keystone Pipeline. President Biden paused new domestic oil and gas leases, which will cost one million American jobs and decrease the GDP by $700 billion. Instead of allowing American companies to increase domestic production and hire more U.S. workers, President Biden and his administration has pleaded with OPEC and Russia to increase global output to ease rising fuel prices. Democrats in Congress are pushing a multitrillion-dollar spending package, which includes a tax hike on fuel. These actions jeopardize our Nation's energy security and will increase costs for all American families, unfortunately.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today because our economy is in trouble. We are headed in the wrong direction. We must reverse course. My constituents are paying more today than they were a year ago for basic goods like milk, gas, and bread. In fact, the national average price for a gallon of gas recently reached $3.36, more than $1 higher than it was a year ago and the highest price since October of 2014. It was also recently announced that core inflation is at a 30-year high. Inflation has gone up every month since President Biden has been in office. Inflation is an invisible tax on all Americans, and it especially hurts seniors living on a fixed income. Out-of-control government spending fuels inflation. Some of my colleagues seem to believe more spending is the answer. They have proposed a $4.3 trillion spending plan coupled with a $1.5 trillion infrastructure package, both of which are filled with pork, unfortunately. For example, the spending bill contains billions for job training in climate careers to create a Civilian Climate Corps to promote the Green New Deal; to develop environmental justice initiatives; for housing grants to felons convicted of domestic violence or hate crimes; to benefit, again, 10 million illegal immigrants; and $200 million for a park in San Francisco. While I do believe we need to invest in traditional infrastructures such as roads, bridges, internet connectivity, and cybersecurity, only a very small percentage of the proposed infrastructure package funds these types of essential projects, which is wrong. We must spend more on traditional infrastructure and get rid of the perks. These spending packages would raise taxes on every American, not just the rich. They will kill American jobs and make us less competitive in the global marketplace. In the end, it is more frivolous Washington spending, which is the absolute wrong approach, in my opinion, to fixing our economic woes. It will only make matters worse, Madam Speaker. Small business owners, who are the backbone of our economy, are having a very difficult time recovering from the pandemic, as you know. Not only are they dealing with the same inflationary pressures that all Americans are experiencing, but they are also facing labor and material shortages. As we head into the holiday season, consumer demand will only continue to rise. The supply chain bottlenecks must be resolved immediately to prevent further damage to our economy. Instead of working together to find common ground and areas about which we can build consensus--that is how we govern--my colleagues on the left, though, seem determined to go it alone. That is the wrong approach, Madam Speaker. They have spent weeks publicly arguing amongst themselves about how many trillions of American taxpayer dollars they should spend without any concern to what this out-of-control spending will do to our already struggling economy. Simply put, this is not how we grow the economy. This is how we grow inflation. In order to restore our way of life and renew the American Dream, we must implement Trump-era economic policies that yielded unprecedented economic growth, the lowest unemployment levels for minorities in the history of the United States, energy independence--that is what we need--and the highest rise in middle-class wages in decades. The destructive economic policies of those on the left must be defeated.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the ongoing border crisis. Last week, President Biden's Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, told Congress, ``The border is secure.'' The facts indicate that this statement was absolutely false. The Biden administration has embraced policies to open the southern border, not to secure it. In reality, these open border policies have created one of the worst border crises in history. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, this August alone, 208,887 people were apprehended trying to illegally enter our country through the southern border, which is a 317 percent increase from last August. It is really a big problem, Madam Speaker. Since February of 2021, the agency says more than 1.2 million people have been apprehended illegally crossing the border. That staggering statistic represents more than the entire Pasco or Pinellas Counties, which are in my congressional district. I represent them. When I was at the border a few months ago, Madam Speaker, the CBP agents I spoke with made it clear that they weren't even making a dent when it came to capturing the historic number of people who are illegally entering our country or with seizing the extraordinary volume of drugs that are flowing across the border. That is truly unfathomable when you consider that CBP has seized 724 pounds of fentanyl and 595 pounds of heroin so far in fiscal year 2021. These deadly drugs don't just stay in communities along the border. They are spread throughout the country into communities like mine in the Tampa Bay area. These drugs are ruining and claiming countless lives, Madam Speaker. In fact, Florida currently ranks second in the Nation for overdose deaths. These are our neighbors and members of our family who are dying. We have to take action now. In addition to drugs, weapons and humans are being trafficked through the border. Human traffickers are making an estimated $15 million a day. I am concerned for these victims, many of whom are children. The root causes of this crisis are clear. President Biden's disastrous immigration policies are to blame. His administration stopped building the wall, brought back catch-and-release, and tried to get rid of the remain in Mexico policy. The President himself has actually articulated a new openness toward migrants; something the leaders of Central America point to as a root cause of the crisis they are seeing. The situation at the border is a dangerous, unmitigated disaster, Madam Speaker. Especially now, as our enemies feel emboldened by what recently transpired in Afghanistan, we have to secure our border as a matter of national security.