Ken Buck

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of Longmont, Colorado. In 1870, a group of Chicagoans established a new settlement in northern Colorado. Calling themselves the Colorado-Chicago Colony, the new settlers sold memberships in their adventurous enterprise, using those funds to finance the construction of a town hall and the purchase of 60,000 acres of land for their new town. By mid-1871; the settlers had decided on a name for their town--Longmont, after the nearby Longs Peak. Since then, immigrants from around the world have flocked to Longmont. Longmont has thrived amid rapid population growth and the arrival and expansion of both its agricultural and technological industries. Today, more than 94,000 individuals call Longmont home. Not only is the city full of history, but it remains a popular place to live. With many major STEM employers, miles of recreational trails, a thriving dining and beverage scene, and stunning views of Longs Peak, Longmont has been ranked by numerous publications as one of the top cities in the United States. On behalf of the 4th Congressional District of Colorado, I am honored to celebrate this special occasion alongside the tens of thousands of my constituents who call Longmont home.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Douglas County, Colorado, being named the second healthiest community in the United States by U.S. News and World Report in 2021. Douglas County was ranked second in the nation in both 2020 and 2018 and topped the annual list in 2019. Douglas County enjoys 300 days of sunshine each year and, thanks to the beautiful Rocky Mountains, is home to some of the world's best hiking and outdoor recreation. Surrounded by 63,000 acres of natural land, Douglas County is home to three state parks, the Reuter-Hess Reservoir, and incredible walking trails, like the Devil's Head National Recreation Trail. These natural areas are important to the community as they provide recreational opportunities like fishing, hiking, boating, and biking to be enjoyed by residents. This recognition as the second healthiest county is a testament to not only the beautiful natural areas of the Centennial State, but also its local government officials and those who call Douglas County home. As one of the fastest growing communities in the country, Douglas County has been ranked by the American City Business Journal as one of the best counties in the U.S. for quality of life. On behalf of the 4th Congressional District of Colorado, I am honored to celebrate this recognition alongside the residents and local government of Douglas County, Colorado.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this important issue. I think it is something that America needs to talk about, and I am glad we are talking about it on the floor of the people's House. During the COVID shutdowns, more than 600,000 businesses shut their doors. This is 200,000 more businesses than typically close in a year due to natural market influences. Unsurprisingly, many of these most severe lockdowns across the country were implemented by liberal Governors who caved to fearmongering and hostility to former President Trump. To be clear, I recognize the dangers posed by this virus. However, reactionary and overreaching shutdowns significantly worsened the impacts of COVID on our Nation. One of the most glaring examples of these negative impacts has been on our children who missed a year or more of in-person education because their schools were closed. The resilience and creativity of many teachers to adjust to these tragic circumstances are admirable. However, the reality is that these closures resulted in deteriorating mental health among students and less effective educational environments for children across America. Importantly, these shutdowns disproportionately affected children with disabilities, minority students, and students facing economic hardships. America is beyond ready to reopen. Today, more than half of Americans have been vaccinated, and broad mask mandates are clearly no longer necessary for most communities. The science overwhelmingly demands that the restrictions continuing to burden our communities be lifted, and efforts by liberal politicians to extend these mandates only serve to reveal their ideological motivations. I urge our national, State, and local officials to follow the science, unshackle our economy from these burdensome and unnecessary restrictions, and reopen our country.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the hard work and dedication of Steve ``Greek'' Antonopulos who announced that he will be retiring after 45 seasons with the Denver Broncos. Mr. Antonopulos is the only individual to have worked for the Broncos during all eight of their Super Bowl appearances, as well as under three owners, and ten head coaches. From Hugo, Colorado, Mr. Antonopulos grew up watching Broncos games with his father. After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado, he worked as the head trainer at Fort Hays State University in Kansas, and in 1976, he joined the Broncos as an assistant trainer. Mr. Antonopulos ends his career with the team as the director of sports medicine, a position he has held since 2016. Throughout his time with the team, he treated 983 players and worked a total of 941 games. The dedication that Mr. Antonopulos has shown in his many years with the Broncos has undoubtedly been instrumental to the team and benefitted Broncos fans across Colorado and beyond. On behalf of the 4th District of Colorado, I extend my best wishes to Mr. Antonopulos and his family. Madam Speaker, I am honored to recognize Steve Antonopulos for his accomplishments.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, I am honored to rise today in recognition of Memorial Day and in support of the countless men and women who have sacrificed their lives for the security and freedoms we enjoy in our republic. Outside the United States Special Forces Training Center, there is a quote from John Stuart Mill that reads, ``War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.'' Today, we honor the memory of those better men and women. These heroes paid the ultimate price so we can enjoy the freedoms enshrined in our Constitution. They fought and died for this more perfect union. I am reminded of Winston Churchill's comment about democracy following the fall of Nazi Germany. He said, ``Many forms of government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.'' Since the founding of our nation, countless brave men and women stood in the face of imminent danger that we might continue their pursuit of a more equal, free, and prosperous society. And we are eternally indebted to and grateful for these champions of our experiment in democracy. Madam Speaker, I am privileged and humbled by the opportunity to recognize these brave individuals.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for her comments, and I assure her that our thoughts and prayers are with her and the families of those who have fallen. I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy).

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas, and I appreciate the points that he made. I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green).

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his impassioned remarks and great research. We could all learn a lot from that. I appreciate it very much. I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cloud).

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for not naming my home State as he was talking about the All-Star Game. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Tiffany), and I thank him for joining us in this Special Order hour.

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, and I suggest he is in the wrong line of work. That was great. I thank him very much for that. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde).

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Donalds).

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his profound remarks. I now yield to the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Cheney), my friend and my neighbor to the north.

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman, and I inform the Speaker that we have no further speakers. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, cancel culture is a dangerous phenomenon, the total silencing and erasing of people and truths the progressives dislike. Americans are beginning to see what cancel culture is really about. A recent survey found that 64 percent of Americans now believe cancel culture is a threat to freedom. Cancel culture aims not only to cancel certain elements of society but to replace them. Consider the following: for years, the political left has attempted to erase parts of our American history, especially our founding and the story of 1776. Why? Because their goal is replacement. In place of America's true history, the progressives want to push the 1619 Project. This false narrative presents students with an alternate history and an alternate reality that our Nation was founded not on the principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence but instead on a racist pursuit of expanding slavery. Canceling 1776 makes sense only in the broader context of this effort to advance a false narrative. Other areas of curriculum are being canceled in favor of critical race theory. Just last week, the Biden administration announced that it will use taxpayer funds to push critical race theory in public schools across the Nation. Critical race theory is the backdoor way to teach Marxism to students and adults in this country under the guise of pushing equity. In my State of Colorado, the oil and gas industry is being canceled. The goal? Replace it with Green New Deal objectives. Schools named after our Founders must be renamed after liberal icons according to the left. Professors and journalists who will not kowtow to the progressive agenda find themselves replaced in their jobs. Our list of examples could go on. I am joined tonight by my colleagues who wish to help expose cancel culture. The examples we will highlight touch on all aspects of cancel culture, but they all have one thing in common: in each instance, progressives seek to cancel, cut, censor, and silence so they can move to the next phase: replacement culture. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs), who is my good friend.

Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) for a slightly different purpose. She will tell us about a very sad circumstance in her home State of North Carolina.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice for his community. On March 22, Officer Eric Talley courageously confronted a gunman in the Boulder King Soopers. By racing to the scene and not hesitating to directly confront the armed suspect, Officer Talley undoubtedly saved countless lives. His heroic actions and remarkable bravery stand as a stark reminder of the danger that law enforcement officers face every time they pin on their badge. Good people like Officer Talley represent the best of America. He was deeply committed to his faith, his family, and his community. He saw a need in his community and felt so strongly that he could contribute to his community that he made a mid-career change to serve as a member of the Boulder Police Department. His deeply held convictions are admirable, and his sacrifice deserves commendations that our human institutions are unable to offer. Colorado will be forever grateful for his bravery and determination. On March 22, 2021, Colorado lost a dedicated guardian of the public, a family man, and a person of faith. The circumstances that prompt this recognition of Officer Talley fill me with sorrow at the human cost of the gunman's crimes, but it also fills me with a solemn pride and gratitude to know of his resolute character and courage in the face of imminent danger. I want to extend my deepest condolences to Officer Talley's family, friends, fellow officers, and community. Madam Speaker, I am humbled and honored to recognize Officer Talley's service and sacrifice.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Gitanjali Rao for being selected as Colorado's 4th District Congressional App Challenge Winner. With one in five pre-teens in the U.S. reporting being cyberbullied, cyberbullying others, or having seen cyberbullying, Ms. Rao's app ``Kindly'' serves as a preventative measure to help protect America's children from this unfortunately common harassment. Ms. Rao, a student at STEM School Highlands Ranch and TIME's 2020 Kid of the Year, created the app ``Kindly'', a one-of-a-kind app that uses artificial intelligence algorithms to detect and prevent cyberbullying at an early stage. Ms. Rao's commitment to young people affected by cyberbullying is a credit to her. Her hard work and ingenuity are showcased through this thoughtful, innovative app. She has shown true leadership in her community, and her app will help defeat cyberbullying around the country. On behalf of the 4th Congressional District of Colorado, I extend my best wishes to Ms. Rao. Madam Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Ms. Rao for her great accomplishments.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, there is a humanitarian crisis on our southern border. Every day, more migrants surge towards the border and overwhelm the dedicated men and women of Customs and Border Protection. CBP is facing the most dramatic increase in detentions and illegal crossings in nearly 15 years, with no end in sight and no plan to address the situation articulated and caused by the Biden administration. Mr. Biden revoked the remain in Mexico policy and the safe third country agreements with Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. He stopped building the wall. He tapped Vice President Kamala Harris to coordinate the response to this humanitarian crisis almost a month ago. She still hasn't visited the border, but she has had time to stop at a Chicago bakery and grab a slice of cake for her plane ride home. The Vice President's message to the American communities being overrun with illegal immigrants is, apparently, ``let them eat cake,'' while the President rolls out the welcome mat to illegal immigrants pouring over our border. My colleagues across the aisle want to fund lawyers for illegal immigrants and defund the police. They don't care if the American people are protected, but they want to make sure their friends in the local bar association get paid to represent criminals flooding into our country. Democrats don't have time to fix our broken immigration system, but they have time to visit Minnesota and incite riots. During the current crisis, immigration backlogs have gotten so extreme that illegal migrants are being housed in convention centers and hotels across the country. My liberal colleagues should try addressing the rising homeless problem with Americans rather than placing illegal immigrants in hotels. Just 2 weeks ago, the CBP announced the arrest of two men on the FBI's terrorism watch list as they tried to cross the southern border. If this legislation was enacted, Americans would have paid for their lawyers to help these terrorists stay in our country. This is a dangerous precedent that prevents our existing border security apparatus from working properly.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the hard-working Coloradans who form the bedrock of my state's livestock industry. In Colorado's 4th District, the livestock and agriculture industries account for more than 11,000 jobs, which contributes to the $41 billion economic impact these industries have statewide. During last fiscal year, 82 percent of Colorado's agriculture sales came from Colorado's 4th District. Meat and poultry suppliers, as well as other agricultural producers, are essential to the communities across the Eastern Plains and are foundational to Colorado's economy. Despite the many supply chain disruptions imposed on Coloradans by the pandemic, the agriculture community has come together to focus on feeding Americans during these challenging times. These dedicated men and women serve our communities in countless ways every day. Madam Speaker, I am honored to recognize their hard work and determination.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time. Madam Speaker, I have heard that President Trump radicalized the group of the rioters who stormed this Capitol. I would say that we need to look no further than ourselves to find out what happened and to look at history. Americans were frustrated when they learned that the FBI was investigating the Trump campaign. They were frustrated to learn that the Obama administration and the DNC had created this false campaign against the Trump administration. They were frustrated, Madam Speaker, when the inauguration of the President was boycotted by over 40 Democrat Members of this House. They were frustrated to read in The Washington Post the day after the inauguration: Let the impeachment begin. They were frustrated when Members of this House spoke over and over about impeaching the President days into his administration. And then the Socialists in Hollywood joined their allies in Congress. Robert De Niro said that he wanted to punch the President in the face. Madonna thought about blowing up the White House. Kathy Lee Griffin held up a likeness of the President's beheaded head, and nothing was said by my colleagues at that point in time. In fact, one Democrat colleague said that Trump supporters should be harassed wherever they are, in restaurants, on the street, and in supermarkets. During this time, the President was under investigation by a special counsel who found no collusion and no conspiracy with Russia. The President's supporters were harassed. Ajit Pai, the head of the FCC, was called a dirty, sneaky Indian. His children were harassed in school. The press secretary, Sarah Sanders, was kicked out of a restaurant for being a Trump employee. The DHS Secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen, was harassed by her home, and Trump donors were publicly shamed.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my concern regarding the ongoing deterioration of good governance in the Republic of Georgia. Recent reports indicate the Georgian government has undermined the Digital Silk Way, a digital communications project meant to transform the region's technological integration and increase independence from Russian and Iranian influence. In light of Russia and Iran's ongoing corruption and threats to international peace and stability, this matter is of strategic importance to American foreign policy. While the Georgian government is an important ally of the United States, it has become increasingly hostile toward investors in Georgian infrastructure, which threatens critical projects in the region. Additionally, the administration's recent adoption of new taxes and bureaucratic barriers for Western businesses only serves to further undermine American companies' ability to operate within Georgia. I fear these changes to Georgian business practices risks increasing the nation's dependence on Russia and Iran. As an aspiring NATO member and United States ally, Georgia must continue to remove itself from Russia and Iran's sphere of influence. By focusing on infrastructure projects that bypass American adversaries in the region, the Georgian government can create new economic opportunities, attract additional foreign investment, and protect the country's sovereignty from perverse international influences. The partnership between Georgia and the United States relies on Georgia's ongoing commitment to fair international business and governance practices. I urge the Department of State to raise these issues with the government in Tbilisi and ensure the Georgian government facilitates an environment where businesses are able to develop projects to help Georgia remain free from Russian and Iranian influence.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of amendment No. 58 to the National Defense Authorization Act and to alert America to a serious national security threat. The Chinese Communist Party is using TikTok to collect massive amounts of data from American citizens and our government that could be used in a cyberattack against our Republic. We must take action to protect our Nation and stop the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to undermine our national security. That starts by passing my commonsense amendment to ban TikTok on all government-issued technology devices. The clock is ticking. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the amendment.

Mr. BUCK

Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Kathryn Jansky, MHS, CRNA, APRN, USA LTC (ret). A resident of Lone Tree, Colorado, Ms. Jansky will soon complete her tenure as national president of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA). I commend Ms. Jansky for her service to our community and our country during her time as president of this important organization. As a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) for more than 30 years, Ms. Jansky has offered many contributions to the health care community. She is a retired U.S. Army veteran and has long been active in advocating for the nurse anesthetist profession at both the state and national levels. During her AANA presidency, Ms. Jansky advocated for advancing patient care and expanding nurse anesthetists' scope of practice before federal agencies and members of Congress. She has worked tirelessly to eliminate burdensome regulations on CRNAs, to have CRNAs recognized as full practice providers in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), to maintain provider non-discrimination, and to achieve full scope of practice for CRNAs. Ms. Jansky graduated from the U.S. Army School of Anesthesia for Nurse Corps Officers, obtained her master's degree from Texas Wesleyan University, Fort Worth; and a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. I extend my sincere thanks to Ms. Jansky today. Her service to her country, the AANA, and her patients, combined with her commitment to safe, quality anesthesia care nationwide, are highly commendable. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Jansky's outstanding achievements and career of service.