Ted Budd

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an ongoing issue that has affected nearly every American: the barrage of annoying and deceptive robocalls. These seemingly endless automated phone calls disrupt our daily lives; they constitute a serious form of harassment and expose millions of Americans to dangerous financial scams. That is why I introduced a bipartisan bill, alongside my colleagues, Representatives Lacy Clay and Dan Bishop, called the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act. Our bill takes on robocalls that originate overseas by directing the FCC to convene an interagency task force to develop effective measures to combat robocalls coming from abroad. No matter which side of the aisle we find ourselves on, we should all be able to agree: It is time for these illegal robocalls to be stopped once and for all.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to reflect on the life of Jo Allison Smith, a dear friend to many and lifelong North Carolinian who passed away Saturday, February 15. Jo was the devoted wife to Eddie Smith, Jr., for over 57 years, as well as a loving mother to their son, Chris. Beyond family, Jo was passionate about her faith and served as an active member of St. James United Methodist Church in Greenville, North Carolina. She will no doubt be remembered for her extraordinary voice, which graced the music program for years. She was also a strong supporter of women in need. She helped found and lead Women for Women's Power of the Purse and served on the board of many other local charities. Jo was a passionate supporter of the UNC Tar Heels, where she served on the Board of Visitors for the UNC Comprehensive Cancer Center and graced UNC football fans with a wonderful rendition of our national anthem. Our State was blessed by Jo's presence, and our family was blessed to call her friend. Please join me in giving thanks for Jo's life and praying for the entire Smith family during this time.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose a truly radical piece of legislation that was recently introduced in this Chamber. The New Way Forward Act, as it is called, introduced with the support of more than three dozen Democratic cosponsors, decriminalizes illegal immigration, makes it nearly impossible for border authorities to detain and deport immigrants with criminal convictions, and forces taxpayers to foot the bill to bring back previously deported criminal illegal immigrants. Mr. Speaker, if this bill were to become law, it would enable illegal immigrants who have committed crimes abroad to be returned to the U.S., and it would allow them to gain a pathway to citizenship. The bill eliminates the provision in current law that forbids an immigrant from entering the United States if they have committed drug crimes or any crimes involving moral turpitude. Examples of crimes involving moral turpitude include child molestation, kidnapping, rape, murder, and more. It is unthinkable that we would allow anyone who has committed those crimes to freely enter our country. To add to the egregiousness of this legislation, it calls on the Department of Homeland Security to pay for the return of previously deported illegal immigrants. Under the bill, any immigrant deported since April 1996 would be allowed to return to the U.S. as long as they met a stunningly lax set of criteria. It is ridiculous to require American taxpayers to foot the bill to bring previously deported individuals back onto U.S. soil. The bill would make it more difficult for ICE to detain an immigrant with a criminal record. Agents would be forced to prove that a suspect poses a danger or a flight risk without using the immigrant's past criminal history as a sole factor. One of the Democratic cosponsors on this bill even proclaimed that it would end deportation for people who had contact with the criminal legal system. I would say it is common sense that a serious criminal conviction should lead to deportation. Worse yet, this prevents ICE from deporting immigrants who have been convicted of crimes with an average sentence of less than 5 years. This bill would allow an alien who committed crimes like auto theft, weapons crimes, identity theft, and fraud to remain in the country. Like many Americans, I want people to enter our country through the legal process--we want them here--and then to stay on the right side of the law. Legal immigration is what makes our country great. But we cannot pass bills, like this one, that incentivize more people to come here illegally or imposes no penalty on those who commit serious crimes. I think most Americans would agree that we should welcome those who come to our land in a legal, merit-based way and that dangerous, illegal immigrants should not be allowed to come into our country or stay in our country. Unfortunately, this bill makes a mockery of that principle and replaces it with a set of radical, open-border policies that are dangerous to our citizens and our communities. It is for that reason that it should be soundly defeated.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, 60 years ago this month, four African American students from North Carolina A&T performed a simple, yet profound act. They sat at Woolworth's lunch counter in front of a detestable ``Whites Only'' sign. They were called rabble-rousers, troublemakers, and worse. They did not yield. In the days that followed, more students joined them, including my friend, Clarence Henderson. By continuing to sit, they were actually standing up for their God-given constitutional rights as Americans. They may not have known it at the time, but their act of courage lit a fire of freedom that spread across our country, all the way to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke to us about his dream of a more just tomorrow. Madam Speaker, this Black History Month, we remember the brave sacrifices that were made by so many so that each and every American would never again be judged, as Dr. King said, by the color of our skin but, instead, ``by the content of their character.''

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, I had to miss votes today because I am attending an event in Charlotte, NC, with the President of the United States. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 52 (Shalala amendment), ``yea'' on rollcall No. 53 (Motion to recommit), and ``nay'' on rollcall No. 54 (H.R. 5687).

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, tomorrow, the House will vote on the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019, or the PRO Act. This legislation is a liberal wish list that represents a draconian overhaul of our Nation's labor laws at the expense of employers, workers, and economic growth, while strengthening the authoritarian power of big labor. Madam Speaker, despite the fact that the National Labor Relations Board and the U.S. Supreme Court have recognized that there should be ample time for ``uninhibited, robust, and wide-open debate in labor disputes,'' the PRO Act deliberately speeds up election processes so that employees don't have time to learn about the potential downsides of joining a union. Specifically, the bill codifies the provisions of an NLRB regulation called the ``ambush election rule'' which significantly shortens the time span in election processes. Democrats purposely inserted this provision because they know union bosses are more likely to win elections when employees are uninformed about the downsides of union membership. Second, the PRO Act increases liability for businesses by dramatically expanding the definition of ``joint employer'' to also include indirect control and unexercised potential control over employees. These terms are incredibly broad and ambiguous, meaning businesses could find themselves held liable for labor violations committed by another business when they might not have even been aware that they were considered a joint employer in the first place. Even worse, the risk of increased liability incentivizes large businesses to stop contracting out to small businesses. This would force large businesses to keep more jobs in-house which, ultimately, raises prices for both businesses and consumers. The expanded definition of joint employer is also detrimental for franchise businesses. A recent study showed that the definition change has led to a 93 percent increase in lawsuits against franchise businesses, costing them over $33 billion annually, and leading to the loss of 376,000 jobs. The study also showed that the majority of franchise businesses have been offering less services just in order to avoid lawsuits. This chilling effect hurts, again, both workers and consumers alike. The PRO Act also compels private-sector employees to either join a union or risk being fired. The bill abolishes the State Right to Work Laws which allow workers the freedom to choose whether or not they want to pay fees to a union. If Right to Work Laws are repealed, not only will unions gain unprecedented new power, but economic growth and employment will suffer. A 2018 study by the National Economic Research Associates found that between 2001 and 2016, States with Right to Work Laws saw private- sector employment grow by 27 percent; while States without Right to Work Laws grew only 15 percent. To top it off, the PRO Act strips workers of their right to cast anonymous ballots in union elections. Under current law, workers are able to anonymously oppose joining a union by casting ``secret'' and unpublicized ballots. However, this PRO Act abolishes this practice and forces employees to make their choice public about unionizing, which makes it easier for unions to intimidate and threaten workers who do not wish to sign up. Senior fellow at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Vincent Vernuccio, has said: ``The secret ballot is a bedrock principle of democracy. It allows people to vote the way they feel without fear of reprisal. Without it, those who hold the elections would hold all the power.'' This bill should be opposed by anyone who is concerned with worker freedom and continuing our country's economic boom. The PRO Act needs to be permanently benched.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the importance of protecting the Second Amendment to the Constitution. In my district, Commissioners in Davidson, Davie, Iredell, and Rowan Counties in North Carolina recently passed resolutions that simply affirm the Second Amendment rights of their residents and declare that these counties will never participate in the infringement of those rights through unconstitutional gun control. Anti-gun politicians in neighboring Virginia and other States are trying to undermine and overturn the Second Amendment. That is why these measures in my State are both necessary and timely. I commend these counties, and I remain fully committed to defending the rights of responsible, law-abiding gun owners. Madam Speaker, it is a people problem, not a device problem.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade was decided 47 years ago this month. Since abortion was made legal, more than 60 million unborn children have had their lives prematurely ended. This is a matter of conscience, and just like the plurality of American people, I believe that life begins at conception. In recent years, advances in science and medicine have given us an increasingly vivid picture of what life in the womb is like. A child has a heartbeat at just 6 weeks. A child feels pain at just 20 weeks. Science makes it clear that life exists in the womb, and, therefore, an unborn child is entitled to the most fundamental of human rights, and that is the right to live. Even the plaintiff in that landmark case, Norma McCorvey, who at that time went by the name Jane Roe, changed her view and worked on behalf of the pro-life movement. She said: I think I have always been pro- life, but I just didn't know it. Roe v. Wade is not only a human tragedy but a constitutional one as well. In our Constitution, power is divided among three branches: Article I, Congress; Article II, the Presidency; and Article III, the courts. Congress makes the laws, the Executive enforces them, and the courts apply them. Courts should not be in the business of striking down acts of Congress or State statutes simply because the individual judges have political disagreements with what the people's representatives have decided. In our constitutional system, judges may strike down laws only if those laws conflict with the Constitution, our country's supreme law. But that is not what happened in Roe v. Wade. Five Justices created a right to abortion by reinterpreting the Due Process Clause of the Constitution. That clause says that no State may deprive anyone of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. But even supporters of the decision have cast doubt on this justification. Harvard Law School's Laurence Tribe wrote: ``One of the most curious things about Roe is that, behind its own verbal smokescreen, the substantive judgment on which it rests is nowhere to be found.'' And even Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg had called the decision ``heavyhanded judicial intervention'' that was ``difficult to justify.'' Essentially, the Court went out of its way to commit one of the most dramatic cases of judicial overreach in history. Instead of letting each State decide the issues for themselves, five Justices circumvented the system and created a decades-long human tragedy that continues to this day. Since Roe, individual States have been valiantly trying to impose some sort of moral and legal safeguards on abortion. They have enacted laws prohibiting racial and gender discrimination in abortions; laws requiring women to see ultrasounds of their babies before committing to ending the unborn child's life; laws prohibiting abortion after a fetal heartbeat has been detected; and laws banning dismemberment abortions, where the doctor would have to physically tear the baby apart. Sadly, all of these laws have been struck down by judges claiming to follow the precedent of Roe v. Wade. The human toll of this tragic overreach is staggering. Not only have over 60 million innocent children lost their lives, but the mothers of these children have had to live with the lasting psychological impacts that these abortions have had on them. Scientific studies have shown that women who have had abortions have a higher risk of mental health conditions like depression. How could anyone turn a deaf ear and blind eye to the suffering of these vulnerable children and mothers? This issue transcends what it means to be an American and goes to the core of what makes us human. Complex issues like this one are often fraught with controversy and, yes, heated tempers; but at the heart of that complexity and emotion lies a simple fundamental truth, and that is that unborn children deserve human rights. I hope that one day soon the Supreme Court corrects their constitutional error so that the American people can reassert their voice in determining the moral question of our time.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn the increasing anti- Semitic violence that has spread in recent months, including the recent stabbing that happened last month in New York. Mr. Speaker, anti-Semitic and anti-Israel attitudes often emerge because of a lack of understanding of the painful history directed at the Jewish people and the horrors of the Holocaust. For this reason, I introduced H. Res. 782 alongside Representatives Zeldin and Kustoff that encourages public schools to design and teach a curriculum about the history of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust and it calls on Federal law enforcement to hold the perpetrators of these attacks accountable. Our Jewish community is feeling rattled, frightened, and unsafe. We cannot allow these feelings to fester. So in support of this community, I am proud to lead a resolution that will help increase understanding and rid our country of all anti-Semitic hatred.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Retired Colonel John Edward Gray of Mount Ulla, North Carolina, who passed away earlier this month at age 94. Colonel Gray was born in Cleveland, North Carolina on August 24, 1925 and went on to serve in five campaigns against the Japanese in the Pacific theater in World War II. Following the war, he returned home and resumed his education at Davidson College. After he graduated in 1949, he served again in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Selfless, legendary, and valiant are all words that come to mind when thinking about all that this man accomplished in his life. Colonel Gray is survived by his wife Sue of 72 years, five children, 12 grandchildren, and one great grandchild. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the life of Colonel John Edward Gray.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight one of the most rewarding responsibilities I have as a Member of Congress: the honor of nominating students to the service academies. This past weekend, I met with my Service Academy Nomination Board for North Carolina's 13th Congressional District to begin the review process. This year's board includes Mr. Ronald Hope of Advance, Mr. Matt Reyes of Mooresville, Mr. Doug Lain of High Point, Mrs. Rayne Brown of Lexington, Mr. Wayne Davidson of Greensboro, Mr. John Sherden of Mocksville, and Mr. Frank Pugh of Greensboro. I am grateful that these individuals sacrificed their time and effort to help review applications, interview candidates, and recommend qualified individuals for the nominations. I look forward to announcing our nominees in the coming weeks. Madam Speaker, please join me in thanking the members of our board and all the applicants who want to serve our great country.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record my opposition to these Articles of Impeachment.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of retired Colonel John Edward Gray of Mount Ulla, North Carolina, who passed away earlier this month at age 94. Colonel Gray was born in Cleveland, North Carolina, on August 24, 1925, and went on to serve in five campaigns against the Japanese in the Pacific theater in World War II. Following the war, he returned home and resumed his education at Davidson College. After he graduated in 1949, he served again in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. Selfless, legendary, valiant are all the words that come to mind when thinking about all that this man accomplished in his life. Colonel Gray is survived by his wife of 72 years, Sue, and his 5 children, 12 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the life of Colonel John Edward Gray.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, Winston Churchill once said: ``Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.'' Despite the truth of these words, unfortunately, more and more young Americans hold positive views of socialism and negative views of capitalism. A recent Gallup Poll found that 51 percent of young Americans view socialism favorably, while only 45 percent view capitalism positively. That marks a 12-point decline in the popularity of capitalism just this decade. So the question is, Why are increasing numbers of our young people supporting socialism? The answer is, because they have been told that it is somehow ``moral'' and ``compassionate'' and ``fair'' by leading socialist voices in media and government, mostly concentrated in and around Washington, D.C. On the surface, one might think that taking from the prosperous for the betterment of the poor is a decent and fair policy. But just under the surface lies a fundamental ignorance of one of the most foundational principles of human behavior, and that is, incentives. Socialism doesn't reward people for hard work, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. In reality, the overwhelming taxation necessary to support socialist policies penalizes people who work hard by forcing them to send their earnings, perhaps thousands of miles away, to Washington, D.C. The incentive that is created is one of mediocrity; that it would be just easier to settle for economic scraps instead of shooting for the Moon and pursuing the American Dream. And what about the supposed beneficiaries of socialism, the middle and the lower-class workers? Under that system, not only do massive amounts of other people's money flow here to Washington, but so does the decisionmaking capacity, over large swaths of people's lives, from your healthcare decisions to how you power your home, or your car, or what school your child can attend. Liberal Democrats often mock Republican economic policies as trickle- down economics. But the socialist view essentially constitutes trickle- down bureaucracy. The theory is that if we give more money and power to Federal bureaucrats in Washington, that the benefits will somehow trickle down to those who need it the most. Furthermore, it is fundamentally immoral for decisions over your life to be fundamentally outsourced to a far distant Capital hundreds or thousands of miles away with the dim promise of support after the Washington swamp has had its say. The best way to combat the rise of socialism is to educate Americans on the devastation that it has caused in other countries around the world. In Greece, socialist policies have crippled investment, innovation, entrepreneurship, and led to a shortage of food, money, and medicine. In Venezuela, the socialist policies of Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro have led to mass shortages of critical medicine, widespread starvation, skyrocketing crime, and a terrible refugee crisis. In contrast, countries that have adopted the capitalist principles of economic freedom have fared much better. After trying Socialist policies in the 20th century, Israel, India, and the United Kingdom realized that their economies were hopelessly stagnated, and as a result, all three countries stopped allowing the government to dictate economic decisions and made the switch to free-market policies as a way to jump-start their economies. After embracing economic freedom, India now has the largest middle class in the free world. Israel is rated as the third most innovative economy in the world, and the United Kingdom's economy grew faster than nearly every other economy in Europe. As a strong supporter of economic freedom, I stand firm in my commitment to combat the rise of socialism. This dangerous ideology has failed in nearly every country where it has been tried, and we must do everything in our power to educate the next generation of Americans about the true nature of socialism. Socialism is not what made America great. Socialism is not who we are. America will never become a Socialist Nation.

Mr. BUDD

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

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

Mr. BUDD. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 78th anniversary of National Bible Week. In this very Bible, the Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy, Chapter 4: For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but have itching ears, they will accumulate themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and will wander off into myths. Even as I look behind me at the words ``In God We Trust,'' I wonder if we as a nation are succumbing to what the Apostle Paul warned about 2,000 years ago. There is a solution to this problem, and it is found in the very same chapter. Paul writes: Preach the Word, be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. He writes in the prior chapter, 2 Timothy, Chapter 3, that all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, and that a person of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. So we see the people of His creation are intended for purposeful good works, and we are guided into that purpose by God through the very Scriptures that we celebrate this week.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the 7-year anniversary of Christian human rights lawyer Khalil Maatouk's unconscionable disappearance at the hands of Syrian dictator Bashar al- Assad. The regime abducted Maatouk because he had been relentlessly defending Syrian democratic activists. He was last seen on October 2 of 2012. Khalil Maatouk's ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the Assad regime's barbaric assault on religious and Christian heritage, blatantly violating international humanitarian law. According to a September report from the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the regime is responsible for targeting 61 percent of churches throughout the country. The United States demands the immediate release of Khalil Maatouk, and I urge the administration to prioritize this case. We must stand up for those who fight for freedom, especially freedom of religion.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to showcase why legal immigration makes our country great. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to give a keynote address at a naturalization ceremony for new U.S. citizens. I awarded 68 new Americans with their citizenship certificates and spoke with their families and their loved ones. Being a part of that ceremony reinforced my patriotism and my belief in our country. We want the best and the brightest from around the world to come to our shores, and we want them to do it the right way. That is part of the American story. So let no one claim that being tough on illegal immigration has to mean that you in any way oppose immigrants. It is actually quite the opposite. We want people to come to the United States the American way, the legal way, so they can pursue their American Dream.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Vickie Hartman Nicks. Vickie was born on July 9, 1953 in Thomasville, North Carolina. She graduated from East Davidson High School in 1971 and married Steve Nicks in 1979. In 1981, she took a position as the Secretary of Mt. Zion Wesleyan Church, where she worked for 38 years. While being the church secretary certainly kept her busy, her devotion to the community didn't stop there. Vickie was involved in many children and youth programs as well as being a member of the choir. She enjoyed painting and crafts and was known for her quick wit and keen sense of humor. Outside of being active in her church, Vickie was even more proud of being a wife, mother, grandmother, and lifelong resident of Davidson County. She was an excellent role-model for and steadfast supporter of her daughters, Stefanie and Andrea, as well as her grandsons Steven and Jacob. Vickie's enormous impact on the lives of her loved ones is indelible, and will live on for years to come. Vickie lost her life to a long drawn out battle with cancer but her grit and tenacity never let her lose faith. Recently, I had the opportunity to meet with her husband, Steve Nicks, to learn about Vickie's bravery while facing the final stages of her life. Her battle with cancer was truly heartbreaking, representing a tragic loss to our Davidson County community. Her determination and grace provides an example to us all. Today I wear this bracelet given to me by her husband that states, ``Vickie Strong.'' I wear it today in her memory. Madam Speaker, please join me in praying for Vickie along with her husband Steve and the entire Nicks family.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an issue that has afflicted nearly every American, including me, and it is the influx of annoying and deceptive robocalls. These seemingly endless automated calls disrupt every part of our daily lives, constitute a serious form of harassment, and expose millions of Americans to dangerous financial scams. A prime example of the insidious nature of these calls occurred last year in New York when scammers pretended to be from the Chinese consulate and demanded money from people with what they considered to be Chinese-sounding last names. As a result, 21 Chinese immigrants lost a total of $2.5 million. In another instance, scammers attempted to phish personal information by calling people and threatening them with fines unless they signed up for health insurance. These incidences are financially devastating and are happening to far too many people across our country. If there is one thing Republicans and Democrats should be able to agree on is that Congress can no longer sit back and ignore this problem. Our efforts must be focused on adding teeth to the Federal Government's ability to detect and punish individuals and organizations that abuse automated dialing technology. With that in mind, I am proud to be a cosponsor of the TRACED Act, introduced by my friend, David Kustoff. This legislation expands the penalties and the timeframes under which the Federal Communications Commission can identify robocallers and pursue civil action. This is entirely bipartisan, and it passed the Senate, last May, 97-1. Under the TRACED Act, the FCC will be able to impose fines of up to $10,000 for each individual scam call. Currently, telemarketing scammers face a maximum fine of only $1,500. I am confident that increasing the maximum penalty up to $10,000 will deter many scammers by making the cost of getting caught simply too expensive. To make these harsher penalties the norm and not the exception, the FCC needs to be given more time to find the perpetrators of illegal robocalls. If the TRACED Act becomes law, the period in which the source of a robocall can be investigated and found liable will be tripled from 1 year to 3 years. This important provision will work in lockstep with the increased fines. The FCC has told Congress that extending the statute of limitations in this way would improve the Commission's enforcement efforts. During my time in office, I have heard frustration from countless constituents on this issue. Robocalls frequently interrupt our daily lives, ringing our phones during important work-hours, and distracting us from time spent at home with our families. The TRACED Act is an important bipartisan bill that is supported by attorneys general in all 50 States, along with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. As scammers adjust the way they perpetrate fraud on the American people, it seems like common sense that our laws should be updated to fight back. No matter which side of the aisle we find ourselves on, we should all be able to agree that it is time for these illegal robocalls to be stopped once and for all.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my Democratic colleagues across the aisle to end their partisan impeachment inquiry and instead focus on an issue that will actually improve the lives of our constituents and supercharge the already roaring American economy; that is, bringing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the USMCA, to this floor for a vote. Mr. Speaker, ratifying this landmark trade deal would generate a whole host of benefits, including growing the economy by tens of billions of dollars and supporting hundreds of thousands of American jobs and giving farmers more access to sell their products beyond our borders. According to a recent report from the International Trade Commission, the USMCA would raise the United States' GDP by more than $68 billion and create nearly 200,000 new jobs. The study also found that the USMCA would have a positive impact on trade by increasing U.S. exports and imports to Canada and Mexico by billions of dollars. The benefits don't stop there. The agreement would benefit farmers across the country and in my district in North Carolina. Under the USMCA, U.S. dairy farmers would be able to more than triple their access to the Canadian dairy market. This would be a huge win for Iredell County, the top dairy producing county in North Carolina, as our dairy producers will gain wider access to a bigger marketplace. Along with dairy, the USMCA would boost North Carolina's poultry producers--a $37 billion industry that supports nearly 150,000 jobs in my State. Early estimates show that poultry exports to Canada will grow astronomically because the agreement increases tariff rate quotas for U.S. poultry and egg exports to Canada. The agreement also eliminates barriers facing U.S. dairy and poultry exports to Canada which will further unleash economic growth. Mr. Speaker, there is a reason the USMCA enjoys broad support from Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. stakeholders, as well as a majority of this House on both sides of the aisle: Because the upside for our country is undisputed. Ratifying this agreement would be a historic victory for our economy, for our workers, and for our farmers. The President and his team should be commended for a job well done, and now it is time for this House to quit stalling and to act. The window to pass the USMCA is closing, and I stand ready to vote for this deal and to get it across the finish line. I ask my Democratic colleagues to suspend their blind hatred of this President and bring the USMCA to the floor for a simple up-or-down vote. We need to stop thinking about this in terms of giving President Trump a political victory and start thinking about giving the American people an economic victory. That is why we all were sent here in the first place. Mr. Speaker, let's pass the USMCA now.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lexington, North Carolina, native Sarah Davis for recently becoming Yellowstone National Park's first female chief ranger. This is a huge milestone, and our Davidson County community could not be more proud of her. Over the past two decades, Sarah has held various leadership roles, including at North Carolina's own Guilford Courthouse National Military Parks and also Blue Ridge Parkways. Sarah is well suited for this position as she becomes the 18th chief ranger in more than 100 years of Yellowstone National Park. When asked to describe her leadership qualities, the superintendent said: ``She is an outstanding leader, with a track record of high performance, strategic thinking, and collaboration.'' Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Sarah Davis of Lexington, North Carolina, on her new position at Yellowstone National Park. We wish her the best of luck.

Mr. BUDD

Mr. BUDD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bell's Seed Store on the 100 year anniversary of their founding. ln 1919, Bell's Seed Store was opened by William M. Bell. Bell's Seed Store quickly became a staple in Fayetteville. As the city grew and rural roads and farms gave way to streets and industry, Bell's Seed Store continued to thrive, adapting to changing consumer demands. In 1957, the store moved from its original location beside the old courthouse on Gillespie Street to its current home on East Russell Street, where it occupies an impressive four-acre campus that houses four separate facilities, two for retail and two for storage. While mainstay agriculture products such as animal feed, hay, and fertilizers originally comprised the majority of Bell's sales, many customers today are also interested in a unique selection of home and garden accents. At its core, Bell's Seed Store is a family business spanning generations. William M. Bell Jr. took over operations from his father, managing the store until the late 1980's. Stewart Bell, William Jr.'s son, started working at Bell's right after college. Today, he has since become the third Bell to take the reins of a business which has expanded and developed into one of Fayetteville's oldest and most cherished family-run enterprises. As I extend my gratitude to Andrew Bell for his service as Chief of Staff here in Washington, I know he will be a welcome fourth generation to this family business. 100 years in business means 100 years of gaining the trust of the community by providing excellent service and reliable products. Bell's Seed Store has truly ingrained itself within Fayetteville, as generations of customers have walked out of its store satisfied, continuing a tradition which, like Bell's Seed Store, spans a century. Madam Speaker, please join me today in honoring Bell's Seed Store for 100 years of business.