James Baird

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Chair, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 357.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the distinguished career of Vice Admiral Sean Buck and to congratulate him on a well- earned retirement. For over 40 years, this Hoosier has served his country in the United States Navy, quickly earning a sterling reputation as he rose in the ranks. As a flag officer, VADM Buck held a series of vital command and staff positions, each demonstrating his exceptional leadership skills and strategic acumen. As commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, VADM Buck demonstrated his exceptional operational skills, and his steadfast commitment to mission success and the well-being of his fellow service members has left an indelible mark. In the four years that VADM Buck has served as the 63rd Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, he has played a vital role in shaping the minds of future leaders, fostering a spirit of excellence and sense of duty in the next generation of naval officers. As VADM Buck begins this new chapter in his life, I'd like to congratulate him on an exemplary career and thank him for his invaluable contributions to the U.S. Navy and our national defense. Fair winds and following seas in all your endeavors, Vice Admiral.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from the great State of Washington for giving me this opportunity and giving the people back home this opportunity. Mr. Speaker, today I rise on behalf of the communities and the residents of west central Indiana to share our experience with the Endangered Species Act. As an animal scientist and a farmer, I am a lifelong conservationist. I value the well-intended effort of the ESA to protect and conserve our Nation's most iconic species that really define our landscapes and have shaped our heritage. Unfortunately, I believe the ESA has failed to achieve the underlying mission, and many of my constituents have been forced to experience the consequences firsthand. Lakes Freeman and Shafer near Monticello, Indiana, have been a proper and appropriate tourist destination--home to many small businesses and attractions, and a vibrant local economy. A series of droughts and a tangle of bureaucratic red tape involving ESA devastated our once- thriving community. Following a listing more than a decade ago of mussels on the endangered species list found in the Tippecanoe River, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service subsequently ordered a new higher volume of water to flow out of the Oakdale Dam that forms Lake Freeman, in an effort to preserve these now protected mussels. This executive action by unelected bureaucrats became a death knell to the community and surrounding area. Businesses like the Tall Timbers Marina or The Madam Carroll cruise boat reported catastrophic losses of revenue. Homeowners along the lake reported ruined seawalls, dried up wells, and poor resale values. The ESA not only failed to save the endangered population of mussels that sparked this misguided intervention--the mussels likely died from bacterial overload created by reducing a 1500-acre lake to a puddle-- but also claimed the lives of other wildlife in the area that died from the inhospitable conditions created by this rulemaking. What happened in my district was an unmitigated disaster with antiquated Federal policies providing little resources for the community nearly leveled by its outstanding and outdated regulations. After 50 years, it is time to modernize the law--to fix the broken parts, to make it better serve its intended purpose, and to allow for responsible solutions to disasters like Lake Freeman.

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman and I am glad he is pointing that out.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, this National Police Week, we pause to recognize the brave men and women in blue who are committed to keeping our communities safe, and we remember those who lost their lives in the line of duty. Our Nation is blessed to have the bravest and most professional police officers in the world. This week gives us the ability not only to recognize their commitment to preserving peace and saving lives, but it gives us the chance to assess what we can do in Congress to help support them and to make their lives a bit easier as they protect our communities. I may be biased, but I believe west central Indiana has some of the finest law enforcement officers in the country, and I am fortunate to have an open line of communication with them to identify issues that require Federal solutions. Sheriff Myers in Morgan County has been instrumental in helping craft my bill, the PART Act, which gives law enforcement officials the tools they need to hold thieves accountable for catalytic converter theft. This may seem like a relatively small problem, but you ask any law enforcement official in your district, and they will tell you that skyrocketing catalytic converter thefts are taking up a lot of their time and resources that could be used for a better purpose. This is an easy and bipartisan way for us to support our law enforcement officials, and I would encourage my colleagues to consider helping me get this bill across the finish line so we can unburden some of our law enforcement. To close, I just want to say this to the men and women in blue who have dedicated their lives to protecting others: Thank you for your service and thank you for keeping us safe.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Minnesota for yielding and the opportunity to spend some time on this program. Mr. Speaker, today, the gap between rural and urban America has never been wider. As our Nation advances and urban communities flourish, far too often our rural communities, which are the backbone of this country, get left behind. Collectively, Hoosiers contribute nearly $200 billion to the U.S. economy through our agricultural exports, in spite of the onerous and outdated regulations that limit their growth potential. Across west central Indiana, our farmers and growers continue to express the same sentiment: We need to cut the red tape that limits our producers and get the Federal Government out of the way. On average, it takes new solar projects a little over 2 years to receive the necessary Federal permits, over 3 years for electricity transmission projects, and over 4 years for new major road projects. Based on that timeline, Democrats' goal to reduce emissions by 50 percent by 2030 is totally unrealistic and unobtainable. Their own onerous regulations and broken permitting process will be a death knell for their radical climate goals. The reality is that the current permitting process is limiting our potential and stifling American energy production. This shouldn't be a partisan issue. We all stand to benefit when we empower rural America to reach their full potential, and who better than the United States to be the world leader in energy? Until we get out of our own way, we will continue to cede control to countries like China, which lack any semblance of environmental standards or ethical energy processes. Passing H.R. 1 is a critical step to achieving our goal of unleashing American energy, and until we take substantive action to cut this red tape, the millions of tax dollars Congress dedicates to improving our country's infrastructure will be squandered. America's energy independence and rural America's success hinge on our ability to create an efficient and modernized permitting process. It is time for us to get the Federal Government out of the way and give rural America the tools they need to continue feeding and fueling this Nation and the world to the very best of their ability.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor my friend and this year's Certified Crop Adviser Conservationist of the Year award recipient, Barry Fisher. A French Lick, Indiana native, Barry's love for agriculture began at a young age on his family's farm. Upon graduation from Western Kentucky University in 1983, Barry began his Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) career serving in locales across Indiana where he acted as a soil conservationist in Southeast Indiana, an area agronomist for West Central Indiana, and a State Soil Health Specialist. In 2015, Barry was one of the original members of the NRCS National Soil Health Division and was instrumental in delivering soil health training to the agency's staff across the nation. As the first Central Region leader of the newly formed Soil Health Division, he carried out one of the most successful training and outreach campaigns the United States Department of Agriculture has ever known, hosting events with tens of thousands in attendance and driving millions to web-based resources. Since his retirement from NRCS in 2020, Fisher established Fisher Soil Health, a consulting service that provides training on advanced soil health management systems. He also continues to serve as an expert speaker and trainer, promoting the adoption of soil health practices to farmers and conservation staff. Based on the 2022 Conservation Transect data, over two-thirds of Indiana's row crop acres are undisturbed through fall and winter months, and 1,600,000 of those acres are seeded to green living cover during those months--only 12.5 percent of those cover crop acres were seeded with financial program assistance. When the transect began measuring green living cover in 2011, there were about 184,000 acres. The increase in those covered acres can be attributed, in part, to Fisher's tireless efforts to promote and educate about cover crops and soil health. Barry and his wife continue to operate their West Central Indiana- based farm where they employ the strategies he developed and perfected, and their farm now acts as a living laboratory to many conservation groups who travel from across the country to learn about soy health. Barry's contributions to our agriculture industry are immeasurable, and I can think of no one more deserving of this well-deserved honor.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, unfortunately, due to travel constraints, I was unable to cast two votes on December 15, 2022. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 529, and NAY on Roll Call No. 530.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Congressional Liaison Lois J. Wagoner on her sixty years of government service. Ms. Lois J. Wagoner began working as a civilian clerk typist at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in 1961. Ten years later, she came to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to work in the Finance Division of the Indianapolis Regional Office as a program support clerk. Further on in her career, she became a Veterans Benefits Counselor and eventually was named the Congressional Liaison in 1990. This position required Ms. Wagoner to work and communicate regularly with Veterans and the offices of D.C. government officials. I am pleased to add that Ms. Wagoner was recognized with many awards including the Indianapolis Regional Office's Employee of the Year award in 2009 and two awards from the Disabled American Veterans titled the National Commanders' Award for the Veterans Benefits Administration in 2020 and the Award of Excellence in 2021 at their annual convention. Ms. Wagoner has been a valuable resource for countless American heroes by directly supporting Veterans and providing families with the knowledge they need to care for their loved ones. Her passion for public service is unparalleled, and I believe her journey will act as inspiration for those who wish to follow in her footsteps. While Ms. Wagoner has traveled all across the country to serve, it is within The Hoosier State where she has made a distinctive impact. I, along with other Veterans in Indiana's 4th Congressional District, am proud of all she has done for those who fearlessly defended freedom and democracy. On behalf of all Hoosiers, I want to congratulate Ms. Lois J. Wagoner, we truly value her six decades of dedicated public service.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, today I rise to address an issue plaguing my constituents, my fellow Hoosiers, and Americans across the country: catalytic converter thefts. From the outside looking in, catalytic converter theft may seem like a small problem, but law enforcement, auto dealers, and the growing number of victims of these crimes will tell you otherwise. In communities across the country, thieves are targeting families, schools, and businesses, disrupting transportation plans and leading drivers to shell out hundreds or even thousands of dollars in repair costs. For those of you who are unfamiliar with catalytic converters, this auto part is required to reduce the potency of toxic emissions from internal combustion engines and is usually made up of precious metals like platinum, rhodium, and palladium, which can be sold to scrap dealers for hundreds of dollars on the black market. The value of these materials, combined with a thief's ability to remove them from a car in a matter of seconds, makes them a prime target for criminals looking to earn cash with little risk. My bill takes a multipronged approach to tackling this epidemic and by including traceable identifying features on catalytic converters, addressing how parts are purchased, and strengthening enforceability of catalytic converter thefts. By creating a system where law enforcement can link stolen catalytic converters from their vehicles of origin, prohibit the purchase of disassembled catalytic converters, and codify catalytic converter thefts as criminal offenses with criminal penalties, it is my great hope that we can curb these costly thefts. I am deeply concerned about the costly impacts that these thefts have on Americans, especially at a time when American workers are taking home less and families are paying more for everything thanks to soaring inflation rates. I recognize the strain this has put on so many victims of this crime, and I want to do all I can to empower law enforcement so we can address this problem. Americans have enough to worry about. Spending their hard-earned paycheck to replace stolen car parts shouldn't be one of them. I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have joined me in this effort to empower law enforcement and deter future theft by joining the PART Act. I believe that this widely bipartisan issue can be an easy win for Congress by offering a straightforward and impactful solution for law enforcement struggling to address these rampant crimes across the country. I hope you will join me in putting an end to this issue by supporting H.R. 6394, the PART Act. Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about H.R. 3588. This is an important piece of legislation that I was proud to introduce with my friend from Pennsylvania, Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan. The Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act provides a much-needed solution to improving the quality of STEM education in America. This legislation advances mathematical instruction by incorporating modern tools and context, including data, statistics, and computation. Mathematical modeling is currently taught on a limited basis yet is the foundation for the important work our Nation is addressing within research, development, and technological innovation. In addition to being both a bipartisan and a bicameral piece of legislation, this bill has the support of several organizations, including the American Mathematical Society, and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics; and I am proud to lead this effort in providing for the security of America's global competitive edge. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support this bill.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Louisiana for this opportunity to speak about title 42. Mr. Speaker, in the last 14 months, this administration and its open- door policies have created the worst border crisis we have seen in decades, leaving our southern border very vulnerable to the dangerous cartels and our communities are vulnerable to the lethal drugs that they bring in. Every day, 2,000 migrants evade capture and illegally enter our country. That is over 300,000 illegal immigrants evading capture in the last 6 months alone. Unfortunately, our Border Patrol warns us that this is only the known gotaways, and that the real number is likely much higher. By the President's own admission, rolling back title 42 would cause a mass migration event and would certainly overwhelm our already overworked and undersupported Border Patrol. Not only are Americans still held to a higher COVID protocol standard than the migrants at our southern border, but title 42 remains one of the only tools our overrun agents can use to get this swelling crisis under control. Ending title 42 won't help President Biden fulfill his State of the Union promise to secure the southern border, it will only make this crisis that the administration has created more unsustainable.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to an incredible man and member of our community, Dr. Thomas Hildebrand. Tom was a dedicated member of his community who joined the U.S. Army Special Forces after graduating Seymour High School in 1977 where he served as a medic, weapons expert, and Army Ranger. The Bible tells us that the greatest among us is a servant, and I can think of no better way to describe Tom. During medical school, Tom spent his free time volunteering for the local hospice, committed to comforting the patients and their families during those final precious moments. After nearly 20 years of military service, Tom's commitment and sense of duty was repurposed, and he threw himself into tirelessly advocating for Hoosier veterans, arranging appointments and transportation, and connecting veterans with support groups. His dedication to serving White County veterans knew no bounds, and it was not out of the ordinary to see Tom working into the late hours of the night or weekends to help his fellow veterans. In the military, our credo is ``no man left behind,'' and Tom fulfilled that mission both in his service to this country and in his decade of service to Hoosier veterans. Our country and our community are better for having had Tom in them, and I appreciate the opportunity to remember this outstanding Hoosier.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, on April 7, 2022, I missed the vote on H.R. 3807 due to a scheduling conflict. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on H.R. 3807, rollcall No. 123.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 471, the PAUSE Act, to protect all Americans from Biden's border crisis.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to my good friend, Representative Don Young. The House of Representatives has been home to many unique individuals throughout its history, perhaps none more memorable than my colleague and friend, Representative Don Young. His office walls are adorned with various mounted animals, and a 10- foot grizzly pelt, a homage to his favorite place, Alaska. For 49 years, Representative Young dutifully served his beloved Alaska, fiercely advocating for his home and the constituents he proudly served. When I first came to Congress, Don was among the first to welcome me and show me the ropes. This Chamber is far quieter without his boisterous laugh. It is dimmer without his smiling face. We will miss this unforgettable giant, and I will miss my friend.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, on December 8, 2021 my vote was mistakenly recorded as ``NO'' on H.R. 4996--the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, a bill that I was a proud co-sponsor of, despite my vote being correctly announced as ``YES'' by my proxy. Had I been present, I would have voted Yes on Roll Call No. 406.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, today I rise because, in light of recent events, I no longer feel like I can stay silent. The hypocrisy of this body considering the censuring and stripping of committee assignments of Representative Gosar is illustrative of the inability of this body to effectively legislate. It demonstrates why many Americans have lost all confidence in our ability to be and provide effective leadership. I have found Mr. Paul Gosar to be an honorable and effective legislator, and I have found him to care deeply for his colleagues and America.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for giving me the opportunity to speak. Madam Speaker, at a time when Americans are facing the highest inflation rates in decades and small businesses are struggling to recover from the devastating impact of COVID-19, House Democrats will soon consider the most radical spending package in American history. Unfortunately, instead of giving families and businesses a hand up by getting able-bodied Americans back to work and taking steps to resolve our supply chain crisis, Democrats' far left socialist package will do little more than exacerbate our inflation crisis and harm the growth of small businesses. Earlier this month the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business released a model that found the bill will cost more than twice the estimated cost. If that is not bad enough, the Tax Policy Center recently found that this spending spree would raise taxes on middle- class Americans by up to 30 percent. This anti-growth package will destroy thousands of jobs, burden many business owners with restrictive taxes intended to help pay for this bloated spending bill, and will surely be a death knell for many businesses on struggling Main Street and hardworking Americans struggling to contend with soaring inflation rates. Month after month we have watched the Biden administration deliver disappointing jobs reports with the labor force participation rate falling to 61.6 percent in September alone. This labor shortage is only fueling our economy and supply chain crisis, but instead of encouraging Americans to get back to work, President Biden and House Democrats are including provisions that discourage unemployed Americans from finding a job. If Democrats really want to build back better, they should be championing policies that actually help our small business owners and the middle class, not exacerbating the problems they are struggling to overcome.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor a dedicated public servant and distinguished member of our community, Captain Lori Turpin. In 1971, Lori was sworn into the Navy Nurse Corps Scholarship program. For the following 30 years, she traveled the world providing medical care for members of our military. Throughout her time in the Navy, she cared for service men and women throughout the United States and across the world in countries like Italy and Japan. Following her retirement from the United States Navy in 2001, Captain Turpin's commitment and sense of duty was repurposed, as she continued to compassionately serve her community and American veterans. Since 2007, Lori served as a Hendricks County Veterans Service Officer where she has truly embraced the mission to help veterans achieve a better life and support their community. Lori's service led her to receive numerous awards and recognitions including numerous commendation medals from the United States Navy and the Sagamore of the Wabash, one of Indiana's highest honors. I want to congratulate Captain Turpin on a great career of dedicated service to the United States and wish her the very best in her retirement.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Kevin for coordinating this Special Order, and I thank the gentleman for doing that. Madam Speaker, this multitrillion dollar Big Government spending package proposed by the Democrats isn't going to help our country. In fact, it is going to be fundamentally harmful for generations of Americans to come. Right now, America is saddled with skyrocketing inflation rates that have left American families paying more for everything, and supply chain shortages threaten to make the holiday shopping season more difficult and expensive than ever. Democrats are promising a package that will prolong labor shortages and consequently inflation rates by continuing welfare benefits without work requirement for able-bodied adults without dependents at a time when there are over 10 million jobs available. How can we resolve labor shortages and rising inflation rates when the Democrats continue to champion policies that encourage people to remain unemployed? Instead of addressing pressing issues that are having a true impact on American families, Democrats continue to push partisan initiatives that are nonstarters for many Americans, like mandating that taxpayers fund abortions. Madam Speaker, this package proves that many Democrats are out of touch with both the needs and the values of the American people, and I am proud to join my colleagues in standing in opposition to this legislation.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, today I rise in opposition to the Democrats' infrastructure proposal. This weekend the President said that his Build Back Better agenda costs zero dollars and that it adds zero dollars to the national debt. With all due respect, I disagree. The CBO's report projects that it will add $398 billion to the deficit. Further, this multi-trillion partisan spending spree is projected to add as much as $1.75 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years. This bill only dedicates less than 10 percent of its multi-trillion dollar price tag to highways, bridges, and other projects. Less than 10 percent. Last month, Republicans offered our own counter bill, the STARTER Act, that offered targeted investments in core infrastructure that meets our Nation's needs. For years, Congress has worked together to get a targeted infrastructure package across the finish line. Let's get back to doing that.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, today I rise to express my support for the Cuban people. After decades of enduring an oppressive Communist regime, the people of Cuba deserve freedom. Last week, we watched as Cubans proudly waved the American flag through the streets and peacefully advocated for the freedom our flag represents. Unfortunately, as Cubans marched, many of my colleagues across the aisle have remained silent or, worse, they have wrongfully blamed the United States or even suggested these protests were in response to COVID-19. Let me be clear: The embargo isn't responsible for young children who have been forced into joining the police force. The embargo isn't responsible for cutting off internet access. It is the failed Communist system, a system so full of corruption and greed that medicine, food, and gas shortages are sadly the norm. Crowds chanting ``Freedom'' and ``Down with the dictatorship'' are clear cries for relief from six decades of suffering. History has shown us that communism has always failed, leaving those who must live under its restrictive rule to suffer. I have witnessed these atrocities and failure of communism firsthand, and I have dedicated my life to fighting against it. I am proud to stand in solidarity with the people of Cuba as they fight to end the Communist rule that has ruined their nation. I hope my colleagues will consider doing the same.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, today I rise because, as a proud pro-life advocate, I cannot stay silent as I watch the Biden administration chip away at the rights of defenseless unborn. Democrats have been working over time with the Biden administration to roll back critical protections for the unborn so they can push radical pro-abortion policies, and their latest victim, it appears, is the Hyde amendment. For over 40 years, the Hyde amendment has saved millions of lives by preventing the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortions. A recent poll from the Knights of Columbus indicates that 58 percent of Americans oppose the use of taxpayer dollars to support abortions. That number also includes 65 percent of Independents and 31 percent of Democrats. If millions of Americans are against the use of tax dollars being used to support abortion, then why is Congress considering legislation that does just exactly that? If this legislation were for the people, wouldn't we listen to them instead of forcing American taxpayers to subsidize something that the majority of them are against? Taking the life of an unborn child is simply unconscionable. I believe that we, as a governing body, have a responsibility to protect life at every stage, especially the defenseless unborn who are unable to advocate for themselves. We have no business using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Louisiana for his allowing me to have the opportunity to be here and speak on this issue. Today, I rise, Mr. Speaker, because our country is in crisis. Despite promises to the contrary, President Biden's policies are crushing small businesses and hurting hardworking Americans. The simple fact is that we should be cruising into an economic recovery thanks to the Trump administration's advancements. Instead, we are drowning in Democrats' reckless spending packages that have led to a greater increase in inflation rates than we have seen since the 2008 economic crisis. As a result, Americans are paying more for everything. Gasoline is over 50 percent more expensive today than it was 12 months ago. Transportation services are up 11 percent since last May. Food and energy prices have seen a combined price increase of nearly 4 percent, a dramatic increase that we haven't seen since 1992. The average American simply cannot afford this, and it is time that we prioritize American paychecks over wasteful government spending.