Tim Burchett

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an American hero who has finally been laid to rest in Blount County. Corporal Joe Allen Vinyard was part of the 774th Tank Battalion during World War II. He tragically lost his life in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest, an important battle on the European front right before the Battle of the Bulge. Many of the men who sacrificed their lives for our freedom that day were not identified, including Corporal Vinyard. In 2021, folks working at the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency figured out one set of remains could have been Corporal Vinyard's. Thanks to DNA testing from samples the family provided, scientists were able to identify his remains. By September 2022, the family had been notified that he would be brought back to Blount County. Corporal Vinyard was laid to rest in Grandview Cemetery in Maryville this past weekend. He is buried beside his parents, just a few miles from his home. After almost 80 years, Corporal Joe Allen Vinyard has finally come home. Honoring Sergeant Daniel Clifford Britton

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Sergeant Daniel Clifford Britton, who served our country during the Gulf war. Daniel graduated from Temple Baptist Academy in 2006. He went on to the University of Tennessee and participated in the Army ROTC program and enlisted in the Army on September 3, 2008. Sergeant Britton attended his initial Active-Duty training at Fort Benning, Georgia. After graduation, he was assigned to the 15th Infantry Regiment. He graduated from the air assault course in September 2009, and in 2010, he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he earned his Combat Infantry Badge. During his service, he was awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal with two stars, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal twice, and many others. He was a patriot and loved this country to its core. Sergeant Britton passed away in May and left behind a daughter who he loved with his whole being. I offer my condolences to his daughter and all his friends and family who knew and loved him. It is my honor to recognize Sergeant Daniel Britton as the Tennessee Second District's June 2023 Veteran of the Month. His service to this country, his community, and his family will never be forgotten. On a personal note, Mr. Speaker, as a Christian, I am not a very good one, but I owe everything in my life, except for my salvation, to the men and women who wore our country's uniform. I thank you for this opportunity. I appreciate your testimony here on the floor about that man, one of our brave officers, who lost his life. I thank the people in the gallery for standing up and showing him that respect. This is a great country we have, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, brother, for your friendship.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of former Knox County Executive Dwight Kessel, who passed away on June 3 at the age of 96. Dwight was born to Wayne and Edith Kessel and grew up in Beckley, West Virginia. After serving in the United States Navy during World War II, he came back to Knoxville and graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in industrial engineering. Dwight started his political career in 1963 by serving on the Knoxville City Council, then as Knox County clerk, and eventually became the Knox County executive in 1980, which is the position we now call the Knox County mayor. He also worked with a whole lot of charity organizations, including the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley, Boy Scouts of America, and National Conference of Christians and Jews. He was a family man who loved the Lord and was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church of Knoxville, where he was a trustee for 15 years, served as a deacon, and faithfully taught Sunday school. Behind me right here is a picture of all the Knox County mayors who went to last year's Knox County budget address--myself, Mayor Schumpert, Mayor Jacobs, and Mayor Ragsdale, and Mayor Kessel is down on the bottom. I know we are all thankful for Dwight's work that paved the way for Knox County mayors who followed him, including myself. My wife and I are praying for Dwight's family. He will be greatly missed by our community in Knox County.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a good friend of mine and an even better lawyer that recently passed away in Knoxville, Bernie Bernstein. My friend Jerry Becker delivered the bad news last week. Bernie and my father were good friends, and they served on a draft board together. Bernie served in the United States Air Force and was a respected lawyer and leader not only in the Jewish community but in every community he was in, especially in Knoxville. My dad had two compliments he would give people. He would say: ``You would make a good marine,'' or he would say: ``He is solid.'' He always told me that if negotiations were ever going south, just let Bernie speak because he was solid. Mr. Speaker, he was that. There is a Holocaust memorial that we built in the West Hills Park when I was in the State legislature with the help of some folks, and Bernie was one of those. He gave the words that are on the stone that stands there today. I remember we were supposed to have the dedication at the memorial, but dadgummit, it was raining cats and dogs, so we ended up having it at West Hills Baptist Church. Oddly enough, Bernie was dear friends with Pastor Prince who has since passed away. His son is now the pastor there, and he is my good friend. I walked up thinking no one would be there. The doors opened, and it was completely jam-packed. It was packed because he was not only a leader in the Jewish community, he was a good friend to everyone he met. My dad was right. Bernie was solid, and when he spoke, people listened. Thank you for being such a dear friend. You will truly be missed, Bernie He leaves his wife and two children. I wish him shalom.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the NOTAM Improvement Act. I thank my friend from the great State of Minnesota, my friends across the aisle, George, everyone here. I thank you all so much for being here today. Nearly 3 million people every day count on flights in the United States to safely get them to where they need to go. The Notice to Air Mission System is how we make sure that that will happen. The system is how we tell pilots about possible hazards. When the system gets all jacked up, flights can't take off. It is just that simple. Back in January, planes across the country were grounded for the first time since 2001 because of a damaged file in our Notice to Air Mission database. We need to prevent this from happening, Mr. Speaker. We need to prevent it from happening again and also look at what other improvements could be made. Safety isn't a joke. It should be one of the Federal Aviation Administration's top priorities, not worrying about over 4 ounces of honey in your baggage. This bill has bipartisan support, and there isn't any reason that it shouldn't pass with overwhelming support now. The reason the press isn't here is mainly because we are agreeing on something, and we are working together, which is what this body is supposed to be doing, dadgummit. Mr. Speaker, I thank you all so much for allowing me to be here.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, this week is National Police Week and I want to recognize all the brave officers, the men and women who risk their lives and their safety every day to protect and serve our communities. Average citizens try very hard to stay away from certain types of people: murderers, rapists, drug dealers, gang members, domestic abusers, many I call dirtbags. These are the people our police officers deal with every day in the line of duty. They run toward danger when the rest of us run away. They take criminals off our streets. They bring justice to our country. They protect us no matter what. They even protected the wave of antipolice protests that have been happening across our Nation. Imagine that. That takes true integrity and dedication to their work. We all benefit from their service, and we need to back them up however we can. I am incredibly grateful for our law enforcement, especially the local sheriffs' offices and police departments and my good friends at the State troopers' office in Tennessee's Second District who work so hard to keep us safe from these bad people.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Fire Control Seaman Second Class Robert L. Luttrell, an American hero who served during World War II to fight the evil empire of Japan. Luttrell graduated from Central High School in Knoxville and enlisted in the Navy in 1943. He was assigned to patrol gunboat PGM-18. In March 1945, the PGM-18 was sent to Okinawa to protect minesweepers and destroy mines as they floated to the surface. Oddly enough, Okinawa is one of the islands my father served on. On April 8, 1945, his ship struck a mine, and the blast lifted the 280-ton ship out of the water and ripped a giant hole in the starboard hull. Seaman Luttrell was able to launch a life raft and help nine other sailors into the raft, including his commanding officer, but the raft was still tied to the ship and couldn't be untied. Fortunately, Luttrell was able to cut the raft loose with a knife he had made from a hunk of metal he found in Hawaii. He saved the lives of fellow servicemembers and showed true courage and quick thinking in the face of danger. Too many times, Mr. Speaker, we call people heroes, and maybe they dribble a basketball, throw a football, or catch a baseball, but our true heroes are the men and women who wore our country's uniform and continue to do so like yourself, Mr. Speaker. It is my honor to recognize Fire Control Seaman Second Class Robert Luttrell as Tennessee's Second District May 2023 Veteran of the Month.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, Americans are sick and tired of seeing the Biden administration spend millions of their taxpayer dollars to fund and enable an invasion of our southern border. This administration is using nongovernmental organizations, NGOs, to push illegal immigrants all over the country. A report by The Heritage Foundation found that these illegal aliens were shipped to 431 out of 435 congressional districts. This report also shows the overwhelming number of resettled illegal immigrants were sent to, oddly enough, Republican districts. This is a massive resettlement program, Mr. Speaker. Under President Biden, the number of illegal immigrants entering the U.S. exceeds the population of some U.S. States. We have had over 5 million illegal crossings plus over 1.3 million got-aways. Title 42 ends tonight, as we all know, and the flood will get worse. We have seen the pictures, Mr. Speaker. We have no idea who these people are, where they are going, or what they will do. The situation will take a huge toll on our Nation and touch every community in every State. We have caught people in the past that have been on the terrorist watch list. We have Communist Chinese coming over our border. We don't know what they are up to, as well. Mr. Speaker, we owe it to the American people to finish the wall, end catch-and-release policies, and close the asylum loopholes that are big enough for a caravan to walk through. President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas have dug a big hole for the American people. If we want to save this country, we need extreme border security measures to stop this open invasion now.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the chairman and his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of overriding President Biden's veto of H.J. Res. 27. Overriding the veto would get rid of a Biden administration rule that hurts American landowners, small business owners, and farmers. Back in 2020, the EPA addressed a longstanding problem. It got rid of a broad and confusing definition of waters of the United States, also known as WOTUS, and replaced it with a definition that was much more specific and easier to understand. But no good deed is left unpunished. Mr. Speaker, landowners need to know if their body of water meets the definition of a WOTUS, because if it does, then it is subject to much, much stricter environmental regulations. Of course, the Biden administration is doing what it does best, and it is messing up the situation. It is like my dad used to say about education: The problem we have with education is we called in the people who created the problem to fix it. That is what they are doing. It repealed that clear definition of a WOTUS from 2020 and replaced it with a more confusing and ambiguous one. This means a lot more landowners, small business owners, and farmers will need to hire expensive lawyers and consultants just to figure out if their body of water now qualifies as a WOTUS. This is another example of bringing in the bureaucrats to fix a problem that they have created. A lot of my constituents are farmers and landowners, of course. Many are both of those. It is hard enough for them to take care of their land and follow these crazy environmental regulations without adding the burden of trying to figure out what these regulations are in the first place. Basically what we have done is we have taken this away from the mom and pop farmers, the people who have inherited the land and who respect the land. No one respects the land more than a farmer, Mr. Speaker. We are replacing it with multinational globalist corporations who control politicians like the puppet masters that they are. This administration needs to stop throwing bureaucracies at every situation it can get its hands on. Mr. Speaker, it just doesn't work. This time it will hurt Americans who work hard to take care of their land and their businesses.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Corporal Chris Bryant, an American hero who has served his country and community for the past 26 years. In January of 1997, he left the Knox County Sheriff's Office to join the Marine Corps. He graduated basic training as an infantry machine gunner and was assigned to Kings Bay, Georgia, where he was stationed to watch over the nuclear sub base. In 2002, he returned to the Knox County Sheriff's Department. In 2004, he was assigned full time to the narcotics division along with his K9 dog, Storm. During his 12 years in the narcotics division, he has worked for the FBI Drug Task Force and has been promoted to lieutenant. In 2023, he enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard and is currently attending military police training in Smyrna, Tennessee. Our country's heroes are the men and women of our Armed Forces like Corporal Bryant, who have served and sacrificed for our freedom and protected our communities. It is my honor to recognize Corporal Chris Bryant as Tennessee's Second District's April 2023 Veteran of the Month.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the work that the chairman and the committee have done on this very important piece of legislation. Mr. Chair, I rise today to talk about why we need H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act. I can't think of anybody in this country, especially working folks, especially the people in the Second Congressional District, who I represent, that say to me: Tim, I need to pay more for my energy. They don't. They say: My energy costs are out of sight. We have to feed our kids. We have to buy books for school. We have to buy clothing for our kids. We can't afford these higher energy costs. The Biden administration, unfortunately, and the Democrats in Congress keep pushing these Green New Deal-style agendas. Honestly, Mr. Chair, they just don't work. There hasn't been a new development in solar in over 20 years, and windmills are just what they are. The wind doesn't always blow and the sun doesn't always shine in east Tennessee, and I am sure that is the way it is across this great Nation. It is costing Americans way too much. We are done with all this nonsense, Mr. Chair. H.R. 1 is going to end restrictions on importing and exporting natural gas. What could be wrong with that? Why in the world are we doing business with our enemies, the people we continue to send money to? We have hundreds of years, by recent estimates, of gas in the ground that we could be getting out using safe and environmentally sound methods. The burning apparatus now is so much safer than when this was first started, it is ridiculous. We need to fix this permitting process. We keep saying--and I have heard the White House say many times through their spokesperson--that we are permitting all these wells. Well, they don't permit the pipeline to get there. It is like we have a gallon of fuel in the ground and we are trying to pull it out with something about as big around as a needle point. We have to process our energy projects so they can get off the ground in a reasonable amount of time. By the time we get to the end of it, the cost is so high that it is very cost-prohibitive. We have to make the Biden administration resume the lease on most of our Federal lands and waters that they have restricted. We have to roll back President Biden's $27 billion slush fund for these Democrat special interest groups and these projects that amount to nothing but woke policy changes. We have to stop the liberal States from abusing section 401 of the Clean Water Act, which they use to add a bunch of unnecessary red tape to every project they don't like. It seems like when we find a good resource, they put these barriers in place. It is just not right. Mr. Chair, we need to focus on keeping Americans' homes heated and their lights on. Nothing should be more important, especially since we are forced to purchase it from our enemies overseas--the people that hate our guts. They love our dollars. We pay them and the next thing you know, they are burning our flag. They are saying things about us that aren't true. They are causing us all kinds of problems. The best energy solution, Mr. Chair, above all, is the solution that we need oil, gas, and nuclear energy--like they are working on at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It is not in the district that I represent, but it backs up to where I am. There are over 6,000 people who work there that live in my district. It is also home to Big Ed's Pizza, which is a wonderful place--I will just throw that in. Mr. Chair, H.R. 1 is going to spur energy innovation at home, and I am proud to support it. I appreciate the great work that has been done on this issue.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor firefighter Les Gibbs on his retirement. Les is one of the best friends I have in the world, Mr. Speaker. When I was a single man, I would always enjoy going honky-tonking with Les because he didn't drink. Neither did I, and I knew I wasn't going to have to do anything. When we would go to the Cotton Eyed Joe, the ladies would be tripping over me and pushing me out of way to get in line to dance with Les. Les has always been a good friend to me, and my parents loved him, too. When I would ask him to go eat pizza with me, he would always ask: ``Are Charlie and Joyce going?'' It was always clear to me that they ranked a little bit higher than me on his list, and that was okay because I had very cool parents. He loved them right up until the end, and he was the man who actually carried my momma out of the nursing home when she died. You could always count on his motorcycle to run, and you could always count on mine to break down. When I got a new bike, which was actually a new bike for me but old for anybody else, he would say, ``Oh, I got a new rope,'' because he knew he was going to have to pull it. That was a true statement. I was there on the day he was sworn in as a firefighter in the city of Knoxville, and I wish I could be in Tennessee instead of Washington when he retires. I am hoping that my beautiful wife, Kelly, and daughter, Isabel, will be there. They love Lester. He has always been good to me and my folks and the community around him. I can't thank him enough for that. He has been a great friend to me, and he has been a better firefighter. He has been a great friend to hundreds, if not thousands, of other people. I wish him nothing but good times in retirement. Thank you for everything, Lester, you have done for me and my family, brother. You are very much loved.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor my number one caseworker, Jenny Stansberry, who is retiring after 30 years of service to the people of east Tennessee. She has been with me since I took office, and she also worked for Congressmen Duncan Sr. and Jr. prior to me taking Congress in the Second District. Jenny and I used to hang out at Brunswick Billiards, and she is a dear friend as well as the best employee I could ever ask for. When I was running for office, Mr. Speaker, her mom offered me a Coca-Cola and she always regretted that she never allowed me to use her bathroom. She has always been very kind to me. She drove a cool GMC Acadia back in the day that was quite fetching in the Brunswick Billiards parking lot. She is best known for her work with veterans and active military members, but she has helped thousands of east Tennesseans deal with basically every Federal agency issue you can think of, and she does it all with a warm smile that lights up the room. This picture beside me is her farewell surprise, a poster we made of her with one of the loves of her life, Magnum P.I. Although she didn't end up with Tom Selleck--my fraternity brother, he went to U.S.C., of course, and I went to the University of Tennessee many years later--in fact, she never met him, her retirement will allow her to spend more time with the actual love of her life, Tony, and her daughter Anne, who is just a wonderful, wonderful young lady. Jenny, thank you so much for everything you have done for me and the folks of east Tennessee. I always appreciate you. You were always good to my folks, and you have been my buddy. You will be missed.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Lieutenant Ruth Coughlin, an American hero who served in the Navy faithfully from 1953 to 1958. Lieutenant Coughlin was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After high school, she went to St. Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama, where she graduated as a registered nurse. From 1944 to 1953, she worked in private practice in ophthalmology and oral surgery practices. In 1953, she joined the Navy as a Lieutenant Junior Grade and was stationed in Maryland at Bethesda Hospital. During her career she served as a nurse aboard a medical ship that made 32 round trips crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Brooklyn, New York, to north Germany. In 1957, she was reassigned to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Corona, California, where she met her husband, Dennis. They moved to Knoxville and raised five children together. She will be turning a very young 100 years old this month. I think it is very appropriate during International Women's Day that we honor her. So happy birthday, Ruth. Our country's heroes are the men and women of our Armed Forces, like Lieutenant Ruth Coughlin, who has dedicated her life to the service of her country. It is my honor to recognize Lieutenant Coughlin as the Tennessee Second District's March 2023 Veteran of the Month.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Richard and Joni Maples, two Beardon High School graduates--my mama had them in math class--who have received this year's Helen Ross McNabb Spirit Award. This award recognizes folks who have done great work to support the McNabb Center and the east Tennessee community. Richard and Joni were both raised by parents who taught them the values of faith, family, and hard work. They keep these values close to their hearts, and they make a constant effort to serve folks around them whenever they can. This includes supporting the McNabb Center, which is a nonprofit that provides mental health services to east Tennesseans who need it. Richard has continuously served the McNabb Center in various board positions and campaigns since 2012 and stayed involved in a bunch of other east Tennessee organizations that serve our community. Of course, this was all done with the unwavering help and support of his wonderful wife Joni. They are about to celebrate their 50th anniversary. I can't imagine any woman who could tolerate Richard for 50 years, but she has managed to do that. They have raised two wonderful children, Matthew and Andrea, and now they have four wonderful grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, we thank Richard and Joni so much for serving our community with selfless dedication. I am proud to congratulate them on receiving the Spirit Award this year. They certainly deserve it. It is good to see a couple of West Knoxvillians who have done well.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Senior Master Sergeant Mark Lett, an American hero who retired after 26 faithful years of service from the United States Air Force in 2011. Senior Master Sergeant Lett was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and attended Carter High School. He joined the Air Force in 1985. Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Lett served as an in-flight refueling specialist on a KC-135 aircraft in addition to serving as a flight instructor and flight engineer. During his long career, he was stationed in five States across the United States. While serving as a flight engineer, he deployed to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He received numerous awards during his Air Force career, including the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and many more. After retiring from the Air Force in 2011, he returned to Knoxville. In July 2014, I was pleased to note that he joined the Knox County Veterans Services as the deputy veterans service officer. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize American hero Senior Master Sergeant Lett as Tennessee Second District's Veteran of the Month.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, Haiti is descending into chaos. These folks just lost their democratically elected government, and the violent gangs, which were already running rampant in the country, have basically taken over the country. Mr. Speaker, this is one of the poorest countries in the world. Its people are starved, scared, and terrorized. Why are world leaders not paying more attention? Where is the United Nations? They are not doing anything. They are not sending any peacekeepers. We have sent close to $100 billion to Ukraine since Russia invaded. Of course, I support Ukraine's fight for freedom. I don't support sending them all our money. We shouldn't be its primary sponsor. We shouldn't be hypocritical in how we help countries around the world. What are we going to do if China invades our allies in Taiwan? Do we have a plan? Heck, no, we don't have a plan. We need to be smarter with where we send our money and aid. We need a consistent plan that puts Americans' interests first and addresses foreign conflict.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor National 211 Day, which recognizes the vital services provided by this hotline for vulnerable folks in our community. The 211 Hotline provides free and confidential crisis and emergency counseling, disaster assistance, food, health care and insurance assistance, veteran services, and so much more. The specialists on this hotline take the time to listen to those calling on, and work hard to find the underlying problems they are experiencing and connect them with the resources and services in their community that can help with whatever they need. It helps nearly 25 million Americans across the country, and the Tennessee network has been recognized as leaders in this service. This makes sense, since East Tennessee was the 2nd area in the United States to launch 211, and now 96 percent of the country has this service in place. Too often, members of our community experience major issues and simply don't know where to turn for the help they need. The Hotline helps with that problem in a major way, and I want to recognize the dedicated professionals at 211 for their service.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of condemning the horrors of socialism. The biggest crimes in humanity have happened under socialist regimes. It has taken more than 100 million lives. Margaret Thatcher said it best, and I will paraphrase it: Eventually you run out of people to take money from. That is the only way socialism works. President Trump said we would never be a socialist country in his State of the Union Address, and I was shocked that over half of this body, Mr. Speaker, refused to stand and applaud that. I think it tells where we are as a country. Too many people have fought and died for this country. If you have ever come to my Knoxville office, there is a 48-star flag that is on the wall. It is a flag that was draped over my uncle's casket. He was too old to go fight, Mr. Speaker. He went and enlisted anyway. They sent him back home to Cheatham County. He went back and enlisted again, and they let him go. He died shortly after the D-day invasion as a sergeant. Too old to go to fight, but he went anyway. He fought for the American Dream. He fought for what we have in this country, and every dadgum day we want to throw it away. The fact that we are even having this conversation sickens me, Mr. Speaker. I say that with all sincerity.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. I thank Mr. Clyde and the Speaker for your service to our great country. I don't have any notes for this, but I do want to say the ATF, to me, is the swamp. Now, here we have a group of unelected bureaucrats, dadgummit, that have taken upon themselves to interpret a law. It always reminds me, when I was in Nashville one time. I was sitting at the Crown Plaza across the street from the Capitol with one of my dear friends who just passed away; his name was Tom Hensley. He was called the Golden Goose. He was the liquor lobbyist. I never voted for his bills, but he always liked me. He told me one time, a guy came up and threatened him that worked for our Governor and threatened him; and he sat there, and he chomped on his cigar; and he walked away and he said--Burchett, he said, you know what? He said, in a few more years he will be gone and the old goose will still be sitting here. That is exactly, exactly the mentality of the swamp. It is not like on an episode of The Simpsons where they are all--six people are sitting around at a table in the old cartoon, and they are deciding what is going on. It is a bunch of unelected, arrogant bureaucrats who think they know what is best for this country. Dadgummit, the ATF has overstepped their bounds once again. Law- abiding Americans, law-abiding citizens, law-abiding Tennesseans should not be deemed criminal because of some bureaucratic whim. I appreciate the gentleman, thank him for his service to our country, thank him for this bill. I look forward to voting with him on this bill and being a sponsor.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I believe it is the Volunteer State. The Butternut State, I never heard that. Dadgummit, Mr. Speaker, here I am again bringing attention to yet another example of our woke telecom companies targeting conservative speech. I am very glad though that they did not censor my good friend Mr. Buck's new book ``Crushed,'' which is actually on the best seller list, I have heard. I am fired up about that, brother. DIRECTV, of course, is co-owned by AT&T and TPG, and they have taken ``Newsmax'' off the air as we have heard. DIRECTV says this was purely a business decision, but nobody believes that, Mr. Speaker. Big media corporations don't exactly have the best record of protecting conservative speech. Last year, Democrats in Congress wrote letters to AT&T and other telecom companies demanding they deplatform ``Newsmax''--which is really just a fancy way of saying we are going to deny your First Amendment rights, Mr. Speaker--along with ``Fox News'' and ``One America News'' because of so-called disinformation. After these letters were sent, DIRECTV dropped ``One America News,'' and now it appears to be doing the same thing to ``Newsmax.'' This fits a disturbing pattern, Mr. Speaker, of these woke corporations using their market dominance to censor conservative networks to appease Washington politicians and further their demands on woketopia. After receiving lots of criticism from the American people about this decision, DIRECTV announced it would launch a new conservative network. That is great, but it is still not an excuse for deplatforming another popular network, Mr. Speaker. Our country was built on freedom of speech, and Americans benefit from having access to a wide range of viewpoints, not just the ones approved by the liberal Democrats. Mr. Speaker, one day they will be coming after the liberal media, and then it will be too dadgum late.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Colonel Jason M. Brock who served 32 years in the Tennessee Air National Guard. Colonel Brock began his military career as an enlisted member in 1991 and worked hard during his service to earn a bachelor of science degree from the University of Tennessee in 1994. In 1998, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Since then, Colonel Brock has served in a variety of assignments as a logistics readiness officer and a maintenance officer, and has deployed numerous times in support of multiple operations including Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Southern and Northern Watch, Joint Guard, and Noble Eagle. During his assignment as director of staff for the State of Tennessee Air, he also supported many domestic operations, including Tennessee's military response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Colonel Brock plans to retire this year, and it is a well-earned retirement, Madam Speaker. He plans to spend more time with his wife and his two sons on family outings to the lake and camping. He also has his private pilot license, and he looks forward to enjoying more time in the sky. Our country's heroes are the men and women of our armed services, like Colonel Brock, who served and sacrificed for our freedom. It is my honor to recognize Colonel Jason Brock as the Tennessee Second District's January 2023 Veteran of the Month. Midway IGA

Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate Joe and Dale Longmire on selling Midway IGA and retiring from the grocery business. Claude and Ruby Longmire started Longmire Grocery in Corryton in 1947. They raised Joe and Dale in the grocery business, and they worked very hard in this their entire lives. In 1988, Madam Speaker, Joe and Dale bought the Midway IGA right there on Tazewell Pike, as you well know. Joe and Dale say the community has been very good to the Longmires, and the Midway IGA has been very good to the community. They have been great friends of mine. When you go in there, Madam Speaker, local kids work there. They work the counters and they work everywhere. They have some of the best fried chicken--I believe it is actually called broasted fried chicken--that I have ever had, except, of course, what my wife and my sweet mama used to make. Of course, my family and I trade at the IGA on a regular basis, and the Longmires supported me when I first ran for mayor. They were some of the first people who came out and supported me. They had a fundraiser for me at their house. They live on Emory Road, the same road I live on now. Emory Road is a very long road, Madam Speaker. I actually went to the wrong end of Emory Road, and I was 1 hour late to my own fundraiser; but it just increased the anticipation of my arrival. The Longmire brothers have said that nothing about the store will change, which I am very glad to hear. Midway IGA has been great to our community, and I hope we don't lose that. I wish their sister, Leesa, the best as she sticks around the store as their scanning manager. I wish Joe and his wonderful wife, Becky-- who has been a dear friend to me and my girls a long time--and Dale and his wife, Ellen, the best in their retirement. Joe plans to finish a book he has been researching about the history of Corryton. I look forward to getting an autographed copy which I am sure I will pay dearly for.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Velazquez--I believe I got that right; I have been working on it for about 5 years-- it is a pleasure being here with you all. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the great work you do. There is nobody, I think, better at the helm of the Small Business Committee than somebody who has actually taken a business and made it into something. That is very American and very cool, and I thank you for your friendship to me and my family. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 449, the Microloan Transparency and Accountability Act of 2023. The Small Business Administration's microloan program helps America's entrepreneurs access capital to help their small businesses grow. These loans are usually around $13,000; $13,000, the difference between them making it or not. That kind of money would go a long way for a lot of our mom-and-pop stores in the rural areas of East Tennessee that I am proud to represent, and in our inner cities, as well. Unfortunately, the microloan program has a low participation rate, Mr. Speaker, among our rural businesses. My bill would increase transparency by requiring the Small Business Administration to report data about the program to Congress. This will help us better understand how the program is operating and what we can do to improve it. Government programs that support small businesses shouldn't be full of waste, and they shouldn't neglect businesses simply because of their ZIP Code. My bill will increase transparency and establish accountability at the Small Business Administration to ensure it is working on behalf the small businesses everywhere. I thank my colleagues, especially my sponsor across the aisle who has been my friend for a few years here, for their support on this bipartisan, commonsense bill which passed the House in the 116th and 117th Congresses, and I look forward to seeing the Microloan Transparency and Accountability Act pass the House again today. I also look forward to the Senate doing their work and taking this up, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. BURCHETT

Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, I appreciate my friend, Chairman Jordan, yielding to me. I thank my friend, Representative Ann Wagner, for introducing this important bill again--no better person than a mama and a grandmama--and she does a good job at both of those. Madam Speaker, babies deserve a chance to live. They deserve a chance at life no matter their age or their circumstance. The Constitution says that people have a right to life. The science says babies are people. The Democrats have been pushing, trust the science. Follow the science. Trust the science. Follow the science, the last 2 years. Yet, we are denying the science, Madam Speaker. When I was a little boy, I was asking my mama--we were talking about abortion and we were talking about babies being born that were maybe disabled or had some other anomaly, and I said: Mama, what would we do if one of those babies was born and I was the father of one of those little babies? And she said: Honey, we would love that baby just a little more. Madam Speaker, we need to love those babies just a little more and not murder them.