Kat Cammack

Mrs. CAMMACK

Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life and service of Captain Mark Elam of the Putnam County Department of Corrections. Captain Elam served in the Putman County Sheriff's Office for nearly 20 years and, in that time, proved himself to be a hardworking servant. Before joining the sheriff's office, Mark served 4 years in the United States Marine Corps. But the role that he excelled at the most was as a family man. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Lachrisha, for 15 years and a father to two children. Before Captain Elam's death last week, Mark and his wife were in the process of adopting five siblings. He had a servant's heart and so much compassion to give. His loss leaves a hole in the Putnam County law enforcement community, but his memory will live on in the work and good deeds he did in life. I want to extend my condolences to his wife, children, and the entire Putnam County Sheriff's Office in their enormous loss. God bless Captain Elam and his family. You've got the watch. Honoring Gilchrist County Sheriff's Sergeant Noel Ramirez and Deputy Taylor Lindsey

Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember Gilchrist County Sheriff's Sergeant Noel Ramirez and Deputy Taylor Lindsey who were both gunned down in the line of duty 3 years ago today. On April 19, 2018, Sergeant Ramirez and Deputy Lindsey were eating lunch at a restaurant in Trenton, Florida, when a coward fired through a window and killed both officers in the line of duty. That man--whose name does not deserve to be mentioned--killed those two officers, consumed by a radical hate for law enforcement. That same hate for law enforcement that we saw then I continue to see today. Now more than ever we need to publicly and boldly support our law enforcement officers. Noel and Taylor's deaths remind us of the constant vigilance that an officer needs to have in order to return home safely to their families every night. Being an LEO is a difficult and often thankless job. I want to take a moment to thank Sergeant Ramirez and Deputy Lindsey for their service and sacrifice to our community. We honor their legacy by continuing to say their names and remember their sacrifice and love for our hometown. I pledge to always have our brothers and sisters in uniform's six.

Mrs. CAMMACK

Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1446 and H.R. 8, a/k/a the gun-grabber bills. Madam Speaker Pelosi, you were elected in 1987, and I was born in 1988. During that time, you say that background checks have saved millions of lives. But what about the more than 50 million babies that have been murdered through abortion? So I am just going to leave that there as we talk about the value of life. These bills are not about gun safety, and they certainly aren't about reducing crime. These bills are about control. Two weeks ago, Democrats voted to strip religious freedom. Last week, they voted to defund our police. Today, they are now taking our guns. In reality, these bills do nothing to improve background checks, as noted by an Obama official in 2013: ``The effectiveness of universal background checks depends on requiring gun registration.'' Instead, it would increase our wait times and allow for endless delays for law-abiding citizens to purchase firearms. Our communities have seen too many tragedies perpetuated by sick people intent on committing violence, no matter the weapon. H.R. 1446 puts the onus on individuals to contact the government if their background check hasn't been completed in 10 days. You know who cannot afford to wait? The single mom looking to protect herself and her children from a violent ex who has just been released from jail. You think this situation isn't real? It happened last month in Orlando. And there are thousands more like them. You know that the more garbage that we find in these bills, the more I believe that the motto of these Chambers is changing from ``We the People'' to let's screw the people. H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 does nothing but make it more difficult for law- abiding citizens to protect themselves and their families. Under this legislation, criminals will do what they do best: Break the law and perpetuate crime. So I ask my colleagues considering supporting these bills: Do you honestly think that punishing law-abiding constituents in your districts, stripping them of their constitutional rights will make them safer? Will you be able to look them in the eye as they are the next victim of crime? As Members of Congress we swore an oath to defend the Constitution, and that includes the Second Amendment. Shall not be infringed. You and I both took that oath, Mr. Speaker.

Mrs. CAMMACK

Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this rule as well as H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446, a/k/a the legislation to deny Americans their Second Amendment rights. Common sense and data tell us that these bills will do nothing to prevent criminals from obtaining firearms or stop mass shootings in the United States. Instead, these bills will make it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to exercise their constitutionally protected rights. H.R. 8 would lead to a national gun registry which every American should be concerned about. Even former Obama officials acknowledge that universal background checks are only effective with a national registry in place. H.R. 1446 would lead to unnecessary and potentially indefinite delays in law-abiding citizens purchasing the tools necessary to defend their families and their homes. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle claim that H.R. 1446 would close a loophole, but we know the truth. The only loophole will be that the criminals will continue to get guns on the black market while lawful citizens are denied their rights. As Members of Congress we swore an oath to defend the Constitution, and that includes the Second Amendment; and it reads plainly: shall not be infringed. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand up for all Americans' rights to bear arms, uphold their constitutional oath, and reject this rule and these horrendous bills.

Mrs. CAMMACK

Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Arizona for yielding, and I am proud to support her amendment. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1, the so-called For the People Act a/k/a the for the politicians act. Supporters of this bill claim that it is the fix needed for the problems within our Nation's electoral system, but in reality this bill is a power grab that will blur the lines between official and campaign resources and leave taxpayers footing the bill. It is shameful that this body is even considering this legislation that forces hardworking Americans amid an unprecedented crisis to give politicians money. H.R. 1 would funnel millions of taxpayer dollars into the campaign accounts of politicians through voucher and funding match programs. This bill will allow 16-year-olds to vote, give $25 vouchers to individuals to donate to the candidate of their choice, redefines free speech, triggers universal mail-in ballots, creates an election czar, strips voter ID requirements, and so much more. This bill jeopardizes the future of Americans' freedom of speech with new requirements for public disclosure of support of political campaigns and candidates. Mr. Speaker, we cannot claim to be protecting the rights and freedoms enshrined in our Constitution when this, the For the People Act--more aptly named the for the politicians act--is under consideration.

Mrs. CAMMACK

Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in strong opposition to the efforts by you and your colleagues to defund our police. This week we will be voting on H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill is named after a man who was murdered by a police officer. The officer responsible should have never been allowed to don a badge and act on behalf of the agency sworn to protect its citizens. He should and is being held accountable. Now, as a member of a first responder family, I can say definitively on behalf of our officers that there is absolutely nothing, nothing that a good cop hates more than a bad cop. And as the wife of a first responder, this issue could not be more personal to me. Mr. Speaker, my husband serves our local community as a firefighter and a SWAT medic for our local sheriff's department. And next to me here today, you see one of his SWAT vests. This is the same vest that he wore for 14 hours while on a massive manhunt for a man who had just been released from prison, who promptly raped and killed his girlfriend. It is the same vest that he wore while responding to a man who had barricaded himself with weapons, threatening to kill his own children. These are just some of the scenes that this vest and my husband have seen, like so many of our LEOs. But the real threat here is not the dangerous situations that my husband has seen in protecting his community, it is the fact that this bill--and by extension, you, Mr. Speaker--want to take this vest off my husband's back because, yes, what this bill does is take this kind of equipment off the backs of our men and women in uniform. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues who are considering voting for this bill: Are you waking up at 2 a.m. to respond to a gruesome murder? Are you missing your children's birthday parties to respond to gang shootings? There is absolutely room for us to improve. There is absolutely room and a necessity for us to do better. But the answer is not to defund the police. It is not the answer. What this bill ultimately does is defund the police. You want a better trained, more responsive police force in your hometown? Fully fund the police. You say this is a reform bill, and I say that is BS. Mr. Speaker, your own conference members have been advocating for the defunding of our local police officers, calling them names that I cannot and will not repeat here today. In fact, many of your members have made it a top priority of their platforms.

Mrs. CAMMACK

Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and honor hometown heroes in my district and across the Nation, these proud Americans embodying the persistent, giving, and fighting spirit of our national creed. The COVID pandemic has put our country and our communities to the test, pushing us to seek positivity and hope in each day as we have weathered the storms that have come our way. Mr. Speaker, I want to highlight the great work and service of my constituents who have shown bravery and empathy in these trying times. Last week, I invited the constituents of Florida's Third Congressional District, the Gator Nation, to submit their nominations for individuals they would like to honor for their dedication to our communities over the last year. I received several nominations with the names of constituents who have gone above and beyond the call of duty, who put service above self, so many nominations, in fact, that we have pledged to continue this series throughout the year to highlight their great work. Included in this group are first responders, law enforcement officers, teachers, nurses, and Good Samaritans. They are the backbone of our communities. I am honored to be able to represent them in Congress and share their stories with you today. The first is my friend, and the only woman sheriff in the great State of Florida, Sheriff Michelle Cook. Sheriff Cook, in her long tenure in law enforcement, has walked the beat and fought against the scourge of the opioid epidemic and human trafficking in Clay County. She is also the proud mother to four foster children, who she lovingly brought into her own home to prevent their separation. She works every day to protect our community and our great county of Clay County. I am so grateful for her service. Thank you, Sheriff Cook. Now, much like Sheriff Cook, Sergeant Kim Miller put service above self as a member of the Green Cove Springs Police Department. While Sergeant Miller celebrated her retirement earlier this year, she has spent the last 15 years of her life dedicated to the children of Clay County and their safety and development. She is proud to have been the first Black female sergeant for the Green Cove Springs Police Department and continues to make the citizens of Clay County proud. It was always a pleasure seeing Sergeant Miller's smiling face when I visited the department, and I congratulate her on her retirement this year. Although she is not on the force any longer, her service to the Green Cove Springs community is remarkable. I am honored to celebrate her here today. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Carl).

Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Alabama. Even though, the SEC Nation, we may be rivals on game day, when it comes to honoring our hometown heroes, we are united, and I appreciate you taking the time to share these stories. Mr. Speaker, before I yield to another one of my great colleagues, I want to highlight a great man, Mr. Mike Leader, from Fleming Island, Florida, who is an active duty physician proudly serving in the United States Navy. Mike was deployed in April 2020 to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and he has been working tirelessly to save lives over the last year. His wife, Adriane, and his three children have remained strong and positive during his time away from home, recognizing his sacrifice for our fellow Americans. Mike is set to be deployed again next month to once again take up the fight against this pandemic, and he and his family will be in my thoughts and prayers as he continues the fight to end COVID-19. I would also like to honor Orange Park native Peggie French. Ms. French is what her nominators call an angel to seniors. Ms. French spends hours every single week scheduling vaccines for seniors in Clay County. She has become somewhat of an expert in the process and even helps to monitor the vaccine sites for cancelations to help seniors trying to get appointments. To date, she has helped over 60 senior citizens to get appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine in her spare time. I visited the COVID vaccination sites in my district a few weeks ago, where these very seniors that she helped were being vaccinated. I want to thank Peggie and those just like her for helping folks in our area. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice).

Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the great State of Oklahoma. It has been an honor so far serving with her in this Congress, and I expect that we will be hearing many more stories of great Oklahomans who are doing incredible work in our communities. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to honor a gentleman who is much like my husband, a hero and a firefighter. Justin Dean serves the Orange Park Fire Department and its city both in his capacity as a firefighter and as a heroic private citizen. Mr. Dean was driving home one afternoon recently when he noticed a car parked on the side of the bridge near Doctor's Lake. He pulled his vehicle over, proceeded to talk to the woman standing at the top of the bridge, and he offered her a hug. When she accepted, Firefighter Dean jumped into action and pulled her tightly over the rail to safety. He was awarded a meritorious award for his brave, lifesaving action. Mr. Speaker, I thank Justin. Mr. Speaker, Rhonda Wilson is a hero from my hometown of Gainesville, Florida. She wears many hats in our community. She is a middle school teacher, a thespian, a theater director, and a philanthropist. She founded the Star Center Theatre nearly two decades ago and, in the years since, has provided an opportunity for local children and families to perform and enjoy fine arts. A portion of all the theatre's proceeds go to Created Gainesville, a nonprofit committed to reaching and restoring women caught in sex trafficking and sexual exploitation in Gainesville. Rhonda's work is especially impactful to me, as I have worked to eliminate human trafficking from our District and our State. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Donalds).

Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, as a fellow Floridian, I look forward to getting to know the gentleman's hometown heroes at some point in the near future. I thank the gentleman for joining me here on the floor of the people's House to honor the hometown heroes who make up the great State of Florida. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to recognize my friend and the great sheriff of Marion County, Sheriff Billy Woods. I have known Billy for nearly a decade, and in that time, I have seen his passion for helping people. I am proud to have worked with Sheriff Woods on combating human trafficking in the State of Florida, as well as taking on criminal drug traffickers and supporting the rights of lawful gun owners. I am also proud to recognize his tireless efforts tonight to protect and serve our ever-growing community in Marion County. I know Billy to be a man of integrity, grit, and honesty. He is a tremendous defender of freedom and security, and I am proud to call him and his wife, Samantha, dear friends. I am deeply grateful for all of the people who have spoken here today. Their work and their efforts to make my district and its many communities a better place to live and raise a family do not go unnoticed. They make me proud to be an American and the Representative from Florida's Third Congressional District. I chose to celebrate these hometown heroes today to honor their work and celebrate their passion for helping others. I challenge my constituents and all Americans to take stock of the everyday heroes all around us and thank them for what they do. Whether it is working as a frontline healthcare worker in a local clinic, a law enforcement officer supporting children, librarians assisting students with virtual learning, or a delivery worker ensuring that we all get our critical packages on time, they are all--and there are so many more out there--extraordinary Americans who continue to put duty above all else. I thank the nominees and the nominators of today's heroes. Again, I look forward to continuing this yearlong series of honoring our hometown heroes, and I look forward to hearing more of my colleagues' stories from their hometown heroes. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity here tonight to honor these heroes, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAMMACK

Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the life of Luke Letlow. As a Member-elect of this freshman class, Luke was one of us. We didn't get the privilege of serving alongside him, but in getting to know his family, I have no doubt that he would have been an energetic leader among us. In talking with Luke's wife, Julia, I have come to know the very best of what Luke stood for and why he will forever be with us as a Member of this body. Luke's love of Louisiana ran as deep as the roots of generations that came before him. Luke revered leaders ranging from Ronald Reagan, whose optimistic vision of conservatism transformed the Republican Party and the world, to the local Richland Parish police jurors who ensured residents received the essential services that local government was charged with providing. Luke loved studying Louisiana political history and voraciously read every out-of-print book on the subject that he could get his hands on. Luke's passion for preserving the history of Richland Parish and his forebears took him from documenting gravesites and local churches to building a website that chronicled the history of the rural community where he was raised. Luke's love of America, Louisiana, and Richland Parish defined him as a person and motivated him to pursue a career in the noble profession of public service. Tonight, we honor his memory. But moving forward, we will strive to embody his passion for people, our history, and our Nation.

Mrs. CAMMACK

Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise before you today in opposition to this rule. Since we began this new Congress in January--and I realize that I am new here--I have yet to see a single action by this House that could be interpreted as bipartisan; unifying; or, if we are being honest, a good use of our collective time. Our Nation is experiencing one of the worst crises in our history. Last Congress, this body passed legislation that was quadruple the size of all New Deal programs combined, and that is adjusted for inflation. We are talking about $4 trillion. Today's solutions cannot be tomorrow's problems. Madam Speaker, I am in favor of relief for our struggling businesses, our constituents, and our hardworking families. However, what we are considering here today is not relief. Rather, we are garnishing the wages of future generations. While the left is focused on charging Members of Congress thousands of dollars for their masks falling below their nose, mom-and-pop shops back home are having their local, State, and now Federal Government stand in the way of them opening their doors and getting this economy up and running. And what of the $1.3 trillion that this body recently passed and that this administration has yet to spend? Where is that money going? History shows us that the most successful actions by government have been bipartisan. It is time to let everyone, including Republicans, have a seat at the table. Until we prioritize all--all--of our people instead of just some coastal elites, I will not and I cannot support the actions of this majority.

Mrs. CAMMACK

Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the objection of the electoral certification of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Speaker, as a new Representative here, I did not envision my first speech on the House floor to be this, here tonight, but rather, a tribute to our first responders and frontline workers who have been a shining light in an otherwise tough year for us all. After the events tonight, I am especially grateful for our men and women who put service above self, confronting lawlessness and danger while protecting this very Chamber, its Members, and our constitutional Republic. As a Member of the people's House, and the wife of a first responder, thank you to our law enforcement here today. But, especially, after tonight's unacceptable breach of the people's House, I am furthermore resolved in the fact that we, as representatives of the people, must take a stand for every American's right to a free and fair election as guaranteed by the Constitution. Article I, Section 4, Clause 1 of the Constitution explicitly rests the time and manner of our elections in the hands of our State legislatures. However, State law in the 2020 election was modified or circumvented without approval of the State legislature. These actions are in clear violation of the Constitution, specifically Article II, Section 1, Clause 2, which grants State legislatures the sole authority to establish how State Presidential electors are appointed. These changes, along with other election irregularities throughout the 2020 election, require me, as a Member of this body, to object to the certification of these electoral votes, just as my colleagues across the aisle have objected to every Republican Presidential election over the last 20 years. Tonight, as we undertake the very serious responsibility of debating these State electoral certifications, I urge my colleagues to listen earnestly and with an open mind, remembering that just 3 days ago, we swore an oath to the United States Constitution, not a political party. Our constituents are counting on us. Our country is counting on us. Our children are counting on us, and we cannot let them down. Madam Speaker, in December, 25 of my freshman colleagues and I sent you a letter imploring you to investigate these election irregularities. To date, we have not received a response. That brings us to today. My colleagues across the aisle have repeatedly invoked our Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, who famously said: We have a republic, if we can keep it. I say, let's keep it. Madam Speaker, it is with that sentiment in mind that I ask my colleagues to defend the power vested in this legislative branch by the U.S. Constitution and reject the certification of the electoral votes of the State in question. It is our responsibility to have courage in the face of adversity and bring integrity back to this process. Madam Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from the great State of Texas (Mr. Arrington).