Tom Cole

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy), who is a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for a couple of points. Mr. Speaker, my friend is concerned about the Social Security Act. We have a bill on that, a bill very similar to what President Biden himself voted for when he was in the United States Senate, both the creation of a commission and its final results. I invite my friend to look at it. Perhaps he would join it, and it would be inherently bipartisan. My friend made the point that inflation is a global phenomenon. I agree. It absolutely is. Mr. Speaker, if you screw up the greatest economy in the world, then it has global consequences. That is exactly what my friends did. Don't take my word for it. They were warned by Larry Summers, the Secretary of the Treasury for Bill Clinton, a distinguished economist. They were warned by Steve Rattner, who managed the auto industry under President Obama. They were warned by Jason Furman, who was the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers to President Biden. If my friends pass something as large as the American Rescue Plan, then we are going to have inflation within a year. We did. If my friends would listen to their own economists, then we could have avoided this, and we might not have had to take the drastic action we are today. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Van Orden).

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 327.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself quickly such time as I may consume just to correct my friend. I did not blame all inflation on President Biden. He had a lot of help. He had a Democratic House and a Democratic Senate that worked with him to get there, so he certainly didn't do it on his own. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock), my very good friend, and a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. My friend and I have had a very long day and have spent a lot of time together. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the distinguished ranking member of the Rules Committee, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, during consideration of this resolution, all time is yielded for the purposes of debate only. General Leave

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 327 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, last night, the Rules Committee met and met and met and reported out a rule providing for the consideration of H.R. 2811, the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023, and H.J. Res. 39, a joint resolution of disapproval that ends President Biden's rule protecting Chinese solar manufacturers that are illegally violating U.S. trade law. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2811 under a closed rule. It provides 2 hours of general debate and one motion to recommit. The rule also provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 39 under a closed rule with 1 hour of general debate and one motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, the United States Government hit our statutory debt limit of $31.3 trillion. That is an astonishing number. It is over 120 percent of our annual gross domestic product. This level of spending is simply unsustainable, and the American people know it. Three out of every four Americans support taking action on the national debt. They know that if we do nothing and keep moving forward as we have been doing, the result will be leaving a huge burden for our children and grandchildren; a pile of debt, a weak economy, and a broken currency. You would think, given all that, the staggering reality, that President Biden and congressional Democrats would acknowledge the need to do something to address this problem. You would think they would be open to doing what we have done many, many times in the past: to couple needed fiscal reforms with an agreement to lift the debt ceiling. You would even think that President Biden, who himself personally negotiated several debt ceiling increases over the years, would be willing to sit down with us and talk. Instead, we have heard none of this. No, we will not negotiate with you. No, we will not talk about the Federal budget. No, we won't look at commonsense reforms. No. No. No. Instead, President Biden and congressional Democrats insist it is their way or the highway. There will be no reforms, no changes to Federal spending, not even clawing back the unspent pandemic relief funds that are no longer necessary. With the passage of the Limit, Save, Grow Act, the House will stand with the American people who desperately want us to fix our national debt problem. That fix starts here in today's bill. Mr. Speaker, our second item for today, H.J. Res. 39, is a joint resolution of disapproval of a Biden administration rule that would suspend import duties on solar panels made with components from the People's Republic of China. Mr. Speaker, Communist China does not play by the same rules as the rest of the world. Chinese leadership will do whatever it takes to advance the Chinese Communist Party's interest to the detriment of the American economy. China has been unfairly subsidizing the production of solar cells and modules and dumping them on the U.S. market at below cost. It should come as no surprise that China is also attempting to get around the existing import duties by routing their subsidized solar components through four countries: Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Instead of holding them accountable for their actions, President Biden suspended the penalties for 2 years, presumably to appease climate activists who have no interest in America's job creators and manufacturers. If the House does not act, China's bad behavior will go unchallenged, and American solar manufacturers will continue to get a raw deal. Mr. Speaker, we must stand up to Communist China. We must call out their inappropriate behavior on the global stage. When it is called for, we must protect American manufacturers against unfair competition. H.J. Res. 39 will accomplish all of these goals and will do so in a bipartisan manner. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, today, I celebrate the grand opening of a very impressive building in my hometown of Moore, Oklahoma. First United Bank, which is based in Durant, Oklahoma, has a long history of community service and working with community members to achieve their financial goals while lifting up those around them. First United Bank has reinforced its commitment to the Moore community with a building that will not only house all its financial partners and services under one roof but will also serve as a community center for Moore and the greater Oklahoma City Metro. In keeping with First United's other locations, there will be free community spaces; lobby items that celebrate and educate on the Bank's four pillars: financial wellbeing, personal growth, health & wellness, and faith; food truck hook-ups; training rooms; and a large space that community members can use to host events free of cost. This is a multi-million- dollar investment in the Moore community. As a lead up to the actual grand opening, First United Bank hosted several events and activities for the residents of Moore and the surrounding community to participate in. These events included a blood drive, a free shred day, a pastor appreciation luncheon with a renowned author and theologian, and a book fair where each student at a local elementary school received two free books courtesy of the bank. I am grateful for the work of First United Bank and its commitment to help others ``Spend Life Wisely,'' and I celebrate the opening of this incredible building.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 146.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today out of gratitude to my wonderful Director of Strategic Communications, Sarah Corley. Sarah, an Oklahoma girl, born and raised in Oklahoma City, is an alumna of Oklahoma Baptist University where she graduated with a double major in Finance and Marketing. Sarah has worked in my Congressional office in Washington, D.C. on two separate occasions. She served diligently as my Press Secretary from 2013 to 2016. Then she went off to spread her wings at the Phillips Collection as Media Relations manager and as Press Secretary at the House Budget Committee under my dear friend and former colleague, Chairman Dianne Black. In 2018, my staff and I were lucky to welcome Sarah back for a second time to again lead my press office and lead the Republican communications efforts for me at the House Rules Committee beginning in 2019. Sarah's sharp insights, incredible talent, and natural curiosity make her a triple threat in a world in need of more people with quality traits. Sarah has a passion for art, fashion, traveling the world and service to others. In fact, she has been an active member of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the Junior League during her time here. She also recently completed a certificate in Professional Image Consulting with the Fashion Institute of Technology. Sarah's contributions to my office and my success in serving the Fourth District of Oklahoma and the Rules Committee have been invaluable as an experienced communicator with a wealth of knowledge and insight. I will forever cherish and have gratitude for her guidance, creativeness and counsel. Mr. Speaker, after 11 years in Washington, D.C., Sarah is moving on and moving back to Oklahoma for now. I know she has family and friends in Oklahoma to welcome her home and she will excel in amazing ways in everything she sets her mind on. I hope she always remembers she has friends in Washington, D.C. as well. I am excited to see what she will accomplish next.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), my good friend.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I begin by thanking my friend for the debate and for his tremendous work in holding China accountable in the human rights area. I am certainly confident the Speaker will do as he said, and we will have a committee both sides can be proud of. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution creating a Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. It is beyond dispute that Communist China poses an urgent generational threat to the United States' interests and values. America has become far too economically dependent on China in recent decades, and as a result, our supply chains have become dangerously fragile. We must urgently take steps to secure our supply chains and bring them home. The Chinese Communist Party continues to push the envelope, both in the United States and abroad. They steal American intellectual property. They build spy networks and propaganda machines on American soil. They threaten our allies in Asia and the South China Sea. They have spread their influence throughout the developing world, seeking to ensnare vulnerable developing countries in debt-trap diplomacy. Mr. Speaker, the time has come for the House of Representatives to take a comprehensive look at Communist China. We must build on the excellent work done by the China Task Force in 2019 and 2020. We must investigate China's actions and respond appropriately to ensure America confronts this very grave threat. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote ``yes'' on this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution creating the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. In the 1970s it was apparent from revelations in the popular press that the American intelligence community had committed abuses as part of their activities. In response, Congress created the Church Committee which investigated these abuses and brought them into the light. Today, it is again apparent that the Federal Government has been weaponized for political purposes. Like the Church Committee--which this subcommittee is modeled on--the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government will investigate the abuse of Americans' civil liberties and bring them into the light. I am confident that this subcommittee will do the American people a great service. They deserve to have confidence in their government, and that confidence starts with ensuring that the vast powers of the executive branch are not abused. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote ``yes'' on the resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Massie).

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Pfluger), my very good friend, who served the country in and out of uniform.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock), who is my very good friend.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde).

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Boebert), my very good friend.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I would advise my friend that I am prepared to close whenever he is.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy), my friend.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer), my very good friend, the incoming chairman of the Oversight Committee.