Jerry Carl

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I am a firm believer that when the President of the United States does well, be it Republican or Democrat, we as America benefit the most. Unfortunately, President Biden's performance during his first year in office has been absolutely terrible, and virtually all Americans are suffering because of his failures. There is so much about this President that actually frustrates me. He left behind Americans in Afghanistan, and he has completely refused to secure our southern border. Meanwhile, he is punishing hardworking Americans by imposing illegal vaccine mandates on them. All across America, businesses are struggling to keep their doors open and their shelves stocked, but President Biden has done nothing to fix these issues. I am urging President Biden to show up and work on leadership for a change. The American people deserve much, much more and much better than what they are receiving today.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I stand here representing families all across this country who are struggling with rising costs of virtually everything, from gas to groceries. And there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. Inflation is taxation, and it has increased every single month since Joe Biden has been President. Last month marked a 30-year record high in inflation. Even worse, real wages have decreased under Biden almost every month since he has been in office. So what is causing this inflation? President Biden and his allies in Congress are continuing to borrow trillions and trillions of dollars to pay for a massive Big Government expansion. It is unsustainable, and we cannot afford it. It is past time we get this runaway spending under control. As I have said countless times, Washington has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. The American people deserve better than this. It is time that we put them first and get our economy back on track.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Pennsylvania for his leadership on this issue. Madam Speaker, I rise to oppose President Biden's unconstitutional vaccine mandates on our businesses. I believe this vaccine is effective. That is why I took it, and that is the reason my family has taken it. But I strongly believe getting the vaccine should be a personal choice, not a mandated choice. The Federal Government has no right to mandate the vaccine on job creators or workers who are already struggling to recover from this pandemic and to get our supply chain back working properly again. The last thing they need right now is more government rules and regulations, and that is all we are seeing out of this administration. The American people are fed up with it. They are fed up with Big Government overreach in our lives. That is why I am proud to stand with so many of my colleagues to introduce this Congressional Review Act resolution, which would officially strike down President Biden's illegal vaccine mandate on our businesses. We will continue doing all we can to fight back against President Biden's war on American workers, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand with us.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the U.S. flagged merchant fleet and the men and women of the US merchant marine who work every day to support our military and our nation. We are now seeing firsthand how important maritime transportation is to our supply chain and the health of our economy. Our U.S. flagged fleet responds when called upon to aid in disasters and emergencies, moves critical government and military cargo around the world, and carries essential humanitarian aid to help people in need across the globe. Madam Speaker, programs like the Maritime Security Program and the Tanker Security Program enjoy bipartisan support in Congress because they help ensure we retain both a strong commercial maritime capability that enhances our national security and a critical military capability should we need it in times of conflict. We must do all we can to strengthen our fleet and support our mariners.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Johnson) for organizing this Special Order. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address President Biden's failure to secure our borders and enforce our national immigration laws. The Biden administration's disregard for the national security threat and humanitarian crisis they have created is extremely troubling. The American people deserve better than this. My constituents in south Alabama, as well as millions of folks across America, share my concern. That is why today I sent a letter to President Biden asking him a few simple questions. They are as follows: Why did you stop construction on the border wall even though we had supplies on the ground and contractors ready to finish it? Why? What is the plan to secure our border and enforce our immigration laws today? Do we have a plan? What is the plan to prevent additional surges of illegal immigrants who are crossing our border? As we know, there are 30- to 50,000 on the way that are going to get here, and I want to know what the plan is before they get here; not a week after they get here. What is the plan to handle thousands of individuals living in makeshift camps along the border? Can the White House assure us that these criminals who are sneaking across the border will not be released in our community? I challenge my friends from across the aisle to stand up and start speaking out. This is not a Republican issue. It is an American issue. We have got to stand up for our constituents because when we are getting these people coming across the border with diseases, undocumented, the drugs, it becomes an American problem, and we as Americans have got to stand together and fight this. If we can't get the Democratic Party, the Democrats across the aisle, to listen to what we are saying, there will be a tsunami in 2022 that will change this House for a long time. And that is not what we need. We need to be working together. Although I doubt my letter will get a response from President Biden, I will continue to fight to secure our border so we can protect the health and the safety of American citizens.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to object to this ridiculous, wasteful spending that my colleagues from across the aisle are trying to ram through with this proposed $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill. We have real needs in this country, but instead of addressing them, the Democrats are attempting to spend somewhere around $3.5 trillion on social programs, Green New Deal mandates, and all kinds of junk that adds up. If you were to take and stack up $3.5 trillion in $1 bills, you would have a total of 250,000 miles of bills. That is how tall it would be. This is unacceptable. It is totally ridiculous. It is absolutely absurd to consider spending that much money in an area that we are just beginning to get involved in, which is green energy. It would be one thing if money was going to actually improve this country in a massive way. You might see some support from the Republican side. You might even see some of your own Democrats coming back to your own party. But as we all know, there are things in this bill that are horrible. I want to just mention three of them very briefly: One, we are throwing trillions of dollars at this ridiculous Green New Deal mandate. We are going to mandate things on corporations and on people they cannot afford. We are going to break the back of small businesses. It is coming. Two, we are spending billions of dollars to expand the numbers in the IRS--88,000 new IRS agents. Those agents aren't going to separate us from being Democrats and Republicans. All they are looking at is a dollar figure. Madam Speaker, I propose to you there is going to be some blowback on that. You are giving them the right to spy on every American in this country, and that is wrong. It is wrong. We shouldn't fear our government. We shouldn't fear the IRS. They should fear us because we are the taxpayer; we are the people. Three, it will direct taxpayers' dollars directly to perform and to promote abortion. Never has that ever been done in this country before. That is going to be a game changer. Madam Speaker, I suggest to you there is a tsunami coming up in 2022 because the American people are upset. This bill will also increase taxes and the cost of living of everyday, hardworking Americans. Again, this is unacceptable. We are nearly $30 trillion in debt. Inflation has risen every month that President Biden has been in office, and Americans across this country are seeing their cost of living skyrocket. In my small community I am looking at gas at $1 more a gallon. You can't reach into a hardworking American's pocket, Madam Speaker, without feeling their gas money, and when they have to give a dollar more a gallon, they are going to remember that. Let me just remind my colleagues from across the aisle, the American people are fed up with this foolishness. I promise you, Madam Speaker, they will remember in 2022. That tsunami is coming. I have spent a lot of time trying to make a lot of friends on the Democratic side. I think it is extremely important for this House to work together and not against one another, but if you follow this administration off this cliff, there is no return. The American people are going to turn on the people who voted for it. It is time to get serious about fiscal responsibility and learn to live within our means. Or is it too late? Our children and our grandchildren deserve better than this, and I will not stand by and watch this country mortgage our future. Washington has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. We collect plenty of money, it is just how we spend it. We have got to learn to cut back. It is reckless and irresponsible for this body to continue throwing trillions of dollars around like there is nothing to it. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to oppose this terrible $3.5 trillion wreck bill, as I love to call it.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose this amendment. There are several different ways to look at this amendment. The budget that we got from the President was before our problems in Afghanistan. We asked him for $25 billion to replace $80 to $85 billion we left on the ground for the Taliban to fight back at us. So I ask that we keep an open mind on replacing that equipment, if nothing else. It is critical to pass this bill which includes a bipartisan increase--I repeat, bipartisan. How many times do you hear that word, Mr. Speaker? I have been here for 9 months, and I can probably count that on one hand. The bill includes a bipartisan increase in spending to counter threats and project U.S. strength around the world. This amendment would limit readiness and the needed capabilities to counter these threats. Passage of this amendment would basically shortchange our military at a time when they need our support more than ever. I am proud to have worked on this bill with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that our military is fully funded so our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to protect and defend the United States of America. Folks in my district in south Alabama work hard every day to support the military readiness of this country. Unlike President Biden and his allies in Congress, Alabamians understand how important it is to fully fund our military. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support our Armed Forces and oppose this amendment.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my opposition to H.R. 3755, the abortion on demand act. This bill would make permanent a law to allow abortion providers to perform an abortion for any reason at any point in a pregnancy. It would also make permanent law a woman's ability to get an abortion for any reason and at any point in the pregnancy. This is in direct violation of countless State and Federal pro-life laws. By passing this law, pro-abortion radicals would eliminate even the most basic protection for unborn children at any stage in their development. It is extremely discouraging to see the absolute lack of care for human life and basic human dignity. Life is a precious gift from God, and every human is made in God's image. Every person, especially children, should have the inherent dignity in the right to life. We have a fundamental duty as a society to fight for life and to ensure that the most vulnerable among us are protected. I am proud to be 100 percent pro-life, and I will continue fighting any efforts by this body to take away the rights of the unprotected, unborn, and newborn children. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides to reject this abortion on demand act and join me for the fight.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the horrible inflation crisis we are seeing in this country. I can remember back to the terrible inflation period of the 1970s, and I always hoped we would never return back to those times. Unfortunately, what I see coming lately, it is looking very similar. With the lifting of the pandemic restrictions and the increasing rate of vaccinations, many Americans are getting back to their normal routine. Many are dining out, traveling, and enjoying social events again. While this is great news, virtually every American is noticing a massive increase in the price of nearly everything because of the unprecedented inflation caused by the Biden administration's reckless spending and willingness to pay people to sit at home instead of work. Inflation has increased every single month since Biden has taken office. The Consumer Price Index has increased more than 5 percent over a year ago, which is the largest jump since just before the 2008 financial crisis. Gas prices have increased 45 percent compared to last year; food prices have increased more than 2 percent; and consumer prices overall are up near 5 percent. While these numbers may not concern President Biden, they are absolutely killing the working class. The Biden administration's failures have real consequences, and his policies are crushing the working- and middle-class families across Alabama and throughout our Nation. The working class is the backbone of this Nation, so I urge President Biden and my colleagues across the aisle to get serious about addressing this crisis and get to work building the economy that benefits all Americans.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the lives of the 10 people who perished last week in a horrific accident in Butler County, Alabama. This day was especially tragic for our state. Losing 10 people in an accident is terrible enough, but it's even worse that 8 of them were young, school-aged girls from the Tallapoosa Girls Ranch. Each of these girls came from rough backgrounds where they were abused and/or neglected, but at some point they found a family and a community at the Tallapoosa Girls Ranch. I can't even begin to imagine the grief that is felt by the loved ones of these 10 people, but I know they will find some comfort knowing countless people around the state and the Nation are grieving with them. I urge my colleagues and folks everywhere to continue keeping the loved ones of these 10 people in our thoughts and prayers.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Gimenez for overseeing this and calling us together. Mr. Speaker, let's not forget what we have gone through in the last year and a half. In the last year and a half, personally, I have seen a campaign that we have had to run while talking through doors. We had campaigns that were virtually unheard of in the past. Those of us that did win, when we came to Washington, we were all treated equally, but we were treated like a disease. We were locked down in a hotel; our food was slipped to us through a plastic cover, in a paper bag; and that is the way we lived for a week through orientation. I am not blaming anyone. We had no idea what was going on. We all lived in fear. We all worried about this. But we are Americans and we are tough. We are tough. So we have made it. We have made it so far. The changes we have seen, the birthdays that we have missed, the parents that we have seen that have passed away without us being there with them, I mean, we have all lived through this. We have got to reach across the aisle, and we have got to get America answers, answers to where this pandemic actually started. I encourage everyone to do that. Millions have lost jobs and necessary incomes while countless others lost loved ones to the virus. Meanwhile, the American public is constantly being misled over the origins of the spread of this COVID- 19. First, we need to declassify all information related to the origins of COVID-19. Then we need to prohibit the National Institutes of Health from giving funds to irresponsible foreign governments, like China. And, finally, we need to investigate the Chinese Communist Party's role in the origin and the spread of this virus. The evidence is clear that the Chinese Communist Party intentionally hid information and lied about the truth about this virus. It is time for answers, and it is time for us to hold them accountable for the spread of this horrific pandemic. The American people and the whole world deserves to know the truth. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stop, hesitate, and let's work together on this. Let's join together and find out the truth and prevent something like this from happening again. It is very important to this country and this Nation.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank my colleague from Florida, Mrs. Cammack, aka Cat, for organizing tonight's Special Order hour to recognize our National Police Week. This morning, I had the privilege of joining Leader McCarthy and several of our colleagues at the National Law Enforcement Memorial to show our respect for the fallen and our support for the men and women in uniform. Last year was one of the deadliest years on record for law enforcement officers. So now, more than ever, we need to back the blue and show our continuous support for law enforcement. When I was a child, I can remember my grandfather telling me: If you ever get in need or get scared, go to a police officer. Law enforcement has not changed. I still encourage my children and my grandchildren to do the same. I think we have changed the way we view law enforcement. To all law enforcement officers in this country: Please know that I support you. You are making a difference in our community. You are helping the American people, and we are forever grateful. On this National Police Week, I encourage all Americans to honor the sacrifices that are made by men and women in uniform, and thank every police officer for the job they are doing.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Louisiana for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise on this year's National Police Week to recognize the brave men and women in law enforcement all over the country, as well as honoring the many police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. While some folks around this country and across the aisle are calling for defunding and debanding the police department, I am proud to be a strong supporter of our law enforcement, and I will always back the blue. Nothing was more obvious than this last week and a half when I was with the Border Patrol. We have got to put more money into our law enforcement. We are choking them down. We have got to get them more resources. Now more than ever, police officers are in need of increasing resources as well as increasing support from our communities that they serve. Police officers are willing. They choose an incredible and tough job with long hours and not enough pay, so it is critical for us to give them support and the respect that they deserve. I will continue doing all I can do to support law enforcement in south Alabama and all over the country. I encourage all my colleagues to support and fully fund the police.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my concern for the unprecedented crisis at our southern border because of the Biden administration's reckless open-border policy and failure to enforce our Nation's immigration laws. We are seeing thousands of illegal immigrants crossing the border every single day, and there is no sign of letting up. The President and the Vice President are nowhere to be found. That is not leadership. We need leadership. We have a crisis at the border, and leadership, we are making a call for help, please. The Vice President was appointed as the border czar weeks ago and has yet to take a single trip to the southern border. That is unacceptable. We must have strong border protection for the health, safety, and security of American citizens. It is time for this administration and the far left to put America first by enforcing our immigration laws and putting an end to this horrific crisis at our southern border.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 682, the Reopen Schools Act, to get our kids out from behind screens and back in the classroom.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to voice my opposition to the reckless spending plan being pushed through this Congress. This so- called COVID relief bill is nothing more than a liberal wish list of special-interest pork completely unrelated to COVID relief. With more than $1 trillion of previous COVID relief funds remaining unspent, it would be irresponsible to rush through a massive, partisan spending bill that does nothing to help the American workers or get our kids physically back into school. Our priorities should be reopening our economy, getting students physically back in school, and spending more for our vaccine distribution. COVID relief should be temporary, targeted and tied to COVID. But this plan does nothing of the sort.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Mr. Speaker, what an honor to get to speak before you. This is a thrill. I rise today to honor several hometown heroes from my district who have made an impact on the community over the course of the year. First, I would like to thank my colleague from Florida, Congresswoman Kat Cammack, for organizing this Special Order hour. I also reached out to my community, and I asked for the leaders in our community to give us some of what they think to be hometown heroes. Let me just run through a few real quick. Last year has been tough on millions of Americans across the country as we battle the COVID pandemic and endure countless hardships, but I am proud of so many folks in south Alabama who have made our community a better place. Many of them are unsung heroes. I would like to take a moment today to honor a few of them. Brian Copes, manufacturing instructor for the city of Chickasaw School System, is a leader in the effort of developing inexpensive prosthetic limbs that will change many lives of amputees throughout Latin America. Students from all disciplines have been working together to create a real nonprofit business. Eventually, these students will travel to Latin America, not only to fit the amputees but also to aid the amputees in rehabilitation as they learn to walk and use their new limbs. Another one is Natalie Fox, assistant administrator and chief nursing officer for USA Physicians Group. That ``USA'' stands for University of South Alabama, which we are very proud of. And USA Healthcare has been a leading coordinator in the University of South Alabama Healthcare System community testing and vaccination sites for the Mobile region. To date, she has overseen the successful implementation of over 26,000 COVID-19 vaccines administered since December 15, and over 50,000 coronavirus tests performed since the pandemic began. Natalie has worked tirelessly to meet the high demands on the healthcare system for the past year, and I am incredibly thankful for her hard work and her dedication to the people of south Alabama. Jennifer Myrick of Fairhope, Alabama, has been a critical figure in the recovery efforts after Hurricanes Sally and Zeta, which hit the area. Jennifer worked through the Fairhope United Methodist Church to set up an independent point of distribution to hand out critical supplies to the public. She has also headed up a feeding program for those supplies and is an active member of the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster through Baldwin County Emergency Management, where she helped fulfill many needs throughout the county. Jennifer also worked with the Fairhope Police Department to keep police officers, dispatchers, and correction officers fed through this long stretch between both of these hurricanes. Kathy Couey, a recreation supervisor for the city of Chickasaw, Alabama, goes above and beyond her duties every day in her day-to-day responsibilities to make sure the city is a better and healthier place for families to live. Her creativity is limitless, with a true servant's heart. With so many people working and learning from home over the past year, staying active and getting outdoors has been critical to people's physical and mental health. Kathy's hard work has made Chickasaw a better place to live and raise a family. Virtually no person across the country has not been impacted in some way by the pandemic, natural disasters, and the countless other challenges that we have faced. We have come a long way. Although we are living in difficult times, I could not be prouder than I am to be an American today. And I couldn't be more thankful for so many incredible people all over my district and all over the Nation who have worked hard each day, not for fame, not for recognition or for money, but for the betterment of their friends and neighbors. This is what makes America strong. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to take a moment today to recognize just a few of those unsung heroes who have made an impact in our community over the past year.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and the legend of Henry Louis ``Hank'' Aaron, a native of Mobile, Alabama. Hammering Hank is a baseball legend respected not only for his performance on the field but also for being a civil rights icon who helped pave the way for equality in professional sports. Hank Aaron is one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He became the first player in major league history to record 500 home runs and over 3,000 hits, ultimately defeating Babe Ruth's home run record. Hank Aaron's leadership and character reflect the best of American values, and his legacy will live on for generations. I am proud to call him a fellow Mobilian.

Mr. CARL

Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the lives of millions of innocent babies who lost their chance at life because of Roe v. Wade. Life is precious. Life is a gift from God, and every human is made in God's image. Every person born, or pre-born, has inherent dignity and has the right to life. We have a fundamental duty to fight for the vulnerable and ensure that life is protected, recognizing the right to life is a worthy cause. It is not radical, and it should be bipartisan. I am proud to be an advocate for the unborn. I firmly believe in our responsibility as a society to defend life. I will continue to push for pro-life legislation in Congress, including eliminating the use of taxpayers' funding in any way to perform abortions. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in fighting for life to protect the most vulnerable among us. Together, we can build a culture that respects God's gift. That gift is life.