James Comer

Mr. COMER

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. Williams), my colleague. Commemorating 56th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Graves County High School JROTC for their first-place finish in the All-Service Raider National Competition, Co-Ed Division, in Molena, Georgia. The cadets, led by Lieutenant Jason Caldwell, competed against 12 other schools, including military prep schools, in various physical activities. They should be proud of this outstanding achievement. Over the summer, many competitions were canceled due to COVID-19, leaving each cadet to train individually to prepare for the competition. This victory is a testament to the hard work and dedication of each of these students under unusual circumstances. Graves County was very well-represented by this talented group. The Junior ROTC program at Graves County High School cultivates leadership and service skills in its cadets that will benefit their local community, the First District of Kentucky, and our Nation for many years to come. Once again, congratulations to the Graves County High School Junior ROTC for their victory in this very prestigious competition. Honoring Allen County Jailer Larry Piper

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Paducah Community Kitchen for the outsized role they have played in helping the city of Paducah weather some of our storms of this past year. This Christ-centered nonprofit provides crucial services, like free meals and housing, along with laundry and shower services. Their efforts to care for the needy have been instrumental in helping individuals and families facing hardships. In 2020 alone, they dramatically increased the number of meals served daily, a critical need due to the economic fallout from the COVID pandemic. The Paducah Community Kitchen would not be what it is without the caring and dedicated volunteers who spend a significant amount of time serving their community. These humble volunteers share love and compassion by lending a helping hand to their friends and neighbors. The Paducah Community Kitchen's volunteers, sponsors, and donors should be commended for all they have done to support their friends and neighbors. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of everyone in Kentucky's First Congressional District, I want to thank them for all of their compassionate work to help so many families in need. Anti-Gun Control

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about something very important to the people of Kentucky, and that is the Second Amendment. With President Biden taking office, there are renewed concerns with the safety of Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens and Americans. Given his longtime record of pushing extreme gun control measures through Congress, and given his stated intent to enact those very policies, my constituents have every right to be concerned. This is especially true given that House Democrats are putting bills on the floor this week that are the first step in rolling back our basic constitutional rights. These proposals come in addition to the bills which implement new registration requirements for firearms and ammunition, and disallow adults under 21 from owning firearms. So you can join the United States military and fight, and even die on the battlefield when you are 18, but you can't own firearms until you are 21. Seriously? These radical proposals coming from the Democrat majority infringe on the basic rights and privacy of gun owners, and should be stopped in their tracks. Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose these measures, which are extremely radical and the opposite of what Kentuckians sent me to Congress to do. Instead, I will continue to work to support and promote legislation that upholds the fundamental rights found in the Second Amendment. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all of the law-abiding gun owners in Kentucky, whose continued advocacy makes a real difference in the fight against gun control. Recognizing Sarah Bridges

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Sarah Bridges of Reidland, Kentucky, a Marshal County High School student who is using her talent at sewing to provide swaddling blankets for infants at the ICU. According to recent reporting from the Paducah Sun, Sarah has been busy crafting swaddling blankets for Baptist Health Paducah's neonatal intensive care unit. She rose to this challenge and produced over 20 blankets in the last 2 months, which are used by nurses at Baptist Health Paducah to meet the comfort needs of local infants. Sarah's drive to use her talents to fill a vital need reflect her high character and desire to positively impact her community and region. Given her extensive track record of community service and school involvement, it is no surprise that she is now giving back in this admirable way. On behalf of the entire First Congressional District of Kentucky, I thank Sarah Bridges for this outstanding and caring project she has taken on. Honoring Ocie Key on her 100th Birthday

Mr. COMER

Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members, on a bipartisan basis, to support this amendment. When reviewing H.R. 1 as introduced this Congress, I noticed it was missing several ethics provisions that were included in the bill last Congress when Donald Trump was President. But now that Joe Biden is President, those ethics provisions conveniently disappeared. What was missing from this updated version of H.R. 1 were the following provisions: Requirements that Presidential transition teams disclose a list of all positions each transition team member held outside the Federal Government for the previous 12-month period, including paid and unpaid positions. Requirements that Presidential transition teams disclose sources of compensation for each transition team member exceeding $5,000 a year for the previous 12-month period. And a requirement that the head of the Federal department or agency, or their designee, shall not permit access to the Federal department or agency, or employees of such department or agency, that would not be provided to a member of the public for any transition team member who does not make the required prior employment and conflicts of interest disclosures. It is clear the absence of these provisions was pure politics, but my amendment adds those provisions back since what is good for a Republican President is good for a Democrat President or his or her administration. Ethical principles are supposed to be universal. They are supposed to apply equally. And this bill, that so obviously exempts one political party from ethics rules, is not itself ethical. Many Democrats should vote for this amendment since it restores what Democrats proposed in the last Congress. We took the exact language and included it in this bill. If this bill had gone through regular order and had been marked up in a committee, we could have addressed these discrepancies at the committee level instead of imposing this extended amendment process on the whole House. But this bill did not go through regular order, and so I offered this amendment at the Committee on Rules. This amendment restores to the bill ethics provisions that were originally intended to apply for President Trump and his advisers but were dropped from the bill for President Biden's administration. Applying ethics rules to one political party but not another is wrong. The Committee on Rules, to their credit, took a step toward correcting this wrong by making this evenhanded amendment in order. Now, it remains for the full House to pass this amendment and to show its agreement on a bipartisan basis that ethics rules should apply equally. Madam Speaker, I urge all members to join me in supporting the Comer amendment No. 18 in en bloc No. 2.

Mr. COMER

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, this bill isn't about COVID. It isn't about providing relief to struggling Americans. This massive $1.9 trillion spending bill is about checking boxes with Democrat donors, political allies, and left-wing special interest groups. This bill pushes out $350 billion to bail out poorly managed, locked- down blue States, even though tens of billions of taxpayer dollars already provided to them remain unspent. It pushes this money out without guardrails, without strings attached, without certifications of need or accounting requirements. They are irresponsibly and recklessly spending hard-earned American taxpayer dollars. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans on my committee offered comments and amendments to make these dollars less vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse; amendments that targeted actual COVID-19 relief that were tied to important policies, like reopening schools, businesses, and communities. These amendments protected against bailing out underfunded public employee pension plans. They made sure funds were shared equitably with small and rural localities. These amendments prioritized the American people. Mr. Speaker, my Democrat counterparts on the Committee on Oversight and Reform refused to adopt a single one of these amendments. They refused to engage in any meaningful debate. Why? Because they don't want the American people to see where this money is going. Because, sadly, it isn't going to help them.

Mr. COMER

Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. and Mrs. Orestus and Geraldine Flowers of Burkesville for recently celebrating their 75th anniversary. Mr. and Mrs. Flowers have displayed commitment in all facets of their life. At twenty-two years of age, Mr. Flowers left his then-girlfriend, Geraldine, to serve in the Army for three-and-a-half-years during World War II. Mr. Flowers kept a picture of Geraldine in his wallet during the war, and upon returning, married Geraldine on February 1, 1946. Mr. and Mrs. Flowers displayed an exemplary level of commitment to both each other and our nation through his military service. Mr. and Mrs. Flowers raised their family in Cumberland County, Kentucky. They and their three daughters, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren have been a staple in the community of Burkesville. Mr. Flowers has served in numerous capacities in the local community. In 1952, he brought Houchens Market to Burkesville, where he served as manager for 32 years. After retiring from Houchens, he has continued work at Norris and New Funeral Home, where he is still showing off the picture of his wife that he took to war with him seventy-eight years ago. Once again, I would like to join everyone in Burkesville and throughout the 1st District of Kentucky in congratulating Mr. and Mrs. Flowers on this extraordinary milestone.

Mr. COMER

Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Pam Rudd of Hopkinsville, Kentucky for her six decades of public service and enormous contributions to the betterment of her community. In 1971, Ms. Rudd started working for Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation part-time while serving as a physical education teacher. Upon her retirement from the school system in 1977, Ms. Rudd worked full-time as program coordinator for Hopkinsville Parks end Recreation. While at the department, she had served under nine directors, including a stint of her own as interim director from 2005 to 2007. As program coordinator, Ms. Rudd has played an integral role in the department's transition from a city-county entity to the city-managed Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation Department. She also played a lead role in the design and planning of Hopkinsville's award-winning Tie-Breaker Baseball Softball complex in 2001, which would go on to serve many children in the region. Pam's years of service came to a summit when Ms. Rudd was recognized as a Kentucky Recreation and Parks Society Fellow in 2015. She was also fittingly selected for the Kentucky Recreation and Parks Society Hall of Fame in 2019. I am honored to share the exceptional history of Ms. Rudd's six-decade career. I want to thank Ms. Rudd for being an extraordinary leader to her community and the 1st Congressional District of Kentucky.

Mr. COMER

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 26, the Construction Consensus Procurement Improvement Act of 2021. It is vitally important that the Federal Government procure complex design and construction services that remain on time and on budget. This bill would prevent the Federal reverse auctions procurement process from being used for complex projects. Using reverse auctions for major construction projects only causes problems, such as delays and wasteful spending. Who pays the price? The taxpayer. The Federal Government must be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and get the best possible services for the best price. As ranking member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, I want to continue to deliver savings to the taxpayer and make stakeholder interaction with the government much easier, and H.R. 26 does just that. This bill is the result of strong bipartisan, bicameral negotiations and the hard work of many private sector groups. I thank Senator Portman for his hard work on this legislation last Congress. I am also thankful for the support of my Committee on Oversight and Reform colleague, Mr. Khanna. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to particularly thank the Construction Industry Procurement Coalition, the Association of General Contractors, the Design-Build Institute of America, the American Subcontractors Association, and numerous others for their hard work on this legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with the majority to advance commonsense legislation to make government more efficient and effective. I encourage the Senate to quickly consider this bill and send it to the President's desk. Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support H.R. 26.

Mr. COMER

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Gary Jones of Muhlenberg County on his extraordinary tenure as the director of the Muhlenberg Alliance for Progress. Gary will be retiring at the end of the month after 8 years of leadership with the Alliance for Progress where he has aggressively prioritized economic development in Western Kentucky. In this role, he has worked tirelessly to attract jobs to Muhlenberg County and empower job creators in the region. A fellow graduate of my alma mater of Western Kentucky University, his 46-year career has spanned across roles in education, the coal industry, local government, and the Federal Government. These diverse work experiences have made him keenly aware of the economic deeds facing rural communities. His ability to develop relationships with community and industry leaders has also been instrumental to his job-attraction efforts. Mr. Speaker, I thank Gary for his sincere efforts to improve economic development and wish him nothing but the best in a well-deserved retirement. Kentucky's Economic Failures and Lockdowns

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to talk about the ongoing investigation within the House Committee on Oversight and Reform among oversight Republicans. The minority--the Republicans--have requested several hearings, but unfortunately, Chairwoman Maloney and the majority House Democrats are uninterested or unwilling to comply. So we have taken it upon ourselves to inquire and pretty much open up investigations with our staff, with our investigators, and have taken data from our whistleblowers and different stakeholders with each investigation. We currently have caught a situation before the election, in California, where--with the CARES Act--there was a part called the Help America Vote Act that allocated funds for different States to educate voters on how to vote. In other words, to educate voters on where their precincts are and how to fill out an absentee ballot--things that are perfectly legal and things that the Federal Government should fund, and the State government should administer. Mr. Speaker, within the rules--something that a lot of times my friends on the other side of the aisle don't think apply to themselves--but in the rules of the Help America Vote Act, it specifically says what those Federal funds can and cannot be used for. One of the things that it specifically says the Federal funds cannot be used for is to get out the vote efforts. But in California, which was awarded $35 million in the CARES Act of Help America Vote Act funds, their Secretary of State Padilla took the $35 million. The normal process would be to advertise bids for a contract, but Secretary Padilla did what a lot of Democrat secretaries of state--and unfortunately, some Republican secretaries of state did-- they said, Oh, there is a pandemic. We can't do this the normal way. We have to do it a special way. So he awarded this contract with no bid. There were plenty of vendors that were interested in bidding on that contract but he awarded it to one. And in the Help America Vote Act it specifically says that vendors can't be partisan. That is common sense, right? This contract that he awarded, a $35 million of our Federal taxpayer funds in a no-bid process, the firm that received that contract was called SKDKnickerbocker. I invite you right now to get your phone out and put in ``SKDKnickerbocker,'' and look at their website. It will pop up, and what you will see is a picture of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris shaking hands. And it proudly says--on the very top of the website--``We want to congratulate our clients, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, for changing America, and for winning.'' So this firm, SKDKnickerbocker was clearly a partisan firm. This firm represented the Biden campaign. Now, my question to anyone interested in this--and I think most taxpayers would be interested in this--obviously, the House Democrats on the Committee on Oversight and Reform are uninterested in this, but if the secretary of state awards a no-bid contract to a Joe Biden partisan firm to get out to vote, do you really think they are going to target Republican voters, or do you think they are going to target Democrat voters? That is illegal. Mr. Speaker, we have sent letters to Secretary Padilla asking him what his intentions were and why he did not follow the law on this contract. He has not replied. I have made this public. I went on the Tucker Carlson Show a few months ago and brought this to the Nation's attention. As a result of this, and our messaging and our inquiries, the media in California has been writing about this. The Sacramento Bee wrote just this past week that the California comptroller has refused to pay the $35 million bill to SKDKnickerbocker because they know there is a problem with this no-bid contract awarded to a partisan firm that was Joe Biden's main digital firm to microtarget certain voters in California. Mr. Speaker, what I am asking for now is for the comptroller of California to just go ahead and do the right thing and send that $35 million back to the Treasury. We don't want taxpayer dollars being spent on improper, illegal, unethical, and partisan instances. And that is what happened in California. Now, another reason this isn't going to go away--I am not an expert on California politics--but while I was waiting for my time to speak, I read several things that said Secretary of State Padilla is the frontrunner to fill Kamala Harris' seat for the U.S. Senate. I strongly encourage the secretary of state to answer House Republicans' inquiries on this issue, because if he doesn't answer it now and he does, in fact, get confirmed to the U.S. Senate, he is probably going to have to answer it in front of the Senate Committee on Ethics. Now, one thing that I pledged to do when I became ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform is, we weren't just going to identify problems. We were going to try to represent the taxpayers, and we weren't just going to identify instances of waste, fraud and abuse, like this $35 million no-bid contract in California. We were going to try to claw back that money--get the money back. It seems like forever in Congress, Members of Congress do the right thing and they identify wrongful spending, but nothing ever happens. No one is ever held accountable. Certainly, the taxpayers never get their money back. This is an instance we are not going to let up. Mr. Speaker, we are operating in a huge deficit. We have to be accountable for the taxpayers. That is the job of this Congress. The Committee on Oversight and Reform is serious. The Republicans on the Committee on Oversight and Reform are going in a new direction. Not only are we going to identify problems, but we are going to try to solve problems because we are going to get the backs of the American taxpayer. And I think I have clearly spelled out the problems with this contract. And I believe that the fact that the comptroller in California isn't willing to write that check for the bill, that proves that there was a problem there. If anything I have said today is incorrect, then I welcome Secretary Padilla to answer our inquiry. And if anything I have said that was not right, I will apologize to the secretary of state for that. But clearly, sitting there not responding, is not helping the situation and, again, it is not going to go away. Mr. Speaker, now another thing with this contract, I have spelled out the problem that the State of California, the secretary of state has with this $35 million no-bid contract. The next part of the problem with this particular investigation is our committee has sent numerous letters to a government agency that a lot of people probably never heard of, called the Election Assistance Commission. The Election Assistance Commission is a government agency, bureaucracy, entity--whatever you want to call it--that is supposed to be the watchdog for Federal funding pertaining to elections. They have an inspector general. I have written--and on those letters, they were signed by my colleague on the Committee on Oversight and Reform, Jody Hice of Georgia, and the ranking member of the House Administration Committee, Rodney Davis of Illinois--we have jointly written letters to the Inspector General of the Election Assistance Commission for the Inspector General to investigate this $35 million contract. We wrote these letters weeks in advance of the November elections. And we have gotten back form letters, kind of like form letters that we send out to people that call our office every day and ask for things that we are probably not going to be able to do. We always reply with nice form letters. That is what the ranking members of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the House Administration Committee got. If the Election Assistance Commission can't investigate this one thing in this election--and I am not even going to get into a debate today about whether there were irregularities or not. That is not what I am discussing today. I am discussing a specific irregularity that involved taxpayer dollars. If the Election Assistance Commission inspector general cannot investigate that and come up with an answer and say, ``Okay, the Secretary the State was right,'' or, ``Okay, you were right, and the money should be returned,'' if they can't get us an answer on that, then the next step we are going to suggest, as Republican members of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, will be to eliminate the Election Assistance Commission. If you can't take an inquiry from Congress and investigate it, especially when the media in California--not exactly a bastion of Republican support--when they are calling the Secretary of State out on this contract, then I think we have a problem with this government agency. Government is too big. I have been in Washington 4 years now. There are a lot of buildings in this city with a lot of government employees, a lot of government programs. Honestly, in my opinion, we don't have the ability to continue to fund all of these government programs, all of these government agencies, and all of these government employees. If we can find government agencies that refuse to do their jobs, then we should eliminate those government agencies. So, my remarks today are specifically about the contract in California with the Secretary of State, the contract for the Help America Vote Act, which was in the CARES Act, which was a no-bid contract to a partisan firm to do illegal things, like microtarget voters. That is my first complaint, the $35 million. My second complaint is the Election Assistance Commission. With the one request that we made, I have been very unimpressed, disappointed, shocked, to the point now I am angered. Now, as a taxpayer and someone who wants to get the back of the taxpayer, I think it is time to look at this agency and say: Is this something that we need moving forward? Mr. Speaker, I am going to conclude my remarks, again, with reference to the Committee on Oversight and Reform. As a member of the committee for the past 4 years, I have heard a lot of Democrats complain about the 2016 election, imply that there were irregularities in the election. I have heard my friend Debbie Wasserman Schultz complain, probably rightfully so, about the emails being hacked at the Democratic National Committee. We have had discussions about that. I know that when Elijah Cummings became chairman of the committee, the first witness he had was Michael Cohen to talk about irregularities in the 2016 election that he saw from the Trump campaign and things like that. We had those committee hearings, and we have had a lot of those committee hearings. Here we are today, several weeks after the Presidential election. Regardless of your opinion of the election, regardless of your opinion of the rightful winner, regardless of your opinion of whether there were major irregularities or not, there are a lot of Americans who have a lot of questions about the election process. There were a lot of things in this election that were unique, not just the absentee voting process where the rules were changed in the middle of the game, but also the number of people who voted by mail and voted absentee. I feel like the American people deserve one committee in this Chamber to step up and hold a hearing and hear both sides. If I were Chairwoman Maloney or Jamie Raskin or Gerry Connolly or Mr. Clay, or anybody on the committee who hears this request, if I believed there weren't any irregularities, I would want to have a hearing to make the Republicans look bad. I am disappointed that we are not doing our job in the Committee on Oversight and Reform. But with the specific investigation that Republicans have done in California, without any help from the Democrats--we don't need their help. We don't need their help on this. We have already proven it. The comptroller in California knows it. We are now asking to send the money back. If you are not going to explain, Secretary Padilla, if you don't want to talk about it, that is fine. Send the money back, and taxpayers will move on. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring attention to Kentucky's avoidable economic failures during this very serious pandemic. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has taken a harsh toll on the economies of all 50 States. However, harmful policies from Democrat-run States have only made the problem worse. At a time when we should be encouraging the safe reopening of our economy, Kentucky's Governor recently issued an order shutting down schools and indoor dining. Kentucky's restaurants were already suffering from the last round of shutdowns, and this short-sighted order will only cause more pain and suffering. To make matters worse, our Governor is producing no data to justify the need to shut down businesses which have dramatically adjusted to the challenges presented by COVID-19. And the end of in-person learning will only create more challenges for students and teachers. Furthermore, it flies in the face of CDC recommendations that the safest place for our children is in school. Unfortunately, small business owners are not the only ones negatively affected by these lockdowns. Workers have been put out of a job through no fault of their own. And to make matters worse, Kentucky's State government has proven itself too incompetent to distribute unemployment payments in a timely manner. Right now, Kentucky has the second highest unemployment backlog in America, with just 20 percent of benefits going out 3 weeks after a claim is made. That is unacceptable. Our surrounding States of Indiana and Tennessee are more than doubling that number, getting 60 percent of payments out after 3 weeks. If a politician single-handedly puts people out of work, the least they can do is process their unemployment claims in a timely manner. Kentucky families are struggling from these lockdowns and, unfortunately, finding little help from their State government in Frankfort. The livelihoods of working families and job creators have been cast aside by power-hungry politicians and it is delaying our economic recovery. We must do better. We must safely reopen the economy and support our small businesses and workers. Mr. Speaker, with a vaccine on the horizon, the best thing we can do for our economy is to safely reopen. Further shutdowns are doing nothing but digging a further hole for our economy to get out of. In Kentucky, we can do better. Oversight and Reform Republican Investigation

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect and honor that I rise to recognize my dear friend, Curtis Hancock, on his retirement from the Farm Credit Council Board of Directors and his many contributions to Kentucky agriculture. Curtis Hancock is a lifelong farmer and, today, owns and operates Hancock Family Farms growing corn, wheat, and soybeans in Fulton, Kentucky. Throughout his career, Curtis has shown great support for agriculture through leadership positions across the industry, and I have had the pleasure of seeing firsthand his tireless advocacy for farmers and ranchers. Curtis' leadership and contributions to Kentucky agriculture are unmatched, including as a former board member of Kentucky Small Grain Growers' Association, a former member of Hickman County Farm Bureau, the local Southern States Cooperative, and the Hickman County Farm Service Agency. Curtis has also been an advocate for Kentucky farmers within the Farm Credit System. Curtis was a longtime director and past board chair at River Valley AgCredit in Mayfield, Kentucky, which supports farmers throughout my district. He also serves on the board and is past chair at AgFirst Farm Credit Bank, which supports farmers in rural communities throughout the Southeast. Since 2003, Curtis has served on the Farm Credit Council Board of Directors, including 2 years as chair of the national organization. Curtis received a bachelor of science degree in agriculture from the University of Tennessee-Martin and a master of science degree in agriculture economics from the University of Tennessee. Despite that, Curtis remains a very loyal fan of the University of Kentucky Wildcats. On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives and the citizens of Kentucky's First Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Curtis on his retirement and thank him for his many years of honorable service to the farmers and ranchers of Kentucky. Kentucky farmers and American farmers are better off today as a result of Curtis Hancock's long service on their behalf. I wish Curtis and his wife, Mary Elizabeth, the very best in the years to come. Honoring the New Chair of Paducah Airport

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Judge Timothy Stark of Graves County on his upcoming retirement after 16 years of distinguished service as circuit court judge. A lifelong Graves County native, Judge Stark is well-respected in his community and has a knowledge of the law that is second to none. He has led on issues of extreme importance, including introducing a drug court program which has helped countless individuals get their lives back on track. Over the years, he has served as a mentor to many young people in the legal profession, including my chief of staff, Caroline Cash. There is no doubt that Judge Stark's leadership in the judicial arena will be missed. I salute him for his years of service and wish him nothing but the best in a well-earned retirement. Recognizing Curtis Hancock

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I am going to spend the next 30 or so minutes discussing some various topics and recognizing a few people in my congressional district for various things. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Marganna Stanley of Henderson County on her retirement after 30 years as an educator, including serving the last 6 years as superintendent of Henderson County Schools. Ms. Stanley has lived out her childhood dream of teaching and has maintained an unwavering love for education throughout her career. Through the years, she has worked in various roles in the Henderson County school system, including serving as a classroom teacher in the district office, as a principal, and eventually as superintendent. Although the roles have changed, her passion for educating students has not. Even when she wasn't in the classroom every day, she would regularly show up to read to classrooms and find other ways to maintain a close connection with students. I am honored to congratulate Ms. Stanley on a successful tenure as an educator in my congressional district. I know that she has left a positive impact on the lives of numerous young people over the past 30 years, and I wish her nothing but the best in her retirement. Honoring the Retirement of Judge Timothy Stark

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jay Matheny for being elected chairman of the Barkley Regional Airport Authority Board. Mr. Matheny will oversee the ongoing construction work for the new terminal for the airport, which he has already been closely involved with. The project has been called the airport for our future, and I believe that Mr. Matheny is the right person to see this project through to its scheduled completion in 2023. Due to west Kentucky's proximity to the other major airports of St. Louis, Louisville, and Nashville, this terminal will attract more flights and bring numerous economic opportunities to the region. I am proud of the multiple entities that have worked together from the city, State, and Federal levels to get this project underway. Congratulations, once again, to Mr. Matheny for being chosen as chairman. I look forward to the completion of this airport terminal and the economic growth it will provide for Paducah and west Kentucky. Honoring Gary Jones of Muhlenberg County

Mr. COMER

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my dear family friends, Freddie and Inez Bryant of Gamaliel, Kentucky, on their 65th wedding anniversary on November 4. Mr. Speaker, I have known Freddie Bryant my entire life. He worked with and was very close with my grandfather, Harlin Comer, at my grandfather's construction company. Freddie has told my father and I countless stories about his travels and adventures with my family. Freddie Bryant is an expert standing timber appraiser, who tried unsuccessfully to teach me the trade as a young man. Freddie and Inez have three children, nine grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson. Mr. Speaker, congratulations to the Bryants, a wonderful Monroe County family.

Mr. COMER

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, under Speaker Pelosi's leadership, this body has experienced a series of new lows. One of these failures in leadership was encouraging the abdication of our duty as lawmakers amid a national crisis. The majority party upended centuries of precedent by allowing proxy voting, and now has another terrible idea: vote by text. As many essential American workers have continued working every day, this approach mistakenly signals that Congress is above the American people. The coronavirus is a serious crisis and one that requires Congress to show up in person to address our Nation's challenges. I am proud to have shown up here at the Capitol alongside my Republican colleagues throughout 2020 to cast votes. Members of this body should not be able to shield themselves from scrutiny by voting on issues without being fully present. As we close out the year and move into 2021, it is imperative that all Americans get the full representation they deserve in Congress, with their elected officials showing up for work. Hold Hearings on Election Integrity

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, as the Congressman for Kentucky's First Congressional District, I am proud to represent 35 counties and numerous communities with their own unique identities. A very special county and city in my district are celebrating their 200th anniversary this year. Todd County is a county I represent on the Kentucky-Tennessee State line that is full of small towns and rich traditions. Todd County, along with the city of Elkton, have been a special part of western Kentucky for two centuries now. Whether you reside in Elkton, Guthrie, or Trenton, you call home a beautiful county full of wonderful people. With a strong farming heritage, agriculture continues to play a significant role in the local economy. 2020 is not the ideal year to celebrate the two-century milestone, but while this year has brought significant change to our society, one thing has not changed: Todd County, Elkton, and other rural communities will continue to provide a strong voice for small-town values in our Nation. I am proud to represent the good people of Todd County and Elkton in Congress, and I look forward to seeing even more prosperous years to come. End Proxy Voting

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, today, Jim Jordan, the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, and myself are sending a letter to Chairman Nadler and Chairwoman Maloney, the chairs of our respective committees, requesting a hearing on the election process, the integrity of the election process. Just last night, we got a report that over 2,000 ballots had just been found in Georgia. Ironically, despite the fact that all these absentee ballots have been breaking overwhelmingly for the Democrats and for Joe Biden in the Presidential race, this particular batch of ballots broke 800 votes in favor of Donald Trump. Now, I have been hesitant to criticize the election process without facts. We have facts here. It is a fact that there has been a history of problems with Dominion and different election software programs that have been used in several of the States that are in question in this Presidential election. We have had all of these hearings in the Judiciary Committee and all of these hearings in the Oversight and Reform Committee on Russia collusion that never proved anything, but we have a Presidential election that every American is watching. Why can't we have hearings on that? Mr. Speaker, we are here for the next 2 weeks. I strongly encourage the Judiciary and Oversight and Reform Committees to hold a hearing on our election integrity.

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate National Adoption Month along with National Adoption Day on November 21. This recognition aims to increase awareness for the 122,000 foster children in America awaiting adoption, and to celebrate the children and families brought together through the adoption process. Mr. Speaker, I honor the numerous organizations and individuals throughout the First Congressional District that offer vital assistance to the children in the foster care system. Their efforts to help adopted children and provide resources for young adults aging out of the system go a long way in ensuring the safety and well-being of this vulnerable population. Their tireless efforts and compassion for others form the backbone of our child welfare system. I am honored to join with my colleagues in celebration of National Adoption Month and to thank all the generous organizations and individuals in the First Congressional District of Kentucky for their dedication to such a noble cause. Recognizing Todd County's 200th Anniversary

Mr. COMER

Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the city of Lynnville, Kentucky, located in south Graves County or, as locals call it, ``The Little Town That Won't Die'' for celebrating their bicentennial. The earliest residents settled Eaker's Settlement before the Graves County's establishment and naming in 1823. In 1903 and 1911, due to the ongoing Black Patch Tobacco Wars, Lynnville was burned down. In 2011, one hundred years after the burning, the city experienced another disaster with an EF1 tornado touching down in the area. Through both tragedies, members of the community demonstrated resilience and grit by regrouping and rebuilding to keep the city standing. While Lynnville in 2020 is much different from the early 1800s, it has endured numerous changes while remaining authentic to itself. Lynnville residents should be honored to have secured a historical marker for the city through the Kentucky Historical Society. I look forward to continuing to work with local leaders and Lynnville residents to further the prosperity of Graves County for generations to come, and want to join with the city's current and former residents to honor this tight-knit, culturally rich community.

Mr. COMER

Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Orestus Flowers of the First District of Kentucky who turned 100 years old on September 7th. Mr. Flowers was born in Bow, Kentucky and continues to reside in the 1st District. Mr. Flowers served in the Army for 3.5 years and was stationed in the Philippines from 1942 to 1945. I stand with all Americans to congratulate him on years of bravery and sacrifice to preserve our safety and freedoms. On February 1, 1946, Mr. Flowers married Geraldine and together they have three daughters. A true entrepreneur, he was responsible for bringing Houchens Market to Burkesville in 1952 and served as manager for 32 years. Upon retiring from Houchens, he worked at Norris and New Funeral Home for the next 25 years. I join with everyone in Burkesville and throughout the Commonwealth who has had the privilege of knowing him to celebrate his fearless spirit. I am honored to represent Mr. Flowers and wish him a happy 100th birthday.

Mr. COMER

Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Marion County Industrial Foundation, which has been leading economic development efforts in Marion County since 1972. The MCIF is a non-profit, municipal and county-funded economic development organization. The MCIF has recently redoubled their efforts by purchasing the industries housed at 405 Old Springfield Road, or as locals call it, the Jane and Linda building. This site has been a staple in the community since 1946, when Handmacher-Vogel built Lebanon Manufacturing Company. With over 500 employees, Handmacher-Vogel became the largest employer in Marion County at the time. The building underwent an ownership change in 1952, when Jane and Linda Sportswear took over the building. Ownership would eventually switch to Telecom in 1973 for a period ending in 1993. After sitting unoccupied for over 20 years, the MCIF purchased the property earlier this summer. Staying true to their mission, the MCIF will market the property for new economic development opportunities. I am confident in this proud organization's ability to bring jobs to central Kentucky, which will create opportunity and hope for residents, businesses, and industries. I join with everyone in Marion County and the Commonwealth in celebrating the extraordinary work of the Marion County Industrial Foundation. I am honored to represent this foundation as they continue to lead economic development efforts in the 1st District.