Andrew Clyde

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Colorado for her unwavering defense of the Second Amendment of our Constitution. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Crenshaw).

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Texas for those inspiring words. I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Massie), my good friend.

Mr. CLYDE. I thank my good friend from Kentucky because he is absolutely right. We have the power of the purse. I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber), my good friend.

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Texas for those great words. He is absolutely correct. When the government fears the people, there is liberty. I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz), my good friend.

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Florida for that is, indeed, a great statement: A shot across the bow; a great example of what the United States Navy would do. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Burchett), my good friend.

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the great State of Florida (Mrs. Cammack).

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my great colleague from the State of Florida for those encouraging remarks. I thank all of my colleagues who participated here in this Special Order tonight. It is incredibly important that we show Americans that we are united and unwavering in protecting and preserving our Second Amendment freedoms. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Madam Speaker, right here in our Nation's Capital, crime continues to soar at an alarming rate. Yet, the D.C. Council is determined to advance a severely misguided bill to reduce penalties for violent criminal offenses. In fact, some of the very crimes that the D.C. Council included in their radical legislation are on the rise. For example, last year, robberies were up, vehicle theft increased by 8 percent, and carjackings skyrocketed by 14 percent. Yet, the D.C. Council is fighting to reduce--yes, reduce--penalties for these offenses. You just can't make this stuff up. Now, to her credit, D.C. Mayor Bowser opposes this dangerous effort, correctly claiming: ``This bill does not make us safer.'' For once, I agree with Mayor Bowser because combating crime and protecting citizens is not a conservative issue, it is a commonsense issue; it is an American issue. In the face of D.C.'s failed leadership, Congress must take immediate action to prevent this disastrous bill from emboldening criminals and threatening the safety of residents and visitors. In the coming weeks, I will introduce a joint resolution of disapproval to stop this insanity in its tracks. I look forward to leading this fight, and I urge all of my colleagues, Republican and Democrat, to join me so we can ensure that no American faces fear and violence in our Nation's Capital. Defense of Americans' Second Amendment Freedoms

Mr. CLYDE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in the defense of Americans' Second Amendment freedoms. The Biden administration is moving forward with yet another gun- grabbing tactic in order to register and ban millions of firearms, moving one step closer to the left's ultimate goal of disarming our Nation and dismantling our Second Amendment freedoms. Earlier this month, the ATF finalized an unconstitutional rule pertaining to firearms with stabilizing braces. Under the ATF's new rule, any pistol-braced firearm would be considered an illegal short- barreled rifle, making these guns subject to the draconian regulations under the National Firearms Act of 1934. Let me be clear: Unelected, anti-gun bureaucrats at the ATF do not have the authority to make laws. That authority rests right here in Congress. Congress cannot continue turning a blind eye to the Biden administration's weaponization of the National Firearms Act and ongoing assault on Americans' Second Amendment freedoms. The time to act is now, and I am proud to lead this fight. Next week, I will re-introduce the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today Act, or the SHORT Act, to repeal elements of the National Firearms Act, thereby prohibiting the ATF from registering and banning pistols with stabilizing braces. Additionally, as soon as the ATF's unlawful rule is published to the Federal Register, I will introduce a Resolution of Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to override the Biden administration's unlawful overreach. I have always done my utmost in the defense of our constitutional right to keep and bear arms. It is now time, now that the House is under the Republican majority, to go on offense. Madam Speaker, I want gun owners to hear me loud and clear: We are fighting for you and your Second Amendment freedoms, and we will never give up. Lawlessness at the Southern Border

Mr. CLYDE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the lawlessness happening at our southern border. To no one's surprise, President Biden attempted to conceal the ongoing chaos, chaos created by his disastrous policies at the southern border, by releasing the latest CBP report on a Friday night news dump. But these tactics can't hide the truth. Last month, over a quarter of a million, over 251,000 illegal aliens were apprehended at the southern border, making December the highest monthly total on record. More than a quarter of a million in a single month. If that doesn't pressure the Biden administration to fix this crisis, what will? In a dangerous addition, 17 suspected terrorists were caught illegally crossing the border in December, bringing the total number of individuals to 38 who were on the terrorist watch list and caught at the southern border, in just the first 3 months of fiscal year 2023. How many suspected terrorists have to cross the southern border before the Biden administration will take this border crisis seriously? To make matters worse, CBP has already seized over 9,000 pounds of fentanyl so far this fiscal year, which is enough to kill more than 2 billion people, over 6 times the population of the United States. When will the Biden administration finally put an end to the wide- open southern border that allows this deadly drug from China to devastate our communities? While the White House willfully destroys our southern border and subsequently demolishes our national security, House Republicans are determined to secure the border and put Americans first. Part of that commitment is ensuring that every solitary individual responsible for this self-inflicted crisis will be held accountable, starting with Secretary Mayorkas, whose impeachment is long overdue. Without accountability, Americans will not have the safe and secure Nation they deserve.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. I have an amendment at the desk, No. 91.

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment to H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Response Act. If enacted, my amendment would help hold the Biden administration, which has proven to be the least transparent administration in American history, accountable. Under President Biden's anti-American energy policies and his embrace of the radical left's Green New Deal agenda, America's energy independence has been severely jeopardized. In response, my amendment would require President Biden and his administration to submit their plan to Congress addressing his misuse of our Nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve prior to the next drawdown of our reserve. My amendment would ensure that the plan the administration develops actually addresses our Nation's energy security and shows in writing to Congress that it does not sell our country's emergency energy supply to our adversaries, including companies aligned with the Chinese Communist Party that have direct connections to the President's son. Mr. Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment to submit the administration's plan to this body so we can do the work the American people sent us here to do, which is to restore American energy independence, unleash domestic energy production, and hold the Biden administration accountable for creating this crisis. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers).

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, this past Sunday, on January 22, our Nation mourned the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the treacherous ruling that paved the way for the murder of more than 60 million innocent babies, all precious, all worth saving, and all made in the perfect image of God. Thankfully, the victorious Dobbs ruling overturned Roe v. Wade last year, rightfully returning the issue of abortion back to the States. However, while we champion this momentous win in the fight for the unborn, we cannot forget the millions of lives lost to the evils of abortion. Today, I introduced a resolution to recognize January 22 as the ``Day of Tears'' to honor and mourn the loss of these unborn children. But in the face of President Biden's pro-abortion agenda, we must do more to defend the sanctity of human life. May God raise up more warriors to protect innocent life because life, after all, is our first and foremost fundamental unalienable right. Last week, I proudly introduced--with nearly 90 original cosponsors-- the Protect the UNBORN Act to block and defund President Biden's pro- abortion executive orders. Congress must take action to protect the unborn and prevent taxpayer dollars from funding the left's radical and destructive abortion agenda. We must never downplay the evils of abortion. As an unapologetic pro- life advocate, I am proud to defend the unborn and fight for the sanctity of life.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 2023 college football national champions, my alma mater, the University of Georgia Bulldogs. In a stunning triumph last night, the Georgia Bulldogs defeated the TCU Horned Frogs 65-7, marking the largest margin of victory in bowl game history. After boasting an impressive undefeated record in the regular season, last night's historic win proved without a doubt that the Dawgs are victorious and on top. Congratulations to the talented young men that put their all into the game, including a Heisman finalist and four-time College Football Playoff MVP, quarterback Stetson Bennett. Congratulations to Head Coach Kirby Smart and the entire coaching staff for leading the Georgia Bulldogs in becoming back-to-back national champions. Go Dawgs.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma for yielding. Last week, as I fought as one of the 20 conservative Members to secure victories for the American people by dismantling this institution's broken system and restoring this people's House as it should be, part of the status quo here in Washington, which we fought to change, is politicians making empty promises of government accountability. But believe me in this, Mr. Speaker, when we vowed accountability is coming, we meant it. Establishing the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government hands the House a powerful tool to uncover the two-tiered justice system that is rotting our Republic. It is no secret that alphabet agencies have been dangerously weaponized against the American people. As an alarming example, the FBI has coerced citizens to relinquish their Second Amendment rights and has used Big Tech companies as private-sector proxies to silence Americans' free speech. It is time to thoroughly investigate our Government agencies' atrocious behavior and abuse of power in disregarding and destroying America's precious freedoms, and this select subcommittee will have the teeth to do just that. I thank Speaker McCarthy and Chairman Cole for their invaluable support in bringing this resolution to the floor for a vote. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting for this resolution so we may deliver transparency, answers, and, yes, accountability to the American people as we have promised.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Last week I was part of the 20 conservative Members who fought for a significant institutional change in order to restore the people's voice in the people's House. Of the many victories we secured for the American people, the Thomas Jefferson motion to vacate the Chair is the most important to me, as it holds the Speaker accountable to the people. This Jeffersonian motion stood strong for more than 200 years before then-Speaker Pelosi removed it in 2018, consolidating power in the hands of a select few in leadership. By restoring this historic rule, every solitary Member has the authority to hold the Speaker accountable for following all of the rules, including passing single-subject bills, allowing Members at least 72 hours to read the legislation before voting on it, and reinstating the Holman rule which allows amendments to decrease funding for certain government programs all the way down to the individual job description. Mr. Speaker, I thank my Republican colleagues and Speaker McCarthy for working in good faith to produce and pass a rules package that ensures this body is working for the people and not for itself. I encourage every Member to vote for it. Fixing a broken Washington, D.C., is a major win for every citizen.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. If every Senate Republican did their job, we wouldn't be in this mess. Yet yesterday, 18 Republican Senators voted for this $1.7 trillion omnibus bill in order to skip town for Christmas. Those Senate Republicans got played by the Democrats as expertly as my wife plays the violin. Unfortunately, we are likely to see Republicans in this body do the very same thing and get played the very same way as the Senate, hoping to quickly and quietly pass this massive spending bill with no questions or accountability. But Americans deserve the truth. A vote for this bill is a vote for increasing inflation as Americans struggle to afford the costs of living; bolstering foreign nations' border security, while woefully ignoring our wide-open southern border, rubber-stamping wasteful pork projects like LGBTQ museums, to bee-friendly highways and everything in between, empowering alphabet agencies like the ATF with more money, as bureaucrats destroy our Nation and infringe on our freedoms, pouring an additional $45 billion into Ukraine, with zero accountability, and green-lighting another year of the left's Big Government, socialist agenda, right before the end of Democrats' one-party rule in Washington. A vote for this omnibus bill is a vote for America last. I urge all my colleagues to reject the swamp status quo and stand up for America and vote ``no'' on this monstrosity.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 2022 recipients of the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission awards. The Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, or GMRC, offers guidance and resources to nearly 50 local governments, fostering leadership, economic development, and prosperity to improve northeast Georgia communities. GMRC recently celebrated its 60th anniversary and honored this year's accomplished award recipients. I am pleased to congratulate: Joe Rothwell, regional planner for GMRC, as employee of the year; John Sell, community and economic development director of White County, as appointed official of the year; The mayor of Dawsonville, Mike Eason, as elected official of the year; The mayor of Lavonia, Mr. Courtney Umbehant, as GMRC council member of the year; and Ken Schubring, GMRC vice chairman, who received this year's chairman award. I am proud to honor this year's Georgia Mountains Regional Commission award recipients, and I thank each of them for their hard work and dedication to serving northeast Georgians.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Lamborn for leading this important Special Order. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and celebration of National Bible Week. For multiple millenniums, the Bible has served as God's revelation to His creation, providing an account of His divine plan. The future hope of glory through the gospel of the Word of God renders guidance to us so that we have the hope of eternal life offered by His grace through faith. The Bible is also the very reason we can live freely in the United States of America. More than 400 years ago, settlers bound together in search of the New World to escape religious persecution and establish a free government. Our Founding Fathers wove the Word of God into the very fabric of our Nation, with the Bible playing a critical role in the unity and success of these wise men as they forged a future that is free. As John Adams once said: ``The Bible contains the most profound philosophy, the most perfect morality, and the most refined policy that ever was conceived upon Earth.'' It is because of these men that our Lord and Savior's guidance has been key to the preservation of our Republic. Now, more than two centuries later, I pray this body uses God's Word as our guiding light. Because a government whose foundation is built on God and His Word is a government that will have peace, freedom, and liberty.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Madam Speaker, over the weekend, the White House eased sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector, permitting Chevron to resume oil production in the communist regime. This policy follows an undeniable pattern of the President putting our Nation last. Joe Biden is more than happy to green-light drilling in Venezuela but stalls drilling permits here in the United States. He is delighted to beg foreign adversaries like Saudi Arabia to boost production but refuses to unleash American energy. The President is determined to advance Green New Deal policies but fails to help Americans struggling to fill their gas tanks and heat their homes this winter. Make no mistake: This is the America last administration. You see, President Biden wants to totally control U.S. fossil fuel energy, and he can do it more easily through manipulating imports of foreign oil than he can over domestic production once it has begun. It is a nefarious plan. Thankfully, though, in just a few short weeks, House Republicans will retake the majority and start advancing legislation to restore American energy independence once and for all.

Mr. CLYDE

Mr. CLYDE. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.