Ben Cline

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I am not recorded because I was absent due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 9. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Adams (Ross) Auchincloss (Clark (MA)) Barragan (Beyer) Bass (Cicilline) Bera (Kilmer) Blumenauer (Beyer) Bonamici (Kuster) Boyle, Brendan F. (Gallego) Brooks (Moore (AL)) Brownley (Kuster) Bush (Bowman) Cardenas (Soto) Casten (Underwood) Castor (FL) (Soto) Chu (Clark (MA)) Cleaver (Davids (KS)) Cohen (Beyer) Cooper (Clark (MA)) Crawford (Stewart) Crenshaw (Sessions) Crist (Soto) Cuellar (Correa) DeFazio (Brown (MD)) DeGette (Blunt Rochester) DelBene (Kilmer) DeSaulnier (Beyer) Doggett (Raskin) Doyle, Michael F. (Connolly) Evans (Mfume) Frankel, Lois (Clark (MA)) Gaetz (Boebert) Garamendi (Sherman) Gohmert (Weber (TX)) Gomez (Gallego) Gonzalez, Vicente (Correa) Grijalva (Garcia (IL)) Hagedorn (Carl) Herrera Beutler (Moore (UT)) Hudson (McHenry) Jacobs (NY) (Garbarino) Jayapal (Raskin) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Kahele (Case) Katko (Meijer) Kim (CA) (Steel) Kim (NJ) (Pallone) Kind (Connolly) Kinzinger (Meijer) Kirkpatrick (Pallone) Lamborn (McHenry) Langevin (Lynch) Lawson (FL) (Soto) Lee (CA) (Khanna) Leger Fernandez (Clark (MA)) Lieu (Beyer) Lofgren (Jeffries) Lowenthal (Beyer) Mace (Timmons) Maloney, Carolyn B. (Wasserman Schultz) Maloney, Sean Patrick (Jeffries) McCaul (Ellzey) McEachin (Wexton) Meng (Kuster) Moore (WI) (Beyer) Moulton (Beyer) Nadler (Pallone) Napolitano (Correa) Nehls (Babin) Ocasio-Cortez (Bowman) Panetta (Kildee) Payne (Pallone) Pingree (Cicilline) Pocan (Raskin) Porter (Wexton) Pressley (Garcia (IL)) Price (NC) (Connolly) Reed (McHenry) Reschenthaler (Armstrong) Roybal-Allard (Correa) Ruiz (Aguilar) Ruppersberger (Trone) Rush (Kaptur) Salazar (Mast) Schrier (Spanberger) Sires (Pallone) Smucker (Keller) Speier (Escobar) Stansbury (Jacobs (CA)) Stanton (Levin (CA)) Suozzi (Raskin) Swalwell (Gallego) Titus (Connolly) Tlaib (Khanna) Torres (NY) (Cicilline) Vargas (Correa) Vela (Correa) Waltz (Mast) Waters (Takano) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Welch (McGovern) Wilson (FL) (Cicilline)

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I am not recorded because I was absent due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 4; YEA on Roll Call No. 5; NAY on Roll Call No. 6; Nay on Roll Call No. 7; and NAY on Roll Call No. 8.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I am not recorded because I was absent due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 2 and ``nay'' on rollcall No. 3. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Adams (Brown (MD)) Auchincloss (Clark (MA)) Babin (Sessions) Baird (Walorski) Barragan (Beyer) Bass (Cicilline) Beatty (Kaptur) Bera (Kilmer) Bishop (GA) (Carter (LA)) Blumenauer (Beyer) Blunt Rochester (Brown (MD)) Bonamici (Kuster) Bourdeaux (Clark (MA)) Boyle, Brendan F. (Swalwell) Brownley (Kuster) Bush (Bowman) Butterfield (Kildee) Cardenas (Soto) Casten (Underwood) Chu (Clark (MA)) Cohen (Beyer) Cooper (Clark (MA)) Crawford (Stewart) Crist (Soto) DeFazio (Brown (MD)) DeGette (Brown (MD)) DeSaulnier (Beyer) DesJarlais (Fleischmann) Deutch (Rice (NY)) Doggett (Raskin) Evans (Mfume) Frankel, Lois (Clark (MA)) Gaetz (Boebert) Garamendi (Sherman) Gohmert (Weber (TX)) Gonzalez, Vicente (Correa) Grijalva (Garcia (IL)) Grothman (Fitzgerald) Hagedorn (Carl) Herrera Beutler (Moore (UT)) Hudson (McHenry) Jacobs (NY) (Garbarino) Jayapal (Raskin) Johnson (GA) (Raskin) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Jones (Jacobs (CA)) Kahele (Case) Katko (Meijer) Kim (CA) (Steel) Kim (NJ) (Pallone) Kind (Connolly) Kinzinger (Meijer) Kirkpatrick (Pallone) Lamborn (McHenry) Langevin (Lynch) Lawson (FL) (Soto) Lee (CA) (Khanna) Leger Fernandez (Clark (MA)) Lieu (Beyer) Lofgren (Jeffries) Lowenthal (Beyer) Mace (Timmons) Maloney, Sean Patrick (Jeffries) Matsui (Thompson (CA)) McBath (Trone) McCaul (Ellzey) McEachin (Wexton) Meng (Kuster) Moore (WI) (Beyer) Moulton (Beyer) Nadler (Pallone) Napolitano (Correa) Ocasio-Cortez (Escobar) Omar (Bowman) Panetta (Kildee) Payne (Pallone) Pfluger (Mann) Pingree (Cicilline) Pocan (Raskin) Porter (Wexton) Pressley (Garcia (IL)) Price (NC) (Connolly) Roybal-Allard (Correa) Ruiz (Aguilar) Ruppersberger (Trone) Rush (Kaptur) Salazar (Gimenez) Sarbanes (Raskin) Schrier (Spanberger) Sewell (Cicilline) Sires (Pallone) Smucker (Joyce (PA)) Speier (Escobar) Stansbury (Jacobs (CA)) Stanton (Levin (CA)) Stefanik (Meuser) Suozzi (Raskin) Titus (Connolly) Tlaib (Khanna) Torres (NY) (Cicilline) Van Drew (Res- chenthaler) Vela (Correa) Waltz (Mast) Waters (Takano) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Welch (McGovern) Williams (GA) (Jacobs (CA)) Wilson (FL) (Cicilline)

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, the American people deserve a transparent and bipartisan legislative process, but that is apparently not what the Democrat majority wants. Unfortunately, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle continually manufacture crisis after crisis by waiting until deadlines are immediately upon us before addressing the issues at hand. And when we are up against a deadline, it gives the majority leverage to limit opposition and allows them to ram harmful bills through this House, claiming they are necessities. They have done it with multiple continuing resolutions. They did it with the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act. And now, after having already punted responsibility once on the issue, they are doing it again on raising the debt ceiling, as a default looms less than a week away. We must stop fanning the flames of fires where the tools exist to extinguish them. Democrats legislating in this manner creates uncertainty and spooks the market, which contributes to the twin economic crisis and energy crisis, both of which this administration has done nothing to address. For our economy to truly recover, we must ensure the government is working efficiently and effectively on behalf of the American people.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Boys & Girls Clubs of Harrisonburg in Rockingham County, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary on December 21. Since its founding in 1955, this organization has grown from just one location to now more than seven throughout the region. For the past two-and-a-half decades, they have worked to ensure children in Shenandoah Valley have a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment to call home after school. They are committed to fulfilling their mission to help mold our region's youth into productive, caring, responsible citizens through programs focused on academic success, healthy lifestyles, good character, and citizenship. Serving more than 900 kids annually, ages 5 to 18, for the past quarter-century, the positive contribution the group has had on the valley's youth is immeasurable. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the organization on its first 25 years of success and wish them many more. Our community is forever grateful for all they do.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Stuarts Draft High School cheerleading squad. After COVID-19 shrank the number of teams that could make it to State tournament last spring, the Cougars fell just 2 points shy of qualifying for the 2020 competition. Coming off of this defeat and facing the loss of nine seniors, the team was determined to redeem themselves in the 2021 season. After much hard work and determination, their efforts paid off, winning this year's Class 2 State championship. The Cougars dominated the competition earning a score of 257.5 points with their closest competition trailing by 35 points. With this victory in the books, Stuarts Draft Cheer has now claimed the State title in 4 of the past 5 years--highlighting just how talented this team is. Following the win, cocaptain Kay-Lee Freeman said: To not even make it last year then come back to win, I just feel so redeemed. People said there was no way we were ever going to rebuild, but look at us now. Congratulations again to the Stuarts Draft Cougars on this accomplishment. It is well-deserved.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman for organizing this evening. I am proud to join so many of my colleagues here tonight to stand up for the unborn. Since the tragic 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, more than 60 million preborn children in America have had their lives cut short. This is absolutely heartbreaking, and we must continue our efforts to end the devastating practice of abortion in America. Fortunately, the pro-life movement grows stronger by the day, and there is an army of folks across this country who serve as voices for the voiceless and defenders of the defenseless. One saying that gets repeated around this Chamber a lot is ``follow the science.'' Well, science tells us that the preborn are, in fact, human beings. This is an undeniable fact. At 6 weeks, an unborn baby has a heartbeat. At 7 weeks, they develop pain receptors. By 10 weeks, an unborn child has arms, legs, fingers, and toes, and can begin to kick. At 15 weeks, a preborn human being has a fully developed heart. Yet, through all of this time and well beyond, the pro-abortion movement believes this child has no right to life. But God willing, the ability to protect preborn life will soon be even greater in the United States. The Supreme Court today heard arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson that will address the question of the constitutionality of previability bans on abortion. We must protect our unborn citizens, and I am hopeful that the Supreme Court will soon recognize that right to life. Since the first day I was elected, I have worked to advance the truth that the pro-life movement supports. On this day, I am more committed than ever to ensuring that truth always prevails.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, increasingly across this Nation and here in Washington, the voices of victims are being drowned out by radicals on the left seeking to eliminate cash bail. These people would rather see criminals walk free on our streets than see the rule of law upheld and our communities protected. Without appropriate incentives to appear before the court, we run the risk of defendants fleeing justice while victims and their families are left with nothing but fear and anguish. We cannot allow our system to fail them as it did in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Prior to plowing into a Christmas parade, convicted felon and career criminal, Darrell Brooks, was released on an inappropriately low $1,000 bond after being arrested on a slew of charges. That is astonishing to me. With his record, Mr. Brooks' bail should have never been so low, if awarded at all. So the next time my colleagues across the aisle suggest eliminating the cash bail system, I ask them to think of this tragedy and of the victims. Our bail system keeps criminals off the streets and our communities safe.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, inflation rates are at a 30-year high, and gas prices are up 61 percent since last year. Why? Well, according to Joe Biden, it is because of the American Rescue Plan that this body passed in the spring. No less than the President himself said: You got checks, but what happens if there is nothing to buy and you got more money to compete for goods? It creates a real problem. Yes, Mr. President, it does create a real problem, and now you are trying to double down with this broke back better bill. What does it do? It further harms the economy with $4.5 trillion in new spending, $1.5 trillion in new taxes, and $3 trillion in new debt. It benefits the wealthy with a SALT tax cut of $25,000 for millionaires, electric vehicle subsidies for couples making $500,000 a year, and government-funded paid leave for millionaires. It builds the bureaucracy with 150 new government programs, props up the Green New Deal, and weaponizes the IRS. Madam Speaker, this is the wrong plan for the American people, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, being a parent is a sacred responsibility, and every parent simply wants what is best for their kids. That is why, over the past year, we saw parents speak up at local school board meetings all across the country. Whether it was pushing back against the radical teachings of critical race theory or voicing their opposition to mask mandates or allowing boys in girls' bathrooms, parents were standing up for their kids. However, the National School Board Association deemed people exercising their First Amendment rights as domestic terrorists, and the Department of Justice used this narrative to launch investigations into parents. Now we are learning from a whistleblower that the FBI was using antiterror tools to monitor parents and adding threat tags to files to track them. This is absurd. We should never criminalize parents for speaking up for their children. To make matters worse, we now know the Attorney General lied under oath when he said there was no coordination between the DOJ and the National School Board Association. This administration has weaponized the DOJ for political gain and has chosen to stand with teachers unions over parents and students. These actions are tyrannical, and Congress must know the extent to which parents were spied on.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my friend for yielding and for sponsoring this evening's Special Order. Madam Speaker, this week the Labor Department's consumer price index jumped 6.2 percent in October from a year earlier, reflecting an increase in the cost of goods and services as well as energy and food. Fuel costs surged 30 percent. I have a quote from someone here in Washington about that. This politician said, ``By all accounts, the threat posed by record inflation to the American people is not transitory and is instead getting worse. From the grocery store to the gas pump, Americans know the inflation tax is real and DC can no longer ignore the economic pain Americans feel every day.'' Now, that wasn't my colleague, Congressman Johnson. That wasn't Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy or Congressman Jim Jordan. No. That was Senator Joe Manchin who said that just today. He is recognizing that not just West Virginians, but all Americans are feeling the pain at the pump, at the grocery store, and all across the economy. It is coming from legislation that our President pushed earlier this year and that House Democrats helped get behind--the so-called American Rescue Plan. No less than our President himself said this about public frustration, ``And people are feeling it. They're feeling it. Did you ever think you'd be paying this much for a gallon of gas? In some parts of California, they're paying $4.50 a gallon. ``That's why it's so important that we do everything in our power to stabilize the supply chain.'' But what he did through passage of this American Rescue Plan is actually cause inflation to jump that much further forward, and he conceded on Wednesday that inflation is at a three-decade high because people have more money now as a result of the $1.9 trillion stimulus legislation. And what has he proposed to do now? Double down and spend an additional $2 trillion. What does he think that will do to inflation in this country, Madam Speaker? He has already said, ``And the irony is: People have more money now because of the first major piece of legislation I passed. You all got checks for $1,400. You got checks for a whole range of things. . . . It changes people's lives. ``But what happens if there's nothing to buy and you got more money? . . . It creates a real problem.'' He did say that, and it did create a real problem. It creates a problem to the tune of inflation rates at a 30-year high and gas prices up 61 percent from last year. So if the President recognizes that his last multitrillion-dollar bill caused the economics peril we are facing, then why is he proposing spending an additional $2 trillion on social programs we don't need and we can't afford--150 new government programs? Propping up the Green New Deal won't solve the economic crisis. Weaponizing the IRS against Americans won't lower inflation. Taxing middle-class families won't put more money in the people's pockets. Do you know what would actually help get this country's economy back on track, Madam Speaker? Fiscal responsibility. Americans want a Thanksgiving meal that won't be the most expensive in the history of the holiday, not a progressive wish list that will only make the situation worse.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Bernard Marie, who recently passed away at the age of 82. As a young 5-year-old living in Normandy, France, Marie often told the story of being rushed into his basement by his grandparents in the early morning of June 6, 1944. It was there that his family sat for 16 hours in the dark without food or water before his mother emerged from the cellar to hug an American GI after realizing their village had finally been liberated from German occupation. Marie said that witnessing the D-Day invasion instilled in him a lifelong respect for World War II veterans, and he was forever grateful for those who secured his country's freedom. Later in life, when he moved to the United States, he began hosting an annual luncheon to honor local World War II veterans wherever he was living to show his support for them and their families. When he settled in Roanoke, Virginia, in 2021, he brought the event with him. These luncheons served as a place for veterans to come together and share their experiences--some for the first time. Aside from the luncheons, Marie helped raise money for the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford. He sat at the bedside of servicemembers when they were ill. He even worked to award the French Legion of Honor medal to nearly 150 American veterans. He said that his goal was not only to honor these heroes but to ensure they were never forgotten. I was terribly saddened to learn of Mr. Marie's passing. He meant a great deal to western Virginia, and he will not soon be forgotten.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, time and again I come to the House floor to highlight the out-of-control spending schemes of the House majority. But sadly, this falls on deaf ears as they continue their efforts to push leftist government-dependency bills through this Chamber. When will the majority leader realize that there is a real-world impact to their fiscal irresponsibility? Just this past quarter, the U.S. Gross Domestic Product slowed to a disappointing 2 percent, and real disposable income decreased 5.6 percent, that is after already having decreased 30.2 percent in the second quarter. On top of all this, inflation has increased every month since Joe Biden was sworn in and prices are at a 13-year high. Gas alone is now averaging $3.39 a gallon--a 7-year high. With prices rising across the board, the average family is spending $175 dollars more a month on food, fuel, and housing in Biden's America. That is more than $2,000 a year. Job growth has slowed dramatically, and the September jobs report fell 300,000 jobs short of what economists are predicting. This is in addition to massive shortages that have wrought havoc on our supply chain and left a record number of container ships waiting to enter our ports.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Originally founded by Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr. as Lynchburg Baptist College in 1971, its first classes were held that September for its 154 students. Over the years, the college has grown and transformed in many ways, but has always remained a Christian academic community practicing the traditions of evangelical institutions of higher education. The school was renamed Liberty Baptist College in 1975 and became Liberty University in 1985. Now, Liberty University is one of the largest private nonprofit universities in the Nation and the largest university in Virginia, boasting more than 95,000 total undergraduate and postgraduate students, both in person and online. As of 2021, Liberty has more than 250,000 alumni making an impact in their respective fields and in their communities. I congratulate Liberty University and president Jerry Prevo on this milestone and wish the institution another 50 years of success in fulfilling its mission to develop Christ-centered men and women and instill in them the values, knowledge, and skills needed to impact the world.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, our Nation is facing avoidable crises on many fronts. Because of President Biden's and the Democrats' failed leadership, Americans are dealing with a border crisis, an inflation crisis, a spreading crime crisis, and a crisis in Afghanistan. And now, with the national average for a gallon of gas hitting $3.30 last week-- a 7-year high--we are also facing an energy crisis. Let me be clear: the responsibility for this crisis belongs at the feet of none other than President Joe Biden. His anti-energy agenda has destroyed American jobs and ended America's energy independence. On his first day in office, the President killed 11,000 jobs by canceling the Keystone pipeline, and one of his first executive orders paused new oil and gas leasing on U.S. lands and waters. That executive order alone will cost approximately 1 million American jobs in the near term and will decrease U.S. gross domestic product by $700 billion. That same order also puts America's energy security at risk. To make up for slowed production in the United States, U.S. imports from foreign sources will increase by 2 million barrels a day, and through 2030 we would spend $500 billion more on energy from foreign suppliers. Instead of making it easier for American companies to increase American oil and gas production and hire more U.S. workers, President Biden begged OPEC and Russia to increase global output to ease rising prices. It is a shame. The President has made us more reliant on dangerous adversaries overseas rather than maintaining policies that had us on the verge of energy independence. It would be great if Joe Biden would reverse course and turn, once again, to an all-of-the-above American energy solution that ensures we are reliant on no one but ourselves; but, instead, I guess we are just going to have to lower our expectations.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 20th anniversary of the Community Foundation for Rockbridge, Bath, and Alleghany Counties. In 2001, its first year as an independent organization, the Community Foundation was able to provide $32,000 in grants to the community. But through the support of many individuals, families, and businesses over the years, the organization has grown exponentially. In the past 10 years, the Community Foundation has been able to grant a cumulative $2.5 million to nonprofit organizations, projects, and programs across the organization's service area. Just this year alone, the group will be awarding more than $300,000 in community grants and an additional $30,000 in scholarships. These grants are made possible through the generosity of individuals and businesses and primarily support projects related to art and culture, community betterment, education, health, and human services. In celebration of their 20 years, the organization pledged to give away $20,000 in 20 days to various nonprofits throughout our region. Their work is truly inspiring, and we thank them for their tireless efforts. I wish the Community Foundation another 20-plus years of success.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, since I came to Congress 3 years ago, I have made it a top priority to work toward improving our Nation's infrastructure. I have repeatedly advocated and testified for repairing and expanding our roadways and bridges across the Sixth District, including Interstate 81, the economic backbone of the Sixth Congressional District. But the Senate agreement up this week allocates just $110 billion for roads and bridges, less than 15 percent of the total bill's funding. Further, House Democrats are tying its passage to the $4.3 trillion tax-and-spend boondoggle they call human infrastructure. The bill includes $7.5 billion to create a Civilian Climate Corps to promote the Green New Deal, $80 billion for the IRS to double the number of agents that will target American families and businesses, and provides a zero percent increase for Homeland Security as the Biden border crisis continues to worsen. Additionally, the bill provides $42.3 billion in tax credits for the wealthy, while at the same time raising $2.1 trillion in higher taxes on the middle-class families and job creators. With inflation on the rise and unprecedented levels of government spending driving up our national debt, we cannot afford this loaded legislative package. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose both of these bills when they come before the House.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of the greatest code breakers in American history, Agnes May Meyer Driscoll. At the age of 29 Driscoll enlisted in the United States Navy in 1918 and was assigned to the code and signals section. While in this unit, she helped develop the machine called CM, later a standard enciphering device for the Navy in the 1920s. She continued her work into World War II, where she was a vital part in breaking the Japanese Navy's JN-25b code, which gave Admiral Nimitz a crucial advantage at the Battle of Midway, a turning point in the war in the Pacific. Nicknamed Miss Aggie and Madame X, Driscoll retired in 1959 at the age of 70. When she passed away in 1971, she was buried amongst fellow American heroes in Arlington National Cemetery. Driscoll forever changed the field of cryptology and was rightfully inducted into the National Security Agency Hall of Honor in 2000. It is a pleasure to recognize her service on behalf of the Colonel Thomas Hughart Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and her great nephew, retired U.S. Navy Captain Victor Meyer, who resides in Staunton, Virginia. Our country is immensely grateful for Miss Aggie's service.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleagues in support of life and against the so-called Women's Health Protection Act, which would radically expand abortion nationwide through all 9 months of pregnancy. Importantly, rather than protecting women and their children, it removes essential protections that are currently in place for both of them. Here is what the bill does instead. It abolishes informed consent laws that ensure parental involvement in the decisions of their children. It abolishes laws that regulate the prescribing or dispensing of dangerous chemical abortion drugs. Think about this for a minute. This bill would prohibit laws that actually protect women from the harms of a dangerous, do-it-yourself chemical abortion without seeing a doctor first. It abolishes laws that regulate or restrict abortions performed via telemedicine. It abolishes health and safety regulations for abortion clinics. It abolishes waiting period laws. It abolishes laws that prevent abortion prior to fetal viability, legislatively imposing the viability rule. In addition, the bill would strip the rights of States to pass lifesaving regulations on abortion and also requires that new pro-life laws be approved by the Department of Justice before taking effect. The radical nature of this bill goes so far as to make it impossible to protect unborn children who have been diagnosed with Down syndrome or other fetal anomaly diagnoses from selective abortions, as well as enabling sex-selection abortions. It denies basic science. But here is what we do know. At 6 weeks, the unborn baby has a heartbeat of approximately 98 beats per minute. By 10 weeks, the unborn baby has arms and legs, fingers and toes, and is sucking his or her thumb. By 15 weeks, all of the unborn baby's major organs have formed. They can feel pain, and surgeries have been successfully performed on unborn babies at this age. That is why I strongly oppose H.R. 3755. Since my first day in Congress, I have stood to protect life and be a voice for the defenseless, and I won't stop now.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, almost exactly 8 months ago Joe Biden kicked off his presidency by signing an executive order that weakened our border security and promised a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants. These actions and his reversal of the previous administration's policies have directly led to the worst illegal immigration crisis the United States has faced in decades. Since the President took office, at least 1.2 million illegal aliens have crossed our border and the numbers are getting worse. His response? Continuing to double down on the current failed policy. Just last month, nearly 209,000 illegal aliens were encountered crossing the border, which is a 317 percent increase from August 2020. On top of this, August marks the sixth straight month of illegal crossings, over 170,000 migrants. The latest saga, more than 12,000 migrants living in makeshift encampments under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas. This humanitarian, economic, and health crisis must be addressed, and unfortunately, President Biden and his appointed border czar, Vice President Harris, have been missing in action. For the sake of all involved, more must be done.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 30-year career of one of Virginia's finest, Bridgewater Police Chief Joe Simmons. Interestingly, this law enforcement veteran originally had aspirations of being a firefighter, but after being a dispatcher, jailer, and then a road deputy in the Rockingham County Sheriff's office, the SWAT team recruited him in 1996. By 1997, he joined the elite RUSH Drug Task Force, a mix of local and State officers, who I was proud to work with as an assistant Commonwealth's attorney, as well as Federal drug agents. Simmons brought all this experience to the town of Bridgewater in the late 1990s, eventually rising to chief in 2011. Mayor Ted Flory said of Simmons: ``He's done an amazing job. . . . The model of community policing . . . serves the citizens very well.'' Chief Simmons says most police officers are good people who care about the citizens in their community. ``You have to have empathy. It's not us against them,'' Simmons said, ``You have to police with an open mind. It's customer service.'' In the end, while Simmons never became the firefighter he once wanted to be, he had a successful career in public service, risking his life to protect and serve his fellow citizens. I thank Chief Simmons for his service.

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition today to the bloatedbus spending bill that is being jammed through the House this week by the majority. Instead of working to craft bipartisan legislation, Democrats have put forward appropriations bills that are based on unrealistic and irresponsible spending levels and include partisan policy provisions that will only delay its final passage. Further, rather than holding a vote on each individual appropriations bill, the Speaker has lumped together seven separate spending bills that include nearly $600 billion in discretionary spending, a 21 percent increase over just last year. Twenty-one percent. That is almost as high as some of the price increases families in my district are seeing in their daily lives, thanks to the flood of deficit spending President Biden and Speaker Pelosi have forced through this Congress already. This is not how the legislative process should work. And with inflation rates at a 13-year high, Madam Speaker, we simply cannot afford it. And while this bill provides unprecedented increases for Democrats' domestic spending priorities, the left has decided to underfund two appropriations bills that are required by the Constitution: Homeland Security and National Defense. Worse yet, it reverses decades of historically bipartisan pro-life policies like the Hyde and Weldon amendments which have been bipartisan since 1976. Further, it increases our dependence on China. It fails to keep us safe by hindering the work of Customs and Border Protection, and it abandons an all-of-the-above energy strategy. This is truly unacceptable. Madam Speaker, this minibus needs to be sent back to the scrap yard, and if not, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.'' Honoring Chief Joe Simmons

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding the time and the chair for her leadership as well. I am honored to be a new member of the Appropriations Committee, but I must oppose this appropriations bill. I was disappointed by the party-line votes many of my colleagues took during committee markup against amendments that should have garnered bipartisan support. I am most disheartened that the majority failed to keep decades-long, bipartisan provisions in this bill. Chief among those were the Hyde and the Weldon amendments. Since Hyde was first included in 1976, it has saved nearly 2.5 million lives. Nearly 60 percent of Americans agree that taxpayer dollars should not be used to pay for abortions. The Weldon amendment ensures that healthcare providers cannot be forced to provide abortion services, a protection that has been in place since 2005. We should never force our healthcare workers to participate in abortion when they have taken an oath to heal and to do no harm. While there was much in this bill I would like to support, the inclusion of these provisions is non-negotiable. I will always stand to preserve the sanctity of life and to protect our healthcare providers from being forced to perform actions they find unconscionable. The government has a duty to protect the inalienable right to life. Therefore, I cannot support this bill.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 75th anniversary of the Thomas-Fields Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7814, which was founded on July 11, 1946. When African-American veterans of World War II returned to their homes in the Staunton-Augusta area, they were, unfortunately, excluded from their local VFW Post. Following their denied admittance, a group of 42 veterans then applied for a charter to organize their own post, which would carry the namesakes of Charles Thomas and Glenwood Fields, two African Americans from Staunton who died while serving their country in World War II. Since its formation, the Thomas-Fields Post has been an active civic organization in the African-American community of Staunton and Augusta County, as well as playing an active and significant role in local area veterans' activities. While the post welcomes all veterans, it continues to highlight the heritage of African-American and minority veterans who have served our Nation. Recently, Post 7814 was recognized as a Meritorious Post by the State VFW Federation for its outstanding work over the last 5 years and was also named an All-American Post by the National VFW Council for the first time in its history. The Thomas-Fields VFW Post is to be commended for its work in our community and their efforts to aid those who served. I congratulate them on this historic milestone and wish them another successful 75 years. Support the People of Cuba

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my support for the Cuban people who have taken to the streets to protest the oppressive Communist regime there, a regime that has stripped them of their basic human rights. Since its inception 62 years ago, the Communist Party has caused immeasurable harm and created unbearable conditions in Cuba. Cuba's people want freedom. They want to provide for their families and know that their kids will be safe and healthy--and Cuba is not that place, and it hasn't been that place for far too long. Right now, its people are facing widespread power outages, the most severe food shortage since the 1990s and inflation rates nearing 500 percent. In an effort to contain the truth about what is really going on, the government cut off its citizens' access to the internet to silence the dissent. Instead of trying to address the issues plaguing the island nation, they have, instead, decided to suppress those voicing concern. Since the protest began, more than 100 people have been detained or have gone missing, including artists, peace activists, and priests. It should be no surprise that Cubans are marching in the streets demanding their rights. We have all seen the images of people waving American flags and fleeing in makeshift boats overflowing with folks willing to risk their lives to experience freedom. They want what we are so blessed to have, and, yet, there is a segment of our society bent on pushing the United States toward the failed notion of communism and socialism. It is mind- boggling. We must stand strongly for freedom, stand firmly with the people, and stand boldly with a free Cuba.