Randy Feenstra

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Smith for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I would just quickly note that I am highly offended by the use of the foul language by my Democrat colleague. That is completely unacceptable. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the Democrats' inflation expansion act. This wasteful bill is full of liberal priorities that will continue to fuel inflation, raise taxes on hardworking families, and create an army of 87,000 IRS agents that will go after our families and small businesses. Democrats claim that only large corporations will be the target of these IRS agents. That is factually false. Families and small businesses, who don't have the time or the resources, will undergo these invasive audits and will bear the brunt of these IRS agents. This radical bill will also supercharge the Democrats' Green New Deal agenda without making our country energy independent again. In fact, they would rather import dirty foreign oil from Venezuela than unleash America's energy independence. Sadly, that is the state of today's Democratic Party and their failed liberal agenda. Mr. Speaker, as a strong fiscal conservative, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Lucas for yielding and for his leadership on the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Madam Speaker, H.R. 7361, the National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act, is a bill that was born from a tragedy in my home State of Iowa. On March 5, a tornado outbreak in central and southwest Iowa killed seven people. It was the deadliest storm in our State since 2008. During this storm, an issue at the National Weather Service caused up to a 7-minute delay from when meteorologists issued warnings to when the public was alerted. In Iowa, we know that even the smallest delays can be a matter of life and death. Then, just a month later, in April, eight tornadoes were confirmed during a storm. Luckily, this time around, there were no deaths. Despite that, we had 135-mile-an-hour winds and severe building damage. But that didn't stop some National Weather Service websites and NWS Chat, NWS' outdated emergency communications network, from crashing because of increased traffic. The bottom line is, NWS must have a functional and reliable emergency communications system that can keep people informed and out of harm's way during severe weather crises. H.R. 7361 specifically authorizes an internal messaging service upgrade by giving NOAA the authority to transition from NWS Chat to a commercial, off-the-shelf solution. This type of commercial solution will allow nearly unlimited users, so future growth and increased traffic will not be a problem. It also allows NWS Chat to take advantage of new technologies as they emerge. In fact, earlier this month, NWS signed a contract to use Slack as the basis for the next generation of the NWS Chat service. While this is a step in the right direction, the legislation is still needed to ensure the upgrade is fully supported and completed. The sooner this quick and easy solution is implemented, the faster local emergency managers can alert the public to severe weather that will save lives. I thank my Iowa colleagues, Representatives Axne, Miller-Meeks, and Hinson, for working with me to put this legislation forward. I also thank my Committee on Science, Space, and Technology colleagues for helping me cosponsor this bill as well. I look forward to its passage and encourage all of my colleagues to support it.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Turner Syndrome Awareness Month and my constituent, Nicole Cleveland, for bringing attention to this little-known disease. At birth, Nicole was diagnosed with TS and was told she may never walk. She did. Nicole was told that she would never go to college. She did. She graduated from Morningside University with a degree in political science and journalism. But Nicole did not stop there. She went on to be the youngest woman ever elected to the Sergeant Bluff City Council and will be releasing her first book this spring called ``The Butterfly Chronicles.'' Now, she commits her time and talent to advocating for the more than 70,000 American women and girls who have TS. In conjunction with her advocacy, I will soon be introducing a bill, the Protecting Girls with Turner Syndrome Act, to criminalize the abortion of any baby diagnosed with TS because my faith teaches me that every person is created for a purpose, and Nicole was certainly created as a special one. Mr. Speaker, I thank Nicole for bringing awareness of TS and sharing her message of optimism and hope with so many people.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Iowa's independent beef producers amid the ongoing DOJ investigations into anticompetitive behavior by the Big Four Meat Packers. On Wednesday, JBS Foods, the world's largest meat supplier, paid $52 million to sweep their price-fixing shenanigans under the rug. But they can't hide what we have known all along. These big meat packers are illegally distorting the market to increase their profits and at the expense on Iowa family farmers. It is shameful and it is wrong. That is why we need to pass the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act to finally hold big packers accountable and help Iowa's small, independent producers compete on a level playing field. That is what a free and fair market is all about. It is time that DOJ do its job and take real steps to hold Big Four Meat Packers accountable. We have waited long enough.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today as our national debt has reached the $30 trillion marker for the first time in our Nation's history. This enormous figure should scare us all. Since 1990, our national debt has grown tenfold, and there is no indication that $30 trillion is the ceiling. In Iowa, I helped pass the State law that rightfully requires that we spend no more than 99 percent of the money we take in, creating a balanced budget each year. This is exactly what we should be doing in our Federal Government. We cannot continue to print money, increase our debt, and ask Iowans to foot the bill. As a strong fiscal hawk, I will continue to fight against the wasteful pork-barrel spending that fuels inflation, raises taxes, and increases the cost of living on every family. This is exactly what Iowans expect from me, and I plan to deliver.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Florida for yielding. China will stop at nothing to try and surpass the United States as the world's greatest superpower, and we have the tools at our disposal to counter this growing threat of the Chinese Communist Party. But this nearly $325 billion bill prioritizes liberal Build Back Better and Green New Deal provisions over real solutions to compete with China. Mr. Speaker, $8 billion of the so-called America COMPETES Act funds the United Nations' green climate slush fund, which destroys American industry, harms American workers, and prevents us from competing with China on a level playing field. In fact, the U.N. has awarded $100 million from this fund to China. The House bill leaves out the critical fact that China is our greatest political foe. It also fails to mention the word ``genocide'' anywhere in describing the CCP's systemic human rights abuses against the ethnic Uyghur population. Unfortunately, this bill only compounds the damages from the Biden administration's $40 billion giveaway in no-strings-attached IMF money to the CCP last spring. This is wrong.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Debi Butler with Brain Health Now. Debi is leading an effort to end the stigma surrounding mental illness by shifting the conversation to brain health. As a parent and former educator, I know how important it is to pay close attention to brain health. Today, one in five Americans suffer from behavioral health conditions, such as depression and PTSD. The majority of these people will not seek treatment, partly due to the stigma that surrounds brain health. Tragically, this leads to suicides being up and the second leading cause of death amongst people aged 10 to 34. Brain health should be treated the same way as physical health, and while I am glad to have seen many strides in this session, we have more work to do. I am grateful for Debi, and I look forward to working together on this critical issue that we can all call things brain health.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today as the United States Supreme Court is considering one of the most consequential cases of my lifetime. The case, Dobbs v. Jackson, will have enormous implications for the future. Simply put, it will determine whether abortions performed before a baby is considered viable are lawful. Here is why this is so important. As early as 5 weeks, unborn babies are forming blood vessels. By 10 weeks, pain receptors have start developing. At 15 weeks, babies have developed hearts and pump 17 quarts of blood per day. With its potential to overturn the 50-year-old law, Roe v. Wade, and save millions of unborn children, Dobbs v. Jackson is a beacon of hope for innocent life. This is why earlier this year I joined dozens of my pro-life colleagues in signing a brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold the Mississippi law in question that outlaws abortions after 15 weeks. There is nothing more fundamental and sacred in our Constitution than the right to life. I humbly ask that you join me in praying for the Supreme Court to uphold the previability restrictions on abortions.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Smith for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this reckless social spending bill. It is simply wrong that, rather than funding mandatory programs like Social Security and Medicare--which are on the verge of insolvency over the next 10 years--Democrats instead are adding 150 new programs to this bill. Think about that, seniors. Your money that is coming to you every day is on the verge of bankruptcy, and yet the Democrats are adding another 150 programs. Academic economists all over our country are saying that this bill is a complete disaster for all Americans because it will dramatically increase taxes. The Penn Wharton Budget Model estimates that the new programs will dramatically increase the debt by $4 trillion every year. Families and businesses can't continue to go down this path of continuing to see increases in our gas, our groceries, and our hardware supplies all because of this reckless spending that continues to happen by the Democrats.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Iowa's Nashua-Plainfield student Caleb Sinnwell. Caleb won first place in this year's National History Day competition for his project on the Ghost Army, a World War II unit of 1,100 men tasked with deceiving German intelligence. To recognize his outstanding work, Caleb is being awarded the Certificate of Achievement by the U.S. Special Forces Army Unit. Caleb's thesis states in part: ``Through masterful miscommunication, the Ghost Army successfully deceived German troops, which aided Allied advancement to victory in World War II.'' He is now asking Congress to pass the Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act, a bill to recognize the critically important work of the Ghost Army during World War II. Madam Speaker, I am honored to support this effort, and I am hoping my colleagues in the Senate will take up this measure very soon. Keep up the great work, Caleb.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Louden Lofgren, the son of my friend and my former colleague, Iowa State Senator Mark Lofgren. Louden sadly passed away at 2 years of age after complications from surgery, where he needed multiple blood transfusions. After he passed away, his family launched a blood drive, known as Love Like Louden, to encourage folks to donate blood and draw attention to hospital shortages of blood. Every 2 seconds, someone in America needs blood, and over 38,000 pints are needed daily. If you can, please consider donating blood in Louden's memory. May God bless the Lofgren family.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the President's complete and utter failure to lead our country effectively over the last 9 months. Despite the optimistic vision he portrayed in his inaugural address, President Biden has created crisis after crisis--from our economy and energy independence to national and border security. Back in February my Republican colleagues and I warned Democrats' reckless spending would have a devastating inflationary effect. In fact, many experts at the time, including former President Obama's top economist, warned spending trillions more would devalue our dollar and cause prices of goods and services to increase. Sure enough, just one month later, we learned that the Consumer Price Index had its highest monthly jump in nearly 10 years. The Producer Price Index has also skyrocketed by 8.3 percent, which is also a record. While the Biden administration continues turning a blind eye to inflation, top economists are warning inflation is here to stay for years to come, and it will only get worse if the Democrats pass over $5 trillion in additional spending. This is a hidden tax hike on every American family, on top of their historic tax increases that are part of the $4.2 trillion tax-and- spending spree that we will be discussing over the next several days. This is completely reckless for our businesses, our farmers, and our families. Instead of reining in spending, President Biden and his Democrat colleagues are leaning into the economic crisis they have created. In fact, the President has attempted to gaslight the American people by making the false claim that their $5.5 trillion so-called infrastructure package will cost zero dollars. Even the leftists at The Washington Post aren't buying it, calling the claim truly misleading. The crisis at our southern border, which the Biden administration has gone to great lengths to ignore, has continued raging on. In May I went to Texas with Congressman Gonzales to see the border firsthand. I received an aerial tour of the Big Bend sector, a remote part of the border where apprehensions of drugs, weapons, and other contraband are at record levels. Law enforcement on the ground told us directly that they needed more support from the administration. Sadly, several months later, it is still clear that no help has been on the way. In August, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that they have made over 200,000 apprehensions of drugs, up 317 percent from just a year ago. Biden's failure to lead and take control of this situation has created a devolving humanitarian crisis, a national security crisis, and a public health crisis at our southern border. Biden has also failed to lead on our world stage. Our tragic and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan is the sole responsibility of President Biden and his colossal failure to lead as Commander in Chief. The administration still owes the American people answers. Why were billions of dollars of military equipment left behind for the Taliban? Why did we cave to the Taliban's timeline? Why did we fail to evacuate every single American before leaving? Just this week we learned Biden lied to the American people regarding the advice he received from his top military generals. The commander of the U.S. Central Command testified under oath that he recommended keeping a small force of 2,500 troops in Afghanistan, yet Biden previously told the American people that no one recommended keeping this limited troop presence. Biden has been silent as the far left wing of his party has attacked Israel and their right to defend themselves. Abandoning our allies, abandoning and lying to the American people, this seems to be the Biden leadership doctrine. Under the President's leadership, we are no longer energy independent. On his first day of office, Biden killed the XL pipeline, eliminating 11,000 great jobs. He put Paris over Paullina, Iowa, and other communities in my district by rejoining the climate accords, which will cause electricity to skyrocket. Yet this same woke progressive administration that pretends to care so much about the climate is about to give a huge win to the oil industry. They are undermining clean-burning biofuels by attacking the renewable fuel standard, leaving crop growers and my biofuels producers behind in the dust. It seems the Biden leadership doctrine in a nutshell has been to ruin this economy and is undermining our independence.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, last week I officially completed my 39 county tour for 2021, visiting all 39 counties at least twice so far this year. Whether it was speaking to farmers, manufacturers, Main Street business owners, families, educators, or students, I have enjoyed listening to folks all through the Fourth District. I heard from folks across the district concerned with reckless spending, especially the Democrats' $3.5 trillion tax and spending spree. In Palo Alto County I met a sixth-generation farmer who was concerned President Biden's plan to eliminate stepped-up basis would threaten his family farm. I heard this concern everywhere I went, which is why I have fought so hard to put a stop to this supercharged death tax. I will continue to be a passionate advocate for the Fourth District, especially when it comes to defending the men and women who feed and fuel the world.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Colton Griffin, a third grader from Moville, Iowa. After his classmate and friend, Hope, passed away in a tragic accident, Colton wanted to make sure her bucket calf still made it to the fair. That is when he came up with this great idea to have his whole class help show her calf, Taffy. I had the pleasure of meeting Colton, and his dad, Cody, at the Iowa State Fair last week, and they truly embody ``Iowa Nice.'' Supporting our friends and neighbors in tough times is one of the things that makes Iowa so special. With a heart that big, I know Colton is going to do great things. Madam Speaker, may God bless Colton and his friend, Hope, and her family. May God bless.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 18 which would make the Hyde amendment permanent. This week we will consider the partisan Health and Human Services budget. It is unfortunate that Democrats are continuing their assault on the fundamental right to life in this bill. It kills the Hyde amendment which ensures taxpayer dollars cannot be spent on abortions. Hyde has saved 2.5 million babies since it was enacted. My faith teaches me that every person is created for a purpose and a reason, and that is why I will always be a defender of the unborn. Americans should not be forced to fork over their taxpayer dollars so defenseless babies can be murdered on the taxpayer dime. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 18, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge President Biden and his administration to back off on the attacks on rural America and rural Iowa. The administration has proposed changes to the stepped-up basis tax policy, which is, effectively, the death tax with a new coat of paint. I have heard from farmers all across the Fourth District who are concerned about these changes, and they would be financially devastating, especially when it comes to passing on that family farm to the next generation. This was confirmed in a recent study by Texas A&M and the Agriculture and Food Policy Center. It noted that the stepped-up basis changes would impact 98 percent of family farms and impose an additional $1 million tax on farms in the Midwest. It is simple. The hardworking men and women of the Fourth District and those who feed the world should not have to foot the bill for the Democrats' reckless spending agenda. The Biden administration isn't just looking at penalizing rural Americans with higher taxes. They are also looking at implementing burdensome regulations that will crush rural Main Streets and our agricultural community in the Midwest. Administrator Regan of the EPA recently announced that the EPA would look into undoing the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which replaced waters of the U.S. as a smarter, more efficient, and more straightforward approach to defining what waters warrant Federal regulation. A return to WOTUS, which allowed the Federal Government to regulate water on 97 percent of the land in Iowa, would force unnecessary and costly government regulations on the backs of Iowa farmers. There are many places the Federal Government bureaucrats just don't belong, and specifically, they don't belong on our family farms. When the executive branch's power exploded under the Obama administration, we saw ridiculous rules implemented and enforced, leading to rising costs in the ag industry and snuffing out economic growth on our rural Main Streets and in our rural communities. This attempted power grab ultimately proved why water regulation is best left to States and localities. Put simply, the Biden administration's Big Government agenda for rural America includes higher taxes and more regulation, but this administration isn't stopping at this one-two gut punch. President Biden is also looking to undermine the RFS and lowering biofuel blending requirements. This will hurt both crop growers and biofuel producers, two industries that are so critical to our economic activity in rural Iowa. At the same time, the administration is laughing as they propose spending $174 billion on electric vehicles and charging stations. A study by Biden's own Department of Energy found that four out of every five vehicles will still require liquid fuels by 2050. Think about that. Four out of every five cars in 2050 will still need liquid fuels. Why is President Biden taking aim at this critical industry? It seems the Democrats are shrugging their shoulders, comfortable with turning their backs on the rural Midwest, farmers, our rural Main Streets. I say enough is enough. Rural Iowans are already suffering from high gas taxes and grocery prices due to this incredible inflation, which is a direct result of Democrats' massive and reckless spending. Gas prices are over 50 percent higher than they were a year ago. Our food and energy prices continue to rise because of inflation. In May 2021, the Consumer Price Index increased at a rate that has not been seen since the 2008 recession. On top of the Biden inflation tax, our farmers can't afford additional taxes, more regulations, and other policies that will hinder the most important industries and will stifle growth in the rural Midwest, creating a disaster for rural Main Streets, our producers, and our family farmers. Iowa is the breadbasket to the world. That is why President Biden must back off rural America. Please back off agriculture.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas for all the work they have done on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the National Science Foundation for the Future Act. This legislation contains several provisions that would help ensure the United States continues to be a global leader in science and technology. It invests in critical STEM programs and research that will pave the way for new and exciting technological developments. I am pleased that this legislation also includes a proposal that I introduced to protect American intellectual property from falling into the wrong hands. My proposal, which passed the Science Committee with unanimous support, prevents government-funded researchers from participating in projects that are run by so-called foreign countries of concern, including China, North Korea, Russia, Iran, and others defined by the State Department. Taxpayer dollars should not be spent on research that could end up in the hands of our competitors or our adversaries. This is especially true when it comes to China. My bipartisan proposal stands up to the Chinese Communist Party and ensures that our taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. The NSF for the Future Act also contains language that I have worked on with Congressman McNerney to advance precision agriculture technology. These provisions aim to bolster research and development in precision farming practices, which will help our producers improve their efficiency and increase their bottom line. In sum, the National Science Foundation for the Future Act includes important provisions that will protect American interests and help empower our agricultural community. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss Sarah's Law, a bicameral bill I introduced along with Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa. Our proposal was named in honor of Sarah Root, a 21-year-old girl who, after her graduation, that night, was killed by an illegal immigrant. The illegal immigrant was drunk and drag racing. He posted bond. ICE did not detain him, and he left the country, never to be seen from ever again. The bill would require authorities to keep illegal immigrants in custody if they have been charged with a crime that resulted in death or serious bodily injury. I am pleased that my proposal was included in the Republican Study Committee budget. After all, budgets reflect priorities, and given the crisis at our border, it is crucial that we implement tougher immigration policies that protect Iowans and protect Americans. Border encounters have hit an all-time high in the last two decades, with over 180,000 encounters in the month of May. Last year, we had over 23,000. Yet, President Biden's bloated $6 trillion budget proposal does not include a single cent more for homeland security. Unlike Vice President Harris, the administration's self-appointed border czar, I went to the border. I heard directly from law enforcement officers. We need to ensure they have the resources they need to do their jobs, and we need to start enacting stricter immigration and border security policies that address this crisis. At the very least, we can all agree that neither American citizens nor illegal immigrants should ever be able to evade the law. Sarah's Law would ensure illegal immigrants cannot escape justice simply due to immigration policy loopholes. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Republican Study Committee's budget. It is a fantastic budget.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, our veterans deserve the best care and attention, including when it comes to treating unseen wounds. That is why I am honored to be part of this effort to expand mental health services to our veterans in rural areas. The Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans' Mental Health Act is named in honor of Sergeant Brandon Ketchum, an Iowan and a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. After serving overseas, he suffered from a number of physical and mental conditions. Tragically, Sergeant Ketchum took his own life after failing to receive the mental healthcare he needed from the VA. It is clear, mental healthcare shortcomings for our veterans need to be addressed, and that is what this bill does. I thank my colleague from Iowa, Congresswoman Axne, for her work on this important bill. I also thank my colleagues, Congresswoman Miller- Meeks and Congresswoman Hinson, for their work as well. God bless all those who have fought to protect our country. We owe them our help.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Mr. Speaker, in this era of scientific and technological innovation, it has never been more important to ensure our students have access to quality STEM education programs, especially in rural communities. Implementing high-speed, reliable broadband goes hand in hand with this goal. This is why I urge my colleagues to support the Rural STEM Education Research Act. Both STEM education and quality broadband access are critical to the future success and revitalization of rural America. I am hopeful that this legislation will break down barriers rural Iowans face in receiving STEM education that is both forward-thinking and long-lasting for our rural communities. This bill will also help us identify the technological and logistical challenges we still must overcome to provide broadband to every last acre of land. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma, Ranking Member Lucas, for this outstanding bill and important piece of legislation.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dave Raak from Hospers, Iowa. Dave recently passed away from a long and courageous battle with a rare organ condition. Dave dedicated his life to serving his community. His great- grandfather started Hospers Telephone Company in the early 1900s. Dave eventually took over the company from his dad and worked tirelessly to ensure that rural communities served by HTC Communications had quality telecommunication services. Dave was instrumental in building a fiber network in the 1990s across Iowa which now serves as the backbone of our economy by connecting rural Iowa to the world. Dave also leaves behind his wife of 54 years, Arlene; and their children; Ruth, Rachel, and Paul; along with their many grandchildren. Dave was truly a family man. Please join me in praying for his loved ones as they say goodbye.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the birthday of Ralph Johnson from Cherokee, Iowa, who turned 100 years old on Monday. Ralph is a member of the Greatest Generation, serving in the Navy during World War II. He truly embodies the bravery, courage, and selfless sacrifice of an American patriot, working as a head mechanic in the Pacific theater. If you talk with Ralph, he will tell you harrowing stories about his service, like the time the Japanese flew so low over his ship, he could see the pilot's face. On behalf of a grateful nation, we thank Ralph for his service and sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take a moment to recognize Linda Sommerfeld and David Scott, who made Ralph's special day great. Happy birthday, Ralph. We wish you many blessings.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate something that hasn't happened in Iowa for over 110 years. Last Friday night, two schools from the same community met in the Boys Class 2A State Basketball Championship. It just so happened that the two schools are from my hometown, Hull, Iowa, a community of 2,500 people. The game was an incredible game where Western Christian ended up winning by 6 points at the end. With this win, Wolfpack, from Western Christian, set another record, being the first school to have 10 State championships in the State. Congratulations to Boyden-Hull on an incredible season, and congratulations to Western Christian on being the 2A State Champions of Iowa. Both teams make me proud. Both teams make Iowa proud. Both teams make Hull proud. Madam Speaker, I can truly say this: Hull, Iowa, is the capital of basketball in Iowa.

Mr. FEENSTRA

Mr. FEENSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this reckless spending bill. On Monday, the Congressional Budget Office announced the Federal deficit has already exceeded $1 trillion in the first 5 months of fiscal year 2021. Spending this year is already up 25 percent, and this massive spending bill adds another $1.9 trillion to our deficit. We are currently enjoying low interest rates, but out-of-control spending will lead to inflation. In this current year, inflation has already increased by 3 percent. Inflation leads to interest rate hikes. For example, in the 1980s, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 20 percent. The debt is already at $28 trillion. So higher interest rates will cause a catastrophic death spiral. This bill does not rescue our country. It literally puts us in peril.

Mr. FEENSTRA

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