A. Ferguson

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise for the purpose of inquiring of the Democratic Caucus chair the schedule for the week to come. I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries).

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, we have seen movement in the Senate. I understand that there is activity over there. Does the gentleman have an update on when we might see that legislation in the House? But more importantly when we might see legislative text?

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleague if he is aware of any other additional authorizing text that may be attached to the continuing resolution.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Republican Conference, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Virginia for yielding. Madam Speaker, while I do, in fact, support his amendment, I would also like to speak for just a minute on the previous amendment offered to H.R. 7666, the BIG Act. We have seen over the past couple of years a significant rise in mental health issues with our students, whether it is in high school, whether it is in middle school, or whether it is in college. We have seen the effects of the pandemic, but there are a lot of other things that have created this mental health crisis for our children around America. What our children need are resources, and they need resources at a very early age. So what the BIG Act does is it accumulates best practices from different schools around the country, and it makes sure that we intervene with students early. We want to get these young people the resources that they need. There are a couple of things about this that we think are very important: Number one, early intervention has been proven to show that we can prevent a catastrophic event. We want students to be healthy and happy and functioning. What we would also like to do is limit the interaction with law enforcement. We want to make sure that the students are getting these resources across the board. So this body passed the BIG Act last year, and they did it with wide bipartisan support; however, the Senate did not take this bill up. So I say, let's do it again. Let's pass it as part of this important package. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman and our ranking members for making such an effort to get this important piece of legislation across the finish line.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Ann Thomas, a dedicated educator, who will be retiring after 43 years as a math teacher at Springwood High School. Mrs. Thomas is someone who challenges her students to look beyond the pages of the textbook and to become problem-solvers and critical thinkers. Every day her tenacity, her passion, and dedication impact each and every one of her students. As a math teacher, she ensured that young people would have the knowledge and skills to not only help them succeed in the classroom, but to be empowered to become productive members of society. Mr. Speaker, I am a proud alumnus of Springwood High School in many ways because of her. In honor of her 43 years of remarkable service, I thank and commend Mrs. Thomas for her relentless commitment to mathematics education and for helping the next generation of young students succeed.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 471, the PAUSE Act, to protect all Americans from Biden's border crisis.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, the war on American energy independence began on day one of President Biden's administration. That war has hit Americans hard in the pocketbook, and the cost at the pump, and for everything else they buy has gone up as a result of this administration's policies. All too often we look across the globe and see the cost of those policies, and we see that in Ukraine right now. Every single barrel of Russian oil that we buy has at least a quarter of Ukrainian blood in it. It is time to put an end to it. Now we have a bill that has been much watered-down, it doesn't have the teeth in it that it should because this administration does not seem willing to stand up to this dictator. Now that we are having a discussion about ending a relationship with one dictator, it seems that the administration is willing to trade one for three, buying oil from Venezuela, Iran, and now Saudi Arabia. This war on pricing has got to come to an end. The war on American energy independence has to come to an end. It is time for this administration to open up American energy independence.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, what I really want to say about this bill would probably make me wind up on the prayer list of the church folks back home. This bill is horrendous for America. Most Americans want a job; they want a decent, safe place to live; they want their kids educated; and they want to be left alone to lead their lives the way that they want to. This bill violates every one of those basic tenets. It is going to destroy the economy and raise inflation. People will not be economically more secure. It is encouraging additional illegal immigration at our southern border, and it is making our communities less safe. It is going to destroy private daycare. This bill is going to allow the government to tell you where you have to have your kids educated. Has the majority not learned anything from what happened in the elections a couple of weeks ago? By the way, it is going to tell you how you have to live your life, what kind of car you can buy, what kind of business you can run, and how to operate your business. Americans are sick and tired of this kind of government overreach. Mr. Speaker, 87,000 new IRS agents to spy on Americans' bank accounts, to come dig in the cushions of your couch, in order to pay for SALT? This thing stinks like 3-day-old roadkill on south Georgia asphalt. Vote ``no.''

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Antibiotic Awareness Week as we work to combat a looming public health and national security crisis that may one day be our next pandemic if left unaddressed: antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Applying the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic by investing in pandemic preparedness now will save lives later. That is why I am spearheading bipartisan, bicameral legislation, the Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance Act, also known as the PASTEUR Act. Through a partnership between the federal government and industry, this bill encourages innovative drug development to target the most threatening infections, improves the appropriate use of antibiotics, and ensures domestic availability when needed. Madam Speaker, as we tackle this next medical frontier, we must bring together the unique capabilities and resources of the public and private sectors to solve the market failures impeding the development of new lines of antibiotics. The PASTEUR Act accomplishes this, and I'm encouraged our legislation is included in a groundbreaking package introduced this week--Cures 2.0 that builds on the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016--taking another important step toward addressing antimicrobial resistance.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the previous question. There is absolutely no denying that the Democrats want to control every part of your life by allowing the IRS to snoop into your bank accounts. This is wrong. And for what? It is really truly all about control. This unlawful surveillance is their latest gambit. The Democrats' snooping scheme would include hiring 87,000 new IRS agents at a cost of almost $80 billion. That is almost enough IRS agents to fill up Sanford Stadium at the University of Georgia for a Saturday football game. Now, I will take a college football stadium full of SEC fans cheering on the Dawgs, but not one full of IRS agents. The proposal that the Democrats have put out claims to only go after wealthy tax cheats, but at its core, this is going to target every single farmer, every single family, every single gig worker, every single small business owner, and just about anyone who pays rent or pays a mortgage. Their bogus attempts to scale it back are meaningless. At any number, this is wrong. Think about how long it would take, paying $200 a month out of your bank account, or $200 a week out of your bank account, to get to the $10,000 number that they have proposed. Mr. Speaker, simply put, the Democrats' IRS surveillance plan is flat out wrong. It is an outright violation of the Fourth Amendment of every American. Government has no business sifting through our personal information. This is a foundational principle that this country was built on. I will say it again. Whether the amount is $1, $600, $10,000, or $1 million, giving the IRS this kind of unfettered and unchecked power is wrong. The threshold is irrelevant. Americans know that this is wrong. We know it is wrong, and our colleagues on the other side of the aisle know that it is wrong. Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are so desperate to find revenue to fund their Big Government socialist programs that they are willing to violate the constitutional rights of our fellow Americans. This is wrong. It is egregious on every front. Once again, we know it; they know it; the American people know it; and that is why we are pushing back. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so that we can restore some reason and sanity and put an end to this absurd proposal for the IRS to snoop on Americans' bank accounts. Defeat the previous question so we can vote to prohibit IRS financial surveillance of Americans' bank accounts.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H.J. Res. 6.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of our global partners, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, who is in Washington, D.C. this week for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also known as the Quad Summit, a strategic conversation between the United States, India, Japan, and Australia. America and India have a strong and valuable partnership, which has allowed both nations to flourish. Welcoming the wide range of collaborative activities undertaken to improve their citizens' lives, we must work to revitalize our existing alliance and find new areas for collaboration and mutual benefit. I was grateful to meet with the Consulate General of India in Georgia Dr. Swati V. Kulkarni earlier this month, where I reaffirmed my commitment to deepening our ties and advancing practical cooperation between our two countries in combatting COVID-19, partnering on emerging technologies and cyberspace, and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the longstanding and special relationship between the United States and India.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in August. For the past 25 years, the association has solidified itself as the premier resource to represent the fruit and vegetable industry in Georgia--a sector that is essential to Georgia's economy and prosperity. By providing services such as education programs to maximize production, marketing opportunities to increase profits, and disaster management tools to handle natural disasters and crises, the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association is without question a cornerstone of the Georgia ag industry and a boon to specialty crop growers across the state. The association has instituted a multitude of innovative solutions aimed toward helping its members. They have worked diligently with national organizations and congressional offices to secure relief aid through the Coronavirus Food and Assistance Program and implemented modern strategies aimed toward strengthening Georgia's specialty growers. As the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association rounds out 25 years, I look forward to a bright future of continued strength and advocacy, and I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating this association's great accomplishments.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Mary Reed, a distinguished member of the Columbus, Georgia, community, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday. Mary is part of the heartbeat of Columbus. Serving as the longtime Executive Secretary for the Rotary Club of Columbus, she prides herself on perfect attendance and leadership in helping others. She is an accomplished woman of God, a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Last month, in honor and recognition of her impact in the community, Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson proclaimed Friday, August 25, 2021, as Mary Reed Day, a fitting tribute. Madam Speaker, Mary Reed is a shining example of putting service above self, and our community is a better place thanks to her kindness and selflessness. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Mary a happy 100th birthday and thank her for her many years of service to our community.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Mary Reed, a distinguished member of the Columbus, Georgia, community, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday. Mary is part of the heartbeat of Columbus. Serving as the longtime Executive Secretary for the Rotary Club of Columbus, she prides herself on perfect attendance and leadership in helping others. She is an accomplished woman of God, a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Earlier this month, in honor and recognition of her impact in the community, Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson proclaimed Friday, August 25th, 2021, as Mary Reed Day, a fitting tribute. Madam Speaker, Mary Reed is a shining example of putting service above self, and our community is a better place thanks to her kindness and selflessness. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Mary a happy 100th birthday and thank her for her many years of service to our community.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in August. Headquartered in my home district in LaGrange, Georgia, the association has solidified itself as the premier resource for growers in an area that is essential to Georgia's economy and prosperity. By providing services such as education programs to maximize production, marketing opportunities to increase profits, and disaster management tools to handle natural disasters and other crises affecting the industry, the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association is without question a cornerstone of agriculture and a boon to specialty crop growers across the state. Throughout the pandemic, the association has instituted a multitude of innovative solutions aimed toward helping its members and Georgia's specialty crop growers. They have also worked diligently with national organizations and congressional offices to secure relief aid through the Coronavirus Food and Assistance Program for those in need. As the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association rounds out 25 years, I look forward to a bright future of continued strength and advocacy, and I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating this association's great accomplishments.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding woman of God, Mrs. Mary Sue Mixon. Mrs. Mixon will celebrate her retirement as a distinguished Sunday school teacher at the Mountain Gap Church in The Rock, Georgia. Mary Sue Mixon is a native of Pike County, Georgia, and has taught Sunday school classes for adults, preteens, and primary classes for over 40 years. Beyond simply reading her weekly lessons to the fourth through sixth grade students, she has dedicated herself to sharing the full knowledge, love, and relationship she has with Christ, and has enabled countless others to walk with Him. Mary Sue is a revered teacher and a humble community leader, but above all, she is a faithful servant of God. She has achieved so much in her life, but none of it would be possible without the grace of the Lord, and the love and support of her family. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today, along with the congregation of Mountain Gap Church, and the residents of Georgia's Third Congressional District, in extending our sincerest congratulations to Mary Sue Mixon on this joyous occasion.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Reclaiming my time. Of course, we would like all Americans to be vaccinated. But, again, you will never be able to understand or know how many Members are actually vaccinated unless you require them to give you that information. If you require them to give you that information, then the majority will be in violation of the HIPAA privacy laws. How in the world can you violate the HIPAA privacy laws on this? What does that mean for future pandemics and future diseases? There are laws in place that say that Members do not have to disclose their health information. And if the gentleman could please explain how you force a Member of this body to disclose their personal health information without violating HIPAA laws, I would love to hear that answer.

Mr. FERGUSON. I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. FERGUSON. Reclaiming my time. So the President, the leader of the Democratic socialist movement right now here in America, has said that it is good enough for the White House, yet you are going to defer to the House physician over the President of the United States.

Mr. FERGUSON. No. My point is that there is so much inconsistency here. You will never, ever get to the point, Madam Speaker, that you will ever be able to get every Member to show some sort of vaccination card without violating the HIPAA privacy protections. Again, I am listening to the rhetoric. It is a simple question: How do you compel Members of this body to disclose their private health information without violating HIPAA laws? Not strategy. Not theoretical. How are you going to do that? What provision in the law, in the HIPAA protections of an American's private information regarding their healthcare record, are you going to waive to compel Members of the House to show that they have been vaccinated? I yield to my colleague from California.

Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, reclaiming my time. That is in direct contradiction to CDC guidelines. And on top of that, will the gentleman explain how in the world you are going to get that information that every member of this body has been vaccinated without violating HIPAA laws?

Mr. FERGUSON. Please. I would love an answer.

Mr. FERGUSON. Reclaiming my time. I will wrap this topic up with a couple of observations. Our colleagues across on the other side of the building are certainly following different guidelines than we are here. I think it is important to note that what the majority is doing here is that they are undermining the vaccination program. They are committing public health malpractice by saying, if you get the vaccine, it doesn't work. What is the incentive to do this? I am going to move on to the next topic. I believe we have beat this dead horse enough and there is no answer.