Michelle Fischbach

Mrs. FISCHBACH

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 922 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, we are here today to debate the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 357 and H.R. 1147. It provides a structured rule for H.R. 1147 and makes in order bipartisan and Republican amendments, provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and provides one motion to recommit. The rule further provides for consideration of H.R. 357 under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the Committee on the Judiciary and one motion to recommit. Under our Constitution, those who make the laws are accountable to those who elect them. Career Federal employees are not beholden to the voters of this Nation, and yet unelected bureaucrats across the Federal agencies--in one case in particular, a single low-level career employee--have been making thousands of rules that impact this country's voters and taxpayers. According to a recent Pacific Legal Foundation study, career employees and unconfirmed officials issued over 70 percent of the rules at the Department of Health and Human Services between 2001 and 2017. These rules have economic impacts on the people of this country, just as the laws we pass in this Chamber do, yet we are accountable to the voters who elect us. Federal employees are accountable to no one. Former President Trump addressed this issue with an executive order that required agencies' informal notice-and-comment rules to be initiated and signed by senior appointees, with exceptions. The Biden administration has revoked that. As a result of revoking this order, in 2021, Congress passed just 143 laws while Federal agencies issued 3,257 rules, costing taxpayers $1.927 trillion, or the equivalent of $14,684 per household. According to the study, only 2 percent of the Food and Drug Administration's rules were issued by principal officers, and 25 of these rules had an impact on the American economy of at least $100 million or had other substantial economic impacts. That means unelected bureaucrats, who are not accountable to the taxpayers, are costing those taxpayers thousands upon thousands of dollars. This majority has made a commitment to ensuring our Federal Government is held accountable. The Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking Act would lessen the power of career civil servants who are not accountable to the taxpayer. It would require, with exceptions, that rules be issued and signed by presidentially nominated and Senate- confirmed appointees. This upholds the Constitution by putting decisions in the hands of those who are held accountable to the American people. It improves the ways this government is by the people and for the people. We are also here to discuss the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. Mr. Speaker, coming from one of the top dairy producing districts in the country, I am proud to stand here in support of this legislation. The bill expands milk options for the school lunch programs under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to include flavored, unflavored, whole, and reduced-fat milks. Whole milk has been demonized as unhealthy, but it is full of the calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein that growing kids need. Since the misguided Obama-era regulations were put in place that the Biden administration has chosen to continue, rather than seeing health improve, we have continued to see child health decline. We also have fewer people participating in the school lunch programs. Like many of the regulations that took place at the time, the milk restrictions are not having their intended effect. Meanwhile, dairy farmers in my district are struggling. Milk prices and demand remain stubbornly low, in most cases below the margin of your average dairy farm. For what purpose? Because the Federal Government places arbitrary restrictions on the meals our children can enjoy? This bill is a win-win for children and producers alike. It gets kids the nutrients they need while giving schools more flexibility to meet the needs of their students, and it provides a larger market for dairy farmers to sell their delicious product they stand proudly behind. Mr. Speaker, I support the underlying legislation, urge all Members to do so, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I want to comment that rules and rulemaking is one of the things that I hear from my constituents. It is one of the most important things that they talk about and call me about when they have concerns. I think H.R. 357 simply makes the process accountable the way it should be. We should not have bureaucrats making rules from D.C. for farms in Minnesota or for a variety of streams and waterways in Minnesota when they are not there seeing it. I think this is an important part of the government being responsive and accountable to the American people. I find it very important that we need to get the rulemaking under control. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy).

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I do just want to comment that I was in my district this weekend, and I heard a lot about out-of-control rulemaking at the Federal level by the government in general. Do you know what, Mr. Speaker? I did hear about whole milk, so I do think the issues we are dealing with are of concern to the American people. Moreover, I am proud of my colleagues for following through on their commitments to the American people. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act directly responds to constituents who want to expand the options for healthy drinks in our school. Expanding the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to include flavored, unflavored, whole, and reduced fat milk options decreases the control Washington has over the day-to- day choices Americans make and increases the chance that a kid will reach for a milk over a soda. The Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking Act holds the government accountable by requiring rules made in Federal agencies to be issued and signed by presidentially nominated and Senate-confirmed appointees, ensuring the rules made in Federal agencies are beholden to taxpayers' priorities. Mr. Speaker, I support the rule and the underlying legislation.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mrs. FISCHBACH

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to prohibit funds from being used by the SEC to regulate or require the disclosure of data regarding agricultural emissions. Mr. Chairman, the SEC under Chair Gensler has been marked by a radical and tyrannical enforcement agenda that stretches the bounds of the SEC's jurisdiction and buries hardworking men and women in bureaucratic busywork. Look no further than the SEC's climate-related disclosure rule, which would require public companies to disclose the emissions data of their supply chains. For food companies and agribusinesses that rely on farmers and ranchers, that means collecting emissions data at the farm level. Let me be clear, Mr. Chairman, the SEC has no authority to regulate farmers and ranchers. Yet, that is exactly what the Chair is attempting to do. The SEC is charged with protecting investors and facilitating financial market activity, not policing the tens of thousands of family farms in my district. Yet, the proposed rule would burden my constituents with mountains of paperwork and regulatory burdens if they want to do business with a public company. These are farmers that, unlike their publicly traded counterparts, do not have the compliance, legal, and scientific departments to satisfy the requirements under this rule. Production agriculture is already regulated by the EPA, the USDA, and State and local governments. As a result, farmers and ranchers are climate champions, not villains. The last thing they need is more unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., who have never set foot on a farm telling them how to do their jobs. Mr. Chair, this amendment eliminates the duplicative, unnecessary, burdensome, and ultimately inappropriate regulatory effort and allows farmers in my district and throughout the country to do what they do best: feed and fuel the world. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Chairman, I feel that there is no issue in being duplicative and very clear on what we are trying to accomplish with this amendment because it is important to make sure that we are protecting the farmers, those people, like I said before, who feed and fuel the world. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Womack).

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time is remaining.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Chairman, let me echo some of the things that the chairman said regarding protecting the farmers. We have to protect the farmers. It is a national security issue. It is a food issue. It is a fuel issue. It is important that we make sure that we get the legislation and the bills right, the language right, in order to protect them. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 838 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 838 provides for consideration of H.R. 4820 and H.R. 4821 under a structured rule and makes in order Democratic as well as Republican amendments. The rule further provides for consideration of H.R. 6126 under a closed rule and provides one motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, House Republicans have made a promise to the American people. We promised to deliver single-subject appropriations bills that responsibly fund government by cutting wasteful spending and investing in necessary services. We have passed six such bills so far, which is nearly three-quarters of overall discretionary spending. I am proud to say that we are keeping that promise here again today as we work to pass two more. H.R. 4820 and H.R. 4821 will cut billions in unnecessary government spending and prevent overreaching regulations while prioritizing vital programs. The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill reduces funding for Department of Transportation grant programs by over $6.6 billion and the Department of Housing and Urban Development by over $1.7 billion. The Appropriations Committee made these cuts by rejecting the administration's request to increase bureaucracy and their request to increase wasteful climate and equity initiatives. It rejects their request for additional program initiatives, including one to make the DOT's Federal vehicle fleet electric to the tune of $26 million and $300 million for Green New Deal grants promoting environmental justice priorities in public housing of all places. It cuts all this and more while funding key programs. It will strengthen our infrastructure; prioritize transportation safety, including funding the training of 1,800 new air traffic controllers; and focus on housing assistance for vulnerable Americans, including the elderly, the disabled, and veterans. The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill rightsizes agency funding levels while expanding access to critical minerals. It also repeals this administration's waters of the United States regulation, something so important to States like Minnesota that know full well how to manage their waters and do not need the government telling them how to do their job. Can you imagine having to go through the Federal Government when your field floods because now those waters fall under WOTUS authority? WOTUS is just another example of unnecessary government overreach. The bill also limits the abuse of the Endangered Species Act. This also impacts States like Minnesota where the gray wolf population is not just maintained but is actually thriving. Because in California the gray wolf population is dwindling, the administration would force Minnesota to follow the same regulations as California. Complete nonsense. I am proud to support this legislation that prioritizes public safety while trusting the States to do what is right for them. Mr. Speaker, finally, I stand here today in full support of our ally Israel. The supplemental package we are debating today will provide critical aid to our friend, as they defend themselves against terrorists, while respecting taxpayer dollars. On October 7, our allies in the Middle East were attacked by Hamas terrorists, murdering 1,400 people. The victims include women, children, innocent bystanders, and even American citizens since the attacks started. Israel and the U.S. enjoy a unique and longstanding relationship as one of our closest non-NATO allies. We have, for decades, provided assistance to help Israel defend itself, and House Republicans are continuing that tradition today. The Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act provides $14 billion for Israel to defend itself against foreign terrorists. This includes funds for Iron Dome and David's Sling defense systems and further development of the Iron Beam defense system. Perhaps more significantly, this bill is offset through rescissions of the Democrats' IRS army funding provided under the Inflation Reduction Act. This rescission represents an important effort to respect the taxpayer and the dollars they entrust in us. America's support for Israel is unwavering, but there is simply no reason why the funds we provide should be placed on the backs of future generations by furthering our debt crisis. This is a commonsense solution, and I commend Speaker Johnson and Chairwoman Granger in putting forth this bill at such a timely juncture. I look forward to supporting this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support the rule and the underlying legislation, and I urge all Members to do so. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring the focus back to the discussions in front of us. It is worth reminding everyone that while we may have had a delay, we have still passed six appropriations bills this Congress. The Senate has just passed their first three appropriations bills this week. The House has passed bills representing the majority of the Federal discretionary spending, which is roughly three-quarters of the budget, and the Senate has passed just 17 percent. Make no mistake: we still have a lot of work to do, but Speaker Johnson and the House Republicans will continue to work towards passing every bill individually before our November 17 deadline. I do invite my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join us. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy).

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, I will bring the discussion back to the real issues at hand and talk about the fact that the American people and my constituents sent me to Washington to responsibly fund government and to stop overregulation and unnecessary interference from Washington. Overturning WOTUS, reining in the EPA, and investing in transportation safety, these bills do exactly that. The appropriations bills we are debating today cut unnecessary programming and prioritize the programs that serve the American people while allocating critical funding for vulnerable populations. I am proud of the work that my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee have done to take an honest look at government spending and make the sometimes hard decisions about where realistic cuts can be made. It is especially important because the national debt continues to rise and burden the next generation. I support the rule and the underlying bills, and I encourage Members to do the same to make sure that we are responding responsibly to the national debt and the crisis that we are facing.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mrs. FISCHBACH

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Granite Falls Mayor David Smiglewski. On September 22, the mayor passed away after a long and courageous battle with ALS. Mr. Granite Falls, as many came to know him, began his service in city government in 1979 as a member of the city council. In 1996, he became the city's mayor and served in that role for 27 years until his passing. During his tenure, Dave's commitment as a leader and advocate never wavered. He guided his community through devastating floods in 1997 and 2001 and a tornado in 2000. He even spent his final days here in Washington, working to secure highway funding for his community. The people of Granite Falls and the people of Minnesota have lost one of their greatest public servants. We can all only hope to be more like Dave Smiglewski. I offer my deepest condolences to Cindy, his wife of 40 years, and his children, Cody, Seth, and Laurel.

Mrs. FISCHBACH

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Officer Jake Wallin, a brave young veteran from Saint Michael, Minnesota. On July 14, while responding to a crash in south Fargo, a gunman shot and killed Jake and wounded two of his fellow officers and one civilian. Without hesitation, to protect those whom he served, Officer Jake Wallin made the ultimate sacrifice. My prayers go out to the Wallin family. Please know that the people of western Minnesota share your loss and we pray for Jake's family and for his law enforcement family. Mr. Speaker, let us never take for granted the heroes who walk among us.

Mrs. FISCHBACH

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we are here to debate the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2494, the Protect Our Law enforcement with Immigration Control and Enforcement Act of 2023, or the POLICE Act; H.R. 3091, the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act; and H. Con. Res. 40, expressing support for local law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement agencies. It provides for structured rules for all three bills and makes in order Democratic as well as Republican amendments. Given all that our police officers do for our communities each and every day, I am honored to stand here in defense of this legislation to support them. According to the FBI, assaults on law enforcement officers increased by 11.2 percent from 2020 to 2021. Many of these violent crimes have been committed by illegal aliens. As this administration continues to let the crisis at the border spiral out of control, these types of assaults will continue to increase. There are things we can do to deter criminal assaults and protect our officers. The POLICE Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to clearly state that the assault of a law enforcement officer is a deportable offense. If those who have been given the privilege of coming here cannot respect our laws or those who enforce them, they should not enjoy the benefit of remaining in our country. The second bill under consideration today, H.R. 3091, would allow law enforcement officers to buy retired and surplus military service weapons at fair market value, so long as the officer is in good standing with their employed agency. Under current law, Federal law enforcement agencies are required to destroy retired and unneeded firearms. The Fraternal Order of Police estimates that this wastes up to $8 million a year. This bill is a commonsense solution to save taxpayer dollars and support law enforcement officers. Finally, H. Con. Res. 40 expresses Congress' support for local law enforcement officers and condemns efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement agencies. Unfortunately, because there are people out there, even some serving in Congress, who want to defund the police and want to continue the anti-law enforcement rhetoric, this bill is necessary. In a time when police officers are regularly attacked for their profession, 2021 being the deadliest year in two decades for law enforcement officers, according to the FBI, it can never be stated enough that the U.S. Congress supports this country's police officers. The brave men and women across this Nation who risk their lives every day need to know that we condemn any efforts to defund them, and we support them. They need to know that we stand with them and are here to do everything in our power to protect them in the way they protect and serve our communities. That is why I encourage my colleagues to stand with me and support these pieces of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.