Bob Gibbs

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in support of H.R. 6865, the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022. The bill represents this Congress' commitment to the men and women serving in the Coast Guard and lays the groundwork for maintaining the Service's mission capability in the future. It also honors our colleague Don Young, who passed away last week, and is lying in state in Statuary Hall today. Our thoughts go out to his family and staff. The dean of the House, the Congressman for all Alaska, the former chairman of both the Committee on Natural Resources and Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the longest serving Republican Member of the House, the former mayor of Fort Yukon: His titles were many, but they failed to fully capture Don's character and endless enthusiasm for the job he loved, representing the people of Alaska in Congress. He did that job for 49 years, and he did it well. His legislative record is as amazing as his personal legacy of the friendships he made over the last five decades. He was always a stalwart Representative for Alaska and will have a lasting legacy. It is appropriate that we are naming this Congress' Coast Guard Authorization Act for Don. He served on the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation since it was established in 1995 and on its predecessor subcommittee for 20 years before that. He was the only licensed tugboat captain in Congress, and the Coast Guard plays many vital roles in the always vast and beautiful, but often stormy and dangerous, waters of his home State. The Coast Guard is one of the six United States Armed Forces, and they help secure our country's borders. As we watch the Ukraine crisis unfold and recognize the apparent lack of readiness in the Russian military, we should be especially aware of the need to provide our Armed Forces with the resources they need. This bill includes provisions to strengthen the Coast Guard's ability to keep Russian vessels out of U.S. water, a provision Don Young authored. Both sides of the aisle worked together to craft this legislation, recognizing that port and coastal security, drug interdiction, and maritime safety are important bipartisan issues to our Nation rather than Republican or Democrat issues. The Coast Guard plays an important and unique role in national security and maritime safety. The Service is a critical component in carrying out drug interdiction efforts, keeping our ports and coasts safe, and conducting icebreaking operations. H.R. 6865 helps the Coast Guard better perform these missions and encourages the use of cutting- edge technology to improve operations, while also addressing ongoing issues like how to bring the Service's crumbling IT infrastructure into the modern era. Despite the administration's failure to seek appropriate capital funding levels, this bill authorizes over $9 billion for the operations and support account and $3 billion for the procurement, construction, and improvement account for fiscal 2022 and provides a 5 percent increase in FY23. We had hoped that would offset earlier budget shortfalls, but given the rise in inflation, it will be needed just to stay even. As others have noted, this legislation authorizes the purchase of a twelfth National Security Cutter and six Fast Response Cutters, which are necessary for the Coast Guard's future mission capabilities. Vital to my district, I am also proud of the commitment made to the Great Lakes in this bill. Working with my colleague, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Gallagher), the bill includes an authorization of a new dedicated icebreaker on the Lakes to keep commerce moving as much of the year as possible. Thank you to Chair DeFazio, Ranking Member Sam Graves, and Subcommittee Chair Carbajal for working in a bipartisan fashion to give the Coast Guard the resources it needs to accomplish its missions. I urge support of this bill. On a side note, my first year as a freshman, I was chairman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, and I inadvertently overlooked Don Young in the questioning order. That was not a smart thing for a freshman Member to do. I realized my mistake, and I apologized to him, and we became the best of friends. He also invited all of us to go to his king salmon barbecue here in D.C. I am really going to miss Don Young. He was really an American patriot.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of amendment No. 8 in the en bloc. This amendment helps veterans and their families navigate a bureaucratic maze at VA. It is very frustrating a lot of times when they receive medical treatment at a non-VA facility. When a veteran is admitted to a hospital or emergency department they currently only have 3 days to notify the VA. If they fail to notify the VA in that 3-day window, any claim associated with that visit will be automatically denied. There are circumstances when getting immediate medical care outside of the VA system is the veteran's only option, especially during a medical emergency. They and their family should not have to worry about paperwork and the bureaucracy if the veteran is facing a life- threatening condition or is unable to make his or her own healthcare decisions. My amendment simply just lengthens that window and adds another day onto that window to report the claim. When you think about this, if you are going in on an emergency basis and after you get stabilized--it might take a couple days in the hospital to get stabilized--that extra day doesn't seem like much, but it is really important because they get stabilized and they get time to sort through where they are at. That is so important. We have helped hundreds and maybe thousands of veterans back in Ohio, and this comes up all the time, and they have to fight to get their claim. Mr. Speaker, I think it is really important, just a little bit of extra time. It is a no-brainer issue. I appreciate the chair putting it in the en bloc because it is really important because veterans, especially when they are in a non-veteran facility and have emergency care, they shouldn't have to worry about that deadline, and it just gives them a little extra time. Mr. Speaker, I support amendment No. 8.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Dusty Johnson and John Garamendi for their work on this bill. While I support this bill, I do have concerns about the process under which it has been brought to the floor, and whether, by itself, it will have much impact on the supply difficulties we are currently facing. Neither a hearing nor a markup was held on this bill. Given its complexity, I believe a hearing and a markup would have given Members a better opportunity to fully understand and perhaps improve the bill. The bill gives the Federal Maritime Commission, the FMC, enhanced authorities to prevent ocean carriers, who operate ships in the container trade, from engaging in anticompetitive activities in regards to shippers, and give shippers enhanced input into the FMC complaint process. I have concerns about giving bureaucrats at the Federal Maritime Commission more authority to insert themselves into privately held contractual agreements. However, it appears to a great extent, the delays, port congestion, and higher shipping prices are due primarily to short-term contracts, unwillingness or inability to share data by all parties to operate efficiently, equipment shortages, lack of warehouse space, chassis truck and train capacity, and labor issues, rather than anticompetitive practices by ocean shippers. If ocean carriers were the sole problem, we would not see container ships waiting for weeks to unload. Ag exports are at record highs for some commodities, and it is unfortunate that some of the ag shipments have not been able to make it on ships in a timely and efficient manner. However, it is not clear to me that the decision that led to these products from being stranded are due to practices that are anticompetitive under U.S. law. This bill would prohibit carriers from unreasonably declining cargo that can be safely and timely loaded and is going to a port on the ship's itinerary. It will be curious to see how often this provision is used. As I said, I am willing to support this bill to assure that detention and demurrage is used as an incentive to move cargo efficiently, not-- as some have claimed--as an indiscriminate corporate profit center, and to provide shippers additional protections. However, as has been said by the sponsor, this bill isn't perfect and there is still more work to be done. I expect it to address the supply chain more broadly and not assume that alleged anticompetitive behavior by ocean carriers is the sole cause of the current supply chain disruption. The legislation needed must, number one, be comprehensive and look at long-term port truck chassis, train, intermodal connection, and warehouse capacity needs. Two, assure the availability of transparent, enforceable contracts to assure goods can be shipped at the agreed time and cost; And three, improve data sharing among the parties in the supply to assure that everyone knows where and when they must have equipment to move containers efficiently. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation and ask that we continue to work to address the whole supply chain crisis.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, I was unable to attend votes due to a previously scheduled health obligation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Nay''on rollcall No. 311. members recorded pursuant to house resolution 8, 117th congress Armstrong (Timmons) Babin (Arrington) Frankel, Lois (Clark (MA)) Fulcher (Johnson (OH)) Grijalva (Garcia (IL)) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Kirkpatrick (Stanton) Lawson (FL) (Evans) McCaul (Nehls) Meng (Jeffries) Napolitano (Correa) Payne (Pallone) Reschenthaler (Timmons) Rush (Underwood) Ryan (Kildee) Sires (Pallone) Stefanik (Smucker) Wilson (FL) (Hayes)

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

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

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3684, which is nothing more than the Green New Deal in disguise. Whether it is creating dozens of new government programs or propping up failed passenger rail projects, the House Democrats' my-way-or-the-highway bill is bloated Big Government at its worst. Democrats blocked every Republican attempt to improve the bill, including my amendment in committee that would stop taxpayer dollars for funding art through transit projects. H.R. 3684 also bends the knee to Beijing, allowing communist China to profit off American investments in electric vehicles. There is plenty of room for commonsense, bipartisan efforts on actual transportation infrastructure: Fixing roads and bridges, repairing airports, and even responsible investments in broadband. But the majority is intent on ignoring these bipartisan prospects with irresponsible spending on socialism and driving up debt on the backs of American taxpayers. I reject H.R. 3684, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, for 6 years, a bipartisan agreement in the last surface transportation reauthorization prohibited transit funds going to nontransportation, art-related aspects in federally funded transit projects. The majority's bill ends that bipartisan agreement and allows for the diversion of transportation infrastructure funding to ancillary and unnecessary art projects. My amendment would keep this prohibition in place so that transportation infrastructure funding goes to actual infrastructure projects. Both Republicans and Democrats agree there is a real need for investments in critical infrastructure, though the majority is attempting to expand the definition of infrastructure to include virtually anything. Rerouting these investments to unnecessary art projects or to pay for artists on the project design team is a misuse of taxpayer dollars. We need to focus on repairs for roads and bridges, not feel-good frescoes and metro station murals. The amendment will allow excess transit funding to be directed toward improving our highway systems. My colleague from the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today suggested that if the Soviet Union could have artwork as part of their infrastructure projects, the United States can as well. I am not sure we should be taking infrastructure advice from the bankrupt nation that gave us the Chernobyl incident. And the comparison to the Soviet Union is unintentionally appropriate: This bill is bloated with socialist policies. Simply put, this amendment makes sure that infrastructure funds are used to fund actual infrastructure. A vote against this amendment codifies art as infrastructure. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment to prohibit Federal funding for unnecessary art projects.

Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, Americans depend on basic infrastructure to get to work and go about their daily lives, but our infrastructure is crumbling. The majority's bill proposes spending $715 billion over 5 years to make a transformational investment in our infrastructure, including more than $109 billion on transit. That is an extraordinary amount, especially after all the relief we have provided transit agencies over the last year, nearly $70 billion in total. For now, let's ignore the fact that none of this bill is paid for, because instead of concentrating our taxpayer resources on real infrastructure, the majority thinks we have the luxury of spending these resources on art, sculptures, and nonfunctional landscaping. Mr. Speaker, I don't know how many times we have to say that art is not infrastructure. It does not provide mobility. It doesn't get you to work or to the store. Our limited resources for transportation should not be wasted on art. That is why this body in the FAST Act put in place a bipartisan ban to prevent wasting our valuable transportation dollars on nonfunctional art. Interestingly, it seems that some on the other side still agree. Just a few hours ago, the Democratic leadership tried to allow a vote on restoring this commonsense ban but failed. This was an interesting development, particularly since I offered an amendment during the committee markup 3 weeks ago to ensure we keep the ban in place. Of course, given this partisan process, the majority voted against my committee amendment. Throughout this whole process, the majority has turned its back on bipartisanship and commonsense. My amendment now will keep in place 2015 the protection against wasting transportation money on art. We simply can't afford to decorate the walls when the house is crumbling. We shouldn't be putting art before the horse. It doesn't even pass the laugh test that the majority continues to defend this policy. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include the text of the amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, I was unable to attend votes in Washington, D.C. due to a health issue which prevented me from traveling from my home district. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 120 and YEA on Roll Call No. 121.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, I was unable to attend votes in Washington, D.C. due to a health issue which prevented me from traveling from my home district. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 123; NAY on Roll Call No. 124; YEA on Roll Call No. 125; YEA on Roll Call No. 126; NAY on Roll Call No. 127; YEA on Roll Call No. 128; NAY on Roll Call No. 129; YEA on Roll Call No. 130; YEA on Roll Call No. 131; and NAY on Roll Call No. 133.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, I was unable to attend votes on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 due to a previously scheduled doctor's appointment in my home state of Ohio. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 196 and YEA on Roll Call No. 197.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, I rise today, with my fellow Representative Tim Ryan (OH-13) to wish the National Football League a happy 100th birthday. One hundred years ago today, 15 people met in an automobile showroom in Canton, Ohio to form what would become the National Football League. From these humble beginnings, the NFL has grown into a preeminent American sports league, comprised of 32 teams from 22 states across the country. Over its first 100 years, the NFL has become a fixture in American life. The league is an American institution that brings together individuals of all ages, races, and backgrounds through a common enthusiasm for and appreciation for the game of football. Through good times and bad, the NFL has consistently reflected the spirit of the American people, displaying resilience, optimism, and resolve through periods of war, economic distress, natural disasters, and the current pandemic. Last season, the NFL concluded the celebration of its 100th season with a thrilling Super Bowl championship that was viewed by over 100 million Americans. Although the league celebrated its 100th season in 2019, the League's 100th birthday is a historic day as well. Today, in an effort to commemorate this momentous occasion, the Cleveland Browns will host the Cincinnati Bengals in a classic rivalry game, known as the ``Battle of Ohio''. The game will highlight the formation of the league and its humble roots in Canton, honor the more than 25,000 players who have played in the league, and showcase the work the NFL is doing to ensure its second century is just as successful as the first. We, therefore, recognize the National Football League on its 100th birthday, and wish the league all the best as it embarks into its second century as the foremost steward of ``America's Game.''

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, this bill provides funding that is already there. Creating and peddling this conspiracy theory is irresponsible and reckless. At a time when Russia and China are meddling in our elections, we don't need help from Congress peddling fake news. This is one bill that needs to be labeled, ``Return to sender.''

Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, once again, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are pulling the wool over the American people's eyes. We are here today not to debate or conduct public policy for the benefit of the Nation; we are here so they can perform in political theater. If you have any doubt about that, this coming Monday, the Oversight and Reform Committee is having a hearing with the Postmaster General about this same issue. So we are voting first, then we are having hearings? I think that is you-know-what backwards. My colleagues on the left are faking outrage over a made-up crisis to score points during an election. The United States Postal Service is under no greater stress than it was before the coronavirus pandemic and well before this election cycle. The facts have been laid out by experts, by independent journalists, by regular citizens who do the job the mainstream media refuses to do. Rather than find out and report what is really going on, we have mainstream media parroting Speaker Pelosi's conspiracy theory. Here are the facts: The post office is solvent through most of 2021 and will be able to operate for the 2020 election. They have $15 billion cash on hand. They have a $10 billion line of credit they have not used. If every single American voted by mail this cycle, it would be as low as one-quarter of the mail the post office handles daily. We have heard a lot about the sorting machines. First-class mail has really tapered off and the volume of packages has increased, so that is an efficiency standard that is doing better. During the 5-year span of the Obama administration, 14,000 blue collection boxes were removed from the streets. Twice during election years, the Obama administration proposed funding cuts to the Postal Service. Where was the outrage then? There was none. Removing and relocating collection boxes where they are more useful is common sense, not a conspiracy. Postmaster DeJoy testified and has come out publicly saying they are not going to do any more cost-cutting measures before the election, so everything is frozen. What the other side really wants is universal mail voting, not absentee voting, which we all support. They want universal mail voting. We just mail out ballots to anybody, and who knows who they will be. All that is going to do is sow the seeds, if the election doesn't go their way, to create more chaos and more division in this country. You won't hear any of these facts from the mainstream media.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, due to a medical test in my home state of Ohio, I was unable to attend the vote series on July 29, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 168, NAY on Roll Call No. 169, YEA on Roll Call No. 170, NAY on Roll Call No. 171, and NAY on Roll Call No. 172.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, due to a medical appointment, I was unable to vote on July 24, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 162; NAY on Roll Call No. 163; YEA on Roll Call No. 164; YEA on Roll Call No. 165; and NAY on Roll Call No. 166.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, due to a medical appointment, I was unable to vote on July 23, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 159, NAY on Roll Call No. 160, and YEA on Roll Call No. 161.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, from coast to coast and in every state and territory, the United States is home to a diverse array of scenic views, pristine wilderness, and breathtaking natural landscapes. Great Outdoors Month, designated every June, is our opportunity to celebrate and enjoy these lands. Whether it's the forests and mountains of Appalachia or the deserts and mesas of the Southwest, Americans have opportunities to explore the beauty of our great outdoors. Every year millions of people experience the splendor of our National Parks, National Forests; and other recreation lands administered by the federal government. We also enjoy state park systems, local parks departments, and private recreational lands, which play an important part in maintaining our heritage and history of outdoorsmanship. Hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, and geocaching are just a few of the many activities available in these parks. These great outdoors provide a source of leisure and entertainment, a sense of wonder and awe, and the ability to cherish and appreciate the picturesque lands with which America has been blessed. Studies show outdoor activity is also beneficial to one's physical and mental health, as the simple act of being outdoors can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and stress while outdoor exercise can reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Great Outdoors Month honors the grandeur of nature and our responsibility to preserve it for future generations. Many organizations' efforts to emphasize and spread awareness of the principles of ``Leave No Trace'', which seeks to minimize our impact on preserved land, are important to this responsibility. As are the conservation efforts of America's sportsmen and sportswomen. Responsible use of our nation's hunting grounds and respectful observance of harvesting regulations play a critical role in wildlife management and habitat protection. These hunters, trappers, and anglers are among the most ardent stewards--of our nation's most precious lands. To celebrate Great Outdoors Month, I encourage all Americans who can, to spend some time at any of our Nation's parks, national or state forests, hunting lands, or other outdoor spaces.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, I was unable to be present for the second vote series due to a previously scheduled doctor's appointment. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on rollcall No. 115.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this infrastructure boondoggle bill, which is focused on advancing the Green New Deal agenda. Instead of focusing on roads, bridges, and highways that keep the economy moving and Americans employed, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to divert funding streams through nonroadway infrastructure and leave rural surface transportation in the dust. One of the major roadblocks to successfully reinvigorating our national infrastructure is the mountains of red tape, paperwork, and bureaucracy involved with surface transportation infrastructure. This bill does nothing to reform the permitting process. It leaves in place a broken permitting regime that slows projects down to a dead stop. Contrary to what some may say, bureaucratic red tape has a direct impact on infrastructure investment. Project delays cost nearly $4 trillion in economic impact, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. We can point to nations like Canada, Germany, and Australia, who provide a robust and responsible environmental review process in just 2 years. Compare that to ours, the 3\1/2\ to 5 years it takes just one Federal agency, not including other Federal agencies that even add more time in the process. Finally, I oppose H.R. 2 for its lack of bipartisan participation. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle may try to point to an amendment here and there and call it bipartisan, but I have worked on true bipartisan legislation that doesn't just tick off the boxes of partisan talking points. I have fought to pass legislation that gets the hard work of infrastructure investment and permitting reform done while working with my Democratic colleagues in the past. I can tell you from experience, H.R. 2 is not that. Republicans were prevented from offering real input on this bill, one that has broad application and diverse impact across every type of community in this country. Instead, Republicans were shut out of the process. This is purely a leftwing messaging bill with their grandiose nonsense that is far from reality in addressing the real-world infrastructure concerns. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 2.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, no question, the Great Lakes are an important environmental and economic resource of the United States--$200 billion in economic activity. So many communities rely on the Great Lakes for drinking water, jobs, recreation, and more. While the Great Lakes may have had a troubled environmental history, recent restoration and protection efforts have been successful. The GLRI is a major factor in these efforts, funding projects that will ultimately leave the Great Lakes in a better condition for future generations to enjoy. Several years ago, when I was chairman of the subcommittee with jurisdiction, we had some concerns, so in our oversight responsibility and to protect taxpayer dollars, I requested the GAO do a study of this program, and it came back with an excellent return. That is why I think we are getting some of these returns about what is going on. Also, it is important that that study gave us some helpful ideas to improve the program. We are seeing that today, and the program is working very well. I feel good that we did that study, and we know what is going on. We know the taxpayer dollars are protected, and we did our oversight role. Ohio is home to many important projects funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: State commissions to reduce phosphorous, Asian carp prevention, and various habitat restoration projects. The GLRI remains an essential element in repairing and preserving the Great Lakes. I thank my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Joyce) for sponsoring this bill. I urge my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 4031.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my fellow Representatives Troy Balderson (OH-12), Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Danny Davis (IL-07), Rodney Davis (IL-13), Anthony Gonzalez (OH-16), Brian Higgins (NY-26), David P. Joyce (OH-14), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Joseph Morelle (NY-25), Greg Pence (IN-06), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Bobby Rush (IL-01), Tim Ryan (OH-13), Steve Stivers (OH-15), and Michael R. Turner (OH-10) to commemorate the 100th season of the National Football League. Our Congressional Districts include the 13 ``Original Towns'' from which came the 14 charter teams that formed the American Professional Football Association, which would become the NFL. During its inaugural 1920 season, the founding teams that competed in the new league included: the Akron Pros; Buffalo All-Americans; Canton Bulldogs; Decatur Staleys; Racine Cardinals; Chicago Tigers; Cleveland Tigers; Columbus Panhandles; Dayton Triangles; Hammond Pros; the Heralds (Detroit); Muncie Flyers; Rock Island Independents; and the Jeffersons (Rochester,.N.Y.). Two years later, the new league was renamed the National Football League. From its humble beginnings, the National Football League is now a preeminent sports league, comprised of 32 teams from 22 states across the country. In the span of a century, the league has become intricately woven into the fabric of American life and the foremost steward of what is now known as ``America's Game.'' The league's annual ``Super Bowl'' Championship is the single most-watched annual television event in the United States, bringing together individuals of all ages, races, and backgrounds through a common enthusiasm for and appreciation of the game of football. The two pillars of the NFL are football and community, which are demonstrated through the volunteerism and philanthropic efforts of players, owners, coaches and staff, including through programs and initiatives ranging from honoring our nation's veterans and servicemembers to promoting cancer awareness to encouraging youth to maintain active and healthy lifestyles. These efforts, both on and off the field, reflect the character, commitment, fortitude and teamwork that make our communities resilient and strong. We, therefore, recognize the National Football League as a great sports league ofthe United States and congratulate the NFL for 100 seasons of uniting communities across the country, and look forward to another century of NFL football.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, Democrats started with quid pro quo. That didn't work so well. Then it was bribery and extortion. Then they brought the witnesses in, and not one could answer if they saw any evidence of bribery, extortion, or any crime when questioned. It was just silence. Then the witnesses testified they heard this from so-and- so. When the Democrats brought their star witness in, Ambassador Sondland, when asked, he said: I presumed the aid was held up. I presumed? Testimony was all hearsay, conjecture, and assumptions. So now it is abuse of power with no underlying crime, which is opinion. Abuse of power to the Democrats is they don't like his policies, or he treated a reporter harshly. Obstruction of Congress: there are three coequal branches of government. When the executive branch and the legislative branch have an impasse, that is when the judicial branch intervenes. They didn't do that. The Democrats didn't take that route. Every President, including George Washington, could have been impeached based on these factless articles. There is no crime, and there is no victim as Ukraine received their aid before the December 30 deadline and no witnesses who witnessed anything. This isn't about the rule of law. It is politics at its worst. It is disgraceful. It is time to end the charade and scam on the American people. Madam Speaker, I urge everybody to vote ``no'' on these Articles of Impeachment.

Mr. GIBBS

Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, like more than a million Americans, Vernon Judd was drafted into service during the Korean war. Leaving his hometown in Stark County, Ohio, to serve in the Army, Vernon Judd was one of ten children, with whom he left behind fond memories. His younger brother, Ken, recalled fireworks shows Vernon would put on for the community. Sergeant Judd was just 6 weeks away from being relieved of duty when he went missing in action in 1950. Being taken to a Korean prisoner of war camp, Judd survived just a few months before succumbing to starvation, dysentery, and exposure to the elements, according to a fellow POW military doctor. It was not until 1954 that Judd's family learned of his death. Nearly 70 years after his death, Sergeant Vernon Judd was identified and returned home to Ohio. On Tuesday, he was laid to rest at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery, and the homecoming celebration attracted thousands. Vernon Judd is one of many Americans who lost their life in service to our Nation. His homecoming may be delayed, but it was welcomed. It brings peace, relief, and comfort to the Judd family. Mr. Speaker, I ask the House to join me in celebrating and honoring Sergeant Vernon Judd and pray the families of the remaining servicemembers missing in action find the same peace.