Lance Gooden

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I suspected I would hear what I just heard, but I would like to correct a few things. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not doing their job. Congress passed a law ordering them to conduct a study in 2019. They said they would, and they haven't done it yet. Not only have they not conducted a study, but they just recently reengaged on this issue this past summer. They failed to engage with me. I have sent several letters asking them to do the job that Congress instructed them to do, but they have managed to order those manufacturers of this pulsing brake light to turn over all of their client lists because they wanted to then go after the dealers that have installed these lights and force them to turn over their client lists, and I think that is wrong. This amendment is intended to force action by NHTSA to step back. If they are not going to do their job, then at least don't get in the way of something that works. The studies have shown a reduction in rear-end collisions by over 30 percent with vehicles that have these brake lights. I will also point to something that is really shocking to me, frankly, and that is that 10 to 15 States, including Maryland, Texas, California, Utah, and Tennessee, have expressly agreed with the industry's analysis that these are actually helpful to the safety of Americans on the road. Any time Texas and California agree on something, I am inclined to think it might actually be a good thing. The other thing I will point out is something that I think many of those watching this debate are afraid to mention, and that is the fact that we have these manufacturers that have these deals that they worked out with these auto dealers, and they make these parts. They talk with these auto dealers and say they can sell this and make this amount of profit. They got all this worked out. When it comes to this pulsing brake light, it is not a manufacturer- provided part. This is something a private company--and now there are four, five, or six. They all compete against each other. This industry makes these lights and has now dealt with the auto dealers outside of the manufacturers. As a consequence, the manufacturers don't like it. I am not going to accuse the manufacturers of dealing with NHTSA, but I will say it is very bizarre to me that NHTSA is not going forward with the study that this Congress, in 2019, asked them to do. It is very bizarre to me that NHTSA, instead of conducting a study, instead of working with members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, like myself, are asking for client lists of this industry. That is just really weird to me, especially when the device that is so controversial is approved by Texas, California, and, frankly, some liberal States that all think this is really great. Mr. Chair, I encourage my colleagues from across the aisle to recognize this is not a partisan issue. This is bipartisan. This is a good amendment, and I hope that we will all vote for it tonight when Americans have gone to bed and we are back here on the House floor voting late tonight. I hope my colleagues from across the aisle will join me in supporting this amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield my remaining time to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise to commemorate the extraordinary service of Texas State Representative Gregory Keith Bell from Forney, Texas, and his company, Intex Electrical Contractors, founded in 1983 when Mr. Bell was the young age of twenty-one. Rep. Bell continues to serve as President and CEO of Intex, working with an outstanding leadership team. Due to the extraordinary effort of Rep. Bell, Intex is celebrating its 40th anniversary serving the Metroplex. The company has received numerous awards for its excellent work and has been recognized as one of the top one hundred fastest-growing private companies in North Texas. The leadership team brings over two hundred years of industry experience. Intex is a Certified Minority Business Enterprise and was ranked Top Specialty Contractor in 2005. I am proud to represent Rep. Bell, his family, and the team at Intex in Washington, and I am proud he represents my family and me in Austin.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Brookshire's Grocery Company on its 95th anniversary and commemorate its service to the Texas community. In 1928, Wood T. Brookshire and his wife founded their grocery company at a small store in Tyler, Texas. The store began with four employees and has grown to over 200 stores across several other states. To this day, Brookshire's is led by the founder's grandson, Brad Brookshire. Brookshire's has grown from its humble beginnings into a thriving enterprise known for its philanthropic efforts and dedication to its local community. Brookshire's has consistently led hunger relief efforts across the South, among other important initiatives. I extend my gratitude to Brookshire's not only for its commitment to excellent customer service, but consistently going above and beyond to deliver the best experience for its customers. I have no doubt Brookshire's stores across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma will continue to prosper and serve as an inspiration for entrepreneurs. Texans certainly look forward to its positive impact on the community for many years to come.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I rise to urge my colleagues to support amendment No. 53 to H.R. 4665 that puts an end to international organizations circumventing our immigration laws. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration is an anchor that ties down our Nation's right to determine our own immigration policies and handcuffs our government from acting in its own best interest. The United Nations should not be making immigration laws for our country. President Trump pulled us out of this compact; President Biden, I believe, wrongfully put us back in. What this amendment does is it restricts any funding that will go to compliance with this. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I will quote Ambassador Nikki Haley, who said: While we will continue to engage on a number of fronts at the United Nations, in this case, we simply cannot in good faith support a process that could undermine the sovereign right of the United States to enforce our immigration laws. We don't need to outsource our lawmaking to the United Nations. One of the compact issues that I have is that it strongly encourages migrants who do not have permission to stay in the country of destination, they are able to return to their country preferably on a voluntary basis. The United Nations should not be making immigration law for the United States. If we are admitting--which I am happy to hear my colleague admit--that we do have a crisis, the last thing we are going to admit on either side is that it is, in fact, orderly, which is what this compact seeks to achieve in an international body. Mr. Chair, I support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, this amendment ends the United Nations International Organization for Migration taxpayer-funded slush funds, commonly referred to as the Refugee Travel Loan Program. While this may be a noble idea, a lot of Americans don't realize that what this money does is it first flows through the nongovernmental organizations that then, cheerfully, take a cut of that, 25 percent. Mr. Chair, 25 percent of all of these moneys go through NGOs and they keep 25 percent. It is turned into a loan that is obviously never paid back. These numbers of refugees are continuing to be encouraged, and the caps continue to be encouraged to be raised by these nongovernmental organizations that are making money off of this program. Mr. Chair, I would say to anyone who is for this, I hope they will join me in reforming this program, but until then, I don't think it is wise to spend American taxpayer dollars on something that is just enriching these NGOs on the backs of the American taxpayer. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, it is true that this is issued as a loan, but less than 1 percent of these have been paid back. These aren't real loans; these are giveaways of taxpayer dollars to refugees. I don't have a problem supporting legitimate refugees, but what really bothers me is that these nongovernment organizations are taking a 25 percent cut. So the refugees are not even getting the total amount of this loan, but the enriched nongovernment organizations are. That is why you hear from groups like Lutheran Family Services, Jewish Family Services, and Catholic Charities that say: We are happy to help with this refugee problem. We are happy to go down to the border. We are happy to help facilitate this loan program because we know that we are not going to be on the hook for any of this money, it is the American taxpayer. In fact, we are going to get a 25 percent cut of whatever fake loan we give out. Mr. Chair, it is really un-American to force the American taxpayer to fund this ridiculous program. The fact that we have charitable organizations profiting off of it and encouraging more and more of it is offensive to me, as well. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I urge passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an important issue to both our nation's employers and their employees; and that is regarding the applicability of the Airline Deregulation Act (ADA) to State Workers' Compensation programs. When Congress enacted the ADA in 1978, one of the main goals was to place maximum reliance on competitive market forces to help lower prices and improve efficiency, innovation, variety, and competition in the delivery of air transportation services. But the ADA was never intended to prohibit states from regulating workers' compensation systems. In my home state of Texas, there has been litigation on this issue for over a decade, and there is no end in sight. That is why Congress needs to step in and why I filed Amendment 300 to H.R. 3935, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act. My amendment, which unfortunately was not able to be made in order as part of the House's consideration of H.R. 3935, would have amended the Airline Deregulation Act to clarify that the original intent of the ADA was not to preempt state workers' compensation laws with respect to billing and payments for air ambulance services. The foundation of the state workers' compensation system is individual state regulation of reimbursement amounts under their workers' compensation medical fee schedules, thereby creating cost transparency. In most states, this is accomplished by setting workers' compensation medical fee services at a percentage above what providers receive under Medicare. As a result, workers' compensation coverage is widely available to employers of every size across all industries; and ensures employees are protected from the economic impact of workplace injuries. Unfortunately, the protections and certainty this system affords both employers and workers alike started to be undermined in 2010 when numerous air ambulance service providers began asserting the ADA preempts state workers' compensation medical fee schedules, creating a pathway for air ambulance fees to unreasonably skyrocket. The preemption of state workers' compensation laws within the ADA is a pure accident. When Congress passed the ADA in 1978 to deregulate the airline industry, it certainly did not intend to deregulate workers' compensation insurance payments to air ambulance companies. As part of the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act, Congress established the Air Ambulance and Patient Billing Advisory Committee at the Department of Transportation to address several issues involving air ambulance companies, including medical fees, consumer choice, and protecting consumers from balance billing. In March 2022, the Advisory Committee submitted its report to Congress, which included a recommendation to amend the ADA to clarify that it does not preempt state laws relating to state regulation of workers' compensation insurance programs. My proposed amendment to H.R. 3935 embodies the Advisory Committee's recommendation and will address the accidental preemption of state workers' compensation laws and the inadvertent federalization of a part of state workers' compensation systems. This simple clarification that the ADA preemption provision does not apply to state workers' compensation payments for air ambulance services will return the issue to the states where it belongs, and air ambulance companies will have every opportunity to make their arguments on the appropriate payment amounts for their services within each state's workers' compensation system. Unfortunately, my amendment was not included in the bill that was considered by the House, but I will continue to work with other members on legislation to address this important issue.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, none of us in this Chamber thought that we would have a President, even as a Democrat, that would let the country get this way. Strengthening our national security and prioritizing the well-being of the American people should be a bipartisan issue. This is the strongest border security bill to come to the House floor in decades, but my colleagues on the other side of the aisle refuse to support this commonsense legislation, instead using terms like cruel, horrible, and heartless Republicans. The American people won't fall for that. They don't fall for that. The Biden administration has created a humanitarian and security crisis unlike anything we have ever seen. They have outright refused to enforce the law, prioritizing the livelihoods of illegal aliens over American citizens. Drug cartels are running rampant. NGOs are handing out debit cards and bus tickets to migrants paid for with our taxpayer dollars. Human traffickers are targeting migrant children; it is heartless to do nothing about that and let the status quo continue. However, it gets worse tonight at midnight. When title 42 lifts tonight at midnight, we will see yet another migrant surge to add to the historic numbers this administration has already amassed. The Secure the Border Act strengthens protections for migrant children during a time when the Biden administration is losing over 85,000 unaccompanied minor children due to foolish and reckless practices. This bill protects migrant children, American citizens, and American workers. H.R. 2 has my full support, and I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join the American people in our fight to secure our Nation.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the unconstitutional Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). During the 117th Congress, I filed an amendment to the omnibus spending bill to strip language from the bill that had been intended to ``fix'' the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, which was found unconstitutional by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on November 18, 2022, because Congress had unlawfully delegated its lawmaking power to a private corporation called the ``Authority''. The Appeals Court said the Authority needed more oversight from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), but the language included in the omnibus had been hastily put together and failed to address the underlying issue raised by the Appeals Court. The so-called ``fix'' still did not allow the FTC to make policy decisions. The FTC still may only reject rules proposed by the Authority if they are inconsistent with the Act, but the Act is written so broadly that no rule will ever be rejected. After the rules have gone into effect, the FTC may now issue its own rules, but it still may do so only to make them consistent with the Act. It cannot impose its own policy decisions on the Authority's rules. Unfortunately, my amendment did not receive a vote in this era of governing by omnibus, but I will be working this Congress to pass legislation through regular order that will fix the constitutional problems with HISA.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Shelton Gibbs III, the minister of Greenville Avenue Church of Christ (GACC) in Richardson, Texas, on his retirement. During his 53 years of service, Brother Gibbs passionately dedicated himself to his community, always putting the needs of his neighbors, his congregation, and his family before his own. Brother Gibbs followed in the footsteps of his late father, Dr. S.T.W. Gibbs, Jr., who served as the Stop Six Church of Christ minister for over 50 years. He is also the grandson of both the late S.T.W. Gibbs, Sr. and C.C. Morgan, two great pioneer preachers. In Brother Gibbs' 40 years of service to GACC, the congregation has grown from 140 members to over 2000. The Gibbs family tradition of faithful service to the church of Christ is an example to us all. In the early 1970s, Brother Gibbs' ministry brought him from Illinois to Texas. He served in various roles at Southwestern Christian College, including his current position on the Development Board of Lifeline Chaplaincy and founding the school's Guardian Plan. Brother Gibbs' commitment to fostering the next generation of leaders at Southwestern Christian College was evident to the entire staff and student body. Brother Gibbs began preaching 53 years ago and enthusiastically demonstrated his love for God and his congregation at several churches around the State of Texas, including Clarksville, Mineral Wells, Abilene, and Edgewood. His evangelistic work was not limited solely to the United States; his passion for growing the church led Brother Gibbs on campaigns in Jamaica and Ghana. Brother Gibbs is retiring as minister of GACC after 40 dedicated years. His wife of 50 years, Jeanette Gibbs, their four children, and ten beautiful grandchildren have been his greatest support system throughout his service at GACC, and I wish them all the best. I applaud Brother Shelton Gibbs III for his commitment to serving the congregation of Greenville Avenue Church of Christ.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the leadership and commitment of Dr. Coy Holcombe, who serves the Fifth District of Texas as Superintendent of Eustace ISD. An essential figure and true asset to our community, Dr. Holcombe is retiring after 21 years of service. Dr. Holcombe began his career as an educator and coach in 1984 before joining Eustace ISD in 2001. His brilliance in finance and his leadership skills have not gone unnoticed in the community, especially during the trials of COVID-19. Dr. Holcombe has successfully maintained a healthy fund balance within the school district and navigated the community through student population growth over the years. His leadership during the pandemic was stellar in ensuring students' education, health, and well-being were properly monitored and prioritized. His dedication to every student within Eustace ISD will leave a legacy of excellence and compassion in the Fifth District of Texas. I commend Dr. Coy Holcombe for his commitment to the students and families of Eustace ISD and for 21 years of hard work and service as Superintendent.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the leadership and commitment of Dr. Coy Holcombe, who serves the fifth district of Texas as Superintendent of Eustace ISD. An essential figure and true asset to our community, Dr. Holcombe is retiring after 21 years of service. Dr. Holcombe began his career as an educator and coach in 1984 before joining Eustace ISD in 2001. His brilliance for finance and his leadership skills have not gone unnoticed in the community, especially during the trials of COVID-19. Dr. Holcombe has successfully maintained a healthy fund balance within the school district and navigated the community through student population growth over the years. His leadership during the pandemic was stellar in ensuring students' education, health, and well-being was properly monitored and prioritized. His dedication to every student within Eustace ISD will leave a legacy of excellence and compassion in the fifth district of Texas. I commend Dr. Coy Holcombe for his commitment to the students and families of Eustace ISD and for 21 years of hard work and service as Superintendent.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise to oppose the previous question so we can immediately consider legislation to force President Biden to restore our energy independence. The United States was the largest producer of oil and gas in the world under President Trump. In less than a year, President Biden has destroyed our energy sector, created the highest gas prices in American history, and crippled our economy in the process. There is no logic to this administration's refusal to unleash our full energy potential. It is time to ask if this administration is holding the reins of power, or if radical environmentalist groups are calling the shots at the White House. For 2 years, I have been demanding an investigation into foreign funding of these environmental organizations. Vladimir Putin has a long history of spreading misinformation and using activist groups to deter domestic energy production. In just 10 years, the European Union went from producing more natural gas than Russia to relying on them for 40 percent of their natural gas consumption. Russian dark money is to blame, and we have to prevent the same thing from happening here at home. Russia will use every tool at their disposal to undermine our national security. And by listening to these radical groups, the Biden administration has allowed them to succeed. Madam Speaker, we are relying on foreign adversaries and authoritarian regimes when we have the resources here at home to bring down gas prices and help our allies in Europe. Instead of calling Venezuela and Iran, the President should be calling Texas.

Mr. GOODEN

Mr. GOODEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a staple of Texas journalism in my Congressional district. This year marks the 173rd anniversary of the oldest weekly newspaper in Texas, The Cherokeean Herald. The Cherokeean Herald, published in Rusk, Texas, was established on February 27, 1850, when Texas had only been a State for four years. The joint publishers and owners of the historic newspaper, John and Penny Hawkins, have worked diligently in the community to make the publication an authentic representation of Rusk's rich history. From local sports events to statewide and national politics, The Cherokeean Herald has excelled at keeping the community informed of various issues for over a century. I commend The Cherokeean Herald for its dedication and commitment to the state of Texas and the Cherokee County community for 173 years of hard work and service.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Pastor Byron (Boonie) Jones of First Baptist Church in Gun Barrel City, Texas, on his retirement. During his thirty-five years of service, Byron has been a stalwart of the community, always putting others' needs before his own. Byron first joined the Ministry in 1979 at Eastside Baptist Church in Rusk, Texas and served on staff for three years before joining as Youth Minister at First Baptist Church, Gresham. In 1985, the First Baptist Church Gun Barrel City was fortunate to have Byron join as Pastor. When Byron first came to Gun Barrel City, the church was meeting in a city council meeting room until they were able to build a house of worship. Now, the First Baptist Church in Gun Barrel City, Texas, is one of the largest churches in Henderson County. After 35 years of service, Pastor Byron Jones more than deserves a peaceful retirement, and I wish him the best. I commend Pastor Byron Jones for his dedication to serving the people of Texas, and I know the First Baptist Church in Gun Barrel City will be sad to see him go.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Rotary Club of Quitman, Texas, which is celebrating 75 years of service. Since January 7, 1946, the Rotary Club of Quitman has consistently served not only the Quitman community, but also Wood County, Texas, and beyond. The membership of this club has included innovative leaders of business and government, city council members, mayors, school principals, administrators, superintendents, doctors, lawyers, members of the clergy, and numerous prominent citizens of the Quitman community. While membership is important, the true measure of a club or organization is the service they provide to their community. In this regard, the Rotary Club of Quitman is truly admirable. The club concentrates its efforts to support the youth of the Quitman Independent School District and other worthy community initiatives. During its long history, it has funded college scholarships for graduating seniors, sponsored a Rotaract club for high school students, funded the first infrared camera for the city's fire department, supported youth at Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) camp, as well as other efforts to support the youth. One of the scholarships honors a local veteran of the Vietnam Conflict who, after a distinguished military career, served as Wood County Judge and a Rotarian. I wish to thank each member of the Rotary Club of Quitman for their continuous, dedicated commitment to improving the lives of others. It is an honor to represent these members in our Nation's Capital. Again, congratulations to the Rotary Club of Quitman, Texas on 75 outstanding years.

Mr. GOODEN of Texas

Mr. GOODEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill. This partisan proposal would allocate over $2 billion of taxpayer resources for a wall around the U.S. Capitol and spend money on other things, like Members' personal security at home. I don't believe the American people support that. I don't believe they understand what is in this bill. And I believe this bill would only serve to further separate the American people from their elected representatives here in Washington. This is not the way we do business in the United States of America. It is not the way we should do business. There are so many issues that are more worthy of our attention. The crisis at our border is unlike anything we have ever seen. We are recording 20-year highs in border crossings. But instead of completing the wall at our southern border, which would protect innocent children from being exploited by human traffickers and drug cartels, Democrats would rather spend $2 billion on a wall around this building in D.C. This is the people's House, Madam Speaker, and I cannot support this proposal to take my constituents' hard-earned money and use it to keep them out.